Salvation
of God
MERCY is God not giving us what we deserve (punishment).
GRACE goes further than MERCY. It is God then giving us what we do not deserve (unmerited favour and blessing).
MERCY & GRACE
4 BLESSINGS OF GRACE
All 4 blessings of GRACE were procured by the atoning death of Christ and the virtues of that death are imparted to man by the Holy Spirit.
JUSTIFICATION: Forgiven
REGENERATION: Born again – New life in Christ
SANCTIFICATION: Progressively becoming more Christ-like
GLORIFICATION: the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed
JUSTIFICATION
The word justification is a judicial term meaning to acquit or to declare righteous.
But is goes further, we are not only free from the penalty (acquitted or pardoned) but free from the crime (pronounced innocent) because our sin is imputed to Christ.
Justified – just as if I’d never sinned. Thus we are declared “not guilty”.
Rom 3:24 (NKJV) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
Rom 3:24 (Living Bible) yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.
PENAL SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT
PENAL SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT
The doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement teaches that:
PENAL: Man has sinned and is in rebellion against God. As a righteous judge God cannot simply overlook sin – it must be paid (atoned) for.
SUBSTITUTIONARY: Christ died on the cross as a substitute for sinners. God imputed the guilt of our sins to Jesus, and he bore the chastisement that we deserve, being punished as though he himself committed the sin.
ATONEMENT: This constituted a full payment for sins, which satisfied both the wrath and the righteousness of God, so that he could forgive sinners without compromising his own holy standard. In this way, Jesus reconciled man and God.
1) PENAL: PUNISHMENT UNDER A LEGAL SYSTEM
1) PENAL: PUNISHMENT UNDER A LEGAL SYSTEM
God instituted the OT Moral
Law (a legal system) and
sacrificial ceremonies to
teach us about the
ultimate way of atonement.
Breaking the Moral Law required a
punishment. The severest punishment
was death – to have your blood shed.
It is well known that “without the shedding of
blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb 9:22).
2) SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
2) SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
The Law allowed for a substitute to be punishment in place of the sinner.
Lev 17:11 (ESV) For the life of the
flesh is in the blood, and I have
given it for you on the altar to
make atonement for your souls,
for it is the blood that makes
atonement by the life.
WHO IS THE ULTIMATE SUBSTITUTE?
While in the Old Covenant the lamb was the substitute, John the Baptist introduces Jesus as “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), clearly invoking a familiar image found in the OT sacrificial system, which included the sacrifice of a lamb as a sin offering (Lev 4:32,33).
Paul says that “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor 5:7, NIV).
SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
Penal substitution obviously carries the concepts of substitution (Christ died in our place) and the imputation of our sins to Christ.
Christ died in our place.
Rom 5:6-8 (NIV) You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
Jesus himself taught that “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:13-14, NIV)
There is the clear idea of substitution in the atonement.
1 John 2:2 (NIV) He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Gal 3:13 (ESV) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”
1 Pet 3:18 (NIV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…
SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
The idea of Christ being a substitutionary sacrifice similar to those made in the OT is particularly displayed in the Book of Hebrews.
Heb 7:27b (NIV) He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
Heb 10:10 (NIV) … we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
Heb 10:12 (NIV) But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
Heb 10:14 (NIV) because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Heb 9:23-28 (NIV) It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these … But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
SUBSTITUTIONARY: SINS IMPUTED TO JESUS
IMPUTATION
DEFINITION of IMPUTED:
In Theology: ascribe (righteousness, guilt, etc.) to someone by virtue of a similar quality in another.
SYNONYMS:
credited, reckoned, counted, attributed, ascribed
ETYMOLOGY:
late Middle English: from Old French imputer, from Latin imputare ‘enter in the account’, from in- ‘in, towards’ + putare ‘reckon’
IMPUTATION
On the Day of Atonement a blood sacrifice was made to God, prefiguring Jesus’ atonement for us.
The sacrifice is made to God, not Satan (so no idea of a ransom paid to the devil).
The sacrifice is made as a substitution on behalf of the people (so no idea of a salvation due to following good examples).
IMPUTATION
The word Atonement in English well translated the
meaning of the Hebrew word ‘Kippur’ (as in Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement) which means ‘reconciliation’ - specifically reconciling sinful men with a Holy God. It is used to describe the saving work that God did through Jesus to reconcile the world to himself.
2 Cor 5:19 (NKJV) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Rom 4:7-8 (NKJV) “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
IMPUTATION
Today a scapegoat is defined as a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others.
The origin of the term is from the Bible where a scapegoat was used for symbolic removal of the people’s sins on the Day of Atonement.
IMPUTATION
Two goats were chosen by lot: one to be a sacrifice and the other to be the scapegoat.
The blood of the slain goat was taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat. This prefigures the blood sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Later in the ceremonies of the day, the High Priest confessed the intentional sins of the Israelites to God placing them figuratively on the head of the other goat, the scapegoat, who would symbolically carry them away into the desert.
Since the goat was sent away to perish, the word “scapegoat” came to be used of a person who is blamed and punished for the sins of others. This prefigures the work of Christ who became the scapegoat for our sins (they were imputed to him).
IMPUTATION
In the Book of Acts, Philip
indicated to the Ethiopian eunuch that Isaiah 53 speaks of Christ.
Likewise, Peter applies the passage to Jesus’ work on the cross.
1 Pet 2:24 (NIV) “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
IMPUTATION
Isaiah 53 clearly speaks of a substitutionary sacrifice for sin.
53:4a Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering
53:6b the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
53:8b For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.
53:10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin…
53:12b … because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
3) Christ’s righteousness
to man
1) Adam’s
sin to man
2) Man’s sin to Christ
3 IMPUTATIONS
3) Christ’s righteousness
to man
1) Adam’s
sin to man
2) Man’s sin to Christ
3 IMPUTATIONS
1 Cor 15:22 (NIV) For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Rom 5:18-19 (NKJV) Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people … For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners …
3) Christ’s righteousness
to man
1) Adam’s
sin to man
2) Man’s sin to Christ
3 IMPUTATIONS
2 Cor 5:21a (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us …
Rom 5:18-19 (NKJV) … one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people … through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Isa 53:5,11 (NKJV) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed… By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
3) Christ’s righteousness
to man
1) Adam’s
sin to man
2) Man’s sin to Christ
3 IMPUTATIONS
2 Cor 5:21b (NIV) … so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Rom 4:6 (NKJV) just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works
Rom 4:11 (NKJV) … that he (Abraham) might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also
In LEGAL TERMS: We are forgiven (justified) and enter a covenant (contract) relationship with God.
Jesus himself said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matt 26:28)
By the blood of Jesus:
In BUSINESS TERMS: we are purchased for God:
John tells of the elders who sing to Jesus, “You are worthy… because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (5:9).
Acts 20:28 (NIV) “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”
By the blood of Jesus:
In BUSINESS TERMS: We are redeemed (bought back): Peter says that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet 1:19, NIV).
Heb 9:12 (NIV) He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption
Eph 1:7 (NIV) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
By the blood of Jesus:
In MORAL TERMS:
We are washed clean from sin:
John sees a great crowd before
God’s throne who “have washed
their robes and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb” (7:14).
1 John 1:7 (NIV) But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Our consciences are cleansed:
Heb 9:14 (NIV) How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death…
MORAL TERMS
By the blood of Jesus:
REGENERATION
But our salvation is also described in FAMILIAL TERMS (relationship).
DEFINITION:
The English word
atonement is one of the
few theological terms of English
origin. It was coined by William
Tyndale and originally meant
at---one---ment i.e. being “to make
one”, in harmony, with someone.
ATONEMENT
A gulf was formed between God and man because of the sin in the Garden of Eden. The world permanently changed into a place of decay, death, disease and sin.
This sin was subsequently imputed to all of their
descendants down to the present generation (original sin).
MAN
GOD
SIN
ATONEMENT
SIN
Our relationship with God (that was
broken by sin) is restored.
Heb 10:19 (NIV) … we have confidence to
enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus
MAN
GOD
JESUS
By the blood of Jesus:
BORN
BORN AGAIN
Born as a baby into a human family
Justified, Regenerated (Born again into God’s family)
Progressive Sanctification
Progressive growing to mature adult
REGENERATION
Regeneration is a unique feature in New Testament religion. In heathen religions the permanence of character is universally recognised.
Though these religions prescribe penances and rituals whereby man may hope to atone for his sins, there is no promise of life and grace to transform his nature.
The religion of Jesus Christ is the only religion which takes man’s fallen nature and regenerates it by bringing it into the life of God.
The NT describes regeneration as:
1) A BIRTH
2) AN ADOPTION
3) A CLEANSING
4) A RESURRECTION
John 3:3 (NIV) Jesus replied, “… no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Jesus pointed out
the deepest and universal need of
all men – a radical change of the whole nature and character.
Man cannot change himself – the transformation must come from above.
1) A BIRTH
Man’s entire nature has been warped by sin and the heritage of the Fall. Before he can live a life pleasing to God his nature must undergo a change so radical that it is a second birth.
1 John 5:1 (NKJV) Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God
John 1:12-13 (ESV) Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
We receive a new nature (suddenly we truly start to see things differently)
2 Cor 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
The NT describes regeneration as:
1) A BIRTH
2) AN ADOPTION
3) A CLEANSING
4) A RESURRECTION
Gal 4:4-5 (NIV) But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
Eph 1:4-5 (NIV) … In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ …
2) AN ADOPTION
Gal 4:5-7 (NIV) Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
When a person is regenerated, they become a child of God and a beneficiary of all the privileges of sonship. As adopted children we become heirs.
Rom 8:14-17 (NIV) For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
We are joint-heirs with Christ.
The NT describes regeneration as:
1) A BIRTH
2) AN ADOPTION
3) A CLEANSING
4) A RESURRECTION
Titus 3:5 (NKJV) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit
3) A CLEANSING
The NT describes regeneration as:
1) A BIRTH
2) AN ADOPTION
3) A CLEANSING
4) A RESURRECTION
Eph 2:5-6 (NIV) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
4) A RESURRECTION
MEANS OF REGENERATION
The Holy Spirit is the special
agent in regeneration.
John 3:6 (NIV) Flesh
gives
birth to
flesh, but
the Spirit gives
birth to spirit.
Divine agency
Regeneration is a sovereign act of God but man’s part in preparation for this is repentance and faith.
Human preparation
EFFECTS OF REGENERATION
SPIRITUAL
Regeneration involves a spiritual union with God and Christ through the Holy Spirit.
1 John 3:24 (NIV) … And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
PRACTICAL
The person born of God will demonstrate that by:
Hatred of Sin
1 John 3:9 (NIV) No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.
EFFECTS OF REGENERATION
John declares that it is
inconsistent that someone born of God and having the divine nature should live habitually in sin.
Yet he is careful to write, “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1, NIV)
EFFECTS OF REGENERATION
Righteous Deeds
1 John 2:29 (NIV) If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Brotherly Love
1 John 4:7 (NIV) Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Victory over the World
1 John 5:4 (NIV) for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Two extremes should
be avoided:
Making the standard too
low so that regeneration
becomes a matter of
natural reformation.
Raising the standard too high
and failing to make allowances for the frailty of believers. Young converts, when learning to walk in Christ, may stumble – like a toddler learning to walk. Even older believers may sometimes stumble.
EFFECTS OF REGENERATION
CONVERSION
Conversion is turning from sin to God.
Acts 3:19 (NKJV) Repent therefore and be converted [epistrephó], that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord
The Greek word translated “converted” is epistrephó which means “to turn, to return” (Strongs 1994)
(ESV) Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out…
(NASB) Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away…
(NIV) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out…
Epistrephó: epay – stray – for
CONVERSION & REGENERATION
CONVERSION describes the manward side of salvation.
REGENERATION describes God’s side of salvation.
To illustrate: it is observed that a
notorious sinner no longer drinks,
curses, or frequents shady places.
He hates the things he once loved
and loves the things he once hated.
His friends say, “He is converted. His life is changed.” They are describing what they see, namely the manward side of the event.
But from the Godward side we would say that God has pardoned his sin and given him a new heart – he has been regenerated.
CONVERSION & REGENERATION
MANWARD SIDE (CONVERSION)
Is salvation entirely a matter of human effort? NO!
But like faith and repentance, which it incorporates, conversion includes a human activity. WE TURN:
Ezek 33:11 (NIV) Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
GODWARD SIDE (REGENERATION)
But GOD TURNS US:
Acts 3:26 (ESV) “God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
There is also a supernatural effect in that it is man’s reaction to the drawing power of God’s grace and God’s Word.
Thus conversion is produced by the cooperation of divine and human activities.
Phil 2:12-13 (ESV) work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
FOURFOLD 2-STAGE PROCESS
Fact: I realise (confess) that I am a sinner deserving God’s wrath and punishment.
Act: I repent from my sins by a decision of my will, regarding sin as wrong and to be avoided, fought against and resisted from now on.
Fact: I believe (have faith) that Jesus is the Son of God, died on the cross for me, he rose again from the dead, and his blood cleanses me from all sin.
Act: I now receive Jesus as my Saviour, I accept what he has done – as having done it for me –that he may also be my master (Lord) and eternal friend.
At the moment of decision-making for conversion there are 4 steps which can be each be broken into 2 stages of a Fact-Act sequence.
AUTHOR:
Gavin Paynter
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