Faith, Grace, and the Security of Salvation

 

Summary

In Romans 11:16-22, Paul presents a profound theological challenge that has perplexed many: the apparent contradiction between the doctrine of justification by faith and the notion that faith and perseverance are necessary for salvation. This passage raises questions about the role of faith in salvation and whether it suggests that salvation can be lost. The historical context is crucial, as Paul addresses the exclusion of the Jewish people from the Christian church, despite their heritage as God's chosen people. This exclusion is not due to a failure on God's part but rather a result of unbelief, highlighting the severity and goodness of God.

The key to understanding this passage lies in recognizing the distinction between the visible church and the true elect. The warnings and exhortations in Scripture are often directed at the visible church, encompassing both true believers and those who merely profess faith. The true elect, however, are secure in God's grace, as their salvation is not dependent on their own efforts but on God's sovereign election and grace. This understanding reconciles the apparent contradiction, affirming that while faith is essential, it is ultimately God's grace that ensures the perseverance and final salvation of the elect.

The passage serves as a warning to the visible church, urging believers to remain humble and vigilant, recognizing that their standing is by grace alone. It is a call to examine oneself and to live in a manner worthy of the calling received, not out of fear of losing salvation, but as a response to God's grace. This perspective emphasizes the importance of humility, gratitude, and reliance on God's grace, rather than self-reliance or pride.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Role of Faith and Grace: While faith is essential for salvation, it is ultimately God's grace that secures our salvation. Our faith is not a work that earns salvation but a response to God's grace. This understanding prevents us from boasting in our own efforts and keeps us reliant on God's mercy. [06:23]

2. The Visible Church vs. The Elect: The warnings in Scripture often address the visible church, which includes both true believers and those who merely profess faith. The true elect are secure in God's grace, and their salvation is not dependent on their own perseverance but on God's sovereign election. [36:09]

3. The Importance of Humility: Believers are urged to remain humble and vigilant, recognizing that their standing is by grace alone. This humility prevents pride and presumption, fostering a spirit of gratitude and reliance on God. [39:04]

4. God's Sovereign Election: The doctrine of election assures us that our salvation is secure in God's hands. It is not dependent on our efforts but on God's sovereign choice, which ensures the perseverance and final salvation of the elect. [25:03]

5. Warnings as Means of Perseverance: The warnings in Scripture serve to keep the elect vigilant and reliant on God. They are not threats of losing salvation but means by which God ensures the perseverance of His people, instilling a healthy fear and reverence for God. [44:37]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Reading from Romans 11:16-22
- [01:32] - Context and Exposition
- [02:57] - The Problem Raised by the Passage
- [04:36] - The Goodness and Severity of God
- [05:14] - The Double Problem of Faith and Perseverance
- [07:48] - Apparent Contradictions in Paul's Teachings
- [10:19] - Method of Addressing Scriptural Problems
- [11:26] - Historical Context and Facts
- [14:21] - Similar Statements in Scripture
- [18:26] - Reconciling with Other Teachings
- [20:56] - Principles of Interpretation
- [25:03] - Doctrine of Election and Perseverance
- [29:22] - Implications of Faith and Grace
- [36:09] - Visible Church vs. True Elect
- [44:37] - Warnings as Means of Perseverance
- [49:04] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 11:16-22
- John 15:6
- Hebrews 3:19

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Observation Questions:

1. In Romans 11:16-22, what metaphor does Paul use to describe the relationship between the Jewish people and Gentile believers? How does this metaphor help us understand the concept of being "grafted in"? [00:31]

2. According to the sermon, what historical fact does Paul highlight to explain the exclusion of the Jewish people from the Christian church? [03:34]

3. How does the sermon describe the distinction between the visible church and the true elect? What implications does this have for understanding the warnings in Scripture? [36:09]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the purpose of the warnings found in Romans 11:22? How do these warnings serve the elect? [44:37]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon reconcile the apparent contradiction between justification by faith and the necessity of perseverance? What role does God's grace play in this reconciliation? [06:23]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that humility and vigilance are essential for believers? How does this relate to the concept of standing by grace alone? [39:04]

3. How does the sermon explain the role of God's sovereign election in the security of the believer's salvation? What comfort does this doctrine provide to believers? [25:03]

4. What does the sermon imply about the nature of faith as a response to God's grace rather than a work that earns salvation? How does this understanding impact a believer's attitude towards their faith? [06:23]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own faith journey. How do you balance the understanding that your salvation is secure in God's grace with the call to persevere in faith? What practical steps can you take to remain vigilant in your faith? [06:23]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of humility. Can you identify areas in your life where pride might be hindering your spiritual growth? How can you cultivate a spirit of humility and gratitude? [39:04]

3. Consider the distinction between the visible church and the true elect. How does this understanding affect your view of church membership and participation? What steps can you take to ensure your faith is genuine and not merely professed? [36:09]

4. The sermon discusses the role of warnings in Scripture as a means of perseverance. How do you respond to warnings in your spiritual life? Are there specific warnings in Scripture that have impacted you recently? [44:37]

5. How does the doctrine of God's sovereign election provide assurance in your life? In what ways can you remind yourself of this assurance during times of doubt or struggle? [25:03]

6. Reflect on the role of faith as a response to God's grace. How does this perspective change the way you approach your daily spiritual practices, such as prayer and Bible study? [06:23]

7. The sermon calls believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling. What specific actions or changes can you make in your life to better align with this calling? [39:04]

Devotional

Day 1: Faith as a Response to Grace
Faith is not a work that earns salvation but a response to God's grace. This understanding prevents us from boasting in our own efforts and keeps us reliant on God's mercy. Faith is essential for salvation, yet it is ultimately God's grace that secures it. This perspective shifts the focus from human effort to divine mercy, emphasizing that our faith is a gift and a response to the grace already extended to us. By recognizing this, believers are encouraged to live in humility and gratitude, acknowledging that their salvation is not a result of their own merit but of God's unmerited favor. [06:23]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself relying on your own efforts rather than God's grace? How can you shift your focus to rely more on His mercy today?


Day 2: The Visible Church and the True Elect
The warnings in Scripture often address the visible church, which includes both true believers and those who merely profess faith. The true elect are secure in God's grace, and their salvation is not dependent on their own perseverance but on God's sovereign election. This distinction helps believers understand that while the visible church may contain a mixture of genuine and nominal Christians, the true elect are those whom God has chosen and secured by His grace. This understanding encourages believers to examine their faith and ensure it is genuine, while also resting in the assurance that God's sovereign choice is the foundation of their salvation. [36:09]

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your own faith journey. Are there areas where you might be merely professing faith rather than living it out genuinely? How can you seek to align your life more closely with God's will today?


Day 3: Humility as a Response to Grace
Believers are urged to remain humble and vigilant, recognizing that their standing is by grace alone. This humility prevents pride and presumption, fostering a spirit of gratitude and reliance on God. By acknowledging that their salvation is not earned but given, believers are called to live in a manner that reflects their dependence on God's grace. This humility is not only a safeguard against pride but also a means of cultivating a deeper relationship with God, characterized by thankfulness and trust. [39:04]

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you practice humility in your daily interactions and decisions? How can you remind yourself of your dependence on God's grace throughout the day?


Day 4: Assurance in God's Sovereign Election
The doctrine of election assures us that our salvation is secure in God's hands. It is not dependent on our efforts but on God's sovereign choice, which ensures the perseverance and final salvation of the elect. This assurance provides believers with a profound sense of security and peace, knowing that their salvation is not contingent on their own ability to persevere but on God's unchanging purpose and promise. This understanding encourages believers to trust in God's faithfulness and to live confidently in the assurance of their salvation. [25:03]

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Reflection: How does the assurance of God's sovereign election impact your view of your own salvation? In what ways can you live more confidently in this assurance today?


Day 5: Warnings as Means of Perseverance
The warnings in Scripture serve to keep the elect vigilant and reliant on God. They are not threats of losing salvation but means by which God ensures the perseverance of His people, instilling a healthy fear and reverence for God. These warnings are a reminder of the seriousness of faith and the need for continual reliance on God's grace. By heeding these warnings, believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, recognizing that it is God's grace that enables them to persevere to the end. [44:37]

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12, ESV)

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you have become complacent in your faith? How can you respond to the warnings in Scripture to remain vigilant and reliant on God today?

Quotes

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them which fell severity but toward thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be cut off now there is where the problem I say is raised for us in an explicit manner it's implicit in the history here it is explicitly stated and put before us very well then what is the problem we can describe it as being a kind of double problem but essentially of course it's only one but it comes before us here in in a double manner." [00:04:36]

"First of all is not the Apostle suggesting in this paragraph that it is our faith and belief after all that saves us now he appears to be saying that doesn't he he says uh thou wil say then the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in well because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith there the suggestion seems to be that after all the thing that rarely counts and matters is our faith they are out because they didn't believe we are in because we do believe." [00:05:14]

"How can that be reconciled with what he says here or how can we reconcile what he has told us so clearly and plainly on the matters of assurance and perseverance with this extraordinary statement here in this 22nd verse which is only staying as I say explicitly what we know to be true in the case of the children of Israel speaking generally of them as a nation as an actual fact so the question that is before us is this is this statement not a sheer contradiction of what the Apostle has been teaching about election about assurance and the about perseverance the final perseverance and the safety eternally of the Saints." [00:08:08]

"Nothing is so important as that we should know how to face problems and the method seems to me to be more or less always the same well how do we do it here well the first thing I would suggest is this start with your facts and there they are perfectly plain and clear before you this is a tremendous fact in the story of the children of Israel the Jews now the apostles has put that before us there's no difficulty about that this is a sure fact and it's a fact of history it's no use arguing about that you just accept it you've got to face it and there it is." [00:11:26]

"Never base a Doctrine on an isolated passage now I think you'll all agree with that you have to compare scripture with scripture the scripture is a whole so you start by just saying that here I come across something I mustn't base my whole Doctrine on this matter on an isolated statement always take the whole of scripture scripture with scripture then secondly you can lay it down as a general principle that the scripture does not contradict itself the scripture is the word of God not the not words of men the word of God." [00:20:56]

"The Apostle has gone out of his way to show that the only manner in which you can understand the history of the Jews and the whole of the way of Salvation is to see that it is according to the election of Grace there's no other explanation and he's given us positive and negative arguments he's put it in such a clear manner that when an objector comes forward he says to him nay but oh man who art thou that repliest against God shall the thing form say to him that formed it why hast Thou made me thus has not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel un honor and another un dishonor and so on." [00:24:36]

"If our ultimate salvation our ultimate arrival in glory depended on our faithfulness well then certain things follow inevitably and here they are if that were so the credit would ultimately have to be given to us if it is our faith and our persistence that arrive brings us eventually into the glory Everlasting it is no longer the goodness of God that does it it is us you may say the goodness of God gave you a a chance or a start but after all the thing that decides whether a man arrives in heaven or not is what he does." [00:29:22]

"Is it not abundantly clear that not one of us would ever arrive in heaven that none would ever be glorified is there anyone here who would like to claim that he or she is in a given position as a Christian this moment because of what you've done the moment you examine it from the standpoint of experience we all must recognize it at once we all fail we all go astray we all fall into sin and none of us would have any hope of arriving at glory if it depended upon us I mean this even those who were regenerate even those of us who are born again even those of us who have the gift of faith if it were left to us we should all fail." [00:31:50]

"Our Salvation does not depend upon us at any point it is entirely in him and of him very well then now there are some of these arguments that we draw out very well say somebody you've stated all that before we you've worked it out as the apostle but still I'm in this difficulty how are you going to reconcile all that with what you've got before you there in this 11th chapter and especially in this explicit form in verse 22 and what about the similar parallel statements I suggest to you that the answers can be put in some such form as this and here it seems to me is a most important and helpful matter for us." [00:34:47]

"All these passages which seem to be putting it on us putting the owners on us and suspending our ultimate glorification upon us and our faithfulness and persistence all these passages are invariably addressed only to the visible church only to the sphere of profession now let me expound that what is the whole Central argument of this chapter isn't it this we've seen it so often let me bring it back to your minds the leading theme of this chapter is after all the two israels now we've had to deal with it in expounding the teaching concerning the Olive Tree and so on that's the point that is stood out isn't it that there is an external Israel there is a kind of inner Israel." [00:36:09]

"These remarks in other words apply as I say only to the visible Church they apply only in general to the nation of Israel and to the Gentiles speaking generally well now it's exactly the same you it's the only explanation of those other passages that I quoted you the one for instance in Matthew 8 where we said saw that our Lord issued that warning you remember to his listeners at that time Matthew 8:12 but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer Darkness now that simply means Israel after the flesh that's not the elect it's only true of them it's not the true spiritual Seed of Abraham his whole argument is that they're always in but it's these others and it's the same with Luke 13:28 and so on there is no statement anywhere in the scripture that the elect can fall or that the elect will ever be cut out." [00:39:04]

"The only people who are ever frightened by a statement such as this are true Christian people nobody else the whole trouble with these others who think they're Christians temporary Believers temporary professors call them what you like the trouble with them is that they're always self-satisfied they're perfectly happy nothing ever disturbs them at all and they can read through the warnings of the scripture nothing troubles them everything is all right show me a man who's Disturbed and somewhat alarmed by these statements and I will show you a Christian or let me put it as I often have to put it in my Vestry and as every Minister often has to put it when a man comes to me and tells me that he thinks he's guilty of the blasphemy or the sin against the Holy Ghost I always tell such a person well if there's one man in the world of whom I am absolutely certain he's not guilty of that it's you if you're worried that you're guilty of that sin against the Holy Ghost you're giving me proof that you're not guilty of it." [00:44:37]

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Transcript
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