condensed theology lecture 30

8/6/2019 Condensed Theology Lecture 30

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Condensed Theology

A Primer in Systematic Theology


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Soteriology:

The Doctrine of Salvation

What does the Bible teach about

salvation?


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Review

Primordial Union with Christ

Election &

Predestination


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Temporal Union with Christ

The Outworking in Timeof Gods

Predestinating Purposes


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Rom 16:7: Greet Andronicus and Junias,my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, whoare outstanding among the apostles, who

also were in Christ before me. The in Christ relationship has a

primordial, or pre-temporal aspect (as welearned in our last lesson),

But it also has a temporal, in time aspect,which explains Rom 16:7.


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What this means is that although you wereunited with Christ (in Christ) before time

began,

It is also true that you entered into unionwith Christ after time began, at a pointduring your lifetime.


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The Initiating Acts of God


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Initiating Acts of God

Calling

Regeneration

These are the acts of God and God alone bywhich his predestinating purposes begin totake effect in the lives of his elect.


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Initiating Act of God and Men

Repentance

Repentance is a divine-human activity.

It is simultaneously something God givesand something we exercise.


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Defining Repentance


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What Repentance Is Not


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It is not penance

It is not reformation


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It is not simply sorrow for sin

2 Cor 7:9-10: I now rejoice, not that you weremade sorrowful, but that you were made

sorrowful to the point of repentance; for youwere made sorrowful according to the will ofGod, so that you might not suffer loss inanything through us. For the sorrow that is

according to the will of God produces arepentance without regret, leading to salvation,but the sorrow of the world produces death.


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Luke 18:23: But when [a rich ruler] hadheard these things [sell all that you

possess and distribute it to the poor, andyou shall have treasure in heaven; andcome, follow Me], he became very sad,

for he was extremely rich.


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Matt 27:3: Then when Judas, who had betrayedHim, saw that He had been condemned, he felt

remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silverto the chief priests and elders, saying, I have

sinned by betraying innocent blood. But they

said, What is that to us? See to that yourself!

And he threw the pieces of silver into the templesanctuary and departed; and he went away andhanged himself.


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It is not simply a change of mind about whoJesus is

This idea takes the definition of one Greek word

used for repentance (metano and itscognatesthere are others), divorces it from itsusage, and assigns it to the entire doctrine.

The standard Greek lexicon (BDAG) does notlist any references from the NT in connectionwith this meaning.


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What Repentance Is

The Old Testament Witness


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What Repentance Is: OT

We begin with the Old Testament becauseit is from the Old Testament that thewriters and preachers of the New

Testament derive their understanding ofthe nature of repentance.

The following is a representative Old

Testament example


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Jer 3:22-4:1: "Return, O faithless sons, I will heal yourfaithlessness." "Behold, we come to You; For You are the LORD ourGod. Surely, the hills are a deception, A tumult on the mountains.Surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. But theshameful thing has consumed the labor of our fathers since ouryouth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us; forwe have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers,from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voiceof the LORD our God." 4:1 "If you will return, O Israel," declares theLORD, "Then you should return to Me. And if you will put away yourdetested things from My presence, And will not waver, And you willswear, 'As the LORD lives,' In truth, in justice and in righteousness;Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they willglory." For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and toJerusalem, "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow amongthorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove theforeskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench

it, Because of the evil of your deeds."


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It is rooted in Gods mercy

Jer 3:22: "Return, O faithless sons, I willheal your faithlessness." "Behold, wecome to You; For You are the LORD ourGod.

Joel 2:13: Now return to the LORD your

God, For He is gracious and compassionate,Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindnessAnd relenting of evil.


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It involves the recognition and confessionof sin

Jer 3:25: Let us lie down in our shame,and let our humiliation cover us; for wehave sinned against the LORD our God,we and our fathers, from our youth even to

this day. And we have not obeyed thevoice of the LORD our God.


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It involves sorrow, or regret over sin

Jer 3:25: Let us lie down in our shame,and let our humiliation cover us.

Joel 2:12-13a: "Yet even now," declares theLORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, Andwith fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend

your heart and not your garments."


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It involves forsaking sin Jer 4:1, 3-4: "If you will return, O Israel," declares the

LORD, "Then you should return to Me. And if you will putaway your detested things from My presence.3For thussays the LORD to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem,"Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow amongthorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And removethe foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitantsof Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire Andburn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your

deeds. Ezek 33:11: "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'Itake no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that thewicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back fromyour evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?


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It involves turning to the Lord

Jer 4:1: "If you will return, O Israel,"declares the LORD, "Then you shouldreturn to Me.

Joel 2:12: "Yet even now," declares theLORD, "Return to Me with all your heart, And

with fasting, weeping and mourning.


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What Repentance Is

The New Testament Witness


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What Repentance Is: NT

The New Testament concept of repentanceflows from the Old Testament (as you mightexpect). John the Baptist

Matt 3:2, 8, 11: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is athand.8Therefore bear fruit in keeping withrepentance.11As for me, I baptize you with water forrepentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I,and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize youwith the Holy Spirit and fire.

John the Baptists ministry is especially significant forunderstanding the doctrine of repentance because heforms the bridge between the Old Covenant and NewCovenant communities.


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The New Testament concept ofrepentance flows from the Old Testament(as you might expect).

The Lord Jesus

Matt 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preachand say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at

hand.

Luke 13:3: I tell you, no, but unless you repent,you will all likewise perish.


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The New Testament concept of repentanceflows from the Old Testament (as you mightexpect). The Lord Jesus

Luke 5:32: I have not come to call the righteous but sinnersto repentance.

Matt 11:20-22: Then He began to denounce the cities inwhich most of His miracles were done, because they did notrepent. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if

the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurredin you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth andashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable forTyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.


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The Lord Jesus Luke 15:7: I tell you that in the same way, there

will be more joy in heaven over one sinner whorepents than over ninety-nine righteous personswho need no repentance.

Luke 15:10: In the same way, I tell you, there isjoy in the presence of the angels of God over onesinner who repents.


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The New Testament concept of repentanceflows from the Old Testament (as you mightexpect).

The Apostles Mark 6:12: They went out and preached that men should

repent.

Acts 2:38: Peter said to them, Repent, and each of you bebaptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of

your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 17:30: Therefore having overlooked the times of

ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all peopleeverywhere should repent.


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There is a direct line from the OldTestament prophets to John the Baptist toJesus to the apostles concerningrepentance.

This is even more apparent when we readPauls letters describing repentance


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Rom 6:17: But thanks be to God thatthough you were slaves of sin, youbecame obedient from the heart to that

form of teaching to which you werecommitted.


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1 Thess 1:9-10: For they themselvesreport about us what kind of a receptionwe had with you, and how you turned to

God from idols to serve a living and trueGod, and to wait for His Son from heaven,

whom He raised from the dead, that is

Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath tocome.


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2 Cor 7:9-11a: I now rejoice, not that you were madesorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the pointof repentance; for you were made sorrowful according tothe will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in

anything through us. For the sorrow that is according tothe will of God produces a repentance without regret,leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the worldproduces death. For behold what earnestness this verything, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what

vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear,what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong.


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Notice that the teaching of the NT isconsistent with what weve observed from

the Old Testament.

It is rooted in Gods mercy: Were it not forGods mercy, he would justly leave sinners in

their dreadful condition, but it is God who is

calling men and women to repentance inorder that they might be delivered from hisjudgment.


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the Old Testament.

It involves the recognition and confessionof sin: The slaves of sin have turned from sinin humble recognition of their offenses against

God (idolatry, tolerance).


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the Old Testament.

It involves sorrow, regret over sin: Couldthis be any clearer than in 2 Corinthians 7?

2 Cor 7:9: For the sorrow that is according to

the will of God produces a repentance withoutregret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow ofthe world produces death.


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the Old Testament.

It involves forsaking sin: It is not enough tofeel sorry over ones sins, but true repentance

involves the renunciation of ones sins in favor

of the Lord.


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the Old Testament.

It involves turning to the Lord: Inrepentance we are not simply turning fromsin, but we are turning tothe Lord. We turn to

God from idols to serve the living and trueGod (1 Thess 1:9-10).


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Repentance

Its Fruit


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The Fruit of Repentance

Genuine repentance will manifest itself in the lifeof the one making a claim to repentance

And God expects it.

Matt 3:8: Therefore bear fruit in keeping withrepentance.

2 Cor 7:11: For behold what earnestness this verything, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what

vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear,what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!


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Repentance unto Life

Repentance Is Necessary for

Salvation


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Repentance Necessary for

Salvation Acts 17:30: Therefore having overlooked the

times of ignorance, God is now declaring to menthat all people everywhere should repent,because He has fixed a day in which He will

judge the world in righteousness through a Manwhom He has appointed, having furnished proofto all men by raising Him from the dead.

Mark 1:14-15: Now after John had been takeninto custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching

the gospel of God, and saying, The time isfulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;repent and believe in the gospel.


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Salvation

Luke 24:46-47: and He said to them,Thus it is written, that the Christ would

suffer and rise again from the dead the

third day, and that repentance forforgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in

His name to all the nations, beginning from

Jerusalem.

R N f


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Salvation

Luke 13:2-5: And Jesus said to them, Do yousuppose that these Galileans were greatersinners than all other Galileans because they

suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless yourepent, you will all likewise perish. Or do yousuppose that those eighteen on whom the towerin Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits

than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tellyou, no, but unless you repent, you will alllikewise perish.

R N f


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Salvation Acts 11:18: When they heard this, they quieted down

and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted tothe Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.

2 Tim 2:24-26: The Lord's bond-servant must not be

quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patientwhen wronged, with gentleness correcting those who arein opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentanceleading to the knowledge of the truth, and they maycome to their senses and escape from the snare of the

devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.


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The Gift of Repentance

Repent but Do Not Work


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Repentance unto life cannot be construeda work since repentance is the gift of God. Acts 5:31: He is the one whom God exalted

to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, togrant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness ofsins.

Acts 11:18: When they heard this, they

quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Wellthen, God has granted to the Gentiles also therepentance that leads to life.


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Repentance unto life cannot be construeda work since repentance is the gift of God. 2 Tim 2:24-26: The Lords bond-servant must

not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able toteach, patient when wronged, with gentlenesscorrecting those who are in opposition, ifperhaps God may grant them repentance

leading to the knowledge of the truth, andthey may come to their senses and escapefrom the snare of the devil, having been heldcaptive by him to do his will.


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Repentance Defined


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Repentance Defined

Repentance for salvation is sorrow for sinthat results in a sincere commitment toforsake ones sin to turn to the Lord in

obedience to his commandments, the firstof which being, Repent and believe the

gospel!

condensed theology lecture 30

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