Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine

by Wayne Grudem

if God can look into the future and see that person A will come to faith in Christ and that person B will not come to faith in Christ, then those facts are already fixed, they are already determined long before these persons were even born.

the doctrine of election as presented here is by no means universally accepted in the Christian church, either in Catholicism or Protestantism.

God’s revealed will (telling us what we should do), not his hidden will (his eternal plans for what will happen).

What effect do you think this

will have on your motivation for evangelism? Is this a positive or negative effect?

Unconditional election is the U in the acronym TULIP, which stands for “the five points of Calvinism.” The other letters stand for Total depravity (see chapter 24, pp. 626–27), Limited atonement (see chapter 27, pp. 737–38), Irresistible grace (see chapter 34, p. 851), and Perseverance of the saints

The Gospel Call and Effective Calling What is the gospel message? How does it become effective?

“Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified”

(Rom. 8:30).

an explanation of the facts concerning salvation must include at least the following: 1. All people have sinned (Rom. 3:23). 2. The penalty for our sin is death (Rom. 6:23). 3. Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom. 5:8), and he rose from the dead and is alive today (1 Cor. 15:3–4).

agreeing that they are true is not enough for a person to be saved. There must also be an invitation for a personal response on the part of the individual who will repent of his or her sins and trust personally in Christ.

If either the need to repent of sins or the need to trust in Christ for forgiveness is neglected, there is not a full and true proclamation of the gospel.

The primary thing that is promised in the gospel message is the promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God.

assurance that Christ will accept all who come to him in sincere repentance and faith seeking salvation: “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37).

Regeneration What does it mean to be born again?

regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. This

If there is genuine regeneration in a person’s life, he or she will believe that Jesus is the Christ, will refrain from a life pattern of continual sin, will love his or her neighbor, will overcome the temptations of the world, and will be kept safe from ultimate harm by the evil one.

Conversion (Faith and Repentance)

turning from sin is called repentance, and the turning to Christ is called faith.

In addition to knowledge of the facts of the gospel and approval of those facts, in order to be saved, I must decide to trust or depend on Jesus as a living person to save me.

define

saving faith is trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God.

personal trust in Christ, not just belief in facts about Christ.

repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.

an intellectual understanding (that sin is wrong), an emotional approval of the teachings of Scripture regarding sin (a sorrow for sin and a hatred of it), and a personal decision to turn from it (a renouncing of sin

the person who genuinely turns to Christ for salvation must at the same time release the sin to which he or she has been clinging and turn away from that sin in order to turn to Christ.

Neither repentance nor faith comes first; they must come together.

it is clearly contrary to the New Testament evidence to speak about the possibility of having true saving faith without having any repentance for sin.

To come to him includes taking his yoke upon us, being subject to his direction and guidance, learning from him and being obedient to him. If we are unwilling to make such a commitment, then we have not truly placed our trust in him.

Repentance Involves More than a Change of Mind

A Call to Repentance Is an Essential Part of Gospel Proclamation

The Need for Repentance from Sin and Good Works as Evidence of Faith Have Been Affirmed by All the Main Branches of Protestantism

Such a spoken prayer does not in itself save us, but the attitude of heart that it represents does constitute true conversion, and the decision to speak that prayer can often be the point at which a person truly comes to faith in Christ.

John MacArthur says, “I am certain that while some understand more than others, no one who is saved fully understands all the implications of Jesus’ lordship at the moment of conversion.” But he adds, in distinction from the Free Grace position, “I am, however, equally certain that no one can be saved who is either unwilling to obey Christ or consciously, callously rebellious against His Lordship.”

Justification (Right Legal Standing before God)

Once Martin Luther realized the truth of justification by faith alone, he spiritually became a born-again Christian and overflowed with the new-found joy of the gospel.

The primary issue in the Protestant Reformation was a dispute with the Roman Catholic Church over justification.

“Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30).

the word called here refers to the effective calling of the gospel, which includes regeneration and brings forth the response of repentance and faith (or conversion) on our part. After effective calling and the response that it initiates on our part, the next step in the application of redemption is “justification.”

justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight.

Regeneration is an act of God in us; justification is a judgment of God with respect to us.

justification is confused with regeneration or sanctification, then the door is opened for the perversion of the gospel at its center. Justification is still the article of the standing or falling of the Church.

the second aspect of justification is that God must declare us not merely to be neutral in his sight but actually to be righteous in his sight.

The Roman Catholic Church understands justification as something that changes us internally and makes us more holy within.

“According to the teaching of the Council of Trent, justification is ‘sanctifying and renewing of the inner man.’

The result of this Roman Catholic view of justification is that people cannot be sure if they are in a “state of grace” where they experience God’s complete acceptance and favor.

The Council of Trent declared, If one considers his own weakness and his defective disposition, he may well be fearful and anxious as to the state of grace, as nobody knows with the certainty of faith, which permits of no error, that he has achieved the grace of God.

“there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

Luther and the other Reformers insisted that justification comes by grace alone, not by grace plus some merit on our part.

we may ask why God chose faith to be the attitude of heart by which we would obtain justification. Why could God not have decided to give justification to all those who sincerely show love? Or who show joy? Or contentment? Or humility? Or wisdom?