"I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing..." Rev 3:17

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid02GoSRXNF1qYBwgSxhXitrqS5bYTQubPP4qPVzPKn2FYyxw3ojreyqSwtzBKDmK7eyl

What churches (Christians as well) would claim,

"I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing..."  Rev 3:17

Likely, the Reformed ones!  Why so?

1. The Reformed churches glory in the immense riches of the reformation heritage, as though the 16th-century Reformation is the inauguration of Christianity.

2. The Reformed churches boast in the superabundance of reformed theologians; they love parroting their revered theologians as the source and authority of the things they believe.

3. The Reformed churches have absolute confidence in their reformed faith, and have need of nothing; they see themselves as having arrived at the final truth; "we have the truth."

But what did Christ - the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God - say to the church that glories in her wealthy heritage, boasts in her multitudes of theologians, and pride in her self-sufficiency and Independence?

Christ - the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God - diagnosed the church as "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."  What a stark contrast from what she thinks of herself.

The Lord Christ Jesus gives this prescription for their deplorable condition, "I counsel thee to buy of me..."

- gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
- white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and
- anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Rev 3:18

Consider the three items they are to buy from Christ:
- "gold tried in the fire": this will make them rich indeed;
- "white raiment": this will clothe them and cover their shame;
- "eyesalve": that they may see the truth.

Jehovah's Witnesses are doing their rounds

January 5, 2019

Six neatly dressed Jehovah's Witnesses are doing their rounds in my neighbourhood. They do this a few times a year with different people.

I asked them, addressing the oldest-looking among them, "Uncle, do you have children?" "O yes, I even have grandchildren." Then I continued "Hey, uncle, are your children as human as you or are they not?" They looked somewhat confused. "I think you would surely say that I am perversely stupid if I deny that your children are as human as their parents, wouldn't you?" They nodded in agreement.

Then I reasoned, "What do you think of those who deny that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, is as divine as His Father? Aren't they as perversely stupid too?"

"Uncle, please don't be offended. "Stupid" simply means lacking common sense. How can the Son of God be any less divine than God Himself? How can your children be any less human than you?" He looked flabbergasted and shooed the group away.

O Lord, give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
2Ti 2:25 "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."

John 1
1 ¶In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... 14 ¶And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The eternally divine Word who was made flesh, took upon Himself our humanity and did not cease to be fully divine.

Wooliness or the Exact Truth

 

Luke 1 - KJT
1 ¶ Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Theophilus has been instructed in various things concerning the Christian faith. However, Dr Luke obviously thought that that was not enough; he is in need of a more orderly and thorough grounding in the truth, the facts concerning Christ and His work of salvation, and the truth concerning His church.

For Theophilus to know the certainty of those things was all-important to Luke; 'the certainty', when translated literally, is 'the exact truth'.  That is the chief and grand purpose of Dr Luke writing to Theophilus so that Theophilus may have the exact truth of those things concerning Christ.  Luke regards the knowledge of this orderly account as necessary.

We have a great need to know the exact truth of those things in which we have been instructed; there is no virtue in being woolly. There are two main reasons for this necessity: that we may be firmly grounded in the truth, and that we may obtain full assurance of salvation, both to the glory of God.

Great necessity laid upon us... we must heed Luke's exhortation... 'that you may know the exact truth...'

========

I often use this  illustration:
The Doctor said, "The dosage is: 2 tablets each time and 4 times a day for 7 days." The woolly patient took 7 tablets each time, 4 times a day; he killed himself.

A ‘Standard Reformed’ View of John 3:16

Let's examine the case and move beyond shibboleth and sound-byte

Appendix 1: A ‘Standard Reformed’ View of John 3:16

Peter Kek Wen Jen (formerly the pastor of Puchong Grace Church [now known as Grace Reformed Church) quoted a well-known theologian supporting his ‘standard reformed position.’ After quoting many others, he said: “Let me quote one more man – W. Hendriksen. In commenting on John 3:16 he says: “In order to receive this everlasting life one must believe in God’s only begotten Son. It is important, however, to take note of the fact that Jesus mentions the necessity of regeneration before he speaks about faith. The work of God within the soul ever precedes the work of God in which the soul cooperates. And because faith is, accordingly, the gift of God, its fruit, everlasting life, is also God’s gift. God gave his Son; he gives us the faith to embrace the Son; he gives us everlasting life as a reward for the exercise of this faith. To him be the glory forever and ever!”

“What do you say? Do you disagree with him also? I think bro. Lam has said some excellent things in his posts. Now you may like to reply to him. Sing, it is time-consuming to interact like this. But love constrains me! “[End quote]

===========

I replied: “I am thankful that your love constrained you to interact… You asked me for my opinion of Hendriksen’s commentary on John 3:16. Do I agree with him? You decide! Here it goes. See some brief comments. I hope you will read carefully my reply to Brother Lam’s Theological Paper. 
[note: Mr Lam was the theological spokesman for the group of RB pastors; he has since returned to his Methodist church.] 

Let's deal with the great theologian you have quoted:

H: In order to receive this everlasting life one must believe in God’s only begotten Son…

SL: The first statement is already wrong and inconsistent! Belief in God’s only begotten Son is evidence that the believing person is already regenerated and possesses eternal life. The author admits as much when he acknowledges the necessity of regeneration before faith! How does one without life (spiritual and eternal) ever believe? If it is one who has been regenerated with eternal life that can believe, then it is plainly wrong and inconsistent to say that one must believe in order to receive eternal life. It is one who is already in the kingdom of God by virtue of the sovereign regeneration that is able to believe.
[It is discovered later that the ‘standard reformed’ position holds that regeneration is the birth of spiritual abilities, not the birth of spiritual life!]

H: It is important, however, to take note of the fact that Jesus mentions the necessity of regeneration before he speaks about faith.

SL: Hendriksen made a correct qualification here… but failed to see the implication of his own qualification. He went on to speak as though he had NOT made any qualification at all! What happens at regeneration? It is the begetting of life that is spiritual and eternal, and not some spiritual abilities. Life – spiritual and eternal - is given to make believing possible. How could life be a reward for the exercise of this faith when it is the eternal life that makes the exercise of faith possible! Spiritual abilities without spiritual life are just plain nonsensical. “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Who does the Holy Spirit regenerate? How does the Holy Spirit regenerate? "Regeneration is a creative, a hyper-physical operation of the Holy Spirit, by which man is brought from a condition of spiritual death into a condition of spiritual life,” says Berkhof. And what is the outward evidence of regeneration? Faith in Jesus Christ!

H: The work of God within the soul ever precedes the work of God in which the soul cooperates.

SL: There is much truth in this statement. The work of God in giving life to the dead soul precedes the work of God in which the soul responds. The soul can only cooperate after it has been made alive! But the statement is a deficient and potentially MISLEADING statement. I would say it is very unfortunate that the author uses the word co-operates. I believe the correct and biblical word is "respond". In what way does a man ‘CO-OPERATE’ in the work of God of saving him? In what way does a man cooperate to receive eternal life? Did he cooperate by believing??? The word co-operates means ‘to work or act together, to be of assistance or to be willing to assist.’ It speaks of the contribution on the part of man in his salvation. Man does not co-operate in his salvation. A man responds to the salvation imparted to him by pure grace alone. You can dismiss this as semantics if you like. But you have asked me for my opinion. But Hendriksen’s deliberate and judicious choice of the word ‘co-operates’ only reflects the inherent inconsistency and deficiency of the standard reformed theology. It is the soul in which God has given life, quickened from being dead in trespasses and sins that can respond to God’s work of regeneration to produce fruit in the life of a believer. The responses are the saving graces that accompanied the salvation bestowed by free grace.

H: And because faith is, accordingly, the gift of God…, its fruit, everlasting life, is also God’s gift.

SL: He correctly says that bot faith in Christ and eternal life are the gifts of God. But please note carefully what standard reformed theology is saying now: your everlasting life is the fruit of your personal faith!!! If this is indeed standard reformed theology, then, to me, it is a lie, a big lie, and a very serious lie – plain and simple. Brothers, if you want to hold on to the standard reformed position, please go ahead. That’s your liberty. We have to part ways on this one. I have nothing more to say but this: an elect believes because he has been given eternal life. An elect does not believe in order to obtain eternal life. He believes because he has been given eternal life. Concerning faith as the gift of God, many are deceived to imagine that God gives this spiritual gift to those who are still under condemnation, i.e. not justified. They are also misled that the gift of faith is given to those who are still spiritually dead, i.e. not regenerated and adopted as sons. What is the use of giving a spiritual gift to one under condemnation and spiritually dead? They are ignorant of the simple truth that the gift of faith is given to justified living sons. The Scriptures says, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” Gal 4:6.

H: God gave his Son; he gives us the faith to embrace the Son; he gives us everlasting life as a reward for the exercise of this faith.

SL: So, this is the standard reformed position – God gives everlasting life as a reward for the exercise of this faith. IF (a very big ‘if’) this is the standard reformed position, then I have rejected it and left it for good. I have left this standard reformed view on this. In case any man misunderstands, let me say that I still believe the teaching of Scriptures as summarized in the 1689 – and believe that the eternal life bestowed by free grace enabled an elect to believe in Christ. A reward is no more of grace. A reward is of work. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” Romans 4:4. I believe salvation is wholly by grace, evidenced through faith. God gave His Son for all His elect. Christ died to redeem them. His righteousness is legally imputed to all the elect – retrospectively, currently and prospectively at the cross. At God’s appointed and approved time, He is pleased to effectually call them individually out of that state of sin and death which they are in by nature, to grace and salvation in Christ. Those whom the Father called, the Holy Spirit regenerated unto spiritual and eternal life. And that eternal life manifests itself in personal faith in Christ Jesus through the ministry of the gospel.

H: To him be the glory forever and ever!

SL: This is just a pious ‘standard reformed’ shibboleth and an inconsistent one! The truth is, half of the glory rightly belongs to him who cooperated with God to obtain his reward of eternal life.

Love you all, and with all due respect to Hendriksen. Sorry, he is not around to defend himself. Perhaps Peter Kek or Lam Chin Kaw would like to put up a defence on Hendriksen’s behalf. 

Sing.

copied from here:
https://pruning-deformed-branches.blogspot.com/2008/01/standard-reformed-view-of-john-316.html

An error does not become truth because the majority share in it

An error does not become truth because...

27 December 2022

Initially posted here: 
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10221667060721285&set=a.10204411521703594

An error does not become truth because...
- your favourite Reverends, Elders, Pastors or some D.D. Reformed Theologians believe it...
- you have always believed it...
- you have defended it with your life
- etc.

For example, the popular sola fide, your justification before God by your faith alone, is simply and plainly wrong even though Luther and a host of revered Protestant Reformed theologians and their devout followers believe the same.

Romans 3:24 KJT
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

The BASIS of justification is the redemption of Christ Jesus; Christ secured the righteousness necessary for the justification of justly condemned sinners. Sin brought condemnation; righteousness is the prerequisite for justification.

The MANNER that righteousness, of God's own provision in Jesus Christ, is applied to an elect personally, when still dead in trespasses and sins, is freely by the grace of God alone. Why? An elect can't meet any condition while in his unjustified condemned state.

The INSTRUMENT/means to experience the blessedness of that justified state, freely by God's grace, is through faith in Jesus Christ; it's not through observing any ceremonial laws. Ask Father Abraham!

It's "the just (those freely justified by God) shall live by faith"; it's not by faith the unjustified (i.e. still under condemnation) is justified; they are not the same.
Move beyond soundbite, please.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJT
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

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Comments:

Brenda
Agree

Fred
Is there a reformed Bible teacher that didn’t teach a… Grace plus works gospel?

Sing
I don't know because I don't know EVERY "reformed Bible teacher."

Of the few I have known, none can distinguish eternal salvation by grace and temporal salvation through obedience to the Father's will.

Fred
Thanks, brother!

Roger
AMEN !!!!! EXACTLY !!!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏💖💖💖🙏🙏🙏🙏

Ann
Truth is not a matter of (human) authority nor majority will. I was taught this as a tenet of logical thought when I was 13. It stands in the study of doctrine as well as so many other fields of thought.