Great Doctrines of Salvation
Courtney Hemenway · Jun 6, 2010
Great Doctrines of Salvation, No. 23
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/492625572469

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Yeah, I guess we started on nine about, has every believer been elected for a specific purpose? Do you agree? Disagree? No? Yes? I haven't read that part. However, I think so. You think so? Anybody else? No? Yes? No? Nos? Yeses? Chickens? Middle of the road. And what do you base that on? The Bible. Ask a silly question and get a silly answer. There are several different verses. I think we went over a couple of them. John 15, 16. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would walk, that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, He may give to you."

And then also 2 Timothy 1.9. And that first one was a corporate election. We talked about corporate and individual.

This one's more to the individual, 2 Timothy 1.9. who has saved us and called us with holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which he has granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.

And then the last one, which I think is probably the most expressive of specific purposes for us, is Ephesians 2.10.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them. This is where, I think I said last week, we were just ending, where Mike has convinced me on this one, I'm becoming more convinced on this, that he has specific tasks for you, that you don't come up with your own, that he has specific tasks for you to complete and do. And when that last task is done, he's ready to take you home. And we don't know what those tasks may be, In fact, I'm sure you may not know what all the tasks he has for you and the purposes, but this one says, God has prepared them beforehand that we would walk in them or to do them. So, there are specific things that a believer has been selected to do or elected to do.

So, believe that? Understand that? Were there any no's out there about specific purposes? OK, Monique. Well, the only thing is, you know, you have to examine yourself as to what would the purpose be. You know, it's a guessing game, isn't it? You know, yeah, I don't think there's, and that's what I say, I don't think you know exactly.

You know, he could be called to the mission field with many, many different things to do there. That may be one of the purposes, one of the things he has before him. Maybe not all. There are going to be a lot of things that are going to be in each and every one of our lives. Could be an individual. Could be your being, your spiritual growth to a point to impact a certain group, a certain individual. Could be.

You really don't know, I don't think. I don't think you know exactly every purpose that he has. Sometimes you know, sometimes you don't. But I think that there's specific things that he's determined for you to do. Because Ephesians specifically says that. And so maybe he lets you in on them, maybe he doesn't. Sometimes he does. So yeah, in answer to Monique, I think there are, you do know and you don't know.

Some specific things, I think if you're called to the mission field, you know that's where you're called, but that's not all the tasks. So yeah, you don't know all of them. I also think you have more than one in play at any given time, because if you're a dad, a husband, wherever you're employed, the sphere of influence you have, all of those are things that are in play, I think. Yeah. So, I don't think you know what he has purposes for it. You're called to them. But sometimes you notice when suddenly you're doing something you never would have thought you'd be able to do, or whatever, and it just happened, and it was cool, and it was spiritual, and he caused it then.

Yeah, you know, if you think, you know, if we talked last week about God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, and, you know, if you understand God's sovereignty, I mean, all these things are, he's in control of, and what's his purpose? To conform us to his image? So, you know, whether it's a work or not, I think it could be also just the chastening of the child training and your path along spiritual growth and maturity.

It may be that whatever you called out and what you're doing, it's for your growth to be used somewhere later. You know, so there, I mean, as Mike said, I think there are a lot of purposes, a lot of things, multi, you know, could be happening, you know, several different things are being used that influence different people, your family, work. There are a lot of things that can be happening simultaneously. And then that is, you know, growing you for something that should be used later.

I think of that in my own life. Even before I knew the Lord, I think the Lord was working in my life for things that are going to happen later. And I think He uses things right now that will be used in my life later for other people. You know, what he takes me through, I think, is to help somebody else later.

I've been there, done that. So, you know, all these things, he's in control. I rest in that. So, you were going to say? All right. Number 10. And again, just for, on the tape and internet world. We're less than 12 of March banks. great doctrines relating to salvation. Question 10. How can we tell if a person is one of the elect?

We can't. Huh? We can't. Sure we can't. By their actions. Sure we can. We have a sure and a no. I love this. By your behavior. Actually, we'll look into that with Paul and the Thessalonians. So we have a no and a yes. Why do you say no? We don't necessarily know everyone's heart. They may be walking with the Lord, they may not be. Sometimes it's possible that people on a given day will look like the other kind of person.

Okay, we have the no vote, now the yes vote. The only way you know is after they're saved. Once they're saved, you know they're one of the elects. You never know beforehand. Does everybody understand that? If you're saved, you're one of the elects. Whosoever believes. And we may not know, but Well see, like Paul, when he talks to the Thessalonians, he knew them why. Because of what they did. What they did.

So, I think it was Spurgeon or one of them that said, in England, he said if he knew which were the elect, If they had a yellow stripe down their back, he'd be lifting all the coattails in England to see who was elect and who was saved and who was not. If it was that easy, if we had it not stamped on our forehead, that's not a good thing. Now, in the millennial kingdom, we'd be able to tell the elect the saved. Which ones?

The Jews or the believers? Believers. Yeah. Yeah, believers. They'll be able to see in there, they'll be able to just look at us and see that we are the bride of Christ, the body. They'll be able to see just by looking at you in the Millennial Kingdom. But right now, you know it by, if you are saved, you are one of the elect. Now, we can't identify who's elect, who is saved, so it's somewhat both answers. You can't tell, but if you're saved, you are one of the elect.

And we can look at, I looked at Ephesians 1, and you can, it's kind of a long section, but I like this because of the in hymns in this. It's all loaded with the in hymns. In fact, what Vern is going to teach on today is one of those favorite verses in Identification Truths, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. We are new creatures in Christ, new in kind. And why is that? Because we have been put into Him. His life is our life. And in Ephesians 1, it really hits that a lot. I'll just read through it. Ephesians 1, 3 through 14. It's a lot, but I love the in hymns in this one. Because this really tells us where our life is.

It's in Him. And if you're in Him, you should be manifesting Him. Okay? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. I love that. Why are we asking for extra blessings? Did this one say we missed a few? You have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.

Just as He chose us wherein Him, before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him, in love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

In Him we have redemption through the blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention, which He purposed where? In Him, with a view to the administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on earth. In him also we have attained what an inheritance, having been predestined according to his purpose, who works all things after the counsel of his will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

In Him you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who was given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." Again, we're placed in Him, that is If someone is elect, they have been placed into him. It's through salvation that you are elect at that point.

I was talking about that in Paul and Thessalonica. If you look at 1 Thessalonians 1, 3-4, how did he know that they were elect or saved? by observing their belief in the gospel. If you look at 1 Thessalonians 1, 3 through 4, so it was by seeing their actions and their reliance upon the word, the gospel. All right, so question 11. According to Peter, what gives us certainty about our salvation?

If we look at 2 Peter 1.10, Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and choosing you. For as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble. For in this way, the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be abundantly supplied to you." So, what does this verse say about the certainty of our salvation? Anybody see this verse?

2 Peter 1.10? 1.11? Yeah, calling and using.

What about our ability to walk as believers? Again, proves the salvation. That we're able to do that is more proof of our salvation. The ability to walk in the Spirit, walk according to the Word. Those things, if you are not of the elect, can you do that? Can you walk in the Spirit if you are not saved? No. So are you elect if you are not being able to walk in the Spirit? No. So again, Again, the salvation, again, is through, well, the certainty of our salvation is if we're walking. It's proof. Shows. We are one of the chosen, one of the elect at that point.

What's your definition of walking? Well, you put one foot here, one foot there. You know, mine is being led or directed by. relying upon, those are the words that come to mind as far as walking. You're basically being, you're not being led by the flesh. You're either one or the other. You're walking according to the flesh or walking according to the spirit. One of the two. So, if you're walking according to the spirit, you're led by him in your life, whatever you're doing. So how are you delineating between which walk you're walking?

Well... That sounds like I've got to keep my eyes on myself. No, well, if you're on yourself, you're walking the flesh. And that's, you know, your focus is on the Lord. You know, I guess trying to do that, I mean, the minute you think about your walk, you're walking in the flesh. The minute you do that, you're walking in the flesh. So it's kind of, if you're looking at that, you're automatically walking according to the flesh.

Because what is your purpose? You're looking at what I'm doing. So, like I said, it's... It needs to be what the Holy Spirit's doing. Yeah, but that's, and that's the thing is, your focus is on Him. And if that's it, then you're walking in the Spirit. If you're not, the minute you think about what your walk is, you're out of it. Because that's what you're focusing on yourself. You know the truth of the word, and then you apply the truth of the word to your life and your walk. Yeah, I think... And, as she said, there's a voice guidance in the Holy Spirit. Yeah, I think... I don't know how to really say this. I think you can be...

And I'll use myself. You know, 20 years, like I've told many times, I'm a type A-er. You know, I go out and slay the world. Give me a task, engineer, plan it, execute, get her done. You know, give me a task, I got it. But what is the motive? I mean, I can know all the truth. I can know, you know, I helped build churches. I did all, you know, and Really, when I first came here, one of the first things, I remember Mike saying when I came to one of his Bible studies, and it was, read the scripture to know him. I was just reading that the other day, you know, to know him. Does that mean lots of works and things to do and applying that knowledge? You first need to know him. If you know him, the manifestation of that will be in works and other things that will happen.

It's because who you are. It's not because of what you think. I look at myself and I had 20 years of Bible and elder and this and that, but it wasn't until I rested in Him that I really have that rest, that peace, and then being able to, from that position, a position of rest. But when I said that, I mean when you know the truth, you know what it means to be in Him, you know what God has said.

Yeah. He tells you how to live your life. I guess the thing is the motive. You know, a lot of them have good motives to do things. I'm not thinking about things. Yeah. Well, or doing. I mean, doing things. By doing. you know, that the motive is, look how good I am.

And I guess the biggest thing I did, and this is from the identification and getting into the grace, the grace is the one that really changed a lot because it's unmerited, unlimited. A lot of things that I had done in the past, even though I didn't want any public recognition, I really, you know, but there was always that mine, I didn't want public recognition, but in the back of my mind, I think I was doing it because God will smile on me a little bit more. because of what I'm doing. And that is totally wrong. What more do I have to do? If I get anything that I have to do, it negates grace. So even though I get a bunch of things, help build a church, do all this rent, and I never want a public recognition, but if I truly look at my heart, I'm thinking, Lord, you've got to be happy with me, because look at what I'm doing. What does that do to grace? You think you're contributing. Well, if there's anything I have to contribute, it negates grace. You know?

And so, again, that's what I say. I'm doing everything according to scripture and what I think, but my underlying was that I'm going to do it because God's going to smile on me a little bit more, because I did all these great things. It's our human nature, I think, sometimes to go and do that, to think that. I don't care how strong you are in your faith, at times that creeps in.

Hence, the identification truths. That's where I say the root and the foundation is, that your understanding of Romans 6, that you have reckoned yourself what dead unto sin, co-crucified. That transformation, the death to the old man, and his power, bondage, and what?

And that's what we're going through upstairs today in 2 Corinthians 5, 17. We are risen. We have a new life. We are new creatures, new in kind, totally new. And our life is his life. And so, yeah, when we go back, we're answering back to the old nature when we do that.

You know, when we start doing it because of, you know, we have to do something, a metric, a jump, if I do this, God's going to, you know, under the law, it was a cause and effect. If I do this, I get this. Is that the same under grace? No. He just pours out His blessings to you. There's nothing that we do. So anyway, I mean, I understand, but I did a lot of things that I did according to the Scripture and applying the Scriptures, but when I look at my root of what I was doing, there was that hint of...

Approbation lust. Yeah, and it was. When I sat back and really, you know, looked at the Scriptures and to know Him, again, I was reading that this weekend, to know Him, that's the key. Eternal life is to know Him. You know, and as you know him, you become conformed to him. And then, it's just who you are when you do things.

It's not because I'm trying to do something, it's because of his life being manifest through me. All right. Twelve. What are some of the motives listed for godly living? Actually, this is kind of an obtuse one. It was in there. 1 Peter 2, 9 and 10. If you just look at that, this is one I think he mentioned in there. 1 Peter 2, 9 and 10.

But you are a chosen race. a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light. For you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God. And you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Basically what he was trying to point out, I think he had that one verse in there. We are now a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, and we've received mercy. Again, motives for godly living. If you realize you're a chosen race, you know, a royal priesthood, do you feel that today? Did you wake up this morning and feel you were a royal priesthood?

No. You know, we go back to this a lot. When we go through, in the Grace and Identification class, we talk about Schaeffer's 33 things you receive immediately at salvation. If you just pick up one or two of those and really realize what you receive at salvation, it should change your life completely. I mean, when you start, mine, the two that just hit me so much are the intimacy. You know, we have this intimacy with God now. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace. I don't have to put it in flowery language. I don't have to do anything. I just talk to him. And I can ask him any dumb question I want. I can ask him anything.

Somebody asked me that the other day. He says, well, you know, can you ask stupid questions to God? And, you know, I thought, boy, if that's the criteria, I've got a laundry list that will take over my refrigerator for months, you know, the stupid things I ask. But I have the intimacy to do that. I can ask anything. I can ask anytime, anywhere. I have what I call arrow prayers a lot of times. Man, I'm right in the midst of something. Lord, help. Direct me. Help me. That's what He wants. He wants us to be in fellowship with Him at all times.

And as I told, I think, in and out of the Brethren Church, I think I told you about it, years when I was a young believer, And they would have a sharing time at the Lord's Supper. We'd have a whole hour every time. And some of the men would get up in these big, you know, eloquent prayers, you know, with big kind of King James-ish language. And I thought, boy, I can't keep up with these guys. You know, and I thought for years, I was just sitting there, I can't, boy, these guys are just eloquent. Boy, if I stand up and pray, you know, I'm going to look like, you know, a little kid here. until I realized, what are they doing?

They're talking to God the Father, leading the congregation, but it didn't have to be in flowery language. It's your heart expressing your love to God, and it's individual. And you don't have to... I keep going back, did you go to your dad when you wanted to, whatever, go out to a movie? Oh, great father, I come to you today with... Is that how you went to your dad? You know? I didn't... No. Dad, hey, you know, I'm doing... You still have a reverence for God, but it's an intimacy that you have that you can go and ask Him anything, anytime, anywhere, in any emotion that you have, anything.

And that's that Abba Father, Papa. That's in the 33 things. That was one of the ones that just really hit me hard. When you really realize that, it's awesome. It's awesome. So you don't have to go through all this flowery language or the intimacy. And like I said, that's just one of the things. Do you believe you're a holy nation? A people for God's own possession? Feel that way today when you got up? When you're driving down the highway today, did you feel like you You were a god's own possession. There's one other one we can look at real quick, which is Colossians 3. Holly? Yes?

I was just thinking back to what you said about doing these good works and things like that. And I was reading Peter, and it says about being a good citizen and to do those things. your motivation is to kind of be a good example to other people. So maybe when you're kind of criticizing yourself, your motivation for trying to do good to please God, well not to please God, but to get a better reward from God, but maybe you're kind of doing it to be a good example to other people.

And that is true. When I go back, and if you believe God is sovereignly in control of all these things, That is true. He could be using me to impact 20 other people while working on me. He's in control. And so that's absolutely true. And I realize that, but I also realize my growth, that he was working on me. But yes, absolutely. That's why if you know he's sovereignly in control, that's why I say whatever you do, he's allowed it.

I was reading that again this weekend too, just all about one of the anthology ones, and how God uses all things. Trials, you know, and as I was saying, just what I talked about, you know, down at camp, these guys always bring that up, that, oh, we're under attack from Satan. Well, who allowed that? Who allowed Satan to buffet you or trial? God did. Now, what about those verses that say, have you been separated, is there any way you can be separated from his love? No. So he's allowing that trial to what?

Bring something up for your maturity, for your growth. And so whatever happens, if you think you did something stupid, God allowed that for a reason. So don't worry about it. Grow from it, learn from it, and go on. Because somehow he allowed that for you to go through it. And that's a great point, Holly. I appreciate that. I was growing and realizing what I was needed to grow, but I could have been impacting 10 or 20 or 50 other people for what they needed at that point. And when you see God is in control of all this stuff, that's exactly right. Oh, you kind of got around to it, excuse me. Am I round about the way I got to it?

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. bearing with one another and forgiving each other. Whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Beyond all these things, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which Indeed, you are called in one body, and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom, teaching, admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." Again, just the motive, to God the Father, whatever you do.

All right, any other questions before I turn over the Britney Spears mic to Mike? Sounds like you're doing the putting on though. Putting on? Yeah, God's sovereignty, man's responsibility. Okay. The next subject is foreknowledge. I thought maybe I'd do a little bit of a preamble out of what Mark Banks talked about because he mentions in the first page of foreknowledge that he says this, the biblical doctrines of foreknowledge, election, predestination have a close relationship. So Courtney has just finished with election. We're going to do foreknowledge now and then we'll talk about predestination the next time. He says we can readily see this when we observe three passages, and he gives them in a minute. The first of which links foreknowledge with predestination. The second links election with predestination, and the third election with foreknowledge.

So there's lots of similarities in these three topics, but there's also distinctive differences, and I think it's important that we What does the word foreknowledge mean? The Greek word is prognosko. What does it mean? It means before. What before? Pro means before. What does gnosko mean? Know. Knowledge. It means to know something beforehand. Right? How good is your foreknowledge? I knew Grace was going to fall asleep. Is that foreknowledge? What's that? If it's cloudy, you know it's going to rain? If it's cloudy, yeah, I think it's going to rain. Am I sure? Could I use that word?

Yeah, you can. But it may not. But it may not. And she may not. So when it comes to God's foreknowledge, is it maybe it's going to, maybe it's not? Why would He Why wouldn't there be any uncertainty in his foreknowledge? We talked some time ago, we talked about God's knowledge. We think and know things sequentially, don't we?

You're reading a book, you're studying, you're doing whatever, you're watching a program on TV, it has a sequence. Scene 1, scene 2, scene 3, scene 4, chapter 1, 2, 3, 4. If you're doing a math problem, it's the first number plus the second number equals the solution.

Does God think like that? when I pray to God and say, you know, I need 50 bucks, does He have to think about where it's going to come from? No. So how would you say God's knowledge, how would you say God's mind and His knowledge work? He knows everything before we do it. Does it have anything to do with time? No. He has all knowledge in play right now. No sequence. So you could never say that, well, God knew what I was going to do before what? There wasn't any before with God. There's no after with Him either.

Do you understand that? That's like a finite mind trying to explain eternity. Everything is in play in God's mind right now. So if you keep that in mind, I think it will help us understand foreknowledge a little bit. So question two was, The planning of creation, does it seem logical that God would know and determine all the aspects of his plan before he instituted it?

What do you think? Huh? But would it make sense for him to put together, to have a plan? To know and determine, determine is the key word, all the aspects of his plan? Before he instituted it? There is like the plan that Christ would come as a man and be sacrificed.

Now think about what I'm asking here. Man's knowledge is learned through study, through experience, or revelation. Isn't that how you know things? But Christ came at the appointed time. Now think about the question I'm asking. The question is, the planning of creation, when he planned it, does it seem logical that God would know and determine all the aspects of his plan before he instituted it?

Sure. Why would it be that way? Because he's God. Because he's God. He proposes things, he put the plan together, and he proposes things to come to pass, doesn't he? Because it's his plan. So in this way, the whole order of events, down to the least detail, the very least detail, until the greatest operates under the determining decrees of God.

Mike didn't invent time, so he didn't have to invent time. No? That's right. So here's the issue. God says, OK, I like this creation thing I'm going to do, so I'm going to do it. I'm going to create the universe. And oh, by the way, I'm going to create this thing called days. And we'll have this thing called time. And I'm going to do it all in six days. And then I'm going to create this creature called a man. and then out of him I'm going to have a woman and I'm going to make them like me so that I can have a relationship with them.

I can love them, they can love me back. But I'm going to give him a test. Do you think he knew what the results of the test were going to be? Sure he did. So did he build man with a flaw? I have a yes. Anybody want it? So was man built under his army out of flaw?

So if you'd have been the first man, you wouldn't have done what Adam did, right? Because you'd have known better. But, well, he was disappointed in mankind, that's why we had the flood. He was disappointed? Was it a surprise to him? Well, no, but maybe he didn't know how we would turn out. Oh yes he did. You don't think he did? If he has all knowledge in play right now, do you think he knows the beginning from the end?

Mike, he created man with volition. Would you call that a flaw? With the what? Volition. Yeah, he created man with volition. He created angels with volition. Boy, that was a mistake. To give them a choice. Well, it was part of the plan. That's exactly right. He wants you to have choice. He predetermined his plan. It's not fun if they love you because they have to. He put it all together to start with and then he implements it.

Yeah, I don't get it. Because if he knew all of this, why did he create us? I don't know, I wouldn't have died. That would have been too much of a hassle for me. I'd have been really disappointed. You'd have probably even been tired. Yeah, I probably would have been tired too.

So it's interesting, I think we need to start when we talk about foreknowledge, that if you start with God, which we are, You have to start with the fact that he put a plan together. You know, not like we do sequentially. He had this determination to create. And when the Godhead decided to create all the elements of the creation, the whole time sequence, everything was in place when he started. And then he implemented.

He knew from the, how do you talk about eternity? without talking about beginning and end. I think Hal Malloy did a great job explaining eternity. We think of it as unending time. He said eternity is everything in play right now. Does that make sense? That it all comes down to right now. And so God is always dealing in the right now. We deal in time-space because, like Laura said, He created this thing called time. So you have to say that God knows everything, which is way more than just knowing outcomes of things.

He knows motives. He knows personally. He knows you and I personally. Did you see that? So if you start with that premise, I think it's important for us when we come to the idea of foreknowledge, because here's a problem you have with predestination and election and foreknowledge. In the back of all of your minds, up pops the little fairness question. You know, how could God do all of this?

And boy, that's a mess. And it isn't fair. None of it's fair. And so we live in a world where none of it's fair. Perfect's not fair. Grace is not fair. Grace is fair. Sure it is. It's not fair. Sure it is. It's fair to everybody. Fair would be that we deserved it. No, well, okay, if you want to say it that way. Well, don't you think? Sure. Okay. One for you. One for you. One for you.

Okay, we're tied. Try to explain the difference when defining man's knowledge and God's foreknowledge. Explain the difference between those two. We've kind of gone at it already. A little bit. Knowledge is by learning. How about man learns things by reading and experiencing, you know. Can man predict the future outcomes?

Can he do that? Sure he can. Rocky's going to win this afternoon. Evaldo Jimenez is pitching. There's my foreknowledge, huh? Hey, absolutely right. So I can predict things. You know, I can predict that Margaret's going to walk into the room. And there she is. I didn't predict it, I saw it.