(text and audio)
Title: A Frank Discussion on Salvation
Intro:
How many of you, show of hands, have often set aside more time that you may need to finish a project at home or at work. Why do we do this? Depending on how this goes, we may be in this passage two weeks, and that’s fine.
Today we are really going to get into it. And I desperately want to be fair and even in my approach, but there are some things that Paul says here today that do not leave room for theological debate. Either you believe what Paul is saying, or you don’t. Period.
Paul is answering unasked questions in this passage. It’s very much a “read between the lines” situation.
We must remember that he is talking to the saved, to the church, this is not an evangelistic letter, he is not compelling them to believe in Christ, he is assuming they have already accepted Jesus, and he is explaining more thoroughly WHY the need to deepen their understanding and appreciation of HIM, by explaining to them how they even came to know HIM.
(read/pray)
Why should we offer praise to God?
Specific to THIS verse only, why should we offer praise to God? (Take answers)
Verse 3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
PB Paraphrase: “Let us give blessings TO God BECAUSE he has given access to every spiritual blessing BECAUSE of the access to GOD that CHRIST gives us.”
And how did this blessing come to be?
Specific to this verse only, how do we currently find ourselves in a position where we have access to Jesus? (take answers)
Verse 4:
Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love
PB paraphrase: “JESUS CHOSE US before he even created the world we live in. We were on his radar long before He was on ours. He did this for a very specific reason. The point and purpose of us being saved is that we would become holy and blameless at Judgement, because of Jesus’s love for us.”
I would like someone here to make an argument that humans choose Jesus. This isn’t a trap, this isn’t me setting you up to destroy you. I honestly want someone to read verse 4 and tell me how it is us choosing Jesus.
So then why do Christians INSIST that salvation is our decision to choose Jesus?
- Ignorant of Scripture
- To prideful to consider they are incorrect
- Terrified that they are not in control
- Other reasons?
How did God choose who He chose? What was His reasoning and method?
Specific to this verse only, why did God choose you and not your neighbor? What is the scriptural answer to this question? (take answers)
Verse 5
“…having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…”
PB’s paraphrase: “Before we did ANYTHING (before we even existed!) Jesus APPOINTED us to be adopted into the family of God by calling (wooing) us to Himself. HE chose who He Chose because it PLEASED HIM to do so.”
Objections:
1. This isn’t fair! (Your responses?)
PB’s response: What isn’t “fair” is that ANYONE is saved at all. Is Christ choosing the Church ANY different that God choosing Abram and creating Israel, the favored nation, from him?
2. Why even bother sharing the Gospel? God just chooses who He wants anyway! (Your responses?)
PB’s response: He does chose who He wants, but the way the sends the message out is through us. WE DO NOT KNOW WHO THE PREDESTINED ARE! No where does scripture say, “Go and gather the Elect.” Scripture tells us to take the Gospel to “The very ends of the Earth” (Mt. 28)
Those who RESPOND to this message with BROKENNESS and REPENTANCE and surrender their lives to Jesus, THOSE ARE THE PREDESTINED.
Why does God do it this way?
Okay, but why not just save everybody? Why not leave us to ourselves?
Verse 6:
“…to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.”
PB’s Paraphrase: God does all of this so that HIS GRACE is GLORIFIED. It is ONLY through GRACE that we become accepted by God.
Every human being who has ever lived glorifies God in the end. (You, me, Hitler, The Apostle Paul, Osama Bin Laden, LeBron James) everyone.
We either glorify God through his perfection at judgment, getting exactly what we deserve; Hell. You want fair? Hell is fair.
Or, there is another way to glorify God. We can also glorify his GRACE, receiving exactly what we DON’T deserve, and, through the blood of Jesus, receive eternal life in Heaven with the Church.
Objections:
- Isn’t it egotistical and selfish for God to do all of this, just so Glory is brought to His name?
PB’s Response: It would be, if God were human. But God is perfection and Glory. Anything that doesn’t aim to bring glory to Him is sinful. He created us, and knows that what we need is more HIM.
2. Why doesn’t God choose everyone?
PB’s response: Why does God Choose anyone? (Lacrae quote)
Paul’s Answer SLIDE
Q/A