7th & 8th Doctrine Flashcards
Doctrine 8
We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
Doctrine 7
We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.
Repentance - definition
Repentance is the sincere determination to forsake sin and obey God
Cross: central structure of the gospels
Death and resurrection of Jesus take up disproportionate amount of space
Everything is arranged to lead to the climax of the cross
The sermons in Acts major on death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:23, Hebrews 2:9, revelation 7:14)
Everywhere in the NT it is emphasized that the cross is at the heart of the faith
Conditions do salvation - human response to divine initiative
Repentance is an indispensable condition of salvation
In the OT, it meant to turn and to return, like rebellious servants returning to their rightful owner
In the NT, repentance relates to the to man’s part in deceiving salvation
Turn from sin with real regret and turn to God in confession
An initial experience - conversion
Trinitarian act involving human participation
God’s grace determines possibility of salvation
Jesus’ death provide atonement
The Holy Spirit convicts of need
The believer repents toward God
The believer accepts in faith the atoning act of Christ
A continuing experience - spiritual growth
Daily obedient faith of the believer
The guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit
An Ultimate experience - sanctification
Work of the Holy Spirit by the will of God and the sacrifice of Christ
Crisis - surrender of complete self
Process - growth in the likeness of Christ
Two conditions of salvation
Repentance is toward God (Psalm 51:1-4)
Faith is in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22)
Stages of repentance
- Conviction of sin: recognition of guilt (psalm 38:4), recognition that sin deserves punishment (exodus 32:33; Ezequiel 18:14)
- Hatred so sin: rejection of sin (psalm 66:18; Amos 5:15), rejection of sin’s rule (psalm 119:133)
- Sorrow for sin: regrets sin - not just its consequences (2 Corinthians 7:10-11)
- Renunciation of sin: intention to give up sin (Isaiah 55:7) - act of the will, but power given by the Holy Spirit
- Confession of sin: acknowledgement and proclamation (1 John 1:9)
- Desire for forgiveness: longing for pardon (psalm 25:11)
- Submission to God: recognizes powerlessness and yields to God’s power and pardon (1Peter 4:1-6, 5:6), willingness to obey (2 chronicles 30:6-9)
- Willingness to make restitution: intention to right wrongs (Luke 19:8-9; numbers 5:5-7)
Conditions of salvation - what is involved in repentance?
Conviction of wrong Hatred of sin Godly sorrow Renunciation - give up sin and wrong doing Confession - acknowledgment where we have wronged someone Desire to be forgiven (psalm 51:1) Submission to God Be willing to make restitution
David’s psalm
Conviction - v. 3 Hatred of sin - v. 4 Godly sorrow - v. 5 Renunciation - v. 13-15 Confession - v. 5 Desire to be forgiven - v. 1, 7 Submission - 12b, 10 Willingness to make restitution - v. 16
Faith - definition
Saving faith is not just an assent to the truth of scripture, but involves a trusting acceptance of God’s grace in Christ and confidence in a pardoning God.
Human reaction with many expressions: believing in, trusting, reliance upon
Saving faith
Is accompanied by repentance: recognizes failure of sin (Romans 1:16-17), desires God - seeks Him (Deuteronomy 4:29, 1 chronicles 28:9, 2 chronicles 7:14; psalm 119:10), trusts God’s power and willingness to forgive (psalm 20:7, 37:3, Isaiah 55:7)
Results in commitment: intentional, determined faith - ‘I will trust thee’
Personal faith
Personal faith (Galatians 2:20)
Focused on God alone for salvation: no other savior - no other savior (Isaiah 43:11; Hosea 13:4; acts 4:12), not by my efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7)
Responds to the gospel message (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 1:13)
Acting faith
Passivity - resting on God’s promises, be quiet - god is in control (Zephaniah 3:18; psalm 46:10), Be confident (Isaiah 30:15; Jeremiah 17:7)
Activity - living to do God’s will: in obedience (Romans 1:5; John 14:23-24), in fruitfulness (John 15:16), in faithfulness (revelation 2:10)
The results of repentance
The result is redemption
The full scope of God’s redemptive plan is seen in its dominating purpose - the transformation of sinful man into the divine likeness
Four-fold picture of Christ’s saving work
Sacrifice Propitiation
The answer to guilt The answer to God’s wrath
Reconciliation. Redemption
The answer to God’s. The answer to our bondage
alienation from us. To sin and Satan
History of mankind
Generation
Degeneration
Regeneration
Regeneration - Origen of the word
Regeneration (palingenesia) is from a compound word meaning, “birth” and “again”, and is used of spiritual regeneration. (John 3:3-8; Ephesians 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:23; cf. Ezequiel 36:25-27).
Regeneration - definition
‘Rebirth,’ ‘new life’
The change effected by the Holy Spirit in the heart of the penitent at the time of forgiveness.
The ‘re-creation’ into the ‘image of God’ - the restoration of covenant relationship, God’s original intention for humanity
Regeneration - appearances in scripture
‘New creation’ - 2 Corinthians 5:17
‘New birth’ - ‘born again’ - John 3:3-7
‘Born of the spirit’ - John 3:5-8
‘Born of God’ - John 1:13; 1 John 3:9
‘Passing from death to life’ - 1 John 3:14
‘Passing from darkness to light’ - John 8:12; Ephesians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Regeneration - what it consists of?
‘Quickened’ - ‘made alive’ Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13
Receiving ‘eternal life’ - John 17:2-3, Romans 6:23, 1 John 5:20
Becoming a temple in dwelt by the Holy Spirit - 1 Corinthians 6:19
Receiving Christian (Christ-like) qualities - Galatians 5:22-25, 2 Peter 1:3-4
Regeneration - process
Only the Holy Spirit, working in the heart could produce such change.
It is beginning.
The beginning are seen in the saved, with greater evidence as the life is yielded fully to Him, and when sanctified, filled with the Spirit.
The ultimate purpose of Christ’s atonement is our sanctification.
Ephesians 3:16-17; Colossians 1:27; Philippians 2:13
