Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

Today’s study from Dr. Lynn falls under the category of Soteriology, a theological term for the study of Biblical Salvation. Soteriology can be defined as:

Soteriology — The area of Christian theology focused on the saving work of Christ including the issues of atonement, grace, human nature, sin, and resurrection. The term derives from the Greek sōtēria meaning “salvation.”

Douglas Mangum, The Lexham Glossary of Theology (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

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Soteriology. This locus of *systematic theology deals with the *doctrine of *salvation. It is closely tied to *Christology, as it explicates the saving significance of the work of Christ, and to *pneumatology, as it highlights the Spirit’s application of Christ’s work to the elect. In *Reformed theology, the exercise of Christ’s *threefold office is the outworking of God’s gracious purpose and *decrees, an exercise of his *sovereignty distinguishable from *common grace. Consequently, the central themes are *sola gratia, *solus Christus, and *justification by faith, with particular doctrines sometimes associated with *TULIP establishing the *ordo salutis. In line with the *Augustinianism of the Reformers and their critique of Roman Catholic theology as inappropriately flirting with *Pelagianism, *synergism is rejected in favor of *monergism. Humanity’s state of *original sin entails a *bondage of the will, excluding any possibility of *merit and the earning of God’s favor. Consequently, the restoration of *righteousness occurs only through the *imputation of the merit of Jesus Christ’s active and passive *obedience. While agreeing with *Lutheranism’s principle that righteousness is received only through *faith, Reformed *orthodoxy articulates a more dynamic view of *sanctification, often arguing for an inseparable bond between salvation and the expected exercise of Christian freedom in doing *good works. God’s *effectual calling of his people comes through the Spirit-enabled presentation of the *Word of God through *preaching and the *sacraments. This leads to a Spirit-enabled life of *piety in *union with Christ, in which believers grow in *assurance of salvation and the restoration of the *image of God through *mortification and joyful obedience.

Kelly M. Kapic and Wesley Vander Lugt, Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition, The IVP Pocket Reference Series (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2013), 112.

I have included his whole series on Soteriology after today’s lesson.

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Posted by Todd Linn, PhD on September 4, 2025

Today’s Theology Thursdays post continues our systematic theological treatment of soteriology, the study of the doctrine of salvation.

Our post provides a general introduction to the concept of grace and then gives biblical support for both common grace (grace given to all people, like God’s good gifts of rain, sunshine, etc.) and effectual grace (grace given to some people; grace to enable them to believe in Christ).

So, without further ado, here is today’s SlideShare presentation:

CONTINUED @ SOURCE

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Soteriology

• Salvation Overview
• Grace: Common and Effectual
• Effectual Grace Continued
• Saving Faith
• Justification and Sanctification
• Salvation in the Old Testament
• Assurance of Salvation
• Do Babies Who Die Go To Heaven?