The ministry of the word for the conversion

Pure grace excludes any works of man - 
whether the work of preaching
or the work of believing!

Which will you choose to believe:
- That God Himself applies directly the eternal salvation, secured by Jesus Christ for His own people, to the beneficiaries, or
- That God applies indirectly the eternal salvation to the beneficiaries through the activities of human preachers?

Which way is good news to you? Tell us why.

Is divine grace delivered through human hands still good news or not? 'G R A C E' in man's wobbly hands will be turned into something monstrous!

Take heed if you trust man's wobbly and filthy hands of handling divine grace in your eternal salvation!!! Take good heed.

Here is an article of faith of the XYZ Sovereign Grace Church.

"We believe the preaching of the Gospel to be the God-ordained means by which the God-ordained end is accomplished; that the Holy Spirit reveals Christ and all spiritual blessings in Him to God's elect and brings them to repentance and faith in Him through the preaching of Christ and Him crucified; that we must with every opportunity and means and in every place afforded us by the providence of God, proclaim the Gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ; that in the Gospel, His sheep will by the Holy Spirit, hear His voice and follow Him."

What do you think of the article?

PJ Walters
I didn't read anything about regeneration in the article, but it seems to be ok.

Zhao Liang Wei
Too humanistic

Sing F Lau
Explain please, Teoh. Thanks.
(Teoh deleted his comment)

Sing F Lau
Pj, is this ok with you, "that in the Gospel, His sheep will by the Holy Spirit, hear His voice and follow Him." The whole article is about this!

Adam Wells
Bro Sing, I think the phrase "hear his voice and follow him" is subject to interpretation. One may read it and understand follow him in a sense like "hear the voice of the son of God and live," whereas someone else may understand it to mean to follow him in discipleship.

I would assume they are referring to regeneration in that they say the gospel is the "God-ordained means by which the God-ordained end is accomplished." I reckon a bit more explanation would be fitting.

PJ Walters
It does not explicitly state that "all His sheep will" but that "His sheep will." Further, maybe my understanding is tainted, but that seems to me to be about conversion, not regeneration.

Sing F Lau
"that in the Gospel, His sheep will by the Holy Spirit, hear His voice and follow Him."
====
Is the life-giving voice of Christ heard through the gospel ministry?
That's my question!

PJ Walters
No, that is not how I understand it; but the author of that statement may have.
"In the exercise of the authority which has been entrusted to Him, the Lord Jesus calls to Himself from out of the world, through the ministry of His Word, by His Spirit, those who are given to Him by His Father, so that they may walk before Him in all the ways of obedience which He prescribes to them in His Word. Those who are thus called, He commands to walk together in particular societies or churches, for their mutual edification, and for the due performance of that public worship, which He requires of them in the world." 1689.26.5

Sing F Lau
The new school fullerite RBs will take 1689.26.5 as concrete evidence that the old school baptists held to gospel regeneration. How would you respond to that claim?

PJ Walters
Firstly, that the effectual call is already previously addressed in that confession. Secondly, that this is for the regenerate elect to be called not effectually: for that is prerequisite to this; but by the outward ministry of the word.

Robert Cook Sr.
Sovereign Grace Baptists are Presbyterians who dunk basically in their theology:(

Robert Cook Sr.
Only the old Baptists teach and preach the truth about eternal salvation.

Sing F Lau
1689.26 is about gathering the effectually called elect into NT churches.

Besides, 1689.20.4 states categorically:
"Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life;(😎 without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God.(9)"

"Without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God."

We must not let the new school fullerites hijack the confession of the old school baptists!!! Show them that they believe contrary to what the old school believed!

PJ Walters
***conversion unto God***

PJ Walters
Distinct from regeneration!

Sing F Lau
Yes, yes, yeeeeeeeeeees!

The ministry of the word has to do with the conversion of God's children unto God, not their quickening out of their native state of death!

The old school fathers were far more logical and sound than the bastards who claim to be their descendants!!!

Wresting Scriptures unto their own destruction!

Wresting Scriptures unto their own destruction!
Opposing themselves!
Turned aside unto vain jangling!

Wresting Scriptures unto their own destruction!
Opposing themselves!
Turned aside unto vain jangling!

2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

1. What are some things hard to be understood?

2. Who are they that are unlearned and unstable?

3. How do the unlearned and unstable wrest the Scriptures?

4. And what is the destruction spoken of?

2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

Q5. Who are they who oppose themselves, refusing to acknowledge the truth?

1Timothy 1
5 ¶ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 
6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Q6. Who are those who have swerved, and turned aside unto vain jangling?

Are the apostles talking about those still dead in trespasses and sins, or are they talking about God's children?

If the latter, then we who claim to be God's children better take heed to ourselves;
- lest we bring destruction upon ourselves,
- lest we oppose ourselves by denying the truth, and
- lest we turn aside unto vain jangling!

What are you fed with?

 

#Feed_the_flock_of_God

#Play_not

#Entertain_not

1Peter 5
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

SINCE the explicit command to the elders is to FEED the flock of God...
THEN the implicit command to the flock of God is the ATTEND to the feeding administered by the elders.

Ephesians 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Are you giving careful ATTENDANCE as well as ATTENTION to the feeding administered by your elders? That's a duty expected of the flock of God; if you consider yourself among the flock of God, then it is a duty you owe to the Lord, the head of the church.

Ecc 5:1
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Matthew 13
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

ALL THINGS were now accomplished

 

September 25, 2021 

#all_things

ALL THINGS... what are they?

John 19:28 "After this, Jesus knowing that ALL THINGS were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst."

Ro 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us ALL THINGS?"

1Co 2:9 ¶But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, THE THINGS which God hath prepared for them that love him.

ALL THINGS accomplished by Jesus Christ for His people are the ALL THINGS given to each of God's elect personally - no more and no less.

'ALL THINGS' must be defined by the Scriptures itself; the Scriptures is its own interpreter.

"ALL THINGS" that were accomplished by Jesus Christ for His people shall ALL be given to His people; not a single thing that Jesus Christ has accomplished for His people shall be withheld from anyone of God's elect.

If this is true, many things that people IMAGINE to be among the "ALL THINGS" are just figments of their imaginations.

For example, the perseverance of the saints in a life of faith and holiness to the end of their lives - is this among the "ALL THINGS" that Christ accomplished for His people? If it is, then every elect will manifest this in their life.

However, this is obviously not true from the witness of the Holy Scriptures. There are God's children who do not even have the capability to hear and be converted, and there are others who do not have the opportunity to hear the gospel and be converted. How then can these persevere in a life of faith and holiness?

However, the biblical truth of perseverance of the saints is this: every one for whom Christ accomplished their salvation shall remain in the STATE OF GRACE. Jesus Christ did accomplish ALL THINGS necessary for this STATE OF GRACE for every elect who were, by nature, in the STATE OF CONDEMNATION.

Each elect, by the free and sovereign grace, is brought into the STATE OF GRACE, without a single exception, and immutably remains/perseveres in it, because Christ accomplished the requirements for each and every one of the elect.

But to remain in a life of faith and holiness is a SALVATION THAT a child of God must WORK OUT for himself with fear and trembling, through the grace of God working in him; it is not one among the ALL THINGS Christ did accomplish for him.

Philippians 2:12 KJV

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

What THINGS Christ has FINISHED, and freely applied to you personally, needs no working out by you. It's elementary.

What does faith, as an instrument, do?

Faith is simply the instrument through which
Christ's righteousness and merit
are applied to us.
OR
Faith is simply the instrument
which manifest that
Christ's righteousness and merit
have been applied to us.

September 25, 2021 

"Faith has never saved anyone. Jesus saves us. Faith is simply the instrument through which his righteousness and merit are applied to us. This is why Christ is our assurance, not our faith."
-----

There are serious theological errors embedded in the bosom of the third sentence, which is needless to say, expresses popular Calvinistic notions.

1. It presupposes that a man to whom the righteousness and merit of Christ have NOT BEEN APPLIED is capable of exercising faith, therefore already regenerated. Do you see the plain error?

2. A man to whom the righteousness and merit of Christ have NOT been applied is a man still in his native state of sin, condemnation, and death, i.e. unjustified state. Do you understand this basic truth?

The Calvinists rightly believe that regeneration precedes faith. However, they wrongly, and ignorantly believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit logically precedes the justification by God, i.e. before the application of Christ's righteousness and merit. It is stupidity, i.e. lacking common sense, to believe that regeneration unto life is possible without the prior application of the righteousness of life; it's a classic example of putting the cart before the horse.

The simple truth is: justification (i.e. the application of righteousness and merit of Christ to an elect personally) LOGICALLY PRECEDE regeneration.

Sins brought condemnation and death; righteousness secures justification and life. The application of Christ's righteousness and merit LOGICALLY PRECEDE regeneration.

Romans 5:18 KJV — Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Justification freely by God's grace, i.e. the application of Christ's righteousness and merit - is a justification of life. Have you ever noticed this simple and obvious truth???

The Calvinists openly repudiated the plain statement of the Scriptures that justification, i.e. the application of Christ's righteousness and merit to a sinner, is solely and wholly by the free grace of God alone, and not through the instrument of faith.

Romans 3:24 "... Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Titus 3:7 "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

The Calvinists, in their pride and ignorance, have perverted and twisted the justification APPLIED freely by God's grace into the justification applied on the condition of man's faith!

At the heart of the problem is the Calvinists' ignorance of the multifaceted nature of the Bible's teaching on justification. Therefore they confuse and confound the justification applied freely by divine grace with the justification evidenced/experienced through human faith.

Scriptures speak of distinct aspects of justification:

- there is the justification purposed/decreed for ALL the elect in eternity,

- there is the justification secured/accomplished for ALL the elect on the cross,

- there is the justification applied to EACH elect personally at his effectual call, and

- there is the justification experienced and evidenced through faith in Jesus Christ.

The righteousness and merit of Christ are freely applied by the grace of God when an elect is still in his native state of sin, death, and condemnation. This enables a child of God (a regenerated elect) to exercise the grace of faith worked in him by the indwelling Spirit; in believing the Lord Jesus Christ, his faith is evidence of his justified state.

All these distinct aspects or facets of justification are summarized and stated clearly in chapter 11 of the 1689CoF. Check them out yourself.

Take a peep here:

https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-doctrine-of-justification-as.html

https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2016/10/righteousness-imputed-legally-and.html

https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2011/05/three-distinct-sets-of-contrast-in.html