Galatians Lesson #7

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Galatians

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
THE RELEVANT RESULTS OF GALATIANS 3 – continued
LESSON #07
ETERNAL SECURITY OR LOST SALVATION?

v     MEMORYVERSE:  ROMANS 5:2

v     BASEDON THE THINGS WE LEARNED IN GALATIANS 3 AND IN OUR LAST LESSON ABOUT PERFORMANCE-BASEDLIVING, THERE IS ONE MORE VERY IMPORTANT DOCTRINAL CONCEPT THAT IS RELEVANT HERE.

Ø      ITIS THE CONCEPT OF ETERNAL SECURITY OR LOST SALVATION.

§         IF SALVATION IS BY GRACEWITH NO WORKS ADDED, THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO RECEIVES CHRIST INTO HISHEART AND LATER TURNS HIS BACK ON GOD AND WALKS AWAY? DOES HE LOSE HIS SALVATION?

·        MUSTTHE BELIEVER CONTINUALLY DEMONSTRATE BY PERFORMANCE HIS CLOSE RELATIONSHIP TO GOD IN ORDERTO REMAIN SAVED?

¨      THEANSWER TO THESE QUESTIONS IS NOT EASY. THERE ARE VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON THISSUBJECT, AND THE TOPIC HAS BEEN DEBATED VIGOROUSLY SINCE THE TIME OF THE PROTESTANTREFORMATION. I CANNOT HOPE TO SOLVE IT FOR YOU HERE, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT THE DIFFERENTSCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN A VERY SIMPLIFIED MANNER AND A FEW OF THE HUNDREDS OF SCRIPTURESTHAT SUPPORT THESE VARIOUS VIEWS.

v     THETWO OPPOSING THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT:

Ø      JOHNCALVIN (1509-1564)

§         THE WELL-KNOWN LEADER ANDTHEOLOGIAN OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION.

·        CALVINISM(REFORMED THEOLOGY):  A COMPLICATEDCHRISTIAN CREED DEVELOPED FROM JOHN CALVIN’S TEACHINGS. IT IS THE ORIGINAL BASIS FORTHE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

¨      CALVIN’SCREED SIMPLIFIED:

Ø      GODIS ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN IN HIS CREATION.

Ø      ASSOVEREIGN, GOD FORE-ORDAINS AND FORE-KNOWS ALL THINGS, INCLUDING MAN’S DESTINY.

Ø      ORIGINALLYMAN WAS PURE AND MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, BUT HAS FALLEN FROM THIS STATE THROUGH HIS OWNVOLUNTARY ACT.

Ø      MANCAN BE SAVED ONLY THROUGH THE UNMERITED GRACE OF GOD, AS MEDIATED TO HIM THROUGH CHRIST.MAN CAN DO NOTHING TO PROMOTE HIS OWN SALVATION, AND NO AMOUNT OF GOOD WORKS CAN FURTHERIT.

§         A TRUE FAITH WILL RESULT INA LIFE OF GOOD WORKS.

§         THE FINAL PROOF OF THEREALITY OF FAITH IS WHETHER OR NOT MAN PERSEVERES IN A LIFE OF GOOD WORKS TO THE END OFHIS LIFE.

Ø      THOSEPREDESTINED TO SALVATION WILL BE SAVED.

§         GOD CHOOSES AHEAD OF TIMEWHO WILL BE SAVED AND WHO WILL NOT BE SAVED.

Ø      THEBELIEVER HAS UNCONDITIONAL SECURITY BY GRACE.

§         ALL WHO HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIEDBY GOD’S GRACE WILL NEVER LOSE THEIR JUSTIFICATION.

§         THEREFORE, THE PASSAGES OFWARNING IN THE BIBLE ARE NOT DIRECTED TOWARD BELIEVERS BUT TOWARD NON-BELIEVERS.

Ø      THETRUE BELIEVER WHO FALLS INTO SIN WILL NOT PERSIST IN IT BUT RETURN TO REPENTANCEEVENTUALLY.

Ø      JACOBUSARMINIUS (1560-1609)

§         A DUTCH THEOLOGIAN WHOOPPOSED THE STRICTNESS OF CALVIN’S DOCTRINES.

·        ARMINIANISM:  A CHRISTIAN CREED DEVELOPED FROM JACOBUS ARMINUSIN OPPOSITION TO CALVINISM. IT WAS THE ORIGINAL BASIS FOR THE METHODIST CHURCH.

¨      ITIS THE REJECTION OF THE IDEA THAT MAN LACKED FREE WILL AND COULD DO NOTHING TO HELPHIMSELF ATTAIN SALVATION THROUGH FAITH.

Ø      GOD’SPREDESTINATION WAS CONDITIONED BY HUMAN CHOICE.

¨      THEBELIEVER DOES NOT HAVE UNCONDITIONAL SECURITY AND IS IN DANGER OF LOSING HIS SALVATION.

Ø      THEWARNING PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE ARE DIRECTED TO BELIEVERS AS A WARNING OF THIS DANGER.

v     THEDOCTRINE OF ETERNAL SECURITY (CALVINISM)

Ø      OUTOF ALL JOHN CALVIN’S INTRICATE TEACHINGS AND COMPLICATED CREED, THE DOCTRINE OFETERNAL SECURITY DEVELOPED.

§         WHAT IS ETERNAL SECURITY?

·        ITIS THE BELIEF THAT ONCE A PERSON IS  SAVED, HEIS ALWAYS SAVED NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF LIFE HE LIVES AFTER RECEIVING JESUS AS HIS SAVIOR.

¨      THISBELIEF IS BASED ON THE COMPLETE POWER AND FREE GRACE OF GOD TO CALL A PERSON TO SALVATION,TO KEEP THAT PERSON SAVED, AND TO ULTIMATELY PRESENT HIM SAVED BEFORE GOD IN HEAVEN. ALLRESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT SALVATION IS UPON GOD.

Ø      THEEMPHASIS IS ON THE FACT THAT THE BELIEVER IS SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH WITH AN ABSENCEOF WORKS FOR JUSTIFICATION.

Ø      THEPROBLEMS WITH THE BELIEF IN ETERNAL SECURITY:

§         IF THE GRACE OF GOD IS TOOFREE, MAN WILL NOT BE CONSTRAINED TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE.

§         IT PLACES NO RESPONSIBILITYOR ACCOUNTABILITY ON MAN.

Ø      SOMESCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR ETERNAL SECURITY AND THEIR BRIEF ARGUMENTS:

§         ROM 8:30“…WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE, THEM HE ALSO CALLED; AND WHOM HE CALLED, THEM HEALSO JUSTIFIED; AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED.” (ALL VERBS ARE PASTTENSE AS THOUGH IT IS ALREADY GUARANTEED AS DONE.)

§         ROM 5:10 “FORIF, WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON, MUCH MORE,BEING RECONCILED, WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE.” (HIS DEATH GOT US SAVED. HIS LIFEKEEPS US SAVED.)

§         JOH 14:16 “ANDI PRAY THE FATHER, AND HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER, THAT HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOUFOREVER.” (NOTICE THE WORD “FOREVER”)

§         EPH 4:30 “ANDGRIEVE NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, WHEREBY YOU ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.”(SEALED WITH THE GUARANTEE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNTIL THE DAY OF REDEMPTION WHICH IS THERAPTURE.)

§         JOH 10:28 “ANDI GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE; AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCKTHEM OUT OF MY HAND.” (NOT ANY MAN, NOT EVEN THE PERSON HIMSELF.)

§         COL 3:3-4“…YOUR LIFE IS HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD. WHEN CHRIST, WHO IS OUR LIFE SHALLAPPEAR, THEN SHALL YE ALSO APPEAR WITH HIM IN GLORY.” (NOTE THE TIME SPAN: FROMJUSTIFICATION TO ETERNITY.)

§         ROM 8:35-37 “WHOSHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? …NAY IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THANCONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.” (THE QUESTION INDICATES THAT NOTHING CANSEPARATE US FROM CHRIST.)

v     THEDOCTRINE OF LOST SALVATION (ARMINIANISM)

Ø      FROMJACOBUS ARMINIUS’ CONTROVERSY OVER JOHN CALVIN’S DOCTRINES, THE DOCTRINE OF THEPOSSIBILITY OF LOSING ONE’S SALVATION DEVELOPED.

§         WHAT IS A LOST SALVATION?

·        ITIS THE BELIEF THAT ONCE A PERSON IS TRULY BORN AGAIN, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO LOSE THATSALVATION IF THE BELIEVER LIVES A SUBSEQUENT LIFE OF UNREPENTANT SIN.

¨      THISBELIEF IS BASED ON MAN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO GOD’S COMMANDS OFHOLINESS.

Ø      THEPROBLEMS WITH THE BELIEF IN A LOST SALVATION:

§         MAN NEVER HAS ANY ASSURANCEAS TO WHETHER HIS SUBSEQUENT LIFE IS HOLY ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN HIS SALVATION. THIS RESULTSIN DOUBT AND DISCOURAGEMENT.

§         THE WHOLE LIFE OF THEBELIEVER IS TO BE LIVED BY FAITH IN THE GRACE OF GOD WITHOUT ADDED WORKS THAT BACK-LOADTHE GOSPEL.

Ø      SOMESCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR A LOST SALVATION AND THEIR BRIEF ARGUMENTS:

§         GAL 5:4 “CHRISTIS BECOME OF NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER OF YOU ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW; YE ARE FALLENFROM GRACE.” (FALLEN FROM GRACE MEANS LOST SALVATION.)

§         HEB 6:4-6 “FORIT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WERE ONCE ENLIGHTENED…IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, TORENEW THEM AGAIN TO REPENTANCE…” (THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF REPENTANCE IF ONE FALLSAWAY FROM GOD.)

§         JOH 8:51“…IF A MAN KEEP MY SAYING, HE SHALL NEVER SEE DEATH.” (THE SENTENCE ISCONDITIONAL BASED UPON MAN’S OBEDIENCE.)

§         2TIM 2:12“…IF WE DENY HIM, HE ALSO WILL DENY US.” (IF THE BELIEVER DENY’SCHRIST, HE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN HEAVEN.)

§         1COR 9:27“…LEST BY ANY MEANS…I MYSELF SHOULD BE A CASTAWAY.” (A CASTAWAY MEANSLOST SALVATION.)

§         1TIM 5:12 “HAVINGDAMNATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE CAST OFF THEIR FIRST FAITH.” (“HAVING DAMNATION”MEANS BEING IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR ETERNITY.)

§         JOH 15:6 “IF AMAN ABIDE NOT IN ME, HE IS CAST FORTH AS A BRANCH, AND IS WITHERED; AND MEN GATHER THEM,AND CAST THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED.” (BURNED IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FORETERNITY.)

v     SOLUTIONSTO THE CONTROVERSY:

Ø      CALVINISMAND ARMINIANISM ARE AT 2 OPPOSITE POLES. THROUGH HISTORY THEOLOGIANS HAVE PRESENTED THEARGUMENTS EITHER FROM ONE POLE OR THE OTHER.

§         THEREFORE, BELIEVERS HAVEFELT THAT THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO POSSIBLE CHOICES, AND SO THE CONTROVERSY RAGES.

·        INREALITY, THESE TWO ARE NOT THE ONLY CHOICES. THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIANS WHO BELIEVE IN SOMEOF CALVIN’S TEACHINGS AND SOME OF ARMINIUS’ TEACHINGS AT THE SAME TIME.

·        INREALITY, THERE ARE MANY OTHER CHOICES IN BETWEEN THESE TWO POLES, SOME CLOSER TOCALVINISM AND SOME CLOSER TO ARMINIANISM.

¨      FOREXAMPLE: ONE OF THESE BELIEF SYSTEMS IN BETWEEN THE TWO POLES OF CALVINISM AND ARMINIANISMIS CALLED “THE PARTAKER VIEW”.

Ø      THEPARTAKER VIEW: [TAKEN FROM THE REIGN OF THE SERVANT KINGS BY JOSEPH C. DILLOW]

§         THIS VIEW ACCEPTS THEETERNAL SECURITY PART OF CALVINISM.

§         THIS VIEW ACCEPTS THAT THEWARNING PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE ARE DIRECTED TO BELIEVERS JUST AS ARMINIANISM DOES.

§         THE DEFINITION OF “THEPARTAKER”

·        THE“PARTAKER” IS THE CHRISTIAN WHO PERSEVERES IN GOOD WORKS TO THE END OF HIS LIFE.

·        THE“PARTAKER” IS THE FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN WHO WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST IN THEMILLENNIAL KINGDOM HAVING AUTHORITY OVER CITIES.

·        THEUNFAITHFUL CHRISTIAN WHO DOES NOT PERSEVERE IN GOOD WORKS SUFFERS LOSS BUT NOT LOSS OFSALVATION. IT IS A LOSS OF REWARD AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. (1COR 3:10-15)

§         A SUMMARY OF “THEPARTAKER VIEW”:

·        THETRULY BORN AGAIN BELIEVER WILL ALWAYS GIVE SOME EVIDENCE OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH,INTEREST, AND COMMITMENT. (MAT 4:5, 16-17)

·        THEASSURANCE OF SALVATION IS GAINED BY ONLY LOOKING AT CHRIST AND NOT BY LOOKING AT HUMANEXPERIENCES IN OTHERS.

¨      THEFRUITS OF FAITH (SUBSEQUENT WORKS) ARE HELPFUL AS A SECONDARY CONFIRMATION, BUT THEIRABSENCE DOES NOT NECESSARILY INVALIDATE A MAN’S SALVATION.

¨      (ROM6:1,11  ROM 8:35-39  HEB 11:1-2)

·        ITIS POSSIBLE FOR TRUE BELIEVERS TO FAIL TO PERSEVERE IN THE FAITH, AND IN REMOTE CASES TODENY THE FAITH ALTOGETHER. (HEB 10:26,35)

¨      ITIS POSSIBLE FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO LAPSE INTO CARNALITY AND FINISH HIS COURSE BY WALKING ASA MERE MAN.

·        THEWARNING PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE ARE INTENDED FOR THE TRUE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN, AND THEYEXPRESS PERTINENT DANGERS.

¨      THELOSS IS NOT A LOSS OF SALVATION BUT MAY BE A LOSS OF REWARD OR EVEN A REBUKE AT THEJUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.

¨      THEDANGER IS THAT THERE MAY RESULT A SEVERE, DIVINE DISCIPLINE IN THIS EARTHLY LIFE OR EVENEARLY PHYSICAL DEATH.

·        ALIFE OF GOOD WORKS IS THE OBLIGATORY OUTCOME OF JUSTIFICATION, BUT NOT THE INEVITABLEOUTCOME. (ROM 8:12)

·        THOSEWHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN, AND CALLED, AND REGENERATED BY NEW BIRTH CAN NEVER FALL AWAY FROMSALVATION BUT BE PRESERVED TO THE FINAL HOUR AND INTO ETERNITY.

¨      THISPRESERVATION IS GUARANTEED REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF WORKS OR THE LACK OF WORKS. (JOH6:38-40)

·        THEMOTIVE FOR GODLY LIVING IS NOT TO BE FOUND IN THE FEAR OF A LOST SALVATION (ARMINIANISM)OR CONSTANTLY WONDERING IF ONE IS SAVED.

¨      INSTEAD,THE MOTIVE FOR GODLY LIVING IS FOUND:

Ø      INTHE FEAR OF DISAPPROVAL AND LOST REWARD AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.

Ø      INTHE GRATITUDE FOR AN ASSURED SALVATION.

¨      (1COR9:24-27   2COR 5:10   JOH 8)

v     SUMMARYAND APPLICATION:

Ø      ITIS IMPORTANT FOR EACH BELIEVER TO COME TO TERMS PERSONALLY WITH THESE OPPOSING BELIEFS.WHY?

§         YOUR BELIEFS DETERMINE HOWYOU WILL LIVE YOUR LIFE.

§         YOUR BELIEFS WILL DETERMINEHOW YOU BALANCE AND INTERPRET ALL SCRIPTURE.

Ø      ITIS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT DISCUSSED IN THIS LESSON ARECHRISTIAN BELIEFS. NONE OF THEM ARE CONSIDERED HERESY.

HOMEWORK
GALATIANS 4: 1-7

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERSTO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

v     APPLICATION OF THE RESULTS OF GAL 3 CONTINUED:

Ø      REVIEW THIS PAST LESSON AND READ AS MANY OFTHE SCRIPTURES AS YOU CAN. DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHAT ARE YOUR BELIEFS. THEN WRITE THEMHERE.

v     PREPARATION FOR GAL 4:1-7

Ø      READ GAL 4:1-7

§         WHAT BENEFITS DOESBELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST BRING TO YOUR LIFE THAT DOING THE WORKS OF THE LAW COULD NEVERBRING?

v     MEMORYVERSE:  GALATIANS 4:7