Guest teacher: Marc Arteus

• Are All People, Just as They Were Lost Through Adam, Saved Through Christ? No, only those who are elected by God and united to Christ by faith. Nevertheless God in his mercy demonstrates common grace even to those who are not elect, by restraining the effects of sin and enabling works of culture for human well-being.
• If anything is good, it comes from God. From eternal goods, namely faith and salvation in Jesus Christ, to earthly goods like human art, science, government, and wisdom, there is nothing good that we have that we can say we produced ourselves. It all comes from God because God is gracious.

Additional Resources:

• The New City Catechism Commentary: "Though not all people are going to be saved, God still gives his gifts of wisdom and insight across the face of the whole human race. Through art and through science and through good government and in other ways, God is making this world a far better place than it would be if only Christians had those gifts.
• Common Grace Is Special Too (The Gospel Coalition): "The twin realities of common and saving grace share a dynamic relationship. For the believer, the joy we experience in common with the lost during a feast gives way to fullness of joy when that earthly meal redirects our hearts to the salvation feast believers share in Christ."
• Providence And Common Grace (Ligonier): "That human beings made in His image ignore and reject Him even after being shown common grace shows us just how desperate our condition is apart from His special grace."
• Four Biblical Foundations for Contextualization (9Marks): "Contextualization is both unavoidable and good. The gospel can―and should―be at home in every culture. We must identify with those we are trying to reach and adapt to their culture, no matter what discomfort it causes us. However, the gospel also challenges and condemns every culture at some points (including our own). "