Things New and Old: Ma'am, are you a Calvinist?

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.

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Ma'am, are you a Calvinist?

Simple biblical truth:

- God purposed eternal salvation for His chosen people,

- Christ accomplished that eternal salvation for the same,

- The Holy Spirit freely and sovereignly applies that eternal salvation to each of the chosen people in God's own appointed time when they were still in their native state of sin and death, and in enmity against God.

The preaching of the gospel is God's ordained means of calling out His redeemed people, those to whom He has freely bestowed the eternal salvation, calling them to believe the truth of their salvation in Jesus Christ, make disciples of them, gathering them into the churches of Jesus Christ, teaching them that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

This is simple and plain to minds that have not been poisoned by lies and soundbytes.

The free offer of salvation is just stupid (i.e. lacking common sense); in the offer, salvation is obviously and necessarily offered to those without salvation, even those dead in trespasses and sins; it is as clever as offering food to the dead.

There is no offer in the preaching of the gospel; there is the proclamation of the good news of what God has to save His people in Jesus Christ, calling the hearers to believe the truth of their salvation. Those that ARE SAVED among the hearers perceive the gospel as the good news of God's mighty power in saving them. To the rest, the same gospel is foolishness.

1Co 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 preaching of the gospel is brought to them that are saved, that have been saved - to whom the Holy Spirit has freely and sovereignly applied that eternal salvation when they were still in their native state of sin and death, and in enmity against God - calling them to believe the truth of their salvation by the free and sovereign grace of God.

Eph 1:13

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.

Their salvation by God's free and sovereign grace is PRIOR and DISTINCT to their act hearing and believing the truth of their salvation; otherwise, there would be no truth of their salvation to believe. They are called to believe what is ALREADY TRUE, not in order to make something come true.

Believe in order to make something come true is Arminianism as well as Calvinism.