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| Feed... Feed... Feed... You feed the living, You don't feed the dead to assist the Spirit to quicken them. |
#Feed_My_Sheep
#Those_that_are_given_unto_him_by_his_Father
What
the old-school Baptists affirmed:
The
gospel ministry is ordained and intended for the gathering of God's children -
those whom God the Father gave to His Son, and whom Jesus Christ has redeemed
and effectually called - into local churches of Jesus Christ.
1689.26.5
"In
the execution of this power wherewith he is so intrusted, the Lord Jesus calls
out of the world unto himself, through the ministry of his word, by his Spirit,
those that are given unto him by his Father, that they may walk before him in
all the ways of obedience, which he prescribes to them in his word. Those thus
called, he commands to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for
their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which
he requires of them in the world."
Note
"those that are given unto him by his Father..." These are the
specific and particular objects of the gospel ministry.
In
the execution of the power entrusted to Christ as the Messianic King (Mt 28:18),
He commissioned His Apostles to make disciples [if you haven't thought about it
yet, learn and know this now; disciples
can only be made out of God's children, i.e. the elect whom God has effectually
called out of their native state of sin and death to that of grace and
salvation in Jesus Christ] through the gospel ministry, and gather them into
local churches, for the specific purpose, and with specific duties.
Apostle
Paul knew the same truth:
2Ti 2:10 "Therefore I endure all things
for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in
Christ Jesus with eternal glory." It is for the elect's sake.
The
Apostles were told the same truth - repeatedly so that it gets through the
numbskull - their ministry has to do
with the SHEEP of Christ, those given to Him by the Father. Feeding has to do
with the living, those ALREADY effectually called to salvation in Jesus Christ.
Their ministry has nothing to do with helping God to bring the dead to life,
unfortunately, many Calvinists are still diehard gospel regenerationists, who
believe that their gospel ministry is the instrument the Spirit uses to bring
the dead to life.
John
21
15
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He
saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,
Feed my sheep.
17
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter
was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he
said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Feed...
Feed... Feed... You feed the living, not the dead to assist the Spirit to
quicken them.
Those
elected and given to Christ are the same redeemed by Christ; those redeemed by
Christ are each one effectually called to grace and salvation in Christ Jesus
at God's appointed and approved time; the gospel ministry is ordained and
intended for those thus called. Isn't this common sense?
