Over the past two weeks we have looked at how God chooses and calls those he wants to be added into his family, but a problem still remains – if God is holy, and we are sinful, how can our sin be dealt with? How can sinners approach a holy God? The human answer has always been to live a little bit better, to keep laws and rules and try to earn God’s approval. But the Bible’s answer is very different; it is “Justification.”
Galatians 2:15-21
Why is understanding justification important?
1. Understanding justification explains grace
Grace is God’s unmerited favour given to us. What should have been ours became his; what was his has become ours (2 Corinthians 5:21). When God justifies us he declares us to be righteous and this means we no longer face condemnation because of our sin (Romans 8:30-33). Regeneration is like the ignition being turned on – life begins to flow into us. Justification is like a car passing its MOT – we are judged to be worthy.
But justification is not only a “not guilty” verdict – God actually declares us to be righteous. How does this happen?! By the imputation (credit or attribute) of Christ’s righteousness to us.
Justification has nothing to do with how good we are. It is all to do with how good God is! There has been a great exchange – our sin for his righteousness. If justification were dependent on us, we could never be sure we are justified. But because justification is freely given to us we can be confident of our right standing before God.
This is unmerited favour. It is grace!
2. Understanding justification protects against error
Tragically the Church has often made two errors, either denying that we are all dead in our sin, or saying that although God is involved in saving us we also need to in some way earn our salvation.
This is wrong! (See Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; Galatians 2:16; Romans 6:23)
We were dead in our sins, but Christ makes us alive. Once we express faith in Jesus, God then justifies us on the basis of that faith. It was this truth that led to the Reformation when Luther and other Reformers confronted the errors the church had fallen into. This is not just intellectual theological argument – it is life and death! If we are not justified we can never approach a holy God. How do we get justified? Through faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Understanding justification generates love
If your love for God grows cold, consider justification! Consider your plight – that you were dead in our sins. Consider the cost of defeating sin – Jesus’ death on the cross. Consider the grace that has now been given to you – Jesus’ righteousness imputed to you.
Considering these things cannot but generate love for the Saviour.
4. Understanding justification brings freedom
We need never feel insecure about God’s love. He has pronounced us “not guilty.” We don’t need to earn favour with God; his relationship with us is unconditional. Understanding this means we can live in freedom. We are not bowed down – we are free!
5. Understanding justification explains how God sees us
When God sees us he sees Jesus. Although we still sin God doesn’t look upon us as sinners but as the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). When he looks at us God sees something beautiful!
We are sinners saved by grace. This means we should have an honesty about how lost we were, and acknowledge how great God is in justifying us.
Application Questions
• Christians are chosen, called and saved – what response does this produce in you?
• Why is sin such a problem?
• Can you explain the difference between regeneration and justification?
• In what ways are you most likely to slip into self-justification mode? What is wrong about this?
• In what ways does an understanding of justification keep us from falling into sin?
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Sunday, 15 June 2008
UNDERSTANDING CONVERSION, PART 2: CALLED BY GOD
Romans 8:30
Last week we looked at how God chooses the people he wants for himself. Today we will see how God than calls those that he has chosen.
1. The gospel call
The gospel call consists of at least three things:
• Some Facts: All are sinners, spiritually dead and deserving hell, and saved only by God (Romans 3:23; 6:20-23).
• An Invitation: To Jesus and good things (Matthew 11:28-30).
• A Promise: of fullness of life now and of life eternal with God (John 3:16).
Tim Keller helpfully summarises the gospel like this: “Human beings are more broken and sinful than they could ever imagine, and more loved and cherished than they could ever dare hope.”
2. A call that produces a response
A human declaration of the gospel is not enough. If people are going to respond to the gospel call they need to hear the summons of the King! (1 Peter 2:9) This still requires a willing, voluntary response from the person, but it is God who makes this response possible (E.g., see the story of Lydia in Acts 16:13-14).
We must proclaim the gospel whether or not it is effective, but God will make it effective in those he calls.
When God calls, what happens…?
3. Being born again (Regeneration)
We must be born again because we were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1). Without new birth we will stay dead!
What is involved in being born again? We can see that it is totally a work of God. This work was promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled by Jesus (see Ezekiel 36:26-27 and John 1:12-13).
We can also see that we need to be born again before we can respond in faith – as we were dead in our sins we need God to make us alive before we are able to respond to him.
How then does regeneration happen? Clearly it is mysterious (Jesus said as much to Nicodemus, John 3:8), and it only happens once. It is God who makes us alive (Colossians 2:13)!
It is not, “if you believe in Christ as your saviour, then, after you believe, you will be born again.” Although – experientially – that is how it can appear, what the Bible describes is God making us alive so that we can then say that we believe.
4. Conversion (Faith and Repentance)
Having been called and born again, we must respond to God in faith and repentance.
Conversion equals turning. We turn from sin in repentance and turn to Christ in faith. Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin – there cannot be genuine faith without genuine repentance.
If our faith and repentance are to be genuine three things need to be in operation together:
• Knowledge: There are things we need to understand about Jesus and his gospel, but knowledge alone is not enough to save us (see Romans 1:32 and James 2:19).
• Knowledge and agreement: We not only need to understand some things about God but also agree with them. However, even this isn’t sufficient to save us (see John 3:2)
• Knowledge, agreement and personal decision: As well as understanding some facts about the gospel and agreeing that they are true we need to make a personal decision to submit to them (John 3:16).
Conversion is more than simply some belief about Jesus. It means believing Jesus! It means that we put our trust in him.
5. How can we know we are genuinely converted?
Sometimes Christians worry about whether they are truly Christians. The Holy Spirit is given to give us assurance of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13), and the Bible also describes ways by which we can be assured that we have been called by God and genuinely responded to him in faith and repentance. These include:
• We will love God and his people (1 John 4:7)
• We will stop sinning and will overcome the world (1 John 5:3-4)
• We will produce fruit (Galatians 5:22-23)
Application Questions
• What do you think of Tim Keller’s statement that, “Human beings are more broken and sinful than they could ever imagine, and more loved and cherished than they could ever dare hope”?
• In what ways is an understanding of God’s call an encouragement to you to proclaim the gospel?
• How is believing Jesus different from belief about Jesus?
• When were you born again?
• What evidence is there in your life of your conversion to Jesus?
Recommended Reading
Future Grace, by John Piper. This is quite a big book, but it is the kind of thing you can dip in and out of with great profit and without feeling guilty if you don’t read it cover to cover! Piper here sets out a manifesto for a grace shaped life, which should be a life of purity, in response to the call of God.
Last week we looked at how God chooses the people he wants for himself. Today we will see how God than calls those that he has chosen.
1. The gospel call
The gospel call consists of at least three things:
• Some Facts: All are sinners, spiritually dead and deserving hell, and saved only by God (Romans 3:23; 6:20-23).
• An Invitation: To Jesus and good things (Matthew 11:28-30).
• A Promise: of fullness of life now and of life eternal with God (John 3:16).
Tim Keller helpfully summarises the gospel like this: “Human beings are more broken and sinful than they could ever imagine, and more loved and cherished than they could ever dare hope.”
2. A call that produces a response
A human declaration of the gospel is not enough. If people are going to respond to the gospel call they need to hear the summons of the King! (1 Peter 2:9) This still requires a willing, voluntary response from the person, but it is God who makes this response possible (E.g., see the story of Lydia in Acts 16:13-14).
We must proclaim the gospel whether or not it is effective, but God will make it effective in those he calls.
When God calls, what happens…?
3. Being born again (Regeneration)
We must be born again because we were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1). Without new birth we will stay dead!
What is involved in being born again? We can see that it is totally a work of God. This work was promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled by Jesus (see Ezekiel 36:26-27 and John 1:12-13).
We can also see that we need to be born again before we can respond in faith – as we were dead in our sins we need God to make us alive before we are able to respond to him.
How then does regeneration happen? Clearly it is mysterious (Jesus said as much to Nicodemus, John 3:8), and it only happens once. It is God who makes us alive (Colossians 2:13)!
It is not, “if you believe in Christ as your saviour, then, after you believe, you will be born again.” Although – experientially – that is how it can appear, what the Bible describes is God making us alive so that we can then say that we believe.
4. Conversion (Faith and Repentance)
Having been called and born again, we must respond to God in faith and repentance.
Conversion equals turning. We turn from sin in repentance and turn to Christ in faith. Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin – there cannot be genuine faith without genuine repentance.
If our faith and repentance are to be genuine three things need to be in operation together:
• Knowledge: There are things we need to understand about Jesus and his gospel, but knowledge alone is not enough to save us (see Romans 1:32 and James 2:19).
• Knowledge and agreement: We not only need to understand some things about God but also agree with them. However, even this isn’t sufficient to save us (see John 3:2)
• Knowledge, agreement and personal decision: As well as understanding some facts about the gospel and agreeing that they are true we need to make a personal decision to submit to them (John 3:16).
Conversion is more than simply some belief about Jesus. It means believing Jesus! It means that we put our trust in him.
5. How can we know we are genuinely converted?
Sometimes Christians worry about whether they are truly Christians. The Holy Spirit is given to give us assurance of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13), and the Bible also describes ways by which we can be assured that we have been called by God and genuinely responded to him in faith and repentance. These include:
• We will love God and his people (1 John 4:7)
• We will stop sinning and will overcome the world (1 John 5:3-4)
• We will produce fruit (Galatians 5:22-23)
Application Questions
• What do you think of Tim Keller’s statement that, “Human beings are more broken and sinful than they could ever imagine, and more loved and cherished than they could ever dare hope”?
• In what ways is an understanding of God’s call an encouragement to you to proclaim the gospel?
• How is believing Jesus different from belief about Jesus?
• When were you born again?
• What evidence is there in your life of your conversion to Jesus?
Recommended Reading
Future Grace, by John Piper. This is quite a big book, but it is the kind of thing you can dip in and out of with great profit and without feeling guilty if you don’t read it cover to cover! Piper here sets out a manifesto for a grace shaped life, which should be a life of purity, in response to the call of God.
Sunday, 8 June 2008
UNDERSTANDING SALVATION PART 1: CHOSEN BY GOD
If you are a Christian, why are you a Christian? Was it your decision or God’s choice? Who gets to decide whether you are in or out? And is any of this stuff fair?!
The doctrine of election teaches us that it is God who chooses us (not the other way around) and that this is very good news.
1 Peter 1:1-2
Peter starts this letter with a three part declaration: Who we are (the elect of God); How we feel (exiles in the world); How we look (dispersed throughout the earth). We are often very aware of the second two, but it is the first one that really matters!
1. Election is biblical
God’s plan has always been to choose a people for himself. We see this throughout the Bible (E.g., Nehemiah 9:7; Deuteronomy 14:2; Psalm 105:6-7; Ezekiel 20:5; Romans 8:29-33; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Timothy 1:9). No-one ever earned this salvation, or deserved it. But accepting it creates freedom, joy and fruit.
2. Election glorifies God
God doesn’t save us because we are cool (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 makes the opposite very clear). Salvation is a free gift. This results in sinners being humbled and glory being given to God.
3. Election teaches us about the love of God
God elects because he loves – his love is certain and irreversible. (1 Thessalonians 1:4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.) Having told us that we are chosen by God, Peter goes on to describe the love of God, and its impact upon believers (1 Peter 1:3-9). This is good news!
4. Election is a plumb-line for the church
Grasping this truth leads us into humility and gratitude – worship! It promotes faith and encourages us to live holy lives. It gives us confidence that God will sustain us and that we cannot fall out of relationship with him.
5. Election means we can be saved!
God doesn’t just invite people to salvation – he does it! What God plans to do, he does! We couldn’t do it; we were dead (Eph. 2:1)! But God makes it happen. This must also motivate us in evangelism, because we know that the elect will respond.
Application Questions
• Have you ever previously considered the doctrine of election? What excites or alarms you about it?
• How does an understanding of God’s electing love motivate you to 1. Worship? 2. Live a holy life? 3. Exercise faith?
• Some have said that a belief in election will hinder evangelistic efforts. Why is this not the case?
• What are the consequences of the Church abandoning the doctrine of election?
Recommended Reading
Chosen By God, by R.C. Sproul. This is a fantastic little book, with some very sharp theology, which really helped me when I first read it a long time ago. The blurb on the cover puts it like this, “Here is the classical doctrine of predestination… Predestination isn’t just for Calvinists. It’s for all biblical Christians. It doesn’t create a whimsical or spiteful picture of God, but paints the portrait of a loving God who provides redemption for radically corrupt humans.”
You will also benefit by reading the biographies of outstanding Christians such as Muller and Spurgeon who were motivated in their exploits of faith by an understanding of election.
Two quotes, first George Muller:
Then Charles Spurgeon:
The doctrine of election teaches us that it is God who chooses us (not the other way around) and that this is very good news.
1 Peter 1:1-2
Peter starts this letter with a three part declaration: Who we are (the elect of God); How we feel (exiles in the world); How we look (dispersed throughout the earth). We are often very aware of the second two, but it is the first one that really matters!
1. Election is biblical
God’s plan has always been to choose a people for himself. We see this throughout the Bible (E.g., Nehemiah 9:7; Deuteronomy 14:2; Psalm 105:6-7; Ezekiel 20:5; Romans 8:29-33; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Timothy 1:9). No-one ever earned this salvation, or deserved it. But accepting it creates freedom, joy and fruit.
2. Election glorifies God
God doesn’t save us because we are cool (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 makes the opposite very clear). Salvation is a free gift. This results in sinners being humbled and glory being given to God.
3. Election teaches us about the love of God
God elects because he loves – his love is certain and irreversible. (1 Thessalonians 1:4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.) Having told us that we are chosen by God, Peter goes on to describe the love of God, and its impact upon believers (1 Peter 1:3-9). This is good news!
4. Election is a plumb-line for the church
Grasping this truth leads us into humility and gratitude – worship! It promotes faith and encourages us to live holy lives. It gives us confidence that God will sustain us and that we cannot fall out of relationship with him.
5. Election means we can be saved!
God doesn’t just invite people to salvation – he does it! What God plans to do, he does! We couldn’t do it; we were dead (Eph. 2:1)! But God makes it happen. This must also motivate us in evangelism, because we know that the elect will respond.
Application Questions
• Have you ever previously considered the doctrine of election? What excites or alarms you about it?
• How does an understanding of God’s electing love motivate you to 1. Worship? 2. Live a holy life? 3. Exercise faith?
• Some have said that a belief in election will hinder evangelistic efforts. Why is this not the case?
• What are the consequences of the Church abandoning the doctrine of election?
Recommended Reading
Chosen By God, by R.C. Sproul. This is a fantastic little book, with some very sharp theology, which really helped me when I first read it a long time ago. The blurb on the cover puts it like this, “Here is the classical doctrine of predestination… Predestination isn’t just for Calvinists. It’s for all biblical Christians. It doesn’t create a whimsical or spiteful picture of God, but paints the portrait of a loving God who provides redemption for radically corrupt humans.”
You will also benefit by reading the biographies of outstanding Christians such as Muller and Spurgeon who were motivated in their exploits of faith by an understanding of election.
Two quotes, first George Muller:
I had been much opposed to the doctrines of election, particular redemption and final persevering grace. But now I was brought to examine these precious truths by the Word of God. Being made willing to have no glory of my own in the conversion of sinners, but to consider myself merely an instrument; and being made willing to receive what Scriptures said, I went to the Word, reading the New Testament from the beginning, with a particular reference to these truths.
To my great astonishment I found that the passages which speak decidedly for election and persevering grace, were about four times as many as those which speak apparently against these truths; and even those few, shortly after, when I had examined and understood them, served to confirm me in the above doctrines.
As to the effect which my belief in these doctrines had on me, I am constrained to state for God’s glory, that though I am still exceedingly weak, and by no means dead to the lusts of the flesh, and the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, as I might be, and as I ought to be, yet, by the grace of God, I have walked more closely with him since that period. My life has not been so variable, and I may say that I have lived much more for God than before.
Then Charles Spurgeon:
When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths of the doctrine of election in my own soul, and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown on a sudden from a babe into a man – that I had made progress in Scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, that clue to the truth of God.
One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, “How did you come to be a Christian?” I sought the Lord. “But how did you come to seek the Lord?” The truth flashed across my mind in a moment – I should not have sought him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God.”
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