The Mystery of Providence, Part 2--The Human Side of Salvation

The Purpose of God
The Human Side of Salvation:
(Grace is Free)
Reading: John 6:37-47, Rom 8:28-30

— to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose

Introduction

* Tonight, we begin in earnest to look at one of the great questions and mysteries in the Bible, and one over which men have argued for centuries.

* The question is:

** Does God help sinners save themselves?

** Does God Save sinners with a little help from them?

** Does God provide a salvation machine which the sinner operates?

** Or, Does God Save Sinners?

* Before us, we see a group of people described two different ways. This is not two groups, it is one group described two different ways.

* Our text says that divine Providence is working all things in the universe out for the ultimate good of those who love God, the same people who are also described as those called according to His purpose.

** The First half of this description answers to one half of the argument over salvation, because it speaks to the absolute responsibility that men have to believe in Christ, to love God in Spirit and in Truth.

** The second half of this description answer to the other side of the argument over salvation, because it describes the saved as those who have been called by God according to His eternal purpose.

* God’s Grace, God’s salvation is free.

** Whosoever will, may come.

** All who will, may come

** Only those who will, may come

** The idea that a man or woman would be forced to come to God when they were not willing is a travesty of the doctrines of the Reformation, hence we refer to it as “hyper-calvinism.”

* God’s Grace, however, God’s salvation, is certain.

** God chooses people by name

** God calls people by name

** God saves His people individually, personally.

* Both doctrines are true, because both are taught in the Bible. We are not given the option of choosing one doctrine over another. We are not given the option of lamely excusing and explaining away God’s role in salvation, nor are we to ignore man’s responsibility to believe. THESE THINGS SEEM CONTRADICTORY, BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES THEM EMPHATICALLY.

* The first thing, which we look at tonight, is the Human side of salvation. Those who are saved are described as those who love God.

* It is easy to say, “Oh, great! I love God, that must be for me!” But do you really love God?

1. The Absolute Requirement to Love God

a. There is an absolute requirement for all human beings to love God. You are not at liberty to violate this requirement—it is a law applicable to the entire human race.

b. Old Testament

Deu 6:5 ""You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

Deu 10:12 ""And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,"

Deu 11:1 ""Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always."

Psa 18:1 "I will love You, O LORD, my strength."

Psa 31:23 "Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person."

Psa 42:1 "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God."

Psa 73:25 "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You."

Psa 84:2 "My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."

Psa 116:1 "I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications."

c. New Testament—The Great command is still in effect

Mat 22:37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

Luke 10:27 "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."




2. Loving God, God’s Way—

a. The First reaction—

(1) Man thinks this is easy stuff.

(2) “Love God? No sweat! That is easy! What’s not to love? God, I think you are “kewl,” you and me, we be OK! Right on God, God’s my man; Jesus is just all right with me, yeah…”

(3) But our definition of love is not God’s definition of love.


b. God defines what it is to love Him.
(i) Merely stating that we love God means nothing. Love is proven by action.

(ii) “Love is a behavior, not an emotion.” John MacArthur.


c. We Are to Love God by Believing in His Son

(1) Believing in Christ offered

Isa 1:18 ""Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool."

Isa 45:22 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."

Rev 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of
life freely."

Mat 11:28 ""Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

(2) Believing in Christ urged

Acts 2:37-40 "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation.""

(3) Believing in Christ commanded

Acts 17:30-31 ""Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

d. We are to Love God By Giving Him Affection and Worship

1 Pet 1:8 "whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,"

Heb 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."

1 Pet 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"


e. We are to Love God by a life of obedience and service—


Luke 6:46 ""But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?"

John 14:15-16 ""If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever;"


3. The Implication of The Human Side of Salvation: The Freeness of Grace Means We Are to Preach to All—

a. “Bother Charley, how can a man like you who believes in God’s Sovereignty and election also believe in preaching to all?”

(1) Because the same Sovereign God who tells us plainly in the Bible that He is in charge of salvation also told me to go and preach to all.

(2) I have heard men say that if they believed that God did it all without them, then they wouldn’t see the point in preaching…

(a) First, if that’s really your attitude, I question your salvation.

(b) If you are a man of God, you believe what the Bible says, and you do what God says to do. If it doesn’t fit your mind or your emotions, you change your mind or emotions, not the Word of God!

(3) The preaching of the Word fervently and to everyone who will listen (and many who won’t listen) is a plain command of God.

b. The fervent, Biblical, anointed preaching of the Word is God’s way of calling people to salvation. God works through means, and as Paul says,

1 Cor 1:17-18 "… Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

(John 16:7-11) "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."


1 Cor 1:21 "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

c. Whosoever Wills

Luke 12:8 "Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:"

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

John 4:14 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Acts 10:43 "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

1 John 5:1 "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."

Rev 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

(1) Whosoever Will, let him come....No one who desires Christ is kept away......

"Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."

(2) Whosoever Will, Bid him or her come...


Mat 22:9 "'Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'"

Mat 28:19-20 ""Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(3) Whosoever Will, command him or her to come....

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

(4) Whosoever Will, come for Free--

Isa 55:1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.