Page 149 - Apologetics Student Textbook (3 Credits)

His only Son, Jesus Christ, to offer himself up as a perfect sacrifice, shedding His blood for the sins of all
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men. Romans 5:19 says, For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the
one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

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The way back to God is through Jesus Christ. John 1:12 says, But to all who did receive him, who
believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” Jesus said, “I am the way, and the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

So, how do we get to be one with God? One simple word explains it all: faith. Other words the help us
understand what faith is are “believe, trust, or accept.” Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been
saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…” The word, saved, means
salvation or reconciliation with God. We are brought back to God as we respond to the offer of Jesus
Christ to save us. We must understand that Jesus paid the price for our sin by dying in our place. As the
verse above, He offers every person a free gift, eternal life and forgiveness, if we will but receive this gift
in faith. That is how a person can be unified in oneness to God.

Some people say God elected some people to go to Heaven and others to go to Hell. How can
I know if God elected me?

This questions concerns itself with the doctrine of election which is taught in Scripture. Election means
that God chose us to become his adopted sons. It is taught in Ephesians 1: 4-5

“… even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless
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before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to
the purpose of his will…”

The flip side of the doctrine of election is the doctrine of free will. Free will means that God gave every
man the freedom to chose salvation that is offered to all. Norman Geisler defines the free will of man
as, “the ability to do otherwise.” There are hundreds of verses in Scripture where God invites men to
obey Him, serve Him, and freely receive the gift of eternal life (Genesis 2:15-17, Exodus 13: 17-18,
Joshua 24:14-15, John 1:9, John 3:13, Romans 10:21, and on and on).

In Scripture the two never come into opposition in the way some would claim is possible. God is
sovereign and brings about His plan as He wills. Man acts as he decides. Both truths exist in harmony.
Notice the mutual sovereign plan of God and the free acts of man working together in Acts 2:23 “this
Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by
the hands of lawless men.” Notice that the men were rejecting God’s offer of salvation and Messiah as
they simultaneously were acting in complete accordance with the plan and the means of providing
God’s offer of salvation. They were freely rejecting God and His plan. God was using their rejection to
bring about His plan.

Another example of God working this way is found in Exodus 13:17-18 which says, “When Pharaoh let
the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For
God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the
people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of
the land of Egypt equipped for battle.” God did not put His desire in their heart. He did not force every

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