[This is a study I wrote while I was pastor of Grace Community (Baptist) Church, Mabank, TX, 2001. Scripture is from the NKJV unless noted].
The statement, this is a study, has some fallacies. It is more an attempt to discover some Biblical truths about God's Sovereign Grace. This attempt by no means implies I have complete understanding of this magnanimous doctrine. In fact, I feel as a small child might feel standing at the brink of the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls. The child might say in response to being asked to describe the Canyon or the Falls as; "deep or loud." It certainly is that, but it is so very much more.
What will be said comes from a heart to impart knowledge upon hearts hungry to grow in Biblical and spiritual knowledge for the purpose of growing closer to God whom they have said they want to worship and love. If there is failure upon their part to comprehend any of the material submitted to them it is not their fault, but mine, for my ignorance and inabilities to communicate Divine Truth. May God forgive me of both.
In this attempt, the study will of necessity have to define both: sovereign/ty and grace as they relate to God and man. It will examine the doctrine of God, man, redemption, election, and last things. Much of the material for this study will come from The Sovereign God by J. M. Boice; Abstract of Systematic Theology by J. P. Boyce; Revelation and Authority by C. H. Henry; Christian Doctrines by J. M. Pendleton; The Sovereignty of God by A. W. Pink; and others.
To let you know this doctrine is soundly Baptistic, the following is taken from the original charter of the Southern Seminary, the first Southern Baptist Seminary founded in 1858.
Every Professor of the Institution shall be a member of a regular Baptist Church; and all persons accepting Professorships in this Seminary, shall be considered by such acceptance, as engaging to teach in accordance with, and not contrary to, the Abstract of Principles hereinafter laid down." Abstract number V. Election is: Election is God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life--not because of foreseen merit in them, but of his mere mercy in Christ--in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified. VIII. Regeneration is: Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickeneth the dead in trespasses and sins enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace alone (italics added for emphasis). X. Faith is: Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness. {Boyce, James P., "Abstract of Systematic Theology" (Louisville: The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1887; reprint, Christian Gospel Foundation: Ernest C. Reisinger and Fred A. Malone), Appendix B.}
A Regular Baptist Church could be defined as Calvinistic in doctrine with a heart for reaching a world for Christ. The term was a good one for there was also a group know as Separatists Baptists which were prone to emotionalism and leaned toward an Arminian practice (salvation by works). As time progressed, the two merged into one group and considered themselves as Regular Baptist with Calvinistic practices of faith. {Torbet, Robert G., "A History of the Baptist", (Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1950), 221-234.}
Sovereign/ty
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all (1 Chronicles 29:1).
The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein (Psalm 24:1).
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10)!
For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding (Psalm 47:7).
Sovereign or sovereignty truly describes God. Webster defines sovereign as; one that exercises supreme authority...having undisputed ascendancy...possessed of supreme power, absolute, enjoying autonomy. The noun, sovereignty, means; supreme excellence...freedom from external control...an autonomous state. {"Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary", 10th ed. (1995), s.v. "Sovereign, Sovereignty."}
Simplifying, the word in reference to God means, He alone rules, or He has the right.
Grace
Most Believers know this word to mean unmerieted or undeserved favor. Grace is that which one can not earn, buy, or manipulate to receive. In other words, one can't do something to receive it, or hood-wink God to give it. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is recorded on nearly every page of the Bible in some way. Even the act of creation is an act of God's grace. That grace is evident today in that we still have opportunity to be saved and to see others saved. Grace will be known through the Tribulation period and into the days of Christ's earthly rule as King of kings. Grace is an attribute of God.
Sovereign Grace then is the right of God to give Himself. Yet, we understand because of history, and present day ungodliness, He does not give Himself to all men. The fact that all men are not recipients of His Sovereign grace is seen in that our world is not living in righteousness. This does not in any way give thought that God is not powerful enough to change the entire world, but authenticates His Sovereignty. He gives grace to whomever He chooses and withholds His precious gift to those He chooses not to receive it.
As a General Doctrine
Authur Pink, (Pink, Auther W., "The Sovereignty of God" (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1930), 19.) states concerning this doctrine:
We mean the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the godhood of God....that God is God....that He is the Most High (All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in ther army of heaven and among the inhabigtants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" Daniel 4:35)....that He is the Almighty,...that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Psalms 115:3)....that He is `The Governor among the nations' (For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations. Psalm 22:28),...that He is the `Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords'(which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 1 Timothy 6:15).
God's Sovereignty means He is absolute, irresistible, and infinite. He has the right over creation as a craftsman over what he crafts. Pink gives five characteristics of His Sovereignty. {Ibid., p. 20-26.}
1. He is sovereign in the exercise of His power. He delivered some (David from Goliath, Saul, Absolum; Daniel from the lions; the three Hebrew children from the furnace); and some He did not (Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented -- Hebrews 11:36-37).
2. He is sovereign in the delegation of His power to others. And you shall remember the Lord you God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18
3. He is sovereign in the exercise of His mercy. For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." Romans 9:15
4. He is sovereign in the exercise of His love. John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. John 3:27. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame bgefore Him in love, having predestined uts to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:3-5.
5. He is sovereign in the exercise of His grace. So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:21. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Ephesians 4:7. But He gives more grace. Therefore He says; "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." James 4:6.
James M. Boice gives the following reason why people do not like the doctrine of God's Sovereignty: "The basic reason....is that they do not want a sovereign God. They wish to be autonomous." {Boice, James M., "The Sovereign God" (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 19780, 153.} That is, "I will rule myself, make mly own decisions." People don't like to have anuyone tell them what to do. This human reason is why many churches are not doing what God wants. Autonomy is a dangerous thing in regards to individuals and churches. Man's quest for autonomy emphasizes his basic problem. His rebellion against God. Boice goes on to say:
When Satan confronted the first woman in the garden of Eden by asking her the diabolical question, "Did God say?" and then by suggesting that in disobeying what God said she and her husband would become "as God, knowing good and evil." As God is the crucial phrase, for it means to become autonomous. It was the temptation to attempt to replace God in the matter of his sovereignty, as Satan had himself tried to do earlier. {Ibid., p. 154.}
When people learn to accept God's sovereign rule over their life, they find true freedom instead of bondage. God does not want to rule in such a way as to cause grief to His subjects, but worship. His rule gives blessings which boice lists as:
1. It inevitably deepens our veneration of the living and true God.
2. It gives comfort in the midst of trials, temptation or sorrow.
3. It will provide encouragement and joy in evangelism.
4. It will afford a deep sense of security.
{Ibid., 155 -158.}
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Fopr I am persuaded that neither death not life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, not things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31,35,37-39).
By no means is this a comprehensive study on the doctrine of God. The attempt is to look at this doctrine from the standpoint of God's Sovereignty as it relates to man. In other words, His Sovereign Grace toward man. It is true, as we already have seen, Sovereign Grace is God's right to give Himself. To understand God in this setting, we must see:
One of the greatest proofs of God's Sovereign Grace is His creating the world and man. Why would God create the world? The answer is: You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will [for thy pleasure (KJV)} they exist and were created (Revelation 4:11).
Man was God's crowning creation. Only about man did God ascribe being: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being {soul KJV} (Genesis 2:7). Where this term has many variances of meaning (i.e. beast, hunger, appitite, heart, etc.) {Gleason L. Archer, R. Laird Harris, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds., "Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Vol. II", (Chicago: Moody Bible Institue, 1980)(, 587-589.}, here it can be said that after God breath into man's nostrils His very life, man became the only created being that had a heart for God. This is what differentiates between man and the other creations. It was God's Sovereign Grace that made us humans, and not part of the animal kingdom. The teaching of evolution is an attempt by Satan to undermine this very idea. If God did not created the world and especially man, then man does not need God or have a need for God.
General Revelation:
The Bible is God's revelation of HIm self to Humanity. Where this is not a study about Scripture, it is assumed for the benefit of this study, the Bible is God's Inspired record of Himself as He desires humanity to know Him. We believe the Bible is true and trustworthy in all it teaches. Paul said: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
The stories of the Bible are true. The beloved Apostle, John, wanted his readers to know the things he wrote to them about Jesus could be received with all assurance. Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he said: These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13).
Paul declared to the Romans that creation itself gives evidence of God revealing Himself to humanity so man is without excuse as to God's existence.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by tghe things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed t he glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things (Romans 1:18-23).
For the benefit of this study, we will come back to this general revelation when we look at how God's Sovereign Grace involves this revelation in the context of man's salvation.
God is! He describes Himself as; I Am (Exodus 3:14). The Bible reveals God as Omniscient, Omnipresent (Psalm 139), and Omnipotent (Revelation 19:6). These three inclusive attributes house every other attribute of God. And, what is said about God the Father can and should be said about God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Knowing God as omniscient helps Believers understand foreknowledge, or God knowing before hand. His Sovereign Grace as extended to man is not to be seen as the basis of God's election of a person to salvation, but as a basis of our knowing God knows all at all times; past, present, and future. God being omnipresent helps Believers understand that no decision he makes is ever made in solitude. God is there all the time. That one thought helps to understand not only His presence is there, but His Sovereign Grace; of which is part of God, is there all the time. Omnipotence is not just that God is all-powerful. The word is used throughout the Bible as Almighty. It describes authority and rulership. No one gave God His authority, it is inherent. His authority and rulership extends to not only the physical creation of the universe, but also specifically over His crowning creation, man. It is not, nor should ever be thought, that we give God the right to rule over our lives. He has that right and does rule over our lives.
In light of God Being, we know He is Sovereign over all creation. Sovereign Grace, however, is that aspect of His Being which relates only to man. The rest of creation functions because it is created to do so. No creation, other than man, was created in the image of God. In other words, no other of His creation has a will in the sense of moral responsibility. One might say their dog has a strong will. That is only a human perspective of the strong created instinct God gave the dog. God's Sovereign Grace is human directed.
As Created:
When it is said; "man was created in the image of God," it must always be understood that this was said of Adam before he sinned. Dr. R. A. Torrey worte;
The image and likeness planly have reference to the intellectual and moral nature of man....The image and likeness would seem also to have some reference to the visible likeness....[and] Man was created with sufficient intellectual capacity to give names to all living creatures and to have dominion over them....Man was not created an ignoramus nor a savage, but a being with lofty intellectual powers. {Torrey, R. A. "What the Bible Teaches" (New York: Fleming H. Revell; 1898), 293-294.}
J. M. Pendleton states two things about man being created in the image of God:
1. He was made a rational being....He is endowed with mental faculties which are capable of indefinite improvement. He can, therefore, rise higher and higher in the scale of intellectual excellence...
2. He was made after the moral image of God. This means that he was created a holy being, and this was the chief glory with which he was crowned. It was great glory to be made like God in his intellectual excellences, but it was the greatest glory to be made like him in his moral perfections....They were in their finite nature holy as God is holy....Man in his original state was fully conformed to this standard. The disposition of his heart was right, his affections were placed supremely on God, his will was in blessed unison with the divine will, his understanding was full of light,....The stamp of holiness was on the first man,...Man's original state was a state of innocence, integrity, uprightness, and purity. {Pendleton, J.M. "Christian Doctrines" (Valley Forge: Judson Press; 1906), 158-161.}
When God created man, he was complete. Some would say perfect. Perfect might not be the best word since it might be construed as being equal with God. Jesus said: Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God (Luke18:19). {The word good is not equal with perfect, but the idea of righteousness, which good does carry, implies perfectness.}
It is believed and understood by most evangelical Christians that man is a unity of body, soul, and spirit, in his pre-fallen-created state, and was in complete fellowship with the Father. He knew no sin, and lived in a state of innocence as seen in Genesis 2:25; And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. This state of obedient fellowship and innocence was the desire of God for His crowning creation. Part of this pre-fallen state was the ability of man to choose right from wrong as is implied from Genesis 2:15-17. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, `Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'
This ability to choose is commonly called man's free will. If the free will of man teaches anything, it teaches man is a free moral agent. In other words, man was capable to make moral choices. It does not mean that man was free from God's control or that he had the freedom to usurp God's control over his life. The ability to make moral choices, came also with consequences. That being so, when consequences are allowed, it must be understood that the ability to make moral choices is not free, but comes with a cost. That is exactly what happened to Adam when he chose to make the moral choice of rejecting God's authority over him.
It was the right (sovereignty) of God to create man in this state; with his ability to choose to be autonomous. Sovereign Grace gave man this ability. That choice he made, is referred to in the Bible as the Fall. Instead of making him autonomous, it brought him into bondage.
Fallen Man:
God referred to man's choice for autonomy as death when He said: for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17). Immediate physical death was not what God meant. It is believed by most theologians that had man never made this choice, he would not have ever had the stench of physical death upon him. Mad did, however, have an immediate death; the death of his spirit (some would say his soul). Avery Willis gives explanation: Some people believe that the soul and the spirit are the same rather than two distinct aspects of your personality. Their function is the same whether you think of your soul as having three parts(body, soul, and spirit) or two parts (body and soul, with the spirit being seen as the part of the soul)....{Ones} view of this matter does not affect the meaning.... It deals with the battle between the flesh and the spirit, not between the soul and the spirit. {Willis, Avery T. Jr. "The Disciple's Personality, MasterLife Book 2" (Nashville: LifeWay, 1996), 139.}
"Spiritual death is evidently referred to; and it is far more fearful than bodily death. The latter takes place when the spirit leaves the body; the former takes place when God leaves the spirit....The cessation of union, communion, and fellowship with God is so great a calamity that death is its fittest designation." {Pendleton; p. 167.}
Spiritual death and bondage, which was stated earlier, is seen in what the Apostle Paul stated to the Ephesians describing what God did when they were saved. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (Ephesians 2:1-3). Instead of being free, choice's fallen man makes are made according to the will and purposes of Satan. Arthur Pink said that lost man's will is not free to choose because The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it (Jeremiah 17:9)? This, Pink says, biases him toward evil. {Pink, p. 135.} Death, referred to in the Fall, is not equal to cessation of life but to separation. Man's choice separated him from his Sovereign God. When one reads the story of the Fall in Genesis, he quickly sees Adam trying to make himself presentable to God through his own efforts. Adam may not have fully understood why he saw himself naked, but he knew he was. Even in his covered position with fig leaves, he hid from God.
Sovereign Grace is seen when God took the skins of animals [probably that of lambs], and gave them to Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. Of course, the implication of the skins given is that of innocent blood shed to cover their sins. It is Sovereign Grace on their behalf, for God could easily have judged them with p;physical death and created other humans to do His will of having dominion over the created world.
Man Today:
The covering made by God for Adam and Eve is symbolic of the personal act of God's Sovereign Grace on behalf of every human personally. When the animals God chose to sacrifice for the sin of created man was made, it was for them only and thus became the precedent in the realm of redemption which would be made by Christ some four-thousand years hence. In other words, man is a sinner because he is descended from Adam, the father or federal head of all human race.
Some of the effects of Adam's sin handed down through our procreation are:
1. We are subjects of sorrow. et man is born to trouble (Job 5:7).
2. Physical suffering is universal.
3. Man, forever, must earn his own food, shelter, and clothing. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return (Genesis 3:19).
4. We are prone to sin and are by nature from birth, sinners. The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58:3). Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). {Pendleton; p. 170-172.}
Dr. James Boyce gives three major areas in which sis affected Adam's descendants.
I. Natural or physical death is as Boyce believes is indicated from:
1. Genesis 3:19. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.
2. Romans 5:12-14. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned---For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22;55-56. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, `O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
II. Spiritual Death was and remains the greatest of the effects of man's sin. Boyce says this spiritual death produced:
1. The death of the soul which included the following aspects:
(1) Alienation from God - that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12). And; having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:18).
(2) Lose of God's favor - The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates (Psalm 11:5).
(3) Lose of acceptance with God - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). And; He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:18,36).
2. A corrupt nature. Boyce indicates this corrupt nature is:
(1) Universal. - When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin) (1 Kings 8:46); The fool has said in his heart, `There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good (Psalm 14:1); and, As it is written: there is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10).
(2) It appears early in one's life. - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5); and, The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58:3).
(3) The fact of this corruption, - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).
(4) The extent of this corrupt nature. - having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:18); because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:21). Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts (Romans 6:12); O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death (Romans 7:24)? And, For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be (Romans 8:5-7).
(5) Some humans are more corrupt than others. - Boyce doesn't give Scripture to back up this claim. He does say Scripture indicates some people have hearts more hardened than others and there are degrees of wickedness of some. I think there is some merit in this point, however, this has to do more with morality, of which lost people can be very moral, and not with theological truth of total depravity.
(6) The corrupt nature does not negate personal accountability or responsibility for one's sins. - Again, no Scripture proof for this statement, but I too believe this is a Biblical principle.
(7) The corrupt nature does not destroy the freedom of the will. - This, Boyce indicates, holds men responsible before God and men. This freedom of the will makes him choose sis of his own choice, without compulsion; but, does not mean man can choose to trust God on his own.
(8) This corrupt nature cannot choose to trust God. - Only God, through the work of His Holy Spirit, can change man's corrupt nature and make it desire God.
[There is a difference between the freedom of the will and man not being able to choose to trust God. Boyce quotes Charles Hodge saying the obvious difference is between morality and religion; between holiness and natural feeling. Hodge was further quoted saying: "That man, since the fall, cannot change his own heart; he cannot regenerate his soul; he cannot repent with godly sorrow or exercise that faith which is unto salvation.; He cannot, in short, put forth any holy exercise, or perform any act in such a way as to merit the approbation of God. Sin cleaves to all he does, and from this dominion of sin he cannot free himself."]
(9) The corrupt nature does not involve equality of sinfulness in all men. - Boyce suggests sin can be increased by harboring sinful thoughts; indulging in sinful habits; throwing off societies restraints; is affected by circumstances like birth, education, etc.; and by natural inheritance some are more prone to sin than others. Where all this might be seen to some degree, there aren't Scriptural proofs of this. One thing we know, when Paul said; all have sinned, we all were included.
III. Eternal death is passed on to all man. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots [The answer is NO!] (Jeremiah 13:23); Jesus answered and said to him, `Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God [To move from eternal death to eternal life takes a New Birth experience.] (John 3:3); For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death [Nothing man can do can bear fruit unto everlasting life.] (Romans 7:5); and, And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) [Only the wonderful act of God can birth us once again into the sphere of a right relationship with God and that is through God's Sovereign Grace on our behalf.] (Ephesians 2:1,5). [Boyce; p. 240-246.}
What then is man's condition because he is part of the human race? He is as sinful and lost as Adam was the day God covered his nakedness, and like Adam, is in need of covering, also. He cannot cover himself; he does not have the ability to cover himself; nor the inclination to do so. God must act upon man's inability in matter of one's personal redemption. That act, like it was upon Adam, is an act of Sovereign Grace.
In this brief study, we will look at this doctrine from three perspectives: an Old Testament-Historical perspective; an Old and New Testament-Prophetic perspective; and, from a New Testament-Fulfillment perspective.
Redemption cannot be properly understood without understanding the work of the Redeemer. In other words, there can never be redemption without one who can redeem. So, there is a dynamic relationship involved. One might say a personal relationship. On the one hand, there is the need of one and on the other hand is the ability of one to meet that need. Redemption can be the need of most anyone for any purpose. For the purpose of this study we will understand it is God's Sovereign Grace in Christ Jesus to be the Redeemer meting the need of redemption in our lives caused by sin. Sin needing to be dealt with by one capable of doing so and removing the dept of sin which is death (separation from God); For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
Historical Old Testament Usage:
The first Old Testament incident in which redemption is seen is Genesis 3:21: Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clother them. Although it is not used in this verse, clothed suggests that God did something to relieve the situation of Adam and Eve due to their spiritual death by animals paying the price of their lives to cover the nakedness of which they found themselves. In this first incident, we find the basic meaning of the word redeem or redemption. That is, the payment of a price to remove a bondage from someone. R. D. Knudsen stated in the article Redeemer, Redemption, found in volume five of the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible," page 49; "Redemption is deliverance from the power of an alien dominion and enjoyment of the resulting freedom." The one paying the price in the case of Adam and Eve, is not the animals, but God, for He sacrificed that which He created to cover their nakedness. Knudsen said: "A redeemer is one who possesses the right or who exercises the right of redemption. {Merrill C. Tenney, ed., "The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975), s.v. Redeemer, Redemption, by R. D. Knudsen.}
William B. Coker suggests that the act of calling Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans, as a redemptive act. He said: "Isaiah even saw God's calling of Abraham from Ur as redemption (Isa. 29:22; cf. I Pet. 1:18). {R. Laird Harris, ed., "Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Vol. 2" (Chicago: Moody, 1980), s.v. 1734 ____ (pada), by William B. Coker.} I agree. We would know nothing of God's redemption of His chosen nation, Israel, had He never called the Father of Israel out of idolatry. That singular act of God's Sovereignty demonstrates grace even before the need of it's application in bringing Israel out of bondage in Egypt. There is no evidence of a price paid for Abraham's redemption at the time of His call, does not lessen the act of God's redemption. Later in Genesis 15, we find God's redemptive act on Abraham's part. Then He brought him outside and said, `Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, `So shall your descendants be.' And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:5-6). This act began by God promising him a nation of people which would come from this promise. Abraham believed through faith in the accomplishing of this promise and he was redeemed. The actual act of redemption was not accomplished until ;after the birth of Isaac and Abraham was instructed to slay this promised child. The redemptive act of God providing a ram, reveals once again, the Sovereign Grace of God on Abraham's behalf. And Abraham said, `my son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.' So the two of them went together....Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, `In the Mount jof the Lord it shall be provided.' Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: `By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son---blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.' (Genesis 22:8, 13-18).
The major aspects of God's redemption are known from the historical beginning of Israel being a nation. They were a force in which to be reckoned when God delivered them from Egypt. In fact, the word redeem is translated deliver in Psalm 69:18. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies. And in Psalm 119:134 KJV, Delever me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. This helps us understand redemption is the delivering of man from something. In the case of Israel, God delivered her from slavery in Egypt; not based upon any good thing in her as a nation, but according to His promise. This demonstrates His Sovereign Grace.
His Sovereign Grace to Israel went beyond the normal understanding of deliverance from bondage of slavery. Redemption became a part of the Levitical law. This is to be seen in several ways:
1. The Redemption of Israel from Egypt at the expense of the first born male child of all those in Egypt (including Israel), {rfs. Ex. 4:23; 12:29; 13:11-16; 34:19-20; & Num. 18:8-32}. This perpetual act by the Israelites was to remind them of God's gracious act of deliverance. He could have demanded the lives of their first born and been justified in it. The fact He cared enough for them to deliver them at all was grace, but that He provided a way of redeeming their first born was abundant grace. Never was Israel to forget their redemption. They themselves, as a nation, were to be reminded they were God's firstborn. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, `Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My firstborn (Exodus 4:22). The word used in this idea is: pada (transliterated from the Hebrew, or in English, payday.
2. The Redemption of an Israelites inherited land by a near-relative or kinsman-redeemer. For one reason or another, an Israelite would have to sale his land. Because the land of an Israelite was to ever be in their tribes possession, there was never to be a permanent sell of land, God provided two ways to accomplish this other than redemption by the individual (Leviticus 25:24), or within the first year if it is within the walls of a city (Leviticus 25:29-30): First, Every fifty years, known as the year of Jubilee, all lands reverted back to the heir of the property (Leviticus 25:8-55). The word used in this case is gaal (transliterated from the Hebrew), or in English gayawl. Second, Land can be redeemed by a kinsman redeemer. This is someone in the same tribe as the person who sold the land who could pay the redemption price and keep the land in the family. This is the Hebraic law described in the book of Ruth. The word translated redeemer is go'eel in the Hebrew. This, of course, is a beautiful picture of Christ being our kinsman redeemer paying our debt which we could never pay. What wonderful grace!
3. Although it is not at first apparent, the year of Jubilee is also an aspect of redemption. Jubilee was to be celebrated every fifty years. According to Leviticus 25:8, this year was set aside as a year of liberty throughout the land. But, notice verse 9. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout the land. The Day of Atonement and it's meaning is found in Leviticus 16. It is the day the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies and offered blood sacrifices redeeming the souls of himself and Israel for another year.
Redemption was seen by David in God's gracious acts of deliverance from adversaries during his reign as King of Israel. But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, `As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity' (2 Samuel 4:9). On the basis of God's gracious acts of redemption, David prayed; Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles (Psalm 25:22). {Tenney, Ibid.}
Prophetic Usage in the Old and New Testament:
One of the first clear prophetic usage of redemption is found in Job when he confessed a future hope in a redeemer. For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth (Job 19:25). Job, you will recall, was a contemporary of Abraham. I believe God allowed us to see Job as a recipient of Divine Grace outside of a people chosen to be Priests to the world. Job would represent Gentiles who by God's creation realize His Divine existence. Job represents one receiving Sovereign Grace.
The sons of Korah in Psalm 49:5-8 speak about the impossibility of man to redeem others. In the last days, the only one capable of redemption is God Himself. Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity at my heels surrounds me? Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him---for the redemption of their souls is costly. William Coker said: "Interestingly enough, only once is pada used with reference to redemption from sin [he was speaking of this passage in Psalms]. {Harris, Ibid.}.
Isaiah gave a beautiful prophecy of Christ's redemption of Israel and ultimately of Gentiles who would come to faith in His redemptive act (Isaiah 52). Israel, as a nation, could never buy their personal redemption. It has been done by the work of Christ on the cross as prophesied (v. 13-15). Those of faith today are part of the number who have been sprinkle{d of} many nations. This promise or prophecy of personal redemption demonstrates God's Sovereign rights of Israel and His creation which includes New Testament saints.
Jesus said: Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near (Luke 21:28). He was telling His disciples about signs of the end time, and referred to it as time of their redemption. He was speaking prophetically of their eternal life with Him which would be accomplished soon on the cross. They were saved in the promise and call of God upon their life. When Christ actually died and sprinkled His blood on the Mercy Seat not made with hands, it was for all those who looked to and longed for this promised act of God (Hebrews 9:11-28).
New Testament Fulfillment:
Redemptions story is seen in all the Gospels and throughout the New Testament. The Apostle Peter gave us the clearest and most precise account. He said: knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19). Redeemed from what? Just as Adam sinned and found himself naked and unable to find peace and acceptance by God on his own efforts, so we today must be redeemed (covered from our sins) by the gracious act of God on our behalf. Paul said: For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Redemption is and always has been costly. Where we can not buy personal redemption, for it is a free gift of God's grace (Ephesians 2:8), it is of great cost. Because it is costly, those redeemed through it's provision of grace should be reminded and remind themselves of it's cost so we might be more careful to be found faithful.
Where redemption and salvation can be synonymous, they are different. One must understand redemption and it's need before he can understand the Sovereign act of God's grace in calling one unto Salvation. If one thinks he can be saved apart from understanding the hideous condition of his fallen nature, he is badly mistaken. The holiness of God demands man be separated from Him because of sin. Redemption is the only way in which man can be made right with Holy God. Paul and John, as well as the writer of Hebrews, speak of this redemption as propitiation. Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness (Romans 3:25); (Hebrews 2:17); Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world....in this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2; 4:10).
Biblical salvation can truly be understood only when one realizes his salvation has nothing to do with himself; his works, his will, his station in live, his goodness, or his efforts. David, many years before Christ's birth, understood salvation to be a relationship belonging to God. Restore to me the joy of Your Salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit (Psalm 51:12). Salvation is the state of man which begins and ends in the person Christ Jesus. The statement often said; I was saved," is testimony that one's relationship to Christ was an experience which happened to one and not an experience of one's personal performance. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,...it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:16a,20). Yet, the very fact of one being saved is so personal and the change, because of this experience so real, people tend to think it began in their own minds to trust the Lord. But, it began in the heart of God before the foundation plans of this earth was even begun if that is possible, knowing God is always in the present with out time.
"Election is not an easy concept to understand nor accept by a great many people. The term itself simply means choice. With reference to God's part in saving sinners it means that God has decreed to bring certain ones, upon whom his heart has been eternally set, to faith in Christ as Saviour. Thus, God plans to save sinners, and he chooses those who shall be saved. This choice is clearly God's and not man's for it was made `before the foundation of the world' (Eph. 1:4)." {Millikin, Jimmy A., "Christian Doctrine For Everyman: An Introduction to Baptist Beliefs" (Memphis: By the author, P.O. Box 3624, 1976), 67.}
In this section, we will look at this work of God on our behalf in several areas: God's foreknowledge; God's predestination; God's sanctification; and, God's glorification of man.
I. God's Foreknowledge of Man
When one believes God is Omniscient or knows all, it is not difficult to understand God knows before the fact. Knowledge is inherent to Him. J. M. Pendleton expounded on this when he said: "How, then, can we comprehend the Infinite Mind, which knows all things by intuition? We speak of knowledge as of the past, the present, and the future. What shall we say of God, to whom the past and the future are not distinguished from the present, and whose knowledge, therefore, is not successive, but perfectly simultaneous." { Pendleton, 51.} Knowledge for man is attained; it is not inherent. One can learn from observation, education, and life experiences. God knows because He is God.
Foreknowledge, from a Biblical perspective means, God knew beforehand and "nothing is hid from Him." {Tenney, "Foreknow, Foreknowledge," 591.} Foreordination, as it applies to people, means to appoint to a fixed destiny. {Ibid., 594.} We will look at this more under the next topic; Predestination. Look at a few passages of Scripture:
1. Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether (Psalm 139:1-4).
2. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5).
3. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things (1 John 3:20).
4. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29).
5. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims fo the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied (1 Peter 1:1-2).
A good summary is given by John Murray of God's foreknowledge: " `Foreknow' and `foreknowledge,' ...designate much more than what belongs to the attribute of omniscience. In each instance these terms refer to God's determining will and,...take on the strength of `foreordain' and`foreordination.' It is also significant that they are used only in reference to what fails with the sphere of salvation. In terms of Scripture usage and, strictly speaking, foreknow and foreknowledge do not designate God's all-inclusive determining will, but His will as it concerns the provisions and objects of saving purpose." {Murray, John. "Redemption: Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub. Co., ? ), p. 82. [I think this is the book where this came from. Somehow, this reference was deleted from my original study.]}
II. God's Predestination of Man
There are only six times the word predestined or its synonym is used in the Bible. Five of these are used in reference to God's action of love upon man. The remaining instance is used to describe God's purposeful hand upon all the world for His glory and direction (Acts 4:28). The very meaning of this word is: to limit or mark out beforehand; to design definitely beforehand, ordain beforehand, commonly translated predestine. It is a compound word: pro=before or beforehand, and, horitzo=to set bounds to, to restrict, to settle, appoint definitively, to fix determinately, to decree, destine, to constitute, appoint, to characterize with precision, to set forth distinctively, to resolve. {Brown, Colin, ed., "The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), H. Krienke, "predestination", p. 692-297}. No matter what one would like to believe about this word, it is clear from its root meaning that the action involved begins with someone of greater power and authority and is acted upon someone of less power and authority. Inspired by God, Paul attributes God with this action and man as its recipient.
Theologians refer predestination as foreordination. I believe they can be synonymous, but also different. In the passage found in 1 Corinthians 2:7, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, Paul uses this word in the sense of God's prerogative act before the creation of time. But, in the other four verses, God's Omniscience is implied [For whom He foreknew....according to the good pleasure of His will or stated clearly For whom He foreknew, He also predestined (Rom. 8:29a)].
The context of both the Romans 8:29-30 and the Ephesians 1:5,11 passage, relates how Christians are people God adopted to be sons. Adoption is totally an act of grace. Yet, the Father extended to Gentiles the same privilege He had given Jews, that is, favored position status. Now, Gentiles who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are considered joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 1:5,18). The fourth verse of Ephesians One and the thirty-fifth verse of Romans Eight, emphasizes the greatest characteristic of God in relationship to man. That is, His love. Any interpretation of God predetermining or putting a determining distinction upon anyone [predestining] without seeing this act of God coming from His love (agape), can never understand His action.
One m ust also see God's predestining act not only to be out of His Divine love, but also, out of the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:5). God's desire in election to choose anyone is an act of His good grace. This action of grace comes about because He has pleasure to cause (will) it be be so. This will, of course, is His Sovereign right to exercise His grace.
The phrase, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), is also very import ant in understanding predestination. There is a purpose of God setting boundaries, around those He adopts as Sons. That purpose is to be conformed to the image of Jesus. The word Paul uses, translated conformed, is another compound word. The first part is a preposition and means in the same manner as. The second part is a noun and means form. When God adopts one to be His son, it is what the Bible calls sanctification. Igt is the growth process of the Christian life.
Romans 8:30 gives commentary upon this predetermining act of God's foreknowledge in adopting people to be His sons because of His will and love. It comes about by God calling out those He wants as sons; and , justifies - (makes them right or just) them; and, then glorifies - (to invest with dignity, or majesty) them. With God, this action is simultaneous with His foreknowledge but not because of it. With those so chosen, it is seen as a process.
Predestination then is better understood when viewed as showing the purposed will of God through His Divine love in making those He calls to faith in Himself to become like His Son, Jesus Christ. That is an awesome thought! Can you see God's purpose of choosing you to faith causing you to be more like Jesus? Are you finding more and more a desire to throw off the works of unrighteousness and taking upon yourself more the heart and ideas of Christ? Remember, it is His Sovereign will for you to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
III. God's Sanctification of Man
Sanctification is part of the process of God's election of a person to salvation. Literally speaking, sanctification is the process of becoming like Jesus. It is what we saw in the area of predestination. Being conformed, as presented in the previous section, is that process of God growing us into the likeness of Jesus. It is God's work in our lives. This conformation or action of God on those He saves is unconditionally His will. For this is the will of God, your sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
The meaning of the word is to be holy or, the process of acquiring holiness. This process is always seen as being in relationship to Deity. Synonyms help to understand it's meaning even more: consecration, dedication, holiness, and perfection. Most Christians shy away, and probably rightfully so, from equating being sanctified with perfection. Christians are perfect in the sense of being complete in Christ. Being perfect in Christ means Christ's blood covers our sinfulness; makes us adopted son's of God; and gives us right to approach God. In other words, Christians are related to God through Jesus Christ.
Even though sanctification is part of God's election of man to become like Christ, it is a process of dual responsibility. On one hand, God sanctifies believers; and, on the other, believers must sanctify themselves. Theologian, Graeme Goldsworth, said about this theological word: it connotes the state of grace or sanctity not inherent in its subject, but the result of outside action. {Tenney, "Sanctification," 265.} Goldsworthy discusses sanctification in three areas: positional, progressively, and entirely. For the benefit of this study, positional and progressive will be studied. Entire sanctification is a view held by Arminian, Pietist, Quaker, and Wesleyan traditions. It basically carries the idea of the possibility of sinless perfection in this life. It is rejected by conservative believers because of John's statement in his first epistle: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).
Positional Sanctification:
Positional sanctification is that action of God setting those He calls apart from those not called to salvation. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). Apostle Paul referenced this action in two ways: One, he spoke of the action of Christ Jesus setting apart believers in Corinth as the church; and, Two, he called those so set apart, saints. To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2); and, To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints (Romans 1:7). [The use of the prepositional phrase, to be saints, is incorrect translation of the Greek. It should correctly be, called saints]. Notice important Scripture verses indicating God's action of sanctifying Believers.
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Hebrews 10:10. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
3. 2 Thessalonians 2:13. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
4. 1 Peter 1:2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Sanctification might be understood by thinking of a parent looking at his child and seeing that child differently than he sees other children. He sees his child as his own progeny; from out of his own body. He sees him as being like himself, his eyes, characteristics, etc. The child walks like him, talks like him, and sounds much like him. In the parents mind, he has set his child apart from other children. Dwight Pentecost, speaking about sanctification, says the word; primarily [has] to do with one's position, not with one's experience or one's practice. This has to do with the divine viewpoint. When God looks at His child, He sees His child as set apart unto Himself; He sees His child haveing been set apart from sin; He sees His child as one who is a saint, beloved of the Father. This then is our position." {J. Dwight Pentecost, "Things Which Become Sound Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1965), 115.}
Progressive Sanctification:
Goldsworthy states: "Progressive sanctification occurs when one becomes a `partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).' " {Tenney, 266.} Progressive sanctification is what Moses recorded God telling the Israelites. That is: For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall ; you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth (Leviticus 11:44). There are two things which might be said about the above two verses. One, no one can become a saint or be sanctified until he becomes a Believer through God's elective call upon his life. Second, onced saved and set apart by God, it is His desire we set ourselves apart from those not so called, and be holy as God is holy. The first part is the positional work of God, and the second is the progressive work of God in Christ through His Holy Spirit working in our lives changing our heart and desires. Dr. J. M. Pendleton lists several things which sanctification implies:
1. The crucifixion of sin. - Romans 8:13. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
2. The growth and improvement of the Christian graces. - 2 Thessalonians 1:3. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.
3. The will of the Christian is more conformed to the divine will. - Matthew 6:10. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [Notice, this verse in context is Christ teaching His disciples to pray. Prayer and becoming more like Christ is inseparable]. {Pendleton, 301-305}.
Pendleton goes on to show the process of being sanctified reveals a list of growing attributes of the sanctification process in a Christians life.
1. A deep sense of unworthiness. - Ephesians 3:8. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
2. An increasing hatred of sin. - Romans 7:13. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
3. A growing interest in the means of grace. - 1 Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. [The means of grace refer to not only God's Word (the Bible), but also to prayer, worship, witness, alms giving, tithe, and service.]
4. An increasing love of things heavenly. - Colossians 3:1-2. If then you were raised with Crist, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. {Ibid., 306-310.}
Dr. Pentecost lists five ways in which Believers are sanctified:
1. In Christ Jesus. - 1 Corinthians 1:30. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God---and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
2. By the Word of God. - John 17:17. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
3. By blood. - Hebrews 13:12. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
4. The cross of Christ. - Hebrews 10:10. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Galatians 6:14. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
5. By faith. - Acts 26:18. to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. {Pentecost, 121-122.}
Sanctification is that process of God's elective grace by which we are predestined to grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Dr. Millikin summarizes sanctification as; not attainable in this life....demonstrated by the teaching of Scripture and experience....yet the Christian is admonished to hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6), to press toward the mark of Christian perfectness (Phil. 3:14), and to seek to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 12:2). {Millikin, 80.}
IV. God's Glorification of Man
This great truth is taught by Apostle Paul in Romans 8:30 where he said: Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Many other passages can be study to see this (1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 1:27ff; Eph. 1:18; Phil. 3:21; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 2:14; 2 Tim. 2:10; Heb. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:4,4,10). Most Believers learn Christian terminology from usage; i.e., preaching, singing, and teaching. Glory has been associated because of this usage, to mean heaven, or the place of God. That is not far from being correct. The word used is related to the Hebrew word; kabod, meaning, glory or honor. This Hebraic word literally came to refer to a place of glory or honor, and usage in the Old Testament gave it the meaning of the abode of God or place of His presence. The word Ichabod (ikabod) meant where is the glory, or there is no presence of honor. This is mentioned because it will be looked at again later.
Simply put, man's glorification is already accomplished by God. In other words, man is already put into the place of His presence. This act of God is spoken of as already having taken place. When did it take place? From God's standpoint, it was before the foundations of the earth. From man's standpoint, it happened the moment someone put his faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. How can this be? It could better be understood if in English we had the same tense as in Greek. This Greek word is what is known as an aorist verb. An aorist verb is like a past tense English verb. Sometimes we speak in English as if we had a verb tense like this. For example: A mother and father is discussing what they will give their child for Christmas. They decide they will give a bike. The mother might ask how they will do this and the father answers; "don't worry about it, it is already taken care of." The bike has not yet been bought, but the father knows the money is there; the place to get it is there; and the time to buy it is there. The difference in the English and the Greek, however, is that with God, He acted and it was already done. Remember, He ever lives in eternity. There is neither past or future with God.
To me, this is one of the greatest proofs of eternal security in the Bible. Salvation is something I can't earn but given me by God predestining, calling, justifying, and glorifying me all at the same time. So, His glorifying me has nothing to do with how good I can be or stay, but upon Him who called me. We can speak of our being in Glory right now. Instead of this giving me some feeling that I can live in worldliness, it helps me know I do not want to carry a worldly life into God's presence when he takes me to Glory. Because God has already glorified Believers, Ichabod can never be written over our name in the Lambs Book of Life.
Were it left up to the Believer to make it to Glory on his own merits, he never would. Read what Dr. James P. Boyce said:
"1. The Scriptures teach the final salvation of all believers....Isa. 43:1,2-7.
2. The Scriptures declare that the sure salvation of each believer is due to the purpose of God....John 6:39.
3. The final salvation of the believer is ascribed to the power of God....2 Tim. 1:12.
4. The final salvation is also ascribed to the grace of God....1Thess. 5:23-24.
5. That the perseverance of believers depends necessarily upon the purpose and power and grace of God....2 Cor. 12:7-10. {Boyce, 426-430.}
Five times in the New Testament we find what is called The Great Commission (Mat. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:46-48; Jn. 20:21-23; Acts 1:4-8). The two most prominent ones are the passages from Matthew and Acts. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20); and, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons which the jFather has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:4-8). The answer is simple, Christ commanded us to GO! But, I believe the Lord wants us to understand what He commands, and, I find it easier to follow commands when I understand them.
WHAT IS EVANGELISM?
There are any number of places one can find a definition of evangelism. And, it has been defined in many ways. Let's look at from where the word comes. Apostle Paul told Timothy to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5), and in Ephesians 4:11, he said God gifts some evangelist. An evangelist is one who does evangelism, or evangelizes. This Greek word is euangellzo and means: to proclaim glad tidings, good or joyful news. In the New Testament, it took on specificity in Paul's theology as found in Romans 1:1-7, and in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Both these passages list the gospel (euangelion) as Christ's birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection. It must be said that anything short of presenting each aspect of Christ is not the gospel. So, evangelism is the proclamation of Jesus Christ's supernatural birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death, and His victorious resurrection.
So, what is different about evangelism and biblical preaching? Preaching can be evangelism, but what if those who are hearing the message are already believers? It's good news for believers to hear again and again the truths of who Christ is, but, there must be more to evangelism than just hearing preaching. When one goes back to the Great Commission he finds a target for his work. That target is the people of the world. Evangelism is not evangelism until the proclamation is carried to persons with the intent of turning their lives to be followers of Christ (make disciples).
There is another facet of truth one must take into consideration in coming to a definition of evangelism. To become disciples of Christ, one must not only know Christ is who the Bible says He is, he m ust also turn from a life of unbelief and sinfulness. Paul proclaimed in Acts 20:20-21 what has become the action of evangelism. How I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house [proclamation], testifying to Jews, and also Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ [the turning from]. In other words, a person must know he is a sinner and needs Christ before evangelism can be complete. J. I. Packer stated it this way: "Evangelism is the issuing of a call to turn, as well as to trust; it is the delivering, not merely of a divine invitation to receive a Saviour, but of a divine command to repent of sin. And there is no evangelism where this specific application is not made. {Packer, J. I. "Evangelism And the Sovereignty of God" (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1961), 40.}
Even though Believers completes the action of evangelism, does not mean those evangelized will be saved. That is the work of God the Holy Spirit. Jesus said about His Spirit, It is the Spirit who gives life...; no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father (John 6:63,65), and, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). Evangelism then, is man's part in redemption, while God's part is the effectual calling of His Spirit. Paul said; For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:18,21). This is the general call in which all men should have the opportunity to hear the Good News (euangelion-gospel).
Dr. Packer lists four things this gospel should always contain: "....a message about God; a message about sin; a message about Christ; and, a summons to faith and repentance." {Ibid., 58-71.}
But the question Why Evangelism, is still out there. There are two basic reasons for doing the work of evangelism. The first fulfills the greatest commandment of our Lord. That is, You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind (Luke 10:27). If in truth, we love Jesus completely, then we will obey Him, If you love Me, Keep My commandments (John 14:15). Obedience is the first reason we should do e3vangelism. Second, Jesus said; And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Not only love for Jesus, but love for lost mankind. This is our motive. If one says he loves the Lord, bu t never evangelizes; or loves lost mankind enough to tell them about Jesus, he doesn't love the Lord. There is a saying I am not sure from where it originated, but it's point is well taken. That is: if a person is not a missionary, he is in need of one. The same can be said about doing evangelism.
Evangelism is part of God's plan to bring man into the hearing of the gospel so those who He elects to save will hear, believe, and receive the gift of life everlasting and the forgiveness of sin. May God use each of us to be evangelists in the generic sense of proclaiming the Good News. May He call with specificity out of our fellowship, Evangelists to lead us in evangelism.
God's Sovereignty means He is absolute, irresistible, and infinite. He has the right over creation as a craftsman over what he crafts. Pink gives five characteristics of His Sovereignty. {Ibid., p. 20-26.}
1. He is sovereign in the exercise of His power. He delivered some (David from Goliath, Saul, Absolum; Daniel from the lions; the three Hebrew children from the furnace); and some He did not (Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented -- Hebrews 11:36-37).
2. He is sovereign in the delegation of His power to others. And you shall remember the Lord you God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18
3. He is sovereign in the exercise of His mercy. For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." Romans 9:15
4. He is sovereign in the exercise of His love. John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. John 3:27. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame bgefore Him in love, having predestined uts to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:3-5.
5. He is sovereign in the exercise of His grace. So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:21. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Ephesians 4:7. But He gives more grace. Therefore He says; "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." James 4:6.
James M. Boice gives the following reason why people do not like the doctrine of God's Sovereignty: "The basic reason....is that they do not want a sovereign God. They wish to be autonomous." {Boice, James M., "The Sovereign God" (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 19780, 153.} That is, "I will rule myself, make mly own decisions." People don't like to have anuyone tell them what to do. This human reason is why many churches are not doing what God wants. Autonomy is a dangerous thing in regards to individuals and churches. Man's quest for autonomy emphasizes his basic problem. His rebellion against God. Boice goes on to say:
When Satan confronted the first woman in the garden of Eden by asking her the diabolical question, "Did God say?" and then by suggesting that in disobeying what God said she and her husband would become "as God, knowing good and evil." As God is the crucial phrase, for it means to become autonomous. It was the temptation to attempt to replace God in the matter of his sovereignty, as Satan had himself tried to do earlier. {Ibid., p. 154.}
When people learn to accept God's sovereign rule over their life, they find true freedom instead of bondage. God does not want to rule in such a way as to cause grief to His subjects, but worship. His rule gives blessings which boice lists as:
1. It inevitably deepens our veneration of the living and true God.
2. It gives comfort in the midst of trials, temptation or sorrow.
3. It will provide encouragement and joy in evangelism.
4. It will afford a deep sense of security.
{Ibid., 155 -158.}
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Fopr I am persuaded that neither death not life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, not things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31,35,37-39).
Doctrine of God
By no means is this a comprehensive study on the doctrine of God. The attempt is to look at this doctrine from the standpoint of God's Sovereignty as it relates to man. In other words, His Sovereign Grace toward man. It is true, as we already have seen, Sovereign Grace is God's right to give Himself. To understand God in this setting, we must see:
God Creating
One of the greatest proofs of God's Sovereign Grace is His creating the world and man. Why would God create the world? The answer is: You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will [for thy pleasure (KJV)} they exist and were created (Revelation 4:11).
Man was God's crowning creation. Only about man did God ascribe being: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being {soul KJV} (Genesis 2:7). Where this term has many variances of meaning (i.e. beast, hunger, appitite, heart, etc.) {Gleason L. Archer, R. Laird Harris, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds., "Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Vol. II", (Chicago: Moody Bible Institue, 1980)(, 587-589.}, here it can be said that after God breath into man's nostrils His very life, man became the only created being that had a heart for God. This is what differentiates between man and the other creations. It was God's Sovereign Grace that made us humans, and not part of the animal kingdom. The teaching of evolution is an attempt by Satan to undermine this very idea. If God did not created the world and especially man, then man does not need God or have a need for God.
God Revealing Himself to Man
General Revelation:
The Bible is God's revelation of HIm self to Humanity. Where this is not a study about Scripture, it is assumed for the benefit of this study, the Bible is God's Inspired record of Himself as He desires humanity to know Him. We believe the Bible is true and trustworthy in all it teaches. Paul said: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
The stories of the Bible are true. The beloved Apostle, John, wanted his readers to know the things he wrote to them about Jesus could be received with all assurance. Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he said: These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13).
Paul declared to the Romans that creation itself gives evidence of God revealing Himself to humanity so man is without excuse as to God's existence.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by tghe things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed t he glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things (Romans 1:18-23).
For the benefit of this study, we will come back to this general revelation when we look at how God's Sovereign Grace involves this revelation in the context of man's salvation.
God Being
God is! He describes Himself as; I Am (Exodus 3:14). The Bible reveals God as Omniscient, Omnipresent (Psalm 139), and Omnipotent (Revelation 19:6). These three inclusive attributes house every other attribute of God. And, what is said about God the Father can and should be said about God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Knowing God as omniscient helps Believers understand foreknowledge, or God knowing before hand. His Sovereign Grace as extended to man is not to be seen as the basis of God's election of a person to salvation, but as a basis of our knowing God knows all at all times; past, present, and future. God being omnipresent helps Believers understand that no decision he makes is ever made in solitude. God is there all the time. That one thought helps to understand not only His presence is there, but His Sovereign Grace; of which is part of God, is there all the time. Omnipotence is not just that God is all-powerful. The word is used throughout the Bible as Almighty. It describes authority and rulership. No one gave God His authority, it is inherent. His authority and rulership extends to not only the physical creation of the universe, but also specifically over His crowning creation, man. It is not, nor should ever be thought, that we give God the right to rule over our lives. He has that right and does rule over our lives.
In light of God Being, we know He is Sovereign over all creation. Sovereign Grace, however, is that aspect of His Being which relates only to man. The rest of creation functions because it is created to do so. No creation, other than man, was created in the image of God. In other words, no other of His creation has a will in the sense of moral responsibility. One might say their dog has a strong will. That is only a human perspective of the strong created instinct God gave the dog. God's Sovereign Grace is human directed.
Doctrine of Man
As Created:
When it is said; "man was created in the image of God," it must always be understood that this was said of Adam before he sinned. Dr. R. A. Torrey worte;
The image and likeness planly have reference to the intellectual and moral nature of man....The image and likeness would seem also to have some reference to the visible likeness....[and] Man was created with sufficient intellectual capacity to give names to all living creatures and to have dominion over them....Man was not created an ignoramus nor a savage, but a being with lofty intellectual powers. {Torrey, R. A. "What the Bible Teaches" (New York: Fleming H. Revell; 1898), 293-294.}
J. M. Pendleton states two things about man being created in the image of God:
1. He was made a rational being....He is endowed with mental faculties which are capable of indefinite improvement. He can, therefore, rise higher and higher in the scale of intellectual excellence...
2. He was made after the moral image of God. This means that he was created a holy being, and this was the chief glory with which he was crowned. It was great glory to be made like God in his intellectual excellences, but it was the greatest glory to be made like him in his moral perfections....They were in their finite nature holy as God is holy....Man in his original state was fully conformed to this standard. The disposition of his heart was right, his affections were placed supremely on God, his will was in blessed unison with the divine will, his understanding was full of light,....The stamp of holiness was on the first man,...Man's original state was a state of innocence, integrity, uprightness, and purity. {Pendleton, J.M. "Christian Doctrines" (Valley Forge: Judson Press; 1906), 158-161.}
When God created man, he was complete. Some would say perfect. Perfect might not be the best word since it might be construed as being equal with God. Jesus said: Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God (Luke18:19). {The word good is not equal with perfect, but the idea of righteousness, which good does carry, implies perfectness.}
It is believed and understood by most evangelical Christians that man is a unity of body, soul, and spirit, in his pre-fallen-created state, and was in complete fellowship with the Father. He knew no sin, and lived in a state of innocence as seen in Genesis 2:25; And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. This state of obedient fellowship and innocence was the desire of God for His crowning creation. Part of this pre-fallen state was the ability of man to choose right from wrong as is implied from Genesis 2:15-17. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, `Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'
This ability to choose is commonly called man's free will. If the free will of man teaches anything, it teaches man is a free moral agent. In other words, man was capable to make moral choices. It does not mean that man was free from God's control or that he had the freedom to usurp God's control over his life. The ability to make moral choices, came also with consequences. That being so, when consequences are allowed, it must be understood that the ability to make moral choices is not free, but comes with a cost. That is exactly what happened to Adam when he chose to make the moral choice of rejecting God's authority over him.
It was the right (sovereignty) of God to create man in this state; with his ability to choose to be autonomous. Sovereign Grace gave man this ability. That choice he made, is referred to in the Bible as the Fall. Instead of making him autonomous, it brought him into bondage.
Fallen Man:
God referred to man's choice for autonomy as death when He said: for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17). Immediate physical death was not what God meant. It is believed by most theologians that had man never made this choice, he would not have ever had the stench of physical death upon him. Mad did, however, have an immediate death; the death of his spirit (some would say his soul). Avery Willis gives explanation: Some people believe that the soul and the spirit are the same rather than two distinct aspects of your personality. Their function is the same whether you think of your soul as having three parts(body, soul, and spirit) or two parts (body and soul, with the spirit being seen as the part of the soul)....{Ones} view of this matter does not affect the meaning.... It deals with the battle between the flesh and the spirit, not between the soul and the spirit. {Willis, Avery T. Jr. "The Disciple's Personality, MasterLife Book 2" (Nashville: LifeWay, 1996), 139.}
"Spiritual death is evidently referred to; and it is far more fearful than bodily death. The latter takes place when the spirit leaves the body; the former takes place when God leaves the spirit....The cessation of union, communion, and fellowship with God is so great a calamity that death is its fittest designation." {Pendleton; p. 167.}
Spiritual death and bondage, which was stated earlier, is seen in what the Apostle Paul stated to the Ephesians describing what God did when they were saved. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (Ephesians 2:1-3). Instead of being free, choice's fallen man makes are made according to the will and purposes of Satan. Arthur Pink said that lost man's will is not free to choose because The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it (Jeremiah 17:9)? This, Pink says, biases him toward evil. {Pink, p. 135.} Death, referred to in the Fall, is not equal to cessation of life but to separation. Man's choice separated him from his Sovereign God. When one reads the story of the Fall in Genesis, he quickly sees Adam trying to make himself presentable to God through his own efforts. Adam may not have fully understood why he saw himself naked, but he knew he was. Even in his covered position with fig leaves, he hid from God.
Sovereign Grace is seen when God took the skins of animals [probably that of lambs], and gave them to Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. Of course, the implication of the skins given is that of innocent blood shed to cover their sins. It is Sovereign Grace on their behalf, for God could easily have judged them with p;physical death and created other humans to do His will of having dominion over the created world.
Man Today:
The covering made by God for Adam and Eve is symbolic of the personal act of God's Sovereign Grace on behalf of every human personally. When the animals God chose to sacrifice for the sin of created man was made, it was for them only and thus became the precedent in the realm of redemption which would be made by Christ some four-thousand years hence. In other words, man is a sinner because he is descended from Adam, the father or federal head of all human race.
Some of the effects of Adam's sin handed down through our procreation are:
1. We are subjects of sorrow. et man is born to trouble (Job 5:7).
2. Physical suffering is universal.
3. Man, forever, must earn his own food, shelter, and clothing. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return (Genesis 3:19).
4. We are prone to sin and are by nature from birth, sinners. The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58:3). Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). {Pendleton; p. 170-172.}
Dr. James Boyce gives three major areas in which sis affected Adam's descendants.
I. Natural or physical death is as Boyce believes is indicated from:
1. Genesis 3:19. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.
2. Romans 5:12-14. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned---For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22;55-56. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, `O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
II. Spiritual Death was and remains the greatest of the effects of man's sin. Boyce says this spiritual death produced:
1. The death of the soul which included the following aspects:
(1) Alienation from God - that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12). And; having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:18).
(2) Lose of God's favor - The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates (Psalm 11:5).
(3) Lose of acceptance with God - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). And; He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:18,36).
2. A corrupt nature. Boyce indicates this corrupt nature is:
(1) Universal. - When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin) (1 Kings 8:46); The fool has said in his heart, `There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good (Psalm 14:1); and, As it is written: there is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10).
(2) It appears early in one's life. - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5); and, The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58:3).
(3) The fact of this corruption, - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).
(4) The extent of this corrupt nature. - having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:18); because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:21). Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts (Romans 6:12); O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death (Romans 7:24)? And, For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be (Romans 8:5-7).
(5) Some humans are more corrupt than others. - Boyce doesn't give Scripture to back up this claim. He does say Scripture indicates some people have hearts more hardened than others and there are degrees of wickedness of some. I think there is some merit in this point, however, this has to do more with morality, of which lost people can be very moral, and not with theological truth of total depravity.
(6) The corrupt nature does not negate personal accountability or responsibility for one's sins. - Again, no Scripture proof for this statement, but I too believe this is a Biblical principle.
(7) The corrupt nature does not destroy the freedom of the will. - This, Boyce indicates, holds men responsible before God and men. This freedom of the will makes him choose sis of his own choice, without compulsion; but, does not mean man can choose to trust God on his own.
(8) This corrupt nature cannot choose to trust God. - Only God, through the work of His Holy Spirit, can change man's corrupt nature and make it desire God.
[There is a difference between the freedom of the will and man not being able to choose to trust God. Boyce quotes Charles Hodge saying the obvious difference is between morality and religion; between holiness and natural feeling. Hodge was further quoted saying: "That man, since the fall, cannot change his own heart; he cannot regenerate his soul; he cannot repent with godly sorrow or exercise that faith which is unto salvation.; He cannot, in short, put forth any holy exercise, or perform any act in such a way as to merit the approbation of God. Sin cleaves to all he does, and from this dominion of sin he cannot free himself."]
(9) The corrupt nature does not involve equality of sinfulness in all men. - Boyce suggests sin can be increased by harboring sinful thoughts; indulging in sinful habits; throwing off societies restraints; is affected by circumstances like birth, education, etc.; and by natural inheritance some are more prone to sin than others. Where all this might be seen to some degree, there aren't Scriptural proofs of this. One thing we know, when Paul said; all have sinned, we all were included.
III. Eternal death is passed on to all man. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots [The answer is NO!] (Jeremiah 13:23); Jesus answered and said to him, `Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God [To move from eternal death to eternal life takes a New Birth experience.] (John 3:3); For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death [Nothing man can do can bear fruit unto everlasting life.] (Romans 7:5); and, And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) [Only the wonderful act of God can birth us once again into the sphere of a right relationship with God and that is through God's Sovereign Grace on our behalf.] (Ephesians 2:1,5). [Boyce; p. 240-246.}
What then is man's condition because he is part of the human race? He is as sinful and lost as Adam was the day God covered his nakedness, and like Adam, is in need of covering, also. He cannot cover himself; he does not have the ability to cover himself; nor the inclination to do so. God must act upon man's inability in matter of one's personal redemption. That act, like it was upon Adam, is an act of Sovereign Grace.
Doctrine of Redemption
In this brief study, we will look at this doctrine from three perspectives: an Old Testament-Historical perspective; an Old and New Testament-Prophetic perspective; and, from a New Testament-Fulfillment perspective.
Redemption cannot be properly understood without understanding the work of the Redeemer. In other words, there can never be redemption without one who can redeem. So, there is a dynamic relationship involved. One might say a personal relationship. On the one hand, there is the need of one and on the other hand is the ability of one to meet that need. Redemption can be the need of most anyone for any purpose. For the purpose of this study we will understand it is God's Sovereign Grace in Christ Jesus to be the Redeemer meting the need of redemption in our lives caused by sin. Sin needing to be dealt with by one capable of doing so and removing the dept of sin which is death (separation from God); For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
Historical Old Testament Usage:
The first Old Testament incident in which redemption is seen is Genesis 3:21: Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clother them. Although it is not used in this verse, clothed suggests that God did something to relieve the situation of Adam and Eve due to their spiritual death by animals paying the price of their lives to cover the nakedness of which they found themselves. In this first incident, we find the basic meaning of the word redeem or redemption. That is, the payment of a price to remove a bondage from someone. R. D. Knudsen stated in the article Redeemer, Redemption, found in volume five of the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible," page 49; "Redemption is deliverance from the power of an alien dominion and enjoyment of the resulting freedom." The one paying the price in the case of Adam and Eve, is not the animals, but God, for He sacrificed that which He created to cover their nakedness. Knudsen said: "A redeemer is one who possesses the right or who exercises the right of redemption. {Merrill C. Tenney, ed., "The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975), s.v. Redeemer, Redemption, by R. D. Knudsen.}
William B. Coker suggests that the act of calling Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans, as a redemptive act. He said: "Isaiah even saw God's calling of Abraham from Ur as redemption (Isa. 29:22; cf. I Pet. 1:18). {R. Laird Harris, ed., "Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament Vol. 2" (Chicago: Moody, 1980), s.v. 1734 ____ (pada), by William B. Coker.} I agree. We would know nothing of God's redemption of His chosen nation, Israel, had He never called the Father of Israel out of idolatry. That singular act of God's Sovereignty demonstrates grace even before the need of it's application in bringing Israel out of bondage in Egypt. There is no evidence of a price paid for Abraham's redemption at the time of His call, does not lessen the act of God's redemption. Later in Genesis 15, we find God's redemptive act on Abraham's part. Then He brought him outside and said, `Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, `So shall your descendants be.' And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:5-6). This act began by God promising him a nation of people which would come from this promise. Abraham believed through faith in the accomplishing of this promise and he was redeemed. The actual act of redemption was not accomplished until ;after the birth of Isaac and Abraham was instructed to slay this promised child. The redemptive act of God providing a ram, reveals once again, the Sovereign Grace of God on Abraham's behalf. And Abraham said, `my son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.' So the two of them went together....Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, `In the Mount jof the Lord it shall be provided.' Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: `By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son---blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.' (Genesis 22:8, 13-18).
The major aspects of God's redemption are known from the historical beginning of Israel being a nation. They were a force in which to be reckoned when God delivered them from Egypt. In fact, the word redeem is translated deliver in Psalm 69:18. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies. And in Psalm 119:134 KJV, Delever me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. This helps us understand redemption is the delivering of man from something. In the case of Israel, God delivered her from slavery in Egypt; not based upon any good thing in her as a nation, but according to His promise. This demonstrates His Sovereign Grace.
His Sovereign Grace to Israel went beyond the normal understanding of deliverance from bondage of slavery. Redemption became a part of the Levitical law. This is to be seen in several ways:
1. The Redemption of Israel from Egypt at the expense of the first born male child of all those in Egypt (including Israel), {rfs. Ex. 4:23; 12:29; 13:11-16; 34:19-20; & Num. 18:8-32}. This perpetual act by the Israelites was to remind them of God's gracious act of deliverance. He could have demanded the lives of their first born and been justified in it. The fact He cared enough for them to deliver them at all was grace, but that He provided a way of redeeming their first born was abundant grace. Never was Israel to forget their redemption. They themselves, as a nation, were to be reminded they were God's firstborn. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, `Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My firstborn (Exodus 4:22). The word used in this idea is: pada (transliterated from the Hebrew, or in English, payday.
2. The Redemption of an Israelites inherited land by a near-relative or kinsman-redeemer. For one reason or another, an Israelite would have to sale his land. Because the land of an Israelite was to ever be in their tribes possession, there was never to be a permanent sell of land, God provided two ways to accomplish this other than redemption by the individual (Leviticus 25:24), or within the first year if it is within the walls of a city (Leviticus 25:29-30): First, Every fifty years, known as the year of Jubilee, all lands reverted back to the heir of the property (Leviticus 25:8-55). The word used in this case is gaal (transliterated from the Hebrew), or in English gayawl. Second, Land can be redeemed by a kinsman redeemer. This is someone in the same tribe as the person who sold the land who could pay the redemption price and keep the land in the family. This is the Hebraic law described in the book of Ruth. The word translated redeemer is go'eel in the Hebrew. This, of course, is a beautiful picture of Christ being our kinsman redeemer paying our debt which we could never pay. What wonderful grace!
3. Although it is not at first apparent, the year of Jubilee is also an aspect of redemption. Jubilee was to be celebrated every fifty years. According to Leviticus 25:8, this year was set aside as a year of liberty throughout the land. But, notice verse 9. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout the land. The Day of Atonement and it's meaning is found in Leviticus 16. It is the day the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies and offered blood sacrifices redeeming the souls of himself and Israel for another year.
Redemption was seen by David in God's gracious acts of deliverance from adversaries during his reign as King of Israel. But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, `As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all adversity' (2 Samuel 4:9). On the basis of God's gracious acts of redemption, David prayed; Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles (Psalm 25:22). {Tenney, Ibid.}
Prophetic Usage in the Old and New Testament:
One of the first clear prophetic usage of redemption is found in Job when he confessed a future hope in a redeemer. For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth (Job 19:25). Job, you will recall, was a contemporary of Abraham. I believe God allowed us to see Job as a recipient of Divine Grace outside of a people chosen to be Priests to the world. Job would represent Gentiles who by God's creation realize His Divine existence. Job represents one receiving Sovereign Grace.
The sons of Korah in Psalm 49:5-8 speak about the impossibility of man to redeem others. In the last days, the only one capable of redemption is God Himself. Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity at my heels surrounds me? Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him---for the redemption of their souls is costly. William Coker said: "Interestingly enough, only once is pada used with reference to redemption from sin [he was speaking of this passage in Psalms]. {Harris, Ibid.}.
Isaiah gave a beautiful prophecy of Christ's redemption of Israel and ultimately of Gentiles who would come to faith in His redemptive act (Isaiah 52). Israel, as a nation, could never buy their personal redemption. It has been done by the work of Christ on the cross as prophesied (v. 13-15). Those of faith today are part of the number who have been sprinkle{d of} many nations. This promise or prophecy of personal redemption demonstrates God's Sovereign rights of Israel and His creation which includes New Testament saints.
Jesus said: Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near (Luke 21:28). He was telling His disciples about signs of the end time, and referred to it as time of their redemption. He was speaking prophetically of their eternal life with Him which would be accomplished soon on the cross. They were saved in the promise and call of God upon their life. When Christ actually died and sprinkled His blood on the Mercy Seat not made with hands, it was for all those who looked to and longed for this promised act of God (Hebrews 9:11-28).
New Testament Fulfillment:
Redemptions story is seen in all the Gospels and throughout the New Testament. The Apostle Peter gave us the clearest and most precise account. He said: knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19). Redeemed from what? Just as Adam sinned and found himself naked and unable to find peace and acceptance by God on his own efforts, so we today must be redeemed (covered from our sins) by the gracious act of God on our behalf. Paul said: For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Redemption is and always has been costly. Where we can not buy personal redemption, for it is a free gift of God's grace (Ephesians 2:8), it is of great cost. Because it is costly, those redeemed through it's provision of grace should be reminded and remind themselves of it's cost so we might be more careful to be found faithful.
Where redemption and salvation can be synonymous, they are different. One must understand redemption and it's need before he can understand the Sovereign act of God's grace in calling one unto Salvation. If one thinks he can be saved apart from understanding the hideous condition of his fallen nature, he is badly mistaken. The holiness of God demands man be separated from Him because of sin. Redemption is the only way in which man can be made right with Holy God. Paul and John, as well as the writer of Hebrews, speak of this redemption as propitiation. Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness (Romans 3:25); (Hebrews 2:17); Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world....in this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2; 4:10).
The Doctrine of Election
Biblical salvation can truly be understood only when one realizes his salvation has nothing to do with himself; his works, his will, his station in live, his goodness, or his efforts. David, many years before Christ's birth, understood salvation to be a relationship belonging to God. Restore to me the joy of Your Salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit (Psalm 51:12). Salvation is the state of man which begins and ends in the person Christ Jesus. The statement often said; I was saved," is testimony that one's relationship to Christ was an experience which happened to one and not an experience of one's personal performance. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ,...it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:16a,20). Yet, the very fact of one being saved is so personal and the change, because of this experience so real, people tend to think it began in their own minds to trust the Lord. But, it began in the heart of God before the foundation plans of this earth was even begun if that is possible, knowing God is always in the present with out time.
"Election is not an easy concept to understand nor accept by a great many people. The term itself simply means choice. With reference to God's part in saving sinners it means that God has decreed to bring certain ones, upon whom his heart has been eternally set, to faith in Christ as Saviour. Thus, God plans to save sinners, and he chooses those who shall be saved. This choice is clearly God's and not man's for it was made `before the foundation of the world' (Eph. 1:4)." {Millikin, Jimmy A., "Christian Doctrine For Everyman: An Introduction to Baptist Beliefs" (Memphis: By the author, P.O. Box 3624, 1976), 67.}
In this section, we will look at this work of God on our behalf in several areas: God's foreknowledge; God's predestination; God's sanctification; and, God's glorification of man.
I. God's Foreknowledge of Man
When one believes God is Omniscient or knows all, it is not difficult to understand God knows before the fact. Knowledge is inherent to Him. J. M. Pendleton expounded on this when he said: "How, then, can we comprehend the Infinite Mind, which knows all things by intuition? We speak of knowledge as of the past, the present, and the future. What shall we say of God, to whom the past and the future are not distinguished from the present, and whose knowledge, therefore, is not successive, but perfectly simultaneous." { Pendleton, 51.} Knowledge for man is attained; it is not inherent. One can learn from observation, education, and life experiences. God knows because He is God.
Foreknowledge, from a Biblical perspective means, God knew beforehand and "nothing is hid from Him." {Tenney, "Foreknow, Foreknowledge," 591.} Foreordination, as it applies to people, means to appoint to a fixed destiny. {Ibid., 594.} We will look at this more under the next topic; Predestination. Look at a few passages of Scripture:
1. Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether (Psalm 139:1-4).
2. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5).
3. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things (1 John 3:20).
4. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29).
5. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims fo the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied (1 Peter 1:1-2).
A good summary is given by John Murray of God's foreknowledge: " `Foreknow' and `foreknowledge,' ...designate much more than what belongs to the attribute of omniscience. In each instance these terms refer to God's determining will and,...take on the strength of `foreordain' and`foreordination.' It is also significant that they are used only in reference to what fails with the sphere of salvation. In terms of Scripture usage and, strictly speaking, foreknow and foreknowledge do not designate God's all-inclusive determining will, but His will as it concerns the provisions and objects of saving purpose." {Murray, John. "Redemption: Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub. Co., ? ), p. 82. [I think this is the book where this came from. Somehow, this reference was deleted from my original study.]}
II. God's Predestination of Man
There are only six times the word predestined or its synonym is used in the Bible. Five of these are used in reference to God's action of love upon man. The remaining instance is used to describe God's purposeful hand upon all the world for His glory and direction (Acts 4:28). The very meaning of this word is: to limit or mark out beforehand; to design definitely beforehand, ordain beforehand, commonly translated predestine. It is a compound word: pro=before or beforehand, and, horitzo=to set bounds to, to restrict, to settle, appoint definitively, to fix determinately, to decree, destine, to constitute, appoint, to characterize with precision, to set forth distinctively, to resolve. {Brown, Colin, ed., "The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology" (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), H. Krienke, "predestination", p. 692-297}. No matter what one would like to believe about this word, it is clear from its root meaning that the action involved begins with someone of greater power and authority and is acted upon someone of less power and authority. Inspired by God, Paul attributes God with this action and man as its recipient.
Theologians refer predestination as foreordination. I believe they can be synonymous, but also different. In the passage found in 1 Corinthians 2:7, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, Paul uses this word in the sense of God's prerogative act before the creation of time. But, in the other four verses, God's Omniscience is implied [For whom He foreknew....according to the good pleasure of His will or stated clearly For whom He foreknew, He also predestined (Rom. 8:29a)].
The context of both the Romans 8:29-30 and the Ephesians 1:5,11 passage, relates how Christians are people God adopted to be sons. Adoption is totally an act of grace. Yet, the Father extended to Gentiles the same privilege He had given Jews, that is, favored position status. Now, Gentiles who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are considered joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 1:5,18). The fourth verse of Ephesians One and the thirty-fifth verse of Romans Eight, emphasizes the greatest characteristic of God in relationship to man. That is, His love. Any interpretation of God predetermining or putting a determining distinction upon anyone [predestining] without seeing this act of God coming from His love (agape), can never understand His action.
One m ust also see God's predestining act not only to be out of His Divine love, but also, out of the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:5). God's desire in election to choose anyone is an act of His good grace. This action of grace comes about because He has pleasure to cause (will) it be be so. This will, of course, is His Sovereign right to exercise His grace.
The phrase, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), is also very import ant in understanding predestination. There is a purpose of God setting boundaries, around those He adopts as Sons. That purpose is to be conformed to the image of Jesus. The word Paul uses, translated conformed, is another compound word. The first part is a preposition and means in the same manner as. The second part is a noun and means form. When God adopts one to be His son, it is what the Bible calls sanctification. Igt is the growth process of the Christian life.
Romans 8:30 gives commentary upon this predetermining act of God's foreknowledge in adopting people to be His sons because of His will and love. It comes about by God calling out those He wants as sons; and , justifies - (makes them right or just) them; and, then glorifies - (to invest with dignity, or majesty) them. With God, this action is simultaneous with His foreknowledge but not because of it. With those so chosen, it is seen as a process.
Predestination then is better understood when viewed as showing the purposed will of God through His Divine love in making those He calls to faith in Himself to become like His Son, Jesus Christ. That is an awesome thought! Can you see God's purpose of choosing you to faith causing you to be more like Jesus? Are you finding more and more a desire to throw off the works of unrighteousness and taking upon yourself more the heart and ideas of Christ? Remember, it is His Sovereign will for you to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
III. God's Sanctification of Man
Sanctification is part of the process of God's election of a person to salvation. Literally speaking, sanctification is the process of becoming like Jesus. It is what we saw in the area of predestination. Being conformed, as presented in the previous section, is that process of God growing us into the likeness of Jesus. It is God's work in our lives. This conformation or action of God on those He saves is unconditionally His will. For this is the will of God, your sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
The meaning of the word is to be holy or, the process of acquiring holiness. This process is always seen as being in relationship to Deity. Synonyms help to understand it's meaning even more: consecration, dedication, holiness, and perfection. Most Christians shy away, and probably rightfully so, from equating being sanctified with perfection. Christians are perfect in the sense of being complete in Christ. Being perfect in Christ means Christ's blood covers our sinfulness; makes us adopted son's of God; and gives us right to approach God. In other words, Christians are related to God through Jesus Christ.
Even though sanctification is part of God's election of man to become like Christ, it is a process of dual responsibility. On one hand, God sanctifies believers; and, on the other, believers must sanctify themselves. Theologian, Graeme Goldsworth, said about this theological word: it connotes the state of grace or sanctity not inherent in its subject, but the result of outside action. {Tenney, "Sanctification," 265.} Goldsworthy discusses sanctification in three areas: positional, progressively, and entirely. For the benefit of this study, positional and progressive will be studied. Entire sanctification is a view held by Arminian, Pietist, Quaker, and Wesleyan traditions. It basically carries the idea of the possibility of sinless perfection in this life. It is rejected by conservative believers because of John's statement in his first epistle: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).
Positional Sanctification:
Positional sanctification is that action of God setting those He calls apart from those not called to salvation. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). Apostle Paul referenced this action in two ways: One, he spoke of the action of Christ Jesus setting apart believers in Corinth as the church; and, Two, he called those so set apart, saints. To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2); and, To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints (Romans 1:7). [The use of the prepositional phrase, to be saints, is incorrect translation of the Greek. It should correctly be, called saints]. Notice important Scripture verses indicating God's action of sanctifying Believers.
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Hebrews 10:10. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
3. 2 Thessalonians 2:13. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
4. 1 Peter 1:2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Sanctification might be understood by thinking of a parent looking at his child and seeing that child differently than he sees other children. He sees his child as his own progeny; from out of his own body. He sees him as being like himself, his eyes, characteristics, etc. The child walks like him, talks like him, and sounds much like him. In the parents mind, he has set his child apart from other children. Dwight Pentecost, speaking about sanctification, says the word; primarily [has] to do with one's position, not with one's experience or one's practice. This has to do with the divine viewpoint. When God looks at His child, He sees His child as set apart unto Himself; He sees His child haveing been set apart from sin; He sees His child as one who is a saint, beloved of the Father. This then is our position." {J. Dwight Pentecost, "Things Which Become Sound Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1965), 115.}
Progressive Sanctification:
Goldsworthy states: "Progressive sanctification occurs when one becomes a `partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).' " {Tenney, 266.} Progressive sanctification is what Moses recorded God telling the Israelites. That is: For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall ; you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth (Leviticus 11:44). There are two things which might be said about the above two verses. One, no one can become a saint or be sanctified until he becomes a Believer through God's elective call upon his life. Second, onced saved and set apart by God, it is His desire we set ourselves apart from those not so called, and be holy as God is holy. The first part is the positional work of God, and the second is the progressive work of God in Christ through His Holy Spirit working in our lives changing our heart and desires. Dr. J. M. Pendleton lists several things which sanctification implies:
1. The crucifixion of sin. - Romans 8:13. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
2. The growth and improvement of the Christian graces. - 2 Thessalonians 1:3. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.
3. The will of the Christian is more conformed to the divine will. - Matthew 6:10. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [Notice, this verse in context is Christ teaching His disciples to pray. Prayer and becoming more like Christ is inseparable]. {Pendleton, 301-305}.
Pendleton goes on to show the process of being sanctified reveals a list of growing attributes of the sanctification process in a Christians life.
1. A deep sense of unworthiness. - Ephesians 3:8. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
2. An increasing hatred of sin. - Romans 7:13. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
3. A growing interest in the means of grace. - 1 Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. [The means of grace refer to not only God's Word (the Bible), but also to prayer, worship, witness, alms giving, tithe, and service.]
4. An increasing love of things heavenly. - Colossians 3:1-2. If then you were raised with Crist, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. {Ibid., 306-310.}
Dr. Pentecost lists five ways in which Believers are sanctified:
1. In Christ Jesus. - 1 Corinthians 1:30. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God---and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
2. By the Word of God. - John 17:17. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
3. By blood. - Hebrews 13:12. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
4. The cross of Christ. - Hebrews 10:10. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Galatians 6:14. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
5. By faith. - Acts 26:18. to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. {Pentecost, 121-122.}
Sanctification is that process of God's elective grace by which we are predestined to grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Dr. Millikin summarizes sanctification as; not attainable in this life....demonstrated by the teaching of Scripture and experience....yet the Christian is admonished to hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6), to press toward the mark of Christian perfectness (Phil. 3:14), and to seek to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 12:2). {Millikin, 80.}
IV. God's Glorification of Man
This great truth is taught by Apostle Paul in Romans 8:30 where he said: Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Many other passages can be study to see this (1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 1:27ff; Eph. 1:18; Phil. 3:21; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 2:14; 2 Tim. 2:10; Heb. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:4,4,10). Most Believers learn Christian terminology from usage; i.e., preaching, singing, and teaching. Glory has been associated because of this usage, to mean heaven, or the place of God. That is not far from being correct. The word used is related to the Hebrew word; kabod, meaning, glory or honor. This Hebraic word literally came to refer to a place of glory or honor, and usage in the Old Testament gave it the meaning of the abode of God or place of His presence. The word Ichabod (ikabod) meant where is the glory, or there is no presence of honor. This is mentioned because it will be looked at again later.
Simply put, man's glorification is already accomplished by God. In other words, man is already put into the place of His presence. This act of God is spoken of as already having taken place. When did it take place? From God's standpoint, it was before the foundations of the earth. From man's standpoint, it happened the moment someone put his faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. How can this be? It could better be understood if in English we had the same tense as in Greek. This Greek word is what is known as an aorist verb. An aorist verb is like a past tense English verb. Sometimes we speak in English as if we had a verb tense like this. For example: A mother and father is discussing what they will give their child for Christmas. They decide they will give a bike. The mother might ask how they will do this and the father answers; "don't worry about it, it is already taken care of." The bike has not yet been bought, but the father knows the money is there; the place to get it is there; and the time to buy it is there. The difference in the English and the Greek, however, is that with God, He acted and it was already done. Remember, He ever lives in eternity. There is neither past or future with God.
To me, this is one of the greatest proofs of eternal security in the Bible. Salvation is something I can't earn but given me by God predestining, calling, justifying, and glorifying me all at the same time. So, His glorifying me has nothing to do with how good I can be or stay, but upon Him who called me. We can speak of our being in Glory right now. Instead of this giving me some feeling that I can live in worldliness, it helps me know I do not want to carry a worldly life into God's presence when he takes me to Glory. Because God has already glorified Believers, Ichabod can never be written over our name in the Lambs Book of Life.
Were it left up to the Believer to make it to Glory on his own merits, he never would. Read what Dr. James P. Boyce said:
"1. The Scriptures teach the final salvation of all believers....Isa. 43:1,2-7.
2. The Scriptures declare that the sure salvation of each believer is due to the purpose of God....John 6:39.
3. The final salvation of the believer is ascribed to the power of God....2 Tim. 1:12.
4. The final salvation is also ascribed to the grace of God....1Thess. 5:23-24.
5. That the perseverance of believers depends necessarily upon the purpose and power and grace of God....2 Cor. 12:7-10. {Boyce, 426-430.}
IF GOD ELECTS MAN TO SALVATION, WHY EVANGELISM?
Five times in the New Testament we find what is called The Great Commission (Mat. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:46-48; Jn. 20:21-23; Acts 1:4-8). The two most prominent ones are the passages from Matthew and Acts. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20); and, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons which the jFather has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:4-8). The answer is simple, Christ commanded us to GO! But, I believe the Lord wants us to understand what He commands, and, I find it easier to follow commands when I understand them.
WHAT IS EVANGELISM?
There are any number of places one can find a definition of evangelism. And, it has been defined in many ways. Let's look at from where the word comes. Apostle Paul told Timothy to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5), and in Ephesians 4:11, he said God gifts some evangelist. An evangelist is one who does evangelism, or evangelizes. This Greek word is euangellzo and means: to proclaim glad tidings, good or joyful news. In the New Testament, it took on specificity in Paul's theology as found in Romans 1:1-7, and in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Both these passages list the gospel (euangelion) as Christ's birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection. It must be said that anything short of presenting each aspect of Christ is not the gospel. So, evangelism is the proclamation of Jesus Christ's supernatural birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death, and His victorious resurrection.
So, what is different about evangelism and biblical preaching? Preaching can be evangelism, but what if those who are hearing the message are already believers? It's good news for believers to hear again and again the truths of who Christ is, but, there must be more to evangelism than just hearing preaching. When one goes back to the Great Commission he finds a target for his work. That target is the people of the world. Evangelism is not evangelism until the proclamation is carried to persons with the intent of turning their lives to be followers of Christ (make disciples).
There is another facet of truth one must take into consideration in coming to a definition of evangelism. To become disciples of Christ, one must not only know Christ is who the Bible says He is, he m ust also turn from a life of unbelief and sinfulness. Paul proclaimed in Acts 20:20-21 what has become the action of evangelism. How I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house [proclamation], testifying to Jews, and also Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ [the turning from]. In other words, a person must know he is a sinner and needs Christ before evangelism can be complete. J. I. Packer stated it this way: "Evangelism is the issuing of a call to turn, as well as to trust; it is the delivering, not merely of a divine invitation to receive a Saviour, but of a divine command to repent of sin. And there is no evangelism where this specific application is not made. {Packer, J. I. "Evangelism And the Sovereignty of God" (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1961), 40.}
Even though Believers completes the action of evangelism, does not mean those evangelized will be saved. That is the work of God the Holy Spirit. Jesus said about His Spirit, It is the Spirit who gives life...; no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father (John 6:63,65), and, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). Evangelism then, is man's part in redemption, while God's part is the effectual calling of His Spirit. Paul said; For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:18,21). This is the general call in which all men should have the opportunity to hear the Good News (euangelion-gospel).
Dr. Packer lists four things this gospel should always contain: "....a message about God; a message about sin; a message about Christ; and, a summons to faith and repentance." {Ibid., 58-71.}
But the question Why Evangelism, is still out there. There are two basic reasons for doing the work of evangelism. The first fulfills the greatest commandment of our Lord. That is, You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind (Luke 10:27). If in truth, we love Jesus completely, then we will obey Him, If you love Me, Keep My commandments (John 14:15). Obedience is the first reason we should do e3vangelism. Second, Jesus said; And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Not only love for Jesus, but love for lost mankind. This is our motive. If one says he loves the Lord, bu t never evangelizes; or loves lost mankind enough to tell them about Jesus, he doesn't love the Lord. There is a saying I am not sure from where it originated, but it's point is well taken. That is: if a person is not a missionary, he is in need of one. The same can be said about doing evangelism.
Evangelism is part of God's plan to bring man into the hearing of the gospel so those who He elects to save will hear, believe, and receive the gift of life everlasting and the forgiveness of sin. May God use each of us to be evangelists in the generic sense of proclaiming the Good News. May He call with specificity out of our fellowship, Evangelists to lead us in evangelism.
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