Doctrine of Salvation

Doctrine of Salvation, Summer Discipleship Program

Purshia Gambles

TAS College Ministry

Introduction (1-3 mins)

Hey y’all! If I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you (which is likely for this crowd), my name is Purshia Gambles and I’m on staff at our South Congregation as the Equipping and Women’s Ministry Director. I have been in Austin and on staff at The Austin Stone for about 2 and a half years. I’m freaking pumped to be here with you this afternoon to talk about the doctrine of salvation. But before that, let me pray for us.

*Pray*

I’m open-handedly assuming that everyone here either identifies as a Christian, or at least wants to be. But for many of us, we don’t often think about what it took to get to that identification. Like…how did we get here, you may be asking. Well, Summer Discipleship Program Taker…DO I HAVE THE ANSWER FOR YOU!

Within the doctrine of salvation, we will be covering what is called the “ordo salutis” or the “Order of Salvation”. I want you to think of it as the frame-by-frame explanation of what happens when someone comes to faith in Christ, starting with calling and ending with glorification. Hopefully, as we walk through each of these, you will feel like we’re going up a staircase of sorts, that takes us on a journey of the complete state of someone who has placed saving faith in Jesus Christ and endures to the end. For each of these steps, I’ll be giving the biblical basis, the theological explanation (“what is this and what is happening), and then either a personal illustration or a little nugget on why this particular step matters. Make sense? GREAT.

*Discussion* (5-7 mins)

What does it mean to be born again? (3 Steps)

Calling (General and Effectual)

Bible

Isaiah 45:22, "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth."

Isaiah 55:1, "Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters."

Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

John 7:37, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to me."

Revelation 22:17 says, "Let the one who is thirsty come.”

Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent ...

Theological Explanation

Calling - God’s gracious invitation to _________ into His __________ and ________. Now there are 2 types of this...

General/Gospel Call - the call that humans do in preaching the gospel and giving a nonbeliever the invitation to believe it

Done through human witness

Calling someone to confess, repent, and believe in Jesus

Effectual Call - when God sovereignly summons the _____ into _________ with Himself

Why the distinction matters

Regeneration

Bible

Theological Explanation

Why this matters

Conversion

Bible

Theological Explanation

Why this matters (and why its easy to disregard)

*Discussion* (5-7 mins)

What is true repentance? What is saving faith? Can people accept Jesus as Savior and not as Lord?

Repentance (turning from sin and toward God through faith in Christ)

*Discussion* (5-7 mins)

How and when do we gain right legal standing before God?

Justification (legal status)

Adoption (felt reality and expression of legal status)

Analogy of being free v. walking out of the jail cell

How do we grow in Christian maturity? What are the blessings of Christian growth?

Sanctification

*Discussion* (5-7 mins)

Can true Christians lose their salvation? How can we know if we are truly born again?

Perseverance

Glorification

The Helper (Holy Spirit)

Q&A (All remaining time)