Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Peter 1:1-11

Introduction

In recent weeks, our beloved church has found itself in the midst of a swirling controversy concerning what is commonly called Calvinism.

Specifically, we have been faced with questions concerning the nature of salvation.

Unfortunately, many of the questions have been centered on what I do or do not believe.

This morning I would like to begin the process of clearing up those questions.

This will only be a beginning because of the complexity of these questions therefore I have set aside the next six Sunday evening to examine in more detail these matters.

In our text for today Simon Peter encourages his readers by the fact of the greatness of their salvation.

He declares the majesty and mystery of salvation.

He reminds them that salvation has been the subject and concern of saints throughout the ages.

Indeed it is worthy of our examination.

Later in this same letter (3:15) he urges his readers to be prepared to give a clear defense for what they believe, “an account for the hope” they had in Christ.

My purpose today and in this process is not to promote or defend a system of theology.

I do however intend to proclaim what I see Scripture clearly teaching.

My purpose is to submit to the truth of Scripture.

To do so will require that from time to time I use theological terms.

I will endeavor to clearly define those terms when I use them.

For some of you what I am about to share will not go far enough, to you I plead for patience realizing that I am still a student of God and His Word.

Perhaps for some I will go too far, to you a plead for patience and believe me when I say that my deepest desire is to honor God’s Word and bring glory to God.

I humbly request your prayerful attention as I seek to share my heart.

My prayer is that I will obey the plea of Jude 3 and “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.”

1A.

I Believe All Men are Lost and doomed for Hell and that A Personal Relationship with Christ is the only means of Salvation.

1B.

I believe all men without Christ are sinners and are lost.

I believe all men are born with a sin nature and as soon as they are capable of choosing, choose to sin.

Paul sets forth this truth in Romans 3:9-12.

Romans 3:9-12 (NASB) 9What then?

Are we better than they?

Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10as it is written,  “There is none righteous, not even one; 11There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

Clearly, Scripture portrays lost persons as those who are unrighteous, without understanding of the things of God, who are not seeking God, whose entire life has turn away and have become useless in reference to God, and who do not doe good, indeed they are opposed to God.  Sin is the dominant factor in their lives.

Before we are born-again, we are enemies of God (Ephesians 2:1-3).

2B.

I believe that the only way of salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 (NKJV) 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through Me.

All men need Christ for without Him they have no hope of salvation.

No matter how moral or sincere they may be without Christ, men are lost.

The Bible truth is that men without Christ die lost.

Those who die lost receive holy justice for their sins (Romans 6:23).

2A.

I Believe that Salvation is by Grace Alone through Faith Alone in Christ Alone

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast.

1B.

Salvation is a result of God’s Grace.

The Holman Bible Dictionary defines grace as the “undeserved acceptance and love received from another, especially the characteristic attitude of God in providing salvation for sinners.”

Therefore, grace is God giving to sinful man what he does not, will not, and cannot deserve.

It is God’s unmerited favor.

Grace by its very definition is a gift.

Therefore, God is not obligated to save us.

It is to the glory of His grace that any are saved.

The sole motivation for salvation is God not man.

He graciously chooses to save lost men.

Therefore, for you or I to try to determine or control God’s exercise of His grace is pointless.

It would be like trying to control the wind.

Jesus told Nicodemus,

John 3:5-8 (NASB) 5“…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

There are at least two things we can learn from this passage.

First, we learn that new birth is mandated, “you must be born again.”

Second, we learn that the new birth is mysterious; men can neither control nor predict it.

It is controlled completely and only by God.

2B.

Salvation is a result of God’s work in our lives.

I believe that only God by His Spirit and power can change the heart of sinful man.

I do not believe that any level of knowledge or moral goodness can effectively change man.

I believe therefore that God both initiates and completes salvation.

I believe as John wrote…

John 6:44 (NASB) 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:64-65 (NASB) 64“But there are some of you who do not believe.”

For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.

65And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”

The Bible teaches that salvation involves a basic and fundamental change in man.

Paul speaking in the context of Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world tells us that this reconciliation involves a fundamental change in those who are truly saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

In short, salvation is a work of God from start to finish.

God determines whom He will save and He saves those individuals by His own power, for His own glory, in His own time.

God is not dependant on sinful man in anyway; He saves us by His grace and grants to us the faith to trust Him.

Repentance and faith are the result of God’s work of new birth (regeneration) in our lives, he changes our hearts so that we willingly repent of our sins and place our faith in Him.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 (NASB) 24The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

1 John 5:1 (NASB) 1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.

It must be remembered that the new birth (regeneration), repentance, and faith are so closely connected that in experience we cannot distinguish them.

The 1963 Baptist Faith and Message states in Article IV section A, “Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus.

It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.”

3B.

God by the Holy Spirit and through His Word calls men to Himself and into saving faith.

Romans 10:8-17 (NKJV) 8But what does it say?

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

13For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

14How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher?

15And how shall they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”