Hmmmm…….grandchildren + Christmas = this has possibilities……teaching children the sovereign freedom of the living God in the salvation of sinners….hmmm….quite a concept, if you ask me (thanks to Triablogue).
Posts Tagged ‘Doctrine’
“Help, Mom! There are Arminians Under My Bed!”
Posted in Calvinism, doctrines of grace, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Calvinism, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church on May 21, 2013 | 1 Comment »
Joel Tay: Hebrews 6:1-9 and Apostasy – A Strong Text For Eternal Security
Posted in Calvinism, doctrines of grace, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Calvinism, Doctrine, Gospel, Indian River Baptist Church on March 25, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
For more Joel Tay, check out his blog.
6 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and shave shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Heb 6:1-9). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
This passage has to be the single most quoted passage used against the Calvinistic teaching of Eternal Security. Eternal Security is the teaching that a true believer, will persevere in the faith until the end of his life and will not apostatize from the faith. Those who apostatize are false converts, who may have a superficial belief externally and even profess to be believers, but are actually false converts – thorns and thistles.
Contrary to popular belief, this verse is actually very problematic for the Arminian.
Context:
First of all, let us look at the context. Who is it addressing? Look at the last 3 verses of Chapter 5, before Chapter 6.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:12–14).
The author of Hebrews is writing to a group of professing believers who ought to be teachers by then, but have not grown in spiritual maturity. They are still ignorant of the word of God. For this reason (their lack of knowledge of the word after a long period of time), the writer questions their salvation.
In Hebrews 6, He goes on to bring up a hypothetical situation.
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and shave shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. (Heb 6:1-8).
Here, he speaks of a group that has professed the faith outwardly, even experience God’s fellowship and who knows the means by which a person is saved — if such a person apostatize from the faith, cannot be brought to repentance. For if after having experienced the rain that often falls on it, if it still reveals its real nature is that of thorns and thistles, it is to be burned.
Note what it says in verse 4-7:
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
This immediately refutes the Arminian view which teaches that a believer can fall away, and return back to the faith in repentance again. If the Arminian is correct that this speaks of a true believer who has truly been saved and then apostatize, then he has to consistently conclude from this passage that such a believer can no longer be saved or can he repent later on. Yet very few Arminians would accept this. This verse refutes the teaching that a person can fall away and repent repeatedly. In any case, as it will be shown, once the proper context of Heb 6 is understood, it can be shown that this is not speaking of true believers.
This verse in the context of the passage, speaks of a false convert (whose nature is explained as thorns and thistles; v.8), who after having experience the way of salvation, still reveals that his nature is one of thorns and thistle. Having rejected the truth after experiencing and knowing the means of salvation, and having fallen away from his earlier professed faith, there remains no other means by which he can be saved. Since the Calvinist understand this as the context of the passage in contrast to the Arminian who sees it as a true believer losing his salvation and left unable to repent, the Calvinist does not have the same problem as the Arminian.
How can we know for sure that this does not contradict the Calvinist worldview? How can we know for sure that the Apostates here are speaking of false converts rather than true believers who fall away?
Look what the passage continues to say. Don’t just stop at verse 8. Look at verse 9:
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.(Heb 6:9).
So the context here is clear, the writer casts doubts on the salvation of these people who have not grown in their knowledge of the Word. He then brings in this hypothetical situation of apostates saying that if these experience God’s fellowship and know the means of salvation, yet fall away, they cannot be saved anymore.
THEN, IN CONTRAST TO THIS GROUP of apostates… the writer continues (v.9) that “yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things – things that belong to salvation.
In other words, the group of apostates is CONTRASTED with the group that has THINGS THAT BELONG TO SALVATION. Or as literally translated from the Greek:
Πεπείσμεθα δὲ περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀγαπητοί, τὰ κρείσσονα καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, εἰ καὶ οὕτως λαλοῦμεν.
And we are convinced concerning you (plural), beloved, of better (things), and belonging/possessing/having/accompanying salvation, even though we are speaking this way.
Those that have salvation (v.9), will not be like the group of apostates (v.1-8). The contrast between the 2 groups listed in verse 9, contrary to the Arminian’s belief, actually teaches eternal security. For this reason, you will often see in Arminian discussions, that discussion ends in verse 8. The moment you take into consideration verse 9 and read about the contrast between the apostates and the group that possess salvation, one has to argue in favor for the Calvinist worldview. In contrast to those who possess salvation (v.9), we have the group in (v.1-8) who will eventually fall away.
A similar passage can be read in Heb 10, where the writer again speaks of a group that appears to be saved, but then apostatize. Similarly, he explains that these people cannot be brought back to repentance. All the way in Heb 10, until verse 38. Then in verse 39, the writer once again makes the contrast between these apostates and those who are truly saved.
Heb 10:39 – But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but among those who have faith to the preservation of our souls.
An Exhaustive New Testament Study: The Unchurched Christian
Posted in Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, Truth, tagged Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church on February 6, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
Here at El Rancho Reformado, we cannot pretend to speak with any degree of insight as to the situation in places outside America, but it is becoming more and more clear – especially here, in “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” that more and more people who profess to be Christians are not involved with a local church. Why is that? Many reasons are given, which include:
- “The church is filled with hypocrites.”
- “I’ve been hurt by people in the church.”
- “I don’t agree with all of their doctrine(s).”
- “I wasn’t being fed.”
- “I’ve got Jesus and I don’t need the church.”
There are more, but the point has been made. Our question, as “Bible-believing Christians” (an exercise in redundancy, to be sure) is, to use the archaic: “What saith the Scripture?”
The New Testament presupposes involvement in a local assembly of believers. Just as it presupposes that every believer will obey the command to be baptized, so it does with involvement and participation in a local assembly. In the interest of fairness and to quote Greg Nichols, “with a spirit of charity,” we will now examine the passages in the New Testament that endorse the unchurched Christian – either explicitly or implicitly.
There. We’re finished. I’m whupped.
The number of times the New Testament affirms the behavior of the unchurched Christian is equal to the number of times our beloved Detroit Lions have appeared in the Super Bowl: zero.
We are not addressing the physically infirm or those who may be the only Christian in a 100-mile radius (of course, the Elijah Syndrome is a caution here. ”I’m the only one left!” Careful…..the Lord may smack you upside the head about the proverbial 7,000 righteous men besides you…)
We are all to be in a local fellowship under the authority of shepherds for our souls – having been baptized, participating in the Lord’s Supper and being equipped for ministry. ”Church” on Facebook or elsewhere online is not church – it’s a copout and an excuse. Pride must be swallowed and repented of, resulting in involvement in a local fellowship.
Just Asking, November 8, 2012 Edition: Situational Sovereignty? God’s Sovereignty In Presidential Elections vs. God’s Sovereignty In Salvation
Posted in Calvinism, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, Sovereignty, Truth, tagged Calvinism, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, Sovereignty on November 7, 2012 | 3 Comments »
Salvation belongs to the Lord (Ps. 3:8; Jonah 2:9; Rev. 7:10)
Reading what many people are writing – Christian people, to be specific – concerning yesterday’s Presidential election is quite interesting. Many, many Christians, especially those who did not vote for President Obama, have been declaring the sovereignty of God in this election. We read much about how this is part of God’s eternal plan and about how God sovereignly orchestrated the events of yesterday in order to fulfill that plan. Let’s examine the statements a little closer.
How could God sovereignly orchestrate the electoral results? Didn’t people walk into polling places, complete their ballots, choosing based upon their own preferences and desires – and didn’t they do so willingly, volitionally – “freely?” If their decisions were willing, volitional ones based on their own conscience – how could God sovereignly orchestrate the events of yesterday? As of this moment, the results show 59,631,249 people voted for President Obama. That means that many people made decisions of their own will do vote for him. Now, is this the way God sovereignly oversees His Creation – where He allows events to happen and then “responds” and makes it part of His eternal plan? (which is what many people really mean by stating God’s sovereignty concerning the election) No, the Bible says God has determined the end from the beginning and no one can frustrate His plan (e.g. Isaiah 46:9-10, Daniel 4:34-35). Therefore, if the election yesterday was God’s plan – how did it happen? Over 59 million people made decisions – choices – yesterday. How does that fit into this plan? If this were God’s eternal plan, how did over 59 million people become participants?
Because God is sovereign.
That may seem basic, but one must think about the implications – how and why did 59 million people choose President Obama instead of one of the other candidates? Was God just gnashing his proverbial teeth, hoping that 59,00,000 people would do what he desired them to do? No. One must think carefully – and biblically – about this issue? How did all those people – 59 million of them – make willing, volitional, “free” decisions that would fulfill God’s eternal plan? The biblical answer is because God decreed those decisions in eternity and caused them to occur in time and space. This is how God providentially governs His Creation – the God of the Bible is not the God of the Deists (think Thomas Jefferson), a God who created all things, set Creation in motion and has stepped back and just watches.
We must go back further. Why was President Obama up for re-election in the first place? Over 69 million people voted for Mr. Obama. If they had not done that, he would not have been on the ballot yesterday and his re-election would not have been part of God’s eternal, sovereign plan.
We must go back even further. How did he get on the ballot in 2008? Through the means of the willing choices made by voters in the primary process.
We must go back further. How did he get involved in the primary process? Because he was a Senator from Illinois, voted into office by the people of Illinois through all their willing choices.
We must go back further. How did Mr. Obama become known on a national level? Through his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Why was he chosen to give that speech? Why not someone else? That speech catapulted Mr. Obama to national visibility. Willing, volitional choices had to be made by certain powers-that-be in order for Mr. Obama to have given that speech.
We could engage in nearly infinite regress here but hopefully the point has been made. An untold number of ”free” choices had to be made for the events of yesterday to come to pass. They could only have come to pass – a number of decisions which we cannot imagine – in order for the voters of the United States to have re-elected Mr. Obama yesterday. Those decisions, however, were not outside the will of God – and God did not merely “permit” or “allow” these decisions. All the decisions through history that people have made were pointing to the events of yesterday. God is not just a deity who throws all the events and choices of history into a cosmic vat, stirring them with the ultimate spoon, hoping they mix together to accomplish His will. God actually decrees and controls man’s decisions. Yes, He does.
One need not object, saying that man is thus not held responsible as a moral agent (a “robot,” or a “puppet,” to use common objections) if God decrees his choices. One need only read one Old Testament passage (Isaiah 10:5-19) and one New Testament passage (Romans 9:6-24) as a primer, because there are many more concerning the issue of God’s control of man’s decisions and man’s moral responsibility for those decisions.
To sum up our first point- yes, God was sovereign yesterday and His sovereignty could only have been manifest because He had ordained not only the outcome of the election, but the means to that outcome – a nearly infinite number of choices made by people over many years and many different circumstances.
It is not uncommon to see such statements made by Christians, especially in light of events that occur which are what people consider less than favorable. Events such as Presidential elections (whether or not one objects to or affirms yesterday’s results), natural disasters, illness, unexpected death and so on are taken under the heading of the sovereignty of God in order for those affected to receive some degree of comfort – and biblically, they should.
It is quite interesting to see Christians proclaiming God’s sovereign authority and His ordination of events occurring in history – events that include “free” choices made by men – with regard to all arenas of life and society except one, which is the most important one of all: the salvation of sinners.
What is the most important “choice’ a person will make in his or her life? The decision as to trust or not trust Christ. To follow or not follow Christ. To believe or not believe. To come to Christ or leave one’s back turned to Him. Those are all entailed in the same choice, by the way. Many, many who are now affirming God’s exhaustive sovereignty over history – said history necessarily including man’s willing, volitional choices – will affirm it in all areas of history except (except!) the salvation of sinners.
We are told by these people that God has opened the door to salvation for all but that whether or not a man walks through that door is completely up to him – up to his own “free will.” We are told God woos, entices, beckons but does not – indeed cannot, because man’s “free will” has to be preserved at all costs – do anything to actually effect or ensure anyone – no one, not even one person – comes to Christ. We are told that God cannot intervene in a person’s life and change their nature so that instead of hating God, they would love Him. We are told that God cannot intervene and give a person sufficient faith in order that they not only believe, they willingly believe. We are told that God cannot intervene in a person’s life and create sufficient faith and repentance such that a person cannot do anything other than come to Christ. We are told that no matter how much God may desire to save a person, He will not, cannot, indeed must not intervene in the life of an unwilling person to save him from the horrors of Hell. We are told that God has sovereignly decided to not be absolutely sovereign in the saving of sinners. Why? Because that would interfere with man’s “free will.” ”Free will” must be preserved at all costs – even at the cost of “God’s unconditional love” for every single human being such that He expresses that love by not intervening to prevent a person’s condemnation -is that the biblical teaching?
Is the inconsistency clear here? If one is willing to ascribe God’s superintending of “free” human choices and actions, such as those of the men who wrote down revelation from God that we know as “the Bible,” if one is willing to affirm God’s exhaustive sovereignty over yesterday’s Presidential election and all the events and decisions in human history that brought us to this point, why are people not willing to say the same about God’s exhaustive sovereignty in the salvation of sinners? If every other decision or choice a person makes in his life falls under the sovereign decree of God – where is the biblical exemption with regard to a person’s choice to follow Christ?
The Bible states that every person is conceived in sin and is a rebel against God. The Bible states that every person by nature is a child of wrath, is a hater of God, has a heart that is wicked beyond comprehension and does not obey God because he cannot obey God. The Bible says that faith that saves is a gift from God. The Bible says repentance is granted by God. The Bible says God brings people from death to life as an act of His sovereign grace. The Bible says these people who are brought from death to life truly, truly believe because that belief is their own belief, given to them as a gift and they believe because they want to believe and are not compelled against their will to believe. The Bible says that this saving work begin in a sinner’s life as a gift from God will be carried through to completion.
It is wonderful, to be sure, seeing all the proclamations of the absolute sovereignty of God popping up all over cyberspace last night and today. In the big picture, though, the Presidential Election and God’s sovereignty over it are not the most important issues we must address. The most important issue is a man’s salvation or damnation. God is absolutely sovereign over that area, as well. Let us all be consistent in applying the clear biblical teaching with regard to salvation belonging to our Lord. Praise God He is sovereign in the salvation of sinners.
The Bible On The Election
Posted in Bible Study, Calvinism, doctrines of grace, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Bible Study, Calvinism, Doctrine, God, Gospel, Indian River Baptist Church, Predestination on November 6, 2012 | 1 Comment »
The election of sinners for salvation, that is…..courtesy of Nathan Pitchford’s categorized list of Scripture verses on the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace in saving sinners.
God elects [i.e. chooses, predestines, foreordains
A) His angels
1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
B) His peculiar people, Israel
Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Deu 7:6-8 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Deu 10:14-15 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
Psa 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
Isa 43:20-21 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
C) Individuals to salvation
Psa 65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Act 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Rom 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 9:10-24 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 11:5-7 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
Eph 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:11-12 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
2Th 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
D) Individuals to condemnation
Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom 9:17-18 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:21-22 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
3. His motivation in election
A) His own good pleasure
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
B) The display of his glory
Isa 43:6-7 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Rom 9:22-24 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels 
of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Eph 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
1Co 1:27-31 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
C) His special love
Deu 7:6-8 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
D) His foreknowledge
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
- Which means his special love
Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Amo 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Mat 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
1Co 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained [Greek, “foreknown”] before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
E) But not:
- Any good [nobility, wisdom, power, choice, seeking] he foresees in anyone
Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Rom 9:11-13 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
1Cor 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Cor 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Eisegesis 101: Romans 8:38-39
Posted in Bible Study, Calvinism, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, Truth, tagged Bible Study, Doctrine, Gospel, Indian River Baptist Church, Predestination on November 5, 2012 | 3 Comments »
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This passage is one of those which provides great comfort – or at least should do so – for the Christian. It appears to be a rather clear, definitive statement on the assurance of salvation for the child of God. However, quite often, there is a disclaimer attached to this passage by the one expounding/exegeting it – which is what? This statement, in one form or another, is made:
Nothing can separate us from the love of God – except ourselves!
Huh? ”Nothing” doesn’t mean “nothing?” Evidently not, to some. ”Nothing” being a universal negative, does “nothing” mean “nothing?” Or is Paul speaking in hyperbole? Let’s take a look, beginning with a little logic.
A simple syllogism show one problem with the “except ourselves!” exposition:
Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
We can separate ourselves from the love of God.
Therefore, we are nothing.
Preposterous? Well, yes, but consistent with the “except ourselves’ thought, right? Let’s dig deeper.
What is the context of Paul’s statement stating that nothing can separate us from the love of God? Romans 8, where Paul has spoken on the sovereignty of God in in v. 28, where he says,
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
If we were to back up further, we would see where Paul says the Romans have “received the Spirit of adoption as sons” in v. 15. The receipt of the Spirit – was this a gift? Yes, it was. What does the Bible say about gifts given by God? They are….irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). If this Spirit of adoption is given as a gift, is this giving irrevocable? Yes, it is. Those who receive the Spirit of adoption as sons are sons – irrevocably.
In Romans 8 Paul also, after saying what he says concerning adoption and the sovereignty of God, he then says this in vv. 29-30:
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Who are these people? This group of people in 29-30 are the elect. Is there anyone ‘saved’ who exists outside this group? No. Reading backward helps here – every single person who is to be glorified (Paul uses the prophetic perfect here – past prediction of future events, speaking of these events as if they have already been accomplished) has been justified. Every single person who is justified has been called. Every single person who has been called has been predestined and every single person who has been predestined was foreknown by ‘he’ – God, from v. 28.
The Romans whom Paul describes in v. 15 as having received the Spirit of adoption as sons are included in this group – the elect – of vv. 29-30. Is every single person who is foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified in vv. 29-30 actually called, justified and glorified in time and space, having been foreknown and predestined in eternity (cf. Eph. 1:3-14)? Yes, they are. If one wishes to object here – think about it – who is saved outside of this group? Can one be saved who was never foreknown, never predestined, never called, never justified and never glorified? Is there anyone who receives the Spirit of adoption who is not foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified? As Paul might say, “By no means!”
Earlier, we cited Romans 11:29 and the irrevocable gifts of God – however, that’s not the entirety of the thought. There is something else that is irrevocable in addition to the gifts of God – His calling. This is the “call” of v. 30. This is the “calling” which Peter tells the elect to confirm diligently in his second Epistle, chapter one, verse ten. Being an irrevocable gift, this call of Romans 11, expressed here in 8:30, assures the one who is called that he may know he is saved (1 John 5:13).
So far we have a people who have been adopted, who also fall into the group which is foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified. Is anyone ever removed from this group? No. No. They cannot be or the passage as plainly stated – and the irrevocability of God’s gifts – must be called into question, which we dare not. What else is said about these people?
Paul poses several questions beginning in verse 31 and he answers them as well for the reader. We will post these in question and answer format.
Q: What then shall we say to these things? What ‘things?” The ‘things Paul has just stated concerning adoption, the Spirit interceding (which we did not cover), foreknowledge, predestination, call, justification and glorification.
A: If God is for us, who can be against us? He answers the question with a question and the assumed answer to this question is “No one,” which he explains in the following questions and answers.
Q: He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? The assumed answer? ”Yes.”
Q: Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? Paul uses courtroom imagery here – who dares to bring accusations of guilt against God’s elect people?
A: It is God who justifies. No one. Why? Who can overturn God’s declaration that the elect, upon faith, are just and no longer condemned to a death sentence?
Q: Who is to condemn? Who can pronounce a sentence of guilty upon the elect? No one. Why?
A: Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. There has already been One who has incurred the full punishment for the guilt of the elect – the “us” Paul refers to here. Christ bore the full weight of the punishment due the elect – there is no more penalty to be paid.
Paul now asks the questions that result in his statement in vv. 38-39:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
So far Paul has asked three questions with an answer of “No one.” He continues the train here and we will see the answer is still the same: “No one.” Paul will actually expand the answer here from “No one,” to “No one and nothing.”
The question Paul asks concerns a person or people – “Who shall separate us…” Then he expands the question to include issues other than people – to nature, to life circumstances, to the spiritual realm and makes it all inclusive. The answer? Not yet. Paul cites Psalm 44, where the Psalmist writes of the people of God being made like sheep for the slaughter – but what is the context of Psalm 44? God’s people have rebelled and they are being rebuked by God – see 44:9, which says God has rejected them and 44:14, where they are said to be a laughingstock. Paul gives new meaning to this in applying the verse not to rebellious people but to the obedient children of God. He is saying the same fate awaits the obedient now as did the rebellious in Psalm 44. The elect here will suffer for their obedience at the hands of the pagans in the same way the rebellious children of Israel suffered at the hands of the pagans in Psalm 44.
Even knowing this, Paul’s answer to his own question is once again the same: “No one.” He says that in “all these things” the elect will conquer – and in fact will more than conquer. But how? Through him who loved us – “us” again being the elect). ”All these things” – what are they? They are the tribulations, the distresses, the persecutions, the famines, the nakedness, the dangers and the sword of verse 35, which will result in the sheep being slaughtered.
Because of this – Paul begins verse 38 with “For” – Paul is certain, sure that nothing – nothing – nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Paul knew the society and culture in which these people lived. He knew that being a Christian brought with it hostility from pagans, which would manifest itself in many different ways. He knew there would be spiritual battles. He also knew he had to provide some pastoral advice in the form of a theological construct. Good theology and good doctrine is at its root “practical.” This was very practical to the Roman Christians and is also practical to us today and has been practical for almost 2,000 years since God breathed out these words through His Apostle.
If God has set His love on you and saved you, He will love you for eternity because he has loved you in eternity past. The assurance of our salvation is not based upon our love for God – it is based upon His love for us. As the Scripture says, we love Him because He first loved us. Paul wants to make it irrefutable here – those upon whom God has set His love cannot be separated from that love.
Can we separate ourselves from the love of God? No. Why not? because His love for His elect is such that He will take the necessary measures to ensure that His elect persevere in faith until the end. Praise God. Praise God he is a God of promises – the God of fulfilled promises. He loves me. He loves His children. And nothing can separate His children from that love – not even ourselves.
Vincent Cheung: The Sovereignty Of God
Posted in Calvinism, Doctrine, Free Will, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Calvinism, Doctrine, God, Indian River Baptist Church, Sovereignty on September 28, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
From “Ultimate Questions.”
A sovereign God is the necessary foundation for a sound theology. Any compromise in the doctrine of God generates a rippling effect that destroys the integrity of all other biblical doctrines. Once we accept a false view of God, the rest of the system cannot be Christian.
For example, a sovereign God contradicts the idea that man exercises free will when it comes to any matter, including salvation. The sovereignty of God and the freedom of man are mutually exclusive. To affirm one is to deny the other. Accordingly, a person who insists that he accepts Christ because of his own free will, and not because of God’s sovereign choice and direct action in his soul, cannot at the same time affirm a sovereign God. Since the only God presented in the Bible is an absolutely sovereign God, a person who affirms human free will cannot, without contradiction, affirm belief in God.
Some theologians perceive this dilemma, and so they choose to believe in a contradiction. But this makes them look stupid, and some of them cannot endure the humiliation. So they invent a way out, and say that God’s sovereignty is “compatible” with human choice. Sometimes it is even said that
divine sovereignty is compatible with human “freedom” in the sense that the man who chooses is not coerced in his choice, but he chooses according to his desire.
Of course man chooses, but what makes him choose? What is the metaphysics of human choice? And what is the metaphysical explanation for his desire? If God is absolutely sovereign, then he also decides and causes human choice and desire. And if God is the one who decides and causes human choice and desire, then to say that divine sovereignty and human choice are compatible is only to say that God is compatible with himself. But we already know that, and man is still not free.
Human choice is irrelevant, since it comes under divine sovereignty. To say that man is not coerced is only to say that in this instance God does not cause one effect of his power to clash with another effect of his power, as he does when he causes two objects to crash into each other. But if there is no contradiction when God causes two objects to crash, then even coercion entails no contradiction. It would only mean that he causes a person to desire one thing but to choose another, and he remains compatible with himself. What would be the problem with that?
Indeed, the absolute sovereignty of God and the moral responsibility of man are compatible. Perhaps this is what the theologians are so worried about. But man is morally responsible only because God has decided to hold him accountable. This has no necessarily connection with choice or freedom. Even coercion does not eliminate responsibility. What does one have to do with another? The moral responsibility of man depends on the absolute sovereignty of God, and nothing else. Therefore, to say that man is responsible, once again, is only to say that God is compatible with himself.
It remains, then, that divine sovereignty and human freedom are incompatible. For man to be free in any relevant sense, he must be free from God, and if he is free from God in any sense and in any degree, then God is not absolutely sovereign. The God of the Bible is rejected.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Providence Of God
Posted in Books, Calvinism, Church History, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Books, Calvinism, Church History, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, Sovereignty on September 27, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
From “Great Doctrines of The Bible, Volume I: God The Father, God The Son.”
What, then, does the Bible tell us about the doctrine of providence? Again, we are looking at a very difficult subject. The particular doctrines of salvation that we shall be considering are very simple in comparison with a doctrine like this. It is one of those inscrutable doctrines and there is a hymn which reminds us of that. ‘God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform,’ says William Cowper, and, ‘Blind unbelief is sure to err.’ And not only blind unbelief, but lack of faith, but a desire to understand that which is impossible, are certain to lead us into trouble if not into error. Therefore let us approach the doctrine of providence with reverence and humility, going as far as Scripture takes us, but not going beyond that.
Now the Bible teaches everywhere, very clearly, as I shall show you, that God is in control of all things. Psalm 104 is enough, in and of itself, to establish that doctrine. There is no limit to what He does. Psalm 103:19 also says, ‘The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.’ Everywhere. And the Bible teaches us that first of all, as over against deism, to which I have referred, that doctrine which regards the universe as a kind of watch made by the watchmaker, wound up by him, and then put down to run itself out. But the doctrine of providence contradicts that, and I rather like the comparison which was once used to show the difference. The doctrine of providence tells us that the universe, and everything within it, is like a great ship which is being piloted from day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, second to second, by God Himself. Furthermore, of course, it is over against pantheism also, which says that God is everything, and in everything, and that therefore you cannot differentiate between the universe and God Himself. The doctrine of providence contradicts both these views.
How, then, do we find this doctrine in the Bible? Well, first of all we find it in a number of very direct statements in the Scriptures. I shall give you a list of them later on. Then another very powerful argument for the doctrine of providence is based upon the fact of prophecy. It would not be possible for a man inspired by God to predict what is going to take place, perhaps in several hundreds of years, unless God controlled everything. Prophecy is not merely foreknowledge, it is a guarantee—that the prophesied events are going to happen because God is in control.
Then another great argument, as we have seen, is derived from answers to prayer. If we did not believe that God controlled everything, there would be no point in praying—we would not pray for sunshine, we would not pray for rain; we would not pray for health and for the control of disease. Prayer, in a sense, would be ridiculous if we did not believe in the doctrine of providence. And that is why deists do not believe in prayer. Pantheists do not pray; there is no purpose in it. But those who believe in the doctrine of providence obviously pray because the very idea of that doctrine immediately leads to prayer.
And our last general argument is the argument from miracles. Were it not that the doctrine of providence is true, if it were not the case that God has His hand upon everything, and is controlling everything, then miracles simply could not take place at all.
So then, what exactly do we mean by providence? I cannot think of a better definition or description than this: ‘Providence is that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator upholds all his creatures, is operative in all that transpires in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end.’ We shall consider the biblical proof for that statement later on. Now there are three elements in this idea of providence, and we must differentiate between them in thought as well as in practice, though, of course, the three tend to work together. You can look at the three aspects of providence from different angles. The first is the aspect or the element of preservation—‘that continuous work of God by which He maintains the things which He has created, together with the properties and powers with which He has endowed them.’ Now this is most important. The Bible teaches that God preserves everything that He has made. It is a continuous work. Some have tried to say that this doctrine of preservation simply means that God does not destroy the work He once made, but that is not preservation. It means more than that; it means that He keeps everything in being.
Lloyd-Jones, D. M. (1996). God the Father, God the Son (142–144). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Jon Cardwell: A Famine In The Land
Posted in Bible Study, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Baptist, Bible, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church on September 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Jon comments on Amos 8:11….
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.”
…in this post at Justification By Grace.
NEWSFLASH: “Doctrine Doesn’t Matter!” Is Itself A Doctrine…..
Posted in Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church, tagged Baptist, Doctrine, Indian River Baptist Church on September 25, 2012 | 3 Comments »
Online and in personal discussions, one will quite frequently hear that cry – “Doctrine doesn’t matter!” Why? In many cases, it’s because of a concern for unity within the church or because doctrines, as we know, can cause disagreements within the family of faith. To state such – that “doctrine doesn’t matter” – however, denies the very point the objector is trying to make.
We cannot deny that doctrines exist. Even such a simple statement as “All I need is Jesus” is itself a doctrinal statement. Let’s not pretend that we can eliminate doctrines from our Christian life – doctrines define our Christian life. ”Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” is a doctrinal statement.
So let’s not unjustly demonize doctrine. Doctrine is vital – the Scripture is a compilation of doctrines – the doctrine of God, the doctrine of redemption, the doctrine of the last things, and so on. Doctrine benefits us, so let’s not deny its existence or the benefits of doctrine(s).
Sound doctrine with a pleasant demeanor (and a swell graphic header courtesy of Josh Gelatt).
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