It's FREE, completely free! BUT T&C apply

How much does it cost, bro Sing?

"It's FREE, completely free! BUT T&C apply.

But please read the fine print!"

say BOTH the Calvinists and the Arminians.

 Sounds familiar? Deceptive commercial gimmicks all around us!

Copied from here:
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/1640953379190

March 22, 2011, at 12:22 AM ·

"Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth..."

FREELY... FREELY... FREELY... FREELY.

So, is it FREELY, or NOT FREELY?

Then, why do so very many adamantly insist that it is NOT FREELY, but by faith, i.e. the believing act of man?

Sing

Here is the whole paragraph, 1689.11.1.

Read it carefully, and get its plain sense.

Those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth:

- NOT BY infusing righteousness into them,

- BUT BY pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;

- NOT FOR anything wrought in them, or done by them,

- BUT FOR Christ's sake alone;

- NOT BY imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness;

- BUT BY imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in His death for their whole and sole righteousness,

- THEY RECEIVING AND RESTING on Him and His righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God." 1689.11.1

Charles

No room for a spin in that, Sing. freely justified!

Sing

How could anyone read the above and still believe that their justification is by faith, their act of believing is a puzzle.

Justification by God is NOT FOR anything wrought in them, or done by them.

If justification is by faith (their act of believing) then it is by something WROUGHT IN THEM... faith is a grace wrought in them by the Spirit of God.

If justification is by faith (their act of believing) then it is by something DONE BY THEM... believing is an act done by man.

Could anything be plainer!

Sing

"THEY RECEIVING AND RESTING on Him and His righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God"

=====

The act of God in justifying a condemned sinner, and

The act of the justified receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness by faith are TWO DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT ACTS!

You banking a billion $ into the bankrupt's account, and him believing the good news brought by your herald and going to the bank to draw on that money are two separate and distinct activities.

You didn't bank the money because he believed and went to the bank. But that is exactly the lie so many are preaching.

Sing

The act of God in justifying a condemned sinner, and

The act of the justified receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness by faith are TWO DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT ACTS!

God justifies the condemned and dead; believing evidences and vindicates the justified state of the believer by the FREE grace of God..

The former is the cause, the latter is the evidence.

The former is ALWAYS LOGICALLY and CHRONOLOGICALLY prior to the latter.

The spirit of delusion is upon them new school Baptists - RBs, the Fullerite Calvinists, etc... They are NO different from the Arminians in this great error.

They preach a FALSE gospel

Sing

"THEY RECEIVING AND RESTING on Him and His righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God"

====

The pronoun 'they' refers to those ALREADY justified by God... and these receive and rest in Christ and His righteousness, THUS evidencing their justified state by the free grace of God.

The Old School Baptists unanimously declared:

"The reason why any are justified IS NOT because they have faith; but the reason why they have faith IS because they are justified."

Their TRUE children believe the same to this days.

Many BASTARDS (KJV's non-politically correct word for 'illegitimate') who claim to be children of the Old School Baptists believe the OPPOSITE, i.e they anathematize what the Old School Baptists declared. They will insist, "The reason why any are justified IS because they have faith; and the reason why they have faith IS NOT because they are justified."

Sing

Someone asked, what about the next paragraph?

Here it is:

"2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love."

So what about it?

Receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness is the ALONE instrument of justification.

Does this mean, the alone instrument to appropriate or obtain or secure justification before God?

How is receiving and resting on Christ His righteousness the ALONE instrument of justification? What does that mean?

What does an instrument do? An instrument is a device to show/evidence the presence of justification by the free grace of God.

A voltmeter is a device to show the presence of voltage in a circuit; it DOES NOT produce or generates voltage into the circuit.

It says, faith is a grace found in a justified person!

DO YOU READ THAT?????

It is the justification by God's free grace that produces the saving grace of faith, ALONG with ALL OTHER SAVING GRACES, in a person.

Do you read that?????

Keith

How much does it cost bro Sing? :-)

Mark

Amen and Amen and Amen!!! FREELY, FREELY, FREELY!!! Wonderful presentation of Biblical Truth as held by our OLD School Baptist forefathers!

Very glad you are posting again Brother Sing, I missed your clear teaching!!

Robin

FREELY! I THINK FREELY! YAY FOR US!

Sing

How much does it cost bro Sing? :-)

=====

It's FREE, but read the fine print! say the Calvinists and the Arminians.

Sing

1689.11.3 - third paragraph on justification:

Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of Himself in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet inasmuch as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and BOTH FREELY, not for anything in them, their justification is ONLY OF FREE GRACE, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.

=====

Don't the RBs and other Fullerite new school baptists who claim to hold to the 1689 CoF see those words,

"BOTH FREELY, and not for anything in them, their justification is ONLY OF FREE GRACE..."

What causes them to miss those plain and simple words? Have they lost the very concept of FREE and FREE GRACE?

Then why the shibbolethic mantra, "justification by faith alone"? What has bewitched them? 

Some Big Standard Fables - BSF

When men ignore such plain words of Christ Jesus, 
such as, "Except a man be born again, he CANNOT... "
they will begin spouting fables
that those not yet born again
can perform some activities
IN ORDER to be born again.

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10208646691620195
17 March, 2017

BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) is popular among some churchgoers in Malaysia. I have been invited often over the years; some church members have had the same experience. I have never shown any interest; I'm busy enough and we have our own weekly bible study in our church, without fail since the church was covenanted in May 1993. Maybe pastors/teachers in many churches have neglected/abandoned their duty to teach their congregations through weekly bible study and that vacuum is being filled by a parachurch organization like the BSF.

Recently a fine Christian lady who is a faithful BSFer mentioned in passing that her BSF group is going through John's Gospel. It piqued my curiosity to find out a bit about what is being pedalled by BSF International? So, I sent the message below to her:

*********

Have you studied and covered John 3 recently? (You told me BSF is going through John). What is the meaning of Jesus' statements to Nicodemus? Thanks. Which translation of the Bible is used in BSF? Thanks. 

In particular, verse 3. 

Q. What is Jesus saying in that statement?

Q. What can a man do to be born again?

Q. Is Jesus telling Nicodemus to be born again?

(There are several other questions touching on crucial doctrines. I'll leave them alone for now.) I just wish to know what is BSF's position on a few fundamental doctrines.

I look forward to hearing your brief and precise thoughts on my questions. Thanks. 

Then I sent the same inquiry above to another mature BSFer (from a RB church) for comments.

Any BSFer who reads this, please feel free to leave your comments. Thanks.

=============

(The dear sister kindly let me take a look at the notes; she felt that this way I would get the answers directly from the horse's mouth to my inquiries. I thanked her for her great kindness. She is aware that the notes are STRICTLY for BSFers ONLY. I too noted that caveat the first moment I set my eyes on the notes; it is stated right at the top of the front page." ["BSF notes are provided for the personal use of class members during their active participation and must not be loaned or given to nonmembers" - it reads.].

The dear sister DID NOT loan nor give the notes to me - she permitted me to take a look at the two sections (John 1:12-13 and 3:1-8) for the answers to my inquiries. 

At the bottom, it says NIV is used. ["All Scripture quotations, unless indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION." - emphasis original.]

I took a glance at the notes on John 1:12-13 (the joke of the NIV's "a husband's will" jumped at me... what a pathetic and sick translation), and John 3:1-8

John 1 (NIV)

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

John 1:12-13 (KJV) 

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

[I noticed that BSF notes use NIV!!!

 ‎"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (KJV)

Isn't this translation far better?

'Thee' is the second person singular.

 'Ye' is the second-person plural.

When a translation fails to show that distinction, it is a POOR translation. 

People ignorantly think that 'thee' and 'ye' are old English. No, it is precise English! And I am a Chinese lad from the Far East! English is my third language.  I read a short but helpful article here:

"Do We Need Thee and Thou? Thy and Thine?"
https://letgodbetrue.com/bible-topics/index/scripture/thee-and-thou/

=============

BSF asks:

Q. What does verse 12 say a man must do in order to become a child of God?

 [i.e. What must a man - who is NOT a child of God, who is NOT born of God yet - do to become a child of God?]

BSF answers: (I quote from the notes)

 - "By receiving Christ one BECOMES a child of God...."

- "A person who by faith receives Christ... God creates a second life - eternal life - within."

 - "Believing in Christ results in receiving God's gifts of eternal life..."

 - "John's ultimate purpose was that, through believing, the reader will have life. This is eternal life..."

 - "God the Father... gives new birth through the means of the preaching of His Word..."

ENOUGH SAID. I know some reformed Baptists in Malaysia believe the same.

My verdict: 

BSF is typically Arminian in soteriology (the doctrine of salvation). But that is the "reformed" in this generation.

 I have heard from not a few BSFers trumpeting that BSF promotes "reformed" doctrines. A woman, the wife of an elder of a church associated with the PRC (USA) is one among them.

"Reformed" is a label loved by many; it is a fashionable and respectable label. 

=============

Concerning my three questions on Nicodemus:

Q1. What is Jesus saying in that statement?

Q2. What can a man do to be born again?

Q3. Is Jesus telling Nicodemus to be born again?

BSF teaches these:

A1. "Therefore, Jesus by His blunt words pointed Nicodemus to his need to turn from his sin and to be quickened by the Spirit...."

 [Nicodemus, who is not yet quickened, i.e. still in his native state of sin and death needed to do something in order to be quickened. sing]

A2. "God the Father... gives new birth through the means of the preaching of His Word..."

[Therefore a man must hear the preaching of His Word, and believe the Word, etc. There is absolutely no hope for any who has no ability to hear, or opportunity to hear. God favours those with the ability as well as the opportunity to hear! sing]

A3. "Therefore, Jesus by His blunt words pointed Nicodemus to his need to be quickened by the Spirit...."

These are FABLES, fabulous FABLES being propagated by BSF International! It is strange that they missed Christ's solemn words "EXCEPT a man be born again, he CANNOT...." and its plainest implications.

=============

If you wish to read a short article on John 1:12-13, go here: 
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.my/2012/07/to-them-gave-he-power-to-become-sons-of.html

"A child is not born when he acknowledges a man as his father! A child who acknowledges a man as his father was ALREADY born much earlier. When he acknowledges a man as his father, he receives, and experiences the right and authority to claim that he is the son of that man, and has access to all the blessings and privileges that belong to the sons of that man! Though a son nevertheless, his non-acknowledgement deprives him of such EXPERIENTIAL and PRACTICAL blessings."

May God grant each one understanding in these perilous times when people cannot distinguish sweet potatoes from gold!

=============

On Nicodemus, read here:
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.my/2012/11/ye-must-be-born-again.html
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.my/2008/02/thees-and-thous.html

=============

Nicodemus came to Jesus and made this confession about Christ: 

"Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." This is an astounding statement because it is completely contrary to the popular opinion among the Pharisees.

What explains the difference between Nicodemus and the Christ-hating Pharisees? 

The new birth is the explanation. That's what John 3:3 is saying.

"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...."

Nicodemus' words about Christ is evidence that he is seeeeeing, though as "through a glass, darkly" (1Cor 13:12). And Christ's statement is a declaration of the fact; that Nicodemus can see those truths of Jesus Christ because he has been born again.

BSF takes Jesus Christ's words in the complete reverse direction, i.e. that Nicodemus is not born again - THEREFORE is not quickened, is STILL dead in trespasses and sins - and needs to believe in order to be born again.

Read the exact words of Christ's statement,

"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...."

- The new birth is absolutely necessary for the ability to see, to perceive the spiritual truth concerning Christ and His kingdom.

- The new birth is necessarily PRIOR to any spiritual activity. Life must precede any activity of that life. Elementary. 

What explains Nicodemus' coming to Christ, coming to Him humbly, coming to learn from Him (other Pharisees come to oppose, to harass, to trap Him, etc); what explains his spiritual perception of the person of Christ?

The explanation: His PRIOR new birth by the Spirit of God. That's the significance of Christ's statement. His spiritual life explains the spiritual discernment, though only darkly.

Please note also that Christ's statement is NOT telling Nicodemus to be born again. That's what BSF teaches! "Therefore, Jesus by His blunt words pointed Nicodemus to his need to turn from his sin and to be quickened [born again, sing] by the Spirit...."

Christ did not use the second-person SINGULAR pronoun "thou", He used the second-person PLURAL pronoun "ye". Christ is making a general statement: the absolute necessity of the new birth in order to have the ability to perceive spiritual truth concerning the kingdom of God He came to establish. BSF turns the words of Christ in John 3:3 upside down. 

=============

Finally, BSFers make their case for Nicodemus' unregenerated state by pointing out his obvious ignorance of spiritual things.

Based on the same principles, the BSFers' ignorance (and repudiation) of such a basic and fundamental statement of Christ on the spiritual matter, "EXCEPT a man be born again, he CANNOT..." and instead propagate the fiction that a man who is not born again CAN, and MUST do something in order to be born again is no less ignorant than Nicodemus, and thus STILL not born again, nor are they God's children. 

The double-edged sword cuts both ways!!! Don't mess around with a double-edged sword; one may slit his own throat with it!

==========

Joyce Swee Accardi
Sorry, what do you mean by a parachurch?

Sing F Lau
Joyce, 'para' means to come alongside, so by definition and design, a parachurch is a Christian faith-based organization - outside of the church and not accountable or answerable to the church - that claims to come alongside churches to provide their specialized ministry, often with the lofty idea that the churches themselves are incapable of providing them.

That's what I (sing lau) mean; others may mean differently by the same word. Thanks for inquiring.

The Original TULIP restated, simply.

The original TULIP - loathed by many, and admired and cloned but twisted by others - restated, simply:

T: Man's native state by nature

U: Salvation eternally purposed by God for the elect

L: Salvation perfectly accomplished by Christ for those elected

I: Salvation effectually applied by the Holy Spirit to each elect personally

P: Man's new spiritual state by God's free and sovereign grace

It is BY the free and sovereign activities of the Triune God ALONE, PLUS NOTHING, that a man is brought out of his native state of sin and death to that state of grace and salvation, from T to P

Restated this way, it shows clearly the free and sovereign activities of the Triune God to bring a man out of his native natural state of sin and death and condemnation to that new spiritual state righteousness and eternal life and justification.

Man, in his native natural state (T),

IS TRANSLATED OUT OF IT,

by the divine activities of the Triune God ALONE (U, L, I),

INTO

 his new spiritual state (P)

WithOUT the free grace of God, a man immutably remains in his native state of sin and death;
BUT by the free grace of God ALONE, PLUS NOTHING, a man is immutably brought into, and IMMUTABLY REMAINS in the state of righteousness and salvation in Christ Jesus.

When the Triune God has freely and sovereignly brought a man out of his native state into that state of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus, then he is enabled to respond to the ministry of the word; the ministry of the word has relevance to him.

"EXCEPT a man is born again, he CANNOT... CANNOT..."

The new birth takes place when a man is effectually called out of his native state of sin, condemnation, and death to that spiritual state of righteousness, justification, and eternal life. The effectual call requires the distinct divine activities of justification, regeneration, and adoption; without these, a man is not called out of his native state.

It is a popular error to equate regeneration as the effectual call.