TS102: God the Redeemer IGSL
Instructor: Gino Rinaldi A. Garcia
The Origin of Salvation: God’s Decrees1
Key Passage:
“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be
made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his
eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:10-11, NIV).
Introduction:
God is the author of salvation. While human sin originated with human beings on
earth, salvation originated with God in heaven, in eternity past.
I. The Decree of God
Definitions:
“Decree is God's eternal purpose, based on His most wise and holy counsel,
whereby He freely and unchangeably, for His own glory, ordained, either
efficaciously or permissively, all that comes to pass.”2
“That eternal plan by which God has rendered certain all the events of the
universe.”3
It is God’s eternal purpose, based solely upon his wise counsel, by means of
which he sovereignly ordains, both efficaciously and permissively, all things
that happen for his own glory (Eph. 1:8; 3:11; Acts 14:16; 17:30).
II. The Origin of God’s Decrees4
The origin of salvation is the will of God, who decreed (decided) from all
eternity to provide salvation for sinners: “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9,
NKJV). In short, salvation originated in God’s decision to save us. Otherwise
no one would be rescued. Salvation is based in a free, self-determined act of
God. This decision is made in accordance with His good and gracious
nature, but the choice was completely His (Eph. 1:5; 1 Peter 1:2). There was
no external or internal compulsion for God either to create or to save, He did
both freely.5
There is no condition for God’s giving salvation, but there is one (and only
one) condition laid down for receiving the gift of eternal life: faith (Acts 16:31;
Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9). Therefore, the reception of our salvation is
conditioned on our belief. Salvation is unconditional on the part of the Giver,
but it is conditional from the view of the receiver (who must believe in order to
1. Adapted from Randall Gleason, Unpublished Notes in Salvation by Grace (Quezon
City, PH.: ISOT-Asia, 1999); Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 2d ed. (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 1998); Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody
Press, 1989); Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999); Norman
Geisler, Systematic Theology (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers, 2004);
Robert Lightner, Sin, the Savior, and Salvation (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1991).
2. Henry Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology (2nd Ed.), 100.
3. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 102.
4. Decrees meaning eternal decisions made by God.
5. Geisler, Systematic Theology, 182.
receive it). Salvation comes from God but we receive it through faith: “For by
grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8 NASB).6
III. The Nature of God’s Decrees
The source of salvation is God’s choice to save us. The nature of salvation is
God’s grace (Rom. 11:6; 4:5). The conduit of salvation is through election.
A. The Nature of Grace: Unmerited Favor
What we work for, we earn, and what we do not work for, we do not earn.
Since salvation comes to us without works on our part, it follows that we
did not merit it: Salvation is “the gift of God” (Rom. 6:23). God’s salvific
grace is His unmerited favor for us.
B. The Object of Grace: Repentant Sinners
God’s grace of salvation is not bestowed automatically or unilaterally on
sinners but is received only through faith (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 9:22; 2 Peter
3:9).
C. The Conduit of Grace: Election
God’s decree includes His election of certain individuals to be saved
through Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.
IV. Biblical Clarifications of Election
A. It is a truth for Christians. It is not an explicit part of the gospel which
the evangelist presents to the unbeliever. The “elect” of God are not
saved until they believe (John 5:24).
B. It is a gracious choice (Rom. 11:5; 2 Tim. 1:9). It is an act of undeserved
favor freely shown towards sinners to which God owed nothing but wrath
(Rom. 1:18f). It is therefore not an arbitrary decision of God but one that
reflects his grace and kindness (Eph. 1:58).
B. It is a divine truth. The relationship between human freedom and
divine election can never be fully grasped by the human intellect.
V. Practical Value of Election
A. It produces humility by reminding us that our salvation is not in the smallest
way our achievement.
B. It summons us to thankful obedience in which we spare no energy in living
a life pleasing and acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1-2).
C. Since salvation is all of God, we can be assured that we are safe within
God’s hands forever (Jn. 6:37-39,44). God’s choice guarantees that he will
be kept secure in Christ all those he predestined for all eternity (Rom.
8:29).
6. Ibid; Lewis Sperry Chafer, “The One Condition of Salvation” in Salvation: A Clear
Doctrinal Analysis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1917), 31-39.
