Let me begin by confessing that I am open to changing my
thoughts on salvation if it can be demonstrated that they contradict with the
truth of Scripture. I don’t claim to have it all figured out; in fact, I am
very far from having it all figured out. My greatest desire is only to bring
honor and glory to God by understanding and believing his truth as it is
revealed through Scripture. These next few posts will follow the historical
summarization of Calvinistic soteriology: Total Depravity, Unconditional
Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints
(TULIP). Although I am following the Calvinistic outline, I want it to be clear
that I have no particular vested interest in John Calvin himself. Instead, I
simply believe that these five points provide the best outline to discuss the
Biblical theology of salvation.
Before we can start exploring how man is actually saved, we
must first establish man’s need for salvation. If we are to really understand
how God saves us, then we must understand our condition which thus requires
God’s saving grace. So then, what is man’s natural condition (condition apart
from the saving grace of God, ie. a non-believer)?
Let’s start with some scripture and see where it takes us:
What then? Are we
Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both
Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no,
not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside;
together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. . . There
is no fear of God before their eyes." Rom 3:9-12, 18 ESV
This passage has a lot to unpack. First, all men are under sin. As a result of
being under sin, no one is righteous, no one understands, no one seeks for God,
no one does good, and no one fears God. But wait… no one seeks God? No one does
good? Those seem a bit off. Surely men seek after God… Surely some, even
non-believers do good…
For everyone who
does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his
deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so
that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God."
John 3:20-21 ESV
Now, observe that John makes it clear that the “wicked”
ones do not come to the light. So how then does one attain salvation through
the blood of Jesus if they will not/cannot come to the light? Verse 21 explains
that one comes to the light because his works “have been carried out in God.”
Other translations translate that phrase to be “accomplished by God.” Very
simply, man only seeks God by His grace.
What about doing good?
For whatever does
not proceed from faith is sin. Rom 14:23b ESV
No matter what “good” someone does, if it does not proceed
from faith, it is a sin. Simply put, a non-Christian is incapable of
righteousness.
Furthermore, we see in Romans 8 that
the mind that is
set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law;
indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8
ESV
Man, in his natural state, is INCAPABLE of pleasing God.
That is hard to swallow.
Prior to conversion the people of Ephesus “were
dead in the trespasses and sins in which [they] once walked.” Ephesians 2:1
The point Paul was making by referring to them as being
“dead” is that they were incapable of life with God. He made a similar point in
Romans 6-8.
So then, what of natural man? The natural man is in total
rebellion against God (Rom 3). The natural man is only capable of sin (Rom
14.23). And finally, the natural man’s inability to submit to God and do good
is total (Rom 8:7-8, Eph 2.1).
Let me close with a quote from John Piper:
If we think of ourselves as basically good or even less than totally at odds
with God, our grasp of the work of God in redemption will be defective. But if
we humble ourselves under this terrible truth of our total depravity, we will
be in a position to see and appreciate the glory and wonder of the work of God
in our redemption.
Thoughts??? | 
