The Application of Salvation

 Order of Salvation.  Dr. Cooper prefers Weidner over Pieper.

Mystical Union is something that is important to Dr. Cooper and he believes it to be extremely biblical. 

We are finishing our discussion from Doctrine I about Christ being prophet, priest and king. It's really soteriology. There are two latin terms historia salutis (history of salvation, order of salvation). It's not the history of salvation from Genesis to Revelation, but the order of salvation in terms of how salvation is applied to us in real time.  We have to have some objective way that salvation applies to us personally. As we continue to move, we will discuss the sacraments.

Someone thinks that the order of salvation is a number of steps you have to take in order to obtain salvation.  In some authors, there is an abuse of the Ordo Salutis. David Holatz is a good 17th century theologian to read concerning this. What comes first, sanctification or justification?

Reformed Vs. Lutheran Ordo Salutis --Reformed theology is very logical in it's structure. The Lutheran Ordo is more messy. In the Reformed Ordo Salutis, authors consider the doctrine of justification to be a one time event that happened in the past. We don't have to be as systematic as the Reformed without having to make them fit.

ELEMENTS OF THE ORDO SALUTIS (ORDER OF SALVATION)

Grace -- there are different ways the scriptures use the word "grace," which Lutherans view as the favor of God, and Roman Catholics view grace as something that is continually working through us.

Preparing Grace -- conviction of the Spirit before conversion

Cooperating Grace -- this is a synergism that Lutherans shy away from. But Lutherans are adamant about contextualizing that grace.

Preserving Grace -- not something that is due to the human will, either.

Glorifying Grace -- in heaven, fully glorified and sanctified.

Rome has kind of changed its tactics. Roman Catholic apologists will often sound Protestant according to Cooper.  

The Reformed on Grace & Calling -- They consider grace to be discriminating, irresistable, and limited. For Lutherans the call is indiscriminate, resistable and universal.

Many are called but few are chosen:

Matthew 22:14

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Romans 8....a Puritan called it the Golden Chain of Salvation. Starting with verse 28..

Romans 8:28-37

New American Standard Bible

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?³³ Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?³⁶ Just as it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

In Ephesians 1, Paul uses election as a word of assurance.

And Hebrews 6 gives insight...The Danger of Falling Away

6 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

⁹ But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way.

Gerhard Forde's "Where God Meets Man" is a good book to read.

The call of God in Lutheranism is radically different from Calvinism. Then we move from the call to conversion.

Then there is illumination, the conversion of the mind.

There is plenty of biblical "light and darkness" language. Acts 26:18,

Acts 26:16-18

New American Standard Bible

¹⁶ But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you as a servant and a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you,¹⁷ rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,¹⁸ to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’

Ephesians 5:8

Ephesians 5:8

New American Standard Bible

⁸ for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

We try to justify everything we do, and we live hypocritically, and judge others for the things we do ourselves. The ordering of our affections got reversed in the fall. The affections and desires would be subject to the intellect if it was not for original sin.

Preaching salvation in different metaphors.

Romans 12 is good for regeneration and conversion.