[F]    SALVATION

F1.    Five points of Calvinism vs. Arminianism (Question 61)

F2.    Calvinism: arguments for and against (Question 61) F3.    Arminianism: arguments for and against (Question 61)


F4.    Universalism: varieties (Question 61)

a. Universal reconciliation: Maintains that Christ’s death accomplished its purpose of reconciling all mankind to God. Whatever separation exists between man and the benefits of God’s grace is subjective in nature, existing only in man’s mind. Reconciliation is an accomplished fact.

b. Universal pardon (Dodd): Maintains that God, being loving, will not hold unswervingly to the conditions he has laid down. Though threatening eternal punishment He will in the end relent and forgive everyone. God will treat all persons as if they had believed.

c. Universal restoration (Origen): At some point in the future all things will be restored to their original and intended state. Full salvation may be preceded by cycles of reincarnation or by some purgatorial period at the beginning of the life hereafter.

d. Doctrine of a second chance: The work of Christ is sufficient to secure the salvation of the elect, but salvation is effectually secured by the means of faith (Ro 10:10-13). All people, even those who have heard and rejected, will be confronted with the claims of Christ in the life to come. Everyone given such an opportunity will of course accept it.


F5.    Universalism: arguments for and against (Question 61)

F6.    Lordship Salvation OR Faith with Repentance (Question 63) a. The argument on Lordship Salvation hinges on whether true saving faith includes repentance or not. If repentance is a necessary part of true saving faith, then a true believer will definitely live under the Lordship of Jesus and show fruit of the Spirit in daily life. Otherwise, the repentance is not genuine and the person did not have saving faith.

b. Chafer (Dallas Theological Seminary) in his Systematic Theology (1948): "The New Testament does not impose repentance upon the unsaved as a condition of salvation." He recognizes that many verses call upon people to repent, but he simply defines repentance away as a "change of mind" that does not include sorrow for sin or turning from sin. Recently, Zane Hodges (Dallas Theological Seminary) repeated a similar argument.

c. Both repentance and faith are included in the gospel (Ac 20:21; Heb 6:1; also Isa 55:6-7).

d. It is true that in some biblical instances, the call to salvation includes only a call to faith (Jn 3:16; Ac 16:31; Ro 10:9; Eph 2:8-9)

e. However, it is also true that in some biblical instances, the call to salvation includes only repentance (Lk 24:46-47; Ac 2:37-38; 3:19; 5:31; 17:30; Ro 2:4; 2Co 7:10). Further, sometimes salvation is demonstrated by actions (Lk 18:18-30; 19:1-10). The one who did good works was declared by Jesus to have salvation. Thus the proper understanding of true saving faith should include both faith AND repentance, with subsequent godly works.