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The Masters Academy International
Soteriology The Doctrine of Salvation
“The scriptural doctrine of God and the scriptural doctrine of salvation
are inseparable and interdependent.”
R.B. KUIPER
“Except the names given to God and our Savior, there is no sweeter word than salvation.”
WILLIAM S. PLUMER
“It is God alone who saves, and that in every element of the saving process.”
BENJAMIN B. WARFIELD
2
SESSION 1
A. INTRODUCTION TO SOTERIOLOGY
1. What is soteriology?
• Defined: Soteriology is the study of the doctrine of
salvation. To state it another way: Soteriology is the study
of how God saves each individual whom He has chosen. It
includes God’s purpose and plan in relation to the
salvation of men; the person and work of the Redeemer;
and the application of that work by the Holy Spirit to the
actual salvation of the people of God from beginning to
end (Phil.1:6).
2. What does soteriology include?
• Ordo Salutis (The Order of Salvation)—Election (eternal
decree, predestination, foreknowledge), effectual calling,
regeneration/new birth, faith and repentance (conversion),
justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, and
glorification (Rom.8:29-30 includes several, but not all, of
these)
3. Why study soteriology?
a. To understand the triune God’s plan of salvation
(1 Pet.1:1-2)
b. To understand the purpose of Christ’s work on our behalf
(1 Pet.1:20-21)
c. To understand how Christ’s work changes us (Phil.2:13)
d. To increase our assurance of our past, present, and future
salvation (Rom.8:31ff show that assurance flows from
soteriology)
4. Key assumptions
a. Human sin and our need for salvation (Is.64:6; Rom.3:9-20)
b. Human depravity and inability to save ourselves (Eph.2:1-3;
John 8:34-36)
c. The sovereignty of God in salvation from beginning to end
(1 Cor.1:30-31; Rom.11:36; Phil.1:6)
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B. ELECTION/PREDESTINATION
1. What is election?
• Defined: God has been pleased to choose certain men
and women out of mankind, whom by His counsel secret
to us, He has decreed to save by Jesus Christ. Those men
and women whom God has been pleased to choose from
all eternity, He calls in time, by His Spirit working in due
season. He convinces them of sin. He leads them to Christ.
He works in them repentance and faith. He converts,
renews, and sanctifies them. He keeps them by His grace
from falling away entirely and finally brings them safe to
glory.1
a. Delineated: Where is it found in the Scripture?
• Jesus speaks of it. (Matt.24:22; Mark 13:22; Luke 18:7;
John 15:16; Matt.22:14)
• Paul speaks of it. (Rom.8:29-30, 33; Eph.1:4-5, 11;
2 Tim.1:9; 2:10; 2 Thess.2:13; Tit.1:1)
• Peter speaks of it. (1 Pet.1:2; 2:9; 2 Pet.1:10)
b. Dangers: What perversions of election need to be
rejected?
• Election destroys man’s responsibility. (Ezek.18:31; John
3:19; 5:40)
• Election prevents the full, free offer of salvation to
every sinner. (2 Cor.5:18-20)
• Election can only be known by special assurance.
(1 Thess.1:3-4; Heb.12:14)
• Election prevents men from making diligent use of the
means of grace. (1 Pet.2:2; 4:7; Eph.6:18; 1 Cor.15:10;
1 Cor.11:23ff)
c. Described: What are the principal points of the election?
• Election is an act of God’s eternal will and sovereign
pleasure. (Eph.1:11)
• Election is an unchangeable act. (Rom.8:30; 11:29;
Jer.31:3)
• Election is in relation to Christ. (Eph.1:4)
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2. Why is understanding election important?
a. Election helps us to measure whether a person is biblically
correct on other doctrines such as the nature and extent
of sin, the bondage of the will, the full grace of God in
salvation, and even the presentation of the Gospel.2
b. Election humbles us. (Eph.2:8-9)
c. Election encourages our love for God. (2 Cor.5:14)
d. Election enriches our worship. (Rom.11:33-36; Eph.1:11-12)
e. Election encourages us in our evangelism. (Acts 13:48)
C. EFFECTUAL CALLING
1. What is the calling of God?
• Defined: It is the gracious work of the Spirit, whereby,
convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our
minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills,
He persuades and enable us to embrace Christ freely, as
He is offered to us in the Gospel.3
The effectual calling of God is “the first resurrection” or the
first event or experience of salvation in the individual.4 This
call is two-fold:
a. General/external call—the universal proclamation and
invitation of the Gospel to all people (Mark 1:14-15;
Matt. 22:14). Many hear and reject this call (Acts 7:57-
58; 17:32).
b. Effectual/inward call—God’s sovereign summons to
His elect through the Gospel to repent and believe in
Jesus (Acts 13:48; Rom. 1:6-7, 8:30; 1 Cor. 1:2, 9; 2 Thess.
2:14)
2. How does God inwardly call?
a. God calls through the preaching of the Gospel.
(Rom.10:17; 1 Cor.15:1-2; 1 Pet.1:23) b. God opens our hearts to believe by the power of the Holy
Spirit. (Acts 16:14)
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3. What does God call us from and to?
a. From the darkness of sin (ignorance/unbelief) to the light
of truth (Col.1:13)
b. From separation from God to fellowship/union with Christ
(1 Cor.1:9; Eph.2:11-16)
c. From the world to His kingdom (John 15:18-19; 17:14-16;
2 Thess.2:12)
d. From selfishness to holiness (1 Pet.1:14; 1 Thess.4:7; 2
Tim.1:9)
e. From bondage to freedom (Gal.5:13)
f. From hopelessness to the hope of eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12)
4. Why is understanding God’s calling important?
a. It is a heavenly calling (Heb.3:1). It shows that God takes
the initiative in our salvation, not us. Like election, it
humbles us.
b. It is a high calling (Phil.3:14). It drives us to prayer as we
preach and evangelize—for God must work inwardly in
sinners.
c. It is a holy calling (2 Tim.1:9). It should move us toward
greater holiness—for this is what He has called us to
(Eph.4:1).
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SESSION 2
D. REGENERATION
1. What is the new birth or regeneration?
• Defined: Regeneration is monergistic; that is, entirely the
work of God the Holy Spirit. It raises the elect among the
spiritually dead to new life in Christ (Eph.2:1-10).
Regeneration is a transition from spiritual death to spiritual
life, and conscious, intentional, active faith in Christ is its
immediate fruit, not its immediate cause. Regeneration is
the work of what Augustine called “prevenient” grace, the
grace that precedes our outgoings of heart toward God.
(John 3:3-8; Tit.3:5)5
2. Why do we need to be “born again”?
a. Because we are all born dead in sin. (Eph.2:1-3; Ps.51:5)
b. Because we are blinded from the truth. (2 Cor.4:4)
c. Because our sinful hearts, by nature, oppose God.
(Rom.8:7-8)
d. Because we cannot, in our sinful nature, understand
spiritual things. (1 Cor.2:14; John 3:3)
3. What does God do in the new birth?
“Regeneration renews the whole man. God does not merely
speak to us or offer terms of life through the preaching of the
Gospel. God really and effectually renews the mind to
understand the Gospel, renews the heart to believe it, and
renews the will to desire and respond to God. This work of
God is not manipulation but regeneration. As a result of
regeneration, the person can finally believe.”6
• Regeneration is more than reformation.
• Regeneration is more than moral persuasion.
• Regeneration is irresistible. (Rom.9:19; Acts 7:51)
• Regeneration cannot be undone.
• Regeneration is only for the elect.
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a. Makes us alive in Christ (raises us up with Him)
(Eph.2:4-5, 10)
b. Makes us new creatures in Christ (2 Cor.5:17)
c. Opens our blind eyes to see the truth of the Gospel
(2 Cor.4:6)
d. Gives us a new heart by the Spirit to live for Him
(Ezek.36:26-27; Jer.31:33; Rom.8:9-10)
e. Gives us His Spirit to understand spiritual things
(1 Cor.2:12-13)
4. How is one born again?
a. Through the Gospel/Word of God (1 Pet.1:23; James 1:18)
b. By the Spirit of God (John 3:3, 5; 6:63)
5. What are the signs or marks of regeneration?
• Love for and obedience to Christ (John 8:42; 14:15)
• Desire for one’s life to be examined (John 3:19-21)
• Genuine love for the saints (1 John 3:14; 4:7)
• Opposition to sin (1 John 2:29; 3:9)
• Walking in a new and holy life (1 John 2:3-6)
E. FAITH, REPENTANCE, or CONVERSION
1. What is faith?
• Defined: Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby
we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is
offered to us in the Gospel. (John 1:12; 6:40; Phil.3:9;
Gal.2:16; Heb.10:39)7
Saving faith is the first act of regeneration. There are
various kinds of faith described in Scripture.
• There is a historical, dogmatic faith. (Jude 3)
• There is a false, temporary, superficial faith. (Matt.13:1-
9, 18-23; John 8:30-47)
• James speaks of a dead faith and a demonic faith.
(James 2:14-19)
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True, saving, justifying faith consists of three ingredients: self-
renunciation (Phil.3:9), reliance (Gal.2:20), and appropriation
(John 1:12).
a. Faith is a gift. (Eph.2:8-9; Phil.1:29)
b. Faith is a grace. (Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17)
c. Faith is a guarantee. (Heb.11:1-2; 2 Pet.1:3-5)
Saving faith is turning to Christ as Savior and Lord in trust and
dependence.
2. What does faith involve?
a. Knowledge of God through Christ (Matt.11:27; John 17:3)
b. Belief/assent of what God has revealed (John 3:16; Acts
16:31; Heb.11:6)
c. Trust in Christ (described as “rest”—Matt.11:28-29;
“abiding”—John 15:1-11; “love”—John 21:15-17)
3. The evidence of faith
a. A preeminent and precious view of Christ (1 Pet.2:6-7)
b. Desire for the Word of God (1 Pet.2:1-3)
c. Lifestyle of cheerful obedience (Heb.11:8; 1 John 2:3-6; 5:3;
John 4:15)
d. Love for the brethren (1 John 3:14ff; 4:20-21; John 13:34-35)
e. Faithful works (Eph.2:10; James 2:14ff)
4. What is repentance?
• Defined: Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a
sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of
the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of
his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and
endeavor after, new obedience.8
True repentance is a grace of God’s Spirit whereby a sinner is
inwardly humbled and visibly reformed. Repent (Gk.metanoeo)
means to think again. It speaks of knowing something after the
fact, and it signifies a change of mind accompanied by a true
change of heart toward God and behavior. Remorse (Gk.
metamelloamai), on the other hand, means to regret with little
or nothing more than a selfish dread of the consequences of
what one has done, but with no deep heart change.
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a. Repentance is a command of the Gospel. (Mark 1:15;
Acts 17:30-31)
b. Repentance is a necessity for salvation. (Luke 13:3)
c. Repentance is a gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 5:31)
d. Repentance is a changing of the mind about sin and
turning away from it and toward Christ.
5. What does true repentance involve?
a. Sight of sin (John 16:8)
b. Sorrow for sin (2 Cor.7:9-10)
c. Confession of sin—we must speak of our sins the same
way that God does. (1 John 1:9)
d. Shame for sin—our sins have put Christ to shame.
(Rom.6:21)
e. Hatred for sin—you must hate it enough to forsake it.
(Ps.51:3-5)
f. Turning from sin unto faith in Christ (1 Thess.1:9-10)9
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F. JUSTIFICATION
1. What is justification?
• Defined: Justification is an act of God’s free grace,
whereby He pardons all our sins, and accepts us as
righteous in His sight, only because of the righteousness
of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone10
(Rom.3:24-25; 4:4-5, 25; 5:1; Gal.2:16).
Justification is a one-time legal declaration, wherein the sinner
is declared, not made, righteous. Justification is the gracious
free act of God, imputing the righteousness of Christ to a
believing sinner…pronouncing him to be just and accepted
before Him.11
2. Why do we need to be justified?
a. Because the guilty cannot stand before a holy God.
(Ps.5:4-6; Hab.1:13)
b. Because we cannot justify ourselves by works. (Rom.4)
3. How can God be just and justify sinners?
a. Substitution—Christ’s life (Is.53; 1 Pet.2:24; 3:18)
b. Imputation—Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor.5:21)
4. What are the results of justification?
a. Peace with God through Christ (Rom.5:1; 8:1)
b. Access to God (Rom.5:2)
c. Hope in God (Rom.5:3-5)
d. Love of God (Rom.5:5)
5. Question/Discussion
• Read James 2:14-26. Do James and Paul disagree on
justification?
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SESSION 3
G. SANCTIFICATION and PERSEVERANCE
1. What is sanctification?
• Defined: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace,
whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the
image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto
sin and live unto righteousness.12
The word “sanctification” signifies to consecrate and set apart
to a holy use. Sanctification is God’s work to separate us from
the world and set believers apart for God’s service. It is a work
of grace, sovereignly and savingly wrought in the heart,
whereby we become more like Christ.
2. Kinds of sanctification
a. Positional sanctification (1 Cor.6:11; Heb.10:10)
We have been sanctified—set apart as holy (saints).
b. Progressive sanctification (1 Cor.1:18; Rom.6:19-22)
We are being sanctified—progressively made more holy
throughout our lives.
c. Practical sanctification (2 Cor.7:1)
A.W. Pink—“Scriptural sanctification is…1) a moral quality in
the regenerate—the same in its nature as that which belongs
to the Divine character—which produces harmony with God’s
will and causes its possessor to aim at His glory in all things. 2)
It is the moral image of God—lost by the first Adam and
restored by the Last Adam—stamped upon the heart. 3) It is
the opposite of sin. 4) it is an integral and essential part of
salvation, being a [progressive] deliverance from power and
pollution of sin, causing its possessor to love what he once
hated, and to now hate what he formerly loved.”13
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3. How does sanctification happen?
a. God works in us through the Spirit. (1 Thess.5:23;
Heb.13:20-21; 2 Thess.2:13; 1 Pet.1:2; Phil.2:12-13)
b. We work out our salvation. (Phil.2:12-13; Col.3:12-17;
2 Pet.1:5-11)
4. What does sanctification involve?
a. Fighting sin (Rom.6:12-14)
b. Killing sin (Rom.8:13)
c. Making no provision for sin/the flesh (Rom.13:14)
d. Arming yourself (Eph.6:11ff)
e. Joyful obedience to Christ (John 14:15)
f. Pursuit of Christ (Phil.3:7ff)
5. How do we pursue sanctification?
a. Be conversant with the Word of God. (John 17:17)
b. Grow in faith. (Acts 15:9; 2 Thess.2:13)
c. Fellowship with sanctified, growing believers. (2 Tim.2:20-
22)
d. Pray daily. (Job 14:4; Ps.51:10)
6. What is perseverance?
• Defined: Perseverance is the fruit of sanctification (1
Pet.1:4-5). Perseverance of the saints is God’s work to
preserve the Christian’s salvation to eternity. The doctrine
of perseverance asserts that true, genuine, real Christians
shall persevere in faith to the end of their lives. They shall
never perish. They shall never be lost. They shall never be
cast away. Once they are in Christ, they shall always be in
Christ. Once forgiven, they shall never be deprived of their
pardon. Once joined to Christ, they shall never be broken
off.14 (2 Tim.1:12)
Perseverance does not mean that believers do not fail or faint,
in degree or duties. For the true believer, faith may grow weak,
but not extinguished or abolished. (Phil.1:6; Heb.12:2a)
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7. Assurances of perseverance
a. The pledge of God the Father (2 Cor.1:21-22; Phil.1:6;
1 Pet.1:5)
b. The promise and confirmation of God the Son (1 Cor.1:8;
John 6:39-40; 10:27-29; 17:15, 24; 1 Thess.5:23-24; 5:9;
2 Thess.3:3; Jude 1, 24; 2 Tim.4:18)
c. The sealing of the Holy Spirit (Eph.1:13; 4:30)
d. The testimony of Scripture (Rom.8:35-39; 2 Thess.2:13;
1 John 2:19)
8. Questions/Discussion
a. Does the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints allow
us to indulge in a sinful life?
b. Should we examine ourselves? Why or why not?
H. GLORIFICATION
1. What is glorification?
• Defined: Glorification is the completion of our
redemption—when Christ returns and transforms our
mortal physical bodies into eternal physical bodies fit for
the new heaven and new earth. “Glorification is the final
phase in the application of redemption. It is that which
brings to a completion the process which begins in the
effectual calling. Indeed, it is the completion of the whole
process of redemption. For glorification means the
attainment of the goal to which the elect of God were
predestinated in the eternal purpose of the Father, and it
involves the consummation of the redemption secured
and procured by the vicarious work of Christ.”15
2. What does glorification involve?
a. Christ’s return/appearing (Col.3:4)
b. Physical resurrection (1 Cor.15)
c. Transformation to be like Christ (1 John 3:1-2; 1 Cor.15:52)—
Predestined for this purpose (Rom.8:29)
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3. How should glorification affect us now?
a. Purifies us (1 John 3:3)
b. Strengthens us (1 Cor.15:58)
c. Gives us comfort and hope in trials (Rom.8:18ff; 2 Cor.4:16-
18)
I. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION of SOTERIOLOGY
1. How should a better understanding of the doctrine of
salvation affect how you live?
2. How should a better understanding of soteriology affect how
you preach, evangelize, and disciple?
1 J.C. Ryle, Old Paths (Edinburgh, UK: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1999), 461. 2 James Montgomery Boice, The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel
(Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2002), 91. 3 Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.31 4 Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity (Edinburgh, UK: The Banner of Truth Trust: 1958),
220. 5 J.I. Packer Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Belief (Carol Stream, IL:
Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 158. 6 Joel Beeke and Mark Jones, A Puritan Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation
Heritage Books: 2012), 474. 7 Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.86 8 Ibid., Q.87 9 Thomas Watson, The Doctrine of Repentance (Edinburgh, UK: The Banner of Truth Trust:
1987), 18. 10 Westminster Catechism Q.33 11 John Owen, quoted in A Puritan Theology, 492. 12 Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.35 13 A.W. Pink, Studies in the Scriptures, September 1935, Vol. XIV 14 J.C. Ryle, Old Paths, 479. 15 John Murray, Redemption: Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids, MI: Eardmans,
2015), 174.
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