Monthly Archives: June 2012

Who is God?

Differing Views on Salvation

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There are several views on predestination, election and salvation. May I share with you some (not all) of these views. As we discuss these views, let us not forget to treat with due respect our fellow Christians who hold on to a differing view from what we believe in.

Calvinism

Theodore Beza believed salvation is only for the elect few.
John Calvin

Those who embrace Calvinism believe that salvation is the eternal choice of God for some selected people only—not for all. Only for some. Salvation is limited to a few. Some go to hell and some go to heaven according to God’s choice from the very start. An individual has no freedom of choice. It has been decided upon a long time ago by God from the very creation of the world who are going to be damned and who are going to be saved. They call this as “double predestination.” Some have been predestined to be saved and some have been predestined to be damned. God’s sovereignty is the basis and foundation of this theology. Essentially, this is Calvinism as taught by Theodore Beza who became the leader after John Calvin died.

In this view, God has two wills—to save the righteous and to damn the wicked.

Arminianism

Arminius
Jacobus Arminius

Those who embrace Arminianism believe that salvation is for everyone. They believe that God loves the whole world and salvation is for all. An individual has freedom of choice because God has given each person what is called as “prevenient grace”—the grace that empowers individuals to have a neutral will to choose good or evil—because reprobate man cannot choose good without “prevenient grace.” Those who choose to obey will go to heaven. Those who are disobedient will go to hell.

Based on God’s foreknowledge, he can foresee who will accept and who will reject his free gift of salvation and therefore God can decide in advance who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. In this view, God’s will is not thwarted and humans are given freedom of choice. Arminianism came about as a reaction to Theodore Beza’s version of Calvinism. Arminius who was a Calvinist, reacted to his fellow Calvinist Theodore Beza’s view after the death of John Calvin. This is essentially what Arminianism is all about.

Just like in Calvinism, in this view God has two wills—to save the righteous and to damn the wicked.

Incarnational Trinitarian Theology

In this theology, Christ is the center of it all. Christ is the Elected One to be a blessing for all. The purpose of election is to be a blessing to others—to include all—not rejection. In both Calvinism and Arminianism, election and predestination has to do with some people being chosen and some people being rejected—some will go to heaven and some will go to hell.

This is not so in Incarnational, Trinitarian Theology. Through Jesus Christ who is the Elected One, God chose and predestined ALL of humanity (not just a few) to be adopted as his sons through Christ in accordance with his will (Eph. 1:4-5 ). This is an objective truth and reality that has already been decided upon by God from the very beginning. Christ’s atoning work has already been done. It is finished.

Individually and subjectively, each person is encouraged to respond and accept this free gift of salvation so that he can personally experience and enjoy the benefits of salvation which is already true in Jesus Christ.

Salvation: God’s Free Gift

In view of God’s free gift of salvation each person is encouraged to respond positively (Acts 2:38 , Rom. 10:13 ). There is freedom of choice. God’s sovereignty is not threatened by giving humans the freedom to accept or reject his offer of salvation. Love cannot be forced nor coerced. God will not force anyone against his will. It has to be voluntary or it is not love at all.

Repentance and faith are urged upon everyone as the rightful response signifying acceptance of God’s free gift of salvation. In response to God’s great love, his followers love him in return by following him and obeying all of his commands. Obedience is motivated by love not fear of punishment.

In this view, God has only one will—to save both the righteous and the wicked. As Thomas Torrance puts it, “In God there is only grace. In God there is only ‘yes’ both for the believing and the unbelieving.”

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Who is God?

Are You Licensed to Sin?

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Question: “Please correct if I am wrong…but I get the impression…that even if I live a sinful life deliberate or not, I was, am, and will be forgiven….so I am no longer accountable for my actions, past, present and future, is that it?”

Answer: The grace that we now enjoy and benefit from does not give us the license to go on living a sinful way of life (Jude 1:4). That’s clear in the Bible. In fact, it is grace that teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and to live godly lives at this present time (Titus 2:11-12). Paul explained that since we are now under grace, we should no longer go on and continue sinning (Romans 6:1-2).

Yes, we do sin every time, all the time. But the wonderful thing is that, when we do sin, that has already been covered by the blood of Jesus Christ a long time ago. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ has already covered our sins past, present and future.

Through Paul, God is teaching us to say “No!” to ungodliness. To sin is not the right thing to do. As a way of life, that’s not right. But we do sin, all the time. That’s the problem. We don’t want to sin but we sin continually. Who is going to save us from this body of death? Paul answered his own question by saying  that he thanked the Lord Jesus Christ because he will rescue him from such a miserable situation (Romans 7:24-25).

Paul concluded that there is now therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Trust him (Rom 4). We may fall but we can get up trusting that Christ will forgive us. We are “covered” so to speak, no worries.

If we have a lot of sins, we can have confidence that God has more grace for us (Romans 5). Isn’t that wonderful? But it’s no license to sin. See the difference?

Who is going to separate us from God’s love? None, no one, nothing! (Romans 8) This is quite an assurance. We are not encouraging sin. But we do sin and are worthy of death. But thanks be to God’s grace, we will be fine. Isn’t that great?

So, am I accountable for my sins? Yes of course. But the wonderful thing is, Christ assumed it all for us. He became “sin” for us (2 Cor. 5:21 ). He took it all from us. He stood for us. He did not “count our sins” (2 Cor. 5:19). We are no longer under any penalty. We are no longer accountable — but only because Christ became accountable on our behalf. Our High Priest and Mediator stood for us on our behalf! We are therefore free from accountability! Unbelievable isn’t it? Believe it! That’s the truth!

Shall We Continue to Sin?

But shall we continue sinning that grace may abound? Does this give us a license not to care and just do as we please and commit sin at will? Of course not! (Romans 6) God’s grace should encourage us to love him and obey him more and more instead of rebel and sin against him and our fellowmen. Isn’t that the right thing to do? If a criminal was pardoned and freed, does this give him the freedom to commit crime again? Of course not. To do good is just but the right thing to do!

But will God forgive us each time if we make mistakes? Yes, just like the Father in the parable of the lost Son. He will always gladly welcome us back home. As one theologian said, “There is more grace in God than there is sin in us!” That’s really encouraging. That’s really good news! That’s is why the good news (gospel) is really good news!

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! (Galatians 5 ) This is the frame of mind and attitude we need to have about these things.

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Who is God?

Is Salvation Past, Present or Future?

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Did you know that the Bible does speak of salvation in the past, in the present and in the future? We normally think of salvation (or damnation) as something that will happen after we die, on judgment day.

But the Bible does speak of salvation in three ways or time periods: past, present and future. Here are some passages of Scripture on this one:

  1. Past – We have been saved. (Ephesians 2:5, 8; Rom. 5:8; Rev. 13:8)
  2. Present – We are being saved. (Acts 2:47, 1 Cor. 1:18, 2 Cor. 2:15)
  3. Future – We will be saved. (Romans 10:9, 13; Romans 11:26)

How then are we to understand and reconcile all these? Let’s try to understand Scripture based on the truth of who God is — God is love — as revealed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation in the Past

From God’s point of view, when he planned to send Jesus Christ to save mankind before the beginning of time, it was already as good as done. Therefore the apostle John said that Jesus Christ is “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). He was already “slain” even before it happened.

When it finally happened and Jesus Christ died on the cross some 2,000 years ago, he assumed all our sins and became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). While we were still sinners he already in the past died for us (Rom. 5:8). He paid for our sins (1 John 2:2). In this sense—in that context, it is as good as done, a done deal—from God’s point of view. “It is finished,” Jesus said so on the cross (John 19:30 ).

Salvation for all already happened when Christ died for us even before we were born. This is already true–an objective truth and reality. Whether one believes it or not, whether one is aware of it or not, it is already an accomplished reality through Jesus Christ. The rescue already happened in the past in so far as God is concerned. All sins forgiven—saved!—in the past (Col. 1:13-14).

Salvation in the Present

This free gift of salvation by grace is already true, made possible by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8). As our Mediator and High Priest he has already offered the only sacrifice that is acceptable to the Father. He died for us as our Substitute and Representative, on our behalf. This is the objective truth and reality.

Through the Holy Spirit (the Comforter whom Jesus sent), Jesus Christ is busy working right now in each one of us and he is busy transforming us to be conformed to him (Phil. 1:6, Gal. 4:19). In this sense (context), we are “being saved.” In this sense, “now is the time of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).

Whether one will enjoy the benefits of this salvation already made possible by Jesus Christ or not, is up to the individual. As a response to what Christ had already done to save us in the past, it is just but right that we “work out” our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). We are encouraged to change our thinking, our worldview (repent) and believe in Christ — or “accept Christ”, as some would say. This is the context of we are “being saved.” Repenting, believing and accepting this good news of salvation, living a righteous way of life or becoming like Christ, are our joyful responses to God, our participation in what Christ had already accomplished in the past on our behalf.

Salvation in the Future

At the second coming when the Lord Jesus returns, at the resurrection, those who are in Christ will be saved—their mortal bodies will be changed to spiritual bodies “in the twinkling of an eye” as Paul said (1 Cor. 15:51-52). Or, if we die before Christ comes, then we will be resurrected when he comes back to raise us up out of the dead — “the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thes. 4:16). In this sense (context), our salvation is yet future. This is the culmination and completion of our salvation when our mortal bodies will be changed to immortal, spiritual bodies.

So, we can see that the Bible does affirm that: 1) we have been saved, 2) we are being saved and, 3) we will be saved! Confusing? It need not be. It’s the great good news of the Lord Jesus Christ!

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Updated: 3/12/2020

Who is God?

How to Study the Bible

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The way I look at it, there are essentially two tasks involved in how to study the Bible properly. The first task is getting the facts and the second task is application of these facts.

First Task: Getting the Facts

Study the Bible

Think like a crime investigator trying to solve a mystery in a crime scene. Not exactly hahaha! But try to find out everything about that part of Scripture that you are studying or are interested in. Read through the book several times.

Try to find out what exactly happened back then. Try to imagine the original situation when it happened. What was the occasion? What was the situation? Ask probing questions. Who wrote the book? Who? What? When? Where? Why? What’s the point? Who was the author of the letter or book? Why did he write? Who was he writing to? Try to find out the situation in the past.

Find out the historical background or context. Find out the cultural background. Find out the literary context. Is this passage you are studying part of a letter, a poem, a song, a parable or a narrative? It will have a great bearing on how you interpret Scripture. Check the grammatical context if need be. Check various Bible translations and other Bible helps. It’s not wrong to ask Bible scholars. They know their work. Was it originally written in Hebrew or Greek? You might need to do a word study as well and consult scholars since most of us are not Greek or Hebrew scholars. Get all the relevant facts available. Google check it. It’s so easy nowadays to get information through the internet.

For this first task on how to study the Bible, you are like a crime investigator trying to get the pieces of the puzzle together to “solve a mystery”—sort of haha! What happened back then during that particular situation described in the passage? Get all the relevant facts. Some call this first task as exegesis.

Second Task: Application of the Facts

The second task in how to study the Bible involves interpreting all the relevant facts that has been gathered and then applying all the lessons learned into our present situation at this time. We may call this as the application part.

In light of what we have discovered in the first task of exegesis and in light of who God really is as revealed in Jesus Christ, how do we then now interpret and understand all of these relevant information for application into our modern situation at this present time? Or is the passage even applicable to us now? It may not even be for us today. This is the second task.

Combining these two tasks together, some call this whole process as hermeneutics.

I believe these are good points to remember when we study the Bible for our edification and spiritual transformation to become like Christ.

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