WHAT WE BELIEVE REFORMED THEOLOGY THE 3 5

WHAT WE BELIEVE: REFORMED THEOLOGY THE 3 -5 -5 ESSENTIALS OF REFORMED THEOLOGY INQUIRER’S CLASS #2 FOREST HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FEB. 12, 2017

INQUIRER’S CLASS SCHEDULE • WEEK 1 (FEB. 5): ESSENTIALS • WEEK 2 (FEB. 12): DISTINCTIVES (REFORMED THEOLOGY) • WEEK 3: PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH GOVERNMENT • WEEK 4: THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH • WEEK 5: WORSHIP • WEEK 6: MEMBERSHIP & MISSION • WEEK 7: HISTORY (CHURCH & ELDERS)

5 -3 -5 • 5 SOLAS OF THER EFORMATION • 3 PILLARS OF REFORMED THEOLOGY • 5 POINTS OF CALVINISM

FROM ESSENTIALS TO DISTINCTIVES • ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS AGREE. . . • GOD IS HOLY • HUMAN BEINGS ARE SINFUL AND LOST • JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION • SALVATION IS BY FAITH INJ ESUS CHRIST ALONE • NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES IN JESUS, AND THUS. . . • NOT EVERYONE IS SAVED • SO. . . WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE? • WHY DO SOME PEOPLE COME TO FAITH INJ ESUS CHRIST AND OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT?

On the basis of the authority of Scripture alone, we believe that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone!

THE 3 PILLARS OF REFORMED THEOLOGY Sufficiency Depravity Sovereignty

THREE PILLARS • GOD: ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD • MAN: TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF HUMANITY • CHRIST: COMPLETE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST

The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. – Psalm 103: 19 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. – Psalm 115: 3 I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose, ’ – Isaiah 46: 9 -10 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. – Romans 11: 36

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17: 9 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. – Eph. 2: 1 -3 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. . . This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father. – John 6: 44, 65

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. – Eph. 1: 7 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished, ” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. – John 19: 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption – 1 Cor. 1: 30

JOHN CALVIN, 1509 -1564

HISTORY: BEFORE CALVIN & REFORMATION AUGUSTINE: 354 -430 PELAGIUS: 360 -418 COUNCIL OF ORANGE: 529

CALVINISM VS. ARMINIANISM “After the Holy Scriptures, I exhort the students to read the Commentaries of Calvin. . I tell them that he is incomparable in the interpretation of Scripture; and that his Commentaries ought to be held in greater estimation than all that is delivered to us in the writings of the ancient Christian Fathers: so that, in a certain eminent spirit of prophecy, I give the pre-eminence to him beyond most others, indeed beyond them all. I add, that, with regard to what belongs to common places, his Institutes must be read after the Catechism, as a more ample interpretation. But to all this I subjoin the remark, that they must be perused with cautious choice, like all other human compositions. ” — Jacob Arminius

A HELPFUL, BUT POTENTIALLY MISLEADING ACRONYM

WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF CALVINISM? “THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE FOR JOHN CALVIN— FROM THE BEGINNING OF HIS LIFE TO THE END— WAS THE ISSUE OF THE CENTRALITY AND SUPREMACY AND MAJESTY OF THE GLORY OF GOD. ” — JOHN PIPER

WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE FIVE POINTS? • WE ARE DEAD IN OUR SINS. WE CANNOT SAVE OURSELVES, NOR DO WE EVEN WANT TO BE SAVED. • GOD ALONE CAN BRING US LIFE AND BRING US TOC HRIST. • WHEN GOD IS BRINGING US FROM DEATH TO LIFE, HIS GRACIOUS DRAWING OF US IN A TRANSFORMATION OF HEART AND MIND THAT WE CANNOT RESIST. WE ARE PASSIVE IN THIS INITIAL PROCESS. • GOD CHOOSES TO SAVE US BECAUSEH E LOVES US, NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING HE SEES IN US. • JESUS CHRIST ALONE IS COMPLETELY SUFFICIENT FOR SALVATION. IF HE DIED AND ROSE AGAIN FOR US, WE ARE SAVED. • ONCE WE BELONG TO GOD, WE CANNOT BE LOST. WE WILL BE KEPT IN THE FAITH AND INC HRIST JESUS FOREVER!

JOHN 6 35 JESUS SAID TO THEM, “ I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; WHOEVER COMES TO ME SHALL NOT HUNGER, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER THIRST 36 . BUT 37 A I SAID TO YOU THAT YOU HAVE SEEN ME AND YET DO NOT BELIEVE. LL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME WILL COME TO ME, AND WHOEVER COMES TO ME I WILL NEVER CAST OUT. 38 FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, NOT TO DO MY OWN WILL BUT THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME 39 . AND THIS IS THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME, THATI SHOULD LOSE NOTHING OF ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME, 40 FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF MYF BUT RAISE IT UP ON THE LAST DAY. ATHER, THAT EVERYONE WHO LOOKS ON THES ON AND BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP ON THE LAST DAY. ” . . . 44 NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THEF ATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM. AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP ON THE LAST DAY. . . 63 IT IS THE SPIRIT WHO GIVES LIFE; THE FLESH IS NO HELP AT ALLT. HE WORDS 64 B THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE. UT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU WHO DO NOT BELIEVE. ” ( FOR JESUS KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING WHO THOSE WERE WHO DID NOT BELIEVE, AND WHO IT WAS WHO WOULD BETRAY HIM. ) 65 AND HE SAID, “THIS IS WHY I TOLD YOU THAT NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS IT IS GRANTED HIM BY THEF ATHER. ”

JOHN 10 9 I AM THE DOOR. IF ANYONE ENTERS BY ME, HE WILL BE SAVED AND WILL 10 THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE. AND KILL AND DESTROY. I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY. 11 I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. . . 14 I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. I KNOW MY OWN AND MY OWN KNOW ME, 15 JUST AS THE FATHER KNOWS ME AND I KNOW THEF ATHER; AND I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. . . 24 SO THE JEWS GATHERED AROUND HIM AND SAID TO HIM, “ HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP US IN SUSPENSE? IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST, TELL US PLAINLY. ” 25 JESUS ANSWERED THEM, “I TOLD YOU, AND YOU DO NOT BELIEVE. THE WORKS THAT I DO IN MY FATHER'S NAME BEAR WITNESS ABOUT ME, 26 BUT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT AMONG MY SHEEP. 27 MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, ANDI KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME. 28 I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY WILL NEVER PERISH, AND NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND 29 . MY FATHER, WHO HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL, AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF THEF ATHER'S HAND. 30 I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE. ”

EPHESIANS 1 3 BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS BLESSED US IN CHRIST WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES, 4 EVEN AS HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM. IN LOVE 5 HE PREDESTINED US[OR ADOPTION TO HIMSELF AS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIS WILL, 6 TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE, WITH WHICH HE HAS BLESSED US IN THE BELOVED. 7 IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR TRESPASSES, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE, 8 WHICH HE LAVISHED UPON US, IN ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT 9 MAKING KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL, ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, WHICH HE SET FORTH IN CHRIST 10 AS A PLAN FOR THE FULLNESS OF TIME, TO UNITE ALL THINGS IN HIM, THINGS IN HEAVEN AND THINGS ON EARTH. 11 IN HIM WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, HAVING BEEN PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM WHO WORKS ALL 12 SO THAT WE WHO THINGS ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL, WERE THE FIRST TO HOPE INC HRIST MIGHT BE TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.

EPHESIANS 2 AND YOU WERE DEAD IN THE TRESPASSES AND SINS 2 IN WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED, FOLLOWING THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, FOLLOWING THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT IS 3 AMONG WHOM WE ALL NOW AT WORK IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE— ONCE LIVED IN THE PASSIONS OF OUR FLESH, CARRYING OUT THE DESIRES OF THE BODY AND THE MIND, AND WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN 4 BUT GOD, BEING RICH IN OF WRATH, LIKE THE REST OF MANKIND. MERCY, BECAUSE OF THE GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, 5 EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN OUR TRESPASSES, MADE US ALIVE 6 AND TOGETHER WITH CHRIST—BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED— RAISED US UP WITH HIM AND SEATED US WITH HIM IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS, 7 SO THAT IN THE COMING AGES HE MIGHT SHOW THE IMMEASURABLE RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN KINDNESS TOWARD US IN CHRIST JESUS. 8 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF G OD, 9 NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST 10 . FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.