Doctrine of Salvation Part 17: The Grounds, Means, & Results of Justification

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and "shelter-in-place" recommendations, Dr. Craig gives this lecture from the safety of his home office.

"Defenders" is Dr. William Lane Craig's weekly Sunday school class on Christian doctrine and apologetics. This video is part 17 of his locus on the Doctrine of Salvation.

We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:

[rapturebound]

It really appears to me that both the logical, and Scriptural conclusion that we are lead to in all this is... "once justified, always justified" is the Gospel truth!

[aidanmcmanus]

The Bible teaches - one is saved by faith, but not by 'faith alone'!

Look to the book of Acts for examples of conversion and you will discover what people were told to do to be saved. In the book of Acts we find the following occurred BEFORE forgiveness of sins was received.

People - Believed + Repented + Confessed Jesus + Baptized in water = Forgiveness of sins. It was never until the penitent believer was finally baptized in water that they received forgiveness of sins.

In other words, anyone who believed and repented, who, unashamed to confess Him were willingly baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins - these became the saved ones ( cf. Acts 2:36-42; Acts 8:35-40; Acts 16:30-34; Acts 22:16). Although all of these specific things are not always specifically mentioned, one should notice the same pattern in conversions across the book of Acts.

[jamesbertram]

What did Abraham believe in Genesis chapter 15v6, quoted by Paul in Romans chapter 4v3, look at the context in Genesis chapter 15v6, God shoowed him all the stars in the heavens, and told Him that his seed would be as many as them, and Abraham believed God and God counted Him righteous because he belived what God said, in Romans chapter 4v17, I have made you a Father of many nations, before him who believed even God who makes alive the dead, so it is faith in Christ risen from the dead in v24, 25, for us also it shall be imputed if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification
we know that we are justified by His blood in chapter 5v9, but not in Romans chapter 4, and in Titus chapter 3v4-7, we read that we are saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, after His death on the cross, so in Galatians chapter 3v24, justification by faith, makes us the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and so we become Abraham's seed, and heairs according to the promise, of Genesis chapter 15v6

[patrickedgington]

You go to lengths in defining the nature and means of grace and to your credit you do add our requirement in receiving grace is what is faith?

Most say to

Faith according to scripture is a gift received by encountering the Father.

So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the again will often be understood to be in so then faith comes by hearing scripture.

The word in Greek in this passage is Rhema not Logos. One is the intention of the communication and can refer to a writen form the other speaks of a spoken as such could not be speaking of Scripture but only of a personal encounter.

In truth salvation is triune.

The Father calls us the Son lifts us up the Spirit binds us.


That is Christianity

Yes all that have faith believe but not all that believe have faith.