My Essay on Salvation

Well, here is the long awaited for essay on salvation that I wrote for youth group. It is unchanged from the original copy I handed in. The emphasis that I put on certain parts didn't show up, but I think you will know where they would be placed.

Enjoy!

-Ben

In introduction I find it pertinent to state that this essay will be written from my faith in Reformed Doctrine. After studying out this doctrine, in my view, it is becoming very clear that it is the most biblically correct doctrine compared to others. Feel free not to read or do whatever you feel like, I don’t care. This paper will be choppy, mainly because it’s three different topics, but all relating to salvation.

The first thing I would like to present is this idea of a quick and easy salvation. “It will just take a minute; anyone can do it right now.” The times I have heard this line is innumerable, but this idea of synergistic salvation is unbiblical. I would much rather hold to the biblical, monergistic salvation. Where God, in his holy and perfect, triune self, and by his single hand starts, and carries through to the end his plan for those whom are to receive salvation.

I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. (25) I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. (26) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

[Eze 36:24-27 emphasis added]

Do you see a pattern here? When I read this, I find that it’s all about God, and how great HIS name is. Not once in that text do I read of something that a creature of God had done. It is all about how HE may receive ALL glory. Preacher Paul Washer says it better than I can. He puts salvation like this:

“Salvation is all about the work of God demonstrating the glory of God, and that is why men such as ourselves should guard it so severely and preach it so carefully, because its all about God and his name; that his name be great among the nations. Hollowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. It’s all about God!”

Notice verse 26 (And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.) First, this is amazing that God is even willing to take a heart of stone, a completely depraved human like me and give me a heart of flesh. For contrast, I want to review what a heart of stone is compared to a heart of flesh.

The heart of stone is: Darkened and ignorant (Eph. 4:17-18), Full of unbelief (John 6:63-64), Dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1), Depraved of mind (Rom. 1:28), Continually wicked (Genesis 6:5), and last, A slave to sin (John 8:34).

The heart of flesh is: Knowledgeable of sin (Rom. 3:20), sorrowful of sin (2 Cor. 7:10), Alive with Christ (Eph. 2:6), A slave to righteousness (Rom. 6:6), Renewed (Titus 3:5), Divine workmanship (Eph. 2:20), Born of God (1 John 5:1), and last, Clean (Ezek. 36:25)

Every man’s heart is a first a heart of stone, so where to we get this idea that man would even begin to have remorse for his sin, with true contrition, and then want to repent and believe to receive salvation. It is GOD who first must give a new heart, this new heart being the beginning of his work.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

[Php 1:6]

It is all entirely God; He begins the work of salvation and finishes it to the end. I play no role other than to be the recipient of God’s wonderful grace. And the best part is that I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The second thing I would like to present is an organized, biblical idea of salvation. The term “Ordo Salutis” is a Latin phrase meaning “The Order of Salvation.” I don’t know if you have heard of this before, I surely hadn’t until the past year that I have so diligently digging into the Reformed aspect of Christianity. The idea isn’t secular from the bible. It comes from Romans 8:29-30

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (30) And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

[Rom 8:29-30]

The idea is foreign to many people, mainly because it’s not taught in many of the churches today. This verse refers to those who are chosen by God, those who will be saved. It teaches us that our salvation follows an ordered line of events. God first foreknows those who are to be saved. Revelation 13:8 shows us that everyone who will inherit salvation will have there names written within the Lambs Book of Life before the foundation of the world. The topic of foreknowledge is a highly debated one today, just as it was centuries ago. This verse in Romans is often misinterpreted to say that God foresees faith within an individual. The problem with this interpretation is that it’s not what theses verses are saying, along with many others. If faith is the basis that God chooses off form then how shall we interpret the following passage:

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad--in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls--

[Rom 9:11]

This passage shows is how God’s election works. It is based off from nothing that we can exert; it’s only by HIS purpose that we are saved. When God foresees he doesn’t look for anything we are doing, because we have done nothing good or bad. He isn’t looking for action, only looking for someone that can live by his purpose. I don’t know what God’s purpose is, and I wouldn’t dare try to say what it is. All I know is that those who will receive salvation have exerting nothing, and they can’t, there heart of stone will not allow it.

So back to the Ordo Salutis. First we are foreknown by God; next we are predestined by Him to receive salvation. Then those who He predestines are called by the Spirit. Since we know that all are foreknown will be predestined then this calling must then be irresistible. After their calling the elect are then justified. After justification we are then glorified. This entire process is one thing, you can’t remove a part of it or it all crumbles. The way it reads is that everyone who is first foreknown must then follow completely through to glorification. Not one of these processes can happen without the first or next happening.

The third and last thing I would like to cover is the question – I will say first that this is a topic that I still struggle with slightly, though I see the myriad of verses that would cause questioning of Arminianism. Who is it that Jesus died for? This is easy, if we take the typical Arminian response stating that Jesus came and died for the entire world and everyone in it and who will ever be in it. But I like to answer the question with the following passages:

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

[Joh 17:1-9 emphasis added]

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

[Joh 10:11]

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

[Joh 10:14-17]

Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

[Joh 10:25-29]

It is read that Jesus only lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus declares that people are all ready sheep, and others a not, we can call them goats. The first passage refers to a people who are chosen and given out of the world. If we go back to the second par that I covered we know that the sheep or ones that Jesus dies for are first foreknown by God and elected unto salvation. This gives us some insight when we read that Jesus prays for those who are given to him out of the world.

In closing I would simply like to restate this verse:

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

[Php 1:6]

It is so comforting to know that God has a purpose and a plan that he will carry out until the end. I was a lost sinner, as we all are from birth. But God so freely sent his son that his sheep may be saved.