Who Shall Be Saved?        

Romans 8:29-30; 10:13

 

     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. 2:13-14). Election is not salvation. But election is unto salvation. And election is the guarantee of salva- tion. It is not possible for one sinner chosen by God in eternal love to be lost and perish under the wrath of God in the end - Not until God ceases to be God!

2. EVERY REDEEMED SINNER SHALL BE SAVED (II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12; Isa. 53:11). Those whom Christ died to make righteous shall be made righteous. Those whom Christ redeemed from the curse of the law shall never come under the curse of the law. Those for whom Christ obtained eternal redemption shall have eternal redemption.

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 3:36). Faith in Christ is the proof and evidence of the Father's election, the Son's redemption and the Spirit's call. If you trust Christ, your faith in him is the result of God's grace in you.

 

Don Fortner