THE REFORMED FAITH

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THE REFORMED FAITH

• A STUDY IN
• THEOLOGY AND DOCTRINE

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TULIP

• T otal Depravity of Man
• U nconditional Election
• L imited Atonement or Particular Redemption
• I rrestible Grace or
• Effectual Calling
• P erseverance of the Saints or
• Eternal Security

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TULIP

• U NCONDITIONAL ELECTION

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DEFINING OUR TERMS

• UNCONDITONAL
• Election is an act of God
• alone. He acts without
• being prompted by his
• knowledge of mens
• actions at a future date.
• He chooses for reasons of
• grace alone.

• ELECTION
• A definite and precise choice
• made by God whereby he
• determined who would be
• saved. It is the act of God of
• Father.

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WHY ARE SOME MEN SAVED?

• 1 Is it because they believe? Yes
• 2 Do some believe because they are not as
  depraved as others? No, all men are equal in
  their depravity.
• 3 We are thrown upon the conclusion that some
  believe because the Father has chosen them.

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WHY ARE SOME MEN DAMNED?

• Is it because God has ordained them to Hell. No.
  God does have to predestine people to damnation
  they are already damned.
• Is it because they do not believe. Yes the
  Bible does not teach that God selects people for
  Hell.

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WHY DOES GOD SAVE SOME MEN?

• We do not know.
• Damnation is not a mystery. It is entirely
  understandable. The just treatment of rebellious
  humanity.
• Grace however is a mystery and entirely beyond
  our comprehension.
• Therefore election is unconditional.
• We are not called to understand this doctrine but
  to believe it.

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THE WORK OF THE FATHER

• Election is always described as being an act of
  the Father.
• It is the primary activity of the Godhead.
• As man is depraved and incapable of saving
  himself God must make the choice before
  accomplishing redemption for the elect.
• This is the basis of the work of salvation.

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UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLICAL WORDS

• Predestination
• Ephesians 14-5 Romans 829-30
• The meaning is clear to decide or determine
  beforehand
• The same Greek word is employed in Romans 14

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UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLICAL WORDS

• ORDAINED
• John 1516 is specific to the disciples but there
  is application for the church. The word ordain
  means to appoint.
• Acts 1348 is another Greek word and the meaning
  also means to appoint. This text relates to
  every Christian. Sinners believe because God has
  appointed them to eternal life

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UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLICAL WORDS

• Elect / Election
• Elect those who are chosen
• Election the act of divine selection
• The people of God are commonly described as being
  the elect, Matthew 2422, Romans 832, Colossians
  312, Titus 11
• This clearly teaches that the Christian owes his
  standing to the grace of God

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UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLICAL WORDS

• Foreknowledge
• Used rarely in the New Testament Acts 223, 1
  Peter 12, Romans 829, 112
• The reference in Acts would show that
  foreknowledge follows from Gods determinate
  counsel
• The references in Romans would show that
  foreknowledge is about Gods intimate
  acquaintance with his people
• Therefore foreknowledge is the loving
  relationship the Father has with the people whom
  he chose, before they ever chose him

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THE ERROR OF ARMINIANISM

• God chooses those whom he knows will chose him.

• 1 This binds God to the human will
• 2 This assumes that the human will is able to
  chose God
• 3 This creates a salvation of merit rather than
  grace
• 4 This does not stand up to the scrutiny imposed
  by our understanding of the Biblical words

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THE BASIS OF ELECTION

• God makes his choice for reasons of grace alone.
• Romans 115-6

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THE SUBJECTS OF ELECTION

• The elect are no different from the non elect in
  terms of nature
• They come from the same lump of clay,
• Romans 921
• They too are children of wrath, Ephesians 23

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THE TIMING OF ELECTION

• Before the foundation of the world
• Ephesians 14 emphasizes that Gods choice in
  election came before the foundation of the world
• Before there was a world there was an elect
  people.
• Therefore the physical world was created as a fit
  place for the conversion of a people who would
  glorify God

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THE PURPOSE OF ELECTION

• Holiness of life Ephesians 14
• Salvation, sanctification and faith
• 2 Thessalonians 213
• 3 Obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
  Christ
• 1 Peter 12
• 4 The Glorification of Gods people,
• Romans 829-30
• 4 The Glory of God Romans 922-23, Ephesians
  15-6

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The Examples of Election

• Israel Romans 94,15-19. Can anyone argue that
  God was wrong in choosing Israel? No, it was a
  sovereign act of God.
• Jacob Romans 910-14. God chose Jacob and not
  Esau. The mystery was not the rejection of
  carnal Esau but the choosing of the twisted self
  seeking Jacob. We are not to question the
  choice, only accept it.

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THE CERTAINTY OF ELECTION

• 1 Gods predetermined choice cannot be changed,
  Romans 829
• 2 All of those who are chosen will definitely be
  in glory

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QUESTIONS ARISING

• 1 Are there any Old Testament texts which teach
  election?
• Yes we will look at some of those this week

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QUESTIONS ARISING

• 2 Can the non-elect experience spiritual
  feelings and Holy Ghost conviction?

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ANSWER

• 1 The Non Elect experience what is known as
  Common Grace
• John Murray wrote of Common Grace, Every favour
  of whatsoever kind and degree, falling short of
  salvation, which this undeserving and sin cursed
  world enjoys at the hand of God.

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COMMON GRACE

• Therefore
• A The unconverted may have a consciousness of
  God which can generate a desire for salvation
• B This desire may even result in a decision
  without salvation. The decision may be
  intellectual, emotional or caused by another
  pressure or selfish motive
• C As the desire was not caused by special grace
  this person will go back to the world and will
  not manifest the fruit of the spirit
• D As the call for salvation was not wrought by
  God and did not come from a sincere heart the
  cry will not have been heard by the Lord
• E Hence the term, false profession

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Can the non-elect experience spiritual feelings
and Holy Ghost conviction?

• 2 Nevertheless the non-elect are still judged
  for their unbelief and are responsible for their
  actions. An inability to trust Christ does not
  render them innocent at Gods bar.
• 3 Therefore they must be given opportunities
  to repent and believe. Those with greater
  light will receive greater judgement in the day
  of wrath.

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Can the non-elect experience spiritual feelings
and Holy Ghost conviction?

• 4 The church will be held accountable for
  their failure to give even the non-elect
  opportunities to repent. We must evangelise as
  if all men were elect.
• 5 A non-elect person can therefore spurn their
  day of opportunity. The removing of opportunity
  is a removal of Gods grace.
• 6 The non-elect person cannot receive
  conviction in the sense of saving grace, but he
  can receive common grace which gives him
  opportunities and even desires.

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Can the non-elect experience spiritual feelings
and Holy Ghost conviction?

• 7 When we talk about God removing his spirit
  we mean the removing of these desires and
  opportunities
• 8 However as we do not know in life the
  difference between the elect and non-elect we
  warn people of the dangers of the day of grace
  being squandered and the removal of the
  striving of the Holy Ghost. It is a most
  serious act of God, indeed it is a judgement
  when he removes common grace from a people and
  from a nation .