The Accomplishments of the Death of Christ

1. Christ's death was vicarious: He died in the place of sinners. (Matt. 20:28)
    

2. The results of this substitution are two-fold:

   1. 1 Our sins are removed (Rom. 4:1-8).
       

   2. The righteousness of Christ is applied to us .
      (Rom. 3:21-22)
       

3. Christ's death redeemed us from our sin. (1 Pet. 2:1)
    

4. Christ's death reconciled us to God. (2 Cor. 5:19)
    

5. Christ's death satisfied God's justice. (Rom. 1:18)
    

6. Christ's death enabled us to stand justified before God.
   (Acts 13:38, 39)
    

7. Christ's death atoned for the sins of the whole world .
   (1 Tim. 2:6; 2 Pet. 2:1)
    

 The Work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation.

1.  The Holy Spirit convinces men of their need for salvation .
   (John 16:7-11)
    

2. The Holy Spirit regenerates. (John 6:63; Titus 3:5)
    

3. The Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Body of Christ.
   (Acts 11:16; 1 Cor. 12:13)
    

4. The Holy Spirit seals us. (Eph. 1:13, 14; 4:30)

   1. Sealing involves several ideas:

      1. Security

      2. Ownership

      3. A guarantee

      4. The Spirit is the spirit of adoption and He " bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. " (Rom. 8:16)
          

   2. These four works of the Spirit occur simultaneously at the moment of salvation.
       

The Security of the Believer
 

• The doctrine of eternal security rests on a proper concept of what God actually does when He saves a soul.
   

1. When God saves us, He loves to the uttermost. (John 13:1)
    

2. When God saves us, He purposes to keep us. (John 10:28-30)
    

3. When God saves us, He intends to present us faultless before Himself. (Jude 24)
    

4. Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us. (Heb. 7:25)
    

5. We have been placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:13)
    

6. The Holy Spirit has sealed us unto the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30)
    

7. God says that nothing can separate us from Christ--that would include ourselves. (Rom. 8:28-39)
    

8. When we are saved, we are adopted into the family of God. (Rom. 8:16)
    

9. When Christians sin, God chastens them so that they will not be condemned with the world. (I Cor. 11:32)
    

10. In order to lose one's salvation, all of these things would have to be undone.
     

The Requirements for Salvation

1. Salvation is conditioned solely on faith. (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9)

   1. Faith is trusting that God will keep His Word. Faith involves more than mere knowledge, it also involves accepting God's Word as true, and acting upon His Word. (Heb. 11:1; Romans 10)
       

   2. As it applies to salvation, our faith must be placed in Christ as our substitute and our Savior from sin. (Acts 16:31)
       

2. Salvation should result in good works, but Salvation is not conditioned upon good works. (Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 3:5)
    

 The Doctrine of Election

• Election is the sovereign act of God whereby He chose those whom he foreknew would respond to His gracious invitation to salvation. (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:1, 2)
   

1. Scripture teaches that God is sovereign in all things, including His dispensing of mercy. (Ex. 33:19; Rom. 9:15-23)
    

2. Scripture teaches that God actively chooses the elect.
   (Eph. 1:4, 5; 1 Thess. 1:4)
    

3. Scripture teaches that God's salvation bringing grace has appeared to all men, not merely the elect. (Titus 2:11)
    

4. Scripture clearly teaches that Christ died for all.
    (1 Tim. 2:6; 2 Pet. 2:1)

5. Scripture teaches that the invitation to salvation is to all--to "whosoever." (Rom. 10:13)

6. Scripture teaches that God is not willing that any should perish.
   (2 Pet. 3:9)

7. Scripture teaches that God is love. (1 John 4:8)

8. Scripture teaches that man has a free will.
    (Gen. 3; John 5:40; Matt. 23:37)
   
   

   • For all of the above statements to be true (and they are), then election must be directly related to God's foreknowledge. For if God is sovereign and omnipotent, and He is unwilling that any should perish, and yet all are not elect, then it is apparent that something has prevented God from electing everyone. That "something" is His knowledge that many will choose to reject His offer of salvation. Even though God has provided payment sufficient for the sins of world, He knows that many will refuse to accept it. Those who refuse to accept Christ's payment for their sins are left to be judged by Him, clothed in their own righteousness. They are condemned already. (John 3:18)