The Golden Chain of Redemption | Verse By Verse Exposition of Romans 8:29-30

Scripture

• Romans 8:29–30

About this sermon

Introduction: It’s not news to this congregation that the doctrines commonly referred to as “the doctrines of grace,” or “the five points of Calvinism,” or “reformed soteriology,” — it’s not news to you, that these doctrines have proven to be a challenge to many professing Christians. In more recent times these doctrines have grown in popularity, but for a long time they were considered very strange. That was especially true when the most influential preachers in American Christianity came from an Arminian point of view. American Christianity was greatly influenced by Charles Finney and revivalism. The most well-known American preachers often denied the doctrines of grace or ignored them. Whether we were talking about Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody, Billy Graham, Adrian Rogers, Paige Patterson, or a whole host of unknown pastors, especially in Baptist circles, the norm was to have a spiritual leader who rejected or ignored the sovereignty of God in salvation. It was thought that if you loved souls, if you were committed to evangelism, then you could not be a Calvinist. Calvinism was thought to divide churches, to kill evangelism, to put a damper on missions, — in general terms — it was thought that Calvinism emptied the heart of compassion for sinners. It produced a cold kind of Christianity. Of course, you could have found examples of that among people who professed to believe those doctrines, but any faithful history lesson would have demonstrated how some of the greatest evangelists and missionaries in the church’s history were Calvinistic in their convictions. But those selling the narrative, not only ignored history, they also distorted the doctrines. The doctrines of grace were often mischaracterized, falsely explained, — in a word — misrepresented. This still happens, of course. But it seems that, in more recent times, more and more people have become accustomed to at least hearing about these doctrines, even if they haven’t embraced them. It might be even be true to say that MOST pastors don’t embrace these doctrines, but those who do are not viewed with suspicion to the same degree as they once were. At the end of the day, however, it really doesn’t matter how popular any system of doctrine is. What matters is how faithful to Scripture it is. What matters is whether or not it is demonstrably true. You don’t measure a doctrine by what YOU THINK it produces. You measure any teaching by its faithfulness to Scripture. And when it comes to the sovereignty of God in the matter of salvation, the Bible is crystal clear that God saves sinners. It is crystal clear that God’s choice is the determinative choice in the matter of salvation, and that man’s choice (as it pertains to those who are saved) is ultimately explained by God’s choice. These doctrines explain the SECURITY AND THE FINALITY of salvation. The theme that Paul has been sounding from chapter 5 to chapter 8 of Romans is the theme of assurance. And that theme has emphasized while underscoring the truth about the gospel. The gospel of God is the gospel of grace. Salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone. It is the freeness of salvation that explains the finality of it. IF GRACE IS TO BE GRACE THEN IT MUST BE DEPENDENT ON NO ONE BUT GOD. If grace is in any way dependent upon work (notice I did not say, manifested by work), then it ceases to be grace. When grace and works are mixed in the matter of justification, grace is no longer grace and work is no longer work. This is what Paul will go on to say later in Romans. ESV Romans 11:5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. This is in complete agreement with the New Testament message concerning the grace of God, which consistently makes plain that God is the one who determines salvation. ESV Titus 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ESV Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ESV John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Topics

• Salvation
• Bible Study
• Overcoming Obstacles