Doctrine and Differences // Predestined for Adoption // Pastor Luke Bostrom // 02-09-2025

Estimated read time: 1:20

Summary

Pastor Luke Bostrom of the New Life Church of Woodbury delivers a sermon on the theological theme of predestination and adoption through Jesus Christ as outlined in Ephesians chapter 1. He emphasizes the doctrine of predestination, discussing the role of God's sovereignty in salvation, and how this understanding should deepen the believers' relationship with God. Bostrom also touches on theological differences within Christianity, specifically Calvinism and Arminianism, challenging the congregation to reflect on "where does saving faith come from?"

Highlights

Pastor Bostrom welcomes everyone warmly, emphasizing that all are welcome to explore these theological doctrines together. 🤗
The sermon roots itself in Ephesians chapter 1, discussing how God chooses individuals for salvation before the foundation of the world. 🌎
Calvinism's Five Points (TULIP) are presented, each supported by scriptural references and explained in depth. 🌻
He illustrates that salvation is a work of God’s grace rather than human merit, challenging listeners to reconsider notions of free will. 🕊️
Pastor Bostrom emphasizes adoption by God's love, encouraging a response of worship and gratitude. 🙏

Key Takeaways

Pastor Bostrom explores deep theological concepts like predestination through a study of Ephesians chapter 1. 📖
Calvinism's 'TULIP' doctrine outlines total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. 🌷
He proposes that understanding predestination helps believers know and love God more deeply. ❤️
God’s Sovereign Will is discussed as the decisive factor in who receives salvation, according to Calvinistic belief. 🔑
Pastor Bostrom aims to guide the congregation in understanding their faith and relationship with God through scriptural study. 🕊️

Overview

Pastor Luke Bostrom begins his sermon by anchoring the discussion in Ephesians chapter 1, inviting the congregation to explore the concept of predestination alongside key tenets of Calvinism. His goal is to deepen understanding by examining how God's sovereign choice frames the believer's faith journey.

Through a detailed presentation of Calvinism's 'TULIP' structure, Pastor Bostrom explains each point with relatable clarity. From total depravity to the perseverance of the saints, he unpacks these doctrines, allowing the congregation to see the relationship between divine sovereignty and salvation.

While maintaining sensitivity to differing beliefs, Pastor Bostrom encourages open discussion and reflection on these theological issues. By emphasizing God's love in predestining believers for adoption, he aims to foster a stronger, love-based relationship with God. The sermon concludes with a call to praise and gratitude for God's eternal plan.

Chapters

00:00 - 01:00: Introduction and Welcome Pastor Luke Bostom welcomes both new and returning attendees to New Life. He extends the welcome to both in-person and online participants. The chapter also introduces the beginning of a sermon from Ephesians chapter 1, encouraging attendees to refer to their Bibles.
01:00 - 02:30: Reading of Ephesians Chapter 1 The chapter begins with the mention of a Bible app, highlighting the availability of notes for the sermon from New Life Church at Woodberry. The speaker starts reading from Ephesians Chapter 1, verse 3, and plans to discuss it further in 25 minutes. The initial focus seems to be on setting the stage for a deeper exploration of the text after an introductory segment. The speaker briefly mentions attending a P P's conference, which may be linked to the context of the message.
02:30 - 04:00: Discussion on the Role of Preaching The chapter explores the role of preaching within the context of religious gatherings. It discusses why preaching is important even when congregants have direct access to the Bible. One of the key points raised is that, while the Bible's words are foundational, God also reveals truth through the preacher's interpretation and delivery of these words. This implies that preachers have a role in clarifying and making the biblical truth accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences, enhancing rather than merely replicating the experience of reading the Bible.
04:00 - 07:00: Introduction to the Doctrine of Salvation The chapter begins by referencing a religious text, specifically Ephesians Chapter 1, Verse 3. It highlights the concept that believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. It further emphasizes the idea that believers were chosen by God before the foundation of the world, with the purpose of being holy. This introduction sets the tone for discussing the Doctrine of Salvation, anchoring it in spiritual and biblical teachings.
07:00 - 10:00: Understanding Salvation and Predestination The chapter delves into the concepts of salvation and predestination, particularly from a Protestant theological perspective. It highlights the idea that God, in his love, predestined believers for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, aligning with his will and purpose. The chapter also references the five Solas of the Protestant Reformation, emphasizing that salvation is believed to be by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
10:00 - 14:00: Philippians 2: Working Out Salvation Philippians 2 discusses the concept of 'working out salvation' in the context of the Christian doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Christ. The chapter emphasizes the five Solas of the Reformation, specifically focusing on 'Sola Fide,' which means faith alone. It conveys that salvation is attained through faith alone, not as a result of works, indicating that one cannot earn their salvation. The chapter underscores the importance of Scripture as the sole revelation of salvation and emphasizes that the purpose of salvation is for God's glory.
14:00 - 19:00: The Importance of Obedience and Worship The chapter discusses the concept of salvation, emphasizing that it is not something one can achieve through their actions but is instead a result of Christ's deeds on behalf of humanity. The chapter references Ephesians 2:1-10, suggesting it was covered in the previous discussion, and introduces the broader topic of salvation, indicating a deeper exploration of doctrine, differences, and the principle of faith alone is forthcoming.
19:00 - 22:00: Exploring the Source of Saving Faith The chapter delves into the concept of salvation and faith, beginning with a broader understanding of salvation before narrowing down to specifics in Ephesians chapter 1. The focus is on discussing salvation by faith alone, touching upon complex theological concepts like predestination. The aim is to understand why these concepts are relevant and necessary for a deeper grasp of salvation.
22:00 - 25:00: Calvinism and Arminianism The chapter focuses on the significance of understanding the theological perspectives of Calvinism and Arminianism. The speaker emphasizes the importance of this understanding for individuals and the church community, and expresses a desire for the audience to know their savior better.
25:00 - 29:00: Introduction to John Calvin and Calvinism The chapter starts by referring to a letter from Apostle Paul written to the church in Philippi while he was in prison.
29:00 - 35:00: Total Depravity The chapter titled 'Total Depravity' begins with a reference from Philippians 2:12, emphasizing the importance of working out one's salvation with fear and trembling. The passage highlights that it is God who enables individuals to will and act according to His good pleasure. The discussion hints at exploring the concept within the framework of Calvinism, suggesting a deeper theological analysis of total depravity.
35:00 - 40:00: Unconditional Election The focus of this chapter titled 'Unconditional Election' revolves around interpreting the biblical phrase 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' It is emphasized that this is not a mere suggestion but a command and obligation. The central idea conveyed is that salvation is not the end goal; rather, it marks the beginning of an ongoing spiritual journey and effort.
40:00 - 46:00: Limited Atonement The chapter titled 'Limited Atonement' challenges the notion that accepting Jesus as a savior is a one-time event, suggesting instead that it requires ongoing effort and engagement. It critiques the idea that once salvation is achieved, one can become complacent in various aspects of life including personal struggles, education, relationships, marriage, parenting, and career. It emphasizes the need for continuous commitment rather than coasting through life post-salvation.
46:00 - 55:00: Irresistible Grace The chapter titled 'Irresistible Grace' explains that salvation in Jesus Christ is not the end of life but the beginning. It emphasizes that one cannot simply 'coast' through life and into heaven. Instead, an active engagement and understanding of passages like Philippians 2 is necessary to truly embrace the journey of salvation, whether one is saved at a young age or later in life.
55:00 - 60:00: Perseverance of the Saints The chapter titled 'Perseverance of the Saints' emphasizes the concept of continuous spiritual growth and the journey of salvation. It suggests that even after becoming a 'new creation' and walking in 'newness of life,' one's spiritual journey is ongoing and never complete on this side of Heaven. The text explores the idea of working out one's salvation 'with fear and trembling,' which involves consistently meditating and reflecting on how God initially saved them. The chapter is centered on deep contemplation and understanding of one's spiritual path and salvation.
60:00 - 65:00: Calvinist Perspective on Saving Faith This chapter focuses on the Calvinist perspective of salvation through faith alone, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God. It highlights how each individual and the congregation as a whole are responsible for working out their salvation diligently. The text advises to approach this task with 'fear and trembling,' symbolizing a deep respect and earnest effort in this spiritual journey. It cautions against casually approaching sacred aspects of faith, such as the holy of holies.
65:00 - 73:00: Ephesians 1: The Origins of Saving Faith The chapter discusses the significance of obedience and worship in the context of saving faith. It emphasizes that this is not merely an intellectual pursuit for theologians, but a practical matter that impacts daily life. The chapter underscores that one's relationship with faith affects every moment of every day. Additionally, the chapter notes the result of this obedience, which involves actively working out one's salvation with reverence and seriousness.
73:00 - 79:00: Four Reasons Why Saving Faith Comes from God The chapter discusses the motivation behind working out one's salvation with reverence and awe of God. The focus is not on having all the answers but on understanding God's purposes in saving sinners and growing one's relationship with Him.
79:00 - 81:00: Conclusion and Call to Praise The chapter "Conclusion and Call to Praise" focuses on a reflective message delivered with the intent of deepening the congregation's understanding and love for their savior and salvation, rather than identifying with specific theological labels. The essence of the speech is to guide the congregation towards a more profound spiritual connection and appreciation for their faith, implying that the purpose of such shepherding is to enhance their relationship with their savior.

Doctrine and Differences // Predestined for Adoption // Pastor Luke Bostrom // 02-09-2025 Transcription

00:00 - 00:30 my name is Luke bostom I'm one of the pastors here at new life I want to welcome you if this is your first time or not you've been here for years or weeks you are welcome here we're glad that you're with us and to those online you're welcome I'm going to start by reading the sermon text from Ephesians chapter 1 so if you have a Bible with you it's also on
00:30 - 01:00 our app it's the Bible app that you have and if you go under events you can find New Life Church at Woodberry and it's got notes from today's message as well so i' would encourage you to look at that but Ephesians chapter 1 starting in verse three I'm just going to read the text and then I'll come back to it in about 25 minutes but I want to just start I was at a p P's conference this
01:00 - 01:30 last week and uh something really stood out to me yes this is the text we're anchored on the text but one of the things that uh one of the pastors said on the panel was that God has also chosen to reveal truth through the preacher bringing the word otherwise wouldn't it just be better if we got together and just read the Bible surely whatever the Bible says is better than whatever I have to say and and that's true to an extent but God has
01:30 - 02:00 also given me a word that I have prepared for you this morning and so we're going to start by anchoring it in this text and then I'll preach so if you're looking at Ephesians chapter 1 starting in verse three it says this blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and
02:00 - 02:30 blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will last week Pastor Brett walked us through the five Solas of the Protestant Reformation but basically the argument there is that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone there the five only or the five
02:30 - 03:00 alone so you have three of the five right there in that sentence and talking about salvation by grace through faith in Christ that's revealed to us through the scriptures alone you can't find that out any other way and it's for God's glory that's why it's done so those are the five Solas and we zeroed in on Sola which means faith alone and so salvation is through faith alone not a result of Works in other words you can't earn your
03:00 - 03:30 salvation none of this should be new for you there's nothing you can do to bring about your salvation because nothing of Salvation has nothing to do with what you've done it has everything to do what Christ has done on your behalf and that's what Ephesians 2 1-10 was all about which was covered in detail last week but before we dive into Doctrine and differences and understanding faith alone I want to share a word about salvation in broader
03:30 - 04:00 terms and the way I want to do that talking about salvation in broader terms before going back to Ephesians chapter 1 specifically speaking about salvation in Broad terms is best help by starting with an application because you might be looking at the focus of this week and and next week and be tempted to think if we all agree on salvation through faith alone then why do we need to talk about fancy words like pred destination and and
04:00 - 04:30 Calvinism and arminianism so I want to do two things at the outset before we dive in first I want to see I want you to see why thinking through this together is vitally important it's not something we can just put off it's important for you as an individual it's important for us as a church second I want you to see my heart in this message and that is above all else that you might come to know your your savior better that's all I want
04:30 - 05:00 that's all I want and so before we look at the main text I want to first turn to Philippians 2 so if you have your Bibles out still you can turn a few pages over to Philippians chapter 2 this is the Apostle Paul he's in prison he's writing to the church that he planted in Philippi
05:00 - 05:30 Philippians 2 starting in verse 12 says this therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed so now not only as in my presence but much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you both to Will and to work for his good pleasure now there is so much to be said about this passage especially in terms of Calvinism which is what I'm going to
05:30 - 06:00 be talking about but for our purposes this morning I'm just looking at the phrase work out your salvation with fear and trembling because that is a command not a suggestion it's an obligation not an option but what does that mean what does it mean to work out your salvation with fear and trembling and I think at its core the meaning here is that once you're saved you're not done once you're saved you're you're not
06:00 - 06:30 done it's not a prayer of repentance and receiving and believing in Jesus Christ as your lord and savior and then that's it you've got your insurance policy and you're going to heaven whatever happens after that moment of Salvation doesn't matter you can Coast through your struggles with sin you can Coast through your education you can Coast through your relationships you can Coast through your marriage you can Coast through discipling your children you can Coast through your job
06:30 - 07:00 you can Coast through church you can Coast through your retirement and you can Coast through your death and you can Coast right into heaven no no doesn't work like that Philippians 2 and about a hundred other passages won't allow for it salvation in Jesus Christ isn't the end of your life it's the beginning it doesn't matter if you're saved at seven or 70 it is the
07:00 - 07:30 beginning you're a new creation and you walk in newness of life and you need to continue working that out so on this side of Heaven you're never done so then how do we work out our salvation with fear and trembling how do we do that there are a multitude of ways not the least of which is meditating on and thinking deeply about how God saved you in the first place and so that's what we're doing here we're thinking deeply
07:30 - 08:00 about salvation through faith alone because it's a command and obedience to God is of vital importance each one of us as individuals and for the church as a congregation we're supposed to be working this out in obedience to God which is a serious task the text says to do it with fear and trembling we don't Walt sin to the holy of holies we don't snack on the bread of
08:00 - 08:30 presence in the temple courts and it's not just a mental exercise for theologians and Ivory Towers it should matter to each one of you because it's a matter of obedience and worship and that is something that affects every moment of every day and the other thing I want to say about this is the result what happens as a result of doing this of your obedience to working out your salvation with fear and trem
08:30 - 09:00 Ling what happens as a result I'm trying to work out my salvation with reverence and awe of God not so that I have all the answers but so that I can know my savior better so that's the motivation and the result we want to work out our Salvation we want to seek to understand God's purposes and God's ends in Saving Sinners so that we can grow in our relationship with with him and that's my
09:00 - 09:30 heart behind this morning's message not that any of you walk out of here saying I'm a calvinist because of what he said I don't care if that's what you came away with I mean okay you could do worse I guess but I want you to leave this place saying I know my savior and my salvation better because the more you know him the more you will love him and if I'm not shepherding my people towards that then what am I even doing up here I don't
09:30 - 10:00 belong up here if I'm not doing that and so that's my heart that's what I want from this time that we have together that you get to know your savior better from this one main question how are we going to do that how can I guide us in that direction this morning I'm going to do it by focusing just on one question and then how to perspective answer it the main question is this where does saving Faith come from
10:00 - 10:30 where does saving Faith come from or to say it another way what is the primary source of saving Faith or to word it how it was last week who is the originator of saving Faith that's three ways of asking the same question where does saving Faith come from and the two prevailing views namely Calvinism and arminianism provide very different answers so this morning I'm going to look at the calvinist perspective in Rel relation to where does saving Faith come
10:30 - 11:00 from and next week Pastor Brett will address The Armenian perspective but in order to do that today we need to First understand Calvinism and so I need to pause here I would venture to say that everyone listening to this message is at a different place when it comes to Calvinism maybe you've never heard the term before in your life and you missed last week's sermon or you just this is your first week ever
11:00 - 11:30 coming and you never came across Calvinism in your Bible cuz the word's not there and maybe you've heard of it before but only in passing Calvinism is more of an acquaintance you'd recognize him if you saw him on the street but you don't know where he lives or you don't know his birthday you don't know what his favorite flower is those of you who know Calvinism get that
11:30 - 12:00 joke maybe you're very familiar with it I just heard from someone in the congregation before I preached I grew up in a calvinistic church I'm so excited for your message or maybe you're on the other side of that I grew up in a calvinistic church and I left because it was awful maybe maybe that's where you're at maybe you've heard sermons and listened to lectures and read books about it and if you fall into this last category you
12:00 - 12:30 likely have already already formulated very strong opinions about it either fa favorable or unfavorable maybe you don't fit into any of those categories but whatever the case is I want us to all commit to doing one thing before I continue on here's what I'm asking can we commit to evaluating calvinism's cogency according to the word of God Alone Solo scriptura in
12:30 - 13:00 other words let your assessment of Calvinism be done using only what the Bible says we agreed to do that I'm used to teaching a class so I had like verbal confirmation that three of us are going to do that thank you everyone else the three who said they would are going to pray for you that you would get there in the next 30
13:00 - 13:30 seconds you know this is the this is the commitment that we're going to hold up whatever said about Calvinism to the word of God and I actually would commend that metric for anything that you do use that same metric for any teaching not just Calvinism mine included and so I want us to commit to doing that today all right two questions before we begin who is
13:30 - 14:00 John Calvin what is Calvinism who's John Calvin what is Calvinism and then I'm going to try and show you how a calvinist would answer the one main question which is where does saving Faith come from but first who's John Calvin and what is Calvinism Brett covered this a bit last week so I don't have much more to add but just by way of review John Calvin was a French Theologian who played a central role in the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s he wrote a extensively about the
14:00 - 14:30 Christian faith and is best known for his work called the Institutes of the Christian religion that's a big deal since it was first published in 1536 I would argue that this book is the most influential and consequential work of literature in the world period not just when I first wrote that sentence I don't want to be hyperbolic I don't want to be excessive or extreme but I I truly believe that the first
14:30 - 15:00 time I wrote I said in Christianity it's the most influential since 1536 but I truly think it's in the world for example without the Institutes of the Christian religion you don't get Puritans and if you don't get Puritans you don't get America another example without it you don't get the Great Awakening or Evangelical revivals of the 1700s that led to the conversions of tens of thousands and an expl explosion of missionaries around the world so it's
15:00 - 15:30 that important but I need to note something here that isn't about the influence or importance of Calvin's institutes John Calvin did not start invent or create Calvinism it's not a cult he didn't start it it's named after him Calvinism is a set of core doctrines taught by him in his writings that came afterwards and that's specifically in regards to
15:30 - 16:00 what he taught about predestination and Free Will Calvin wrote extensively about basically everything if you just Google the institute's um table of contents it's unbelievable everything that he wrote about from Christian work ethic to prayer to government to education to church history everything in between but when Calvinism is referenced especially in regards to Salvation this is what
16:00 - 16:30 it's about it's about this discussion on predestination and Free Will where does saving Faith come from so that's what we're focused on today and that's John Calvin what does Calvinism teach about salvation the most common summary of the calvinist viewpoint on salvation is with the acronym tulip that's his favorite flower
16:30 - 17:00 even though he didn't come up with tulip but they're also commonly referred to as the Five Points of Calvinism so I'm going to do a very brief overview and provide a scriptural basis for each point I know this probably goes without saying but just know I'm painting with very very broad brush jokes here and so if you're like oh you missed that how come you didn't talk about that yeah I know I know like I was telling Pastor Brett before this sermon I said this sermon for me me was a sermon
17:00 - 17:30 of taking things out taking things out this is A8 week like thing just just here and so I can't say it all I can't even say most but I'm going to do my best to communicate the teachings as succinctly and sufficiently as possible so starting with the letter t in tulip total depravity and I've spoken about this before on my sermon in Ephesians 2 but total depravity is the doctrine that all Humanity is by their very nature in Rebellion
17:30 - 18:00 towards God we are unable to be good and submit to God and are therefore deserving of Eternal punishment there is no Blank Slate equalism sin is not a poisonous Vine wrapping itself around us and there remains no part within us that is unaffected or unfallen we are totally depraved meaning that every cell in our body is Tainted by the sin we all inherit from Adam
18:00 - 18:30 we see this Doctrine clearly in passages like Romans 5:12 which says therefore just as Sin came into the world through one man and death through sin and so death spread to all men because all sinned or 1 John 1:8 if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we say we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word
18:30 - 19:00 is not in us so that's total depravity but that's different than utter depravity which would mean that we always sin to the greatest extent possible in whatever we do I don't believe that and Calvinism doesn't teach that we're not as wicked as we could be because God's law that he has implanted in our conscience prevents us from being as wicked as we could be
19:00 - 19:30 instead total depravity means conditionally we are as bad off as we could be because from birth we are enemies of God and sin taints everything we do and everything we are and we have fallen short of the glory of God and therefore do not Merit eternal life so we're not utterly depraved but we are utterly dependent why doesn't the bible teach that anyone who wants God can have have
19:30 - 20:00 him God doesn't turn anyone away right Matthew 11:28 says come to me all who are all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest or what about John 6:37 and whoever comes to me I will not cast them out it sure seems like we have free will to choose Jesus doesn't it it's an open invitation to anyone if you want Jesus you can have him and that's a Biblical thing to
20:00 - 20:30 say it's true if you want Jesus you can have him that's a precious truth of the Gospel anybody who wants God can have him but the problem is we don't have the will to want anyone who wants God can have him but the problem is you don't have a will to want him in our total depravity our will is captive to Satan and our own sinful
20:30 - 21:00 desires and we can't free ourselves from that we need God to do it on our behalf God has to change my heart so that I want him in other words the only reason why I would choose to come to Jesus is because God chose me first that's total depravity which leads also into unconditional election now I just argued two things first Total depravity means everyone's in rebellions against God by Nature and therefore deserving of Wrath
21:00 - 21:30 that is Ephesians 2:1 second anyone who wants God can have him but we don't have the will to want him that means if we choose God it has to be because God chose us first that choosing God's choosing is what is called election it's not like a democratic election though it's not like we get a vote and then Jesus casts a vote Satan gets a vote Whoever has the most that's
21:30 - 22:00 who gets elected does not work like that it's one vote and that vote determines everything it's only one choice that determines the outcome and that belongs to God but what about the verses that I just shared about Jesus inviting people whoever wants to come whoever wants to come how can God's choice be the only determining Factor when Jesus is out
22:00 - 22:30 here inviting everybody in if you go back to Matthew 11:28 you look at the verse that comes right before it it says this all things this is Jesus's words all things have been handed over to me by my father and no one knows the son except the father and no one knows the father except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him then we get verse 28 so right before the
22:30 - 23:00 invitation that Jesus says all who are weary and burden can come to me right before he says that he says anyone to whom the son chooses Jesus has already predicated the choice to come to him on his own choice to reveal the father to you so the only ones who know God the Father are Jesus and Those whom Jesus has chosen all also to know the
23:00 - 23:30 father okay well so that's Matthew what about John 637 I only quoted the second half of the verse to you which said and whoever comes to me I will never cast out that's the second half of the verse the first half of the verse says this all that the father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never cast out so here's the point it's God who does the choosing but on what grounds does God
23:30 - 24:00 choose how does he evaluate who he's going to pick and who he's not going to pick Calvinism teaches that God's choosing or his electing is not based on works or the human will that's why it's called unconditional election since God is the one choosing there aren't any conditions that you need to meet in order to be chosen by him so then what determines God's choice for who who gets saved and who doesn't and this passage absolutely
24:00 - 24:30 rocked my world the first time I came across it in college in theology 201 at bethl University I don't remember the year 2009 maybe Romans 9 and I would encourage you to to turn there as well I'm going to read about 15 verses from Romans chapter 9 and this this discussion has come up in in my classes as
24:30 - 25:00 well and it every year it just seems like I can see students brains just melting out of their heads because they've never read this before or seen this this kind of language that Paul uses in Romans 9 and so if you haven't read this before you're not familiar um I don't know this a warning I guess I not a war I a war you about the Bible but like this is heavy stuff I
25:00 - 25:30 just want to acknowledge that and it might not all make sense the first time you read it but again we're committed we're committed to submission to God's word and so I don't have a commentary here or anything like that I'm just going to read directly from Romans chapter n in relation to the question what grounds does God choose how does God choose who gets saved and who doesn't and here's what here's how Paul addressed addresses that Romans
25:30 - 26:00 9:8 this means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God but the children of the promise are counted as Offspring for this is what the promise said about this time next year I will return and Sarah will have a son and not only so but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man our forefather Isaac though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad in order that God's purpose of election
26:00 - 26:30 might continue not because of works but because of him who calls she was told the older will serve the younger as it is written Jacob I loved but Esau I hated could you have a more equal Equitable scenario two twins in the womb at the same time not even born yet God had already picked that Jacob would receive the blessing and Esau would reject it
26:30 - 27:00 and then Paul's like I know what you're thinking verse 14 what shall we say then is there Injustice on God's part is God unfair for doing that by no means verse 15 for he says to Moses I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion so then it depends not on human will or EX exertion but on God who has
27:00 - 27:30 Mercy for the scripture says to Pharaoh for this very purpose I've raised you up that I might show my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the Earth so then he has Mercy on whomever he wills and he hardens whomever he Wills what about free will God don't I have a choice where's my choice and Paul says you will say to me then how is it my fault if God's doing
27:30 - 28:00 all of this and the electing and the choosing and the hardening and the softening and the mercy and the Wrath how is that how can he blame that on me how can he blame sin on me it's not my fault because he just said it doesn't matter what I do verse 19 you will say to me then why does he still find fault for who can resist his will
28:00 - 28:30 and this is the most brutal answer why does God still find fault who can resist his will and Paul says who are you oh man to answer back to God I it's so hard like these are real things I'm trying to wrestle through God and you're telling telling me be
28:30 - 29:00 quiet who are you to answer back to God will the molded say to its molder or will the clay say to the Potter why have you made me like this has the Potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use what if God Desiring to show his WTH and to make known his power has endured with much patience vessels
29:00 - 29:30 of Wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known The Riches of his glory for vessels of Mercy which he has prepared beforehand for Glory here's what this means god elects people to Salvation according to his will not ours for the purpose of making known The Riches of his glory that's UNC conditional election God doesn't wait for us to choose him
29:30 - 30:00 because we never would and if we do choose him it's because he chose us first out of his own mercy and compassion and it has nothing to do with any conditions unconditional election did God choose everyone to be saved not everyone is part of the elect if they were then there would be no point to Hell there's it wouldn't
30:00 - 30:30 exist which some people have argued God doesn't choose everyone to be saved because if he did then everyone would just go to heaven that's the teaching of the unarian Universalist Church so if you like that you can go there but you might be thinking didn't Jesus die for everyone so how does that work and the calvinist response is that
30:30 - 31:00 Christ's sacrifice only atones for the sins of God's elect or to say it another way Christ's death paid the price and removed the Sins Of Those whom God chose to believe in him this is called limited atonement it's recently gone under some rebranding they want to because the word limited sounds like it's a small number but it's not a small number we know it's multitudes and multitudes of people that God has called his elect from every corner of the
31:00 - 31:30 world so limited in the sense that it's small atonement or a small number of people receiving it no it's definite atonement so it's called either way limited atonement or definite atonement and the essential teaching is that Jesus died to fully secure salvation of his people not just make an offer of Salvation and one of the clearest examples of this that I can find is in John chapter 10 starting in verse 14 I am the Good Shepherd I know my own and my own know
31:30 - 32:00 me just as the father knows me and I know the father and I laid down my life for the sheep and I have sheep that are not of this fold I must bring them also and they will listen to me so there will be one flock and one Shepherd so who does Jesus lay his life down for in that passage his own sheep I know my own sheep and they know me and I Lay My Life
32:00 - 32:30 down for them not all the Sheep CU not everyone is one of his sheep but for his own sheep he does lay down his life and there are other sheep out there that hadn't heard the gospel yet and he's going to bring them into salvation also we are if if you're saved you're one of those sheep because you weren't there when he said those words and so someone had to bring the gospel to you you and when you received and believed
32:30 - 33:00 in Christ Jesus you became a sheep one of Jesus's sheep and then verse 16 says they will listen to my voice it's definite it doesn't say I hope they listen to my voice when I call them it says they will and only God's sheep will listen and the others are going to follow after the voice of other Shepherds so Christ sacrifice fully secures
33:00 - 33:30 salvation for the elect that's limited atonement or definite atonement irresistible Grace leads us to I in tulip is God's grace irresistible because suppose suppose I don't want God to save me suppose I heard the gospel and I reject
33:30 - 34:00 it I don't want it thanks no thanks don't I have free will to resist God am I just a robot Calvin am I a puppet first of all yes you can resist God on every page of the Bible is an example of people resisting God I think of Acts 7:51 this is stepen with
34:00 - 34:30 some Choice words before he stoned you stiff necked people uncircumcised in heart and ears you always resist the Holy Spirit just like your fathers did so do you and my point here is everyone who's an unbel believer resist God that's what it is it's
34:30 - 35:00 Rebellion but here's the push back the Bible teaches that you can only resist as long as God allows you to resist in the case of the elect his Saving Grace is irresistible now I had at least six reasons prepared for why this is true with multiple verses for each I'm going to share three briefly we can talk later and I'll share the other six with you
35:00 - 35:30 the other three number one here's why God's Saving Grace is irresistible for the elect number one God raises the dead Ephesians 2 describes the human condition as being dead in our trespasses and sins and salvation is described as being made alive or raised to life who does the raising not you cuz you're dead Lazarus is in the Tomb for 4
35:30 - 36:00 days and Jesus walks up and calls out to the tomb Lazarus come out could Lazarus have resisted not a chance and the same is true for our spiritual regeneration God raises the dead that's number one if you're if you're dead you can't raise yourself number two Grace triumphs over our resistance
36:00 - 36:30 here's what the Prophet Jeremiah promises will happen in the New Covenant with Jesus behold I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and indignation I will bring them back to this place I'll make them dwell in safety and they shall be my people and I will be their God if they want if that's okay with them no no I will give them one heart and one way and they will fear me forever for their own good and the good of their children I will make with them an
36:30 - 37:00 Everlasting Covenant and I will not turn away from doing good to them and I will put the fear of me in their hearts that they may not turn from me I will rejoice in doing them good and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart and with all my soul as long as it's okay with you this is all God God's grace overcomes our Rebellion it gives us a new heart to treasure him as we want or
37:00 - 37:30 as he as we ought sorry it gives us a new heart to treasure him as we ought and I praise God for his irresistible Grace in my life because without it I never would have come to him praise God he overcame my resistance I would never have seen my sin for what it is and I never would have turned away from Evil so that's two Grace triumphs over our resistance number three no no one can resist God's Sovereign will just
37:30 - 38:00 two passages here I already read one from Romans 9 so then he has Mercy on whomever he wills and he hardens whomever he Wills you will say to me then why does he still find fault for who can resist his will and Paul's implied answer there is no one no one can resist his Sovereign will and the same thing is taught in Daniel 435 all the inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing God does according to his will among the host of heaven and
38:00 - 38:30 among the inhabitants of the earth no one can stay his hand or say to him what have you done in some God is all powerful so any resistance to him can only exist if he permits it so there they are God raises the dead Grace triumphs over our resistance and no one can resist God's Sovereign all powerful will okay last point in regards to calv ISM I'm just going to share this one in passing tends to bring up a whole
38:30 - 39:00 another issue which we're not going to get into today we're not focusing on today but again if you want to have that conversation with me another time we can the p in tulip is perseverance of the Saints it's another way of saying once saved always saved the logic goes like this God is the soul agent that decisively saves your soul Therefore your salvation is kept in him not yourself later on I already read from John
39:00 - 39:30 chapter 10 but later on in the chapter in verse 2829 Jesus says this I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand my father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand nothing can snatch you out of his hands not even your own will he's the a good shepherd and he's not going to let the wolves eat
39:30 - 40:00 you and if you wander off he's going to leave the 99 he's going to go get you and bring you back you can't lose your salvation God's chosen ones will persevere to the end and maybe a slight rebranding with perseverance I would say preserved preservation of the Saints God will preserve you he will keep and guard you you will not lose your salvation 1 Peter 1 15 who by God's
40:00 - 40:30 power are being guarded through faith for a Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time and so the final Point here is that Calvinism teaches you cannot lose your salvation so there you have it the world's longest sermon introduction total depravity unconditional election limited atonement irresistible Grace perseverance of the Saints so how do we answer the main question where does saving Faith come
40:30 - 41:00 from what's the primary source of saving Faith who's the originator of saving faith and we have two options on the one hand we can say God all God he's the originator of saving faith on the other hand we can say I am I'm the originator of saving Faith who's the one doing the believing I freely chose that I'm not a robot
41:00 - 41:30 God offered me a choice to be saved by grace through faith and I chose to believe in him for my own free will those are your two options Calvinists say it comes from God's Sovereign choice in election Armenians say it comes from Man's Free Will in response to God's calling so who's right if you still have it open or you could turn back with me to Ephesians chapter 1 3-5 this is the text I read at the beginning we're going to read it again together and I'm going to show you from this text four reasons why saving
41:30 - 42:00 faith comes from God alone and not man's will in response to his calling but first let's read through it again Ephesians 1 3-5 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places even as he chose us in him before the
42:00 - 42:30 foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will so four reasons why saving faith comes from God and not your will number one God chose us in Christ from before the foundation of the world you see that there blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing
42:30 - 43:00 in the Heavenly places here it is even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world I mean I read those verses and it just absolutely blows my mind how can that be you mean to tell me that before I was born not just before I was born before the universe was even created God chose me that's what the text says you look at that sentence and I just
43:00 - 43:30 wonder how does anybody read that and sayeah but it's my choice to be saved or not how what do you do just that F that half of one verse I don't know saving Faith originates with me not God how the text says the exact opposite God chose you in Christ before he even decided to create anything two the second half of verse says that we Are Holy and blameless before God and
43:30 - 44:00 again this takes place before the foundation of the world it's the same sentence so how do you exercise your free will in that if you don't even exist yet did g did did God have to consult with you 10 million years ago or however long ago it was who knows besides even if you are alive you still
44:00 - 44:30 can't choose to be holy and blameless because of total depravity that's one of the points of five Calvinism by the way the one point of Calvinism that Armenians actually agree with so that's the second reason why this text is saying saving faith comes from God alone because God in Christ Jesus is the one who makes us holy and blameless something you could never do out of your own free will or choosing now look ahead to the very end of verse four and into
44:30 - 45:00 five in love he predestined us for adoption to himself as Sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will how does God do things how does verse 5 say God acts and the answer is he acts according to the purpose of his own will it doesn't say God acts according to his will and Ours he acts according to his will and that's
45:00 - 45:30 it he doesn't need my help or my advice or my opinion or my permission for anything God does not need your permission so that's reason number three God acts according to the purpose of his will not ours last one and I save this one for last even though I know it comes earlier in verse 5 but I think it's the best and most beautiful reason why saving faith comes from God because up to this point you might have a bitter taste in your
45:30 - 46:00 mouth but I want you to see how Ephesians describes predestination God predestined us for adoption in love for himself for those of you who the idea of predestination you're uncomfortable with it or even against it I just want to plead with you to see God's heart in this text in this
46:00 - 46:30 verse the motivation behind predestination is love it's God's love and you have to see that because we're all born into this world not as children of God but children of Wrath we're lost orphans wandering aimlessly around in the dark in need of a father and so the driving analogy for salvation here is
46:30 - 47:00 adoption which means that if you're a child with no parents you can't choose to be adopted someone has to come and adopt you they have to choose you and God in his compassionate sacrificial love has done this for his elect he's predestined us for adoption into his family and so that's reason number four for why saving Faith originates with God
47:00 - 47:30 not man it's because God predestined you for adoption let me close this way the whole goal of today's message was in the hope that you would get to know your savior better and when you know him better you can love him more and so at the heart of Calvinism and I would say at the heart of the Gospel is the message that loving personal father God gave up his very own
47:30 - 48:00 son in order to bring broken lost orphan Sinners into his family he gave of himself in love along with adoption into God's family comes an inheritance an inheritance of Glorious Eternal riches and for that we ought to praise him to the praise of his glory blessed be the God and Father
48:00 - 48:30 praise be to God to the praise of his glorious Grace it's four times there in 11 verses in Ephesians chapter 1 3-14 to the praise to the praise so we have to see how predestination doesn't lead us to contempt or anger or frustration or even a begrudging acceptance like okay I gu predestination cuz I see it in there but I don't like
48:30 - 49:00 it no sorry not an option predestination doesn't lead us to those things but it leads us to joyful praise to the praise of his glorious Grace he has saved you and called you his children by adopting you and he planned that since before the foundation of the world