For a paperback book in outline form which addresses over 150 difficult verses that Arminians use against Sovereign Grace, check out: Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace: Rooting Arminianism Out of Every Verse.
For a master copy of the outline, click here:
Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace
B. Temporal salvation
i. The Bible makes a distinction between things that are temporal and things that are eternal (2Co 4:18).
a. Temporal - 1. Lasting or existing only for a time; passing, temporary. Now rare or merged in 2. 2. Of or pertaining to time as the sphere of human life; terrestrial as opposed to heavenly; of man's present life as distinguished from a future existence; concerning or involving merely the material interests of this world; worldly, earthly. (Opp. to eternal or spiritual.)
b. Eternal - 1. Infinite in past and future duration; without beginning or end; that always has existed and always will exist: esp. of the Divine Being. 3. a. Infinite in future duration; that always will exist; everlasting, endless. ¶The New Testament expressions eternal life, death, punishment, etc. are here referred to sense 3, this being the sense in which the adj. in such contexts is ordinarily taken.
ii. The scripture needs to be rightly divided when studying salvation to see whether a verse or passage is referring to eternal or temporal salvation (2Ti 2:15).
iii. "Salvation" doesn't necessarily always refer to being saved from hell and given eternal life. Consider the definitions of the words:
a. Salvation - The action of saving or delivering; the state or fact of being saved. 1. a. The saving of the soul; the deliverance from sin and its consequences, and admission to eternal bliss, wrought for man by the atonement of Christ. 2. gen. Preservation from destruction, ruin, loss, or calamity.
b. Save - 1. trans. To deliver or rescue from peril or hurt; to make safe, put in safety. 2. Theol. To deliver (a person, the soul) from sin and its consequences; to admit to eternal bliss.
c. Deliver - 1. trans. To set free, liberate, release, rescue, save.
d. "Salvation" or being "saved" can simply refer to being delivered from danger or hurt, or to being liberated or set free from something.
iv. There is more than one type of salvation in the scriptures.
a. To be saved is to be delivered (Act 2:21 c/w Joe 2:32; Psa 107:6 c/w Psa 107:13).
b. There are salvations in scripture (Psa 44:4).
1. David was saved from dying in battle (Psa 55:18).
2. We can be saved from death, tears (sorrow), and falling (Psa 116:4-8).
3. Men were saved from being killed at sea when they called upon the name of the Lord (Psa 107:23-30 c/w Psa 107:13 c/w Mat 8:25 c/w Mat 14:30).
v. The scripture teaches that there is an eternal salvation that is by grace alone and is not conditioned on anything a person does, nor can a person lose it (see previous section).
vi. But does the Bible always refer to eternal salvation when it speaks about being saved? Consider what the following verses say one must do to be saved:
a. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Act 16:30-31), which is a work (Joh 6:28-29).
b. Get baptized (Mar 16:16).
c. Confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth AND believe that God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9) - these are not the same thing either (Joh 12:42).
d. Call upon the Lord (Rom 10:13).
e. Repent with godly sorrow (2Co 7:10).
f. Remember the gospel that was preached to you (1Co 15:1-2).
g. Continue in the doctrine (1Ti 4:16).
h. Have other Christians pray for you (Phi 1:19).
i. Endure to the end (Mat 10:22).
j. Have children (1Ti 2:15).
k. Stay in a ship (Act 27:31).
vii. Are all the preceding verses referring to eternal salvation?
a. Obviously not. All these verses have one thing in common: the salvation being spoken of was conditioned on works.
b. Work - 1. Something that is or was done; what a person does or did; an act, deed, proceeding, business; in pl. actions, doings
c. Eternal salvation is not of works (Rom 9:11; 2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5).
d. Any verse that attaches a condition that a person must fulfill (works) to be saved is not referring to eternal salvation.
e. Therefore all the preceding verses that speak of salvation or being saved are not referring to eternal salvation, but rather to a temporal salvation.
For a master copy of the outline, click here:
Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace
