big grace session 2 summary
TRANSCRIPT
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7/27/2019 Big Grace Session 2 Summary
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BIGGRACEWHATTHEBIBLEREALLYSAYSABOUTGOD Iss
Big Gracewhat the
Bible reallysays abouGod
BYGRACEYOUHAVEBEENSAVED INTHISISSUE
WeknowthatChrist,beingraisedfromthedead,willnever
dieagain
(Romans
6:9).
WeknowthatforthosewholoveGodallthingsworktogetherfor
good,forthosewhoarecalled
accordingtohispurpose
(Romans8:28).
Weknowthatwhileweareathomeinthebodyweareaway
fromthe
Lord
(2
Corinthians
5:6).
Weknowthatapersonisnotjustifiedbyworksofthelawbut
throughfaithinJesusChrist
(Galatians2:16).
Weknowthatwhenheappearsweshallbelikehim,becausewe
shallsee
him
as
he
is
(1
John
3:2).
WeknowthattheSonofGodhascomeandhasgivenus
understanding,sothatwemay
knowhimwhoistrue(1John
5:20).
HAVESOMETHINGTOSAY?
Jointheconversation
BIGGRACE
@BigGraceICN
BigGraceBlog.wordpress.com
Historical Background onCalvinismWheredidthedoctrinecomefrom?
Page
The Difference between Calviniand ArminianismWhatsthedifference,anyway?
Page
@BigGraceICN
What Do We KNOW?
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BIGGRACEWHATTHEBIBLEREALLYSAYSABOUTGOD|Issue2
TheBible
is
the
authoritative
word
of
God
withouterror.Wecantrustitandwemust
listentoit.
OurthinkingaboutGodmustcomefromthe
Bibleoritcomesfromanunauthoritative
position.
Wewillbeinteractingwithteachingonthe
topicbuttheBibleistheonlyauthorityand
voicethatultimatelymatters.
Wecan,andprobablywill,attimesstruggle
tomakesenseofwhatweareseeing.We
mightdisagree
with
what
is
being
said.
It
mightbehardforustohearorunderstand.
Wearefreetodisagreeandstrugglewiththe
textofscripturebutweneedahumble
posturetowardsGod.HeisGodandweare
not.IfourdisagreementsarewithGodand
theBiblewecantrusthimtohelpus.Ifour
disagreementsarebetweenusashumanswe
canlooktoGodtohelpus.WetrustthatGod
willrevealwhohereallyisandwewill
worshiphimasheis.
THEWORDOFGOD
AllScriptureisbreathedoutbyGodand
profitableforteaching,forreproof,for
correction,andfortraininginrighteousness,
thatthemanofGodmaybecomplete,
equippedforeverygoodwork.
2TIMOTHY3:1617
ESV
Findthefreeseminarstudyguideon
DesiringGod.com.
WiththisStudyGuideandtheDVD,John
Piperwalksstudygroupsthrougheachofthe
fivepointsofCalvinismTotaldepravity,Unconditionalelection,Limitedatonement,
Irresistiblegrace,Perseveranceofthesaints
discussingtheimplicationsandtheissues
fromafullybiblicalperspective.Theguide
focusesonPiper'ssixteen,30minuteDVD
teachings,whichcovertopicsthatinclude
themeaningof"total"intotaldepravity,
doingmissionswhenGodissovereign,
Romans9andthetwowillsofGod,andten
effectsofbelievingthefivepointsof
Calvinism.
Thisguidedgroupstudyclarifiestheall
importantdifferencesbetweenCalvinism
andArminianismandcallsbelieverstohold
fasttobiblicaltruthregardingGod'ssaving
workinhispeople'slives.
Summaryof
Seriesfrom
Crossway.
http://www
ossway.org
ooks/tulip
tpb/
The Bible
TULIP DVD by John Piper
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BIGGRACEWHATTHEBIBLEREALLYSAYSABOUTGOD|Issue2
KEYSCRIPTURES
Ephesians 1:3-6BlessedbetheGodandFatherofourLordJesus
Christ,whohasblessedusinChristwithevery
spiritualblessingintheheavenlyplaces,evenashe
choseusinhimbeforethefoundationoftheworld,
thatweshouldbeholyandblamelessbeforehim.In
lovehepredestinedusforadoptionassonsthrough
JesusChrist,accordingtothepurposeofhiswill,to
thepraiseofhisgloriousgrace,withwhichhehas
blessedusintheBeloved.
2 Timothy 1:9Whosavedusandcalledustoaholycalling,not
becauseofourworksbutbecauseofhisownpurpose
andgrace,whichhegaveusinChristJesusbefore
theages
began
ROMANS8:28
ALLTHINGS
work
together
for
GOOD
EveryoneknowstheacronymTULIP,butnot
everyoneknowswhere thisacronym comes
from. The Canons of Dordt are among the
mostfamousbutunreaddeliverancesofany
ReformedSynod.Thecanonsaremorethan
five letters. The canons teach a pastoral
doctrineofgraceandprovideamodelforthe
stewardshipoftheGospel.
The
Canons
(rules)
of
the
Synod
of
Dordt
were written after years of controversy
withintheReformedchurchesinEuropeand
Britain. In the late sixteenth century the
Reformed doctrines of sin, grace, faith,
justification, atonement, perseverance, and
assurancefacedagrowingresistance.Atthe
same time, James Hermanson (c. 1559
1609),knowntousasJacobArminius,wasa
student in theGenevanAcademywhere he
showed promise andno obvious evidence
ofheterodoxy.
QuestionsaboutArminiusdoctrinearoseas
earlyas1590,butJacobhadmarriedwelland
his
patrons
protected
him.
About
1594
he
developedanewreadingofRomanschapter
7 inwhichheargued thatPaulcouldnotbe
describing a regenerate person. By 1596,
after studying Romans chapter 9, he
concluded that inclusion in the covenant of
grace is not determined solely by Gods
sovereigndecree. Instead,Godhaswilledto
acceptthosewhoseekacceptancewithHim
by faith. This was a clever move. He
appeared to be defending justification by
faithall thewhile redefining thedoctrineof
election and thedefinitionof faith.As time
passed,hisviewsbecamemorewellknown.
Confessional pastors and theologians in t
Netherlands
and
elsewhere
began
to
southe alarm. Dialogues were conducted a
Arminius said the right things, leaving t
orthodoxuneasybutwithouthardeviden
oferror.Despiteswirlingdoubts,theregen
of the University of Leiden appoint
Arminius to professor of theology. Almo
immediately,Arminiuswascontroversial.
wasreportedtoteachthatGodelectstho
whom he foreknowswouldbelieve.Hea
raised questions about the Reform
doctrineofthecovenantofworks. Inpub
however, Arminius went out of his way
agreewithhisorthodoxcolleagues.
By1605,
however,
confessional
Reform
pastors were calling for discipline again
Arminiusandhisgrowingbandof followe
(the Arminians). The orthodox called for
national synod to discipline the Arminia
but the politicians refused. Instead, leadi
Arminians in the government called for
synod to revise the Belgic Confession a
theHeidelberg Catechism to make the
moreamenabletoArminiusviews.
Arminius died in October 1609, and t
controversy entered a new phase. T
Arminianspublishedaremonstranceagain
theReformed
churches
in
which
th
outlined five objections to Reform
doctrine. Some preliminary responseswe
drafted as early as 1611, but it was t
Remonstrantswhofirstgaveusfivepoints
whichtheReformedchurcheswouldrespo
atthegreatSynodofDordt.
The Synod of Dordt almost did not occ
Political forces within the governme
workedmightilytopreventanationalsyn
toaddresstheproblem.Thetheologicalcri
threatenedtobreakout intowarfare.Prin
TABLETALK
Originallypostedonwww.ligonier.org/tabletalkhttp://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/canons
dordt/
The Canons of Dordtby R. Scott Clark
Historical Backgroundon Calvinism
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BIGGRACEWHATTHEBIBLEREALLYSAYSABOUTGOD|Issue2
Maurice of Nassau (15671625), who
sympathizedwith theorthodox,called fora
national synod. The Remonstrants
responded by organizing riots in 1617.
Maurices chief rival threatened war, but
when Maurice arrived in Utrecht (an
Arminian stronghold) in 1618 with battle
testedveterans,theoppositionmelted.
Thegreatest
international
Reformed
synod
convened in Dordrecht, on 13 November
1618. In attendance were delegations from
across Europe and Britain. Forbidden by
LouisXIIIfrom attending, the French
delegation was
notablyabsent.
In 1610 the Remonstrants proposed these
five points:One: Election conditioned upon
foreseenfaithandobedience;Two:Universal
atonement; Three: Regeneration enables
sinners to do good toward salvation; Four:
Resistible grace; Five: Believers may
fallaway.
BecausethesynodrepliedtotheFiveArticles
of the Remonstrants point by point, the
order of the Canons is not actuallyTULIP.
The first head of doctrine concerned divine
election and reprobation. With the apostle
Paul, Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, the
synodruledthat,byvirtueofAdamsfall,we
aresoprofoundlysinfulthatwedeserveonly
condemnationandareabletodonothingto
prepareforgraceoreventocooperatewithit
towardourjustification(1.1).Theinstrument
ofjustificationisafaiththatembracesChrist
alone for salvation (1.24). Only the elect
come
to
faith
(1.56).
Election
in
Christ
is
Godsunchangeableandeternalchoiceofa
certain number of persons to salvation
unconditionedbyanythinginthesinner(1.7
11).Believersfindcomfort inthistruthsince
only the elect believe, and their faith is
evidence of Gods grace toward them. The
electwill, indifferentways,attainassurance
of Gods grace toward them, not by
inquisitivelyprying into the secretanddeep
thingsofGod,butbybelieving theGospel
and paying attention to the infallible fruits
ofelection (1.12).Thosewhodoubt should
neverthelessmakeuseof themeanswhich
Godhasappointed forworkingthesegraces
inus(1.16).
The second head of doctrine teaches that
Christsdeathdidnotsimplymakesalvation
available for thosewhowill, but rather our
SavioractuallysecuredthesalvationofallHis
people.Hisdeath satisfiedGodsjustice for
all the elect (2.12). Christs death is of
infiniteworth,but intended to satisfyGods
wrathfor
the
elect.
Therefore,
the
promise
of
the Gospel is that whosoever believes in
Christ crucified shall not perish, but have
eternal life (2.5).Contrary to thecaricature
of Calvinism, the synod said that, by His
death,Christredeemedoutofeverypeople,
tribe, nation, and language, all those, and
thoseonly,whowerefrometernitychosento
salvation and given to Him by the
Father(2.8).
Thethirdand fourthheadsofdoctrinewere
combined to articulate the Reformed
doctrineofsinandregeneration.Thoughwe
were created good and upright, we freely
chosesin
and
with
it
death
(3/4.1).
We
are
so
corrupt by nature thatwe are incapable of
life or free choice apart from the
regeneratinggraceoftheHolySpirit(3/4.3).
Thenaturalknowledgeand lawofGodonly
condemns us (3/4.45).OnlyGod the Spirit
through the word or ministry of
reconciliation raisesHiselect to life (3/4.6).
We believe becauseGod hasmade us alive
(andnotthereverse),buttheSpiritmakesus
alivebyworking through theadministration
of the Word; the external proclamation of
theGospelissincereandtheGospelpromise
sincere (3/4.8,11,17).Thosewho refuse the
Gospelareresponsiblefortheirchoices,andthe regeneration of the elect must be
credited only to Gods sovereign grace
(3/4.10,12).Godssovereigntydoesnotmake
us stocks and blocks because the Spirit
works through the Word. It spiritually
quickens, heals, corrects, and at the same
time sweetly and powerfully bends it, that
where carnal rebellion and resistance
formerlyprevailed(3/4.16).
Thefifthheaddefendedtheperseveranceof
thesaints.Those towhomHegives thegift
of faith,whomHeregeneratesbytheHoly
Spirit, he also delivers from the domini
and slavery of sin (5.1). Our ongoi
strugglewith singivesus reason tohumb
ourselves and to seek heaven (5.2). Left
ourselves, we would fall away, but gra
mercifully confirms and powerfu
preserves us even to the end (5.
Sometimesbelievers,suchasDavid,fall in
grievous sin and lose the sense of Go
favor,but
God
preserves
them
(5.45).
G
neverallowsHispeopletoproceedsofar
to lose the grace of adoption (5.6). Chr
certainlyandeffectuallyrenewsHispeop
torepentance,toasincereandgodlysorro
for their sins (5.7). The Spirit gran
assurance to His people not, however,
anypeculiarrevelation,butratheritsprin
from faith in Gods promises (5.1
Assurance of grace does not produ
immorality among Christians. Rather,
renders them much more careful a
concerned to continue in the ways of t
Lord (5.13). As the Spirit makes us al
throughthe
preaching
of
the
Gospel,
strengthensourfaithandassurancethrou
thesacraments(5.14).
TheCanonsofDordtrepresentaremarkab
consensus of conviction among t
Reformed churches on essential doctrin
Indeed,theveryReformationwasatstake
Gods favor is conditioneduponanything
us, thenweare lostbecausewearedead
sin. If theGospel is reconfigured to inclu
our obedience, then it is no longer t
Gospel. Ifatonement ismerelyhypothetic
if the elect can fall away, then grace is
longergrace.
The synods responsewas careful, pastor
and firm. The synod concluded that itdo
not help piety or assurance to make o
salvation depend on anything in us. T
Gospel isChrist forus.TheCanonsofDo
arean inheritance tobe treasured,but th
arealso tobeused inour congregations,
ourcatechismclasses,andasanexample
howtorespondtochallenges.
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BIGGRACEWHATTHEBIBLEREALLYSAYSABOUTGOD|Issue2
The Key Differences betweenCalvinism and Arminianism
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