Doctrine of Grace
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
1. Man’s Relationship To God Before The Fall Into Sin
a. Man is made in the image (likeness) of God – Genesis 1:27 [‘tzehlem’ – Strong’s #6754 – found in Numbers 33:52, Psalm 39:6. ‘vain shew’, 73:20, Daniel 2:31,32, Amos 5:26 and Strong’s #6754 ‘tzlehmveth’ – compound word translated as ‘shadow of death’ as in Job 24:17, Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 9:2]
b. Man was made upright – Ecclesiastes 7:29 [‘yashar’ – Strong’s #3474 and 3477 – translated as ‘please’ (Judges 14:3, 1 Samuel 18:26), right (1 Samuel 12:23, Proverbs 12:15, 21:2,8), righteous (Job 23:7, Psalm 107:42, Proverbs 2:7) ‘seemed good’ (Jeremiah 18:4), ‘make straight’ (Isaiah 40:3), ‘Jasher’ (Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18) and ‘upright’ (Psalm 7:10, 25:8, 92:15)]
c. Everything in creation was made very good – Genesis 1:31 [phrase ‘very good’ composed of the words ‘mahad’ (Strong’s #3966) and ‘tove’ (Strong’s #2896) found also in Judges 18:9, 1 Samuel 19:4, 25:15 & Jeremiah 24:2]
2. Man’s Relationship To God After The Fall Into Sin
a. Man now has a sinful and darkened heart. – Genesis 6:5, 8:21, 1 Kings 2:44, Ecclesiastes 7:21, 8:11, 9:3, Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 7:15-22, Romans 1:21
b. Man now has to die a physical death and is now spiritually dead. His works are as filthy rags in the sight of God – Genesis 2:17, 3:19, Job 24:19,20, Ezekiel chapter 37, Luke 9:60, 15:24,32, John 5:24, 11:25, Romans 5:6,12, 6:23, 7:5, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 2:1,5-9, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 2:24
c. Man is not able to serve the law of God in his fallen, natural mind (Romans 8:7-9, 1 Corinthians 2:14) and even if he becomes saved he has the dread of his body that lusts after sin (Romans 7:15-25).
d. Man must now give an account for his sins to God on judgment day – Psalm 96:13, Ecclesiastes 3:17, 12:13,14, Hebrews 9:27,28
e. Man’s eyes are now open to know good and evil and see his own nakedness – Genesis 3:7
f. Man is now foolish in God's eyes and his heart is against God – Proverbs 19:3, Romans 1:22
g. Man is given over to a reprobate (unacceptable, unworthy) mind – Numbers 15:39, Romans 1:28
h. Man is now capable of many horrible sins and has pleasure in doing them (Romans 1:29-32)
i. “All men are liars..” Psalm 116:11
j. A woman would now have sorrow in conception – Genesis 3:16
k. The ground is now cursed – Genesis 3:17,18
l. The husband will now rule over the wife – Genesis 3:16
m. Man is now driven from the Garden of Eden – Genesis 3:23,24
n. Man's life on this earth is vanity (empty) – Job 15:2, Psalm 39:5-11, 94:11, 127:1, 144:4, Ecclesiastes 2:22,23,26, 6:1,2,12, Romans 8:20, Ephesians 4:17
o. Man is still made in the image of God and is accountable for his sins- Genesis 5:1, 9:6, Matthew 12:36, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 11:7
p. God restrains sin in mankind throughout history – Genesis 20:1-6, chapter 37:18-28 > 50:20, Proverbs 23:13,14 (by the use of parents disciplining their children)
q. God at times allows man to do great outward acts of evil toward God and his fellow men – Genesis 4:8, 6:5, 14:2, Exodus 1:15-20, 1 Samuel 24:17, Matthew 24:6
r. God at times will bring physical judgment to people for their sin during their life time – Genesis 4:11,12, 7:21-23, 1 Samuel 28:17-19, Luke 23:39-41 (thieves on the cross next to Christ), Romans 13:1-4
s. Man’s wisdom is not God’s wisdom – 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:13
3. God Did Not Force Man To Sin (Rebel) Against Him
a. God made man upright, but man has sought out his own inventions (Ecclesiastes 7:29). Adam said that he ate of the forbidden fruit not mentioning that he was forced to do so (Genesis 3:12, Romans 1:21).
b. God cannot tempt one to sin. Note that often the word ‘tempt’ can be translated as test, try or trial. See James 1:13,14. He will test man as He did to Abraham in Genesis 22:1-13 (also Hebrews 11:17-19) the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:22-28 and the true believers in Psalm 11:5 and 1 Corinthians 10:13.
c. God is righteous and holy and cannot sin against His own laws (Genesis 18:19, Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 7:9, 25:16, 32:4, 1 Kings 8:56, Job 34:12, Psalm 5:4, 11:5, 19:8, 25:8, 33:4, 36:5, 48:10, 89:1,14, 92:15, 97:2, 119:137, 145:17, Proverbs 8:13, Isaiah 45:21, 59:2, Hosea 14:9, Amos 5:14,15, Zechariah 8:17, 9:9, Matthew 5:48, 1 Corinthians 1:9, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 1:9, 6:18, Revelation 15:3).
*Note – A further study on the attributes of God will be given in the future, the Lord willing
d. The testimony of those who are saved and unsaved is that man has sinned, not the Lord (Exodus 9:27, 10:16, Numbers 14:39,40, 22:31-34, Joshua 7:20, 1 Samuel 15:24, 1 Chronicles 21:8, Nehemiah 9:33, Job 7:20, chapter 8, Psalm 51:4, Jeremiah 3:25, Daniel chapter 9, Micah 7:9, Matthew 27:4, Luke 15:18, Romans 3:5-9, 1 John 1:10).
e. The testimony of those who are saved do not doubt God’s character of being without sin. They understand Him to be just, holy and righteous (Genesis 22:1-14, Job 13:15, Hebrews chapter 11, Revelation 16:5-7).
f. If we question why God allowed mankind to fall into sin, then it may be that…
1. we think we know more than God.
2. we think we are without sin.
3. we think that we are more just than God who has created us.
4. we think that we can overcome our sinful nature on our own.
2. we think we are without sin.
3. we think that we are more just than God who has created us.
4. we think that we can overcome our sinful nature on our own.
The Bible says “be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Also “ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world (1 Corinthians 1:20)? We will find in our lives pride that is found in all mankind to some degree (Mark 7:21, 22). God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Is it not just for God to resist the proud and give grace to the humble? Can we blame our own pride on our sinful nature? What about one who does terrible sins like murder and theft? Can they blame their sinful nature? Does not this world understand that there must be some justice for man’s sins to mankind (Romans 13:1-4)?
We have the picture of those who oppose God and are facing His judgment in Proverbs 22:12, Revelation 6:15-17, 11:18, 16:9, 21. Their response to God’s judgments is that they blaspheme or speak evil of the one who has made them in His image to worship Him with all their heart (Romans 1:17-32). They are so angry with God that they will join forces with Satan to fight the true believers in Revelation 20:8, the camp of the saints. Is this where you want to be? The angels declare in Revelation 16:5-7 that God is righteous in bringing all these judgments against all the unsaved of mankind. We are on our own if we think that God has caused us to sin and that He would be unjust for sending anyone to eternal damnation for one’s sins.
Let us ask the following questions if we think that God is unjust:
1. Is man forced to love darkness rather than light (John 3:19)?
2. If man is more just than God, then why does not man overcome all the evils of society and mankind and bring upon a utopia, nirvana or heaven on earth?
3. Does God force man to sin today? How is our sin different from that of Adam and Eve in the garden when they first sinned? If Adam and Eve were not forced to sin, then though we are conceived in iniquity (Psalm 51:5), we sin of our own doing and therefore have to answer to a just God.
4. If God is unjust, why does the Bible say that Christ came not for the righteous, but for sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13)? Why would He save anyone at all (Ephesians 1:5, 9 ‘good pleasure’)?
5. Is there any love and justice when a parent disciplines a son or daughter? If they did not do this at times, then the children would be spoiled and live a life of disobedience (Proverbs 13:24,22:15, 23:13, 14, Hebrews 12:5-11). Did not God give us parents to teach us many things including discipline? Is this not needed?
6. Was it not just for God to test Job in the book of Job? Was not God just with Job and pointed out the sins of even Job’s four comforters? (Job 42:1-17, James 5:11). Was not Job comforted by the Lord God (Job 19:21-26, 36:6)?
7. How can the love of God never fail (1 Corinthians 13:8) if God is unjust?
1. Is man forced to love darkness rather than light (John 3:19)?
2. If man is more just than God, then why does not man overcome all the evils of society and mankind and bring upon a utopia, nirvana or heaven on earth?
3. Does God force man to sin today? How is our sin different from that of Adam and Eve in the garden when they first sinned? If Adam and Eve were not forced to sin, then though we are conceived in iniquity (Psalm 51:5), we sin of our own doing and therefore have to answer to a just God.
4. If God is unjust, why does the Bible say that Christ came not for the righteous, but for sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13)? Why would He save anyone at all (Ephesians 1:5, 9 ‘good pleasure’)?
5. Is there any love and justice when a parent disciplines a son or daughter? If they did not do this at times, then the children would be spoiled and live a life of disobedience (Proverbs 13:24,22:15, 23:13, 14, Hebrews 12:5-11). Did not God give us parents to teach us many things including discipline? Is this not needed?
6. Was it not just for God to test Job in the book of Job? Was not God just with Job and pointed out the sins of even Job’s four comforters? (Job 42:1-17, James 5:11). Was not Job comforted by the Lord God (Job 19:21-26, 36:6)?
7. How can the love of God never fail (1 Corinthians 13:8) if God is unjust?
If we are stripped naked of our thinking that we are just and God is unjust, and look to the Bible honestly and prayerfully, we will see our true relationship to the Lord, that He is just and we are in our sins. The Bible says that without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6) and the faith that the Bible speaks about comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God(Romans 10:17). If we lean on our own understanding concerning this, we will go the way of fools (Proverbs 1:7, 3:5,6), continue in our rebellious path against God (Romans 8:7) and be headed for death (Proverbs 14:12).
The Bible claims to be the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:15), sharper than any two-edged sword, a discerner of the intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12), a hammer that shatters its enemies (Jeremiah 23:29) and a comfort to those who are exercised thereby (Psalm 119:50). If we are unjustly given a sinful nature, then the Bible should have no truth to it at all and should be replaced by the wisdom of man. Man should then be able to prove to God that He is unjust and therefore overcome death, because man would have to be mightier than God. He should create a whole new universe while he is doing this and show his sovereignty as Creator Man and live forever!
We read in 1 Samuel 2:2-10:
“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
g. The Lord says that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11). He commands the wicked to turn from their ways. But who will turn from his evil ways? Over and over the Bible tells us that we will not seek the Lord with all of our heart, our good works are as filthy rags (Romans 3:10-14, Isaiah 64:6).
4. The Imputation Of Sin To All Mankind – Psalm 51:5, 58:3, Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 5:12,13,17,18,19, Ephesians 2:3
5. The Results Of Sin In Mankind
a. The works of the flesh – Galatians 5:19-21
b. Total rebellion against God – Genesis 6:5-7, Proverbs 19:3, John 2:25, Romans 1:18-32, 8:7
c. No one will seek after God on God’s terms – Psalm 14, 53, Isaiah 26:10, Romans 3:10-14, 1 Peter 2:4
d. Men will set up their own inventions and idols to feel right in the eyes of God – Ecclesiastes 7:29, Deuteronomy 4:19, 7:4, Mark 7:7-9
6. The Results Of Sin In God’s Eyes (perspective)
a. God will judge all mankind for their personal sins against Him on the last day – Isaiah 13:6-22, 24:18-23, 34:1-15, Revelation 20:12-15
b. The Earth will bring suffering unlike the Garden of Eden or Heaven to come – Genesis 3:17, Romans 8:22, Hebrews chapter 11
c. Wars and rumors of wars between mankind – Matthew 24:6-8
d. The world was almost entirely destroyed in the flood of Noah’s day – Genesis 6:7
e. The sin of mankind had become a grief to God – Genesis 6:5,6, 18:20
7. Man Is Now Spiritually Blind, Deaf and Dumb (cannot speak) – Job 28:12,13, Psalm 146:8, Proverbs 16:2, 25, 20:17,24, 21:2, 28:20,21, Isaiah 43:8, Matthew 15:14, John 3:3-7, Acts 26:18, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:4
8. Man thinks that all is well between him and His Creator – Proverbs 16:2,25, Matthew 24:37-44, Luke 12:16-21
9. Man Has No Ability to Overcome His Sinful Nature, Appease or Approach God That Is Acceptable To God – Genesis 20:1-6, Judges 7 (Gideon and the 300 chosen men as a picture of this), Job 14:4, 15:16, 25:4, Psalm 39:5,6, 44:6,7, 65:4, 94:11, Proverbs 20:9, Jeremiah 13:23, Zechariah 4:6, John 8:34-36, 15:5, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 John 1:8
10. Man Will Invent Ways to Make Himself Feel That He Is Right (In Fellowship) With God – Psalm 106:39, Isaiah 2:20, Jeremiah 10:14-16, Romans 1:21-25
11. God Has Restraint and Patience with Fallen Mankind until Judgment Day – Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:15, Job 21:30 (the wicked are withheld unto judgment day) Romans 2:4, 1 Timothy 1:16, 2 Peter 3:15
12. God demonstrates the need of a perfect sacrifice to cover one’s sins and have peace with Him – Genesis 4:4-7, chapter 22 (account of Isaac as a sacrifice), Matthew 5:20, James 2:10
II. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
1. What Is Meant By Election? – The choosing of a certain people (the elect) to eternal life, before the foundations of the world – Ephesians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13
2. Who Are The Elect?
a. Those who will not face the judgment of God on the last day – Mark 13:27
b. Those whom God has justified – Romans 8:33,34
c. Those who cry day and night before the Lord – Luke 18:7
d. Those who will not be deceived by false gospels – Matthew 24:24
e. Those who will obtain salvation – 2 Timothy 2:10
f. They are a multitude which no man can number – Revelation 7:9
g. They are from every tribe and nation – Matthew 8:11, Revelation 7:9
h. They will be gathered together to be with Christ on the last day – Matthew 24:31
i. They are few (Matthew 20:16)
j. Those who are chosen (Mark 13:20, 1 Peter 2:5-10)
k. They are holy and loved by God (Colossians 3:12)
3. Were the elect foreseen by God to be better or more righteous than the non-elect by their own works and goodness before the foundation of the world?
a. There is none that seeks after God (including the elect before they are saved) – Psalm 14, 53, Romans 3:10-14
b. Some have been brought out of terrible outward sins – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
c. They were ungodly – Romans 5:6
d. They were unjust – 1 Peter 3:18
e. They were without strength to save themselves – Romans 5:6
f. They are the foolish, weak and base things that are not compared to those who are great in the world's eyes – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
g. They are likened to the poor, maimed halt and blind and far away from the wedding banquet, the kingdom of God – Luke 14:15-24
h. Those whom Christ has come to save were lost (perished – Strong’s #622 ‘apollumi’ – Matthew 8:25, Luke 13:3,5, John 3:15,16, Romans 2:12, destroy – Matthew 10:28, 21:41, Luke 17:26,27, James 4:12)
i. Salvation does not depend on the works of man (Matthew 20:1-16). It is according to the mercies of God (Psalm 51:1, 18:32, 37:39)
j. The nation of Israel was a picture or type of the true believers who were chosen to be a special people before God not according to any good that they have done (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). They had rebelled against the Lord many times which brought God’s judgment as a result. Finally the kingdom was taken from them (Matthew 21:43) and given to another nation.
4. What is the definition of ‘works’ in the Bible?
a. The works of God – Deuteronomy 3:24 (Strong’s OT #4639), Psalm 33:4 (Strong’s #4639), Psalm 86:8 (Strong’s #4639), Psalm 92:4, Psalm 103:22 (Strong’s #4639) Psalm 111:6,7, 145:9,10,17, Matthew 11:2, John 17:4, Acts 13:41
b. Works performed by the servants of God – 1 Kings 13:11
c. The works of man – 2 Chronicles 34:25, Nehemiah 9:35 (Strong’s #4611), Job 34:25 (Strong’s #4566), Psalm 14:1 (Strong’s #5949), Psalm 106:35,39, 141:4, Ecclesiastes 3:22, Jeremiah 1:16, 25:7, Acts 5:38
d. Works unto salvation –Psalm 100:3, 144:10, Isaiah 26:12 (wrought – Strong’s# 6466) Jonah 3:10, Matthew 5:16
e. The salvation of a soul is a work – Psalm 74:12, John 6:29, Romans 9:11, Ephesians 2:8,9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 9:14,15
5. Did God foresee before time that there were those who would choose His salvation of their own will?
a. There were none that would choose His salvation – Psalm 14, 53, Romans 3:10-14, 10:20, Proverbs 1:24, Isaiah 65:1
b. Those who would receive Him were born (spiritually) not by their own will, but by will of God – John 1:12,13, James 1:18
c. The true believers did not love God first, but God first loved them – 1 John 4:10
d. In Isaiah 53, which speaks of the forecoming of Christ as the sacrificial lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), those that are saved by His redeeming blood, have gone astray to their own ways, not toward the suffering servant who has paid for their sins (Isaiah 53:6).
6. Doesn’t foreknowledge and the foreseeing of God in the Bible imply that these elect people were foreknown to be worthy of salvation despite their sin?
a. The following verses have the original Greek New Testament words (‘proginosko’ Strong’s #4267 and ‘prognosis’ Strong’s #4268) that refer to God foreknowing His true believers – Romans 8:29, 11:2, Galatians 3:8 and 1 Peter 1:2. These verses say nothing of God foreseeing something good within the elect that He would save them according to their goodness.
b. The other references to foreknowledge refer to the following. The Lord Jesus Christ was foreknown by God the Father to be the one chosen from the Godhead to be the atonement for the elect believer’s sins (Acts 2:23, 1 Peter 1:20). David foresaw (Strong’s #4275) the Christ to come (Acts 2:31). The apostle Paul was foreknown by the Jews as a Pharisee (Acts 26:5). Some of the believers addressed in 2 Peter 3:17 have known before some of the things warned of stated in this epistle.
7. Is there any possibility of one making oneself elect or getting God to add people to His election of salvation who He did not plan to save before the foundation of the world?
a. The Bible speaks of those who will be saved as having their names written in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8, 17:8). On the last day, the day of judgment, those whose names are not written in the book of life, will be cast into the lake of fire, eternal damnation (Matthew 7:23, Revelation 20:12-15)
b. The Bible tells us to make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10 – this is by the grace of God – Ephesians 2:8,9, Ephesians 6:6, Titus 3:5) and to examine ourselves to see if we be in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).
c. If God’s election plan could be changed during Earth’s history, this would make God a liar (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18) and ultimately make salvation conditioned upon man’s work (see foreknowledge #5 above).
d. If we have come to the conviction that even our thoughts, decisions, wishes, etc. will not trigger God to save us, that we are spiritually dead in the sight of God and realize that He must do the whole work and there is no hope within ourselves, then we can see in Luke 18:10-14, one of the evidences that one has become saved (justified) and that there is always hope while any one of us is still living to become saved (Psalm 34:18).
8. Is not salvation conditioned on our faith?
a. The faith that brings salvation is the faith of Christ – Acts 26:18, Galatians 2:16,20, Hebrews 12:2
b. It is the work of God that one believes unto salvation – John 6:29
c. We must have ears to hear which comes from the Word of God – Romans 10:17, John 10:8,26, Revelation 2:7,11
d. Examples from the Bible of man’s apparent faith falling short of the glory of God (i.e. Peter walking on water and sinking in Matthew 14:22-31, the disciples fleeing when Christ is betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:50, Jonah going to Tarshish instead of Nineveh in Jonah 1:1-3)
e. Examples of God’s will overcoming an erring believer’s faith (Samson’s hair growing back giving Samson strength to pull down the columns of the house of the Philistines – Judges 16:21-30, David crying for mercy to God after falling into sin (Psalm 51), Peter being restored after denying Christ three times and used of God to preach to many that became saved – Mark 14:66-72, John 21:15-17, Luke 22:32, Acts 2:41).
f. Faith (belief to the saving of the soul) is a fruit of the Spirit of God, not from man's abilities – Galatians 5:22
g. When it says that “thy faith hath saved thee” (Luke 7:50 and 18:42), it can be translated “the faith of thee hath saved thee.” Just as salvation is spoken of belonging to a person (i.e. Philippians 2:12,13), if it is true salvation, it is the gift of God that has been given to a person (Ephesians 2:8,9, Jonah 2:9, Psalm 37:39). So faith, if it is unto salvation is spoken of belonging to the believer (Colossians 1:4, 1 Peter 1:5) and it’s origin is from God alone (John 6:29, Hebrews 12:2 – Jesus is literally the beginning [arche]and ending [telios]of the faith.). Also we see that the phrase ‘our Lord’ as found in Psalm 8:1 and 1 Corinthians 1:2 cannot be saying that the Lord is our servant or that we own Him in any way. He is the Lord of the true believers, who have a relationship that is submissive and belong to Him (John 10:27, Psalm 100:3 – they are His sheep)
h. Christ is called the faithful one – Revelation 19:11
9. Election is God’s Business and according to His wisdom – Deuteronomy 29:29, Acts 15:18 > Ephesians 2:10, Romans 9:19-23, 1 Timothy 3:9
10. Are those who were not elected to salvation predestined to Hell?
a. The word for ‘predestine’ in the New Testament (‘prooridzo’ Strong’s #4309) is found six times. Five times it is in reference to the elect that are to be saved (Romans 8:29,30, 1 Corinthians 2:7 ‘ordained’, Ephesians 1:5,11). The sixth time it is used is in Acts 4:28 (‘determined before’) in reference to Christ being ‘predestined’ to the cross for the sins of those that He came to save (Luke 19:10). The root word ‘oridzo’ Strong’s #3724 is found in Acts 2:23 ‘determinate’ that relates to Acts 4:28. Christ was delivered by the determination and knowledge of God. It does not say that God had predestined the Jews and Roman authorities to crucify Christ, but that apart from God’s determination, they by their wicked hands have crucified Him (Luke 23:25). A careful study of the passage shows us that God did not force these people to crucify Christ. Christ could have been killed by a disaster or natural cause, but He had to be sacrificed and sentenced to death for crimes that He did not do (2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 2:5-8, 1 Peter 3:18) for those He came to save. The Lord took His hand of restraint off the Jewish leaders as we see they hated the true Messiah and wanted Him put to death (Mark 11:18, 12:12, Luke 22:2). This occurred at the exact time in Earth’s history that God had planned (Daniel 9:24-27, John 2:4, 7:30, 8:20, 12:23, 13:1,Galatians 4:4).
b. Verses such as 2 Peter 2:4,9, Jude 6 and 13 in reference to the unsaved translated as ‘reserved’ in the New Testament use a different Greek word than ‘prooridzo’ or ‘oridzo.’ The word used in these verses is the word ‘tereo’ (Strong’s #5083). It is sometimes referring to the unsaved and in other cases to the saved (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Jude1). The unsaved arereserved for eternal damnation, but not predestined which is consistent with Romans 6:23 and Hebrews 9:27. Once we have sinned, we will have an appointment to answer for our sins on the day of judgment unless Christ has paid for them.
c. Verses such as Proverbs 16:4 “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” This is not saying that God made man wicked. We read before in Ecclesiastes 7:29 and Genesis 1:21 that God made man upright and that everything was very good in the sight of God in the beginning of creation. It can be understood that this verse is speaking of the unsaved wicked of the world after man’s fall into sin.
d. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death…” The reason that one is sentenced to an eternity under the wrath and judgment of God is because of one’s sins, not because they werenot elected before the foundations of the world to salvation (Revelation 20:12-15 judgment for sins, not for missing one’s name in the Book of Life). Those who are truly saved are saved because Christ has paid for their sins (Revelation 1:5,6) and elected them to salvation in view of not being worthy of salvation.
e. Romans 9:21-23 – The Bible is not saying that God has made one group of people for the purpose of being under His wrath for their sins (dishonor) and another to be without sin and worthy of salvation (honor). It is saying that of the whole lump of mankind, God has the sovereign right to choose some to become saved and not choose the others (leave them to pay for their sins, not predestinate them to Hell –see Revelation 13:8, 17:8). The word ‘dishonor’ (‘atimia’ Strong’s #819) is found in Romans 1:26 (the word ‘vile’). God gave man up to dishonorable affections as a result of man’s fall into sin (Romans 1:26 ‘vile’). In 1 Corinthians 15:43, speaking of the physical body that goes into the grave, it is sown in ‘dishonor’ (atimia). If we are saved, it will be raised in honor to the praise of God (Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 6:14, 15:43,52, 2 Corinthians 4:4). Dishonor is the result of our sins (Romans 6:23). Honor is the result of Christ saving a spiritually dead soul from the ultimate dishonor, eternal damnation. The word ‘fitted’ in verse 22 is the word ‘kataridzo’ (Strong’s # 2675). It would be better translated ‘on course to’ or ‘headed for it’s completion’ (in the just sight of God). It is found in Matthew 4:21 (mending), 21:16 (perfected), Luke 6:40 (that is perfect), Galatians 6:1 (restore), Hebrews 11:3 (were framed) and 13:21 (make you perfect). This passage when carefully studied in the light of seeing how the original words are used throughout the New Testament, is not teaching that God has predestined the non-elect to eternal damnation (Hell). It is man’s own reasoning and logic or misunderstanding of the imputation of sin that will go against God’s Word as he looks for an excuse of why he should not be under the judgment of God. Yet men do not see or want to admit that their own sins put them there in the first place to the point of turning from them(Proverbs 1:7, 14:12, 3:5, 6, 1 Corinthians 1:18-21, 27-31, Romans 11:32-36).
11. What is the purpose for us to know about God’s election to salvation for a chosen people?
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