Foundations – 2 Weeks Left

A note from Rob Pendley on Foundations, which continues Sunday at 6pm:

During the past six weeks there have been many good and thoughtful questions asked in and around [the Foundations] class. I want to give my personal answer to one that’s really close to my heart. 

 If God has determined who shall (and therefore shall not) be saved,
Why evangelize? 

This response is off the top of my head. Why do I evangelize?

1. Because Jesus has commanded it in Scripture.
2. Because it is the God-ordained means for reaching God-ordained ends. 
3. Because I believe God is active in the world bringing people from life to death. So desperate is the dead condition of natural man that my (Rob) only confidence in evangelism grows from the roots of election.

And there are at least some evidences that being gripped with the reality of free grace can produce a heart for evangelism:

• Church planting numbers of John Calvin’s Geneva (googleable)
• Impact churches in large urban areas recently are: 

  
  Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan and Mars Hill in Seattle – Both of these have seen thousands of conversions and planted hundreds of churches. And they hold to the doctrine of election.

• Evangelism Explosion was developed by a minister who cherished God’s eternal plan of salvation.

I know these reasons don’t “close the case,” but they do give my personal response to that good question. Now, a word that Christ Community (Rob Pendley, first) needs to hear:

1. Where are our tears? Of gratitude for receiving the free grace of Christ and of longing for those outside Christ?
2. Where is our zeal? If the glorious and holy God of the universe has reached us in His sovereign grace, then why is our zeal for worship and evangelism often so absent?
3. Why are we so interested in who is and who is not elect of God? The Bible is so much clearer on issues of HOW we are to live by faith, loving God and neighbor; practice hospitality, etc. There is so much more emphasis on love joy peace patience kindness gentleness and self-control. Personally, I know why I prefer the comfort of technical conversations. How ’bout you?
4. Remember the main things. There is one theological argument that raised the real ire of Paul–justification by faith. In Galatians he’s ticked. In Philippians he warns against those who obscure it. I want to follow Christ in keeping the main thing the main thing. Who gets baptized and when and how? Not that big a problem. Think you know when Jesus is coming back? I don’t, but I honor you as brother/sister.

Another great question:

Between the fall of Adam and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, how were people’s sins atoned for? Was there true salvation as we know it in NT times? Also, if the Law doesn’t save, how did it ‘work’ for OT believers? Were they trusting in Messiah and didn’t know it? 

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. Heb 11:24-26   Helpful article here

Finally:

What about the warning passages in scripture where it seems quite plain that people are cut off from God, or lose their salvation?

“See that you do not refuse Him” (Heb. 12:25ff.). Here is the final extended warning passage in Hebrews. These warning passages have often been regarded as “problem” passages because of the implication they seem to carry, namely, that believers might fall away from Christ and be lost. But to read these passages in such a way is to abstract them from their contexts in the letter and from the covenant dynamic of the Gospel. For when we read these passages in the context of the letter as a whole, we come to realize that they belong to an ongoing series of exhortations to be read in the light of the privileges of grace.” (from a brief article online by Sinclair Ferguson)

I’ve given some resources below that might prove helpful.

Grace & Peace,

Rob

 Some resources:

1. Election article by J.I. Packer

2. About the Warning Passages, an article by Trevin Wax

3. Quick article by Ra McLaughlin with this quote:

Sometimes our critics say that because we believe in predestination, Reformed Christians have no real motivation to evangelize. But nothing could be further from the truth. We believe that God has elected some people to salvation, and that he has called us to bring them to faith through the preaching of the gospel. That means that we are guaranteed to be successful in evangelism — the elect will certainly come to faith.  

Reminder for this Sunday, March 10: Please arrive having read WCF Chapters

• 25  – The Church
• 26 – The Communion of Saints
• 27 – The Sacraments
• 28  – Baptism
• 29 – The Lord’s Supper