Day 18

In our Bible study tonight Part II of John Murray's Redemption Accomplished and Applied was presented. The order of salvation was presented as follows:

Calling
Regeneration
Faith/Repentance
Justification
Adoption
Sanctification
Perseverance
Glorification

When was the last time you thought about the depth and mystery of God's grace in His work of salvation in you? Every believer must wrestle with scriptural texts relating to our salvation and the salvation of others. Here are some points on calling, regeneration and faith/repentance:

Calling
- It is God the Father who calls his people and ushers us into fellowship with Christ.
- The call of God is efficacious unto salvation.
- God is the author and it is act of God alone.
- God planned it and he does the calling.
- The call ensures perseverance b/c its grounded in security of God’s purpose and grace.
- Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen.”
- Romans 8:30 "and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."

Regeneration
- renewing of heart/mind – a radical transformation
- God the father calls we must answer the call
- No one who is dead in sin can answer the call
- Ezekiel 36:26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
- We do not choose to be born but was begotten.
- Holy Spirit bears or begets when and where he pleases.
- We are passive in regeneration
- Regeneration is the beginning of all saving grace in us and all saving grace in exercise on our part
- Only the regenerate can claim JC as Lord – this is one way the Holy Spirit glorifies JC.

Faith/Repentance
- faith in the Christ is the 1st evidence of regeneration
- faith is not the act of God – it is the sinner who believes in Christ
- God’s grace enables us to believe but faith is an activity on the part of the person and of him alone
- God alone regenerates – we alone believe
- We believe in Christ alone for salvation
- Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"
- faith is a whole-souled movement of self commitment to Christ for salvation from sin and its consequences
- universally all are called to repent
- Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’"
- Ezekiel 18:23,32 "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live. For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”
- we don’t entrust ourselves to Christ b/c we believe we have been saved but as lost sinners we have faith in Christ so that we may be saved
- faith and repentance are interdependent
- if faith is directed to salvation from sin, there must be a hatred of sin and desire to be saved from it
- hatred of sin involved repentance (turning from sin to God)
- repentance consists essentially in change of heart, mind and will of God, ourselves, sin and righteousness
- repentance is the response of turning from sin to God
- through faith we receive and rest upon Christ alone for salvation