God provides salvation from sin through Jesus.
A1 Objectives
B1 Describe how sinners are saved.
B2 Explain the relationship between faith and works.
A2 Scriptures
B1 Ephesians 2:1-10
B2 Titus 3:3-7
B3 Galatians 2:16
B4 James 2:14-26
A3 Notes
B1 Definition
C1 Faith--believing God
C2 Works--things we do. It especially refers to good works rather than evil works. Good and evil are defined by God.
D1 Example of good works--Galatians 5:22-23, Romans 5:1-5, Ephesians 5:9,
D2 Example of evil works--Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:9, 2 Timothy 3:4, Titus 3:3, 1 Peter 4:3
B2 Salvation--Ephesians 2:1-10
C1 Definition
D1 Regeneration before faith--Calvinist
E1 Some teachers include--.R. C. Sproul, John MacArthur, and many others.
E2 Explanation--Articles: here, here, and here
D2 Regeneration after faith--Classical Arminian
E1 Some teachers include--Roger Olson, F. Leroy Forlines, and many other
E2 Explanation--
F1 Bible verses: Ephesians 1:13, John 1:12-13, Romans 5:18, John 5:24-28, Romans 6:2-6, Galatians 3:2,
2 Corinthians 3:18
F2 Articles: here, here, here, and here
D3 The error of regeneration precedes faith
E1 Different definitions
E2 Words
F1 Calvinist (TULIP)--the work of God before faith. It cannot be resisted. Some use the analogy of the electricity before the light bulb lights.
F2 Classical Arminian--the spiritual rebirth as in born again. It is the result of faith after God's imitating prevenient grace.
G1 "So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the Regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. " (Matthew 19:28, EMTV) This passage shows the coming period of history when Jesus rules. It will indeed be a new world ruled in holiness, quietness, and order.
G2 "...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, " (Titus 3:5, EMTV). This is the spiritual rebirth most fully explained in John 3
C2 Passage
D1 Ephesians 2:1-10 see here and here and here
E1 Refers to spiritually dead not physically dead. The unregenerated do some "good" things. Spiritually dead refers to not able, wanting, desiring, caring about seeking God and His ways. We do not believe God.
E2 All humans were born in a state of being spiritually dead with Satan working in the world, its ways, and its people.
E3 All humans live to their own desires and wishes, not God's.
E4 God has genuine love for all humans.
E5 New life only comes through Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Creator
E6 Jesus's resurrection guarantees our own. Our new life, regeneration, is our foretaste of our bodily resurrection.
E7 God's grace will be more greatly seen, understood, and appreciated throughout eternity.
E8 Salvation is a gift of God given on the basis of our faith.
E9 What we do cannot obtain salvation.
E10 God expects "good" works from us upon and during our salvation.
D2 Titus 3:3-7
E1 The description of our natural person, attitudes, motivation, and thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.
E2 God is kind to mankind, not just a few "elect."
E3 We could never do good things to enter heaven. The balance that many hold to, will not be sufficient. Many believe that their good works will out weight their bad and thus God will let them into heaven.
E4 The Holy Spirit gives the new birth and spiritual renewal.
E5 All believers have the Holy Spirit because of the loving work of Jesus Christ.
E6 It is God's grace, not our works.
D3 Galatians 2:16
E1 We cannot obey God's law correctly in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.
E2 We are justified because and through faith.
D4 James 2:14-26
E1 Works do not save or produce forgiveness of sins.
E2 Works do show the fruit that we have be saved and forgiven.
E3 Works show the genuineness of true faith.
B3 Works
C1 What we do
C2 Does not earn salvation
A4 Questions
B1 Ephesians 2:1
C1 Who is "He?" (The Father)
C2 Who is "you?" (Christian believers)
C3 What did the Father do to/for the believers? (Raised them up. See Ephesians 1:20).
C4 What is "raised up?" (There is a contrast between being dead in sins and alive in Christ. Believers are regeneration and "raised up" from the former to the latter, from death to life just as Jesus Christ was raised from death to life).
C5 What are trespasses? (Deviation from what is right and righteous in God's eyes).
C6 What kind of death? (Spiritual death. Our bodies are alive, but our spirit is dead. We do not seek God or His ways).
B2 Ephesians 2:2
C1 What does the word "walk" mean? (Our daily life in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds).
C2 How did we walk/live? (According to the "course of this world," that is, the world's way of living in contrast to God's way of living).
C3 Who is the Prince of the power of the air? (Satan. See John 8:44, John 12:31, and John 14:30).
C4 Who are the sons of disobedience? (All people before they are saved. See Colossians 3:6, John 13:2, and 1 John 3:8).
B3 Ephesians 2:3
C1 What kind of, source of, lusts/desires do the natural/unsaved person have? (lusts/desires of the mind and flesh).
C2 Give some examples of lusts of the mind and of the flesh.
D1 Lusts of the mind? Evil imagination, evil thoughts, planning evil. See Galatians 5:19-21.
D2 Lusts of the flesh? Evil actions, words as also seen in Galatians 5:19-21
B4 Ephesians 2:4-5
C1 Why did God show mercy? ("Because of His great love").
C2 Who did the "making alive?" (God. We did not do this).
B5 Ephesians 2:6
C1 Where are we spiritually sitting? (In heaven, in Christ).
C2 What does this mean? (We are now citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and adopted sons and daughters of God (2 Corinthians 6:18)).
B6 Ephesians 2:7--How long will God be showing us His great mercy? (Forever)
B7 Ephesians 2:8
C1 Are we saved by grace or works? (Grace)
C2 We are saved through what? (Faith, that is, believing God. See Romans 4:3)
C3 What is the gift of God? (Salvation. It is not faith. See here and here). Salvation is the gift, not faith. The power/ability/grace to believe is the act of God but the act of believing is of ourselves after God has opened our eyes and heart. See Adam's Clarke's commentary on this verse. "But it may be asked: Is not faith the gift of God? Yes, as to the grace by which it is produced; but the grace or power to believe, and the act of believing, are two different things. Without the grace or power to believe no man ever did or can believe; but with that power the act of faith is a man's own. God never believes for any man, no more than he repents for him: the penitent, through this grace enabling him, believes for himself: nor does he believe necessarily, or impulsively when he has that power; the power to believe may be present long before it is exercised, else, why the solemn warnings with which we meet everywhere in the word of God, and threatenings against those who do not believe? Is not this a proof that such persons have the power but do not use it? They believe not, and therefore are not established. This, therefore, is the true state of the case: God gives the power, man uses the power thus given, and brings glory to God: without the power no man can believe; with it, any man may."
B8 Ephesians 2:9--Do works, what we do, save? (No).
B9 Ephesians 2:10--What are we created in Christ Jesus for? (Doing good works. Good is defined by God's standards).
B10 Titus 3:3
C1 What is the general nature of all unsaved persons, including ourselves before we were forgiven? (foolish, disobedient, and deceived).
C2 What did we serve, that is, what were we slaves to? (various lusts and pleasures)
C3 How did we live? (malice and envy, hateful and hating one another)
C4 "For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them. " (Titus 3:3, GNB92)
B11 Titus 3:4-5
C1 Are we saved, by works that we do or faith? (Faith).
C2 Is faith a work? (No, it is believing. See here ).
C3 What is the work of the Holy Spirit in these passages?
D1 Washing of regeneration
E1 The washing (bath) is not baptism or any outward thing.
E2 It is a certain type of washing done by the Holy Spirit. It is a regenerational washing, washing done/accomplished by regeneration. It is a work of the Holy Spirit, not a church, man, group of men, or any person.
E3 This is an Old Testament idea. See Isaiah 32:15, Isaiah 44:1-5, Isaiah 55:10-13, and Ezekiel 36:25--27.
D2 Renewing of the Holy Spirit
E1 This is not a receiving of the Holy Spirit again as He had been lost.
E2 This is a certain type of renewing done by the Holy Spirit.
B12 Titus 3:6--Who receives this pouring out of the Holy Spirit? (Us, who are Christians)
B13 Titus 3:7--What are two things done by the Holy Spirit in this verse?
C1 Justified by His grace, which is decreed to be righteous because of the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.
C2 Heirs (joint heirs with Jesus Christ) which is the hope of eternal life
B14 Galatians 2:16
C1 Are we justified by works? (No)
C2 What are we justified by? (Faith in Jesus Christ)
C3 Can anyone be justified by obeying God's Laws? (No)
B15 James 2:14-26
C1 Is any one justified by works? (No)
C2 How were Abraham and Rahab justified? (They believed God. See Genesis 15:1-6 and Joshua 2:9-11).
C3 What do our "works" show? (That we are Christians, that we have a new life, and that God has saved us. It is the fruit of the New Birth. See Matthew 7:17-20 and Galatians 5:22-23. Someone may say they are a Christian, but it is in their fruit we find confirmation).
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