And if the son of peace be there

"And if the son of peace be there" -
These words repudiate the fiction
of gospel regeneration.   

Luke 10 KJT
1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Try these questions concerning ‘the son of peace’ in verse 6.

1. What is a ‘son of peace’?

2. How does a ‘son of peace’ come into being?

3. Who is there first: the son of peace or the itinerant preacher?

4. Does the itinerant preacher help in bringing into being a son of peace? Why?

5. What did Jesus send His preachers to do for the sons of peace?

6. Why does a son of peace treat the itinerant preacher well?

7. What does this passage of Scripture say about gospel regeneration? 

Justification: Immanent, Transient, and Declarative

#immanent_act
#transient_act
#declarative (without act!)

"...Justification, as a transient act, and declarative, follows calling; but as an immanent act in God, it goes before it, of which we are only speaking, as ought always to be remembered."

(The above is the last sentence of section 2b7d, Book II, chapter 5, Justification as an Immanent Act of God, Body of Doctrinal Divinity. There is another chapter on Justification in Book V, chapter 8, Justification as a blessing of grace)

A friend has been reading John Gill's work on Justification (Body of Doctrinal Divinity).

Yuen
The sentence in green is quite deep. I never thought of it this way. There are transient acts and immanent acts by God.

(The sentence in green is quoted above).

sing:
Immanent acts are His acts of decrees in eternity (i.e. before time); transient acts are His divine acts executing the decrees in time.

Yuen 
Someone who promotes peace sounds like the person has already been justified (immanently).

sing
You have NOT understood justification as an immanent act of God.
Someone justified immanently is still someone dead in trespasses and sins.

It is someone whom God has justified by His grace in time, RECONCILED to Himself by the life and works of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace... thus a man in enmity against God is, by God's grace, turned into a son of peace.

Yuen
Huh, even though one is justified immanently, one is still not a son of peace? Until one is justified transiently also?

sing:
Someone justified immanently is still someone dead in trespasses and sins.
He is justified in the purpose of God only, i.e. immanently.
He is not justified personally in time, i.e. transiently.

It is someone whom God has justified by His grace, RECONCILED to Himself by the life and works of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace... thus a man in enmity against God is, by God's grace, turned into a son of peace.

Here's a broad picture:

God elected a multitude out of the fallen race of Adam - this is an immanent act of God.

God purposed the justification of His elect in eternity. This is an IMMANENT act of God; i.e. DECRETAL justification.

Christ accomplished the justification of the same people on the cross. This is LEGAL justification.

The Holy Spirit applied the same justification to each elect personally at God's appointed time when they were still in their native state of sin and death. This is VITAL justification. (This is justified transiently - personally, in time. This enables him to respond to the gospel call)

The justification of the elect is purposed for them, accomplished for them, and applied to each of them personally - all freely and sovereignly, without any activities or works of man.

The gospel ministry is ordained to call out those to whom justification has been freely applied by God's grace; the gospel ministry is intended for those to whom God has ALREADY freely justified by His grace; such are the sons of peace, they have been reconciled by God, freely by His grace.

You will take some time to grasp these truths.
When you have, lead Brother Martini along.

Acts 18:26 KJV — And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and *Priscilla* had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Dear Yuen,  I'm glad you are ploughing through John Gill's work on Justification. Too many pastors do not have the mental capacity to understand Gill's work, and yet they impudently call Dr Gill names. You keep going. May the Lord bless your labour. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻.

Amen.
========

Reggie Lee
Amen!! Three Justifications! That's correct, bro Sing!

Sing ·
In this order and number
Immanent Act > Transient Act > Declarative: in this order.

Immanent act - the justification purposed in eternity.

Transient act - the justification applied freely by grace in time

Declarative act - the faith of a man in Christ declares his justified state by the free grace of God. Declarative is experiential justification.

Often folks who haven't read or understood Dr Gill shamelessly and impudently disagree with him.

Ability and Responsibility versus Covenant Obligation

A man's responsibility and duty
are determined by covenant obligations.
It is that basic.

Is it the duty of all men without distinction to believe Jesus as their Lord and Saviour? Does disability negate their duty? What is the ground of duty?

An adjunct professor said, "You seem to think that if a person cannot 'do' something - in this case, it is to believe in and trust Christ - that they are not responsible for their lack of performance."

Sing
Adjunct Professor, this isn't about ability. You miss the whole point!

It is about covenant obligation. One's responsibility and duty are determined by covenant obligations. It is that basic.

The covenant of creation imposes certain obligations upon man as creatures of God. These obligations extend NO FURTHER than those embraced in the covenant of creation.

The covenant of redemption imposes certain obligations upon the elect as children of God (regenerate elect are called to believe the truth of their redemption by God's free grace). These obligations extend NO FURTHER than those embraced in the covenant of redemption.

Go figure out. The ground of duty is the covenant obligation. Inability does not negate duty at all.
===========

Comments

Hulan
Dear Bro. Sing Lau, can the DEAD ACT, whether dead naturally or
Spiritually? – Ecc. 9:5. Seriously, Hulan Bass

Sing
Ask no question of the dead to the living! <LOL>
Address the questions of the dead to the dead!!! 😉
Seriously too.

Philip
Consider Romans 3:1-9. The Jews had the word of God, the Gentiles did not. Yet Paul says we have before proved ... that they are all (Jew and Gentile) are all under sin.

Ability or Inability does not determine condition.

Consider Psalms 19:1-3. The natural creation declares the glory of God. So even with a dead spirit that will not acknowledge God, their natural mind should still admit that if a watch has a watch maker, a bridge has a bridge maker, then the laws of nature must have a law giver and this world that was created must have a Creator.

Chase
Amen, brother Philip!
So.... are you saying they are without excuse? 😉

Mark
I believe Brother Sing's point is that expecting the non-elect to believe that Jesus Christ is their Saviour is expecting them to believe a lie. This point is about inability.

Mark
The point that you did raise is regarding them believing the truth that there is a lawgiver and a creator. There is a difference.

Mark
Giving this a "third" thought, perhaps the right word is impossibility rather than inability.

Sing
Ability or inability DOES NOT determine responsibility.
Covenant obligations DO.

The covenant of creation obligates all to believe and honor God as their Creator and Provider, and leaves all the non-elect without excuse for their rejection of God.

The covenant of redemption obligates all the redeemed to believe in their Redeemer, and leaves God's children who are disobedience to severe chastisement.

Mark
It usually takes me two or three breathes to dive along with you, Brother Sing. Keep us diving deep. It is good for us!

Sing·
If ability or inability determines responsibility, it would be very nice for many people in this hard time! Million of fore-closures would have been avoided! The God of heaven would be stripped of His sovereignty to judge even His creature. Then "so that they are without excuse" would be a fable instead of a condemnatory verdict.

PJ Walters
Bro. Sing, all of what you've said here makes so much sense! God bless you!

Acceptable Worship of the LORD

A matter of utmost importance is dealt with at the beginning - the ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP of the LORD.

Genesis 4 KJT

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 ¶And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 ¶And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

There are many Cains among God's people in every generation - they insist on worshipping the LORD their own way.

Jude 1:11 KJT

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Be careful...

Ecclesiastes 5:1 KJT

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

 

Proverbs15 KJT

10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.

The LORD's tender correction of Cain was grievous to him; he hated reproof. He had rejected the way of acceptable worship.

Genesis 4 KJT

6 ¶ And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 ¶ And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

O the gracious and tender dealing of the LORD with Cain!

i. The LORD often asks questions to gently nudge us to admit and confess the errors of our way.
- Why are thou wroth? Why is thy countenance fallen?
- The Lord called to Adam, "Where art thou, Adam? Why art thou hiding?"

ii. The LORD rebukes and admonishes His wayward children.

iii. The LORD reminds us of the right thing to do and do it right.

iv. The LORD warns us of the reality of sin waiting to pounce on us.

v. The LORD exhorts us to overcome sin instead of succumbing to it.

How often the tender and gracious dealings of the LORD with us are scorned and rejected; we perceive them GRIEVOUS instead of humbly receiving the corrections and admonitions.  

Proverbs 3 KJT
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction.

Jude 1 KJT
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Beware of the way of Cain!

Cain and Abel are representatives of those who worship the LORD; the former are those who worship the LORD their own way; the latter are those who worship the LORD the LORD's appointed way.

Too many see them as representing the elect and non-elect. 

The salvation through the gospel ministry

The salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/videos/830585835440039

Good morning, Brother Sing

I have another question.

2 Thessalonians 2:13
[13]But we are bound to give thanks alway 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:

Apostle Paul mentioned, "to salvation."

Is the salvation mentioned by the Apostle Paul in that verse the eternal salvation, bro?

---------

Dear Brother,

Thanks for the question.

Let us make a few observations to help us to answer your good question.

i. The salvation to which God has, from the beginning, chosen the Thessalonian saints is described as through both the sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth.
- The salvation spoken of is through the instrumentality of the sanctification of the Spirit AND the belief of the truth of the gospel presented.
- Paul’s ministry among them was blessed by the Spirit to their sanctification, i.e. their separation from darkness, ignorance, superstition, falsehood, etc. and belief of the truth, i.e. conversion to the truth of their salvation in Jesus Christ.
- The sanctification of the Spirit here is in the context of the gospel ministry. 

- The Apostle Paul said in 1Th 1:5
"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake."

ii. How do we understand the words “from the beginning” then?
- What’s the context? From the beginning of what?
- The Thessalonians were among the early converts of the Apostle Paul’s ministry, i.e. from the beginning of his ministry.
- The elect were chosen unto eternal salvation from BEFORE the foundation of the world, Eph 1:4
- The Thessalonian saints were among those chosen by God to experience the temporal salvation that comes through the gospel ministry, from the beginning of Apostle Paul’s gospel ministry.

The next verse read thus, “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“whereunto” – unto to said salvation in the previous verse, God called you by our gospel. The salvation is through the instrumentality of the gospel ministry administered by the Apostle Paul.

The obtainment of the said glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is through the instrumentality of the gospel ministry. So this glory is not related to eternal salvation but to a saving knowledge of Christ through the gospel ministry.

I conclude that the salvation spoken of is NOT eternal salvation.

p/s Dr John Gill, in his commentary, says that it is eternal salvation. I beg to differ - for the reasons stated above.