The Will of Man in Salvation

The terms that relate to God’s election of the saints can at times be confusing for the routine reader. Although there are different distinctions for each term used that is important to understand, the reader must be careful not to over emphasize one over the other. It is more important to recognize that each term shines the light of God’s grace through a different facet of his loving and gracious, single salvific act. Paul emphasized that to the believers of Corinth when he reminded them, “And when I cam to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God,” (1 Cor. 2:1-5). The simple gospel message of God’s grace that leads to salvation by faith was Paul’s evangelistic model (Eph. 2:8-9).

However, for those who were already believers, “Paul connected God’s Election, Foreknowledge, and Predestination of believers (Rom. 8:29-30) saying that God opted to turn His attention in eternity past (out of love) to the elect (Foreknowledge) and decided (Predestination) to choose them to be saved from sin’s condemnation and conform them “to the image of His Son” (Election). Initiated by God, man then responds in faith (John 3:16; Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 2:8).” [1]

1. In your salvation experience, what was the first thing you realized about salvation that led you to put your faith in Jesus Christ and accept God’s salvation for yourself?

2. What aspect of salvation is most meaningful to you at this stage of your spiritual life?

3. What stands out to you in the thoughts presented by Paul in 1 Cor. 2:1-5?

4. Why might 1 Cor. 2:1-5 be important to keep in mind when considering witnessing of Christ to others?

5. Read Rom. 8:29-30. Are there any thoughts that stand out to you as you consider these facets of salvation Paul mentions here, either the significance of their order or their inclusion in the process?

6. Read John 3:16-19. What stands out to you in vv. 16-17?

7. When considering vv. 18-19, are there implications in this verse that answers the question about whether God elects people to condemnation (what are your thoughts)?

8. Read Acts 2:21. When witnessing to others, how simple is the gospel presented here by Peter and why is that important to remember?

9. Read Rom. 10:12-13. What aspects of God’s plan of salvation stand out to you in these verses and why?

10. Read 1 Cor. 1:2. What seems to be Paul’s emphasis in this verse (not repreated word/thought)?

11. Read Eph.1:3-14. Who are these verses speaking to about salvation (believers or non-believers)?

12. How does the description of salvation in these verses compare to the descriptions of salvation in the passages we looked at that were focused on witnessing to unbelievers?

Key Verse

“He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him.”

Eph. 1:9 (NASB)

Ephesians 1:9 NASB95

He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him

Conclusion:

“Free Will is one more belief in need of consideration briefly before leaving the doctrine of Election. Man is in every way incapable of or unwilling to turn to or please God in his own power as stated above. Man’s Free Will has the power to only choose sin and enmity rather than salvation with God (Rom. 8:7). Since it takes an act of God through Election to call man to Himself, it can be concluded that the Arminian doctrine of Free Will remains inconsistent with Scriptural teaching.”[2]

“…because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able itself to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God,” (Rom. 8:7-8).

[1] Lex DeLong, TH601 Soteriology, Baptist Bible Seminary of Clarks Summit University, Jan. 2017, 2. [2] Ibid.

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