QC and SG accountability (23/2/18)
I asked the question: do you have to first repent in order to be saved?
The answer to this question is not as straightforward as it might first appear. We might think that repentance is indeed a prerequisite to salvation, since repentance is commanded in Scripture (e.g. Ac 26:20, Ro 2:4). Sometimes the call to be saved is phrased only in terms of repentance (Ac 2:38, Mt 3:2, Lk 13:3, Ac 17:30, Ro 2:4) and sometimes only in terms of belief (Mk 16:15. Lk 8:12, Ac 16:31, Ro 10:9-10). A large part of the difficulty here can be resolved if we see that repentance and belief are two sides of the same coin. We cannot come to Jesus in faith without leaving the place where we were, and we cannot repent truly if we have not been attracted by the beauty of the Lord.
I think it is right to affirm that salvation logically precedes repentance, even though the two are all of a piece. This logical order may be simple in theological terms, but its outworking in individual lives can be complex, with interactions and a lack of definite time points. The danger of thinking that repentance precedes salvation is that we then think that we must be ready, or 'good enough' to be saved. And that is not so. The question would be: "How much repentance must you demonstrate before you are saved?" And that opens up a whole can of worms, because we have to ask ourselves about the extent of our roles in our salvation. We can see the rabbit hole here - do we have to contribute something to our salvation by our effort in changing our attitude and action before God saves us?
True repentance is a change of heart and a desire to turn to Christ that can only come as a work of the Spirit. If repentance is performed out of a desire only to obey the law of God, without a corresponding desire to enjoy Him in His fullness, repentance becomes a legalistic work that we hope will contribute to our salvation. This kind of repentance would be defined in terms of what we 'do' rather than whose we have become.
In this day and age both Arminians and Calvinists would happily say, "The gospel should be offered freely to all", because a Calvinist would say that we cannot know who the elect are, and the Arminian would say that all should have a chance to respond to the gospel. But the 18th century Marrow Controversy, the majority of the Scottish Church felt that the gospel should only be preached to the elect, who would evidence their election by outward signs of grace, including repentance, showing a need for Christ and openness to receiving the gospel. This type of hypercalvinism is clearly unscriptural.
An Arminian would say that repentance and belief must logically precede saving faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord. A Calvinist would say that "regeneration precedes faith" (Jn 3:3-5) and that repentance and faith logically follow the Spirit giving new birth. One practical implication for evangelism if we believe that people do not need to prepare themselves to receive the gospel is that our witness should not only be to those whom we feel are "ready" to hear us. God can certainly take our witnessing to accomplish His saving purposes in the lives even of those who seem closed to the gospel.
We went on to review the terms of our salvation. We reminded ourselves that salvation has a past (we have been saved from the penalty of sin - justification), present (we are being saved from the power of sin - sanctification) and future (we will be saved from the presence of sin - glorification) dimension. Just as it took a sovereign work of God to enable us to be justified, so also, it takes a sovereign work of God to enable us to be sanctified and glorified. Just as the motivating power for us to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord came from God, so also the motivating power - all the new, good desires to please Him arising from the new birth - come from God. His grace is that which drives us to the hard working out of our salvation (2 Cor 15:10, Phil 2:12, 2 Thes 1:11).
Different Christians will experience different degrees of sanctification, but all of the credit for sanctification comes from God. Similarly, although our rewards may be of different degrees in heaven, all of us will be glorified, in the sense that all of us will have sinless dispositions, a new and glorious body and an experience of God that is face to face. All this is a gift of God, freely given.
Salvation - justification, sanctification, and glorification, is an en-bloc gift of grace from God. We receive it by faith, work out its power, rest in its certainty and glorify God for His generosity and goodness.The power of the gospel unto salvation is not first and foremost of ourselves, but of God working His will in us. We must rejoice in this wonderful gift!
Grace asked as well - does God love different believers differently? From Scripture, we know that particular individuals are identified as having a particularly close relationship with God (e.g. Moses in Ex 33:11, Abraham in Is 41:8). Jesus had his 72, his 12, his 3 and his BFF John. So I do think that while God loves all believers with special electing, saving love, He does cultivate more intimate relationships with different people.
The answer to this question is not as straightforward as it might first appear. We might think that repentance is indeed a prerequisite to salvation, since repentance is commanded in Scripture (e.g. Ac 26:20, Ro 2:4). Sometimes the call to be saved is phrased only in terms of repentance (Ac 2:38, Mt 3:2, Lk 13:3, Ac 17:30, Ro 2:4) and sometimes only in terms of belief (Mk 16:15. Lk 8:12, Ac 16:31, Ro 10:9-10). A large part of the difficulty here can be resolved if we see that repentance and belief are two sides of the same coin. We cannot come to Jesus in faith without leaving the place where we were, and we cannot repent truly if we have not been attracted by the beauty of the Lord.
I think it is right to affirm that salvation logically precedes repentance, even though the two are all of a piece. This logical order may be simple in theological terms, but its outworking in individual lives can be complex, with interactions and a lack of definite time points. The danger of thinking that repentance precedes salvation is that we then think that we must be ready, or 'good enough' to be saved. And that is not so. The question would be: "How much repentance must you demonstrate before you are saved?" And that opens up a whole can of worms, because we have to ask ourselves about the extent of our roles in our salvation. We can see the rabbit hole here - do we have to contribute something to our salvation by our effort in changing our attitude and action before God saves us?
True repentance is a change of heart and a desire to turn to Christ that can only come as a work of the Spirit. If repentance is performed out of a desire only to obey the law of God, without a corresponding desire to enjoy Him in His fullness, repentance becomes a legalistic work that we hope will contribute to our salvation. This kind of repentance would be defined in terms of what we 'do' rather than whose we have become.
In this day and age both Arminians and Calvinists would happily say, "The gospel should be offered freely to all", because a Calvinist would say that we cannot know who the elect are, and the Arminian would say that all should have a chance to respond to the gospel. But the 18th century Marrow Controversy, the majority of the Scottish Church felt that the gospel should only be preached to the elect, who would evidence their election by outward signs of grace, including repentance, showing a need for Christ and openness to receiving the gospel. This type of hypercalvinism is clearly unscriptural.
An Arminian would say that repentance and belief must logically precede saving faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord. A Calvinist would say that "regeneration precedes faith" (Jn 3:3-5) and that repentance and faith logically follow the Spirit giving new birth. One practical implication for evangelism if we believe that people do not need to prepare themselves to receive the gospel is that our witness should not only be to those whom we feel are "ready" to hear us. God can certainly take our witnessing to accomplish His saving purposes in the lives even of those who seem closed to the gospel.
We went on to review the terms of our salvation. We reminded ourselves that salvation has a past (we have been saved from the penalty of sin - justification), present (we are being saved from the power of sin - sanctification) and future (we will be saved from the presence of sin - glorification) dimension. Just as it took a sovereign work of God to enable us to be justified, so also, it takes a sovereign work of God to enable us to be sanctified and glorified. Just as the motivating power for us to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord came from God, so also the motivating power - all the new, good desires to please Him arising from the new birth - come from God. His grace is that which drives us to the hard working out of our salvation (2 Cor 15:10, Phil 2:12, 2 Thes 1:11).
Different Christians will experience different degrees of sanctification, but all of the credit for sanctification comes from God. Similarly, although our rewards may be of different degrees in heaven, all of us will be glorified, in the sense that all of us will have sinless dispositions, a new and glorious body and an experience of God that is face to face. All this is a gift of God, freely given.
Salvation - justification, sanctification, and glorification, is an en-bloc gift of grace from God. We receive it by faith, work out its power, rest in its certainty and glorify God for His generosity and goodness.The power of the gospel unto salvation is not first and foremost of ourselves, but of God working His will in us. We must rejoice in this wonderful gift!
Grace asked as well - does God love different believers differently? From Scripture, we know that particular individuals are identified as having a particularly close relationship with God (e.g. Moses in Ex 33:11, Abraham in Is 41:8). Jesus had his 72, his 12, his 3 and his BFF John. So I do think that while God loves all believers with special electing, saving love, He does cultivate more intimate relationships with different people.
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