Foundations of Grace

The absolute uniformity of the doctrines of grace in the Old Testament carries over with an equal uniformity to the New Testament. The reason for this consistency is that the doctrines of grace did not originate with man. They are God’s doctrines. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson introduces this study of the doctrines of grace in the New Testament by providing an overview of five primary characteristics of the doctrines of grace.

The doctrines of grace are a pure expression of God’s love and grace. In the previous lecture, Dr. Lawson introduced five characteristics of the doctrines of grace to begin our study through the New Testament. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson continues his introduction by offering seven more characteristics of the doctrines of grace to show the coherent arrangement and rich theological content of the doctrines of grace.

God’s grace extends triumphantly throughout the ages, calling men and women to believe the gospel and, when they do, bringing them all the way to glory. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson continues his introduction to the doctrines of grace in the New Testament with five additional characteristics of the doctrines of grace, exploring such concepts as man’s responsibility and God’s faithfulness to the church throughout all of history.

The Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—contain parallel teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the sum and substance of the doctrines of grace, Jesus is the greatest expositor of the doctrines of grace ever to have lived. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson looks at Jesus’ teaching on the doctrine of total depravity in the Synoptic Gospels by focusing on the book of Matthew.

Just as we encounter man’s sin in the Synoptic Gospels, so too we can expect to encounter an abundance of God’s grace. The reason for this is simple: the Gospels tell us who Jesus is and what He has done on the behalf of unworthy sinners. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson surveys the doctrines of grace in the Synoptic Gospels with a continued focus on the gospel of Matthew.

The gospel of John is the Mount Everest of the doctrines of grace. In it, we catch a glimpse of the doctrines of grace from the highest vantage point, from the perspec-tive of eternity. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson introduces a study on the loftiness of the doctrines of grace in the gospel of John by starting with the doctrines of total depravity and unconditional election.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 is the most well-known verse in the entire Bible, and for good reason. It clearly communicates the love that God has for us in Christ. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson studies the doctrine of limited atonement in the gospel of John, presenting the unique interpretive challenges of John’s vocabulary alongside the undeniable case for the particular nature of the atonement in his gospel.

Thus far, Dr. Lawson has demonstrated the doctrines of total depravity, unconditional election, and limited atonement from the gospel of John. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson will make the case for the doctrines of irresistible grace and the perseverance of the saints in John’s gospel, highlighting passages that clearly teach the efficacious ministry of the Holy Spirit in making and sustaining believers all the way to the end.

The book of Acts is the most evangelistic book in the entire Bible. In it, the power of the gospel is on display as the gospel goes forth from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson overviews the doctrines of grace in the history of the first-century church as contained in the Acts of the Apostles.

The Apostle Peter plays a significant role in the book of Acts, which should be no surprise considering his prominent role in the Gospels. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson takes a closer look at Peter’s sermons on the day of Pentecost and throughout the book of Acts. This narrowed focus on the sermons of the Apostle provides a logical transition into the writings of the Apostle, as Dr. Lawson moves in this lecture into a study of the doctrines of grace in 1 and 2 Peter.

Gospel grace is found throughout 1 Peter because the letter bears witness to a salvation that is all from God. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson examines 1 Peter to demonstrate the doctrines of limited atonement, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. From this study, we will see how the doctrines of grace are ultimately doctrines of comfort.

In his second letter, Peter writes to protect God’s people from false teachers, and he sets himself apart from such teachers by heralding the doctrines of grace so that God’s people might confirm their calling and election and persevere to the end. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson highlights the key texts of 2 Peter that teach the doctrines of grace, with a particular emphasis on the doctrines of total depravity and irresistible grace.

The book of Romans is the Apostle Paul’s theological magnum opus. It contains a rich presentation of the doctrines of grace, and it is the closest thing we have to a systematic theology of any book of the Bible. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson introduces a three-part study through Paul’s letter to the Romans by first examining the doctrine of total depravity, so that God’s grace might shine brighter through the darkness of man’s sin.

There isn’t a systematic approach to the doctrines of grace quite like the one found in the book of Romans. It is filled with lofty theology that can only be matched by its soaring doxology for the God from whom, through whom, and to whom are all things. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson traces the Apostle Paul’s argument for the doctrine of sovereign election in eternity past throughout Romans, while also demonstrating the particular nature of Christ’s death for the elect.

God’s electing love for us in eternity meets us in the providence of history. For all those whom God elects in eternity, He calls, regenerates, justifies, and sanctifies in real time and space. In the last lecture, we studied the doctrines of sovereign election and definite atonement in Romans. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson surveys the doctrines of irresistible grace and the perseverance of the saints, showing us how God’s eternal love extends throughout all of life.

Paul instructed the church at Corinth in the truth of the doctrines of grace in faithfulness to his calling as an Apostle of Christ. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he did not stray away from proclaiming the fundamental truths of the faith, for this is exactly what the church in Corinth needed. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson surveys the book of 1 Corinthians with a focus on the doctrines of irresistible grace, total depravity, and unconditional election.

The gospel is the power of God for salvation for all people, yet it remains veiled for all who are hardened in unbelief. This reality proves that the atonement is not universal, and that salvation must be accomplished through a sovereign act of God. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson teaches the doctrines of grace within the context of 2 Corinthians, explaining why some reject the gospel while others experience God’s power.

The books of Galatians and Ephesians are full of rich doxology precisely because they are full of rich theology. This is particularly true in Ephesians 1:3–14, a beautiful passage that outlines Paul’s theology of election. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson highlights the truth of election and the nature of the atonement in Galatians and provides a lengthy study of election in Ephesians 1.

The doctrines of grace are not cold, clinical, theological truths. They are not reserved for ivory towers. They are practical and have direct application to our everyday lives, helping us fulfill the great commandments to love God and neighbor. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson constructs a practical theology of the doctrines of grace in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

When Paul preached the gospel in the Macedonian port town of Thessalonica, he preached with such power and clarity that the people rioted in opposition to the truth. It is therefore no surprise that 1 and 2 Thessalonians are rich with the same power and clarity of the gospel that Paul had originally preached. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson showcases the truth of God’s grace and power in these letters so that we might recognize the hope of the epistles to the Thessalonians as our own.

The Apostle Paul wrote letters to Timothy and Titus in order to give them instruction regarding the church and their roles in the church. He taught them about the importance of godly ministry and about the standards of a godly life. He did this with none other than the doctrines of grace. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson surveys the Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus and the doctrines of grace found in them.

The letter to the Hebrews can be viewed as a sermon in terms of both its length and content. It outlines the supremacy of Christ over all things, demonstrating His supremacy over the prophets, the angels, Moses, and the priesthood. In this lecture, Dr. Lawson surveys the doctrines of grace in the letter to the Hebrews with a special focus on the doctrines of limited atonement and the perseverance of the saints.

The letters of James, 1–3 John, and Jude are part of the Catholic Epistles. They are “catholic” because they are universal, not being addressed to a particular church. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson searches these letters for the doctrines of grace so that we can see the overall unity of the Bible in proclaiming God’s sovereign mercies.

The Apostle John was exiled on the island of Patmos when he received a revelation in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:9–10). John recorded multiple visions full of symbolism pointing to the ultimate triumph of God and His church. In this lesson, Dr. Lawson teaches the doctrines of grace from the book of Revelation that we might be confident in Christ and certain that God will receive all the glory in our salvation.