I never got to attend much of it, due to the fact I wasn’t feeling well, but I did make it to chapter 2. If my thoughts are correct out of the 8 leading teachers on the stage, 4 of them would have held to a form of Calvinism where they believed in a personal election.

Yet when the time came for the discussion of verse 4 to take place, the ones who held to the teaching of ” libertarian free will” were the most vocal. Indeed a couple of the men spoke up making it someone clear to one who is a Calvinist what they held to, but still remained I felt someone vague to the general audience.

I have personally become quite tired of the political games that are being played with God’s word. The teaching of Monergism is something clearly taught in scripture and held by the early Christian men, including the Brethren.

So without further ado and  more ranting I wish to take the time to explain my stance on what I believe concerning Calvinism using the acrostic T.U.L.I.P

T — Total Depravity

Total Depravity: Although fallen persons are capable of externally good acts (acts that are good for society), they cannot do anything really good, i.e., pleasing to God (Rom. 8:8). God, however, looks on the heart. And from his ultimate standpoint, fallen man has no goodness, in thought, word, or deed. He is therefore incapable of contributing anything to his salvation.
John Frame

For ones who hold to libertarian free will they would node their heads in agreement with this statement; claiming that yes they too agree that man is completely wicked and dead in sin.

The key difference is that they instantly change the word “dead” to “sick”. They, like Pelagius are quick to point out that a person is not so sick that they can not help themselves. A person still has the ability to turn on their own and either accept or reject Christ.

The problem with that thought though is that the term “Total Depravity” doesn’t mean that. So if one claims to hold to the “Free will” teaching, then they do not hold to the Complete Depravity (Total Inability) of man.

The Bible is very clear that man falls completely short in their ability to do anything that can gain favour with God. The most common verses that we tend to go to are verses that are found in Romans chapter 3 that describe us as dead in our sins. Yet God describes our heart all through scripture starting in the first book of the Bible.

Gen 6:5  The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Dead

The Bible describes us as being dead. We are dead in our sins. A person that is dead, has no ability at all to come back to life. They can not take the first breath which starts the process to bring themselves back from the death bed. In the video there is a illustration of how a dead person simply can not do anything to raise him or herself.

Eph 2:1  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–

Eph 2:5  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–

Doesn’t Seek

People get things confused easily sometimes. For some reason people think that because the offer is universal then therefore that means that people universally can on their own free will turn and start seeking God. That because God tells them to seek that means they can. First of all the gospel goes out to all the world. The gospel proclaims the glory of God, and is a stumbling block for the ones who don’t believe. Yet we are told clearly that the human does not desire to seek God.

Rom 3:11  no one understands; no one seeks for God.

No Interest

1Co 2:14  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

I believe the verse is self explanatory.  Humans simply have no interest in God, they have no desire, don’t seek, and ultimately are dead.

Scripture is very clear on all these topics. So let’s not get caught up in the thoughts of our own hearts and try to change the meaning of certain words for the purpose of fitting verses into ideas that are more comfortable with our sinful heart.

Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty.
John Calvin

Next Article……..Unconditional Election

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REDEEMED

Now let’s speak about being redeemed. redemption includes being bought, but goes beyond that to take in the thought of being set free. The meaning given in any good Bible dictionary is “bought back and set free.”  It indicates that there is a change of condition. there is not just a change of ownership — a change of masters (as in “bought”); there is also a change of condition.

The great emphasis in “redeemed” is being set free. Both persons and things need to be set free. you might ask, “set free from what?” Firstly, from sin and its enslaving power and effects (Romans 6:18; Tit. 2:14; Ps. 130:8). men don’t like to admit that they are in bondage and under the control of the sins in their life. They are honestly deceived, thinking that the life they live is not bondage, but it just points to the solemn fact of sin’s blinding power. Romans 3:9 says; “We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.” Also Proverbs 5:22 says, “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” And again in John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Apart from the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, all men, Jew or Gentile, are under the dominion and power of sin, and need to be set free. Receiving by faith the truth of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus will make one “free indeed” (John 8:32,36)

Not only do men need to be set free, but so do things in the creation. It has all been affected by sin. Presently it is under the bondage of corruption” and has largely been spoiled (Romans 8:20-22), though there is still much in the creation that we can enjoy, even in its fallen condition.

Secondly, all persons and things need to be set free from Satan. He dominates all his subjects, and is doing all he can to keep them in his grasp. Luke 11:21-22 says, When a strong man armed keepth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, He taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.” Satan is the “strong man” here. His “goods” are his poor sin-sick subjects under his dominion. They are “in peace” because he has deceived them into thinking that everything is fine (2 Cor. 4:4). They are not concerned about their soul’s destiny. The “stronger” Man is the Lord Jesus, Who, by His redeeming power, sets sinners free so that they can live for God’s glory. the point here is that the redemption that is in Christ Jesus sets people free from Satan’s dominion. When His work in redemption is received by faith it turns people “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God” (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 2:14-15)

Satan also controls much of this world’s goods. he said to the Lord, “All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomosever I will I give it” (Luke 4:6). This too, needs to be redeemed.

Thirdly, all persons and things need to be set free from the course of this world. Satan uses the world system to control his subjects. The course of this world is a powerful thing that makes people act and speak the way they do. They need to delivered from it, and where it leads to — judgment. “Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the Will of God and our Father” (Gal. 1:3-4)

You might ask, “How are material things governed or controlled by the world?” Sad to say, most of the best spots on earth, as far as beauty are concerned, have been sized by worldly men for worldly interests and pleasures. Much of it has been commercialized and ordered by worldly principles. The creation must be set free from this world system, and it will be don through judgment when the Lord comes at His appearing.

All three of these things work together to dominate and control the sinner, and keep him in bondage. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,  according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,  fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind” (Eph. 2:2-3).

If a person were a Jew, redemption would also include being set free from the curse of the law. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13; 4:4-5). A Gentile, of course, does not need to be set free form the claims of the law, because he has never been formally under the law. ….

Next Time…. “The Difference Between Purchase (bought) and Redemption”

Do not turn it off, take the time to watch it, and examine yourself.

Unsnatchingly His

Glen H.

I have slowly been working on another rebuttal to Eckhart Tolle and his new age belief. I usually wouldn’t take the time to reply to people to hold to these beliefs, but Mr. Tolle feels the need to attempt and integrate the truths found in the Bible with his false belief system. So my attempt is to ensure people know that the Bible is not to be twisted to fit someone’s false beliefs.

Also for anyone who likes much, try searching for a group called “Glory Bound”. A very good group.

I will end this now and pray that all is well, and never forget, God is sufficient in all things.

Unsnatchingly His

Glen H.

http://www.imeem.com/people/-jlahy/music/THpIsO5I/glorybound_i_was_blind_but_now_i_see/

– Sinclair Ferguson

By Creation and by Purchase

In addition to the two-fold circle of Christ’s belongings (every person and every thing), Christ has title and right to those belongings on two accounts. He has a right to the world and everything in it because he is the Creator, as the Scripture says, “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof” (Ps. 24:1, Rev. 4:11). And He also has a right to every person because He is their Creator. Again, Scripture says, “Behold, all souls are Mine” (Ezk. 18:4). Over and above that, He also has title and right to those persons and things on another account — His purchase on the cross. He therefore, has a two-fold right to all — by creation and by purchase. Revelation 4 speaks of His creatorial rights to the inheritance; Revelation 5 has to do with His rights to the inheritance by purchase.

To illustrate this two-fold claim that Christ has on all persons and things, a story of a boy comes to mind that you’ve probably heard before. He had worked hard at building a model sailing boat. When he finished it, he took it to a lake where he enjoyed sailing it. One day the boat got away from him in the wind and he lost it. A little while later, he found the boat in a pawnshop! So he went in and told the proprietor that that was his boat — that he had actually built it. The man told him that it was his now, and if the boy wanted it, he would have to buy it. So the boy went home and got his money together and came back and bought it. When he took it out of the store, he said, “Little boat, you belong to me twice — I made you, and I’ve bought you.” Similarly, with the Lord Jesus, all things and all persons, by creation and by purchase belong to Him.

*Note: Posting this video on here does not mean that I completely agree with everything that the video is saying. It definitely does not mean that I agree with everything that is on the creator’s website.

Now let’s turn to Ephesians 1, and verses 13-14, “In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which (Who) is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.” The apostle Paul is speaking here about the two-fold work of the Spirit — the seal and the earnest. Both things are ours when the Spirit comes to dwell in us, which happens when we believe the gospel of our salvation. The seal  is to give us to know that we are His property; the earnest is to give us to know that we have property — the inheritance, and to help us to enjoy our portion in Christ.

He goes on to say, “Until the redemption of the purchased possession.” From this phrase, we see that purchase and redemption are not the same thing. Only here it is not referring to persons, but to created things. Note this, there is something here that has been purchased, but has not yet been redeemed! This clearly shows that the two things are not synonymous. Now you might ask, “What is the “purchased possession?” it is not, as so many think, the Church, though the Church surely has been purchased. (That is clearly seen in what Paul said to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28, “Shepherd the assembly of God, which He has purchased with the blood of His own (Son).” – J.N.Darby Trans.) Since this is something that has been purchased, but is waiting to be redeemed, it couldn’t be the Church, because we are already redeemed! (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19)

A careful reading of this verse in Ephesians 1:14 shows that the thing purchased here is the inheritance, which is every created thing. While all things have been purchased, all things have not been redeemed. The point of the verse is that there will be a time when the inheritance will be redeemed — at the coming of the Lord. In Scripture, the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev. 21:9) which is the Church, is not put on the same ground as the inheritance. Similarly, we don’t speak of our wives as part and parcel with our possessions. A man doesn’t say, “I have a house, a car, a boat, a dog, and a wife!” The Church, the Lamb’s wife, is not the inheritance; she is a joint-heir with Christ over the inheritance (Rom. 8:17).