Things New and Old: Handling the word of God deceitfully!

Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Handling the word of God deceitfully!

Just dismiss the issue by calling them names...

Mundy
I think the missionaries who use such techniques as you described are using enticements, cunning, and craftiness.

2 Cor 4:2 "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (KJV)

Sing F Lau
Gospel regenerationists of both the Arminian and the Calvinist sorts, who believe that their labor is instrumental in the regeneration of those dead in trespasses and sin - do inevitably succumb to the great temptation to use all sort of enticements and gimmicks and psychological manipulation to get their hearers to make decision so that they may get 'regenerated' - so necessary for them to write their bogus SUCCESS stories.

Johnso
Sing: don't crash our party with your hyper-calvinist dreck.
I do agree, however, that Arminian decisional-regeneration beliefs may lead us to lower the bar of what constitutes success.

We are to be vigorous in our means, but make sure that our means are biblical.

As the Puritans wrote, "We are neither to be idle in our use of means, nor are we to make an idol out of the means."

Sing F Lau
Johnso, it seems tragic to me... that the inquiry whether the means was ordained for the conversion of God's children or the regeneration of those still dead in trespasses and sin is so conveniently dismissed and turned into a 'hyper-calvinist dreck'!

The issue is not about being idle with, or idolizing the means!

There is no option, but being active employing the means.

The issue is, what is the exact function or design or purpose of the means that has been ordained! It is important and needful to grasp the exact issue under consideration.

Are the means ordained for the CONVERSION of God's children, or for the REGENERATION of those STILL dead in trespasses and sins?

So according to your understanding, at least the Calvinists and the Arminians are agreed that the means is ordained as an instrument for regeneration.

In your understanding, those who believe that the means was ordained for the CONVERSION and INSTRUCTION of God's children (i.e those God already regenerated, immediately and directly, without the ministry of the gospel) are 'hyper-calvinists'?

Do I understand you correctly?

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I ruined the party of the Calvinsts; I was booted out!