 |
The same gospel is perceived differently
by two distinct groups of people:
- "them that perish" and
"us which are saved." |
The same gospel
is perceived differently by two distinct groups of
people - "them that perish" and "us which are saved."
1 Cor 1:18 "For
the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us
which are saved it is the power of God."
The gospel ministry
comes to two distinct groups of people. One group is
designated as 'them that perish' (present participle, i.e. the perishing ones,
a verbal noun). To this group, the
glorious gospel - the good news that declares God's power in saving condemned
sinners - is perceived as foolishness.
The other group is
described as 'us which are saved' (present participle, i.e. the saved ones, a
verbal noun). To this group, the glorious gospel - the good news that declares
God's power in saving condemned sinners - is perceived as what it is, the
message declaring the power of God is saving them!
God HAS SAVED them
(applied eternal salvation to them, i.e. effectually called them out of their
native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation) independent of,
and apart from, the gospel ministry.
This passage
repudiates the common fable of gospel regeneration, i.e. that the gospel ministry
comes to those who are perishing, and through the preaching, and hearing of the
gospel, the Holy Spirit regenerates those who are still dead in trespasses and
sins, to enable them to believe the gospel in order to be saved.
The gospel comes to
those that ARE SAVED, the SAVED ONES. Can anything be plainer? Only those who
ARE SAVED are able to perceive the gospel for what it is, a message declaring
the power of God in having saved His chosen ones.
The gospel is NOT
the power of God; the gospel is the message declaring the power of God in
saving His people. So many can't even distinguish the two!!!
Jesus is the power
of God in salvation. The gospel is the good news which declares that power.
1Co 1:24 But unto
them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the
wisdom of God.
Romans 3:11
"There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God" -- that's the condition of a man by nature, if they are not saved by
God's free and sovereign grace!!!
=========
Sing F Lau
Ro 3:11 There is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. -- that's the
condition of a man by nature, if they are not saved by God's free and sovereign
grace first!!!
Bryan Choo
Does this mean we
are picked by God to be Christians, much as the Jews were a favoured race? And
if that is true, is free will completely out of the picture?
PJ Walters
1 Corinthians 1:20
"Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this
world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in
the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."
Sing F Lau
Bryan, welcome here. I pray the Lord will help you to see the good green grass
to nourish your inquisitive mind. I like your good questions already.
Q. Does this mean we
are picked by God to be Christians much as the Jews were a favoured race?
Along the way, you
will learn that precision, or rightly dividing the word of truth, is the
essence of sound theology.
The Scriptures
declare plainly that He elected and predestinated, before the foundation of
the world, certain particular and specific people out of the fallen race of
Adam to salvation and eternal glory. The rest he left them to their just
destiny.
Those whom God elected
and predestinated unto eternal glory, He effectually called them, individually,
out of their native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation, thus
making them perfectly and completely fit for eternal glory. That effectual call
by God's free and sovereign grace, WITHOUT any human aid or cooperation, turns
a condemned dead rebel into a justified living son.
A son and a
Christian are quite distinct terms. A son is the result of the divine work of
regeneration. A Christian is a son of God (an elect who is regenerated already)
who has been brought to faith in Jesus Christ.
The former is wholly
monergistic, i.e. completely by God's free and sovereign grace. Man is
completely passive.
The latter requires
human instrumentality of preaching the gospel, and the human activity of
hearing, understanding, believing the truth of the gospel, and resting in
Christ... making a son of God a Christian.
All Christians are
necessarily God's children, because only God's children has the eternal life to
perform those spiritual activities. But not all God's children are Christians.
That's just a
partial answer to your first question.
Election of
individuals to eternal glory, and the election of the Jewish race for the
outworking of His redemptive purpose are quite distinct.
Q2. And if that is
true, is free will completely out of the picture?
This is an
interesting subject. I will tell you what I do believe on the subject.
God created man in
His image, a moral and rational creature that is capable of relating to his
Creator.
Free will is part
and parcel of the very constitution of man. A creature without free will ceases
to be a man. Man before the fall has free will, and man after the fall still has free
will. All his acts are never coerced from a force outside him, and he is wholly
responsible for his actions. A man without free will cannot be held
accountable for his actions; that is, God's moral government over man
collapses. Man's free will is the foundation and basis of God's moral
government over man.
Man's free will is
determined by his nature. Before the fall, a man's free will is free to choose
to obey God or disobey God. BUT ALAS, he chose to disobey God and chose to
believe the lie of Satan. After the fall, man's free will can only freely
choose sin and death... because that is all his fallen nature is capable of
choosing.
For example, a fish
has free will. His 'fishy' will freely choose to live in any part of the watery
world. That's all his 'fishy' will is capable of choosing. His fully free
'fishy' will is utterly incapable of choosing to live outside of water. Such is
contrary to his 'fishy' will.
Sinners have free
will.... they freely choose to rebel against God; they freely will in enmity
against God... their free will will never bring them to God... because their
free will is hostile and in enmity against God. His free will freely chooses to
remain in, and love sins. No man is ever coerced by some external force to sin
against his conscience... He sins freely. Man's free will freely and
voluntarily keep him in his condemned state.
In God's effectual
call unto grace and salvation, regeneration brings a new nature to a child of
God. He is commanded to choose to do that which is pleasing to God. His new
nature has the capability of choosing that which is good... and God holds
children responsible. So, free will still operate in God's children; their free
will is now directed by their new nature of grace.
Free will is part
and parcel of man's very constitution as man!
When so say that man
has no free will, they actually mean that man in his native state of sin and
death has no capability to choose God. Of course, incapability to choose God is
not the same as having no free will. Incapability to choose God is having a
free will that is incapable of choosing God... even though they freely will
choose to sin and rebel against God very freely.
I hope I scratch your question a bit.
Robert Cook Sr.
Brother Lau gave a
faithful explanation to Bryan - a very careful and complete, not
overwhelming.
