Soteriology - Saved from What?

Well, good evening everyone. I I've been looking forward to this night for a long time because tonight we begin a new section of our study of theology and this has been a Study that has been going on now for quite some time.

We started What we call overview of theology and doctrine really what it is a systematic theology we began this. Well, I guess over a year ago and we were looking at the different schools of theology the different the different Categories.

Theology proper the study of God and his nature. Christology the study of Jesus Christ and his nature and his works. Pneumatology the study of the Holy Spirit of God we have looked at even the subject of Angelology, which is the study of angels and demons and our last category that we studied was the subject of Hamarty ology which comes from the Greek word hamartia, which means sin and.

So for several weeks we looked at the doctrine of sin. Now if you were not a part of that study, that doesn't mean that you won't be able to enjoy this study. But I do encourage you there are some parts of that study which are necessary to understand the doctrine of salvation because Salvation the word gospel means good news.

And as I have said many many times the Context of the good news is always the bad news and the bad news is sin. If we don't understand that sin Binds us if we don't understand that we are dead and trespasses and sins until such time as God grants us the gift of life.

Then we will not understand fully the doctrine of salvation. You'll notice on your handout that I've given you ten Parts last one was six parts and it took longer than six because some of these are two-week studies.

So I'm going to assume this is going to take us well into the summer and possibly beyond. Because this deserves it. There I mean we could talk about salvation until Jesus comes. There's really no reason to rush but just so that you understand the outline.

We're going to look at tonight tonight's title is saved from what you'll understand that in a moment. Then we're going to look at the definition of the atonement the extent of the atonement. We're going to look at what's known as common and special grace.

We're going to look at the golden chain of redemption. We're going to look at justification by faith alone. We are going to distinguish regeneration and faith. We're going to look at adoption and union with Christ.

We're going to look at apostasy and eternal security and Finally in part 10, we will look at the five points of Calvinism to round out the study. So that is the outline and again if you're all with me when it ends.

You will have probably probably take us about 15 weeks because I know there are at least three or four of these that are going to Go two weeks. So we're going to begin tonight with the question saved from what a very common question that Evangelicals are known to ask when witnessing is simply the question.

Are you? Saved you ever had anybody ask you that. Have you ever had anyone just catch you off guard completely and say are you saved? Dr. R. C. Sproul in one of his lectures told a funny story about how when he was teaching at Temple University.

He was looking for some quiet time after lunch to be able to have a little bit of Relaxation before he moved on to teach his next lecture. So he ate his lunch and he threw the the trash away and put the tray away.

And he was trying to hurry off away from the cacophony of sound that's often erupting in the lunchroom of a Cafeteria and as he's running out. He he gets bombarded with a man who stops him right in the doorway and says are you saved and he just couldn't for a moment just kind of lost his bearing and he said saved from what and He said he said in his mind he was thinking well, I'm obviously not saved from people who are disturbing my attempt to try to rest.

He said he said saved from what and the guy said got a little confused. You know wasn't used to that kind of a response and he and he kind of went on and and said well You you know, you know Jesus. That's the I was there, you know what I'm talking about.

The guy got a little confused because when he asked are you saved? He had not really considered he was asking a question that assumes that people know what they're saved from. Do we know what we're saved from?

Well, that's what tonight is about. Tonight we began our study of so tear e ology. Now that word is a little funky the word. So Terry ology Comes from the noun in Greek.

Sauter and the verb so-so and.

Those words simply mean to to save that is the noun or that's the verb to save and Saved as the noun. In the Greek so so tear and so-so is where we get the word Soteria ology and this is the study of the doctrine of salvation and through this course We're going to look into several aspects of salvation including atonement redemption Reconciliation adoption, but tonight we're going to ask the most basic question.

What does it mean? To be Saved. What does it mean? To be saved. The Bible uses the word salvation in many different ways and this is one of the reasons why that the subject of salvation can be somewhat confusing for people because Oftentimes people will take a Word and they will apply its meaning across the board without allowing the context to to nuance the meaning.

For instance when Peter is Walking to Jesus on the water you remember Jesus walked to Peter and Peter said Lord, let me come out to you. And Peter stepped off into the water and as he began to walk as he was looking at Jesus.

He was fine. But as he looked down he began to doubt and he began to fall in the water. And what did he say?

Save me Lord.

Now at that moment, I don't think that Peter's Context would mean that he's referring to his.

Spiritual.

Regeneration salvation. I think at that point he literally meant save me from drowning and So we see right there is a contextual difference where we see save in a little different way. Than that man minute when he said to R .C. Sproul. Are you saved?

Likewise there is a very obscure verse in 1st Timothy chapter 2 Where it says that women are saved in childbearing and That has created a lot of confusion. Because number one we know that women are not saved eternally simply because they have babies.

That's not what causes a person to be saved. And so that's certainly not the context of the word salvation there and likewise We know that it doesn't mean that every woman is protected from harm and childbearing because some women have died in Childbearing so there's a there's another meaning in that and I believe the meaning of 1st Timothy 2 12 while it's not an easy verse to Understand.

Paul is talking about the fact that women don't have the role of teaching in the body of Christ as pastors and elders. He says that not a woman exercise authority over a man, but she is saved in childbearing and somebody says well What does that mean?

Well, it means that in in in giving birth. She does have a role of leadership. She does have a role of teaching and the dignity whatever dignity is lost and not being able to be a pastor is certainly maintained in being a mother and there's a dignity in motherhood that is very powerful and very important and so the word say there has it has a completely different meaning than what Peter meant when he was in the water and certainly with What uh what the salvation of the soul is meant?

So to begin to understand salvation we need to understand that when we talk about it in this context. We are talking about it in the spiritual sense. We are talking about being saved in the spiritual sense and we need to first understand why we need to be saved and that was What the last several weeks was about him our theology the study of sin was to teach us why we need to be saved we are in a desperate condition and Salvation in that sense means it's saving us from that condition.

Again mentioning dr. Sproul one of my favorite teachers. He makes this interesting point. It's not so much that we are saved from sin, even though that is true. But actually what we are saved from is we are saved from the consequence of sin.

What is the consequence of sin? That's a legitimate question. What are the con what is the consequence of sin? Okay, hell is true. And I'm not. Well, I I don't define hell separation from God so that's a whole that's another conversation.

Well, no because in hell you're separated from the goodness of God. You're separated from the grace of God. But God the Bible says I will make my if I go up into heaven you were there make my bed and shield you were There God is certainly Present in hell as an active participant in the punishment.

I mean, there's no sense in which God is anywhere. There's not there's God is not. That is where God's wrath is displayed. And so the question then is what are we and I just gave the answer what are we saved from wrath?

We are saved from Wrath and this is not my opinion. This is just what Jesus taught us in John 3 Verse 36 whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

So here that verse again Whoever has the Son Has life. Whoever believes in the Son has life. But whoever does not obey the Son and by the way. There's an interesting contextual connection there because it does show us that there's something in belief.

That is also Obedience as it says listen to it again, whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever does not obey the Son. So it's actually what we call a Hebrew parallelism and the word that's being paralleled there is believe and obey.

Right, and so he says who does not obey the Son Does not have life but the wrath of God abides on him. Sproul makes the point that in the end result what we actually are being saved from and this if this offends you you can.

You can take it up with with Sproul. He died last year. So Actually a few years ago now. But if this offends you just know that I do agree with this. In the end result what we're actually being saved from is God himself.

Listen to this verse 1st Thessalonians 1 verses 9 and 10. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you and how you turned To God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven.

Whom he raised from the dead. Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. What was the role that Jesus had? To deliver us from the wrath to come he said if if you're in me, you're safe. This was John 3 if you're in me, you're safe from the wrath.

But if you're not in me you the wrath abides on you. Romans 1 tells us that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their Unrighteousness suppress the truth.

The wrath of God is being revealed. That's the present tense. How is the wrath of God being revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness of men right now people are dying. 250 ,000 people die every day.

That's an amazing amount of people. We don't realize it because we don't experience it in a real sense. But hundred, huh?

But we see it.

And what I'm saying is hundreds of thousands of people will die today and then tomorrow and the next day and of course people are Being born and and and so what we are seeing is we're seeing the wrath of God on display.

Death. What is death? The wages of sin is Death and so we actually get to witness. The reality of God's wrath working itself out every day. Death should be the greatest evangelist in the world. Because every time we see someone die we should be reminded that we're going to face God one day.

It is appointed unto every man wants to die and after this is judgment death should be the greatest evangelist. So what do we do? We hide our dead. We avoid funerals. We don't want to go. I Do funerals all the time.

You know what I've noticed. Attendance drops and drops and drops. Nobody wants to see the dead. Nobody wants to be around the dead. We hide the cemeteries behind big stone walls and big metal gates because we don't want to see the reality of what's going to happen.

It's a reminder of the fact that we're all marching toward the same ultimate end and that is death. Oh Boy, aren't you so happy you came but the reality is. Death is an example and a reminder of the wrath of God which abides on all of us in that sense.

We are all going to experience the the the the reality of death. But but for the believer death is simply the translation from one life to the next. We go from life to life and the unbeliever goes from death to death.

Because they're dead here spiritually. The Bible says you were dead in your trespasses and sins. They're they're dead here spiritually and they go from this death to the next life. Which is to them also death and I don't mean death by this the fact that they're they're unconscious.

What I mean is it's just not life. Hell is not life. Hell is hell. Hell is the is the epitome of living miserably but still living so. From whose wrath are we being delivered? It's not Satan's wrath and it's not the wrath of men.

But it is the wrath of God and in that sense when we say are you saved? We can say that we if we are saved we are saved from God.

By God.

For God say it again. We are saved from God and his wrath by God's grace. For God's glory and thus salvation becomes all about him. Saved by his grace. Saved from his wrath saved for his glory.

Now.

When we talk about salvation three important theological Principles need to be understood and I want to outline these for you tonight. Because even though I'm just going to touch on them I do believe these three fundamental aspects of salvation if they are confused or Misunderstood will cause great confusion and consternation for the student of scripture.

And all of these need to be understood as being distinct but inseparable. Distinct but inseparable. You can't have one without having them all. But you do need to understand the distinction between them all.

Okay, so we're going to look at three. The first is what we call Justification and I think this markers about had it so I'm going to. The first is justification. The second.

Is.

Sanctification. And what is the third one they may want to guess.

Huh?

Oh, it's on the sheet. Well, okay. Well, why am I writing it then? It is glorification, but didn't I give you some blanks on the sheet? Oh, okay.

Well, then then I then then I guess I can. Yes, justification sanctification and glorification. But I didn't give you the answers yet. So let me give you the first answer. Justification is Salvation from the penalty of sin.

What is the penalty of sin? We just talked about it. Please. Don't be afraid to answer What's the penalty of sin the wrath of God? Thank you. Okay, so the only way that a person can be saved from the wrath of God is that he be righteous and The reason for that is Because God is a good judge and he will not allow injustice to go without penalty.

Therefore when Adam sinned in the garden a penalty was leveled against him and He was an object of the wrath of God at that moment.

He died.

Spiritually.

And the penalty was leveled against him and all of his children. We are dead spiritually when we come into this world because of Adam now. Justification this word is God's declaration of righteousness.

Upon a sinner now. I want you to hear this again because this word is key. Declaration of righteousness. Now later, we're going to see how that declaration occurs. We're going to talk about grace and faith and all of those things.

But for now what I want you to understand is God does not make a person.

Righteous.

He declares a person righteous. You say well, what is the difference. Well I got saved. When I was 19 years old I remember it. I remember where I was. I remember being in my green pickup truck on Broward Road heading Toward my then apartment at Island Point.

I Remember weeping pulling off the side of the road and I remember that moment very vividly. But I know this since that moment. I Have not lived a perfectly righteous life. In fact since that moment I know that I have Sinned against God greatly and I have in my life Demonstrated on more than one account That God did not make me righteous.

So, how is it? That God can declare me to be righteous if I am not truly righteous. Is God a liar. And Some people say yes, the Catholics would say God cannot say you are righteous unless you are Righteous.

And they do not believe in imputed righteousness. And I'll explain that word a minute they believe in something called infused righteousness and the difference is this they believe that through the process of penance and mass and going through the the various Sacraments of the church you are infused with righteousness and you will be righteous.

One day and and Lord willing when you die, if you're not righteous You'll go to purgatory and you'll get to be purged more and you'll one day. Maybe it's a hundred million years into the future. You will be finally made righteous and able To be in the presence of God.

That's being made righteous. Remember what happened during the Reformation. The men who were selling indulgences. What were the purpose of the selling of the indulgences. Because the church was giving the.

Forgiveness.

You can buy this piece of paper and with this piece of paper. You can buy time off of purgatory. It was a Piece of paper that you purchased that Bought your sins for you purchased your forgiveness. That's what Luther wrote the 95 theses against.

Was against the selling of indulgences. Wasn't even about justification by faith alone. It was about indulgences. It was about the idea that you could buy salvation. Roman Catholicism has many faulty errors, but I think the greatest among them is that For you to go to heaven God must make you righteous by infusion.

The Reformers said no God does not infuse righteousness into you.

God.

Imputes righteous to you. Imputation means that he charges it to your account. If you had an empty bank account and I were to take my money from my bank account and I were to Deposit that into your account.

That would be an act of imputation. I would be taking something that you didn't have and I would be putting it into your account and Thereby I could declare that you're not broke anymore because before you was broke, but I have imputed into your account and Now you are not broke might not be much because I don't have much to give but you wouldn't be broke.

But we who are dead in trespasses and sins have no righteousness and thereby spiritually we are broke. Christ has all Righteousness because he never sinned not in thought word or deed. God takes the righteousness of Christ and he Imputes it into our account and Because of that he can declare us righteous based on the righteousness of Christ.

The Apostle Paul says this clearly. I Stand having not a righteousness of my own which comes from the law. But a righteousness which comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Do we have a righteousness? Yes, but it's as Martin Luther called it an alien righteousness.

Alien not like little green men, but alien meaning it's from the outside. It doesn't come from within it doesn't get Created from inside it gets charged from the outside and thereby we are Justified by the righteousness of Christ.

We are declared Righteous. God is not a liar because he's declaring us righteous based upon the work of Christ. Here is the verse if you want the verse for this so clearly explained in Romans 3 verses 21 to 26.

In fact, I want to I want you to see this one. So if you'll open your Bibles to Romans 3 verse 21 It says but now.

The.

Righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. Although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified.

By grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation. By the way, a propitiation is something that satisfies wrath. That's what Christ did on the cross.

He satisfied the wrath of God. God put him forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness. Because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

See God didn't bring destruction on the whole world because of the sins of the past because God was waiting for Christ to come so that He could justify sinners. He had passed over the former sins. He hadn't brought the justice that was deserved.

He was waiting for Christ and it says it was to show his righteousness at the present time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus that verse 24 or 26 rather. That is one that really is good to memorize because it says this God is just and the justifier.

That means he is righteous and the one who makes righteous. You see God is righteous. Remember what the Catholics said well if he makes you righteous and you're really not then he's a liar. No, he's still he's still he's not a liar.

He's still righteous because he justifies you based on the work of Christ. Therefore he's not a liar. He's taking from someone else's account and putting it into yours. Jesus Christ Gives you the righteousness.

This is why if you stood before God today if you died today.

And.

God asked you why should you be allowed into heaven? I hope there you would give no other answer than Jesus Christ and him alone. Because if you say it's because I came to church if you say it's because I gave to the missionaries if you say it's because I was a preacher or a Sunday school teacher or Anything else then you are holding on to your own righteousness.

We are not to hold on to our own righteousness. To be justified is to be justified in the righteousness of Christ alone. So that is justification saved from the penalty of.

Sin.

Now.

It doesn't end there though because the Bible talks about us having been saved. Right the Romans 5 having been say having been justified by faith. We have peace with God. That's the past tense. Justification happens when we get saved that's past tense but then there is sanctification and sanctification is salvation from the power of sin and as much as the work of Salvation was a work done by the Son in his work on the cross the work of sanctification is a work of the Spirit in us every single day as we Walk by faith in the newness of life.

Romans 8 verse 9 you however are not in the flesh. But in the Spirit if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him if You are saved and genuinely so because some people believe they're saved and they're not amen.

There are people who believe that they are saved and a lot of them. It's because of what they've done. Oh, I have to be saved. Look at me think of the people in Matthew chapter 7 God. Did we not do many mighty works in your name and he said depart from me?

You workers of lawlessness? You may have named my name, but you didn't know me and more importantly. I never knew you. Romans 8 9 says anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ therefore.

What does it mean to be saved? Well, we're saved from the penalty of sin. That's the work of Christ. But we're also saved from the power of sin because we have the Holy Spirit living with in us. The Holy Spirit sanctifies the person sanctified means to make holy to set apart to make different.

I got to tell you if you're a believer and Your life hasn't changed. It really would have me question whether or not you've truly come into a saving relationship with Christ. Now I'm not saying everyone's going to change in the exact same way and that everybody's going to be the same because there are many primary colors in the Christian spectrum and Some people are are just different in a good way.

I'm not saying that you had to change and become like me. But I can tell you this in 1999 when the Lord changed my life. He changed my desires. As dr. Jerry Powers my old professor used to say he gave me a new one.

Because before he saved me. There were things I wanted and now all I want to do is follow Christ a new wanna. Right what I want to do is different than what I used to want to do. My life changed. Am I perfect?

No, I've already admitted. No, who do I still have flesh that I battle with. We talked about that last week, right? That was our our last study in soteriology was Christians and sin and do Christian sin.

And the answer is yes. Why. Because we're battling the flesh but the difference between the Christian and the Unbeliever is the Christian is in a battle with the flesh and the unbeliever is in a love affair with the flesh.

The unbeliever wants to do what the flesh wants him to do. It's not a battle. It's an affair. The new dictionary of theology defines Sanctification it talks about like this a believers have been chosen and called for sanctification.

It is God's will for them first Thessalonians 4 3 for without it No one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12 14 thus for the rest of their lives. They must no longer live by human passions, but by the will of God first Peter 4 2.

Sanctification pertains to the soul and body and it is expressed in doing good and in good works. Which indeed are the goal of God's salvation for them. Think of he. Ephesians 2 my favorite Verse Ephesians 2 8 for by grace.

Are you saved through faith? And that is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast. That's verse 2 or verse 8 9, but what is verse 10 say for we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works.

So what is sanctification it is Conforming us to what we should be in the life that we are now living. What are we predestined to according to Romans 8? Predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.

So what is the goal of Christian living? Being conformed to the image of Christ and therefore I say sanctification is is a lot of people think it's a Progress like this like you start here and you go here and that's the way it looks like in the Christian life.

But his brother Andy will probably agree with me. I think it's more like this. Kind of like at one of the heart monitors, you know, we'll have great valleys and great mountaintops and there'll be a moment in our life where we're feeling like a Mountaintop experience and things are well and then we're right back down in the valley and we're dealing with it.

But there's there there's this trajectory of being conformed to Christ. But certainly there are times and moments of of great failure and my only reason for pointing that out is is this. That is not what saves you and if you are dependent upon Your sanctification for your salvation for your justification than your misunderstanding.

You know what? I mean? Because sometimes I can tell you I feel like I'm struggling. But when I'm struggling that's when I have to hold ever more tightly to Christ because Christ doesn't struggle. Christ doesn't struggle to hold me and I have to remember that my salvation is not me holding on to him.

It's him holding on to me.

Yes.

Work out your salvation. Is that when you're thinking go ahead and read it for us, bro.

And to do for his good pleasure.

Absolutely. Absolutely. So he tells us work out your salvation in the first verse and then in the very next verse. He says it's God working in you To even want to do this. So know that you're not alone in working out your salvation and notice he doesn't say work for your salvation.

Because your salvation is already accomplished. Working it out is the walk. It's not accomplishing it. It's walking it out. It's living it. And he says do that in fear and trembling right. And we should fear sin.

You know Paul says flee Fornication we should run away from sinful things. We should turn ourselves away from sinful things because Those things are not helpful. Why should we enjoy the things for which Christ died?

Why should we love the things that our Savior died for?

A.

Good verse and we don't have time to go through it. But we did talk about this last week and we give it to you a good work verse for this is Romans 6 1 to 4. Paul asked the question shall we continue to sin so that grace should abound?

Certainly not and he goes to talk about how we who have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ and so I encourage you to to read Romans 6 1 to 4. Considering the fact that that's talking about what walking out your salvation working it out living it.

Lastly and I do want to finish this tonight. So if you'll give me just a few more moments, I know we're a little over time the last one is glorification and Glorification is salvation from the presence of sin.

This one's my favorite. The presence of sin and why do I say it's my favorite? Because beloved I can't imagine What it's going to be like When I don't want to sin anymore, I can't imagine what it's going to be like when I'm not battling the flesh anymore I can't imagine what it's going to be like when I don't have to worry about people hating me.

And I don't have to feel hatred for others. Because those are things I struggle with all the time. Dealing with my emotions my doubts and my fears. Probably the man in the Bible. I am most attuned in my spirit with is the man who brought his son to Jesus and.

Jesus.

Jesus heal my son. And Jesus said I can heal him if you believe and he said I believe Help my unbelief. It's such a true statement. I you preach a sermon on that years ago. I've never forgot it brother because it was such a good sermon and such a good thought when he said I Believe Help my unbelief.

It's no more honest words. From someone who's facing Jesus Christ who who knows that he is who he said he is but still struggles help my unbelief and. One day we won't have that struggle anymore. One day.

We will see him face to face. One day we will be in glory and that's glorification. No more presence of sin, and if you want verses for that I mean they're all over but probably the most precious one is is revelation 21 1 to 4.

I.

Saw a new heaven and a new earth and for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no more Sea and I saw the holy city the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and a loud voice from the throne said behold The dwelling place of God is with man.

He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more neither that shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for these former things have passed away in heaven.

There will not be Separation from God we will live in the presence of God in the glory of God. For ever and ever there will be no division. Can you imagine a world without sin? Hmm, so here's our final thought.

Justification refers to your standing with God. And that is accomplished by the work of Christ. Sanctification refers to your walk with God and that is the work of the Spirit within you the Holy Spirit not your spirit.

But the Holy Spirit and.

Glorification refers to the presence of God when in glory We will be Unseparably inseparably Placed with him. You are justified if you are in Christ you're being sanctified and you will be glorified. So that was a snapshot of what we're going to talk about for the next several weeks.

We're going to dig even deeper into these things in the weeks to come and I hope tonight was a blessing to you. Let's pray. Father I thank you for your word. I pray that even now that you would write the eternal truths of your word on our heart Where I have erred Lord in any way that you would expunge that from our minds and Lord that we would walk in the light of truth.