SOTERIOLOGY, PNEUMATOLOGY, PERIPATOLOGY



anthropology, christology, soteriology

INSTRUCTOR: ALAN SCHOLES INSTITUTE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES

SESSION 18: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “BELIEVE IN CHRIST?” (1/10)

Objectives: By the end of this session you should be able to:

1. Identify the condition(s) required on the part of humans to receive God’s salvation.

2. Briefly define the biblical concept of faith.

3. Explain the proper role in salvation of the following: faith, knowledge, conviction, trust, repentance, receiving, obedience, surrender, confession, baptism, and works.

4. Respond to the suggestion that everyone will eventually be saved (universalism).

Session Theme: The attitude God desires.

I. "Trust in, rely on, and adhere to."

A. Old Testament idea of faith.

1. Hebrew -- Aman: "To confirm, support, be steady, be trustworthy, be firm, to take as trustworthy.”

2. Example: The children of Israel at the Jordan River (Joshua 3:11-17).

B. New Testament idea of faith.

1. Greek -- Pistis : faith, belief, trust, confidence. A firm conviction producing a full acknowledgment of God's revelation, a personal surrender to Him. Pisteuo: to believe, to have faith.

2. Many places in scripture mention faith (believing) as being the sole condition for salvation. Jn. 1:12, 18; 3:16; 5:24; 11:25-27; 12:24; 20:31; Acts 10:43; 16:31; Rom. 3:22, 28; Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Jn. 5:13.

IMPACT OF ROMANS 3:22 ON MARTIN LUTHER

I GREATLY LONGED TO UNDERSTAND PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, AND NOTHING STOOD IN THE WAY BUT THAT ONE EXPRESSION, "THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD", BECAUSE I TOOK IT TO MEAN THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS WHEREBY GOD IS RIGHTEOUS AND DEALS RIGHTEOUSLY IN PUNISHING THE UNRIGHTEOUS...NIGHT AND DAY I PONDERED UNTIL...I GRASPED THE TRUTH THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS WHEREBY, THROUGH GRACE AND SHEER MERCY, HE JUSTIFIES US BY FAITH. THEREUPON I FELT MYSELF TO BE REBORN AND TO HAVE GONE THROUGH OPEN DOORS INTO PARADISE. THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE TOOK ON A NEW MEANING, AND WHEREAS BEFORE "THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD" HAD FILLED ME WITH HATE, NOW IT BECAME TO ME INEXPRESSIBLY SWEET IN GREATER LOVE. THIS PASSAGE OF PAUL BECAME TO ME A GATEWAY TO HEAVEN.

Luther's Works, Vol. 54, p. 179.

II. We are saved by grace through faith alone. (Conviction issues)

A. Satan must try to confuse the means of salvation.

B. Not faith plus repentance.

1. To repent means "to change one's mind or purpose." It does not mean to vow or promise that you will never sin or never commit specific sins.

2. Greek: metanoeo (from meta, “after” and nous, “mind”) = literally, “to know after” or “to change your mind or heart.” True biblical repentance is an integral aspect of saving faith. Used primarily by Luke (in Luke and Acts -- example: Acts 3:19) and Revelation. Paul uses the verb "repent" in 2 Cor. 12:21 and the noun form in 2 Cor. 7:9.

C. Not faith plus confession.

1. Must we confess Christ verbally to be saved? Romans 10:6-10.

2. What is it this passage is saying we must “confess?” That Jesus is Lord (the equivalent of Yahweh, the Old Testament name for God). The issue is the willingness to affirm His deity and resurrection. The context of verses 11-17 makes it clear that the issue in Paul's mind is "calling on the name of the Lord" by faith.

D. Not faith plus baptism.

1. John 3:5. Highly debated passage: there are at least four possible views other than baptismal regeneration (John's Baptism, symbol for cleansing by the Word of God, Symbolism from Ezek. 36:25-26, `Born of water' is a 1st Century expression for `physical birth).

2. 1 Peter 3:21 -- The context is the baptism of Noah. (Also 1 Cor. 10:2.)

3. Mark 16:16 -- Verse not in the oldest manuscripts. May be authentic but risky to try to base doctrine on it.

4. Acts 2:38 -- best argument. However, because something is associated with believing does not prove it is a prerequisite to salvation! In various places, a number of things are associated with believing (evangelism, helping the poor, surviving snake bites, etc.). To be consistent, we would also have to consider all of these as prerequisites!

5. More than 150 times the New Testament teaches we are saved by faith alone! If baptism was central to salvation, why was it not a greater emphasis of Paul, the "Apostle to the Gentiles?" "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel . . . ."

(1 Cor. 1:17)

6. Note the contrast that John the Baptist makes between his ministry and that of Jesus. (Luke 3:16, Eph. 2:8-9)

III. How do other the other aspects of salvation relate to faith?

A. Knowledge (The Content of Faith)

B. Conviction (Greek: elencho: to convict, reprove, rebuke.) The process toward faith--Jn. 16:8-11. The Holy Spirit convicts unbelievers of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.

C. Trust (the nature of faith) Rom. 10:9 "believe in your heart"

Is there a difference between the head and the heart?

D. Receiving Christ: An aspect of faith--Jn. 1:12

E. Surrender and Obedience (Relationship to faith - Rom 6:16-19; 10:9)

F. Good works (The result of true faith) Eph. 2:8-10; James 2:14-26

IV. Will every person eventually be saved (universalism)? (Conviction Issue)

Cru Statement of Faith: “At physical death the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting glory and blessing. At physical death the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting judgment and condemnation.”

A. Do we believe most will suffer in hell forever?

BELL EXAGGERATES THE EVANGELICAL POSITION

A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It‘s been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it is, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus‘s message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.

Rob Bell, Love Wins, p. viii.

1. I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. Revelation 7:9 (TNIV).

2. What about Matthew 7:13-14? "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (ESV)

3. How hard is it to be saved? (Hard? Easy? Impossible?) The rich man asked Jesus how to be saved. He told him, “Keep the commandments.” The man answered, “All these I‘ve kept from my youth.” Then Jesus told him, “Sell all that you have and give to the poor . . . and come and follow me.” The man went away sorrowful.

Then Jesus told his disciples, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." Mark 10:17-27 (ESV)

B. Will God get what He wants?

BELL ON GOD GETTING WHAT GOD WANTS

“God wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2).

So does God get what God wants? How great is God? Great enough to achieve what God sets out to do, or kind of great, medium great, great most of the time, but in this, the fate of billions of people, not totally great. Sort of great. A little great . . . . Will all people be saved or will God not get what God wants? Does this magnificent, mighty, marvelous God fail in the end?

Rob Bell, Love Wins, pp. 97-98.

1. Does God always get what He desires? (Did He want Adam and Eve to disobey? Did He secretly hope Satan and a third of the angels would rebel? Was He pleased when His beloved only Son was betrayed and murdered?)

2. This is why theologians distinguish between the “perfect” will and “permissive” will of God.

C. Is universalism a mainstream, orthodox Christian belief?

BELL ON THE “WIDE STREAM” OF CHURCH HISTORY

At the center of the Christian tradition since the first church have been a number who insist that history is not tragic, hell is not forever, and love, in the end, wins and all will be reconciled to God.

Serious, orthodox followers of Jesus have answered these questions in a number of different ways. Or, to say it another ways, however you answer these questions, there‘s a good chance you can find a Christian or group of Christians somewhere who would answer in a similar way. It is, after all, a wide stream we‘re swimming in.

Rob Bell, Love Wins, pp. 109-110

HAMM CRITIQUES BELL’S VERSION OF CHURCH HISTORY

Bell overstates his case for Christian universalism being simply one of many mainstream thoughts in Church history. His appeal to several early church leaders is somewhat misleading; many of the ―universalist impulses of these early leaders (especially in the case of Origen) were rejected outright for much of Church history. Additionally, some of Bell‘s claims about other historical figures have been challenged or denied by church scholars over the years. While it‘s been speculated that Gregory of Nyssa and Clement may have believed in eventual universal salvation, it‘s by no means Christian historical consensus. Bell‘s use of a Martin Luther quote (―Who would doubt God‘s ability to do this?) to suggest the possibility of postmortem salvation also hardly seems fair when confronted with the full context of Luther‘s quote.

Ryan Hamm, ―Review: Love Wins, by Rob Bell‖ Relevant website, .

D. Is Rob Bell a Universalist?

1. He strongly states that He is not.

2. I would call him a “maybe universalist.” (See Alan‘s blog in CruPress Green at:



V. Must we accept Christ as Lord to be saved? (Persuasion issue)

A. Arguments for Lordship Salvation (against “easy-believism” or “only-believism.”) Lordship Salvation is advocated by many Calvinists including C. Davis (Dean of Westminster Seminary), James Montgomery Boice, J. I. Packer, John Stott and John MacArthur, Jr.

Macarthur: We must accept christ as lord to be saved

WHEN WE COME TO JESUS FOR SALVATION, WE COME TO THE ONE WHO IS LORD OVER ALL. ANY MESSAGE OMITTING THIS TRUTH CANNOT BE CALLED THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS. IT IS A CRIPPLED MESSAGE THAT PRESENTS A SAVIOR WHO IS NOT LORD, A REDEEMER WHO DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE AUTHORITY OVER SIN, A WEAKENED, SICKLY MESSIAH WHO CANNOT COMMAND THOSE HE RESCUES . . . .

HE IS LORD, AND THOSE WHO REFUSE HIM AS LORD CANNOT USE HIM AS SAVIOR. EVERYONE WHO RECEIVES HIM MUST SURRENDER TO HIS AUTHORITY, FOR TO SAY WE RECEIVE CHRIST WHEN IN FACT WE REJECT HIS RIGHT TO REIGN OVER US IS UTTER ABSURDITY. IT IS A FUTILE ATTEMPT TO HOLD ONTO SIN WITH ONE HAND AND TAKE JESUS WITH THE OTHER. WHAT KIND OF SALVATION IS IT IF WE ARE LEFT IN BONDAGE TO SIN?

John MacArthur, Jr. The Gospel According to Jesus, pp. 140-141.

B. Arguments for Grace Salvation (against Lordship Salvation). Grace Salvation is advocated by Charles Ryrie, Zane Hodges, Everett Harrison, and Roy Zuck.

Zuck: Salvation is a free gift

LORDSHIP SALVATION MAY DILUTE THE IDEA OF SALVATION AS A GIFT. IF I OFFER MY WIFE A GIFT AND THEN TELL HER IT WILL COST HER SOMETHING TO GET IT, IT IS NO LONGER A GIFT. SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD. BUT IF SOMEONE SAYS A PERSON MUST COMMIT, SURRENDER, OBEY, FORSAKE ALL, OR DENY SELF IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THAT GIFT AND BE SAVED, THAT IMPLIES THAT SALVATION IS NOT A GIFT AFTER ALL . . .

LORDSHIP TEACHING SEEMS TO ADD WORKS TO SALVATION. THOUGH ADVOCATES OF THIS TEACHING DENY THEIR VIEW LEADS TO ADDING WORKS TO SALVATION, THE VIEW ITSELF DOES NOT GIVE THAT IMPRESSION. IF A PERSON MUST DO SOMETHING TO BE SAVED, HE IS ADDING TO SALVATION. REPEATEDLY THE BIBLE CLEARLY STATES THAT SALVATION COMES ONLY BY RECEIVING IT BY FAITH. JESUS SAID TO A WOMAN, "YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU" (LUKE 7:50). HE DID NOT SAY, "YOUR FAITH AND YOUR COMMITMENT HAVE SAVED YOU." . . . .

ROOM FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND FOR SPIRITUAL REGRESSION IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT ALLOWED FOR -- OR AT LEAST IS DE-EMPHASIZED -- IN LORDSHIP SALVATION. IF ONE COMMITS EVERYTHING TO CHRIST TO BE SAVED, WHERE IS THERE ROOM FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, AS THE BIBLE CLEARLY ENCOURAGES? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF A BELIEVER FALLS INTO SIN?

THE LORDSHIP GOSPEL DOES NOT MAKE MUCH ALLOWANCE FOR CARNALITY. NOT THAT CARNALITY IS CONDONED OR SHOULD GO UNCHALLENGED. BUT IT IS SEEN IN THE BIBLE. TO SAY THAT EVERY TRUE BELIEVER CONSISTENTLY OBEYS THE LORD OVERLOOKS EXAMPLES OF MANY BELIEVERS IN THE BIBLE WHO LAPSED INTO SIN . . . .

A FREE GIFT, RECEIVED BY FAITH. SALVATION THEN IS A GIFT, TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH OR TRUST IN CHRIST, APART FROM ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF DEMANDS. A SINNER BECOMES A CHILD OF GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST AS HIS SAVIOR. THEN AS A BELIEVER HE IS TO GROW IN CHRIST, TO DEVELOP AS A DISCIPLE, TO MAKE CHRIST LORD OR MASTER OF ALL AREAS OF HIS LIFE.

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION IS BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD (JOHN 5:24; 10:28-29; 1 JOHN 5:5-13), NOT ON GOOD WORKS. ONE'S GOOD WORKS, HOWEVER, CAN DEMONSTRATE TO OTHERS THAT HE IS SAVED. LORDSHIP SALVATION PROPONENTS SAY THE WAY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS -- PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ARE SAVED BUT WHOSE LIVES DON'T MATCH THEIR LIPS -- IS TO INQUIRE WHETHER THEY SUBMITTED TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST AT THE TIME OF THEIR ALLEGED SALVATION. HOWEVER, A BETTER ANSWER IS TO CHALLENGE TRUE BELIEVERS WHO ARE SEEMINGLY NOT COMMITTED TO BECOME HIS DISCIPLES, TO GROW IN THEIR WALK WITH THE LORD, AND TO OBEY HIM AS THEIR MASTER. THAT IS THE ONGOING CHALLENGE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

Roy Zuck, "Cheap Grace?", in Kindred Spirit, Summer, 1989 p. 6-7.

D. In evangelism, focus on:

1. Trusting in Christ and what He does -- forgive sin (Lk. 24:47; 1 Cor. 15:1-3) and offer new life (Jn. 17:3).

2. Christ's ability to change lives (not self-improvement).

3. The natural consequence of the new birth is a changed life and obedience (Jas 2:17; Matt. 7:20).

4. The how much (quantity of change) and when (timing of change) varies from person to person.

V. Faith: A grand theme of Scripture -- it is a concept which flows throughout the Old and New Testaments.

A. Jeremiah 31:31-34: "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel . . . not like the covenant which I made with their fathers . . . I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it . . . they shall all know Me. . . .”

B. Ezekiel 36:26-27: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone . . . and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes . . ."

C. Entire books are devoted to faith (Joshua, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, etc.).

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