Th 513

1. Geisler, Norman
Systematic Theology II
PPt by Mark E. Hargrove, PhD, DMin

2. Geisler, Norman
Systematic Theology II
Chapter 59
“The Origin of Salvation”

3. Biblical Basis for Salvation
The Origin of God’s Decrees
That the origin of salvation is
God’s will is revealed through
God’s decrees:
Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah
2:9)
Salvation originated in God’s
decision to save us (Eph. 1:5).

4. Biblical Basis for Salvation
Election according to God’s
Foreknowledge
Peter spoke of the “elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the
Father” (1 Peter 1:2).
If God chooses to create moral
creatures, then He must act
consistently with His unchanging
nature of love and justice and with
the freedom He chose to give His
creatures.

5. Biblical Basis for Salvation
The Condition for Giving vs.
Receiving
The conditions God gave to save
free moral agents must be in
accordance with the freedom He
gave them. Therefore there is no
condition for God’s giving salvation,
but there is one (and only one)
condition for receiving the gift of
eternal life: faith (Acts 16:31; Rom.
4:5; Eph. 2:8-9).

6. Biblical Basis for Salvation
The Nature of God’s Decrees
• The Nature of Grace: Unmerited Favour
(Rom. 6:23)
• The Object of Grace: Repentant Sinner
(Eph. 2:8)
• The Revelation of Grace and Wrath (the
rejection of grace incurs wrath, and the
acceptance of grace brings salvation).

7. The Order of God’s Decrees: Various
Views
Supralapsarianism
1. Elect some and reprobate others
2. Create both the elect and the non-elect
3. Permit the Fall
4. Provide salvation only for the elect
5. Apply salvation only to the elect

8. The Order of God’s Decrees: Various
Views
Infralapsarianism
1. Create all
2. Permit the Fall
3. Elect some and pass others by
4. Provide salvation only for the elect
5. Apply salvation only to the elect

9. The Order of God’s Decrees: Various
Views
Sublapsarianism
1. Create all
2. Permit the Fall
3. Provide salvation for all
4. Elect those who believe and pass
those who don’t
5. Apply salvation only to believers
(who cannot lose it.)

10. The Order of God’s Decrees: Various
Views
Wesleyanism
1. Create all
2. Permit the Fall
3. Provide salvation for all
4. Elect based on the foreseen faith of
believers
5. Apply salvation only to believers
(who can lose it.)

11. Geisler, Norman
Systematic Theology II
Chapter 60
“Theories of Salvation”

12. Theories of the Atonement
The Recapitulation Theory of the
Atonement
As proposed by Irenaeus (c. 125-c. 202) is summed in
this statement:
The fully divine Christ become fully man in order to sum
up all humanity in himself. What was lost through the
disobedience of the fires dam was restored through the
obedience of the second Adam. Christ when through all
the stages of human life, resisted all temptations, died
and arose a victor over death and the devil. [Hence,] all
the benefits of Christ’s victory are available through
participation in him.
Irenaeus used Romans 5:18-21 to support this view.

13. Theories of the Atonement
The Ransom Theory of the Atonement
A view held by various church fathers, best articulated
by Origen (c. 185-c. 254).
This view proposes that Christ’s death was paid to Satan
to purchase human beings, who were captive to sin. Mark
10:45 is used in support of this view.
Origin wrote: “Now it was the devil that held us, to whose
side we had been drawn away by our sins. He asked,
therefore, as our price the blood of Christ” (CR, 2.3)

14. Theories of the Atonement
The Moral-Example Theory of Atonement
Pelagius (c. 354-c. 420) offered this view of atonement.
According to this position, Christ’s death provided an
example of faith and obedience that inspires others to
be obedient to God. The exhortation of 1 Peter 2:21 is
often used to support this view:
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving
you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

15. Theories of the Atonement
The Necessary-Satisfaction Theory of
Atonement
Anselm (1033-1109) offered this view of atonement. It affirms
that it was necessary for God’s offended justice and honor be
satisfied be a penalty only Christ could pay. Unlike Origen’s
ransom theory, however, Anselm said that since God was
offended, it was God who must be compensated.
1. Sin puts us in debt to God
2. God is just and cannot overlook sin
3. We cannot pay our own debt of sin.
4. God cannot forgive sins without the debt being paid.
5. Only the God-Man could pay the debt of sin.

16. Theories of the Atonement
The Moral-Influence Theory of Atonement
Peter Abelard (1079-1142) is credited with this theory. It
holds that the primary effect of Christ’s death was as a
demonstration of God’s great love for us.
Abelard developed this theory in reaction to the
necessary-satisfaction theory that some sort of payment
to God was required.

17. Theories of the Atonement
The Optimal-Satisfaction Theory of
Atonement
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) offered is theory which
allowed for but did not require satisfaction of God for the
sinner. His argument is:
(1) Christ’s passion caused God to be satisfied on behalf of our
sins.
(2) God could have forgiven us without Christ’s death.
(3) However, there was no better or more fitting way to satisfy
God than with the death of Christ.
Aquinas argues that God is not an accountant, adding
up our sins that must be paid for, but instead is a parent
wanting to forgive us while also desiring to change us
so that we will not choose evil again.

18. Theories of the Atonement
The Substitution Theory of Atonement
The roots of this theory are found in the ransom and the
optimal-satisfaction theories. The substitution theory insists
that satisfaction of God must be accomplished, but not just
because God’s honor has been offended but also because
His absolute justice has been violated, and therefore, a
substitution for our sins had to be made by the sinless Son
of God.
John Calvin (1509-1564) is credited with giving expression
to this view. He states: “God was the enemy of men until
they were restored in favour by the death of Christ (Rom.
5:10); they were cursed until their iniquity was expiated by
the sacrifice of Christ (Gal. 3:10).

19. Theories of the Atonement
The Governmental Theory of Atonement
Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) reacting to the moral-example view—which
he felt lacked an emphasis upon God’s justice and holiness—
formulated this theory. His argument is that in His holiness, God has
established laws to which sin is in opposition. Grotius argued that
any violation of these laws was a serious matter. The model follows
this progression:
God, as a sovereign ruler, has the right to punish sin, which is
inherently deserving of punishment, but it is not mandatory that He do
so. Love is God’s dominant attribute. He desires to forgive sins, but
He wishes to do it in such a way as to maintain His moral government.
Just as a creditor may cancel a debt is he chooses, God taking into
account the best interest of humanity, sent Christ do die for our sins.
The death of Christ was not a payment, but a substitute for the
penalty. Christ’s sacrifice demonstrated that God’s justice will require
us to suffer if we continue in sin.

20. Theories of the Atonement
The Mystical Theory of Atonement
Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) proposed that
salvation is attained by a mystical union with Christ—in
Him, the idea of humanity is fully realized.
According to this theory, since Christ was the absolute
unity of divinity an humanity, God became man that man
bay become God. As “God-men,” the redeemed partake
of the divine nature, or the life of Christ.
Adherents to this theory believe that salvation is a
mystical union with God in Christ (cf. Eph. 4:3-4). This
theory alleges that there is no objective basis in any
redemptive act of Christ on the cross that makes salvation
possible.

21. Various Views of the Atonement
Theories God’s
Attribute
Basic Goal Object Key
Verses
Propone
nt
Recapitu-lation
Omni-potence
Reverse the
Fall
Satan Romans
5:15-21
Irenaeus
Ransom Wisdom Defeat Satan Satan Mark 10:45 Origen
Moral-
Love Show God’s
Humanit
Example
love
y
Romans
5:8; 5:17-
19
Pelagius,
Abelard
Necessary-
Satisfaction
Majesty Pay the debt
of sin
God 1 John 2:1 Anselm
Optimal-
Satisfaction
Mercy Restore the
sinner
Humanit
y
Luke 19:10 Aquinas
Substitutio
n
Justice Appease
wrath, release
mercy
God Isaiah
42:21
Calvin
Govern-mental
Sovereignt
y
Keep moral
order
God and
humanity
Isaiah
42:21
Grotius
Mystical Oneness Unite us with
Humanit
Eph. 4:3-4;
Schleier-macher