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Doctrines of Grace – Categorized Scripture List
God has recently given us the opportunity to discuss some theological issues with other Christians who believe differently than we do on a number of points, most notably the doctrines of grace. In such a circumstance, given the overwhelming supply of scriptural evidence that comes to bear on the topic, it seemed to me that the best approach would be a simple categorized scripture list: the fact that the entire paper would be scriptures, with the exception of a few brief explanatory notes, would underscore the truth that this is God's own word and teaching; and the fact that it would be categorized would facilitate the ready comparison of scripture with scripture so as to lead one to a full-orbed understanding of the biblical teaching. Although I found a few good scripture lists of that nature available online, none of them was laid out in quite the progression that I was looking for, and so I developed my own. I'm posting it here with just the scripture references, but if anyone should find the list with the full text already printed out useful for a similar study, I would be glad to e-mail the file. Just leave a comment or contact me by e-mail.
God is Sovereign
Exo 15:18; 1Chr 29:11-12; 2Chr 20:6; Psa 22:28
- He exercises that sovereignty in actively ordaining everything
- Including matters of “chanceâ€
- The wicked actions of men
- The actions of evil spirits
- The good actions of men
- The actions of good angels
- The actions of animals
- The operations of all creation
- Man is not permitted to question his sovereign acts
Deu 32:39; 1Sam 2:6-8; Job 9:12; Job 12:6-10; Psa 33:11; Psa 115:3; Psa 135:6; Isa 14:24; Isa 45:7; Act 15:18; Eph 1:11
Pro 16:33; 1Ki 22:20, 34, 37
Gen 45:5; Gen 50:20; Exo 4:21; Jdg 14:1-4; Psa 76:10; Pro 16:4; Isa 44:28; Amos 3:6; Act 2:22-23; Act 4:27-28
1Sam 16:14-16; 1Ki 22:19-23; 1Chr 21:1/2Sam 24:1
John 15:16; Eph 2:10; Phi 2:12-13
Psa 103:20; Psa 104:4
Num 22:28; 1Ki 17:4; Psa 29:9; Jer 8:7; Eze 32:4; Dan 6:22
Gen 8:22; Psa 104:5-10; Psa 104:13-14; Psa 104:19-20; Mark 4:39
Job 33:12-13; Isa 29:16; Isa 45:9-10; Mat 20:1-16; Rom 9:19-24
God elects [i.e. chooses, predestines, foreordains]
- His angels
- His peculiar people, Israel
- Individuals to salvation
- Individuals to condemnation
1Tim 5:21
Exo 6:7; Deu 7:6-8; Deu 10:14-15; Psa 33:12; Isa 43:20-21
Psa 65:4; Mat 24:24; John 6:37; John 15:16; Act 13:48; Rom 8:28-30; Rom 9:10-24; Rom 11:5-7; Eph 1:3-6; Eph 1:11-12; 1The 1:4; 1The 5:9; 2The 2:13-14
Exo 4:21; Rom 9:13; Rom 9:17-18; Rom 9:21-22; 1Pet 2:8
His motivation in election
- His own good pleasure
- The display of his glory
- His special love
- His foreknowledge
- Which means his special love
- But not:
- Any good [nobility, wisdom, power, choice, seeking] he foresees in anyone
Eph 1:5; 2Tim 1:9
Isa 43:6-7; Rom 9:22-24; 1Cor 1:27-31; Eph 2:4-7; Pro 16:4
Deu 7:6-8; 2The 2:13
Rom 8:29; 1Pet 1:2
Jer 1:5; Amos 3:2; Mat 7:22-23; 1Cor 8:3; 2Tim 2:19; 1Pet 1:20
Deu 7:7; Rom 9:11-13; Rom 9:16; Rom 10:20; 1Cor 1:27-29; 1Cor 4:7; 2Tim 1:9
Man is constituted a sinner by his relationship with Adam
Psa 51:5; Psa 58:3; Rom 5:18-19
He is therefore unable
- To do anything good
- To believe in God (or come to him)
- To understand the truth
- To seek God
Gen 6:5; Job 15:14-16; Psa 130:3; Psa 143:2; Pro 20:9; Ecc 7:20; Isa 64:6; Jer 13:23; John 3:19; Rom 3:9-12; Jam 3:8; 1John 1:8
John 6:44; John 6:65; John 8:43-45; John 10:26; John 12:37-41
John 14:17; 1Cor 2:14
Rom 3:10-11
He is dead in sins
Gen 2:16-17; John 3:5-7; Eph 2:1-3; Col 2:13
He is blinded and corrupt in his heart
Gen 6:5; Gen 8:21; Ecc 9:3; Jer 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; John 3:19-21; Rom 8:7-8; Eph 4:17-19; Eph 5:8
He is captive to sin and Satan
John 8:34; John 8:44; Rom 6:20; 2Tim 2:25-26; Tit 3:3; 1John 5:19
He performs actions freely according to his nature, but his nature is wholly evil
Job 14:4; Mat 7:16-18; Mat 12:33; Mark 7:21-23; Jam 1:13-14
God purposed to redeem a certain people and not others
1Chr 17:20-21; Mat 22:14; 1Pet 2:8-9 [see “God elects individuals to salvationâ€/God elects individuals to condemnationâ€]
- It is for these in particular that Christ gave his life
- It is for these in particular that Christ intercedes
- The people for whom Christ intercedes are the same as the people for whom he offered himself up as a sacrifice
Isa 53:10-11; Mat 1:21; John 6:35-40; John 10:3-4, 11, 14-15; Act 20:28; Eph 5:25 [we are commanded to love our wives in the same way that Christ loved the church and gave himself for it; therefore, if Christ loved and gave himself for all people in the same way, we are commanded to love all women in the same way that we love our wives]; Heb 2:17; Heb 9:15
John 17:1-2; John 17:6-12; John 17:20-21, 24-26; Rom 8:34
Heb 7:24-27; Heb 9:12 [note context, in which entering into the holy place is explicitly for the purpose of intercession], 24-28 [For a fuller understanding of the indissoluble connection between sacrifice and intercession, read Hebrews chapters 7-10]
The atonement of Christ is effective
- To justify
- To redeem and cleanse from sins
- To propitiate the Father
- To raise to new life
Isa 53:11 [the single effective cause of justification in view here is the bearing of iniquities; all whose iniquities Christ bore must be justified]; Rom 8:34 [the argument here is that the fact of Christ's death, resurrection, and intercession is in itself an incontrovertibly effective reason for non-condemnation; if this verse is true, then no one for whom Christ died and was raised to intercede may be condemned]
Eph 5:25-27; Tit 2:14
1John 2:2 [“propitiation†means “the turning away or appeasement of wrathâ€; therefore, by definition, the Father has no more wrath against those whose sins have been propitiated]; 1John 4:10
2Cor 5:14-15 [the argument is a simple “if/then†proposition: “if†Christ died for someone, “then,†with no other conditions, that person died with him and was raised again]; 1Pet 3:18
[See also, “Jesus' death purchased for his people a new heart; – faith; – repentanceâ€. Jesus died in order to establish the New Covenant (Mat. 26:26-29, etc.); the New Covenant promised faith, repentance and knowledge of God (Jer. 31:33-34, Ez. 36:26-27, etc.); therefore, Jesus died in order to provide faith, repentance, and knowledge of God, as the fulfillment of a unilateral promise. This means that his death had a definite purpose which was intended for some and not others. His death effectively purchased faith; not all have faith; and so his death had an effective intent that was limited to certain persons.]
Those whom God purposed to redeem include all who believe
John 3:16
- From every nation
- From every class
- Therefore, Christ's saving work is commonly spoken of in terms of “all,†“world,†etc.
- The word “all†is often used to indicate all of a set, or even many representatives of a set
- Or, to indicate all “classes†or “nations,†not all individuals
- The word “world†is often used in the sense of “many,†or “all of a setâ€
Rev 5:9
Gal 3:28; 1Tim 2:1-6 [the first “all men†is explicitly tied to all classes of men, which gives warrant for understanding the second “all men†in the same way]
John 1:29; Tit 2:11-14 [in the context of “all men†is the delimiting concept of a peculiar people, zealous of good works]; Heb 2:9-10 [notice that the many sons whom Christ brings to glory gives a contextual delimiter to the term “everyâ€]; 2Pet 3:9 [note that this desire is explicitly limited to “us†(Peter was writing to fellow-believers) in the context]; 1John 2:2 [propitiation means “appeasement of wrathâ€; either Jesus appeases God's wrath against all, and therefore hell (which is the place where God's wrath resides) is non-existent; or the “whole world†means something different than “every individual who ever livedâ€. See John 11:51-52, and “The word 'world' is often used in the sense of 'many,' or 'all of a set'â€]
Mat 10:22; 1Cor 6:12; 1Cor 15:22; Mat 2:3; John 4:29; Act 10:39; Act 17:21; Act 21:28; Act 26:4
Mat 5:11; Act 2:17; Act 10:12
Luk 2:1-2; John 6:33; John 12:19; Act 19:27; Rom 1:8
Additional reasons that the atonement of Christ is not for all the sins of all people
- God punishes people in hell, which would be unjust if their sins were atoned for
- If one were to say, “their sins are atoned for, but that atonement is not applied because of unbelief,†he fails to realize that unbelief is likewise a sin
- God bears eternal wrath against people, which by definition means that his wrath against them has not been propitiated [appeased]
Mark 9:43-44
Heb 3:12
[“The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for either:
1) All the sins of all men;
2) All the sins of some men; or
3) Some of the sins of all men.
In which case it may be said:
1) If the last be true all men have some sins to answer for, and so none are saved;
2) That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth;
3) But if the first is the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins? You answer, Because of unbelief. I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!†– John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ]
1The 2:16; 2The 1:6-9
Intentions of Christ's death other than atonement
- To make a public display of demons
- To rule over everyone
- To redeem creation
- To lay the foundation for a genuine gospel call
- To provide temporal mercies for the non-elect
Col 2:13-15
Rom 14:9
Isa 35:1-4; Rom 8:20-23
John 6:39-40; John 7:37-38
Mat 5:45; 1Tim 4:10
Faith and Repentance (as well as the new heart which is able to produce them) are themselves gifts of God
- A new heart
- Faith
- Repentance
Deu 30:6; Eze 11:19; Eze 36:26-27
John 3:27; Phi 1:29; 2Pet 1:1; Act 16:14; Act 18:27; Eph 2:8-10
Act 5:3; Act 11:18; 2Tim 2:25-26; 1Cor 4:7
The Father writes his own word upon (places the fear of himself in, etc.) his people's hearts
Jer 31:33; Jer 32:40; Mat 16:15-17; Luk 10:21; John 6:45; 2Cor 4:6
The beginning of salvation is the sovereign impartation of spiritual life into a heart which had been dead, thereby causing it to exercise faith
1John 5:1; Eze 37:3-6, 11-14; John 1:11-13; John 3:3-8; John 5:21; Eph 2:1-5; Jam 1:18; 1Pet 1:3; 1John 2:29
True offers of grace in the outward gospel call may be resisted by men who do not have this new heart
Act 17:32-33
In fact, true offers of grace will always be resisted by such men
John 10:24-26; John 12:37-40
But there are some whom God causes to come to him
Psa 65:4; Psa 110:3; John 6:37-40; Rom 9:15
What God begins, he finishes
Psa 138:8; Ecc 3:14; Isa 46:4; Jer 32:40; Rom 11:29; Phi 1:6; 2Tim 4:18
Of all whom he has called and brought to Christ, none will be lost
John 6:39-40; John 10:27-29; Rom 8:28-31; Rom 8:35-39; Heb 7:25; Heb 10:14
God's preservation of the saints is not irrespective of their continuance in the faith
1Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Heb 3:14; Heb 6:4-6; Heb 10:26-27; Heb 12:14; Rev 21:7-8; Rev 22:14-15
However, it is God who sanctifies us and causes us to persevere
John 15:16; 1Cor 1:30-31; 1Cor 6:11; 1Cor 12:3; 1Cor 15:10; Gal 3:1-6; Eph 2:10; Phi 2:12-13; 1The 5:23-24; Heb 13:20-21; 1John 2:29; Jud 1:24-25
Full Version Can be Found Here
Comments
Please send me a list or tell me where it is posted. Thank you.
Posted by: Joshua Espinosa | May 27, 2007 11:40 AM
This is awesome. I'd love to get the full version via e-mail. Thanks!
Posted by: Junction | May 27, 2007 09:02 PM
This is awesome. I'd love to get the full version via e-mail. Thanks!
Posted by: Junction | May 27, 2007 09:03 PM
This is very helpful, Nathan. Thank you.
Posted by: Kevin Rhyne | May 27, 2007 09:18 PM
Wow, looks great... thanks for sharing it with everyone... I will direct my friends here
Posted by: Tim | May 27, 2007 11:09 PM
I agree, this is very helpful and just what I've been looking for. I would love to have the full version via email. Thank you!
Posted by: Jessica | May 28, 2007 10:19 AM
I agree this is very helpful. I would also like a copy via email. Thanks!
Posted by: Jessica | May 28, 2007 12:39 PM
Excellent work, may I have the full version e-mailed to me as well?
Blessings to you, and thank you
Posted by: Patrick | May 28, 2007 03:44 PM
Excellent work, may I have the full version e-mailed to me as well?
Blessings to you, and thank you
Posted by: Patrick | May 28, 2007 03:46 PM
I would like an email as well please! Thank you!
Posted by: Mickey | May 28, 2007 11:35 PM
I would also like an email copy . Thanks.
Posted by: Frank Rollberg | May 29, 2007 05:30 AM
This is great, Nathan! Could you send the text to my email! Thank you very much.
Posted by: Robert Graham | May 29, 2007 07:05 AM
Wonderful! Believe it or not I've been working on my own similar list, but I seriously prefer the way you've laid yours out. I'd love to have the full version if possible.
Posted by: connie | May 29, 2007 09:54 AM
This is a fantastic resource. At your leisure, will you mail me a copy of the file?
Posted by: K. Russell | May 29, 2007 10:37 AM
I would greatly appreciate a copy with the full Scriptures. Thank you very much for your studious work.
Posted by: Brian | May 29, 2007 11:14 AM
Nathan
If you send me a full copy I could post it on Monergism.com so that you won't have to keep sending emails. :)
Posted by: John W. Hendryx | May 29, 2007 12:13 PM
Thanks for your research. i would love the full copy via email.
Posted by: Matt | May 29, 2007 12:40 PM
Excellent resource! Really appreciate you taking the time to produce this! May I please have the full version? Thanks!
Posted by: James | May 29, 2007 12:43 PM
Wow! What a great resource this is and what a service you have done for the Kingdom!! Love it! May I please sir have a full copy?
Posted by: James | May 29, 2007 12:46 PM
Great stuff! I'd love a copy via email.
Posted by: Danny | May 29, 2007 12:51 PM
This looks great, I would love the list please.
Posted by: Dallas Pymm | May 29, 2007 01:27 PM
Great! Please send me the complete article!
Posted by: Robert Basham | May 29, 2007 01:48 PM
Thanks for your work on this. I would like the full text file as well, again thanks for making this available.
Grace and Peace, Tony
Posted by: Tony Konvalin | May 29, 2007 03:52 PM
This is a wonderful resource. Please send me the full text file.
Blessings,
mv
Posted by: Mason | May 29, 2007 04:56 PM
Good stuff, I am going to link to this with attribution...very helpful and concise.
Posted by: Bill | May 29, 2007 06:02 PM
Could I please have a copy of this sent to me?
Thanks,
Lucas
Posted by: Lucas | May 29, 2007 07:18 PM
I would love to have the full version via email. Thank you!
Posted by: Rommel Flores | May 29, 2007 10:22 PM
Along with everybody else, I too would like a copy of the full version.
Posted by: dt | May 29, 2007 11:55 PM
Thank you for all your efforts in this work.It would be deeply appreciated if you could send me a copy.
Drew
Posted by: Drew Rogers | May 30, 2007 02:28 AM
Hello everyone,
I didn't know there would be such a demand for the full version :). I think I have sent files to everyone who requested one. I also sent one to you, John H. -- so if you could post it on monergism.com and point to it there, I would appreciate it much. Thanks.
Nathan
Posted by: pitchford | May 30, 2007 05:38 AM
Hello everyone,
I didn't know there would be such a demand for the full version :). I think I have sent files to everyone who requested one. I also sent one to you, John H. -- so if you could post it on monergism.com and point to it there, I would appreciate it much. Thanks.
Nathan
Posted by: pitchford | May 30, 2007 05:40 AM
hi, please send me the full article.
thank you!
Posted by: nico | May 30, 2007 07:15 AM
This is a very well organized presentation of the classic orthodox reformed position. Please send me the complete presentation.
Thank you.
Jamie
Posted by: Jamie | May 30, 2007 08:31 AM
Enlist me please
Posted by: SC | May 30, 2007 10:01 AM
I would like a copy of this by email as well. Thanks.
Posted by: The Reformed Pastor | May 30, 2007 11:01 AM
I'd love an e-mailed copy. Thanks for all the time and study you put into this! Very helpful.
Posted by: mike plewniak | May 30, 2007 12:55 PM
This is great! Please send me the full document via e-mail. Thank you!
Posted by: Bryan McWhite | May 30, 2007 02:12 PM
Nathan,
I would also like a copy by email. Thanks for your work.
Posted by: Tim | May 30, 2007 03:04 PM
Full Version Can be Found Here
Posted by: JW | May 30, 2007 06:19 PM
This is a very helpful resource. Please send me an email as well.
Thank you
Posted by: Michael Doyle | July 13, 2007 06:05 AM
Very helpful!! Could I get a file via e-mail? GRACIAS!
Posted by: Victor Martinez | July 24, 2007 08:49 PM
Wonderful resource, please email the entire file. The full version link didn't work for me here in Beijing.
John
Posted by: John Seavey | January 9, 2008 08:44 AM
Thank you for your indepth research, you have done a great job. I would like a full copy if yoy don't mind
Posted by: Beverly A. Johnson | August 26, 2008 12:41 PM
this is awesome im in a christian mens home that leans toward pentecostal,this systematic set up will bbe ideal for instruction please e mail me.god bless
Posted by: jason stewart | September 3, 2011 08:15 PM
Jason,
I've tried to send you the scripture list twice, but it keeps coming back.
Anyways, you can download it for free here: http://www.monergismbooks.com/What-the-Bible-Says-about-THE-DOCTRINES-OF-GRACE-p-17333.html
Posted by: Nathan | September 10, 2011 02:56 PM
This is very helpful can you send me the full issue on my email [email protected] God bless
Posted by: Michael C-Scripture Chiphwanya | August 16, 2012 06:37 PM