Who Shall Be Saved?
Romans 8:29-30;
Some people have such a distorted
understanding of the doctrines of grace that they become hard, uncaring and
negative. They are anti-missionary, anti-evangelistic and anti-responsible.
They appear to care more about defending and protecting the doctrines of grace
than they do about seeing sinners saved by the grace of God. That is a great
pity. Such a spirit is not of God. There are others who totally deny the
sovereign purpose of God and the effectual power of his grace to save. All they
can see in the Bible is "whosoever will." They preach human
responsibility in such a way that they make responsibility to be the same thing
as ability. We loathe that doctrine that makes man his own savior and promotes
the worship of the will rather than the worship of God. It is not of God.
The Bible teaches these two facts. They
are as plain as the noonday sun. "Salvation is of the Lord." And
"whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." When
I am asked, "Who shall be saved?", I have to
give four answers to answer the question fully and honestly.
1. GOD'S ELECT SHALL BE SAVED (Eph. 1:3-6; II Thess.
2. EVERY
REDEEMED SINNER SHALL BE SAVED (II Cor.
3. ALL WHO
ARE CALLED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD SHALL BE SAVED (Psa.65:4; 110:3; John 6:63). To
be called of God is to be regenerated, born again, raised
from spiritual death. All whom God the Father chose and God the Son redeemed,
God the Spirit causes to live forever.
4. ALL WHO
BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SHALL BE SAVED (John
Don Fortner