Second Written Assessment Flashcards
What must we do in order to be saved?
Before we do anything, A, we must be called by God. (Rom 8:29-30)
B, we must be regenerated. (2 Cor 5:17)
Once God does this, our response will be
A, turning from our sin (1 John 1:9)
B, trusting in Jesus for our salvation (Rom 1:16-17).
These two acts are called “conversion”.
These are not one-time actions, but are lifelong responses to the good news of God’s grace for us in Jesus.
Fully describe the order of salvation. Give two passages of scripture for each element.
Every Great Road Can Jump Another Street Please Dear God
Election - p.670 Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only bc of his sovereign good pleasure.
Rom 8:29-30
Rm 9:11-13
Gospel Call - Effective calling is an act of God the Father, speaking through the human proclamation of the gospel, in which he summons people to himself in such a way that they respond in saving faith.
Rom 10:13-15
Rom 8:30
Regeneration - Regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. (i.e. “born again”)
1 Cor 5:17
John 3:3
Conversion - Conversion is our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation.
1 John 1:9
John 3:16
Justification - Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight.
2 Cor 5:21
Rom 4:5
Adoption - Adoption is an act of God whereby he makes us members of his family.
Rom 8:15
John 1:12
Sanctification - Sanctification is a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.
Phil 2:12-13
2 Cor 3:18
Perseverance - The perseverance of the saints means that all those who are truly born again will be kept by God’s power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives, and that only those who persevere until the end have been truly born again.
Phil 1:6
Heb 6:11-12
Death - The final outcome of living in a fallen world, which God uses to complete our sanctification and our union with Christ.
Rom 5:12
Phil 1:23
Glorification - Glorification is the final step in the application of redemption. It will happen when Christ returns and raises from the dead the bodies of all believers for all time who have died, and reunites them with their souls, and changes the bodies of all believers who remain alive, thereby giving all believers at the same time perfect resurrection bodies like his own.
1 Cor 15:51 (-53)
Rom 8:30
Fully describe the difference between conditional and unconditional election
Conditional Election:
Defined: Before the foundations of the earth, God forknew those who would respond to the gospel call positively, and consequently predestined them to be saved.
Unconditional Election:
Defined: (Unconditional) election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any forseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure
Two main differences between these views:
A. With CE, the ultimate dicision rests in the hands of the individual. But with UE, the ultimate decision is God’s.
B. Both UE and CE positions agree that it is God’s will that all be saved (1 Tim 2:4), and that many are not saved (Matt 7:14). So these two camps answer why differently. CE says that humanity’s right to have a will completely unaffected by God to be more important to him than saving everyone. UE says that it is God’s seeking of his own due glory that is more important to him than saving everyone (Rom 9:21-23).
A friend tells you that arguing about election is ultimately pointless and even harmful to the church because theologians have argued over it for centuries and they still disagree and that all it does is create division within the church. How do you respond?
A. It matters to God because talks about it in his word; his revelation of himself to us. (Rom 8:29-30, Rom 9, Eph 1:4-11, etc)
B. It matters because it has profound practical effects. If we believe that ultimately we can save ourselves, we must have some sort of spiritual or intellectual superiority over those who are not saved. On the other hand, if God has the grace to save some of us, none of whom are deserving, our response will be eternal gratitude and diligence to God for his grace.
Someone says if God chose us unconditionally then our love is insincere and robotic. How do you respond?
1 John 4:19 - We love because he first loved us.
If we had not been loved by God in the first place, we’d have no chance to love. Moreover, just because God has predestined our choices does not mean they are not real choices. God is the ultimate definer of what is valid, and he created us with the ability to make real choices that affect the outcome of our lives. We do not have to make decisions completely separate from God for our decisions to be valid or real.
How do you respond to the statement that God is not being fair by choosing some and not others?
First of all, God shows that he is in fact fair when he chooses not to save some, because fairness would demand that all who sin against God be punished. According to Rom 3:23, we’ve all sinned, and according to Heb 9:22 and Rom 6:23, death is the penalty of sin. But when he chooses to save some from their sins, he is showing that he is not only just (or fair), but incredibly gracious as well. Secondly, it should be mentioned that we, as beings created by, through and for Jesus (as read in Col 1:16), have no right to question God’s purposes in how he has created us. Paul harshly corrects those in the Roman church who would do such a thing as demand a response from God, as if they knew better than him (Rom 9:19-26). Lastly, in light of these answers, another question could be posed – Would God really be more fair if there was never any penalty for wrongdoing?
A friend tells you that he doesn’t believe in predestination because the Bible teaches that God wants everyone to be saved and that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, not just the elect. He cites John 3:16–17, John 6:51, John 12:32, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 2 Corinthians 5:14–19, 1 Timothy 2:5–6, Hebrews 2:9, 2 Peter 2:1, and 1 John 2:2 to support his argument. How do you respond?
First off, predestination is explicitly mentioned in the Bible, so if one believes that the Bible is worth quoting as much as this guy, he can’t say that he “doesn’t believe in predestination”. Predestination in mentioned in Rom 8:29, and in Eph 1:4-11.
Secondly, Calvinists and Arminians both agree that not all people will be saved, even though God wills it. Matthew 7:13-14 makes that clear. But it’s not because God isn’t in control that he doesn’t get what he wills. It’s because he wills for something else more.
John 3:16-17 - The doctrine of predestination agrees that one must believe and trust in Jesus to be saved, like seen in John 3:16. It only differs on the answer to who has the ultimate power to save souls.
John 6:51 - In this very same paragraph, in v. 44, Jesus has already laid out the context of v. 51, when he says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws him”.
John 12:32 - In this context, “all people” refers to “all kinds of people”, or “people from all nations”.
1 Cor 15:22 - “in Christ is a modifier of that statement. So, “all who are in Christ will be made alive”. It is made abundantly clear through other Pauline passages that he does not believe that everyone will be saved.
etc. etc.
Is it appropriate to refer to the Holy Spirit as a Person? Why or why not? Use three passages from Scripture to support your argument. What difference does it make in our lives if we see or don’t see the Holy Spirit as a Person?
Scipture constantly refers to the Holy Spirit as having personal qualities. He teaches (14:26), he is lied to (Acts 5:3), he cries (Rom 8:15) and he is called “he” (John 15:26).
When we fail to see the Holy Spirit as a person, we begin to belittle him, and see him as less in value than the other persons of the Trinity. It is also to fail to believe that the Spirit can do many things that the Bible says he will do for us, such as pray for us, teach us, guide us into all truth, etc.
Is it appropriate to refer to the Holy Spirit as God? Why or why not? Use three passages from Scripture to support your argument. What difference does it make in our lives if we see or don’t see the Holy Spirit as God?
Yes. The Scripture affirms the Holy Spirit’s Deity.
Acts 5:3-4, 9 (Annanias and Sapphira)
Heb 3:7-11 (The HS says, “God things”)
Gen 1:2 (HS does things only God can do)
What difference does it make?
You are talking to a friend, and he expresses the importance of relying on the Holy Spirit rather than God’s Word to determine His will for our lives. How do you respond?
The Holy Spirit wrote the Word of God. 2 Pet 1:21
Sufficiency of Scripture…
Compare and contrast the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament and the Old Testament. Describe both the consonance and the dissonance from the Old to the New. What are the practical implications in our lives for the differences in His work then and now? Use three passages of Scripture to illustrate your response.
Consonance:
He empowered people for ministry. (Ex 31:2, Eph 4:11)
He spoke (Ezek 11:5, Rom 8:15)
He was equally authoritative (Gen 1, Acts5:3-4)
Dissonance:
He was more active in the NT.
In the OT, he empowered, but never indwelt people. Now, he dwells within all believers. (Rom 8:11)
New Spiritual gifts. (Apostle, Evangelism, etc.) (Eph 4:11)
He now prays within us, on our behalf. (Rom 8:27)
Practical:
John 16:7 - It’s an advantage that we have the Holy Spirit instead of Jesus in the flesh.
How can we properly assess whether we are filled with the Holy Spirit? Use three passages of Scripture to support your response.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:18 “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit.” This is something that should repeatedly happen and not just a one-time experience. So how do we assess this?
- Being filled with the Spirit results in renewed worship and thanksgiving (Eph 5:18-20).
- We should experience increased sanctification and power over sin (Romans 8:12-17).
- Empowering with spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:4-11) and fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
- Speaking in tongues CAN be a result (Acts 2:4) but is NOT always one (Luke 4:14).
A friend asks you if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. You say that you’re not sure what he means. He asks you if you speak in tongues. How do you respond?
There are many instances where being filled with the Spirit results in speaking in tongues, but that is not always the case. The Spirit fills a person and empowers them to do more than that.
John 4:1 - Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit to resist temptation.
What role did the Holy Spirit play in empowering Jesus’s ministry? What role can the Holy Spirit play in empowering our ministry today?
In Luke 4:16-19, at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus proclaims that the words of Isaiah have been fulfilled in him; that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, and has anointed him to do many works. From this prophecy seen in Luke, and Isa 61:1-3, we can compile a long list, though not comprehensive, of works that Jesus performed by the power of the Holy Spirit. He brought freedom to captives, he comforted those who mourned, he preached good news, etc. Every work that Jesus did was by the empowerment of the Spirit of God. As for our ministry today, we are not filled with a weaker version of the Spirit that Jesus was empowered by, but the very same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11). Therefore, we can expect the same empowerment of the Spirit to fulfill our earthly ministry as Jesus had. He himself said (John 16:7) that it would be better for him in his humanity to leave us, so that the Holy Spirit could dwell in us. It is by the Spirit that we have the power to accomplish all aspects our ministry. Acts 1:8 says he’ll empower us for ministry to all the earth. 1 Cor 14:12 says that spiritual gifts will empower us for service in the church.
How, practically, can we rely on the Holy Spirit in our daily lives?
What is the identity of the Church? How does the Doctrine of Salvation inform the identity of the Church?
The identity of the Church is rooted in what God has done through Christ. We will not be able to understand the actions of the church if we first don’t understand that identity of the church.
The Church and the Doctrines of Salvation
´ Election and Calling – Special People
´ Special possession by His election & calling of us. We are “known” by God.
o 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
´ Regeneration and Conversion – New People
´ We have new desires… we “want” God. We’re new.
o 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”
´ Justification – Righteous People
´ We lack nothing before God because Jesus’ righteousness is applied to us.
o Romans 8:3-4, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
´ Adoption – Familial People
´ We are a family… brothers & sisters as a part of the family of God.
o Ephesians 2:18, “For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
´ Sanctification – Learning People
´ We are constantly learning more about God & ourselves.
o Hebrews 10:14, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
´ Perseverance and Death – Exiled People
´ We are made to experience suffering & exile.
o 1 Peter 2:11, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”
´ Glorification – Rich People
´ We will inherit the universe. We will reign forever over everything.
o Revelation 22:3-5, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
The Purpose of Salvation
The identities given to the Church through her salvation in Christ now produce new purposes and goals. Who we are is the grounds for what God commands us to do.
