Lecture 18: The Doctrine of Salvation (part 4)

Course: Systematic Theology II

Lecture: The Doctrine of Salvation (part 4)

 

We are moving through this order salutis; the logical ordering of the decrees as it pertains to salvation in the mind of God.

D. Regeneration:

Definition: Regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit that gives us a renewed origination. If we expand on this we could say that it is a rebirth or new birth whereby a new life principle, a new governing affection is imparted to us, a new governing disposition is imparted to us, orienting us towards God and Christ. It changes our affections. It changes our hearts. So whereas we previously hated God (Romans 5:8)

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (ESV)
now we have an increasing affection for God, disdain for sin and increasing love of holiness.

When you are working through the order salutis, the order of salvation one of the decisions that you come to, one of the decisions that you have to make is how are going to rank this since we are talking about a logical decree in the mind of God. What are you going to put first, Regeneration or conversion? And your frame of reference, you big picture thought, thoughts on the doctrine of salvation, doctrine of God, providence to whether or not you are Calvinist or an Arminian is going to shaper what you do here. An Arminian is going to put conversion prior to regeneration. The Calvinist (This is Dr Ware’s lectures and I concur with this), we are going to go the other way and we will talk about why that is so, will put regeneration and then conversion. The argument that is going to be made here is that regeneration precedes conversion. In general, why is this so?

Think of Ephesians 2 when we are dead in our trespasses and sins, we can’t trust Christ. When our reigning disposition is as a sinner in total depravity we can’t (this gets to moral and natural inability issues) trust Christ. The real reason is that we don’t want to. Our governing disposition is such that we are, Romans 5:8, God haters. So we don’t want to trust Christ. In order to trust, in order to place faith and repent we have to be made willing to do that. We have a heart that is unwilling to do that. The general Gospel call goes out that says repent from your sins, put your faith in Christ and you will be saved. But the sinner who is not regenerated doesn’t want to do that. They are dead in their trespasses and sins, that command goes contra to their prevailing disposition so we have to be made able to do that. That is what regeneration does. It makes us willing to place faith and repent and then conversion (repentance and faith) are the automatic but necessary expression of the sinner who has been regenerated.

Arminians would have to go the other way. Taking about prevenient grace, enough grace (prevenient grace) is given that makes conversion (repentance and faith) possible. It kind of puts you back into neutral where whether you accept or reject and it is on your head whatever you do. So prevenient grace renders faith possible, you believe and in response you are born again. That would be the Arminian argument.

John 1:12-13
Looking at some texts speaking of the doctrine of regeneration this is a debated passage. Armenians in Calvinists go opposite ways on this. Arminians point to this passage particularly verse 12. They say that you have faith and repentance first then and then rebirth.

John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

So the Arminian says look here, verse 12 it is to all who received him, to all who believe in his name they gave the right to become children of God. That's their argument and this issues forth in the new birth. But if you pay attention to verse 13, verse 13 emphasizes that the priority goes with regeneration. Because it is a birth not of blood out of the little man, not of flesh but of God. So it is a new birth that is initiated by the work of God. You have both aspects, regeneration and conversion, repentance and faith and regeneration. But verse 13 gives clarity to the fact that regeneration has a logical priority because it is a birth that is wrought by God not the will of man.

1 John 5:1
1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

So in 1 John 5:1 we have a perfect participle telling us what is happening to us so that we presently believe. We presently believe because we have been born of God.

We see something similar in 1 John 2:29 and 1 John 3:9 this perfect participle indicating what has occurred to us and the result that is our present belief.

1 John 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

We talked about this on our discussion of the doctrine of election in the different points we made for each camp. We only do what our nature renders us capable of doing. Here's the debate between libertarian freedom and compatibilist freedom. Libertarian freedom says that you are free to the degree that you could have chosen other than you did. But in libertarian freedom there is no prevailing reason why you choose “A” or “B”. Compatibilist us freedom is freedom of nature freedom of desire. You choose in every moment based on your greatest prevailing desire, you choose on the basis of what it is that you want to do. So your freedom is one of nature. If our nature is characterized by total depravity, if our nature is characterized by being in Adam, then we
freely do what it is that we want to do, but the thing we don't want to do is worship God. The thing that we don't want to do is repent and placed
faith, we are as we talked about and Romans chapter 1 idolaters so we worshiped the creature rather than the creator for instance. We do what our natures render us capable of doing so to place faith, to repent for conversion to take place we have to be given a renewed nature, our nature has to be changed and this is what is taking place in regeneration. When that happens, when the nature is changed when we are regenerate by the work of the Spirit, given the new birth then we do what regenerate people do; repent and place faith. Like a blind person who is healed of their blindness. Up until the time they are healed of their blindness they can't see. If they're healed miraculously, or in any other capacity, their eyes immediately begin to do what sighted eyes do; see. This is kind of what is taking place in the relation of regeneration and conversion.

John 3:3-8
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Titus 3:5
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

1 Peter 1:23
1 Peter 1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

1 John 4:7
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 5:4
1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

1 John 5:18
1 John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

Three passages that convey the meaning of what were talking about without actually mentioning the new birth

2 Corinthians 5:17
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ephesians 4:24
Ephesians 4:24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:3-7
Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Student question: Unintelligible
Answer:
I'm not sure where that charge originates from the fact that he doesn't like it. It's not something that I read in the Armenian critique of the Calvinist position. It is not something that is typically charged with heresy. So I'm not sure where that came from.

Student question: Unintelligible
Answer: Obviously they are going to argue for the work and conviction of the spirit but here again God is not going to do what? Violate libertarian freedom. Exactly how they work that out I'll leave to the Armenians to defend. But they are going to argue for the…. You've got it in the reverse order their, you got conversion and then rebirth. So my best assumption for what they are arguing for is at conversion. So you have prevenient grace that comes and put you in a place where you are capable to exercise faith but it is not necessary that you will exercise faith. So it is not the effectual call. But prevenient grace comes at the general call. You're now put in a position to repent and believe should you choose to do so. If you do then the spirit regenerates you. So
they're putting it in reverse order. The moment you exercise faith the Spirit grants the new birth. But you have to be the one to exercise faith and then we give that the priority because of commitments to libertarian freedom.

Student question: Unintelligible question relating to the chronological order of salvation.
Answer: Remember when we talk about the order of salvation were talking about a logical construct. One of the things that were going to get to,
and I'll say it when we get there but we're going to talk about the union of Christ. Another way to present the material on the doctrine salvation is to order everything around the hub of the union with Christ. That is a very appropriate way to do it and we'll talk about that when we get there. But this is a logical ordering some of the aspects work out temporally in our experience of it but you could not pinpoint it on a timeline. The blessings happen together. Regeneration and conversion and are our experience of it are simultaneous.

Student question: Unintelligible
Answer: Let's admit in the first place your discussion of lapsarian theology is admittedly speculative. Everybody's going to admit that. You're trying to
work out the logical ordering of the decrees in the mind of God. Predominantly that is the issue that gets said in terms of whether or not you are a single or double predestination. But does but it does playing with other things. It will affect in some cases your view of the extent of the atonement. There is another position called sublapsarianism. It is the route that a lot of Calvinists go who are four pointers. We are not going to bring up that discussion since you've already had it. If you want to ask in more detail after class I'd be happy to talk to you about it. Dr. Ware is a 4 1/2 pointer. I have never heard him in his discussion tie his view to Sublapsarian theology. I don't know if he's consciously doing that are not but some people do.

E. Conversion:

The argument I'm making is that conversion springs from regeneration. Here's a definition: conversion is a twofold turning to Jesus Christ in faith and away from sin. You'll see there are two aspects to conversion repentance and faith; The one necessarily entailing the other. Conversion is both repentance and faith.

Isaiah 55:6 – 7
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (ESV)

This is just to show you in one place where the two aspects of it are side-by-side, repentance and faith. Their reason we're doing this is because there are some cases where you only have a mention of faith or you only have a mention of repentance. The argument is going to be that one stands for the other in those cases.

In Isaiah 55:6 – 7, we have both aspects turning to the Lord in faith and turning from sin. So right there juxtaposing in kind of a sandwich you have faith repentance faith. You have both aspects right there.

Mark 1:15 in Jesus proclamation we where told to both repent and believe.

Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (ESV)

Acts 20:21
Acts 20:21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

Paul is speaking to the Ephesian elders and he is speaks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So there are two more contexts where you have both side-by-side.

1. Repentance:
Definition: The act of a human will whereby one recognizes the evil and destructive character of sin and turns from it.

You see all three aspects in Romans 6:17.
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were c (ESV)

a. Intellectual:
This has to do with the knowledge of sin, the recognition of sin.

Psalm 51:2-3 kind of classic text, David repenting after committing adultery with Bathsheba, having Uriah killed.
Psalm 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. (ESV)

So he has intellectual understanding, a recognition of his sin.

Romans 3:20 another aspect, passage mentioning this intellectual recognition, this knowledge of sin
Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (ESV)

You have to be aware of the fact that you are a center, if you think you're okay then there is no worry about repentance

Romans 7:7
Romans 7:7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet. (ESV)

Romans 1:32
Romans 1:32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (ESV)

Because in mentioning in the first place that there is this intellectual recognition of the fact that I am a sinner but we promptly need to argue that that is not enough for repentance. There has got to be the other two dimensions too: emotional and volitional. These two aspects have to follow on the heels of
the intellectual recognition as well. The intellectual recognition of sin is not enough. We see this in Romans 1:32.

So here's a passage, moving through Romans chapter 1 with this threefold God gave them over, God gave them over, God gave them over and this discussion on homosexuality in verses 24 and following. Then you have this statement about these people who knew God's decree, understood that to practice such things was sinful, would be judged and yet they not only do them but they encourage others to do them as well. So the intellectual understanding is not enough.

James 2:19
James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! (ESV)

It's not enough just to have an intellectual knowledge of faith either.

b. Emotional:
It is an attitude of sorrow for sin and an abhorrence for sin and evil.

2 Corinthians 7:8 – 11
2 Corinthians 7:8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it--though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss
through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what
punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. (ESV)

This is an important passage as we talk about the emotional aspect of repentance because Paul contrasts a godly sorrow with a worldly sorrow. He is writing to the believers in Corinth. He commends them for how they responded to a chastening letter that he had written them.

Paul writes this letter of chastening which most scholars don't think we have, they think there were four letters written to the Corinthians. There was a letter in between 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians that we don't longer have access to. And it was a letter of chastening the Corinthians. Paul here in 2 Corinthians responded and tells us that they responded in godly sorrow in a way that was commensurate with repentance. He is commending them for that.

A couple of other passages that indicate that not all sorrow is godly sorrow.

Matthew 7:3 ff. You see the episode where Judas goes out and throws the silver at the feet of the rulers and then hangs himself. We know that Jesus referred to Judas is the son of perdition.

Matthew 19:22 The parable of the rich young ruler who comes to Jesus. What must I do to be saved, Jesus asked if He should fulfill the commandments. He says yes. And Jesus is the one thing you lack. Go sell all your possessions and give them to the poor.
Matthew 19:22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possession (ESV)

The rich young ruler went away sorrowful. Obviously this was not a godly kind of sorrow for if it were a godly sorrow in keeping with repentance he would've obeyed.

c. Volitional:
This has to do with a willful rejection of sin. So we have a knowledge of sin, intellectually speaking, a sorrow for sin emotionally speaking and volitional speaking a willful rejection of sin.

Psalm 51:2
Psalm 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! (ESV)

Here it's clear that David is seeking cleansing.

Psalm 51:7, 10
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (ESV)

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (ESV)

2 Timothy 2:25-26
2 Timothy 2:24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from
the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV)

So it's a turning away from the will of the devil in this context.

Acts 8:22
Acts 8:22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. (ESV)

Acts 26:18 – 20
Acts 26:14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15 And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 19 "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. (ESV)

Paul recounts his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road.

Matthew 10:37 – 39
Matthew 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (ESV)

2. Faith:
Definition: That conscious act whereby one who has willfully turned from evil simultaneously turns to God in Christ as the one who alone can forgive him of his sins.

Student question: Unintelligible
Answer: Three aspects of repentance is what we are talking about. That's why the point was earlier that if you only have an intellectual dimension to your repentance or intellectual dimension to your faith, James 219. The demons in some respects are good theologians. They understand some right things about God. But of course, we know that's not enough. That is the point being made here.

Acts 20:21
Acts 20:21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

a. Intellectual:
There is some truth content that must be believed. There are some true content must be affirmed or believed.

Romans 4:20 – 21 Following chapter 3 this is a classic text on the doctrine of justification picking up Genesis 15 and Abraham’s faith being reckoned as righteousness.

Romans 4:20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (ESV)

God gave Abraham a promise that he would have a son and Abraham didn't waver concerning the promise. So there is an intellectual dimension, Abraham grew strong in faith and did not waver concerning the promise. Abraham exercises faith in the promise.

Romans 10:9
Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (ESV)

A statement of something that must be believed, some aspect that must be affirmed, some content.

Romans 10:14
Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (ESV)

The understanding Romans 10 faith comes by hearing therefore a preacher must be sent. There is some cognitive aspect, that must be affirmed, that must be believed in placing faith in Christ and being justified by faith.

2 Timothy 1:12
2 Timothy 1:12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what h (ESV)

1 Thessalonians 4:14
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (ESV)

James 2:19
James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! (ESV)

The intellectual aspect of faith is not sufficient. So intellectually we have a recognition of God's truth, an accent to some true content about the gospel.

b. Emotional:
Emotionally there is an affectional ascent or affirmation to the gospel. An affectional ascent that Christ’s work for us is true.

Romans 4:20 – 21
Romans 4:20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (ESV)

Abraham deeply affirmed God's promise, he did not waver in faith, he grew strong in the promise.

Matthew 13:44 – 46 the parable farmer selling all for the field.
Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (ESV)

So there is an esteeming of the truth of the gospel, a recognition that we ought to, in a sense, sell all that we have for it, give all that we have. In verse 44 in his joy he goes and sells all and buys that field: the emotional affirmation, the affectional affirmation

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (ESV)

The important point were talking about, did not receive the love of truth supposed to be saved. So is not enough to know the truth, one must love and embrace it as well.

We will talk about that text in another aspect when we get to the doctrine of eschatology but for now it serves our purpose is to recognize that there must be an emotional or effectual embrace of the things of the gospel.

Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

c. Volitional:

So we have a recognition of God's truth intellectually, the affirmation of God's truth emotionally, and then volitionally a will to give oneself to Christ, and accept Christ payments for our sin.

John 1:12
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (ESV)

Romans 4:20 – 21
Romans 4:20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (ESV)

There is a considerable amount of overlap in this passage. We see the intellectual dimension, the emotional dimension and the volitional dimension with regard to Abraham believing in the promise, not wavering in faith continuing to trust even though Sarah’s body was as good as dead.

These are the aspects of faith and repentance.

3. Repentance and faith and the gospel message

The questionnaire is what place do the biblical concepts repentance and faith have as it relates the gospel message itself. Sometimes you have texts were just faith is mentioned, how does repentance and faith fit one vis-à-vis another?

John 3:16
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)

John 3:16 mentions belief.

Acts 16:31
Acts 16:31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (ESV)

The emphasis is on faith.

Luke 24:46 – 47
Luke 24:46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (ESV)

You have the emphasis on repentance.

Acts 26:18 – 20
Acts 26:14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15

And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 19 "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. (ESV)

The apostle Paul was talking about his conversion experience on the road to Damascus and he speaks of going to the nations so that they would turn from darkness to light with the emphasis on repentance.

Sometimes they appear in and of themselves, that is faith and repentance, sometimes they appear together, we saw that in Isaiah chapter 55. Another context where they appear together.

John 3:36
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (ESV)

We see, putting the data together that are given individually in some places and the recognition that they are put side by side even in this passage John 3:36 in a contrasting parallelism he who believes will receive eternal life he who does not obey the wrath of God continually abides upon him. You see that the two go together, their hand-in-hand, you don't take one without the other. The question of how do they fit together. That is precisely the answer, they go together. True saving faith is not true saving faith apart from being accompanied by repentance and conversely true repentance is grounded or flows from true saving faith. We have looked at a number of passages and put the two together.

It is interesting in Romans 1:5 the apostle Paul writing to the church in Rome says that what he is interested in securing from the Gentiles is the obedience of faith. So there you have both. You see that in Hebrews 10:32 -34 as well; A similar concept. So Paul wants to secure the obedience of faith.

Romans 1:5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, (ESV)

Hebrews 10:32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (ESV)

We talk sometimes about decisionistic evangelism, with the goal is to get somebody to come down the aisle, presumably pray a prayer or state a proficient in Christ. But in this style of evangelism we do this to get them to make a decision operating on the assumption that once they say the words like some kind of magic formula or whatever then whatever they do hereafter is not really of significance because they have professed faith in Christ. Hear me correctly or not talking about justification by works we're talking about works as evidence of true saving faith (a popular Reformation slogan). Justification is by faith alone but that faith justifies is never alone. This is the kind of thing were talking about works as evidence, but necessary evidence that the
faith that has been expressed is true saving faith. That is one important way we can think about trying reconcile Paul and James. Luther was no big fan of the epistle of James; he called it a right strawy epistle because he thought it was emphasizing works more than it ought to. I think the issue there is what kind of faith is in view. Paul and James talking to different people. And James saying it is justification by faith alone but your faith must be true saving faith and true saving faith evidences itself in works and fruit and these sorts of things.

Let me ask if there are any questions as we talk about conversion repentance and faith in the recognition that the two go hand-in-hand. The one requires the other. True saving faith is not true saving faith if unaccompanied by repentance. If merely a profession of faith if unaccompanied by works as evidence it's not true saving faith. Similarly repentance is not true repentance if not born out of actual faith in Jesus Christ.

F. Justification:

The first thing you should know about justification is this is the first judicial outcome of saving faith in Jesus Christ. Were going to talk about adoption as the next component in our order salvation, that's second legal outcome of saving faith in Jesus Christ. But justification is the first legal outcome.

Definition: God's declaration that the one who is believed in Jesus Christ stands before him fully righteous by virtue of Christ's imputed righteousness.

Are you familiar with theologically speaking with three imputations that theologians would talk about in systematic theology? Adam's sin to all of his progeny, our sin to Christ and Christ's righteousness to us. That is what we are talking about with the doctrine of imputation. Classic texts in second Corinthians 5 and following. John Piper has recently written a book about this, Counted Righteous in Christ.

1. Main elements of Justification
There's a negative element and a positive element.

a. Debt removed
There is a debt that we owe that is removed from us; pardon and forgiveness.

Romans 3:23-24
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (ESV)

Romans 4:6-8
Romans 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the
one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin." (ESV)

The justification is discussed in the text we looked at in chapter 3 and the mention of it here again in chapter 4 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. You have this debt removed, the sin that is covered in this first element where this debt that we owe this removed.

Romans 5:18 You see this as well in the Adam Christ parallel.
Romans 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. (ESV)

You have this Adam Christ parallel whereby in Christ is our debt is removed.

b. Positive acceptance by God (righteousness imputed)

Positive acceptance whereby God accepts us by our declaration as righteous, but having Christ righteousness imputed to us, in fact.

Romans four is just littered with this, that refer in one way or another to the fact that Abraham's faith in Genesis 15 was reckoned as righteousness to him. It doesn't mean that Abraham's faith was his righteousness, this is not what it says. It says that Abraham's faith was reckoned or counted as righteousness. Christ righteousness was counted to him because he exercised faith in the promise.

Romans 4:3
Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." (ESV)

Romans 4:5-6
Romans 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: (ESV)

Romans 4:9
Romans 4:9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. (ESV)

Romans 4:22
Romans 4:22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." (ESV)

Romans 5:16-17
Romans 5:16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. (ESV)

The free gift is the positive bestowal. Free gift emphasizing the positive aspect or positive bestowal of Christ's righteousness to us.

 

2. Method of Justification

1) Christ’s death is basis of our Justification Christ's objective work on the cross is the basis for our justification.

Romans 5:9 speaks of us being justified by his blood
Romans 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (ESV)

Romans 4:24-25
Romans 4:24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (ESV)

Christ's death and resurrection are the basis for our justification and then the second component that we mentioned under the method of justification it is accessed instrumentally by faith.

2) Grace is accessed instrumentally by faith
That grace is accessed or accepted instrumentally by faith

Acts 13:39
Acts 13:39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. (ESV)

Romans 3:28
Romans 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (ESV)

Galatians 2:16 indicating similarly that this acceptance of faith is instrumental reception of justification.
Galatians 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (ESV)

3. Results of Justification

a. Peace with God

Romans 5:1
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

One result of justification is the fact that we now have peace with God, we are no longer estranged, we are no longer God's enemies.

b. Salvation from God’s wrath

Romans 5:9
Romans 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (ESV)

We have been justified presently the fact of our justification will preserve us from God's wrath in eschatological sense, in terms of the end time judgment. Our present justification guarantees of future deliverance from God's eschatological wrath.

c. Glorification

Romans 8:30 remember this golden chain of redemption that is mentioned those who are called are justified those who are justified will be glorified.
Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (ESV)

d. Heirs of the hope of eternal life

Titus 3:6-7
Titus 3:6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (ESV)

Student Question: How does glorification and heirs of eternal life relate?
Answer: They overlap quite a bit. Glorification, if we are to make a distinction, glorification would be the actual in times, final culmination of things. The hope of eternal life would be the assurance that this is what, as we live out our last days according to the Scriptures the hope that glorification is assured.
There's a lot of conceptual overlap.

G. Adoption:
We mentioned that justification is the first legal act of our faith in Jesus Christ. Adoption we point to as a second legal decoration. You are now adopting the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ.

Definition: believers are made legally adopted sons and daughters of God and as such have all the accompanying privileges and responsibilities.

If you were in chapel a couple weeks ago you heard Dr. Moore present a fantastic message on this aspect of salvation of Romans chapter 8 and tied it to creation.

Just on a footnote it occurred to me to the degree that Christians are able to adopt children like the Moore's have done you make a remarkably powerful theological statement to that child when the child grows up that is able to understand. When a mom and dad can explain that there was nothing about you to commend you over the other children that I saw in the adoption agency but for some reason God put in our hearts to adopt you on the basis of his own good pleasure so nothing about you with your crying and dirty diapers just like all the other children had, set our affection upon you. A really profound statement. Personally one way to evangelism in global missions for those of us that can't leave the shores of the United States or have been called to the things. To the degree that you can I think that adoption is a great way especially in international adoptions especially when you think about for instance how unwanted little Chinese girls are. My understanding from a couple things I read are that in China, of course they exercise population controls to begin with, but Chinese girls in particular are not wanted. But in Russia the Moore's found that it was little boys that were easier to come by. Especially reaching out to the nations and even to the degree that it's possible and unreached people groups. You can't go the nations but you can incense bring the nations do you. That's just something that I thought about. I thought a lot more but we don't have time to talk about.

It's also worth mentioning that as we talk about adoption the reason that this is a legal act is that prior to Christ's coming, Jesus Christ was the sole heir, the son, Jesus was the sole heir of the Father. We are not naturally heirs because of the fact that we are sinners. We have to be adopted as sons and daughters. So prior to Christ's coming He was the sole heir. But He came to win for the Father countless brothers and sisters who have no natural right to the inheritance.

1. Passages of Scripture

Ephesians 1:5
Ephesians 1:5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (ESV)

1 John 3:1-2
1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (ESV)

Galatians 3:26
Galatians 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (ESV)

Galatians 4:6
Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" (ESV)

Romans 8:15-16
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (ESV)

2. Privileges

a. Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ

This is what we see Romans chapter 8 and this is what Dr. Moore preached on a couple weeks back.

Romans 8:15-17
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (ESV)

So we're heirs of God with Jesus Christ.

b. Gift of the Holy Spirit

Galatians 4:6
Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" (ESV)

c. Communion with the Spirit

Communion with the Spirit that assures our son ship. Communion with the Spirit that gives us present assurance of the fact that we are sons and this will come to eschatological fulfillment both as it relates to us in the renewal of the cosmos.

d. Hope of future glory

In one of the times that I was here with you we talked about inaugurated eschatology. The different dimensions of salvation are both already and not yet. So it's already true that we are adopted and yet we await the full realization of this.

Romans 8:23
Romans 8:23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (ESV)

You might say wait a minute he just said were already adopted and out says we await our adoption. It is both. This is the insight of inaugurated eschatology that the blessings of salvation are already here in the present age and not yet fully realized in all their fullness.

e. Union with Christ

One way to talk about the order of salvation is to talk about it in terms of union with Christ. So sometimes instead of moving through the logical ordering, sometimes discussion goes like this, and this is also an appropriate way to do it; union with Christ seen as the hub of our blessing that is we have very soteriological blessing on the basis of our union with Christ, we are justified in Christ we are sanctified in Christ, we are electing Christ, glorified in Christ. So the discussion goes like this, this is the hub of our blessing in the mind of God and all the other aspects of our salvation come off of it like spokes on a wheel. That is appropriate way to think of it. It is true that all of our blessings come to us by the fruit of our union with Christ. My point is that you don't have to pit the two against the other. There's also an aspect, this global aspect which see all of our blessings in terms of our union Christ. There's this aspect as you work through the order salvation in which union with Christ naturally fits right before sanctification. Union with Christ is the grounds of our sanctification. Think of Galatians 2:20.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (ESV)

Our union with Christ as the basis for progress in holiness. It's true that the union with Christ is the hub around which all the blessings of salvation center. So you can think of it in the global aspect and you can think of it in the narrower aspect in which it might appropriately fit here.

Romans 8:9-11
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (ESV)

Romans 6:3-7
Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have
been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. (ESV)

John 14:20
John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (ESV)

I. Sanctification:

Definition: God's work in making us righteous as He works in us to make us like Jesus Christ. Sanctification has to do with making us righteous as
opposed to declaring us righteous.

When we talk about the doctrine of justification we talk about imputed righteousness when we talk about sanctification is appropriate to talk about imparted righteousness. To make us righteous God works within us to make us like Jesus Christ.

a. Positional Sanctification

When we talk about sanctification, we talk about holiness in the Scriptures. Holiness has to do with being set apart either from something or to something. So when we talk about positional sanctification this has to do with our present status that is already true of us as being set apart unto God. It is already true in a positional sense that we are set apart unto God for the purpose of holiness. Both are positional sanctification and are progressive sanctification flow out of the union with Jesus Christ. But in a positional sense, it has to do with our present status that is already ours and being set apart unto God.

1 Corinthians 1:2 This is really fascinating given the church that this is being written to. You are familiar with all the problems in the Corinthian church?

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (ESV)

“those sanctified in Christ” that is a perfect passive participle, they'd already been sanctified.

Paul is under no delusions thinking that these persons are perfectly sanctified in a progressive sense, that is that they have reached the end in growth holiness. He suffering under no delusion from that, just read the rest of the epistle and second Corinthians as well. This is a congregation suffering from great problems with respect sin. You think of first Corinthians 11 and the teaching on the Lord's supper and he says you people come together in you treat the Lord's supper like a feast and you don't partake of it properly. Their sexual sin in the church. He is under no delusion that these people are progressively as fully as they might be that they have been set apart to God at this point.

1 Corinthians 6:11
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)

Ephesians 5:26
Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, (ESV)

Hebrews 10:10-14
Hebrews 10:10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has
perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (ESV)

You have both aspects. In verse 10 “have been sanctified” by virtue of their union with Christ and in verse 14 who are being sanctified. Positionally and then progressively. The point being on one hand they are set apart unto God the point on the other hand being they grow up in holiness.

b. Progressive Sanctification:

Definition: A progressive growth in holiness that is that is the outworking of the Spirit's presence in our lives.

We talked about earlier the fact that we have an increasing love for holiness and a corresponding increasing disdain for sin as part of our progressive sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. (ESV)

1 Thessalonians 5:23
1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)

Hebrews 12:14
Hebrews 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (ESV)

2 Timothy 2:21
2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. (ESV)

Romans 6:6-7
Romans 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. (ESV)

Romans 6:11-14
Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (ESV)

Romans 6:19-22
Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (ESV)