1. Is man able to save himself?
 
 "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." - Romans 3, 20.

 Man by nature is altogether unable to save himself.  Those who seek to appease God by the works of the law remain under its curse and condemnation.  Man by nature is so blinded by sin that his heart is at enmity with God and unable rightly to love and worship Him.

2. How, then, can man be saved?

 "What the law could not do, in that it was ewak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." - Romans 8, 3- 4.

 What man was unable to do, God in His infinite mercy has accomplished for him.  Through the obedience of His beloved Son, God has reconciled the world to Himself.  He now offers to all sinners the merit of Christ through the means of grace.

3. What is "conversion?"

 "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for Thou art the Lord my God." - Jeremiah 31, 18.

 Conversion does not mean an attempt to make amends for sin by good works, nor mere sorrow over sin, nor the simple resolution to improve one's walk of life.  Even the unconverted may do all of these things.  Conversion, however, is the bestowal of faith in God's promise of salvation for Christ's sake.

 "A great number believed, and turned unto the Lord." - Acts 11, 21.
 
 The Lord Jesus was preached, and as a result "a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord."

 In short, a person is converted only when he believes that God has graciously forgiven his sin for Christ's sake.
4. What condition precedes conversion?

 "Repent ye, and believe the Gospel!" - Saint Mark 1, 15.

 Sorrow over sin precedes conversion, because faith can not find entrance into a proud and secure heart.  Sorrow over sin is the effect of the preaching of the law, which by itself can not save a single sinner.

 "By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." - Galatians 2, 16.

5. By whose power does man come to faith?

 "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." - Saint John 1, 12-13.

 This is the foundation doctrine which distinguishes the true believer.  Coming to faith is purely the work of God, not of man himself, or of both god and man as they cooperate to a greater of lesser degree.

 We believe, teach and confess this doctrine for the following reasons:
 a. the Bible expressly ascribes the growth of faith in man's heart exclusively to God.
 "No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him." - Saint John 6, 44.

 b. the Bible expressly denies that unconverted man has the power to know or believe the Gospel.
 "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." - 1 Corinthians 2, 14.
 "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be." - Romans 8, 7.

 God's power, and that alone, brings man to faith - all through pure grace, for Christ's sake.

6. Through what means does God bring man to faith?

 Godalone is the cause of conversion, yet He does not do so by the direct operation of His power but by true definite, ordained means.

 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." - Romans 10, 17.

 "Of His own will begat He us with the Word of truth, that we should be a kind of first- fruits of His creatures." - Saint James 1, 18.

 The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a living witness, full of power, because the Holy Spirit operates through it to inscribe God's promises into the human heart.

 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2, 38.

 "Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body.  And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My bolld of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." - Saint Matthew 26, 26-28.

 Because the Gospel is connected with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, also the Sacraments are effective means through which the Holy Spirit either works faith or strengthens faith.

7. What passages of Holy Scripture state that the Sacraments work faith and strengthen faith?

 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." - Titus 3, 5.

 "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come." - 1 Corinthians 11, 26.

8. Does God ever force men to be converted?

 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" - Saint Matthew 23, 27.

 "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resis the Holy Ghost: as your father did, so do ye." - Acts 7, 51.

 Although the conversion of man is purely the work of God's power, His converting grace is not irresistible.  The reason is that the means by which God wants to bless man can be rejected.

9. How cn we understand this doctrine of conversion, which states that if man is saved, this is due entirely to God's grace, but that if he is lost, it is entirely the result of His own sinfulness?

 This article of our Christian faith involves a deep mystery, one that must be apprehende by faith.  Taking the words of Holy Scripture at their full face value, in simple child-like faith, we must exclaim with Saint Paul, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unserchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"- Romans 11, 33.

10. What are the three aspects of our coming to faith?
  1. Knowledge of . . .

 2. Assent to . . .
 
 3. Reliance on - the teachings and promise of the Gospel.

 1. Knowledge of the Gospel promises:
 "To give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins." - Saint L:uke 1, 77.

 2. Assent to the Gospel promises:
 "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls." - James 1, 21.

 3. Reliance on the Gospel promises:
 "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." - 2 Timothy 1, 12.

Test Paper - Lesson 14

1. According to Holy Scripture, is man able to save himself? .........................................................

2. Complete the following Bible passage: "By the deeds of the law ...............................................
..........................................................................................................." - Romans 3, 20.

3. In your own words describe what is meant by "conversion." .....................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

4. Why do we say that sorrow over sin must precede conversion? .................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

5. Cross out the incorrect statement(s):
 a. Man comes to faith entirely through God's power.
 b. Man comes to faith through his own power.
 c. Man comes to faith partly through his own and partly through God's power.

6. What are the means of grace through which God brings man to faith? .......................................
......................................................................................................................................................

7. Which are the means of grace? ..................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................

8. What would you answer to the objection that God forces men to be converted? ........................
......................................................................................................................................................

9. Is the following statement true or false? The doctrine of conversion involves a mysery of our faith which cannot be comprehended by human reason ..........................................

10. The three aspects of our coming to faith are:
 a. ......................................................................................................................................
 b. ......................................................................................................................................
 c. ......................................................................................................................................

Make every effort to fill in the answers from memory.  If you are not sure of certain answers, you may look them up in the lesson.  Your paper will be graded according to the following standard: 10 correct: perfect; 9 correct: excellent; 8 correct: very good; 7 correct: good.