THEOLOGY III:The Doctrines of Salvation

Part I (previous presentation)• Common Grace• Election and Reprobation• The Gospel Call and Effective Calling• Regeneration• Conversion

THEOLOGY III:The Doctrines of Salvation

Part II• Justification• Adoption• Sanctification• Perseverance of the Saints• Death and the Intermediate State• Glorification

Ordo Salutis:The Order of the Events of Salvation

1. Election and Reprobation

2. The Gospel Call and Effective Calling

3. Regeneration

4. Conversion

5. Justification

6. Adoption

7. Sanctification

8. Perseverance of the Saints

9. Death and the Intermediate State

10.Glorification

Justification

• What is it?• Why do we need it?• What difference does it make?

On our own, what is our standing before God?

• “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understand; no one seeks for God….no one does good, not even one.” (Rom 3:10-12)

• “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Is. 64:6)

What does it mean that we aren’t good?

• “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you…

you hate all evildoers.” (Psalm 5:4-5)

• “But nothing unclean will ever enter [Heaven], nor anyone who does what is detestable or false” (Rev. 21:27)

What does it mean that we aren’t good? (cont)

• “All liars…will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Rev. 21:8)• Death penalty for one lie (Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5)

• Seriousness of crime is seen in the punishment given• $5 fine vs. Multiple life sentences• Punishment for sin is eternity in Hell

• God is a holy God who hates sin and must punish it

But, doesn’t God save wicked sinners?

• “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly…..” (Rom. 4:5)• Justifies – declares right

• God declares ungodly people to be right with Him apart from works

Up to this point…

1. God is a holy God who hates sin and must punish it

2. God justifies the ungodly (declares sinners to be right)

What if our revelation of God stopped here?

Is God contradicting Himself?

• “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.” (Pr. 17:15)

• God is one “who justifies the ungodly…..” (Rom. 4:5)

How does God punish sin but overlook our sins?

• How can God keep His righteousness, holiness, and hatred of sin and not destroy us?

• How can God take His enemies and bring them into His family?• The answer is Justification

• Justification - on the basis of what Christ did for us, God rescues us from the penalty of sin without compromising His character

How does God punish sin but overlook our sins? (cont)

• Courtroom analogy

• “God demonstrates His love for us in that while we broke the law, Jesus paid our fine”

• “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13)

• “He was wounded for… He was crushed for… The Lord has laid on Him…

(Is. 53)

our transgressionsour iniquities

the iniquity of us all”

1st half of Justification: Forgiveness of our sins through Christ

• “[God] might be the just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26)

• “On the cross, God treats Jesus as if He had committed every sin that was ever committed by everyone who would ever believe”

- John MacArthur

2nd half of Justification: The righteousness of Christ for us

• God provides His righteousness for us not on the basis of keeping His moral Law, but on the basis of our faith in Christ

• “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe • Through our faith, God replaces our moral neutrality with the

righteousness of Christ

2nd half of Justification: The righteousness of Christ for us (cont)

• God declares us right as an act of grace. The perfect obedience of Christ is given to us:

• “The righteous one, my servant [Christ], make[s] many to be accounted righteous” (Is 53)

• “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Rom 4:3)

Justification is an instantaneous legal act where God

1. Sees our sins as forgiven because Christ takes our punishment and

2. Sees Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us

Justification

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

“On the cross, God treats Jesus as if He had lived your life so that He can treat you as if you had lived His life.” - John MacArthur

Summary of Justification

1. God is a holy God who hates sin and must punish it

2. God justifies the ungodly (declares sinners to be right)

3. God does this for the Christian by punishing Christ for our sins and giving us His righteousness

Why is Justification so Important?

• “A true view of justification is the dividing line between the biblical gospel of salvation by faith alone and all false gospels of salvation based on good works.”

- Wayne Grudem

• Works-based salvation• Judaism• Hindusim• Islam

What happens when Justification is slightly modified?

What if someone came to you and advertised a justification based on how much righteousness God puts in you (depending on your obedience and moral character)?

Roman Catholic Doctrine

• “The degree of justifying grace is not identical in all the just….grace can be increased by good works”*

• “Without a special revelation nobody can with certainty of faith know whether or not he has fulfilled all the conditions which are necessary for the achieving of justification”*

*Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott

True vs. False Gospel

• Roman Catholic Church teaches a false gospel where man co-operates with God in justification

• Protestant Reformers teach that man contributes nothing to the finished work of Christ in justification

• Strong Warnings for False Teachers and False Doctrines• “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel

other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal. 1:8)

• Right understanding of Justification is essential to the Biblical gospel

But, doesn’t James say that works are needed?

• “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24)• Justify can also mean “shown to be righteous”

• Intellectual agreement with the gospel is not faith

• Works are the outward evidence of genuine faith

• 2 kinds of faith- dead faith with no power to save and genuine faith that results in a changed life

How does Justification affect everyday life?

• Justification frees us from the performance trap*• Subtle form of works-based salvation

• Justification frees the believer from condemnation• “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ

Jesus” (Rom. 8:1)

• Justification is the basis of all of blessings we have in Christ• “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how

will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)

*From the Cross Centered Life by Mahaney

How does Justification affect everyday life? (cont)

• Justification gives hope to all unbelievers• If justification was based on works, then many would

lose hope• None of us are worthy to be saved• All grace, all faith

Conclusion

• Justification gives us the right understanding of the gospel, the complete work done for us by Christ

• Justification gives hope to the Christian and non-Christian

• As a result, we will worship and love God more deeply

A new way of looking at success

“From now on we regard no on from a worldly point of view.” – 2

Corinthians 5:16

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of

Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the

surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose

sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may

gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my

own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in

Christ— the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

(Philippians 3:7-9)

Is forgiveness sufficient to have God’s favor?

• Forgiveness only gives us moral neutrality• We are still missing righteousness

• Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48)

• Accounting analogy- Go from owing a large sum of money to being debt free

What’s wrong with Catholic Doctrine?

• Justification - declared right by God

• Sanctification - being made right by God

• Distinct, but not Separate

• Justified person is always a changed person

• Sanctification flows from Justification but is never the basis for Justification

Justified Unjustified

Believing person

Unbelieving Person

Regenerate Unregenerate

Has Holy Spirit

No Holy Spirit

Sanctification has begun

Sanctification has not begun

From Getting the Gospel Right by R. C. Sproul

Some people confuse justification with sanctification

Justification1. Objective – declared

righteousness

2. Imputed righteousness

3. Legal act

4. God’s work for us

5. Based on death of Christ

6. Basis of sanctification

7. Finished at conversion

Sanctification1. Subjective– demonstrate

righteousness

2. Imparted righteousness

3. Transforming righteousness

4. God’s work in us

5. Based on present ministry of Christ

6. Result of justification

7. Finished at consummation

Sanctification

“A progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives”

-Grudem

When does it occur?

1. In the past [1Cor 6:11]

2. In the present [Rom 6:19]

3. In the future [Heb 12:23]

Three Stages

1. Sanctification has a definite beginning at regeneration.

2. Sanctification increases throughout life.

3. Sanctification is completed at death (for our souls) and when Jesus returns (for our bodies).

The Four Positions of Humans with regards to Sinning

1. Creation: A. able to sin (posse peccare), and B. able not to sin (posse non peccare)

2. Fall: not able not to sin (non posse non peccare)

3. Redemption: able not to sin (posse non peccare) – again

4. Consummation: not able to sin (non posse peccare)

What occurs in Sanctification?

- Mortification of the flesh - “...if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” [Rom 8:13]

- Vivification of the Spirit - “...he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” [Rom 8:11]

What is Sanctified?The whole person• Intellect - Colossians 1:10.• Emotions - 1 John 2:15.• Will - Philippians 2:13.• Body & Spirit - 2 Corinthians 7:1.

The Father's Role

- He causes us to desire His will“I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” – Col. 1:29

- He gives us power to obey His will

“...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” [Php 2:12-13]

- He disciplines us [Heb 12:5-11]

The Son's Role- He earned it for us

“And because of [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” [1 Cor 1:30]

- He is our example [Heb 12:2]

The Holy Spirit's Role- He works within us to change us [1 Pet 1:2; 2 Thes 2:13]

- He produces the fruit within us “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” [Gal 5:22-23]

- After all, he is the Holy Spirit

Our Passive Role- We depend on God to sanctify us• Romans 6:13 & 12:1

- We are encouraged to trust in God, and to ask him to sanctify us• 1 Peter 2:24

- So, do we just: “Let go and let God?”

Our Active Role- We are to strive to obey God and take steps to increase our sanctification. [Rom 8:13]

- We are commanded to do it, not the Holy Spirit. [Phil 2:12-13]

- Since God is at work, our work will be profitable. [1 Thes 4:3]

How do we grow?- Bible reading/meditating [Ps 1:2; John 17:17]

- Prayer [Phil 4:6]

- Worship [Eph 5:18-20]

- Christian Fellowship [Heb 10:24-25]

- Self-discipline, Self-control [Gal 5:23]

- Suffering [Php 3:10-11]

Why Are We Sanctified?- To become more like Christ – 1 Peter 1:2, Acts 11:26

- We are getting closer to heaven. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” [Rom 14:17]

Motives for Sanctification

• A desire to please God - John 14:15• The need for a clear conscience – 1

Peter 3:16• The desire for increased effectiveness –

2 Timothy 2:20-21 • To see unbelievers come to Christ – 1

Peter 3:1-2

Motives for Sanctification• To receive God's blessings – 1 Peter

3:9-12 • To avoid God's displeasure –

Colossians 3:5-6, 1 Timothy 5:20 • A greater heavenly reward – Ephesians

6:8 • A deeper walk with God – John 14:21• Peace, joy, and favor with God and men

– Romans 14:17-18

Death

For Your Small Group: Most people don’t like to think about and talk

about death. Why not?

Death is Real

The reality of Death: Everyone dies eventually (by old age, accident, war, murder, natural disaster, famine, etc.)No one can avoid one’s own death

“…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment”

(Hebrews 9:27)

Types of Death

Three Types of Death:1. Physical Death:

Separation of the soul from the body (Gen. 35:18-19; Ecc. 12:7; James 2:26)

2. Spiritual Death:Separation of the person from God (Eph. 2:1-2)

3. Second Death (Eternal Death)Separation from the presence of God in an endless period of punishment (Rev. 20:14; 21:8)

12

Physical Death

Natural or Unnatural?

“Though death is both real and inevitable, it is unnatural. When God created the heavens and the earth, death was not part of it. And that is why, eventually, death will be finally conquered (1 Cor. 15:26).”

Paul Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy, 346

Physical Death

Natural or Unnatural? “Physical death was not an original part of the human condition. It is something foreign and hostile. Paul pictures it as an enemy (1 Cor. 15:26)”

Erickson, Christian Theology, p.1177

Physical Death

Natural or Unnatural? “We must still remember that death is not natural, it is not right; and in a world created by God it is something that ought not to be. It is an enemy, something that Christ will finally destroy (1 Cor. 15:26)” Grudem, Systematic Theology, p.812

Death

Death is not natural because it is penalty for sin and needs to be destroyed.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

(Rom. 6:23)

“The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26)

Effects of Death

Death of the believer:

The believer still dies physically, but its curse is gone because Christ himself become a curse for us by dying on the cross (Gal 3:13).

While believers still die physically, they do not experience spiritual and eternal death.

Effects of DeathDeath of the unbeliever:

•Death is a curse, penalty, & enemy.

•They will experience physical, spiritual, and eternal death for not believing in Christ as their Savior.

•Therefore, the penalty for sin is upon them in these three areas of death (Rom. 6:23).

Death

How should we think of our own death and the death of others?- Death of our own:

We do not fear our own death because when we die, our spirit will be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8).

Scripture also assures us that death cannot separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:38-39).

Death

How should we think of our own death and the death of others?- Death of Christian friends and relatives:

We may mourn for them in sorrow However, at the same time we have

hope and joy because they will be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8) and they will live with the Lord (1 Thess. 5:10).

Death

How should we think of our own death and the death of others?- The Death of Unbelievers:

Our sorrow will be very deep because they will be gone through spiritual and eternal death forever.

Summary

Death is…•unnatural•not God’s intention•penalty for sin•not extinction

For Believers…• Our penalty for sin was paid by Jesus Christ.

• We should not fear death though we will die someday.

• We will be with our Lord Jesus when we die.

• Death is but an entrance into a better mode of life.

The Intermediate State

What does it mean?

It is a state of existence for a believer between the time of death and before

resurrection- BenwareThe condition of humans between their death and the resurrection –

Erickson

The Intermediate StateThe early Christian church held that the

intermediate state included four specific and distinct areas

1. Hades. Hades is the realm of the dead and it has a separate place for the evil and righteous.

2. The second area is Purgatory. In purgatory, those who would enter heaven were cleansed of their remaining sins through suffering.

The Intermediate State

3. Third, is Limbus Patrum. In Limbus Patrum we find the Old Testament saints who waited for Christ's death and resurrection to take them to heaven.

4. Finally, we find Limbus Infantum. Limbus infantum is where we find the souls of all the infants who died without being baptized.

The Intermediate State

Current Views: Soul Sleep Holds that the soul, during a time

period between death and resurrection, exists in a state of unconsciousness or sleep.

This view is based on a view that denies a separate existence at death for the soul of man and that the sleep of the physical body will one day “wake up” in the resurrection.

The Intermediate State

This doctrine is based upon understandings of scriptures whereby the imagery of sleep often refers to death.

1. Stephen’s death is described as sleep. (Acts 7:60)

2. Paul noted that David fell asleep after serving God’s purpose. (Acts 13:36)

3. Paul uses the same imagery repeatedly. (1 Cor. 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess. 4:13-15)

4. Jesus used the same imagery for Lazarus (John 11:11, 14)

The Intermediate State

The Issue:Soul Sleep is hermeneutically unsound and while death is often depicted as sleep in the New Testament, it is quite clear that we are dealing with a word that speaks of appearance and not fact.

The Intermediate State

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NIV) Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1:21-23 (NIV) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

The Intermediate StateNow, in view of the evidence presented in scripture, we conclude that at death, both the saved and unsaved experience continuing existence (Luke 16:19-31).

There is not a cessation of the being, but rather a separation of body and soul: the believer immediately into Christ’s presence and the unbeliever to a place of punishment.

The Intermediate StatePurgatory

It is essentially a Roman Catholic teaching whereby it is believed that immediately upon death, the individual’s eternal status is determined and the soul becomes aware of God’s judgment upon it.

The soul is “moved of its own accord to hasten either to Heaven, or Hell, or Purgatory, according to its deserts.”

The Intermediate State

In Purgatory, it is a state of temporary punishment for those who are not entirely free from sins or have not yet fully paid for their venial sins. The forgiveness of such venial sins can be accomplished through three different ways1. An unconditional forgiveness on God’s

part2. By suffering and the performance of

penitential works3. By Contrition

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said:

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union

with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory. Amen."

The Intermediate State

It is rejected by Protestants because this theory appeals mainly to the Apocrypha, which Protestants do not accept as Canonical.

Further it implies a salvation attainable by works which is contrary to Scripture.

The Intermediate StateInstantaneous ResurrectionA more novel and creative concept of

recent yearsA belief that immediately upon death, the

believer receives the resurrection body promised by God.

W.D. Davies holds that Paul had two different concepts concerning resurrection between 1 Corinthians 15 and 2 Corinthians 5.

By 2 Corinthians 5, Paul no longer believed in an intermediate state but rather upon an immediate transition into the final state.

The Intermediate State1. Nothing can separate the believer from

the Lord Jesus Christ, not even death. (Romans 8:38-39)

2. Believers need not fear death because Jesus, who overcame death, is with us. (Ps 23:4)

3. Death brings believers immediately into the presence of Christ. One is either living in the physical body or has left it, going into Christ’s presence. There is only two states of being mentioned here. (2 Cor. 5:6-8)