Soteriology

Soteriology

the teaching of the church regarding salvation

How does the work of Christ (atonement) become effective for us? How is redemption applied to humanity?

God has done his part, what is our part?

Calling (Predestination) - God Calls us to Salvation

I. Preliminary - the word

a. General Calling to Salvation

i. Matthew 22.1-14, marriage feast: many called but few chosen.

ii. Isaiah 65, when I called you did not answer.

iii. Luke 9.57-62, many invited to follow, cost too much

iv. Many kletoi (called), few eklektoi (chosen)

b. Effectual Calling to Salvation - it is effective

i. 1 Peter 2.9, holy nation called out

ii. 2 Timothy 1.8-9, called with a holy calling

iii. 1 Cor. 1.9, called in the fellowship of his Son

iv. Ephesians 4.1, life worthy of your calling

v. 2 Thess 2.14, called you through the gospel

vi. 1 Peter 5.10, called you to his eternal glory in Christ

II. Background of God's effectual calling

a. God's gracious purpose

i. 2 Timothy 1.9, not in virtue of works but God's purpose

ii. works can never achieve salvation

iii. calling fully based on grace - unmerited love given to us in Jesus

iv. Romans 8.28, called according to God's purpose

v. Ephesians 3.11, eternal purpose realized in Christ

vi. God intended to have all things under Christ, and saved only through him

vii. Ephesians 1.9-10, all things united in Christ

b. God's choosing (election)

i. 2 Thess. 2.13-14, God chose you from the beginning

ii. Ephesians 1.4, God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world

1. Chose "us" as individuals, or chose us in "Christ" as the emphasis

2. Only biblical reference to act before creation

3. Call of God is totally act of prevenient grace - his grace preceded our call to salvation. Free mercy, precedes decision and makes decision possible.

4. Not that we have chosen him but he has chosen us, John 15.16. Response on our part is not to indifferent God, but to a God who has already chosen/elected us.

5. Provides solid foundation for our call and salvation. Call is from eternity and God's purpose, no way even close to being based on our works - has nothing to do with it.

6. Deut. 7.6-8, God has chosen his people; not based on qualifications

iii. Predestining

1. Ephesians 1.4-5, in love he predestines us as sons

2. Points to same prior action of God, emphasis on God's sovereign action in the choosing.

3. Ephesians, 1.11-12, Points to the end to which we are called.

4. Predestine can mean 'choose' or 'elect.'

5. Romans 8.28-31, ultimate intention is glorification

6. Predestine is never used about anything other than salvation in the New Testament. Proorizo occurs six times.

7. Double predestination - both to heaven and hell, is not scriptural.

8. Predestination is that salvation occurs through the Son.

iv. God's foreknowledge

1. Romans 8, those he foreknew he predestined: electing is of those he foreknew.

2. 1 Peter 1.1-2, chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the father

3. The elect are personally known by God.

4. Romans 11.2, God does not reject his people whom he foreknew.

5. Jesus was foreknown and chosen, 1 Peter 1.20

6. Nowhere in scripture that God knows what humans will do and then bases election on that knowledge.

Election

1. Election is not a limitation so that some cannot believe, it is that those who do are grounded in eternity.

2. Ephesians 1.12, destined to live for the praise of his glory (Is not all creation?)

3. Election does not rule out human responsibility, election is not automatic, there must be a response of faith.

4. Not all saved is not because not all are called, 1 Timothy 2.3-4, all are called.

5. Possible to reject God's election/calling, John 3.19.

6. Election coerces no one into the kingdom nor keeps anyone out, it is the background for all who accept it.

Election goes together with faith. Not elected therefore we believe (Calvinism) or elected on basis of foreseen faith (Arminianism), but elected as believers. Only applies to believers, cannot use terminology for any other situation.

God yearns for all to be saved, Christ died for all (no limited atonement). Only hindrance is disbelief in God's great love shown in Christ.

Two destinations but not two predestinations.

Foreknowledge

III. Method - how people come to salvation

a. Proclamation of the Word

i. 1 Cor. 1.23-24, preach Christ crucified

ii. 1 Peter 1.23-25, word which was preached to you

iii. People changed through proclamation of the word

iv. Gospel