The Ordo Salutis Conference

From a Christian perspective, where did the idea of salvation originate? When I use the term salvation, I mean it from the Biblical use of the word; which refers to lost sinners entering into a saving relationship with their Divine Creator. Hence, who came up with the plan to reconcile sinners? Or, is there a plan at all? If so, how is this spiritual deliverance accomplished, and who is responsible for the implementation, application, and completion of this plan? To dig even a little deeper, who should receive the credit for the achievement of this great act of redemption … if such a feat exists?

These are some of the questions we hope to ask and answer this year at Memorial Heights Baptist Church at our Theology Matters Conference. April 12-14, our church is hosting a conference on the Ordo Salutis. Now, don’t let that Latin phrase fool you, or intimidate you. It simply means the order of salvation. The Christian faith teaches, that God, by His unmerited grace has originated, implemented, and will accomplish this wonderful act of granting eternal life to every single person who savingly trusts in Christ Jesus. The Ordo Salutis teaches there is a logical order and Scriptural sequence to the unfolding of the achievements necessary to complete this gracious act.

Let me list these distinct teachings in the normal arrangement given. But understand, these doctrines are more than just Divine achievements, they are also Biblical truths, clearly taught in Scripture that reveal to us the order of salvation. The Ordo Salutis is as follows; Election, Calling, Regeneration, Conversion, Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, Perseverance and Glorification. When these truths are properly taught and ordered, they reveal that salvation is completely an act of grace, for which God alone deserves glory. 

Let me quickly flesh out and offer a short summary of the Ordo Salutis. First, though this truth is often rejected, the Bible declares that before the dawn of creation, God elected a people to Himself. Of His own Sovereign will, God chose certain individuals to become part of His family and recipients of His grace. Then in the fullness of time, the Lord Jesus Christ came and purchased redemption for these elect individuals. At some point in the life of these undeserving persons, the Holy Spirit comes and in glorious efficacious power calls that sinner out of darkness and into light. The Spirit does this by revealing the Gospel and convicting the stony heart of these elected ones of their sins against God. God’s Spirit then regenerates this person and grants them repentance towards God the Father and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. At that moment, they are converted, justified, and adopted into God’s family. The Spirit will then begin to progressively sanctify this person more and more from who they were, and into the image of Christ. These born-again believers, kept by the power of God, will persevere throughout life until that wonderful, wonderful day, when they will be wholly glorified and the sin nature completely eradicated.

Now, there is a sense in which these doctrines logically unfold in an obligatory order. But like most things, if this subject is pressed too hard, it will distort the truth it is meant to reveal. For example, when the Holy Spirit comes in the day determined by God’s gracious providence and grants spiritual life to a person; at that moment they are instantaneously regenerated, converted, justified, and adopted. There is no space of time between these Divine actions. However, there is a logical order to them. Since the Bible teaches the unsaved are spiritually dead, then of necessity, regeneration precedes faith and repentance.

Someone might suggest, well – isn’t all this a little too much for the average Christian to comprehend, or expected to know? Or shouldn’t a study like this be confined to a seminary classroom, and not the local church? I would pushback against that mindset and insist, the deeper our understanding of theology, the higher our doxology. Or said another way, the more we know about God’s gracious plan of redemption, and the more fully the Chrisitan comprehends what all God has done (is doing, and will do) for them, the loftier our praise.

So, come join us this weekend and learn more about the Order of Salvation. At 7:00PM on Friday night, we will hear more about Election and Calling. On Saturday, at 10:00AM, we will consider Regeneration and Conversion. Saturday afternoon at 2:00PM we will hear sermons on Justification and Adoption. Then finally on Sunday, at 10:00AM, two speakers will address the subjects of Sanctification and Glorification.

Simply stated, this conference is intended to cause all men to marvel at God’s perfect plan of redemption and how He alone is author and finisher of the believer’s faith. When everything is said and done, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. Christians are Christians, only because God has graciously made them so. And there is a Divine order and Sovereign plan in this wonderful gift of salvation.

Sola Fide or Faith Alone

On any given Sunday morning it is not uncommon to hear a preacher say something like, “the subject before us today is one of the most important truths in all the Bible.” What makes this claim so peculiar, is that it isn’t all that peculiar. What I mean is this; most likely the pastor made the same statement last week, the week before and the week before that. I know this happens, because I’ve done it myself.  In our defense, it is somewhat understandable for a preacher to feel this way after he’s spent hours (if not months/years) studying and preparing to speak from this text. Yet at the risk of redundancy or potentially lessening the veracity of my claim, allow me to say, the subject of this article is in fact, one of the most vital truths in the Bible.

This teaching is one of the fundamentals of the Christian faith, the import of which cannot be emphasized strongly enough.While we may disagree on Biblical teachings like; how much water it takes to Scripturally baptize someone, when the church began or what will happen when Jesus returns – our understanding of how fallen men can have a right relationship with God, is not something on which we can “agree to disagree.” This is instead, a truth of paramount importance. Quite literally, the souls of men hang in the balance over how we handle this subject. Moreover, if you get this teaching wrong, you get the Gospel wrong. And friends, if you get the Gospel wrong, you get everything of eternal value wrong.

Hence, this subject is indeed one of the most crucial and critical truths anyone can ever consider. I am referencing, the teaching of Sola Fide, or salvation by Faith Alone. This doctrine seeks to define how mortal men are declared righteous before God. Allow me to remind you, the word “sola” is the Latin word for alone or only. This Sola (Sola Fide) is the third we have considered in this series. As previously stated, one cannot overstate the difference between employing the words “alone” or “and” in understanding doctrine. These two ideas, alone or and, are grammatically and theologically polar opposites. Either mortal men are justified (declared righteous before God) by faith alone, or by faith and something else!? It cannot be both.

If, as we have already noted, the Bible is the final authority in all spiritual matters, it is to Scripture alone we must turn to find out how lost sinners are declared righteous before God. Readily does God Word declare sinners are saved by grace alone (Sola Gratia) through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone. Plus nothing.

Just how important is this teaching? The Bible scholar and theologian John Calvin said justification by faith is “the main hinge upon which true religion turns.” Martin Luther stated that justification is “the first and chief article of the Christian faith.”

Yes, there are those under the overly-broad umbrella of Evangelicalism who teach salvation is accomplished by faith plus works, or by faith plus good deeds or by faith plus human merit. Yet, if the Bible is clear on anything, it is clear on this – sinners are declared righteous by grace alone through faith alone in Christ’s meritorious work alone, plus nothing. Let me share a small sample of Biblical evidence to this end. The New Testament book of Galatians was written to address this very subject. First, in Galatians 2:16 we read this, “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Even a cursory reading of this passage makes clear, no one is, or ever can be, justified by human effort. I really do not know how much plainer the Apostle could be? Still, to emphasize the point to his readers, he repeats himself three times in this one verse. Read these words again, “a man is NOT justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ … that we might be justified by faith in Christ and NOT by the works of the law; for by the works of the law NO flesh shall be justified.” If I seem repetitive, it is because the inspired writer is repetitive. But also note, just a few lines down the scroll, Paul also writes this (Galatians 3:11), “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’” Regardless of what some may claim, no amount of law-keeping or human effort, in any form can earn entrance into heaven. There is zero ambiguity in these and other New Testament writings about this primary truth. Readers please hear me, sinners are justified (declared righteous) by grace alone through faith alone! Romans 5:1 reads, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Bible is crystal clear on this subject, as it should be.

What one believes about justification (and all spiritual truth) really comes down to this … is Scripture your final authority? Or do you rely upon the inconsistent opinions of men? Are you willing to submit to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture or does tradition and councils determine doctrine?

Wrongly teaching how men are justified before God, is a not a minor infraction but a major offense. In fact, I would encourage everyone to read the first chapter of Galatians and note the stern rebuke Paul issues to all who wrongly handle the Gospel. Make no mistake, if someone claims sinners can be placed into a right standing with God, by any means other than by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone – they have the Gospel wrong. Further yet, they are not only leading men down a path of perdition, but headed to Divine judgment themselves.

So, if your preacher gets in the pulpit this Sunday and he addresses the subject of justification by faith alone, and claims (yet again) this is one of the most important doctrines in all the Bible, you can rest assured – he is absolutely right.