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THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE a.k.a. or The Reformed

Westminster Adult Sunday School - Winter Quarter ’10 – ‘11 Teachers: Keith Krueger, John Light, & Michael Rogers

Text: The Doctrines of Grace, by James M. Boice and Philip Ryken

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12/5/10 [Light] Why Evangelicalism Needs Calvinism

12/12 [Light] Case Studies of Calvinism in Church History

12/19 [Rogers] The Keystone of the Arch: ’s Absolute Sovereignty Referencing: The Sovereignty of God by A.W. Pink

12/26 [Rogers] God’s Absolute Sovereignty, continued

1/2/11 [Krueger] The Five Points, #1 – Radical Depravity Also called

1/9 [Light] The Five Points, #2 –

1/16 [Light] Unconditional Election, continued

1/23 [Krueger] The Five Points, #3 – Particular Also called Definite or

1/30 [Krueger] The Five Points, #4 – Efficacious Grace Also called Irresistible Grace

2/6 [Light] The Five Points, #5 – Persevering Grace Also called The Perseverance of the Saints

2/13 [Light] The Covenant of Grace as God’s Old Testament and Plan

2/20 [Light] The True ‘Israel’ of God and Bible Prophecy Referencing: The Israel of God by O.P. Robertson

2/27 [Light] How the Doctrines of Grace impact our lives

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The Doctrines of Grace Class 1 “Why Evangelicalism Needs Calvinism”

“The world should realize with increased clearness that Evangelicalism stands or falls with Calvinism.” (Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield)

“Evangelicalism needs Calvinism.” (Philip Ryken) Evangelicalism stands for the . Calvinism stands for grace. The gospel stands or falls by grace. (The gospel is not really the gospel unless it is a gospel of grace.)

Did Calvin invent Calvinism? No! Old Testament, New Testament, , Paul, Peter, John, , Acts, Epistles. Augustine, , Ulrich Zwingli, William Tyndale, the , , John Owen, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, Cotton Mather, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainard, George Whitefield, William Carey, Henry Martyn, David Livingstone, John Paton.

We must seek to discuss these matters with humility and love. Why is this subject so difficult and divisive? These are deep matters. (The intersection of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility) (The question of what is just or fair.) The Bible requires careful thoughtfulness. (We cannot casually work through these issues.) We all come with a “grid” of interpretation. (Our grid needs to be continually remade by Scripture.) Our modern secular and humanistic mindset is opposed to the Bible. (The natural mind is opposed to God’s ultimate sovereignty.) We tend to interpret the Bible in light of our experience. (How conversion “feels” to a new believer) Calvinism is often distorted by those who reject it. (The charge of Calvinism removing the motive for evangelism) There are degrees and variations of Calvinism and . (Many modern Arminians are Calvinistic to some degree.) Many of us begin our Christian experience with much confusion & error. (On many biblical subjects)

The heart of the matter: Calvinism upholds the grace of God in salvation and promotes a passion for the glory of God in all things.

What’s the difference between person A (unbeliever) and person B (believer)?

John Wesley and Charles Simeon (their conversation as recorded by Wesley, p.35)

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Historical Background and Brief Overview of the “Five Points of Calvinism” (1509-1564) Jacob Arminius (1560-1609) – Taught at the University of Leyden 1610 – Followers of Arminius drew up five articles of faith and presented these to the state of Holland in the form of a protest or remonstrance, seeking to amend the Dutch confessions of faith.

Summary of the articles of The Remonstrance: 1. Human Ability: Human nature has been damaged by the fall but capable of believing in Christ, even prior to (although not entirely apart from God’s grace). Every sinner retains the ability to choose for or against God.

2. : God’s choice to save certain individuals is based on foreseen faith. Faith is partly a human decision.

3. Indefinite Atonement: Christ’s work on the cross makes salvation possible for everyone but not actual for anyone in particular. The Atonement only becomes effective if and when someone chooses to accept it.

4. Resistible Grace: Everyone who hears the gospel is called to faith in Christ, not only outwardly but also inwardly. Sinners are able to ultimately resist the Holy Spirit.

5. Defectible Grace: Those who believe in Christ and are truly saved nevertheless can fully and finally lose their salvation.

The of Dort (1618-1619) An international conference on Reformed doctrine “The Canons of the ” – classic summation of the 5 points TULIP

Total Depravity (Radical Depravity): Our sinfulness renders us impotent to cooperate with God’s saving grace.

Unconditional Election: Election is a loving act of God’s sovereign will.

Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption): The Atonement had a specific object in view, namely, the salvation of those whom the Father had given to the Son before the foundation of the world. The Atonement is effective in saving those persons.

Irresistible Grace (Efficacious Grace): In addition to the outward call of the gospel, made to everyone, the Holy Spirit issues an inward call. This inward calling is made only to the elect and inevitably draws them to faith in Christ. Because God is sovereign in salvation, it is not possible for them permanently or effectively to reject this .

The Perseverance of the Saints (Persevering Grace): God perseveres with his people, and because God perseveres with his people, they also persevere. It is the faithfulness of Christ rather than the faithfulness of the Christian that brings the saints to glory.