P2 Blessed Assurances Paid For At The Cross - Romans 8:36-37

Romans 8:31-32 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"

Introduction:

In our last post we considered the blessed assurances that flow from Christ's finished work on the cross as spelled out in Romans 8:31-32. We observed how God has an unquestionable commitment to the child of God who trusts in Christ in saving faith. We then noted too how Christ supplies unending representation for the Christian before the throne. These first two assurances were explored. Today we want to consider a third marvelous blessed assurance, namely...

Unbreakable Relationship between God and the Christian. Romans 8:35-37

Note what we read in Romans 8:35-37
"Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." The seven underlined words represent increasing levels of "worse-case" scenarios (at least for us living in the 21st century). The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes:

"These things—stated in increasing intensity—do not separate Christians from Christ; instead they are part of the “all things” (Rom. 8:28) God uses to bring them to conformity to His Son. Then Paul quoted Psalm 44:22 to remind his readers that in this life the people of God must face much affliction (cf. John 16:33) including even martyrdom for some. In the early days of the church one or more Christians were martyred every day, or faced the possibility of it. Their persecutors valued Christians’ lives as nothing more than animals to be butchered."

In looking at these seven negative experiences, one can note some observations:

1. We find two sets of three and a final, ultimate negative experience: martyrdom at the sword. 

2. Of the two sets of three, we find in each set two negative experiences that occur as a result of circumstance (tribulation, distress and famine, nakedness) with each followed by a respective negative event caused by other people (persecution, peril). 

3. Paul's listing here is said in light of what is clearly his meditation on Psalm 44, from which he quotes Psalm 44:22

The unbreakable link between God and the Christian is not only cemented at saving faith by the sealing ministry of the Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13-14); but continues on through the preserving work of the Father (1 Peter 1:5) and the continuing mediation of the Son on the believer's behalf (Hebrews 4:15; 7:24-25). 

Will there be those times in the Christian's life where life, trials, sin and spiritual warfare weakens them enough to yield to short seasons of sin? Yes. We see it for example in Peter's life, when he was giving into the hypocrisy of the Judaizers in Galatians 2. Yet, Peter did not remain in such hypocrisy, as evidenced in what we read of his expositions on the Gospel and Christian life in his two epistles of 1 and 2 Peter. The Baptist Faith and Message notes in its comments on the doctrine of perseverance or what is more popularly known as "eternal security":

"All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."

Closing thoughts:

What assurance can we find as believers when everything else seems not so sure? In Romans 8:32-37 we find a major assurance for salvation - the glory of the cross. The glory of the cross is like a multifaceted jewel in these verses. We saw the unbreakable relationship between God and the Christian. Note the following glories of the cross that follow from these considerations:

1. Riches of the Father's grace. 8:31-32
2. Representation by Christ. 8:33-34
3. Royalty of God's Sovereignty. 8:35-36
4. Reality of the believer's victory 8:37

P1 Blessed Assurances Paid For At The Cross - Romans 8:31-35

Romans 8:31-32  "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"

Introduction:

Romans 8:28-39 is composed of many "blessed assurances" of salvation. In this particular section of Romans 8:31-36, we discover three wonderful assurances that comprise the bedrock of all Christian assurance - the cross of Christ. Charles Stanley writes on page 9 of his classic book: "Eternal Security" - 

"If our assurance hinges on anything but the finished work of Christ on the cross, we are in trouble."

What Paul has to say about the assurances of salvation in Romans 8:32-39 flows from the Savior's cross. 
Albert Barnes in his commentary notes on this section:

"The argument for the security of all Christians is here derived from the fact, that God had shown them equal love in giving his Son for them."

Barnes then notes:

"The most humble and obscure believer may derive consolation from the fact that Christ died for him, and that God has expressed the highest love for him which we can conceive to be possible."

Today's post wants to begin looking at this section and note a couple of assurances of salvation that result from Jesus' accomplished work on the cross.

God's Unquestionable Commitment to the Christian. Romans 8:31-32

Note what we read in Romans 8:31-32 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" In that underlined phrase of verse 32, "freely give", we can find it rendering one Greek verb which, according to one Greek dictionary, means: "to give or grant graciously and generously, with the implication of good will on the part of the giver—‘to give, to grant, to bestow generously." 

Think about that definition: "good will on the part of the giver". God's thoughts towards His people whom are redeemed in saving faith come with His good intentions. Thankfully, we need not speculate as to how we can know whether or not God truly wants to supply the Christian with all they need for godly living. 

Why I should ever doubt God's good intentions toward me as a Christ follower is baffling in light of His clear demonstration of such by the giving of His One and Only Son. God demonstrated such by giving the unparalleled gift His His one and only Son! This truth gives me such comfort! As we will see in later verses of Romans 8:31-39, we cannot look ultimately to circumstances, people or material possessions for the assurances needed for daily Christian living. 

This unquestionable commitment of God to His people, as so demonstrated in the giving of His Son and spelled out here in Romans 8:31-32, receives the following observation from the Bible Exposition Commentary:


"The argument here is from the lesser to the greater. If when we were sinners, God gave us His best, now that we are God’s children, will He not give us all that we need? Jesus used this same argument when He tried to convince people that it was foolish to worry and fear. God cares for the birds and sheep, and even for the lilies; surely He will care for you! God is dealing with His own on the basis of Calvary grace, not on the basis of Law. God freely gives all things to His own!"

As Jesus notes in Matthew 6:26-31 -"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!" 

So the blessed assurance of God's unquestionable commitment was paid for at the cross, but notice the second blessed assurance we find flowing from Christ's finished work...

Christ's Unending Representation of the Christian. Romans 8:33-34

Note what we read in Romans 8:33-34
"Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." Some questions are worth asking of the two underlined words in the text. First, who is the accuser being spoken of in Romans 8:33? Undoubtedly, the accuser, the prosecuting attorney that would try to indict believers (i.e God's elect) is none other than the Devil. The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes: 

"Satan is identified as “the accuser” of God’s people (Rev. 12:10; cf. Zech. 3:1). His accusations are valid, because they are based on the believer’s sinfulness and defilement. But Satan’s accusations will be thrown out of court, because it is God who justifies. The Judge Himself declares the accused person righteous on the basis of his faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24; 5:1). As a result all accusations are dismissed and no one can bring an accusation that will stand."  

Second question, who is the "who" in Romans 8:35. God the Father is the Judge, and has appointed judgment to the Son appointed judge, since into His hands has been given all authority (see Matthew 28:18). Romans 3:25-26 reminds us: "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Therefore, the One who is supplying the assurance of Christ's credited righteousness knows full well about our past and yet, because of what Christ achieved, sees the believer, not in light of rightful condemnation, but rather in the richness of Christ's work on the cross and the credited righteousness which is His to bestow. 

Not only does this text focus upon the right-standing of the Christian before God, but mainly on the unending representation Christ exercises on behalf of believers before the throne. Hebrews 7:24-25 notes: "but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." It is interesting to note that in Romans 8:26-27 we see the earthly intercession of the Holy Spirit for the Christian in prayer whilst we see Christ's heavenly intercession for the Christian to persevere to the end. 

Closing thoughts:

So we have noted two assurances of salvation paid for by Jesus on the cross: God's unquestionable commitment to the believer and Christ's unending representation on the believer's behalf. In the next post we will consider the third and last assurance that flows from Christ's accomplished work on the cross as spelled out in Romans 8:31-37.  

Lessons We Can Learn From The World's First Revival - The Conditions Necessary For Revival

Genesis 4:25 "To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord."

Introduction:

Douglas Porter and Elmer Towns define the word, "revival" in their book: "The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever" as follows:

"An evangelical revival is an extraordinary work of God in which Christians repent of their sins as they become intensely aware of His presence in their midst, and they manifest a positive response to God in renewed obedience to the known will of God."

Porter and Towns then note the following results that flow from revival:

"(R)esulting in both a deepening of their individual and corporate experience of God, and an increased concern to win others to Christ."

In today's post, I want to briefly consider the world's first-ever revival as recorded in Genesis 4:25. In order to rightly understand what took place, we ought to consider the conditions that were present to prompt men to call upon the name of the Lord. If for anything else, revival has arrived when people - both inside and outside the church - are calling upon the Lord for increased closeness and sanctification (as believers ought to do) and for salvation (as unbelievers need to do). 

In other words, what conditions are found necessary for there to be revival?

1. God-shaped vacuum in the culture. Genesis 4:16-22

Cain, after receiving his sentence from God for the killing of his brother Abel, flee from God's presence to build a mighty city. The so-called "city of man" has often been referred to in the history of Christianity as representing culture and society veering more and more away from God. The 17th century Christian thinker Blaise Pascal spoke of a God-shaped hole or vacuum in the human heart that can only be filled by God. Here we see in the text a God-shaped vacuum in the culture that must be filled by God. 

All other influences will attempt to rush in to fill that vacuum: secularism, spiritualism, humanism and all sorts of "isms". The absence of God's name in the family line of Cain is telling. Whenever we find the wider culture at the brink of moral and spiritual collapse, and the signs of desperation increase, it is a sign that a God-shaped vacuum is in the culture. 

2. Growing decline of morality, spiritual vitality and the family. Genesis 4:23-24

I put these three together because that is what we see in the life of Lamech. He is the originator of polygamy and thus wages the first historic war against God-ordained marriage. He brags to his two wives for killing a young man in cold-blood and treats God's curse on Cain as a light thing. Lamech's family is unlike what God's original design had been for the home in Genesis 2. 

Sadly today, we not only find these three areas at a low-point in the culture, but the churches of the United States are more and more mirroring the culture. This second observation really speaks more to what we find inside the walls of the church than what lies on the outside. In Revelation 3 we find Jesus addressing the worldly church of Laodicea. Indeed, times are ripe for revival when we see declines in the moral, spiritual and family fronts, as well as a deepening God-shaped vacuum. Now notice thirdly....

3. Great desperation for God. Genesis 4:25-26

Here we find Adam and Eve giving birth to a son to replace murdered Abel: namely "Seth". Eve named the boy "Seth" due to what she saw as God's appointment to her of another to replace her dead son. As Seth would later on have his own son "Enosh", that even leads to men calling on the name of the Lord. Desperation for God had reached its boiling point. Death had hung over humanity like a thick fog. Darkness was setting into the human race. One lone-torch burned in the darkness. The man Seth would pass onto his son what he had learned from Adam and Eve. God's redemptive work, received by faith, paid for by blood, would constitute the Gospel. Hope in God came up in the souls of men. We're not told how many, nor are we given names. All we know is that revival hit, and men began to call upon the Lord.  

How The Christian Can Know God Is For Them - Romans 8:28-32

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Introduction:

Let's be honest, if you are a Christian reading this post today, I'm certain you have asked from time to time: "Is God really there for me?" or "How do I know that God still cares"? The mistake you and I make too often is to gauge God's love for us by the kinds of circumstances in our lives. A person can be in the will of God and yet still experience cancer, loss or disappointment, as well as times of abundance and ease. What specifically does Romans 8:31 mean when it mentions "these things" demonstrating the fact that God is for the Christian? 

As we fan out from Romans 8:31, I believe we can find three demonstrations of the fact that God is indeed for the Christian in Romans 8:28-32: 

1. The purpose of God for the Christian. Romans 8:28

2. The plan of God for the Christian. Romans 8:29-31

3. The promise of God for the Christian. Romans 8:32

So let's briefly look at each of these three things that demonstrate that God is truly for the follower in Jesus Christ.

1. The purpose of God demonstrates God is for the Christian.

Notice what Romans 8:28 states: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Paul emphasizes God's Sovereignty operating in the believer's life - i.e, God "causes" all things. God is the Orchestrator of human affairs. Even when mankind sins, God can still use the foolish decisions of sinful men to achieve His ultimate purpose. 

Were it not for the Ultimate purpose of God at the end of this verse, the entirety of life and salvation as we know it would fall to the ground. God is for you dear Christian because of the purpose He has for your life. This speaks of the goal God has established for you dear Christian to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. The end has been set by God, and whatever God begin He finishes, guaranteed (Philippians 1:6). However, how does one know God's purposes are sure? This is where the purpose of God in Romans 8:28 is connected to the plan of God in Romans 8:29-31.

2. The plan of God demonstrates God is for the Christian. Romans 8:29-31

For years Bible teachers have referred to these verses as the unbreakable golden chain of salvation. The point of Romans 8:29-31 is to unfold what is meant by God's purpose in Romans 8:28. Sadly, so many Christians skip over Romans 8:29-31 to hasten to Romans 8:32. However unless we grasp God's grand plan and design of Christian salvation from beginning to end, we will have no basis for assurance. 

Romans 8:29 introduces us to the anchors of God's plan: foreknowledge and predestination. These words are not revealed in scripture to scare us, but rather to comfort us. Foreknowledge could just as easily be rendered "fore-loving" or "pre-eternal love". God knows where you're at before you ever arrive at where you're at.  

Predestination deals with God's purposes in Christ. Quite literally, predestination has to do with God "marking out" the boundaries of each and every individual Christian's life before they were born. Foreknowledge speaks of God's loving intent for each believer before they were born and predestination can be likened unto a set of blue prints. 

In roughly 100 places in the Bible we find the truth of God's elective purpose of grace, whereby He chose every Christian based upon His choice for them in love, in eternity (Ephesians 1:4-5; 2 Peter 1:1-2). Why would God begin planning each believer's salvation in eternity? Paul tells us the point of plan: "to become conformed to the image of His Son". 

The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 explains for us God's elective purpose: "Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility."

In Romans 8:30 we then see the so-called "golden chain" of salvation laid out in full length. We've already mentioned foreknowledge and predestination. The third link of the chain is God's calling. The Holy Spirit comes to people in their sins and calls them to leave their love affair with unbelief and trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation. 

The fourth link, justification, has to do with God's judicial declaration over the sinner at saving faith: "not guilty". Let the reader be reminded that justification can only occur when the sinner believes. Salvation is taught consistently in scripture as including both God's Sovereignty (election, foreknowledge, predestination, calling) and human responsibility (justified). No man can be saved lest God draws them and yet, at the same time, no man can be saved until He repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Then the final link of God's plan of salvation is what Romans 8:30 calls "glorification". This speaks of the believer's completion in Heaven, from the removal of their sin once they leave this world in death to when their perfected soul and spirit is united with a glorified resurrected body at Christ's return (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

Why labor these verses? because God's plan for every Christian stretches literally from eternity past to eternity future. We know God is for the Christian because of His purpose and plan but also notice lastly....

3. God's promises demonstrate that He is for the Christian. Romans 8:31-32

Romans 8:31-32 states - "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" How do we truly know whether or not God is for us? Read again that above underlined portion of Romans 8:32 - how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" How much does God truly love His people? He loves them so much that He gave His only Begotten Son (John 3:16). God's promises are yes and amen in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20-22). Why is it that we doubt God so often? because we get our eyes off the cross. God's purpose and plan is tied to all that was achieved at the cross and empty tomb. 

Whenever we doubt Jesus' love for us: look to the cross and empty tomb, look to the scriptures. Emotions are o.k, but not infallible. The Bible alone is inerrant and infallible and the cross and empty tomb are the only proofs that everything that pertains to our salvation is true. As you read down to the end of Romans 8:33-39, you discover that everything Paul wrote about in Romans 8:28-32 is the guaranteed foundation of Romans 8:33-39. 

Closing thoughts:

In closing, remember that we know God is for the Christian based upon His purpose, plan and promises for each child of God. May we go and tell every person that they too can have the same opportunity as we if they will but respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and know that in Christ, God will always be there for them. 

Blessed Assurances of Salvation in Romans 8:28-31 - Granting Christ's Righteousness by Faith and a Guaranteed Future

Romans 8:30-31 "and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?"

Introduction:

        Over the last couple of posts, we have considered the blessed assurances of salvation as spelled out in Romans 8:28-31. We've witnessed thus far: foreknowledge (i.e God's pre-eternal love); predestination (i.e God's purposes in Christ) and calling (i.e Gracious call of the Spirit). Today we continue this study of these five "golden-rings" of salvation. 

        Contemplation of these truths does not yield any clarity on how we can resolve the perceived tension that exists in scripture between God's Sovereignty to save those whom He wills and man's responsibility to believe, repent and be saved. Biblical testimony never gives an indication there is a tension in the mind of God; the tension is rather in the finite limitations of our understanding. The contemplation of the truths laid out in Romans 8:28-31 will yield deeper confidence in Christ and greater assurance of our salvation. Truly salvation is of the Lord! We focus our attention on Paul's two final assurances, found in Romans 8:30 - namely "justified" and "glorified".

Granting Christ's Righteousness By Faith

        What is meant by the term "justified" in Romans 8:30? The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines for us justification:  

"Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God."

        Justification has to do with God's judicial declaration over the sinner at saving faith: "not guilty". Let the reader be reminded that justification can only occur when the sinner believes. Salvation is taught consistently in scripture as including both God's Sovereignty (election, foreknowledge, predestination, calling) and human responsibility (justified). No man can be saved lest God draws them (John 6:44). 

        Yet, at the same time, no man can be saved until He repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38-40). If anymore proof were needed of the dual-teaching of sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation, than surely this text ought to suffice. 

        With faith being both the necessary and sufficient condition to receive God's forgiveness, the question is: what sort of righteousness is credited to the sinner? Answer: Christ's accomplished life, death and resurrection. He is our assurance! 

        Included in God's legal declaration of justification in saving faith is that relational declaration of adoption (Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:4-6). All the foundations of assurance mentioned here by Paul in these verses are from God, for God and by God. The believer as a recipient of saving grace is helpless and hopeless apart from Christ and God's working on their behalf. 

A Guaranteed Future - Romans 8:30-31

        Here is what makes all the assurances mention by Paul in Romans 8:28-31 to be so glorious: namely, we literally see God's purpose of grace in Romans 8:28 stretching from eternity past (foreknowledge, predestination) through this present world and life (calling and justification) to eternity future (glorification). 1 John 3:1-2 states - 

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is." 

        We will receive the perfection of our human souls following death and await for what will be the resurrection of our bodies. The goal of glorification is to behold Him with our own eyes (see Job 19:25; John 5:24-25; Philippians 3:20; Revelation 21-22).

        Bounded on either side of these five assurances are two impregnable fortresses: Romans 8:28 and Romans 8:31. Romans 8:28 states: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Paul's point in Romans 8;29-30 has been to expound what he means by God's purpose in 8:28. 

        Now it can be quite mind-reeling when studying the deep truths of God like we have been these last posts. This is why we need Romans 8:31, that other impregnable fortress, to get our bearing: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?"  

Closing thoughts:

        We can surely see that if God is for the Christian before they were born and before He created anything else; and if God is for the Christian up to their conversion all the way through their sanctification in this life; then why would He change in terms of eternity future? The blessed assurances of Romans 8:28-31 lay down for us a tremendous treasure trove of truth. In the end, we must retain humility and awe that this glorious God, revealed in Christ and made known to us by His Spirit would so foreknow, predestine, call, justify and desire to glorify the likes of us. This is indeed "blessed assurance"!

Blessed Assurances of Salvation in Romans 8:28-31 - God's Purposes in Christ and The Gracious Call of the Spirit

Romans 8:29-30a "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called."

Introduction:

        In the last post we began considering God's blessed assurances of salvation in Romans 8:28-31. We looked at the first "golden ring" of Paul's chain of five words in these verses: namely foreknowledge. We noted how this term could be rendered: "foreloving" or "pre-loving". The great Baptist preacher, C.H. Spurgeon, notes about foreknowledge:

"We find that the word 'know' is frequently used in scripture, not only foreknowledge, but also for favor, love...". 

Spurgeon then states:

"In Romans 11:2 we read: 'God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew', where the same sense evidently has the idea of "fore-love", and so it is to be understood here."

        Like mighty pillars of a great bridge sunk deep into the ocean, wherefore we cannot see their bottoms but nonetheless know their ability to uphold the bridge, so it is with these five pillars of blessed assurance in salvation: foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification and glorification. In today's post we are going to consider predestination and calling in Romans 8:29-30.  

God's Purposes in Christ - Romans 8:29
        

        Romans 8:29 introduces us to the anchors of God's plan: foreknowledge and predestination. These words are not revealed in scripture to scare us, but rather to comfort us. Foreknowledge, as we've explored already, could just as easily be rendered "fore-loving" or "pre-loving". God's eternal pre-love of each believer before they were born and even before all creation is one of the foundations for blessed assurance. Another way we could state this first truth in Romans 8:29: God knows where you're at before you ever arrive at where you're at.  

So what about predestination? 

        Predestination has to do with God "marking out" the boundaries of each and every individual Christian's life before they were born. Foreknowledge speaks of God's loving intent for each believer before they were born and predestination can be likened unto a set of blueprints. 

        In roughly 100 places in the Bible we find the truth of God's elective purpose of grace as expressed in predestination. Such a truth, like God's foreknowledge, is not based upon anything the Christian would be seen to do but only upon God's loving choice for them in eternity (Ephesians 1:4-5; 2 Peter 1:1-2). Ephesians 1:5 notes: 

"He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will." 

        So why would God begin planning each believer's salvation in eternity? Paul tells us the point of plan in Romans 8:29: "to become conformed to the image of His Son". The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 explains for us God's total elective purpose in this regard: 

"Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility."

        Predestination covers God's purposes which He has marked out for the Christian. Sometimes people err in thinking God has a parallel form of predestination for those who die in their sins, resulting in God sending some to hell and others to heaven. The doctrine of predestination only covers God's purposes for the Christian - a gracious, active outworking of His salvation decree. As for the remainder of sinful human beings, God ordained to let them continue in their freely chosen path to reject Him - a passive outworking of His decree of judgment called "reprobation" or just rejection of sinners. Predestination is a free act of God's grace and reprobation is a passive act of God's judgment letting the sinner go onward in their free rejection of him. 

    This is the testimony of Scripture: God has mercy upon whom He has mercy and He metes out justice, never injustice (see Genesis 18:25; John 3:17-18; Acts 13:46; Romans 9:14-15). 

        Predestination in Romans 8:29 unfolds what is meant by "the purpose of God" in Romans 8:29. Notice how Paul emphasizes God's Sovereignty operating in the believer's life. God "causes" all things. Christ is the pattern and end goal of the believer's salvation in God's work of predestination. God is the Orchestrator of human affairs. Even when mankind sins, God can still use the foolish decisions of sinful men to achieve His ultimate purpose. 

        Were it not for the Ultimate purpose of God at the end of Romans 8:28 and the assurances of foreknowledge and predestination in Romans 8:29, the entirety of life and salvation as we know it would fall to the ground. God is for the Christian, as stated plainly in Romans 8:31. This speaks of the goal God has established for you dear Christian to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.

Gracious Call Of The Spirit - Romans 8:30

        So, when it comes to the blessed assurances of salvation in Romans 8:28-31, we've noted God's pre-eternal love (i.e foreknowledge) and God's purposes in Christ (i.e predestination). But now what of that third assurance: The gracious call of the Spirit? This third link of the "golden chain of salvation" brings us from eternity past into this present world and the specific lives of individual sinners. The Holy Spirit comes to people in their sins and calls them to leave their love affair with unbelief and trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation (John 16:8-12).

        A great author of the past, A.W Tozer, notes what takes place the moment the Spirit calls the sinner to salvation: 

"The moment the Spirit has quickened us to life in regeneration our whole being sense its kinship to God and leaps us in joyous recognition. That is the heavenly birth without which we cannot see the Kingdom of God."

        When it comes to the Spirit's working in the human heart of calling the sinner to salvation, perhaps no clearer text can be found than 2 Corinthians 4:6 "For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 

        The Spirit was sent forth from heaven by the Father in the name of His Son, following the Son's ascension. Why? To call forth sinners, all who have ears to hear, to respond. The calling of the Spirit in Romans 8:29 assumes there to be hearts for Him to open. Unless those human hearts are exposed to the light of His grace, there will be no blooms to reach up to God and to receive His well-meant offer of salvation. 

Closing thoughts for today

        So far, we have considered three blessed assurances of Christian salvation as found in Romans 8:28-29 - foreknowledge (i.e God's pre-eternal love); predestination (i.e God's purposes in Christ) and calling (i.e The gracious call of the Spirit). I want to close out with this quote from a commentary on the Baptist Faith and Message that is edited by Charles S. Kelly Jr., Richard Land and R. Albert Mohler Jr:

"Throughout the history of the church, Christians have struggled to find the best way to reconcile God's Sovereignty and humanity's free will. Although Baptists have included believers who hold different understandings of how these truths are to be affirmed, we stand together on the great truth that God alone saved sinners. We are united in affirming both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. This is our common faith."

Blessed Assurances Of Salvation In Romans 8:28-31 - God's Foreknowledge or Pre-eternal Love

Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Introduction:

     In our home we have what is called a "hope chest". The hope chest contains the most precious and important memories, pictures, children's artwork and other treasures that are most meaningful to Debi and me. 

    The other day I was looking in the hope chest for some items from our wedding day. I was reminded of so many things when I opened it. I'm certain if my children had been with me, they would have inquired about what this item means and that item represents. Even though they may not had been able to complete grasp the significance of everything in the hope chest, I'm certain that what they would comprehend the love their mother and I have for them and one another. 

     Do you realize that the Bible presents to us a hope chest of sorts? In Romans 8:28-31 we find some blessed assurances for Christian salvation. Contained within those verses are some profound truths that have taxed the abilities of even the most able minds. These truths bring comfort all of God's people. 

       Many Bible teachers have referred to Paul's exposition of Romans 8:28-31 as containing "five golden rings" of salvation. This hope chest for the believer will certainly, at times, cause us to not fully comprehend the depth, height, and width of these realities. However, we like the illustration above can come away from this text with the sense of how much God loves the Christian and how much love there is within the Trinity. 

       We want to begin considering the blessed assurances of salvation as spelled out in Romans 8:28-31. We will focus our attention on five particular words that we find in the text: foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification and glorification. Today's post will be devoted to the first of these blessed assurances - God's foreknowledge.

God's Pre-eternal Love. Romans 8:28-29

       Paul states in Romans 8:28-29a 

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew....". 

       In Romans 8:28 we arrive at our first "golden ring" - "foreknew". What is foreknowledge? The word "foreknowledge" in the original Greek is the word we derive our English term "prognosis". The word within "prognosis" is the word "gnosis" and is often times used in the sense of someone "loving" another with the deepest, most intimate of love. In the Old Testament, we see this notion used to describe Adam "knowing his wife Eve" in Genesis 4:1. God is described in Amos 3:2 as having "known" only Israel among the families of the earth."  

       The way the Bible uses the term "known" in these verses does not mean God had restricted knowledge. Rather, the term refers to God's special love for Israel, just as Adam "knew" or "loved" his wife as only a husband could. 

       God's foreknowledge or "foreloving" deals with what God already knew about each of His people as He saw them in His Son from all eternity. His "foreloving" included His choice to for them despite their sin. God's eternal love for His people was rooted in His own motives, rather than in any foreseen actions of the people.  Deuteronomy 7:7-8a states: 

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers...". 

       The New Testament also equates God's foreknowledge with an eternal "preloving" of believers.  1 Corinthians 8:3 states - "but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him." Then 1 John 4:19 tells us - "We love, because He first loved us."  The Apostle Peter begins his first letter to his Christian readers, implying that God's choosing of them was based upon God's "foreknowledge" or "pre-love". In short, God's foreknowledge is simply another way of saying God's "foreloving".  

God's Love is at the center of Divine Foreknowledge

        We've already mentioned the relationship between love and God's foreknowledge, but such insights merit some important questions. Why does God choose anyone?1 Love! So why did God choose Israel? Love! Why did He choose the individuals to whom Peter wrote? Love! How about people who get saved to today or who have yet to believe the Gospel? One reason - love! 2 

        God's eternal love for those whom He sees in Christ is what prompts Him to choose them. Ephesians 1:4 notes - 

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love".

Closing Thoughts:

        Thus, this first blessed assurance or golden-ring of salvation is rooted in the eternal love God had for each of His people. Only God could design a salvation that is all at once rooted in His pre-eternal, loving purposes of grace and which requires the consequent response of faith and repentance to receive such a salvation. As the Baptist Faith and Message notes: 

"Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end."

Endnotes:

1. Election, and thus God's foreknowledge, are not based upon God seeing what people will do or not do with the Gospel.  If anything, all mankind does apart from grace is reject the gospel. God doesn't send anyone to hell, since people who die in their sins do so of their own accord and decision to reject God's well-meant offer of the Gospel. 

        So, what about those who believe? Does that mean that God does not know who will believe? Of course not! Rather the basis for God's elective purpose of grace is simply His loving choice of them. In examining the over 100 verses on election in the Bible, not once is God's elective purpose ever based upon foreseeing what man would do or not do. 

2. Only in the mind of God can the truths of Sovereign election and human free-moral agency in salvation be fully comprehended. Although we as human beings may never be able to resolve how these truths go together, this does not mean that they are irreconcilable nor contradictory truths. Scripture asserts both. Just as in the Person of Jesus Christ there is both a Divine nature and will and a human nature and will that co-exist together without contradiction, harmonization, confusion nor separation, so it is in the salvation for which He achieved. There are scriptures that thankfully give one reason behind the otherwise inscrutable act of God's election of the saints: love.  As Romans 8:31 reminds us: "If God be for us, who can be against us." 

P2 - Introducing What Southern Baptists Teach On God's Sovereignty And Human Responsibility In Salvation

John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

Introduction:

In our last post we began considering article V of the Baptist Faith and Message on the subject of God's Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. Today we plan to conclude what is an introduction to the Southern Baptist position on these two subjects. God's Sovereign Election should not be cause for pain, but rather praise of God. Studying the nearly 100 Biblical passages that speak on the subject of Sovereign election should be cause for humility, rather than haughtiness. In like manner, we must also include man's free-moral agency, or human responsibility in the realm of human salvation. As true as it is that no one wills to be saved apart from God's willingness to save; yet we also equally affirm that none can be saved unless they exercise faith and repentance in response to the Gospel. This tension is with us and mustn't be erased nor relieved, since scripture affirms both without erasing one on account of the other nor attempting to harmonize both. The above opening text in John 1:12-13 puts side by side these two realities of human responsibility in salvation (verse 12) and God's Sovereign purposes in such salvation (verse 13). With those opening thoughts, lets continue on in our introduction to these subjects. 

Some further reflections on what Southern Baptists teach regarding God's Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation

Southern Baptists have historically held to both the so-called "God-side" of salvation (election, foreknowledge, predestination) and the "man-ward" side of the same subject (believe, repent, response). Like a pair of tennis shoes with shoe laces running through them, tying the shoes requires me taking two strings in my hands to tie them. Yet, it is ultimately one lace that runs through eyelets of the shoe. 

The one lace of course is God's Sovereign will in salvation, which runs from beginning to end. God is to be credited for our salvation and the ultimate reasons why any Christian perseveres in their sanctification. The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 notes in the same article quoted above: 

"All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end." 

Viewing Biblical Salvation Through Both Lenses Of God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

So does the Southern Baptist statement above match with what we find in scripture? Short answer: yes. We can only do a thumbnail sketch, since over 100 passages speak on God's elective purposes of grace and the human responsibility to believe and be saved. Both truths are needed in order for us to have the proper perception of Biblical salvation, much like a good pair of 3-D glasses.  

The first lens is that of human responsibility. We know that the Bible teaches the necessity to believe and repent in order to be saved. 
God plainly says in Ezekiel 33:11 that He does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but actually urges them to turn from their choice of rejecting Him. This first lens of human responsibility steers us from committing the error of thinking that God sends people to Hell. God does not send anyone to hell. Man does. This insight matches with what we read in 2 Peter 3:9, namely that God is not desiring or willing that anyone would perish, but all come to repentance. 

So what about that second lens: God's Sovereignty? Whenever you turn to 1 Peter 1:1-2, you are still looking at the same Biblical salvation. If we were to ask the question: "who is to be credited for anyone believing the Gospel freely and willingly?" Answer: God. Peter opens His epistle by noting how his readers were those who, being scattered throughout the Roman world, were "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God" (1 Peter 1:1-2). 1 Peter 1:1-2 views our salvation through the lens of Sovereignty by the appearance of such words as "foreknowledge", "chosen" and "caused" (1 Peter 1:2,3). 

In as much as the Apostles Peter and Paul taught that God is Sovereign in salvation and that no salvation could begin without His election, foreknowledge and predestination, Peter is quick to make sure we are also using that other lens of human responsibility. Peter presents this same salvation through that second lens - the lens of human responsibility to salvation by such words as "to obtain" (1:4) and "faith" (1:5, 7 and 9). 

Peter reminds us that our salvation from beginning to end is bounded by God's Sovereign purposes of grace (1:2, 20). As noted already, Peter also affirms that salvation is received by the gifting of faith and lived out by believers who obey the truths of scripture (1 Peter 1:10-17).  

Closing Thoughts: A Voice Of Southern Baptist History Weighs in on Biblical Salvation

As the late pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Dr. W.A Criswell stated about these two truths in a sermon  he preached, "God Hath Chosen You":

"Truth is a big, great, mighty mountain, and you can’t see to the top of it.  The highest-most pinnacle is shrouded in mists and in clouds and in thick darkness.  No man can see all of it.  The most a man can see in the great mountain of truth is just one side – one side at a time.  A man is so limited in his mind that he cannot even see two great truths together and make them fit."

Dr. Criswell was a champion of Biblical preaching and was a voice for his generation. He goes on further in his remarks:

"For example, there is no man that has ever lived that could make fit together these two truths, though you can talk about them one at a time: the sovereignty of God, and the free moral agency of the man.  You can look at one at a time, one side at a time, but you can’t see them both together.  You can’t even see all the truth if you were in an airplane and had an air view of it." 

Criswell then closes:

"So when we come to look at the mountain of truth – at God’s work and God Himself, who is light and life and truth – it behooves us to be very humble."

Humility and awe are the twin pillars that must be in the heart whenever we approach the Bible's teaching on salvation. 

P1 - Introducing What Southern Baptists Teach On God's Sovereignty And Human Responsibility In Salvation

1 Peter 1:1-2 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?"

Two lenses needed to grasp the one truth of Biblical salvation: God's Sovereignty to save and man's responsibility to be saved 

Two lenses are necessary in a good pair of glasses. Why? Because in order for us to see clearly, we need two eyes to process depth perception. Depth perception is a vital component of our experience of the external world. Many people pay extra money to see "3-D" movies because of the perceived "depth-perception" in the film. Without depth perception, our world would look pretty "flat" and featureless". In like manner, without the Biblical twin-emphasis on God's Sovereignty and human responsibility, any teaching on salvation will be "flat" and "incomplete".

What Do Southern Baptists Teach On God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility in Salvation?

The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Article V, notes concerning Sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation - "Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. 

This first sentence of "Article V" in the Baptist Faith and Message affirms God's Sovereign elective purpose of grace in human salvation. The next sentence of the same article then states these words about election: 

It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility."


In both of the above quotations, we observe what the Bible already declares: there is no need to reconcile what are truly friends. Only God could design a salvation wherein there is no conflict between God's Sovereign intention to save and whosoever believes as being saved. Both of these truths: God's Sovereign elective purpose of grace and free-moral human agency in responding to such grace are the two lenses needed to grasp the totality of the Bible's teaching on salvation. 

In the next post, we will consider some further thoughts on this article in the Baptist Faith and Message regarding God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility in salvation.