SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

TOTAL DEPRAVITY

Meaning -- Man is completely unable to cope with his sinful state in a manner to gain, or contribute to his salvation.

*Capable of human good.

*Incapable of Godly good.

Man is born a sinner -- Spiritually cut off from God.

Adam disobeyed God and brought spiritual death on himself & the entire race (The Fall of Man).

Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3; Psa. 58:3 -- Born in fallen state

Gen. 2:16-17 -- God's warning

Gen. 3:1-7 -- Adam's disobedience

As a result of the fall, man is blind, deaf, and even dead to spiritual truth. Man's mind is darkened by sin and his heart is corrupt and evil.

Apart from God, man is continually evil.

Gen. 6:5, 8:21; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; Jn. 3:19

By nature, men are children of the devil. Therefore, men are under his control and are slaves to sin.

Jn. 8:44; II Tim. 2:25-26; I Jn. 3:10; Ro. 6:20

The reign of sin is universal; therefore, all men (in their natural state) are under its power.
None is righteous.

Job 15:14-16; Psa. 130:3; Pro. 20:9; Isa. 53:6; I Jn. 1:8,10; Rom. 3:9-12

Being dead in sin, man is not able, in and of himself, to repent, believe unto salvation, nor come to Christ. He has no power within himself to change his nature or prepare himself for salvation.

Jer. 13:23; Jn. 6:44,65; I Cor. 2:14; II Cor. 3:5

Christ taught that because man is spiritually dead, he must be born from above in order to enter the kingdom of God.

Jn. 3:5-7

If totally depraved, how do/did we get to GOD?

We are made alive by the grace of God (Eph. 2:1-5).

We are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8,9).

* A gift of God

* Not by works of man

God gave us to will and to do (Phil. 2:13).

Why is it that man cannot see TOTAL DEPRAVITY?

Jn. 8:39-45 explains:

Man believes the word of his father
Children of the devil believe lies

Children of God believe truths

CONCLUSION: The HOLY BIBLE teaches that man's total being is wholly incapable of doing anything of himself to save himself. He is helpless. Salvation is ALL of GOD.

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

Meaning -- God has an elect people whom HE chose upon HIS own will and purpose, not conditioned on the goodness of man.

God's elect was predestined to eternal life.

Psa. 33:12, 106:5; Hag. 2:23; Matt. 22:14;

Ro. 8:33; I Thess. 5:9; I Pet. 1:1-2


Must understand "foreknowledge"
Know - an intimate relationship -- (Adam knew Eve, Gen. 4:1)

Foreknow - a previous relationship

Ro. 8:29 - Those He foreknew He predestinated.

The foreknowledge of God causes man to choose God.

Foreknowledge is not based on the positive acts of man.

God's elect people were chosen before the foundation of the world

God chose: Mk. 13:20; II Thess. 2:13

The choice made before the foundation of the world:

Eph. 1:4; II Tim. 1:9; Rev. 13:8

God chose "particular" individuals: Rev. 13:8, 17:8

Choice not based on foreseen merit, nor good works performed:

Ro. 9:13, 10:20; I Cor. 1:27-29
Good works of the chosen result from predestination:

Jo. 15:16; Eph. 2:10

The faith of the chosen is the result and evidence of God's electing love:

Acts 13:48; Jam. 2:5

Faith and good works confirm the calling and election:

II Pet. 1:5-11

Election is not salvation, but we are elected unto salvation. The chosen unto salvation are not saved until they are regenerated by the Spirit and justified by the faith of Christ.

Ro. 11:7; II Tim. 2:10

We are chosen in Christ before the foundation:

Eph. 1:4

But we are not actually in Him until the time of conversion:

Ro. 16:7

The act of God's election is based entirely and solely upon His sovereign, distinguishing mercy. It is God's will, and not the will of man, that determines salvation.

Ex. 33:19; Deut. 7:6-8; Ro. 9:10-24


CONCLUSION: The doctrine of election is God's solution to the problem of man's depravity. God knew that man could not and would not help himself out of spiritual death which resulted from the fall of man; thus He showed mercy.
The choosing was before the foundation -- Eph. 1:4

No one will believe unto salvation but the chosen

All who were ordained will believe -- Acts 13:48

Unregenerate man hates any doctrine that refuses to give man at least part of the glory.

If left to man, he would never believe:

* He's totally depraved; thus incapable of choosing God.

LIMITED ATONEMENT, DEFINITE ATONEMENT, PARTICULAR REDEMPTION

Meaning -- All three terms are intended to convey that the work of Christ was with design and purpose; and that it actually accomplished salvation for the elect.
The obedience and suffering of Christ were of infinite value, and therefore not limited as to merit.
Limited = the scope and design of Christ's atonement.

Definite = the idea of the atonement. Christ did not come just to die, but to die a definite plan for a definite people.

Particular = the specific persons for which Christ suffered and died.

Did Christ die to make it possible for God to save sinners, or did He die to purchase salvation for sinners?

If we believe that He died to make salvation possible for all, we limit the power of His atonement. That's the Armenian view.

The power of the atonement is not limited.

The power is not limited in that He accomplished what He intended.

If we believe that He died to purchase salvation for some, we limit the extent of His atonement. That's the Calvinist view.

The extent of the atonement is limited.

The extent is limited in that the atonement does not apply to all persons.

If we believe that He died to purchase salvation, we would rightfully conclude that all for whom He purchased salvation will be saved. Thus, if He purchased salvation for every individual, every individual will be saved, and none would be lost.

Christ did not come to enable men to save themselves.

Mt. 1:21; Lk. 19:10; II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:3-4; I Tim. 1:15.

Christ secured reconciliation for His people.

Ro. 5:10; II Cor. 5:18-19; Col. 1:20-22.


Christ secured righteousness and pardon for the justification for His people.

Ro. 3:24-25, 5:8-9; I Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 9:12.

Christ came, suffered, and died to fulfill the terms of an arrangement entered into with the Father before the foundation of the world.

Christ came to save all given to Him by the Father.

Jn. 6:35-40

Christ gave His life for His sheep.

Jn. 10:11, 14-18, 24-29

Christ prayed only for those given to Him by the Father.
Jn. 17:1-11, 20, 24-26

Christ purchased the inherited spiritual blessings for all those given to Him by the Father.

Eph. 1:3-12

The use of the terms "all men" and "world" in scripture:
Some texts speak of the work of Christ in general terms:

Phrases such as "the world", "all men", "all nations", and "every creature" were used to correct the mistaken idea that salvation was for the Jews only.

Jn. 1:9,29; 3:16-17; 4:42; II Cor. 5:19; I Jn. 2:1-2

The use of the word "all" is intended to reveal that Christ died for all men without distinction; i.e., black, white, Jews and Gentiles.
Ro. 5:18; II Cor. 5:14-15; I Tim. 2:4-6: Heb. 2:9.

Other texts speak of the work of Christ in definite terms. They reveal His intention to infallibly save a particular people.

Mt. 1:21; 20:28; 26:28; Jn. 10:11, 50-53; Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27; Ro. 8:32-34; Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 9:15, 28; Rev. 5:9.

CONCLUSION: If Christ died for all the sins of all individuals, all individuals would be saved; if He died for some of the sins of some individuals, all individuals would be lost; if He died for all of the sins of some individuals, some individual will be saved.

IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

Meaning:
Grace -- unmerited favor.

That which is done by God for man, which man does not earn nor deserve.
If deserved, it's not a gift but earned.

Ro. 4:4-5; II Tim. 1:9

Irresistible -- Too great to be withstood.

Salvation is without a doubt the work of all three persons of the Godhead:

Unconditionally elected by the Father; atoned for by the Son; and effectually called

by the Holy Spirit.

Although the Father chose and the Son paid the price, we could not be saved if it

were not for the irresistible grace and power of the Spirit.

Salvation is based totally upon God's free will; and because God is omnipotent (all powerful), His grace cannot be resisted when He sends His effectual call.
Some argue that salvation is based upon the free will of man, who is capable of rejecting God's sovereign will.

To say such, is to say that the will of man is stronger than the will of God. It would

mean that God is not ALL powerful.


The scriptures teach that salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Ro. 8:14; I Cor. 2:10-14, 6:11, 12:3; II Cor. 3:17-18

The Holy Spirit is the Author of the New Birth; the instrument of the New Birth is the word of God.

Jn. 3:3-8; Tit. 3:5; I Pet. 1:3

The Holy Spirit performs a spiritual heart operation and resurrection so that the dead sinner not only lives, but lives for the God who saved him.

Ezk. 36:26-27; Jn. 5:21; II Cor. 5:17-18; Eph. 2:1,5,10; Gal. 6:15

The Holy Spirit gives inward personal revelation by which the saved know the secrets of the kingdom.

Mt. 11:25-26, 13:10,11,16; Lk. 10:21; Jn. 10:3-6,16,26,27; Eph. 1:17-18

There is a general call and an invincible call:

General call

When the gospel is preached it extends a "general" call to everyone who hears the message. All men are "called" to drink freely of the water of life, and salvation is promised to everyone who repents and believes. But the call is often resisted and rejected by the dead in sin. Thus, no amount of threatening or promise can give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, or life to the dead.

Invincible call

When the gospel is preached it must be accompanied by a special inward call of the Holy Spirit if a sinner is to be saved. By the invincible call the sinner is given an ear to hear, eye to see, and a repenting and believing heart. When the invincible call is made to man, it is evidenced in that the "called" calls upon Christ for salvation.

The "general" call may be resisted, but the invincible (effectual) is ALWAYS heard with the heart.

Ro. 1:6-7, 8:30, 9:23-24; I Cor. 1:1,2,9, 23-31; Gal. 1:15-16; Eph. 4:4; Heb. 9:15;

Jude 1; Rev. 17-14

CONCLUSION: Because God predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son,

and because His power is far superior to ours (in fact we have no power except what

He gives us), His will "overpowers" our will, causing us to believe in His Son -- Jesus.
Irresistible grace does not mean that God "forces" us to believe, but He "causes" His word

to break man's heart unto repentance.
Man is dead in trespasses and sin from Adam.

But, the Father:

Gives life to whom He wills -- Jn. 5:21

Saves by grace -- Eph. 2:1-5

Draws man to Christ -- Jn. 6:44

Opens the heart -- Acts 16:14

HIS GRACE IS IRRESISTIBLE.

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Meaning -- Those who are chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and regenerated by the Spirit are kept by the power of God. ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED.

This doctrine does not teach that all who profess Christ are certain to go to heaven, but that all who possess Him are indeed heaven bound.

Some teach that a person can lose his salvation.

If man could save himself, it stands to reason that he can lose himself.

The Bible teaches that we are conceived by His will.

James 1:17-18

Many people have and many will fall away from their profession of faith; but they are unbelievers.
It is to the saints (believers), those called, indwelt, set apart and kept by the Spirit of God, that eternal life is given.

The One who began the good work in us will perform it.

Phil. 1:6

Christ has the power to subdue all things unto Himself.

Phil. 3:20-21

Christ is the giver of eternal life.

Jn. 17:2

Why is it that none who are saved can be lost?

God's will is that none whom He has given to Christ should be lost -- Jn. 6:39

His sheep cannot be snatched from the hand of Christ -- Jn. 10:28

We are both begotten and kept by Christ -- I Pet. 1:3-5

God chose us from the beginning and He will not change.

II Thess. 2:13-14

We are preserved by God.

II Tim. 4:18

According to the scriptures God's people are kept by His power through faith, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, which is our guarantee of final salvation.
Isa. 2:1-3, 54:10; Jer. 32:40; Mt. 18:12-14; Jn. 3:36, 5:24, 6:35-40,45, 6:47, 10:27-30; Rom. 5:8-10, 8:1; I Cor. 1:7-9, 10:13; Col. 3:3-4; I Pet. 1:3-5; I Jn. 2:19,25, 5:4,11- 13,20; Jude 1



CONCLUSION: Anyone who has been saved cannot be lost. One who "joins the church" may eventually quit the faith, but anyone who is born into Christ cannot become unborn. Thus, when we are saved we will continue unto the end (persevere) by the power of God.