The Gospel - Effective Calling

If asked, how many Christians do you think could define "The Gospel"? The real question is why have we (the church) ventured so far from the sole message Jesus commanded us to go and share (Matthew 28:19-20)? I believe there are several reasons, but the one that sticks out to me is because of the offensive nature the Gospel presents to those who are not born again (saved). While I do not purpose my life on offending others, I nor or any other Christian should allow our own personal opinions to stand in the way of the good news of the Gospel from being voiced to the world. So what is the Gospel and how does it work?

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 says, "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him." The Gospel can be defined simply through Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and the fact that He sits at the right hand of the throne of God interceding for us.

Wayne Grudem paints a picture of the Gospel with his definition of Effective Calling. "Effective Calling is an act of God the Father, speaking through the human proclamation of the gospel, in which He summons people to Himself in such a way that they respond in saving faith." God calls us by His Spirit, chooses to use people like you and me to share the good news (gospel), and then summons (drag not woo or draw) people to respond by faith. How cool is it, that God has chosen, sovereignly, to use people like you and me to proclaim the greatest message of love and redemption ever to be told.

We also find in the Gospel a response. The gospel call is offered to all people, even those who do not accept it. It is not up to us to bring people into the Kingdom. It is us up to us to share the good news of the Kingdom. Think about this. Without the gospel call no one could respond and be saved. "How are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?" (Romans 10:14) The Gospel present an invitation to respond.

Finally the elements of the Gospel call are:
1. All people have sinned (Romans 3:23)
2. The penalty for our sin is death (Romans 6:23)
3. Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 5:8)

God has put the Gospel in our hearts by His grace. It is now our turn. God has mandated us as Christians to proclaim the good news of the Gospel to everyone!

Blake

Sources
Wayne Grudem: Systematic Theology
Charles Spurgeon: Lectures to My Students
ESV Translation

Can You Lose Your Salvation?

The answer is simply, no. Though some Scripture would seem to back up the Armenian view, a more in-depth look at Scripture, systematically, proves the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. This is an outline of a recent message I taught our students. Please know that no part of my message attacked those who come to a different conclusion. But, please know that I go to sleep like a Calvinists, resting in peace knowing God will work it all out despite how good or bad I might be. My future totally and exhaustively rest in the redemptive work of Jesus, ALONE!

Ephesians 2:8-10
”For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”


I. The Other Side (Armenian “Free Will”)
• Hebrews 6:4-6
• 1 Corinthians 9:27

II. The Perseverance of the Saints (Eternal Security, Once Saved Always Saved)
• This doctrine teaches that if you have saving faith you will never lose it, and if you lose it, you never had it.
• 1 John 2:19

III. A False Pretense
• A person may be converted to the program, church, or practices of a church without being converted to Christ.
• Cool Church (Emergent Church)

IV. Parable of the Sower
• Luke 8:5-8
• Good ground/soil (It all depends on the regenerate work of God’s Spirit)

V. God Sustains the Believer
• The Doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints does not rest on our ability to persevere. It rest on the promise of God to preserve us.
• Philippians 1:6

VI. The Doctrine of Election coincides with the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints
• Predestination
• Romans 8:30

VII. Why Do I Need to Know This?
• Some Preachers use doctrines that teach you can lose your salvation every time you sin in order to control their congregation. The Bible just does not teach this doctrine.
• Those who have truly been born again will portray a redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
• So you can be free of relying on yourself to get to heaven.
• Knowing that your salvation rest in God preserving you, increases your willingness and confidence in evangelism.