Text: He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13)
Catechism Question: Are all people then saved through Christ just as they were lost through Adam?
Answer: No, only those are saved who through true faith are grafted into Christ and accept all His benefits.
Intro: the question
I. Negative
“The reason why all are not saved through Christ, is not because of any insufficiency of merit and grace in Him [Christ]—for the atonement of Christ is for the sins of the whole world, as it respects the dignity and sufficiency of the satisfaction which He made—but it [the fact that they miss salvation] arises from unbelief; because men reject the benefits of Christ offered in the gospel and so perish by their own fault and not because of any insufficiency in the merits of Christ.” --Ursinus
II. Positive
Salvation accomplished & applied
only those are saved who… are grafted into Christ…
III. God works & Man works
God: only those are saved who… are grafted into Christ…
Man: …through true faith.. accept all His benefits.
IV. The text:
John 1:4
John 1:11
John 1:12
John 1:16
John 1:14
John 1:13