 An essential biblical doctrine and therefore an essential doctrine of this church is the doctrine of salvation. Salvation or soteriology is a broad doctrine and deals with the work of Christ, the Redeemer and its application to the elect by the Holy Spirit. During this lesson, we're going to use Romans 8, 29 and 30 to focus on some major aspects of the doctrine of salvation. So turn with me to Romans 8, 29 to 30 and we have two different handouts here. One is the main one for the class and another one's a diagram of the golden chain in the text we're looking at. Okay, so let's read Romans 8, 29 and 30. Those are the focus texts but I'm going to restart at 28 because that group fits together well in context. Thank you. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the call according to his purpose, for whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified and whom he justified, these he also glorified. These are some major aspects of salvation which we're going to briefly look at this morning for knowledge, predestination, calling, justification and glorification. I hope to address some application along the way. If you'd like, please reference and use this handout, this is what we hand out in essentials. I plan to reference it. Before jumping into the terms of Romans 8, 29 through 30, let me give a brief reminder of the context of Romans 8 and Romans 8, 17 if you'll look there. The children and heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together. Paul reminds his readers that they must suffer with Christ in this life in order that they may be glorified with Christ. Then in verse 18, he boldly claims that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed to us. From here he gives three proofs as evidence why his claim is true. Creation, believers and the spirit are longing for glorification with cronies in different ways. Then he concludes by explaining what the plan of God according to which the spirit intercedes in verses 28 to 30. The spirit intercedes on our behalf according to the glorious sovereign plan of God which stretches from eternity through time into eternity. This plan as revealed in Romans 8, 29 and 30 is called the golden chain of salvation by a lot of theologians. There's another handout looks like this as a chain up here that's to help you picture the chain when we speak of it. So let's reread Romans 8, 28 through 30 and keep moving. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are the called according to his purpose for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren moreover whom he predestined these he also called whom he called these he also justified and whom he justified these he also glorified. I'm going to reference this handout now and read this paragraph at the base of it. It helps show the connectivity of this chain and why it's even called a chain. Notice the chain of events those whom God knew or fixed his heart upon in ages past he marked out or ordained and in time he called effectually and he justified and he glorified so indissoluble is the chain that the last link is here viewed as an accomplished fact because the first links are so. The exact number known by God before the world began shall be glorified no more no less and all of them must and will pass through each of these five steps. To illustrate suppose God foreknew 100 individuals. Then he predestined 100 individuals he called 100 he justified 100 and he glorified 100 individuals none are gained none are lost he will bring to salvation each individual whom he set his heart on love for the world began. This is why it's called a chain because the links are inseparable. If you pick up a chain at any link. You pick up the whole chain and it is so with this doctrine of salvation if you pick up calling comes with it for knowledge of God it comes with it glorification. So how do we know all things work together for good for those who love God who are called because of God's plan which we're calling the golden chain assurance here is based on God's plan of salvation let's look at each term in the chain so the first one is for no for new for knowledge in the Greek I want to use the Greek words because they help differentiate between these terms even if you're not familiar you can at least hear it in association and I can give you the Greek definition pro gnozko choose beforehand or no beforehand to author steel and Thomas give a definition for knowledge is equivalent to for love those who were the objects of God's love he marked out for salvation I want to show you that from Romans 11 11 to that this for no means for love because some people may take this to mean God looks into the future of his creation and sees faith in his people and on the basis of what he sees he predestines them to salvation so because of that that prevalent teaching I want to prove this definition I just gave you and not just have it hang out there with something I just said so Romans 11 to the same word is used God has not cast away his people whom he for knew that's the same word for new it's talking about Israel and I want to look at a text in Deuteronomy 7 to show and illustrate how God for knew Israel Deuteronomy 7 7 through 8 the Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were more in any more in number than any other people for you were the least of all people but because the Lord loves you and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt so you can see how it wasn't because Israel was worthy of being loved they weren't a great nation or their number wasn't great it was because God loved them that they became a nation look with me at Jeremiah 1 psalm showing you some of the concept of for love this is talking about it you know Jeremiah an individual now seven nation but then the word of the Lord came to me I'm reading in verse 4 then the word of the Lord came to me saying before I formed you in the womb I knew you before he were born I sanctified you I ordained you a prophet to the nations he's speaking to bolster Jeremiah's faith and strengthen him and he does it by saying I knew you before you were in your mother's womb he's not saying I knew about you he's saying I knew you another place you can see a cognate of this word in the New Testament is in Matthew of course over here in the Old Testament we're looking at the concept but now I want to go to Matthew and look at this word used in the Greek or Matthew 7 verses 23 and then I will declare to them I never knew you apart from me you who practice lawlessness he's not saying I never knew about you because he's a judge of all the earth he knew these people who he's sending into destruction he knew of them he knew about them he knew that who they were it's not I knew you were about you or I knew you were going to be like this he's saying I didn't know you in a loving relationship in an intimate affectionate relation I did not know you that way so in Romans chapter 8 that's the way that I believe is the proper interpretation some believe you know this means that God is foreseeing and knowing the potential faith of believers but if you look in the Romans text there's no need to try to add to it any qualifiers you don't need to add in there whom he foreknew would have faith God isn't foreknowing events of believers like potential faith he's knowing them he's foreknowing them individually there is a lot of literature on this argument and for time sake I'm going to move on but if anybody is hung up on that please come see me when there's free time today I even brought some books with me I can show you does anybody have any questions on taking foreknowledge as foreloved sure Genesis for one says now Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived in bull cane and said love it's an intimate love between and that's the use of that hey man thank you okay and an application I think it for believers with this is to resist the thinking that this doctrine of salvation is cold God for loved you he set his affection on you before he created anything and because he sat his love upon you he predestined that you would be glorified with Christ so don't think of the order of salvation as a cold doctrine but be encouraged and comforted as you persevere with this knowledge that God foreknew you let's go to the next term for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of a son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren he also predestined before reading the handout on this let me address predestination versus election we have us we have a system at we have in our repertoire of words and definitions and our understanding of those words we have words that come to us in systematic theologies and we have words that come straight out of the Bible sometimes they match up and sometimes the systematics are talking about a theology and you can't just meet put all of that into one text in the Bible we need to be careful to get our definitions from context so if we're reading about election in the systematic theology we need to get the context of that systematic theology understand election reading about it in the Bible there's different forms of election in the Bible there's election of a nation there's election that's eternal your salvation so context should be a helpful guide to us as we look at the word meanings and in Romans 8 in context Paul uses a Greek word in Romans 8 29 and 30 and it's pro-orezzo and a helpful definition of that is to decide upon beforehand to decide upon beforehand for predetermined I believe predestination is a good translation in context Paul is stating that those who are foreknown or foreloved by God are predetermined or predestined for his planned end which the part of God's plan which Paul highlights is to be conformed to the image of his son so that Christ can be preeminent among many brethren I think this section could have been titled predestination also on our handout titled it elect election we could have titled it predestination if we're trying to stick pretty close to the Romans the focus pre-depth the predestination of God here is the end of conformity to Christ because of the handout is going with election I want to read that definition but when you read system addicts they'll talk to you and you'll learn and reform system addicts or those who are picking up reform theology there's predestination and predestination deals with God predetermining the eternal destinies of rational create creation like man and angels and then sometimes they'll lead out angels and just make it about men but it's dealing with those who are I call them rational we're rational creatures we're not we yet we're able to worship God we have moral faculties we have a will and within predestination you have election and you have reprobation so systematics you'll read predestination and they're meaning it more broadly encompass the destinies of all people and then when they used to word election talking about believers in context Paul's referencing believers he uses the word predestined in the Greek it just means predetermined but let me read this definition this is more of a systematic definition of election and it's right here in the heart of this word that we're looking at 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 because of his sovereign good pleasure so he chooses some it's not because of any foreseen merit and it's only because of his good pleasure that's election it's very much opposed in history by a lot of different people groups and whenever you make man an idol you're going to oppose this because you want to say man doesn't need election that's unfair it's violating man's free will but let's look at 2nd Timothy 1 9 which is a reference here this is bringing out this concept that God chooses and acts before time began who saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began and if you look at 1st Peter 1 2 to the pilgrims I'll read it start start at 1 Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ to the pilgrims of the dispersion and Pontus Galatia capo dosia Asia and Bessinia elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father so you can see election we could go to Ephesians you go to Acts 13 there's many places that election is taught in scripture how does election refute the idea of works salvation I mean Mr. Tom can you wait he's got it I think it's working now this helps clearly define the cause and the effect the effect yeah there's there's good works that he set aside for you to do the cause it's all him amen if you look at the Romans 9 this one page over verses 10 and 12 this is exactly what Paul is is making very clear that election is opposed to works salvation Romans 9 10 and not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man even by our father Isaac for the children not yet being born nor having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him who calls it was said to her the older shall serve the younger as it is written Jacob I have loved you saw I've hated you can see how it's before they exist and it's done that way that the purpose of God according to election might stand and not of works so if you have a works based mentality of salvation the more clearly you understand election the more difficult you're going to have with and you're going to find yourself trying to reinterpret it or fight it but look at the text Richard a Muller says this about election these are a couple I'm going to get Muller and Calvin election is the positive part of predestination according to which God chooses in Christ those individuals who will be his eternally dictionary of Latin and Greek geological Calvin he says this in his institutes election is God's once establishment by his eternal and unchangeable plan those whom he long before determined once for all to receive into salvation and those whom on the other hand he would devote to destruction how does the apostle Paul answer the objection that election is not fair in Romans 9 10 through 24 so he'll flip the page over Romans 9 how does Paul answer the objection that election is not fair and I think that this question is helpful because one of the ways the election gets opposed and attacked this doctrine is by saying if what you're saying is true Mr Calvinist then God is not being fair because he's electing and then there's those who are reprobating so how does Paul answer that objection Mr. Noel I believe he answers that question by saying that man is not like qualified or in the position to make that determination to begin with in verse 19 you will say to me then what is he still fine fall for who can resist as well but who are you a man to answer back to God I think that's how he answers the question yeah yeah yeah Zavio okay Brianna he also points out Paul also points out says you oh man so you have God the creator and you have this creature so you have a man cannot act towards God because of his very I because I saw Zavio and say him and then I saw pastor it next to me I agree with all of the answers I was focusing more on verse 15 just the one they were mercy and the reason why is because like none of us deserve you know salvation so God is not being fair because like he chooses to whom he can have mercy on you know like we're all like guilty you know we we're all deserving we're all on our way to hell you know and running towards hell you know so if the Lord chooses to say some it's actually something good that he's doing you know he's saving so I think of mercy when I hear that question yeah yeah that's great yes where the well Brianna they they really focused upon I think rightly so who is man right I think the text these the verses that you cited also point to the absolute freedom of God God does what he will and we have nothing to say in return so in verse 13 as it is written Jacob I love that he saw I hated so what is the reason God loved we haven't we have and and he saw he hates we have nothing to say in response and cannot answer God and object and say you have no right no God is free he is free to choose to bestow his love upon whom he wills then again in verse 18 or then he has mercy on whomever he wills and he hardens whomever he wills again just God's freedom hey man someone told me one time if you don't preach election or teach it you won't ever get these objections the fact that Paul's addressing these objections shows that the doctrine of election is biblical this is not a Calvinistic grabbed out of the air idea the doctrines that get called Calvinism are biblical and Paul's addressing objections throughout this letter and here he's objects addressing objections in regards to election if it's not true why is he addressing these objections it's because it's true my friend okay the next term is effectual calling or I'm sorry calling what we called it effectual calling and I think we stop at 930 940 okay all right let's see so in the back into Romans 8 for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of a son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren moreover whom he predestined these he also called when you look when you look at the handout that you have there's a definition on there it's from John Murray and I think in regards to what we're talking about the the doctrine of salvation today and we're looking at some major aspects of that the part that you want to look that deals with the application of salvation I think John Murray's we got this on our shelf it's a really good book redemption accomplished and applied he says the call that ushers men into into a state of salvation and is therefore effectual so this call is one that actually ushers them into a state of being saved and because it does that it's effectual I want to read our confession briefly I'll just read one paragraph those whom God hath predestined unto life we just talked about predestination he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to call by his word and spirit out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ and this is what he does this is what happens when a person is effectually called enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God taking away their heart of stone and giving to them a heart of flesh renewing their wills and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely being made willing by his grace I'm sorry that was chapter 10 under effectual calling paragraph one the reason why it's called effectual is because it's irresistible everybody who is a called in this way response because of God's sovereignty there is another call in scripture the general call or sometimes it's called the outward call whereas this one's called the inward if you look in Matthew 22 verse 14 for many are called but few are chosen I was just going to ask what's necessarily the difference between effectual calling and regeneration oh that's a good question the best teacher I've read on that is Murray in this book actually let's first address this general call and then I'll answer that if you look in 14 he makes this Jesus makes this statement for many are called but few are chosen and in the parable of the wedding feast there's many people who are invited but they weren't willing to come and then he sends them he sends out his stewards or his messengers out to further extent to fill his his feast to fill his wedding okay but there was a man there without a wedding garment and he he's an illustration of someone who entered he was invited but he came the wrong way he didn't have a garment but this phrase many are called but but few are chosen the first phrase there many are called is not everybody that's called makes it in the parable there were many who were not willing to come they were called they were invited to the wedding but they did not come so there's a call here that is resisted so there's a general call that everybody who hears the gospel is getting a genuine call from God it's actual and true and it's a genuine call to salvation in Christ but not all those who hear that gospel are effectually called because not all come but all those that do come why do they come because they were effectually called because the effectual call God does what they can't and won't do he enlightens their mind spiritually he takes away their heart of stone he renews their wills and his mighty power determining that which is good he draws into Jesus and back in Romans 8 one of the things Paul is laboring to stress through this golden chain is the sovereignty of God and the fulfillment of his plan it's out of context for Paul to be referencing the general call a call that is not always fulfilled and obeyed because all these things are things that God does alone he's the one who foreknows he's the one who predestines and if I skip past call he's the one who justifies and he's the one who glorifies and now you're going to tell you're going to try to argue that the call is the general call that it doesn't fit so Tyler's question about what's the difference between the effectual call and regeneration I haven't read a lot on it so if I'm wrong I'll leave it up to one of the elders to correct this but it's coming from John Murray and I thought it was helpful let me just turn that real quick it he he basically argues that effectual call precedes regeneration they are they go together they're inseparable but the call is coming from God where he describes it as God's summoning you and when he summons you he regenerates you to make that summons effective but the actual call coming from him is there's distinguishable difference between the regeneration he calls it a difference of priority that's the gist of it and his his one of his arguments is in this golden chain Paul's not saying regeneration or born again he's saying called because in the application of redemption he's wanting to start at the very beginning which is totally of God where God initiates that call that leads you know that brings in the regeneration and puts them into union with Christ in the application of redemption the one of his arguments is because of Paul's desire to bring out the sovereignty of God he uses called here because that's initial and has a priority of regeneration so his argument isn't like they are tight but I thought it had some logic to it and it made sense to me so I'd haven't read a lot on that from Murray it's helpful it's um I can't what page but it's uh it's from the same book and what Murray argues is correct is the external so and you you said this but to summarize the effectual call there is a sense where it is external right the it's it's the proclamation of the gospel it's that call that summons so it's external right but that same call has an internal effect which is regeneration so Murray puts it this way he says God's call since it is effectual carries with it the operative grace whereby the person called isn't able to answer the call and to embrace Jesus Christ as he is freely offered in the gospel man does anybody else have any questions on is this so what would be the difference between justification and regeneration justification and regeneration regeneration there's I don't know how to best word this but there's a change in the heart of the person they're being made alive they're being enlightened and their heart is being changed in justification their their heart's not being changed because of the justification the justification is a legal act of God where he declares someone righteous based on the imputed righteousness of Christ but that legal declaration justified is not the changing of the man but they're they go together because justification comes through the instrument of faith so how do we receive the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith it's an instrument but the the basis or the ground for our justification is not our faith it's the righteousness of Christ which has been imputed to us but in receiving that imputed righteousness by faith how do I get faith comes by regeneration so regeneration actually is involved in justification rebecca I have a verse that kind of helps with the um a sexual call and the outward call and how the sexual is different because it's mixed with grace um in faith so in Hebrews 4 verse 2 for indeed we have had the we have had good news preached to us just as they also but the word they heard did not profit them because it was not united by faith in those who heard hey man that's a good text too clearly they was it united with faith and they heard okay uh well I think I'm going to move on to the justification since he asked the question in time state is anybody have any other questions about the effectual call okay uh Xavier if anything you know you can talk to me maybe after but I was I had a question about um the confession chapter 10 paragraph 3 um that talks about the elect infant dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the spirit who works with um when and where and how he pleases to also are all other elect persons were in came in capable how do you say that in capable of being um hourly called by the ministry the word um is getting you know as I'm thinking about the topic of you know calling and you know that um I was reading that paragraph and I was a little confused but you know what's gonna but if it is gonna I don't want to yeah you know I would like to handle that one outside of this time but that's a good good question well let's go to justification it's the next term in this golden chain the last one is glorification justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he thinks of our sins as forgiven in Christ's righteousness as belonging to us and declares us to be righteous in his sight Wayne Grutum uh Murray brings out the value of justification if justification is confused with regeneration like we were talking about that if you confuse those two uh willfully even ignorantly it has its effects but I mean if you press on first thing the door is opened if you confuse justification with with regeneration or sanctification the door is open for the perversion of the gospel at its center justification is still the article of the standing or following of the church is he's trying to bring out the value of justification like it's very important we have a sound theology on justification the truth of justification this is continuing Murray has suffered at the hands of human perversion as much as any doctrine one of the ways in which it has been perverted is the failure to reckon with the meaning of the term what is just what does the term mean justification does not mean to make righteous so when you say I justify you like a judge says he's not making that person righteous it doesn't mean making them good or holy or upright a believer is made holy so he's giving a concession here yes a believer is made holy in the application of redemption but justification does not refer to this renewing and sanctifying grace of god justification is simply a declaration or pronouncement respecting the relation of the person to the law which the judge is required to administer so you look at Deuteronomy 25 verse one if there is a dispute between men and they come to court that the judges may judge them and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in the in his presence according to his guilt with a certain number of blows it was not the duty of judges to make people righteous that's not what is happening here when you justify the righteous it's you discern based off of why you're in front of me have you obey the law you have okay I declare you righteous according to that law what I just did as if I were a judge is I justified him I didn't make him righteous he was already righteous when he came up all I did was declare through the civil authority that I have the judgment of justified and if someone's done wickedness and the law shows their guilt then I will declare them condemned but I'm not making them wicked I'm declaring and bringing a legal judgment upon what is before me is that hell let's look at it Proverbs 17 15 he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just both of them are like or an abomination to the Lord Proverbs 17 15 so you justify the wicked that means you have a wicked person in front of you before the court and you say you're justified you're righteous you make a judgment a legal declaration he's righteous but he's wicked he's guilty but you legally declare him righteous God says that's an abomination to him and vice versa if someone's legally right or they're righteous and then you condemn them and you say I declare you condemned and guilty that's an abomination to the Lord it was not the duty of judges I'm sorry justification is contrasted with condemnation so you can see there not only you're getting a better understanding of justification but learn what justification means by learning what condemnation means to contrast with one another here condemn never means to make wicked and so justify cannot mean to make good or upright justification means to declare to be righteous now if it is an abomb if it is abominable to justify the righteous I'm sorry the wicked if it's abominable to God to justify the wicked what is it that enables God to be just when he justifies sinners does God justify sinners what enables him to do that knowing it's wicked for him to do that amen we'll leave it at that because I need to close but it's it's I don't think it's a very good point to end on is God justifies us not because we're righteous but because of a righteousness outside of us has been given to us so he's just when he justifies us but it's not because of our righteousness and one of the designs of that is that he gets all the glory so let's pray gracious God in heaven and son and holy spirit we praise your holy name and thank you for the golden chain of salvation and of redemption I thank you for the comfort that it gives me to know when I can see that I've been called and I love God that I've been foreknown and that I will be glorified and so will my brothers and sisters we praise you for this assurance that comes by faith in this truth help us to persevere by it through the sufferings that aren't worthy to be compared to the glory to come amen