Common Grace & Salvation

Common grace is the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation (Matthew 5:44-45). God gives common grace in the physical, intellectual, moral, creative, societal, and religious realms. God gives common grace to redeem those who will be saved, and to demonstrate his goodness, mercy, justice, and glory.

The Order Of Salvation

1. Election (God’s choice of people to be saved)
2. The gospel call (proclaiming the message of the gospel)
3. Regeneration (being born again)
4. Conversion (faith and repentance)
5. Justification (right legal standing)
6. Adoption (membership in God’s family)
7. Sanctification (right conduct of life and likeness to Christ)
8. Perseverance (remaining a Christian)
9. Death (going to be with the Lord)
10. Glorification (receiving a resurrection body)

• Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.
• The NT teaches election as a source of comfort for believers (Romans 8:28), as a reason to praise God (Ephesians 1:5-6), and as an encouragement to evangelism (2 Timothy 2:10).
• Reprobation is the sovereign decision of God before creation to pass over some persons, in sorrow deciding not to save them, and to punish them for their sins, and thereby to manifest his justice (Romans 9:17-22).
• Effective calling is an act of God the Father, speaking through the human proclamation of the gospel, in which he summons people to himself in such a way that they respond in saving faith (Romans 8:30).
• Regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us (John 3:3-8).
• Conversion is our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation (John 3:16). Both faith and repentance continue throughout life (Matthew 6:12, Galatians 2:20).
• Saving faith is trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God (John 1:12).
• Repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

*Resources Added From Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology

The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption – Part 1 – Common Grace & Salvation

The Doctrine of the Application of Redemption – Part 2 – Conversion, Sanctification, and Death

Mike Mobley

Follower of Christ, Husband to Joelle, Father to Peyton & Matthew, Finance & Operations Pastor at 121 Community Church, SAG-AFTRA Actor, Founder of Before The Cross, Owner of MMWCS, and Podcast Host for the Not Quite There Show.

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