Theodicy — A Summary• God is sovereign over all creation (Col. 1:16-17).• That God is sovereign over all creation means He is also

sovereign over all evil and all evil people (Gen. 50:20; Ex. 9:16; Is. 45:5-7; Lam. 3:37-38).

• God was sovereign over the most wicked event of all time (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28; Jn. 17:12).

• While sovereign over all evil, never does God sin, nor tempt, nor command anyone to sin (Js. 1:13; Hab. 1:13).

• When men sin, even within the providential hand of God, they alone are responsible for their sin (Hab. 2:12, 15ff; Is. 66:3-4; Rom. 1:24ff; 3:9ff; 9:19-20).

• God has sovereignly decreed by His permissive will for sin to exist so that men will glorify Him more greatly for His gift of salvation (Rom. 3:5; 5:8; 8:28; 9:22-23).

“…we have to come to the point where we confess that we do not understand how it is that God can ordain that we carryout evil deeds and

yet hold us accountable for them and not be blamed himself: We can affirm that all of these

things are true, because Scripture teaches them. But Scripture does not tell us exactly how God brings this situation about or how it can be that God holds us accountable for what he ordains to

come to pass. Here Scripture is silent and we have to agree with Berkhof that ultimately ‘the

problem of God’s relation to sin remains a mystery.’”

[Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 330.]

HOW WAS SIN IMPUTED TO ALL MEN FROM ADAM?

• Imputation of sin means that sin is universal.

• We sin because we are sinners (born with original sin) and we are sinners because we sin (our own sin condemns us).

• If there is no imputation of Adam’s sin to us, then neither can there be an imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (Rom. 5:18). If Adam cannot sin on our behalf, then neither can Christ offer His righteousness on our behalf (1 Cor. 15:22).

WHY DO CHRISTIANS STILL SIN?

• Believers have been saved from the power of sin so they no longer have to sin (1 Jn. 2:1).

• Believers still have indwelling sin (Rom. 7:17, 18, 20, 21), though they are freed from its power.

• The sources of conflict for the believer are (1 Jn. 2:16) — the world — the system that is under the control of Satan which is hostile

to God.

the flesh — the old nature and man — indwelling sin

the devil — Satan and his angels who seek to devour Christians (1 Pt. 5:8).

WHAT IS THE PROVISION FOR THE BELIEVER?

• the Word of God (Js. 1:5)• the intercession of Christ (Heb. 7:25)• the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit

(Rom. 8:9; Gal. 5:16ff)• the redemption of sin through confession

and forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9)

WHAT IS THE HOPE FOR THE CHRISTIAN WHO SINS?

• Our sins do not affect our legal standing with God.

• Our sin does disrupt our fellowship with God —

• Our sin is redeemable and is able to be used as an instrument of growth by means of appropriating afresh the truths of the gospel.

WHAT ABOUT UNBELIEVERS?

• Unregenerate men remain guilty because of imputed sin.

• Unregenerate men are born with original, in a state of death, separated from God.

• Unregenerate men are guilty because of their own acts of personal sin against God.

• Unregenerate men live under sin, with no ability to escape apart from God’s grace.

• Unregenerate men remain under the blinding influence and authority of Satan.

Soteriology: How Are Men Saved?

A Study of the Doctrine of Salvation

“Our method of proclaiming salvation is this: to point out to every heart the loving Lamb, who died for us, and although He was the Son of God, offered Himself for our sins...by the preaching of His blood, and of His love unto death, even the death of the cross:…to name no virtue except in Him, and

from Him and on His account, — to preach no commandment except faith in Him; no other justification but that He atoned for us; no other sanctification but the

privilege to sin no more; no other happiness but to be near Him, to think of Him and do His pleasure; no other self

denial but to be deprived of Him and His blessings; no other calamity but to displease Him; no other life but in Him.”

[Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760).]

AN OVERVIEW OF SALVATION

• Salvation is the result of the past work of God.

• Salvation is the present process of God.

• Salvation is the future goal of God.

AN OVERVIEW OF SALVATION

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you

will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

(Phil. 1:6)

THE WORK OF SALVATION — CHRIST’S DEATH

• Substitution• Redemption• Reconciliation• Propitiation• Forgiveness

God has forgiven and removed sin.There still remains a daily need for cleansing

for the purpose of fellowship.

THE WORK OF SALVATION — CHRIST’S DEATH

• Substitution• Redemption• Reconciliation• Propitiation• Forgiveness• Justification

THE REALIZATION OF SALVATIONMan’s Responsibility

•Faith involves the intellect. •Faith involves emotion. •Faith involves the will. •Faith involves a correct object.

THE REALIZATION OF SALVATIONMan’s Responsibility

•Faith involves a correct object. The gospel was planned by God beforehand. The gospel is an objective physical event in history. The gospel is an objective accomplishment. The gospel is an offer to be made to all that what

Christ accomplished is free and my be had only by faith in him.

The gospel is an application through faith to specific people of what Christ accomplished.

The gospel is an eternal and infinitely happy future destiny.

THE REALIZATION OF SALVATIONMan’s Responsibility

•Faith involves the intellect. •Faith involves emotion. •Faith involves the will. •Faith involves a correct object.•Faith produces transformation.

THE REALIZATION OF SALVATIONMan’s Responsibility

• Faith involves transformation. Not all who profess Christ have been converted by

Christ. Those who have been converted by Christ will

produce fruit by the power of the Holy Spirit. Believers will produce differing quality and quantity

of fruit. There will be some believers in glory who may give

little demonstration of fruit now. An individual may be saved, though he gives little

evidence of that salvation, but he will have no genuine assurance of that salvation

THE REALIZATION OF SALVATIONGod’s Provision

• The work of God the Father.

Election Predestination Adoption

• The work of Christ. • The work of the Holy Spirit.

THE REALIZATION OF SALVATIONGod’s Provision

• The work of God the Father.• The work of Christ. • The work of the Holy Spirit.

Conviction Regeneration Baptism Indwelling

THE BLESSING OF SALVATION — SECURITY

• Security is given to accomplish the sovereign purpose of God.

• Security keeps us by the power of God.• Security is a demonstration of the love of God.• Security is produced by the justification in

Christ.• Security gifts us with the intercession of Christ.• Security is guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. • Security results in Christ presenting us faultless

before Himself.

“The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history; it is the only

essential message in all of history. Yet we allow thousands of professing Christians to

live their entire lives without clearly understanding it and experiencing the joy of

living by it.”

[Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace.]