Soteriology
I. Commencement
A. Election: God's Choice.
The beginnings of salvation lay in the mind and heart of God. Before the foundation of the world He elected those who would be saved (Eph l:4; cf. 2 Thes 2:13: Acts 10:40: l Thess. 1:4). This choice was based upon God's loving sovereignty (Rom. 9:19ff) and upon His perfect foreknowledge (Rom. 8:29; cf. I Pet. 1:2). Clearly, God is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), Christ's substitutionary death was for all men (I Tim. 2:6; cf. Heb. 2:9; l Jn. 2:2), and His invitation motif, the appeals for decision (Jn. 24:15) and ability and freedom to choose His salvation. God, being both omniscient and sovereign, knew even before creation who would respond positively to the Holy Spirit conviction and these He elected to salvation (2 Sam. 7:20, Ps. 139:4).
B. Conversion: Man's Response.
Man's positive and genuine response to God's election is conversion (a turning--OT "shuv"; NT "strepho"). Turning from sin is known as repentance. True repentance is not merely shame or regret over the consequences of sin (attrition) but sorrow over causing pain to the (Ps. 51) heart of God (contrition). it is the task of the Holy Spirit to convict man of sin (James 16:8) and enable him to turn from it, hence repentance is sometimes seen as a gift from God as well as a human response (Acts 5:31). It is never enough, however, to turn from sin. One must turn to God in faith (Eph. 2:8,9). Saving faith is both belief (crenentia--assenting to the truth of, Heb. 11:6;cf., James 2:19) and trust (fiducia--commifting one's self to, Rom. 10:10).
The immediate results of conversion may be understood from two perspectives: regeneration and justification. The promise of renewal runs throughout the Old Testament (Deut 30:6; Ps 51:10; Ezek 37:lff.). Jesus told Nicodemus that he "must be born anew" (Jn 3:7). while man's spiritual death results from sin, he is made alive in Christ (1 Pet 2:24).
If regeneration views salvation from a somewhat biological metaphor, then justification does so from a legal vantage point. In justification, God declares man to be holy upon his conversion. The penalty of death for the infraction of God's holy law has been paid by Christ. God's righteous anger was propitiated and man's sin expiated (hilasterion—Rom. 3:25; cf. Heb. 2:17). "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"(Rom. 8:1).
II. Continuation
A. Sanctification: Being Made Holy.
Having been declared holy by God, the Spirit begins the substantive work of making the convert holy. This is a life-long process of being conformed into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). While the work of the Holy Spirit (I Pet 1:2), sanctification requires a cooperation with the believer (Phil. 2:12ff). Moment by moment we are to yield to His Lordship in our lives. Complete sanctification will only be attained when our "mortal nature puts on immortality" (I Cor. 15:54; cf. 13:10; l Jn. 3:2).
B. Perseverance: Being Kept Holy.
It would seem that from God's perspective (assuming it is possible for us to catch even a clouded glimpse of it) perseverance for those whom He has elected is inevitable (Rom. 8:30). From man's view, however, we can be certain that it is a very tenuous task to try to label those who are and who are not elect (This does not rule out personal assurance of salvation). Within the larger framework of God's sovereign will, we must acknowledge that man bears a responsibility not only for his initial response to God's love but also for his remaining in that love (Jude 1:21,24). We are called to endure to the end in order to be saved (Mt. 10:22). We are exhorted to "continue in His kindness" with the threat of being "cut off" (Rom. 11:22; cf. Col. 1:21ff.). It is said of those who have once "escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge" of Christ and have again become trapped by them and overpowered that it would have been better if they never would have known the way of righteousness (2Pt 2:20). Therefore, we must affirm both: God keeps us in His love and we keep ourselves in His love (Jd 1:21, 24). All will one day be clear.
Bibliography:
On the Eternal Predestination of God. John Calvin Grace Abounding. John Bunyan
The Repentance of Believers. John Wesley Only One Way of Salvation. John C. Ryle
Unconditional Election. Loraine Boettner Election and Vocation. Henry Thiessen
Faith. Edward Carnell (general and vital faith) The Glorification of the Soul. Bernard Ramm
The Reality of Perseverance. G.C. Berkouwer