The Doctrines of Grace: More than Academic

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on November 30, 2014

Today we come to the end of a two month sermon series on the Doctrines of Grace. To end our series I want to review the doctrines, briefly, and then I want to talk more about why understanding these doctrines matter in your day to day Christian walk.

So in review, the Doctrine of Grace are primarily about God's sovereignty in our salvation. Meaning that from beginning to end, it is God who saves. God gets all of credit for for our salvation, and therefore God gets all the glory.

The acronym for the Doctrines of Grace spells TULIP. Let us quickly go over each doctrine. First there is Total Depravity. This doctrine summarizes the Bible's teaching that man is a sinner. That our hearts our desperately sick, that nothing good dwells in us, that every intention of our heart is only evil continually, that all our “righteous deeds” are like filthy rags, that we are wretched; therefore we have no ability in ourselves to save ourselves or come to Christ. Jesus said it very clearly in John 6:44 that , “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

Which leads to the next doctrine we talked about, Irresistible Grace. Irresistible Grace is the drawing of a wretched sinner to Jesus by God. It is the shining of the light of Christ into a sinners heart by God. It is the Holy Spirit blowing into our life, birthing us into spiritual life. It is God circumcising your heart. It is God taking out the heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh. It is God giving us eyes to see and ears to here. It is God opening our hearts to pay attention to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without the God's overcoming our resistance to Him by his irresistible grace, we are without Hope to repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ.

This begs the question, how does God decided whose life he will pour out His irresistible grace? He does this by His Unconditional Election. This is the “U” in TULIP. Unconditional Election is the understanding that God, before time began, chose whom would be adopted into his family to be holy and blameless before Him. That God chose whom would receive His grace. This decision is a sovereign decision, meaning that God makes this decision with no outside influence. He is the only truly free decision maker in the Universe. God has mercy on whom he has mercy. This is not based on what we do, it is based on God's free, sovereign will.

Next we examined Limited Atonement. This is the Biblical doctrine that Jesus was sent to rescue the elect, the ones chosen by God. This teaches that Jesus actually saved a specific people. That his death was a particular death, with a personal application. Jesus did not die for an opportunity to be saved, but that actually saved people. Limited atonement is the teaching that Jesus came to die for his sheep and that there is no greater love that to lay down your life for a friend.

Lastly, we looked at the overwhelming passages that point to the wonderful truth that when God begins his work in you, He will complete it to the end. This is the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints, otherwise known as eternal security. This teaches that when you are adopted into God's family, He doesn't later kick you out. He doesn't give you eternal life and then say, just kidding. He doesn't open your eyes, to close them again. He doesn't love you, then send you to Hell. Perseverance of the Saints is the reality of the forever love of God.

These are the Doctrines of Grace. The question we will now address today is, why does it matter? I would argue that it matters immensely. As I stated before, other than my conversion, there has been no greater revelation in my life than the Sovereignty of God.

In this sermon series I have already spoken of two reasons as to why the Doctrines of Grace matter. First, God receives all the glory in our salvation. When we accept the truth of the Doctrines of Grace in our lives we are left with only one response, to praise God for His glorious grace. The second result we examined last week is that the Sovereignty of God is the catalyst to the Great Commission. Like Christ who was sent to rescue His Bride with victory guaranteed, we as his brothers and sisters, take the baton and go to all nations to bring in the sheep that are scattered abroad, knowing that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation and Jesus' sheep will hear his voice.

Today, I want to continue to discuss why embracing the Doctrines of Grace matter. These doctrines are not academic. They are doctrines you should build your life upon. Today, I have ten reasons why I believe that we should care about these doctrines.

1. The Doctrines of Grace are what the Bible teaches
   
   

As I was studying these doctrines over the last two months, I ran across an author who said that when people ask him, “Do you believe in Calvinism?” His default answer is, “The question is not what I believe, the question is what does the Bible teach?” I love that statement. This must be our default answer. We must embrace these doctrines for no other reason than the Bible teaches us these things.

We must remember that God's Word is His revelation to man. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that it is God's Word that is bread to our souls. Jesus then tells us that in John 17 that it is God's Word that sanctifies us. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3 that God's word is what equips us and makes us competent for all good works. The Doctrine of Grace is are doctrines of God's Word. The doctrines are not academic, they are much needed rations for this spiritual battle we find ourselves in and we must allow them to have their full effect upon our hearts and minds.

1. The Doctrines of Grace are the Gospel
   
   

Not only are the Doctrines of Grace what the Bible teaches, but these Doctrines are of first importance. These doctrines are the core of redemptive history, for these doctrines are the Gospel. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preaches, said these words about Calvinism.

“I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.”

1. The Doctrines of Grace Reveal the Greatest and Most Personal Love of God
   
   

As Christians we love to proclaim the love of God, and rightfully so. For we are told in 1 John 4 that God is love. The understanding of the love of God as directed to us is life changing, but I wonder how many people really understand the width and depth of God's love. The Doctrines of Grace are the fullest expression of the immensity of God's love. For only in these doctrines can we speak of an eternal love of God that began before time, a personal love of Jesus that cause him to die for you, and an enduring love of God that will never forsake us. No other theology, but reformed theology expresses this kind of eternal, specific and unbreakable love.

I did a lot of driving this weekend and we had a cd with Chris Tomlin's new song Waterfall on it. Perhaps you don't know this but Tomlin is a Calvinist, but in this song he says, your love is like a waterfall. And I was dwelling upon this phrase in connection to my sermon today and I thought, yes this is true, if you see the waterfall like Niagra Falls and not the the Cascades of the Maquoketa. It is the overwhelming and powerful love that pummels us and causes us to respond with reciprical and radical love for God and radical love for others.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Give us Assurance of our Salvation
   
   

What is so good about the good news? This is the question that Martin Luther wrestled with before his conversion. He was a Roman Catholic monk that hated his life. Why? Because he was always worried that he was going to lose his salvation, or that he wasn't holy enough to be in God's family. Is this the good news that Jesus proclaimed? Is this the truth that Jesus said will make us free? Absolutely not. The good news of the Gospel is the reality that Salvation is of the Lord. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus came to save his Bride completely. That his sacrifice was entirely sufficient to pay for all your sins past, present and future. The good news of the Gospel is that once Jesus rips you out of the arms of Satan, and does not hand you back over to the enemy after you make a mistake.

I recall one man who told me that he hated the weekends because he was always worried that he would lose his salvation. Whether it be thinking the wrong thought, watching the wrong movie, saying the wrong word, you name it. He never had peace in his heart. Does this seem like freedom? No it sounds like a prison.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Produce True Holiness
   
   

We read in Ephesians 1:4, “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.“ This verse captures all of redemptive history from beginning to end. The end is the destiny of the elect. If you are in Christ than your are guaranteed to be Holy and Blameless before your Creator. This is who you are. This is who you are in Christ. This truth is the looking glass self. Meaning that if you believe that Holiness is your destiny than you will strive for that Holiness right now. Being guaranteed to become like Christ is motivation to become like Christ. I think this is why Paul says this in Philippians 3

• Philippians 3:12-15 - “ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.“
  
  

This is how we must think. We must realize that our end goal is perfection, holiness. It is what lies ahead, so let us think this way the next time you are tempted by Satan.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Produce True Humility
   
   

The Doctrines of Grace are the only theology that gives God all the credit from beginning to end for our salvation. It is all grace. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing to boast about before God. This is the other side of the coin regarding giving God all the glory. The most humble understanding of our salvation is Calvinism. All other theologies exult man. Other theologies make man sovereign over his destiny and God a servant to us, but once again this is not what the Bible teaches. God repeatedly tells us that He desires a broken and contrite spirit. The Doctrines of Grace provide such contrition.

And it is from this lowly state that God can begin to use us for His purposes. It is this posture of humility that gives us the ability to wash each other's feet, put other's interest before ours, take the log out of our eye, and acts as a guard against our sinful desire to lord over our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1. Doctrines of Grace Produces True Patience
   
   One of the fruits of the Spirit is patience, but what is patience? Patience is waiting on something that is certain to come. I don't believe patience exists if the future is up for grabs. The existence of patience assumes the sovereignty of God.
   
   

• James 5:7 - “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. “
  
  

This is what the doctrines of Grace promote, the understanding that God will do what pleases Him when it pleases Him. He is the one who brings the early and late rains upon this earth. As a Pastor who so desperately desires this community and surrounding areas to have their eyes open to the faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, I must patiently trust in God's timing and His pleasure. I must constantly remind myself that we plant and we water, but it is God who gives the growth, and likewise, he will have mercy on whom he has mercy. Without this understanding of God's sovereign plan for the redemption of His people, I worry that I would have already thrown in the towel. For what hope do I have, if salvation is not of the Lord, but it is of man.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Destroys Anxiety
   
   

One of the biggest issues in America, despite our wealth, education, and health is anxiety. We are the riches nation ever to walk this planet, yet simultaneously we are a nation of worriers. Why? Because we see ourselves as ultimately in control of our destiny. The problem with this, is that we know deep down inside that we have no ability to control anything. We place ourselves as our own sovereign, but we know we have no power. This is what free will theology teaches, that you are the captain of your own ship. It is no wonder that we are always worried about running aground. What is the solution to this anxiety? It is the sovereignty of God.

• Matthew 6:25 - “"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?“
  
  

Think about what Jesus said. Worrying does not add a single hour to your life. The Bible tells us that our days are numbered, every one of them. You will die when God wants you to die. You can take every precaution but you cannot change your fate. It is this understanding that has compelled thousands of missionaries into the mission field. The truly believe that there is no safer place than to be in the center of God's will.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Are a Fountain of True Joy
   
   

This Christmas season we will see or hear the word joy several hundred times. You will probably receive at least a dozen Christmas cards with the word joy plastered all over it. How often do you think about the source of this joy? Jesus says this to his disciples:

• Luke 10:19 - “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
  
  

Jesus tells them that their source of joy should be that there names are written in Heaven. What does that mean? In Heaven there is a book. It is called the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain. We are told about this book in Philippians and also in Revelation. In this book are names. These names are the people who will not be sent to Hell, but instead will be in the presence of God forever. Here is the interesting part. We are told in Revelation 13 and again in Revelation 17 that these names are written in this book before the foundation of the world and the names will never be blotted out. So Jesus tells his disciples to rejoice because your name was written in my book before the world began and no one will erase it and because your name is in that book you will overcome and your will reign with me in Heaven. This is your source of Joy!

1. The Doctrines of Grace Improve Your Prayer Life
   
   

It is interesting. Since I have been more outspoken about my belief in the Doctrines of Grace, I find myself in more and more discussion. People love to resist Calvinism, which I believe is more evidence that it is true. However, when I do find people resisting it, I usually ask them this question, have you ever prayed for the salvation of someone? Everyone answers yes. Which is good. We should pray this way, but when you pray that God would save someone you are praying for irresistible grace. You are praying for God to be sovereign over their heart.

All Christians pray like a Calvinist. Every single one of you. If you wanted to be consistent with your claimed theology of free will, then you would not pray for peace and comfort and revivals and conversions, because free will claims that God has no control over those things. But something deep inside us knows that this is not true. The Holy Spirit groans inside of us to pray for hearts to break for Jesus, and this is a prayer that we need to pray more often.

As we stated earlier, I want us to be praying about the month of December. I want each of us to pray like a Calvinist. Pray that God would open the eyes of your neighbors. Pray that God would draw them to Jesus. Pray that God would cultivate their hearts and make them good soil to receive the Gospel. And pray like you believe He can do it.