Lesson # 6 Salvation (Fundamentals of the Faith by John MacArthur) Part 1

So this morning, we're going to continue with our book, John MacArthur's Fundamentals of the Faith. This morning, we are in lesson six, and lesson six is on the subject of salvation. So I don't know how many of you listened to the sermon.

We listened to it on the way in. And there's also a Bible memory, Ephesians 2, 8 through 10. Would somebody like to stand up or from where you're at, recite Ephesians 2, 8 through 10? Okay, we have at least one volunteer.

Do we have any others? You want to give it a try? Okay, Jordan's going to try it first.

For by grace you have been saved through faith and not that of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast, for we are his workmanship created in Jesus Christ for good works, which God prepared for him so that you would walk in them.

Okay, thank you. I had that memorized in the King James Version. And then I think this is the NASB. Memorizing, it doesn't matter what version so much, but if you can try to memorize the verses for each lesson, that would be beneficial for you.

Human Deadness and the Need for Resurrection

But let's just read this. John MacArthur begins, John Eddy, the 19th century Scottish preacher said, men without Christ are death walking. The beauties of holiness do not attract man in his moral insensibility, nor do the miseries of hell deter him.

You can talk about heaven to him. He's not interested. You can talk about hell to him and he's not afraid. Now this kind of man doesn't need renewal. This kind of man doesn't need repair. This kind of man doesn't need restoration, resuscitation.

This kind of man needs resurrection. He needs life because he is dead. So in other words, man in his natural condition, he's not interested in the things of God. He doesn't care about salvation. He's not afraid of hell.

He doesn't believe any of that. And it's not until the spirit of God resurrects his dead spirit that a person can finally understand. So how is Christ's redeeming work applied to man? This is the first question.

How do we know whether someone is a Christian? This is kind of the most basic, fundamental question of all, isn't it? How do we know whether someone is a Christian? God has decreed or ordained a plan of salvation that he has revealed to us in the Bible.

In this lesson, we will learn how he saves those who believe. So let me throw this question at the class. How would you answer this? How do you know whether or not someone is a Christian? Mark, by their fruit.

So you're quoting Jesus and John, or excuse me, Matthew chapter seven, by their fruits, you shall know them. Okay, do we have any other? Carolyn, you had your hand up.

The way they act, the way they talk.

Okay, the way they act, the way they talk. Larry?

Well, I'd like to respond to that by saying there are some who claim to be Christians that I think they're kind of like the secret service. You know, they're kind of secret Christians because outside of church, at work, or whatever, you can't tell by their actions or their speech because they sound just like anybody else.

And there could be somebody who is a new Christian and the way they talk and the way they act, they haven't really grown yet. So what you see might not be a real good assessment of their spiritual condition.

And I don't know what John MacArthur, I mean, I've read through this, but what his answer is. I would just respond this way. You start with their testimony. You start with, okay, what do you believe? If you want to know is someone a Christian, I would ask them, what do you believe about Jesus?

Because it's a Christian, so you want to know what they believe about Jesus Christ. And if they believe that he is the son of God, that he died on the cross for my sins, I believe he rose again and I'm trusting in him.

Okay, that's the right testimony. And then you would see, okay, what's the pattern of their life going forward? But it's those two things, but you start with the testimony of what they believe. Because as Larry said, there are people who would say, yes, I'm a Christian, but after 20 years of professing that, there's not really that evidence.

Of course, God's the one who makes the final decision. A lot of people would say, well, who are you to judge? Well, we know what people say, we know what they do, but ultimately it's God, God who judges.

I saw a hand, yes, Marcus.

Well, in the same way that you can tell if a human being is physically alive, they have breath, they have a heartbeat, they grow hungry, they grow thirsty. All right, so when you become a Christian, you're born again.

And what they're saying here is it's completely different. You're born in the spirit. And that spirit also needs to be fed. That spirit will hunger and thirst after righteousness.

God's Sovereign Plan of Salvation

Yeah, yeah, good. Okay, let's go through this. Number one, God's sovereignty in salvation. So MacArthur's describing what God is doing. A, God's sovereign plan of salvation. Read Romans 8, 29 and 30. So let's all turn there.

Romans chapter eight, verses 29 and 30. But it was mentioned being born again. So when you become a Christian, you are born from above. And just as a baby, when the baby is born, the baby needs food and the baby over time grows into an infant and then an infant, a toddler and so on.

And after a period of time, you see that maturity eventually. And that's what we should see in the Christian life. You start in a moment of time in your spiritual walk and then you grow and you mature in the faith.

So who would like to read Romans 8, 29 and 30? Get a volunteer. Stacy.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called. Those he called, he also justified.

Those he justified, he also glorified.

Okay, so you notice they're predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. I would say this is the test of whether or not someone is a true believer over the course of their life, they are conformed to Christ's image.

I mean, there's two viewpoints out there. There's the ones who say any profession of faith, anyone who sort of tips their cap in God's direction, as long as there's just something there, they're saved because they said the right thing one time or they seem to be interested to some degree.

And then the other viewpoint, which I would argue is the biblical viewpoint, there's going to be that evidence, there's going to be growth that they really want to be like Jesus. And that's what being a Christian is.

You are a follower of Jesus Christ. So you want to be, we all fall short, but there's that desire to be like Christ. Okay, yes, Larry.

Depending on how old you are at the time you're contemplating these things, we come into it with a particular worldview. We may not call it a worldview, but it's what you believe, what you've been taught, what you listen to throughout your entire life, determines what you think of these things.

There are many things in scripture that there's just no way that that could possibly happen. Well, we do know that with God, all things are possible and he is almighty God and in control of all things.

But we come at the Bible or come at these things from what I call our worldview and we all have it. And some are differing than others.

Right.

Yeah, I mean, you're a product of your environment. You are a product of what you've been taught. So what did your parents teach you? What were you taught in school? You know, what you watch on TV, movies, music, just all the stuff, that stuff all influences you.

So if somebody is brought up in the world and they're taught the things of the world, that's what they believe, that's their worldview. That they kind of go along with whatever the world is doing, whatever the culture is pushing at any given moment.

That's evident in our culture. But being a believer, you're saturated, hopefully in the word of God, you're reading, you're praying, you're coming to church, you're learning, you're growing. So, but in the two are at odds with one another.

So you're a product of your environment to some degree. Yeah, I saw, hey, and Marcus.

I think I might have been three or four years old and my bedtime prayer ended. And be a better boy each day like Jesus in whose name I pray, amen. This goes as far back as I can remember.

Yeah.

For my prayer to be like Jesus. Well, now I'm a long way from four years old. And the closer or the more that I do, or hopefully do become like Christ, the more it seems to me that I am very unlike him.

I have such a long way to go that 76 years is not enough. I'm gonna need 700 times 700, six years.

All right, so let's look at the book, God's Sovereign Plan of Salvation. We read Romans 8, 29 and 30. It says, write out the progression of how God brings someone to salvation. You might just recognize that you believe something now that you didn't believe before.

Maybe you have new desires in your heart. So you recognize something within you, but here's what has happened from God's perspective. Whom he foreknew. Who is he?

God.

Whom God foreknew, he also predestined. Now, what do these two terms mean? Foreknow or foreknowledge and predestination. These are some of the deeper teachings within the New Testament. But when you think of the term foreknow or foreknowledge, what do you think of?

What does that mean? Beforehand.

Yeah.

So you would think foreknowledge is just what God knows ahead of time. He knows beforehand, which is true. God does know everything before it happens. God is, as you said, omniscient. God knows all things, past, present and future.

But

Before there was such a thing as past, present or future. Before there was such a thing as time.

But the thing is foreknowledge, if you do a study of the Greek word, it's more than just what God knows ahead of time. It also refers to a choice that God made. That God has a predetermined relationship with his people.

In the Bible, the term to know can be a euphemism for intimacy, right? Adam knew his wife and she bore a son. So to know in the Bible can speak of that physical relationship. Remember when Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, depart from me, I never knew you.

Well, it's not saying that, hey, I didn't know you existed. No, what Jesus is saying, we don't have a relationship. I don't know you and that you don't have a personal relationship with me. So foreknowledge can also refer to God's predetermined relationship that he has with his people, even before they're created.

God knows his people from eternity past. And there's a choice that God makes in what is called election. And that gets into the next term, predestined. So God's people whom he foreknew are what? Predestined.

Some people would think that ancient theologians came up with this concept, but the apostle Paul is the one who really taught this. God's people are predestined. Now, what does that mean? That some people from the time they're born, before they're even born, some people are either predestined to heaven and predestined to hell.

There's nothing you can do about it. Is that what Paul is saying? I mean, some people go that far, that's not what Paul's saying. But he is saying that those who are foreknown are predestined to what?

Be conformed to the image of Christ. So all of God's people will become like Jesus. So this is what we would call the doctrine of eternal security. If somebody is truly saved, they will become like Christ.

Now in this life, we only make so much progress because we still have the human flesh, we still have temptations. So we're only gonna get this far. But once we die and we shed this sinful flesh, our spirit goes to be with God.

And then there's the resurrection of the dead. And one day we truly will be like him. So that's the destination that has been determined ahead of time that all of God's people will be with him in eternity and will be like Christ.

Now, any questions on that? Yes, Carolyn.

I don't get it.

Okay.

You're predestined.

Right.

That means you're already chosen, right?

Being chosen happens in eternity past, God has chosen his people.

Okay, so you never can change that?

Well, you wouldn't want to change it because if it could be changed, you would end up lost. But

That's not what I mean. I mean, you said they're predestined and either they're predestined to go to hell or not.

Well, I said that's the way some people would interpret this.

But that's not what I mean?

I don't believe that's Paul's point. There are Christians who believe that Christians are predestined to heaven and some are predestined to hell and that can never be... That's a different topic. See, we can talk about that at some point, but that's a different subject.

What Paul is saying is that every believer is predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Okay, so in other words, this is eternal security. So if you're saved, you cannot lose your salvation, you will be in heaven with God.

And that cannot change. And again, as far as all the other stuff go, that's a debate that Christians disagree on. But that's not... If we get into that, that's all we're gonna be talking about for the next 25 minutes or so.

And that's not the purpose of the class.

Okay.

If you want one more clarifying question, I'll try to help. Okay, okay. So for whom God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. Verse 30, whom he predestined, he also, what?

Called. Whom he called, these he also justified. So God knows who his people are. They will be with him in heaven. It's been settled in heaven. But at some point during their life, they are called. Now this can take many forms.

Someone can be at home reading their Bible and God can save them right where they're at. They read the Bible, God, the Holy Spirit is calling them. You could be sitting in a church service and hearing a sermon about the gospel and salvation.

You're being called, right? Anytime the gospel is preached, there's a call going out. And what's the call? Hey, repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And there will be those people who believe at certain points in time because they're called, okay?

So do we understand the calling? The gospel goes out, people are being called. Those who truly, those who belong to God will respond at some point in their life. Whom he called, these he also justified.

So they're justified when a person believes they're saved, they're justified before God. By what? Faith, right? And whom he justified, these he also

Glorified.

Glorified.

So everything has happened as of this point with a true believer. You've been foreknown, you've been predestined. If you're a believer in Christ, you've been called, you've responded to the call. You're justified, you're saved.

You're just waiting for one thing. And what's that? Your glorification in heaven. But that's what we're waiting for. That's in the future. All right, Ephesians one. Let's turn to Ephesians chapter one.

The whole argument about predestination and some being predestined to heaven. I mean, to me, it's not really all that useful because even if that were true, you would never know. I mean, this from God knows the end from the beginning.

As far as I know, every single person on earth who's alive right now can be saved. I don't know who God's people are. I don't know who will be saved. I don't know who will be lost. To me, this is kind of an academic exercise that doesn't really do a whole lot of good arguing about in a Sunday school class.

But God is in control of it. So we can't reconcile man's free will, the fact that you have to believe, you have to respond, but God knows ahead of time and he's chosen his. You can't really reconcile that in the human mind, but you don't have to.

You just have to believe what the scripture says. All right, Ephesians one, four through six. Who would like to read that?

Jordan, go ahead.

Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will.

Okay, so it asks the question, what has been God's plan since before the foundation of the world? God's plan is that his people would be holy and blameless before him. What is the purpose of his plan of salvation?

Verse six, to the praise and glory of his grace. Here's an answer to any question of why God does what he does. You've asked this question before. Why does this happen? Why does God allow this? Why does God do what he does?

Well, there is a simple answer. He does it for his glory, to the praise and glory of his grace. So whatever God does, it will glorify him. And whatever God does, it is for the good of his people. That's how Paul can say, we didn't read this verse, but Romans 8, 29 and 30.

The verse before that says that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. So if you have faith in Jesus Christ, that is a promise that everything God does, everything that happens, it will in the end glorify God.

It does glorify God. And it will work out for your good if you love God, if you believe in Christ. So the plan is from the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before him. So God chooses a people that they would be holy.

Just one comment on this verse, Ephesians 1, 4 through 6. Notice that the last two words in verse four are in love. You see that? You realize that chapter divisions and verse divisions were added in like 1554 or whatever year it was.

So when Paul wrote this, he didn't have verses. Okay, this verse ends here. So I think that that term in love kind of fits with the next verse. In love having predestined us. So I would just comment that that in love probably belongs more with the next verse than verse four.

But any questions before we move on?

All right, we're doing good, eh?

We talked about kind of the two deepest, most controversial subjects within Christianity, election and predestination, and no fights have broken out. So we're doing okay.

Grace, the Mystery Revealed, and the Order of Salvation

All right, grace,.

John MacArthur says, grace is God's free and sovereign act of love and mercy in granting salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus, apart from anything men are or can do, and of his sustaining the salvation and of his sustaining the salvation to glorification.

All right, well, what's being said here?

God's grace is what?

A free gift. It's not dependent upon what you do. See, this is the thing about God choosing a people from the foundation of the world. It's not based on you, because you hadn't done anything. You haven't, God didn't choose you because he saw that you would be this great person.

So God saved you because he saw all these charitable things you did and how you were nice to people. See, your salvation is not dependent on what you do. Your salvation is dependent on what Christ has done.

So that's why we give glory to God, because otherwise, if our salvation, if we go to heaven based on what we do, who gets the credit? Yeah, you do, and it's not to God's glory. I mean, he's involved in it, I guess, and he can get some glory, but you get some glory too, because you did all these good things that added to your salvation.

That's not the gospel. The salvation is completely of grace. None of us are deserving. Do any of you believe that you deserve to go to heaven? I mean, I know there are people in this world who would probably answer and say, yeah, I deserve to go to heaven because I do all this stuff.

Well, you haven't understood the gospel. Yeah, right, an unbeliever would say that because they haven't understood that you can't earn your way. So the fact that God chooses before the world was even created proves that it's not about you and your works.

It's about God and his grace, all right? All right, let's turn to the next page. This is B, God implements his plan of salvation. So all you need to know really is have you placed your faith in Jesus?

Are you following Jesus? But this is describing what's happening from God's viewpoint, from what the Bible says. It says, God's decree to reveal his plan. Romans 16, 25 and 26 says, the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested according to the commandment of the eternal God and has been made known to all the nations leading to obedience of faith.

Question number one, what is man's spiritual condition before conversion? Ephesians two, verse one. What is man before he believes in Jesus? What is he? Dead and trespasses in sin. First say, wait, I'm not dead, I'm alive.

Look at me, I'm talking, I'm alive. What he's saying, he's spiritually dead. Like his spirit does not want God. He's not interested in God. He doesn't wanna give his life to Christ and obey God. So he's dead and trespasses in sin.

Number two, what does God, the Holy Spirit do concerning sin? John 16, verse eight. What does God, the Holy Spirit do, Jordan?

He will convict the world of sin in a righteousness and of judgment.

Right, he will convict, let's just start with that first part. He will convict of sin. So the average person, they're going through their life. You know, maybe my life isn't what it should be. You know, nobody's perfect, but I'm a pretty good guy.

Everything's fine. You know, in their heart, they know they're missing something but they're not gonna admit that. And then all of a sudden, something happens or maybe just out of the blue, they start feeling convicted.

Like, I know I'm not right with God. They come under that conviction of the Holy Spirit. That's the first step. So they were dead in trespasses and sin. And then in a moment in time, they realize that they're dead in trespasses and sin.

So now God is really starting to work in their heart. Number three, what is needed before someone can know the truth? 2 Timothy 2, 25.

Repentance.

Repentance, right. What is needed before someone can know the truth? Repentance. And what does the word repentance mean?

Change of direction.

Right, change of direction. The Greek word is metanoia. It means either to change one's mind, but part of that is to turn, right? Think of a road sign that's like a U-turn, right? You were going that way, but now you've turned around.

Yeah, you were on the road to hell and now you've turned around and you're following Christ to heaven. You had a change of mind about your sin. You were doing all this stuff that is wrong and you were okay with it.

You wanted to do it. Now, all of a sudden, you don't wanna do it anymore. You wanna change your life. That's the work of God, the Holy Spirit. Now, some people do change their lives because their behavior is self-destructive and there are reasons to change apart from God.

But when you start feeling guilty that I'm not right with God, I feel guilty before God, that's the evidence that the Holy Spirit is convicting you of sin and then of righteousness, of Christ's righteousness, and then of judgment.

Okay, let's continue. Who grants it? Who grants repentance?

God.

God, right. Any comments or questions on that? God grants repentance. I mean, the only reason we respond is because God's the one who moves first and then we respond to him. Read John 1, verses 12 through 13.

Let's turn there, if you would. Good morning, guys. Good to see ya.

Good morning.

John 1, 12 and 13. All right, who would like to read that? Just shoot your hand up. When we have a volunteer, who gets there? John 1, 12 and 13. Okay, Linda, go ahead.

But as many have received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Okay, so who grants us the right to become children of God? Now, the question was, who grants repentance? And it says God. Well, who says so? Well, the Bible says so, you just read it. Who grants us the right to become children of God?

Well, only God could grant that right. But you notice we're given that right in a moment in time because we're children of God through adoption, right? Jesus is the only begotten son of God. Jesus is the only child of God in the sense that Jesus comes forth, he proceeds from God.

He has the same nature that Jesus is divine. He's God in human flesh. We're children of God in a different sense. We've been adopted into the family by faith. So, you know, there's some people today who they claim they're little gods, they share the same nature as God, and there's all sorts of weird beliefs about that.

Well, in a sense, in eternity, we will be like him, but yeah, we're adopted, we're adopted. Okay, but that's pretty good. You know, you're adopted into the family of God. That's okay. Notice that this right or privilege is not granted to us because of our birth, because of our own efforts, or our own volition, that is our own choice.

And that comes out in the verse. So let me read it again. Notice that this right or privilege to become children of God is not granted to us because of blood, John says, that's our birth, our natural birth, or the will of the flesh, our own efforts, you know.

God accepted me because I just tried really hard. I did all these things. No, or it's not even our own volition or the will of man. It's the will of God. Now, we do make a choice, but again, God moves first.

If you think of God and man, who wants to come up and illustrate something for me? Two people, or just one, I can do it with one. Who wants to be brave? All right, George, come on up. Okay, so stand over here, stand right here.

So when God created man in the garden, God created Adam, you're Adam, we're facing each other, right? We're in fellowship with one another. And then Adam sinned. And when Adam sinned, he chose to turn around and put your back to me.

That's what Adam did when he sinned. And when God saw Adam sin, God did this. Okay, that's the way you want it, that's the way it is. But when God sent Christ into the world, you're still facing in that direction.

But when God sent Christ into the world, God turned around and he's reaching out to Adam again. And he's calling him through the gospel. And then you respond, now we have reconciliation again. Right, that's what he did.

He turned around, right? He repented, he turned. Okay, thank you. So that's what God does in salvation. But notice it's God who turns first, God initiates it. Because we never would on our own. All right, so who causes growth?

This is the next question. Who causes growth in a believer? This is according to 1 Corinthians 3, verse six. Who causes growth?

God.

God, right, God causes growth. You know, one will plant, another will water, but it's God who gives the increase, amen. Number seven, who will cause the resurrection to occur? 1 Corinthians 6, 14. Who will cause the resurrection to occur?

It says, God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through his power. Obviously, man could not cause the resurrection. So God does it. All right, we got five minutes left. Moving on to letter C, God culminates his plan.

So we looked at God's sovereign plan of salvation, that was A. B, God implements his plan of salvation, that's B. And now C, God culminates his plan. Look again at Romans 8, 29. So let's turn back to Romans 8, 29.

Into whose image will we be ultimately conformed? Of course, you didn't really need to turn there to know that, did you? Say, well, yeah, I already knew that. Right, well, either you knew it before the class, or at least you heard it 15 minutes ago.

See, we're learning.

That's good.

Sometimes people will add input, and I've noticed this on Wednesday nights and in Sunday school. Sometimes people will say things before I even get there. A hand will go up and someone will say something, well, that's what I was about to say, you know?

But that's a good thing because it shows the people in the class know the truth. They know it. All right, God culminates his plan. Into whose image will we be ultimately conformed? Whose image? The image of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Be a good boy like Jesus, in whose name I pray,.

Amen, oh, oh. And he said, well, you know, in some ways, I'm so far off. Well, that might be true, but are you closer than you were five years ago, 10 years ago, 50 years ago? Remember, it's about growth.

We started out, the first question, how do you know if you're a Christian, or how do you know if someone's a Christian? You look at their testimony, what they say and believe about Jesus. I mean, that's where it starts, and that's how you're saved, faith.

But then you can look at the trajectory of their life and their growth. What is going to happen to every believer? This is according to Philippians chapter three, verses 20 and 21. What is going to happen to every believer?

They're going to be changed.

Okay, we're going to be changed, or we will be transformed into conformity with the body of Christ's glory. And then the next question, what is Christ's desire for those who are his? John 17, 24. What is Christ's desire?

Yeah, I desire that they also whom you have given to me. So this is Jesus praying to the father. I desire that they also whom you have given to me will be with me where I am so that they may see my glory which you have given me.

So this is our destination that we will grow, become like Christ, and then in heaven, we will be with Christ forever and ever. Does that sound like heaven to you? What better thing could there, what better situation could there be than to be with God forever and ever?

I don't know what people's concept of heaven is. I suppose there's a lot of people in the world who have a very carnal idea of what heaven might be. We've all heard, well, in time past, remember the jihadists were committing acts of terrorism because if they died a martyr's death, they believed that God would give them, what was it, 72 virgins in, well, that's a pretty carnal view of what heaven's gonna be like.

But people have all sorts of ideas, or they think of hell as a place that, you know, I wanna go to hell because I'll be down there with all my buddies, and I mean, that's just stupidity. You're gonna be alone forever and ever in darkness and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I mean, that's what the scripture says. So people have all sorts of concept of what hell is gonna be like, what heaven is gonna be like, what would be heaven to me? And well, there's only one source that gives us the answer.

Heaven is going to be eternity with God, and you will be like Christ. And for the believer, that is the best of all possible situations. So we're out of time, that's the goal. We want to be like Christ, we want to be with God, and there's only one way to be with God forever, and that's to give your life to Christ.

All right, thank you.