The Order of Salvation
https://www.facebook.com/notes/10217725639988230
Mar 25, 2011
1. It is helpful to
separate the various elements in the order into DISTINCT and LOGICAL
categories:
- Redemption
purposed...
- Redemption
accomplished...
- Redemption
applied...
- Redemption
experienced...
- Redemption
glorified...
2. In the redemption
purposed, there are:
- Election by the
Father...
- Foreknowledge...
- Predestination by
the Father...
- Christ appointed
as their Mediator...
- etc etc.
3. In the redemption
accomplished:
- Incarnation, the
eternal Word made flesh, perfect sinless life, substitutionary death,
resurrection, etc
- LEGAL
justification: all the sins of all that God the Father has given to Christ,
were imputed to Christ, and Christ suffered for them fully; Christ
righteousness was imputed to each and every one of them - whose names had been
written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world. (I know you
will jump and rave at this... let me just remind you that the condemnation of
sin in Adam's sin was EVEN SO / SIMILARLY imputed to all he represented at the
fall.)
- JUSTIFICATION BY
BLOOD is different from JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE and is different from
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH... See the dazzling multifaceted jewel called
'justification' unfolds...
4. In the redemption
applied:
- It is HERE that
sinners become PERSONALLY affected. What was LEGAL for the whole elect is now
APPLIED personally to each individual.
- When redemption is
applied upon an individual, he is dead in trespasses and sins. He is in enmity
against God. He is ungodly. He is a child of wrath. He is a rebel, etc. In such
state, the sinners ACTED UPON by God's act of applying eternal salvation is
ABSOLUTELY PASSIVE. They are utterly unable to aid or cooperate or assist in
the application of accomplished redemption to them PERSONALLY.
- When redemption is
applied, God FREELY and EFFECTUALLY calls a sinner who is by nature in the
state of SIN and DEATH to that which is GRACE and SALVATION. It must be FREELY
- if there is any condition imposed, it would be disastrous, none could ever be
met.
- In effectually
calling a sinner out of the state of sin and death to that of grace and
salvation, God by His free and sovereign grace and power must execute these
gracious acts - in these exact number and LOGICAL ORDER.
- Justification to
remove the condemnation... by APPLYING the righteousness of Christ to the
individual elect personally. This JUSTIFICATION BY GOD'S GRACE gives divine
warrant for the Holy Spirit to regenerate an elect dead in trespasses and sins.
- Regeneration to
remove the deadness, and bring the justified to eternal life.
- Adoption of the
regenerated to remove the alienation, and bring him into the family of God...
- Giving of the
Spirit of adoption to dwell in the child of God, who works all the saving
graces in them.
- All these, i.e.
justification by grace, regeneration, adoption, and the bestowal of the Holy
Spirit to dwell in the child of God happen in that LOGICAL ORDER, but
chronologically, they are simultaneous.
- Effectual calling out of the state
of sin and death to that of grace and salvation is an instantaneous and
gracious and FREE act of God, and involves all the able distinct divine acts.
- One who is
effectually called by God is fully and perfectly FITTED for eternal glory...
Nothing more is needed for eternal glory.
- God sovereignly
applies redemption to each and every one whom He gave to His Son, and for whom
Christ died to redeem.
- This is ETERNAL
SALVATION... by God's free grace PLUS nothing.
5. In redemption
experienced and evidenced:
- One who is
effectually called is enabled by the Holy Spirit working in him the manifold
graces of salvation, including the grace of faith and repentance, works of
righteousness, fear of God. Behold Cornelius, the Ethiopian eunuch, the devout
Jews on the day of Pentecost, etc, etc...who were converted.
- When such a one is
reached with the gospel ministry, he is able to respond to the gospel ministry.
The gospel truth is ALREADY true of him... God has freely applied redemption to
him. When he believes, his faith EVIDENCES the redemption that has been applied
to him by God's free and sovereign grace. When he believes, his EXPERIENCES in
a most personal way the love of God in Jesus Christ for him...
- The gospel
ministry is absolutely important for his WELL-BEING as a child of God. The
gospel ministry plays ABSOLUTELY no role in his BEING as a child of God.
- The gospel
ministry INSTRUCTS and INFORMS and EDIFIES and NOURISHES a child of God.
- The gospel
ministry does not play any role in giving eternal life to a sinner... But it is
absolutely needful for their well-being, for their TEMPORAL SALVATION here and
now in this life on earth.
- Each of God's
children by His free and sovereign grace, experiences and evidences a VASTLY
different degree of benefits from the gospel ministry. Some have none... others
have little... still others have husk feed to them... some are well nourished
under faithful gospel ministry...
- Whether more or
less or none, each and every one of them is perfectly fitted for eternal glory
by God's free and sovereign grace because of the effectual call.
6. In redemption
glorified/consummated
- You fill in the
blank... if you can... it is too wonderful for me too express it in words.
This is the only
order of salvation I have learned from the Scriptures. This is not to deny
that men have come up with many DIS-orders <grin>.
==================
Some comments
Michael
Gowens
I
sing the praises of Sing's Ordo Salutis! 🙂
Khai
S. Ng
Praise
God for his wondrous truths summarized by our beloved Pastor Sing F Lau as they
are revealed to us in this truth-less generation. A believer who is convicted
of such truths and experience the peace of God's redemption, yet lives a puffed
up, stiff-necked life of pride is clearly an oxymoron. May God grant us mercy
to act upon his truths...
Mark
Thomas
Wonderful
statement! Amen and Amen!
Gene
Thomas
By
all means, make a copy of Sing's article and share it with as many as you can. It is
worth reading and re-reading.
Michael
Lim
Thank
you, Lord, for being merciful in showing us the truth we are not privileged to
have in the first place. May we continue to live godly lives as we continue to
seek You in spirit and truth l.
Bill
Taylor
Powerful!
Truth! Consolation! Thank you Brother Sing. Please continue to set the Gospel
table with such rich food!
Sing
F Lau
Truth
is stranger than fables!
What
is treasured as truth is despised by many 'reformed' people as rank heresy on
the Monergism group.
<
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.>
Fables
are mistaken and embraced and defended as truth!
4:1
¶ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables.
Mark
Thomas
The
time has come and long since come for "itching ears". God spare us
from the "fables".
Michael
Lim
I once asked my younger brother about the word "sound doctrine" but he
is not aware and doesn't strike him there... I understand charismatic churches
are loving...i appreciate the love there, but there is not much truth together
also...fables are indeed scary! It brings u away from the truth, no use loving
if not accompanied by the truth...
Mark
Thomas
Just
lovingly instruct your Brother. Perhaps he will come to understand Bro. Lim.
Mark
Thomas
I
do agree that if not accompanied by truth by Divine means first, such efforts
will fail.
Dallas
Eaton II
Amen
Brother Sing. Amen.
Dallas
Eaton II
Sharing
on my FB and another place as well.
