Salvation: Part 2

Article 12: Salvation

12-1 Salvation is the work of God1 in which He reconciles fallen men to Himself,2 ultimately removes the consequences of the curse,3 and bestows upon His redeemed Creation4 the riches of His grace, all to His glory.5 12-2 Salvation is offered in the gospel to all men6 and is accomplished in all the elect.7 It is received by grace through faith and the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit,8 apart from works or human merit.9 Salvation centers in a person, Jesus Christ, and receiving Him10 includes the remission of sins on the grounds of His shed blood on the cross,11 the imputation of His perfect righteousness,12 the reception of the Holy Spirit,13 and the impartation of eternal life.14

Guilt

The need for deliverance

Col. 1:13.

Colossians 1:13 ESV

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Rom. 5:9.

Romans 5:9 ESV

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

The need for restoration

reconciliation = restored to favorable relations

Implied in this idea is a previous relationship of peace and harmony. What relationship is being referenced?

The nature of the relationship between people and God, since the Fall in Gen. 3 can be described as one of enmity or hostility. This is what Rom. 5:12 makes clear.

Rom. 5:12.

Romans 5:12 ESV

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

So people are enemies of God, but through salvation, God reconciles or restores peace between Himself and those whom He saves.

Rom. 5:10.

Romans 5:10 ESV

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

See also Rom. 5:1.

Grace

The need for atonement

When one party offends (wrongs) another, the work of reconciliation must begin with the guilty party. Man, however is unable to do this work because in his fallen and guilty state, he will have no ultimate desire to pursue reconciliation and possess no resources sufficient to satisfy his offense.

The only answer is grace. The grace of God is seen most clearly in His substitutionary atonement.

The word atonement is an OT word which means to cleanse (see Num. 5:7-12).

The idea of atonement is in the NT.

1 Cor 15:3.

1 Corinthians 15:3 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

Christ died for our sins. This is what we needed. Without this, we could not be reconciled, we could not be restored, we could not have peace with God. The atonement for our sins is substitutionary in nature.

2 Cor. 5:21.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The need for propitiation

Rom 3:21-26.

Romans 3:21–26 ESV

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The problem: all have sinned (v. 23)

The need: belief in Christ (v. 22)

The answer: justification through the redemption of Christ Jesus (v. 24)

The means: Jesus as the propitiation by His blood (v. 25)

The need for resurrection

Gen. 3:19.

Genesis 3:19 ESV

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Jesus came to reverse the curse.

John 11:25-26.

John 11:25–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

When Jesus said He is the resurrection and the life, He is proclaiming that He will reverse the curse. This is what Paul was getting at in his discourse on the resurrection:

1 Cor. 15:22.

1 Corinthians 15:22 ESV

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

And what Peter was referring to as well:

1 Peter 2:24.

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

So don’t miss what Jesus said in John 11. Whoever believes in me, though He die, yet shall He live. We experience this in our salvation, and this resurrection will come to fruition in our future resurrection:

1 Cor. 15:52-53.

1 Corinthians 15:52–53 ESV

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Curse reversed.