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      "Salvation"
      Selected Scriptures
      Theme: Salvation is a free gift of God – given by grace – and received through faith.

        1. It is Rooted in the Generosity of the Savior – "We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace …"

          1. The Basis of God’s Generosity

            1. No treatment of salvation can be properly oriented that does not trace its source to the free and sovereign love of God.
            2. God’s hatred toward the wicked is accompanied by a sincere, compassionate love for them as well – Matthew 5:45; Mark 10:21; Titus 3:4
              1. The fact that God will send to eternal hell all sinners who persist in sin and unbelief proves His hatred toward them.
              2. The fact that God promises to forgive and bring into His eternal glory all who trust Christ as Savior – and even pleads with sinners to repent – proves His love toward them.
            3. This is the irrefutable reality presented in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
              1. Clearly God loves even those who spurn His tender mercy, but it is a love possessing a different quality than the love with which He loves "His own."
              2. God’s love for believers is a particular or distinguishing love.
              3. Calvin stated: "[Two] points are distinctly stated to us: Namely, that faith in Christ brings life to all, and that Christ brought life, because the Father loves the human race, and wishes that they should not perish."
              4. In addition, Calvin stated: "[In John 3:16 the evangelist] has employed the universal term whosoever, both in invite all indiscriminately to partake of life, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term world, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found in the world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled to the whole world, when he invites all without exception to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life."
              5. Let us remember, on the other hand, that while life is promised universally to all who believe in Christ, still faith is not common to all, but the elect alone are they whose eyes God opens, that they may seek him by faith."
            4. However, the reality of God’s love provides no comfort to those who are satisfied with their sin - the knowledge that God is full of mercy and compassion and has therefore provided atonement for sinners provides no solace to anyone but those who repent and trust in God’s provision for redemption – cp. Hebrews 10:26-27
            5. The Good Pleasure of God’s Will
              1. It was the free and sovereign good pleasure of His will, emanating from the depths of His own goodness, that He chose a people to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ – Ephesians 1:4-5
              2. The reason resides totally in Himself and proceeds from determinations that are peculiarly His as the "I am that I am."
              3. Thus, the love of God constrains the atonement as the means of accomplishing love’s determinate purpose.
              4. It is in this way that the love of God is the cause or source of the salvation.

          2. The Benevolence of God’s Gift

            1. It is thus out of this love that God extends toward men the ability to be reconciled to Him.
            2. Salvation is thus not a result of something in man – but is offered freely by God as a gift – Romans 6:23
            3. The essence of a gift is that it is not earned but is out of the beneficence of the one giving – Romans 4:4-5
            4. This is all designed to emphasize that salvation is completely an act of the free and Sovereign choice of God – and that it is not dependent upon any worthiness in man – it is by grace – cp. Ephesians 1:4-6
            5. It is on the basis of this that God describes our salvation as by grace – a gift of God – Ephesians 2:8-9

        2. It is Received with Gratitude by the Sinner - "… and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ …"

          1. The Accountability for the Proper Response

            1. God’s grace and the realities of election does not operate apart from or nullify man’s responsibility to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior - Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17; John 5:39-40; Acts 17:30
            2. Men are described by God as being without excuse in that everything is provided by God for them to respond properly – the deterrent being their absolute love for their sin – cp. Romans 1:20; cp. John 3:19-20
            3. Even those who have never had an opportunity to hear the gospel have received a clear witness about the existence and character of God – but they have suppressed it.
            4. If a person will respond to the revelation he has, even if it is only natural revelation, God will provide some means for that person to hear the gospel - Acts 8:26–39; 10:1–48; 17:27

          2. The Authentication of the Proper Response

            1. The Presence of Saving Faith – John 1:12
              1. True saving faith is a faith that has its seat in the heart and is rooted in the regenerate life.
              2. This faith is not first of all an activity of man, but a potentiality wrought by God in the heart of the sinner.
              3. The seed of faith is implanted in man in regeneration.
              4. It can be defined as "a certain conviction, wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the gospel, and a hearty reliance (trust) on the promises of God in Christ."
              5. The elements of saving faith
                1. Intellectual Element – John 3:2; James 2:19; Acts 8:13
                  1. This is the recognition of the truth of God’s revelation, or of the objective reality of the salvation provided by Christ.
                  2. This includes not only a historical belief in the facts of the Scripture, but an intellectual belief in the doctrine taught therein as to man’s sinfulness and dependence upon Christ.
                1. Emotional Element -
                  1. It is the awakening of the soul to the sensibilities of truth wherein he ceases to consider the object of faith in a detached and disinterested way, and begins to feel a lively interest in it.
                  2. Whereas in the intellectual faith, one can remain passive and disconnected, in the emotional element faith is active and emotionally charged.
                1. Volitional Element
                  1. This is the crowning element of faith – as faith is not merely a matter of the intellect, nor of the intellect and the emotions combined; it is also a matter of the will, determining the direction of the soul, an act of the soul going out towards its object and appropriating this.
                  2. This third element consists in a personal trust in Christ as Savior and Lord, including a surrender of the soul as guilty and defiled to Christ, and a reception and appropriation of Christ as the source of pardon and of spiritual life.
                  1. In short – it is a refuge seeking trust!.
            2. The Power of Repentance
              1. The Intellectual Element:
                1. There is a change of view, a recognition of sin as involving personal guilt, defilement, and helplessness.
                2. It is designated in Scripture as the "knowledge of sin" – Romans 3:20 (cf. 1:32).
                3. If this is not accompanied by the emotional element and volitional element, it may manifest itself as fear of punishment, while there is as yet no hatred of sin.
              2. The Emotional Element:
                1. There is a change of feeling, manifesting itself in sorrow for sin committed against a holy and just God – Psalm 51:2, 10, 14
                2. If it is not accompanied by the volitional element, it is merely the "sorrow of the world" that manifests itself in remorse and despair – 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Matthew 27:3; Luke 18:23.
              3. The Volitional Element:
                1. This is a change of purupose, and inward turning away from sin, and a disposition to seek pardon and cleansing – Psalm 51:5, 7, 10; Jeremiah 25:5
                2. This element always includes the previous two elements and is therefore the most important aspect of repentance.
                3. It is indicated in Scripture by the word metanoia (metanoia) – cp. Acts 2:38; Romans 2:4.

        3. It is Reliant on the Guarantor of SALVATION – "… whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins."

          1. The Appeasement through the Blood

            1. The justice of God regarding the sins performed by men must be satisfied.
            2. We are told that the only means of satisfaction is the full and complete execution of the judgment of God upon sin – cp. Genesis 2:16-17; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23
            3. Death is looked upon as represented in the shedding of blood in that the life of the flesh is in the blood – cp. Leviticus 17:11
            4. Thus, without the shedding of blood that represents & effects the penalty of death there is no forgiveness of sin - Hebrews 9:22

          2. The Accomplishment of the Blood

            1. In dying for men, Jesus Christ took their place by offering Himself for them – the just for the unjust – 1 Peter 3:18
            2. Because He is sinless the life that was offered in our place was able to serve as a satisfactory payment for our sins – cp. 1 Peter 1:18-19
            3. Thus, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, the wrath of God is completely satisfied – Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10 .
            4. Having been completely satisfied through the work of Christ, God is free to provide us forgiveness of sin – cp. Ephesians 1:7

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