Calvinism is the Gospel.

Question: "What is Calvinism and is it biblical? What are the five points of Calvinism?"

Answer: The five points of Calvinism can be summarized by the acronym TULIP. T stands for total depravity, U for unconditional election, L for limited atonement, I for irresistible grace, and P for perseverance of the saints. Here are the definitions and Scripture references Calvinists use to defend their beliefs:

Total Depravity - As a result of Adam’s fall, the entire human race is affected; all humanity is dead in trespasses and sins. Man is unable to save himself (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18).

Unconditional Election - Because man is dead in sin, he is unable to initiate a response to God; therefore, in eternity past God elected certain people to salvation. Election and predestination are unconditional; they are not based on man’s response (Romans 8:29-30;9:11; Ephesians 1:4-6, 11-12) because man is unable to respond, nor does he want to.

Limited Atonement - Because God determined that certain ones should be saved as a result of God’s unconditional election, He determined that Christ should die for the elect alone. All whom God has elected and for whom Christ died will be saved (Matthew 1:21; John 10:11; 17:9; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:32; Ephesians 5:25).

Irresistible Grace - Those whom God elected He draws to Himself through irresistible grace. God makes man willing to come to Him. When God calls, man responds (John 6:37, 44; 10:16).

Perseverance of the Saints - The precise ones God has elected and drawn to Himself through the Holy Spirit will persevere in faith. None whom God has elected will be lost; they are eternally secure (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:3-14).

While all these doctrines have a biblical basis, many people reject all or some of them. So-called “four-point Calvinists” accept Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints as biblical doctrines. Man is definitely sinful and incapable of believing in God on his own. God elects people based on His will alone – election is not based on any merit in the person chosen. All those whom God has chosen will come to faith. All those who are truly born-again will persevere in their faith. As for Limited Atonement, however, four-point Calvinists believe that atonement in unlimited, arguing that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, not just for the sins of the elect. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Other verses in opposition to limited atonement are John 1:29; 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:6; and 2 Peter 2:1.

The five-point Calvinists, however, see problems with four-point Calvinism. First, they argue, if Total Depravity is true, then Unlimited Atonement cannot possibly be true because, if Jesus died for the sins of every person, then whether or not His death is applicable to an individual depends on whether or not that person “accepts” Christ. But as we have seen from the above description of Total Depravity, man in his natural state has no capacity whatsoever to choose God, nor does he want to. In addition, if Unlimited Atonement is true, then hell is full of people for whom Christ died. He shed His blood in vain for them. To the five-point Calvinist, this is unthinkable. Please note: this article is only a brief summary of the five points of Calvinism. For a more in in-depth look, please visit the following pages: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.

Recommended Resources: Logos Bible Software and Chosen But Free, revised edition: A Balanced View of God's Sovereignty and Free Will by Norm Geisler and The Potter's Freedom by James White.

Source: http://www.gotquestions.org

The Importance of Jesus' Fulfilling All Righeousness For Us

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." - Matthew 3:13-15

What an odd passage. Jesus comes to John to be baptized. John, knowing Jesus' identity, tries to stop Him and tells him it should be the other way around. Jesus tells him to do it anyway in order to' fulfill all righteousness'. Huh? What righteousness? Isn't Jesus already righteous, we ask? What actual need would there be to fulfill any more righteousness? While we all acknowledge that Jesus is indeed righteous in His essence, but I propose to demonstrate from the text of Scripture that, in order to become a perfect substitute for us, Jesus also needed to fulfill all righteousness as a man from our side, a man who is 'born under the law' who needed to perfectly keep it in order to be able to impute righteousness to us. Yes we must be quick to acknowledge that our Lord’s atoning death removes sin. Clearly, the curse of the law is removed because Jesus endured the penalty for us. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). Indeed, as the text of Scripture declares, in order for human beings, who are sinners, to have eternal life the guilt and penalty of sin must be removed. But Jesus does this not only by dying the death we justly deserve but by living the life we should have lived. This means, along with punishment for sins, that we must also have a perfect record of obedience to God’s law. When these two conditions are fulfilled people can be justified or declared righteous, before God. Therefore, justification contains one negative and one positive element.

The fact is, if Jesus simply needed to impute the righteousness of God from His essence, there would have been no need for him to live for 33 years. Instead when Herod went to go massacre the infants in Bethlehem, Jesus death as an infant would have sufficed for our justification. But this was not the plan of God because to become a perfect high priest and lamb without blemish, Jesus not only had to die for us but he had to live for us. It is clear then that the Scriptures speak of God's people not only being justified by His death (Rom. 3:25; 5:9) but also as being saved by His life or obedience (Rom. 5:10, 19). Aside from the above obvious passages, where else do the Scriptures teach this? Well if you turn with me to Hebrews chapters 4 and 5 we will find a very precise passage on this very topic:

"we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin ... In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 411, 12& Heb 5:7-8)
The author of Hebrews here emphasizes the necessity of Jesus being without sin. He does not mean that Jesus was merely sinless in His essence as the second Person in the Trinity but that through temptations in the world He overcame, as a man, and His prayers were heard by God because, as a man, He revered and obeyed God. Next it says he was made perfect. Now if only Jesus essence were needed for our righteousness here there would be no need for him to be made perfect since he already was. No, what this is speaking of is the same thing he meant when speaking to John the baptist. He was made perfect as a man (fulfilling all righteousness) so that he could become the eternal source of salvation as a high priest for us in the order of Melchizedek.

The notes in the ESV Study Bible by David Chapman of Covenant Theological Seminary are as follows: .

Heb. 5:9–10 being made perfect. During his childhood, Jesus was not lacking in any godly character quality, but he was lacking in the full experience of having lived a perfect human life, obeying the Father in everything, without sin. The lifelong perfect obedience of Jesus (v. 8; 7:26–28) provides the basis for eternal salvation (2:10; 9:23–28) and for the ultimate “perfection” of those who respond in faith and obedience (10:14; 11:40; 12:23; cf. 7:19; 9:9; 10:1).

Remember, Jesus did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Jesus' fulfilling of the law was done both for God and for us. When the Rich Young Ruler asked what He must do to attain eternal life Jesus told him to obey the commandments and he will live. The question was about eternal life, not just abundant life, so we know Jesus meant that perfect obedience to God's law was the requirement, that if a person were to hypothetically have kept all the commandments they would not need a savior. But Jesus uses this merely as a way of speaking to demonstrate the impossibility to doing so. In the presence of Jesus the Young Ruler soon realizes that he has failed to keep the law against coveting and goes away sad. The disciples rightly ask 'who then can be saved' and Jesus answers that 'what is impossible with man is possible with God'. In other words, Jesus does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. "For by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:19). But " God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us." (Rom 8:3)

Therefore, the problem is not with the law, but that it was weakened by the flesh and therefore could not do what it intended (i.e do this and live). But Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh AND for sin without that weakness so that the righteous requirement of the law might be met (fulfilled) in us.

To conclude, Jesus incarnation is important, no, vital to our justification. Those who argue that Jesus active obedience (or living the life we should have lived) is unimportant would appear to be downplaying the importance of the incarnation.

JWH

Originally Posted by John on December 15, 2012 01:55 PM

"Job: Confessing, 'My Redeemer Lives'"

Rev. Allen Brummel

Today we turn to Job 19:25, 26, "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."

In the preceding verses and chapters, Job began to plead with the three friends for pity. His natural strength has become more and more feeble, his voice became weaker and weaker. And a feeling of sorrow is apparent in his description of the suffering, in his pleading with his friends to be sympathetic. It is enough that Jehovah has touched him. Now these so-called friends continue to persecute him and to usurp to themselves a divine authority by which they act toward him as if they are God. They do not look upon him as an equal, but assume a false, elevated position. Job pleaded with them to be honest with him, to be fair with him.

Now Job expresses a higher hope and desire in which he finds his comfort. His comfort is not in the words of his friends, but in Jehovah his God. Jehovah God will avenge Job's blood against his accusers. For Jehovah has sent a Redeemer. And in that Redeemer is found Job's hope.

The three so-called friends have passed judgment upon Job. But Job now demonstrates in this passage that that judgment means nothing compared to the judgment of God. God has spoken His judgment. God will send His Son to take that judgment of sin upon Himself. Job, therefore, is confident as he stands before Jehovah that Jehovah is merciful-more merciful than his friends who have tried to console him.

He therefore directs us to the idea of a Mediator: "I know that my Redeemer liveth." A redeemer is one who mediates for another, one who takes upon himself the cause of another in order to help him. The mediator pays the price of redemption. Most commonly this was done with respect to slaves. When a slave found himself in bondage, the only possibility of his being freed was if another came and bought him, paid the price which he was worth to his master, and thereby gave him his freedom.

The word "mediator" suggests "bondage." It suggests an obligation which cannot be met. Job implies that he is in such a situation. He cannot meet the obligation which is necessary. He cannot pay the price which God demands. Unless there be another, a mediator, his cause is hopeless.

Job reveals here his knowledge of his own sin and debt and his knowledge of the righteous judgment of God. He knows that he deserves God's curse and condemnation. God has every reason to condemn him to eternal woe in hell because he is, by nature, depraved, unworthy of God's grace and mercy.

As Job speaks, he speaks as one who has already found that Mediator. He has found that One who is willing to stand up for him, that One who is willing to pay the ransom and deliver him. He has found the One because of whom he does not need to experience the punishment of hell. He has found the One who atones for sin, who delivers from bondage, the One who assures him of eternal blessedness in glory.

Job has found Christ. It is Christ alone who is the Savior, the perfect, eternal Redeemer. And Job here speaks prophetically of Christ as he saw Him by revelation, as the One who would yet come. But he speaks of Him with such confidence, as though that Redeemer had already come; as though that promise had already been realized; as though the Word had already become flesh.

With that conviction in his heart, he confesses, "My Redeemer lives!" Not merely a redeemer, but my Redeemer-the One who has come to deliver me from the bondage of my sin, my suffering, and my affliction, the One who stands in my place. My Redeemer has come.

And He lives. He has taken me into covenant fellowship with Himself. Jehovah dwelt in Job by His Spirit, renewing him, turning him from death into life. And Jehovah was continually turning Job away from sin into the service of the living God.

Oh, Job remained a sinner. He knew the depravity of his own heart. He was deeply conscious of the fact that by nature he could only sin and could only do that which was contrary to God's law.

But God had implanted in Job a love for God which was evident already at the moment when he was made childless. He arose and worshiped when he confessed, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb. Naked I return thither." Here was a servant of God, perfect and upright, one whom God had taken into covenant fellowship with Him. And within that covenant fellowship the servant of God expresses, "Who is my Judge?" The answer is: It is God, my covenant Friend. It is God, my intimate, personal companion. He is the One who judges. Before Him I stand. Not before these so-called friends.

Often we are wrongly accused. Instead of cursing or lashing out at our accusers we do well to recall this truth. Men may mock us. They may accuse us. They may judge us falsely as did these so-called friends of Job. But the Judge of heaven and earth is Jehovah, our covenant God, our Friend. These men will perish with us. Their judgment means nothing. But that which matters is the judgment of Jehovah. And Jehovah has seen fit to send a Redeemer.

Also, knowing that Jehovah is Judge, we do not act as hypocrites, as if it is enough merely to look good before men. Rather, we must humble ourselves before God. And the question which matters in our lives is: Will God accept me? Will God accept my lax attitude towards sin? Will God tolerate my leaving my family night after night to go out with the guys? Will God accept my secret enjoyment of pornography? Will God approve of the way I treat my neighbor? I can, perhaps, justify myself before men. Perhaps I can cover my sins in the eyes of my family and loved ones. But the fundamental question is: How am I living before God? He is the Judge of heaven and earth. He hates sin and hypocrisy. He will not allow the unrepentant sinner to have fellowship with Him in heaven. No adulterer, no drunkard, no thief, no unrepentant sinner will have any place in the kingdom of heaven. But the covenant friend of God finds his comfort in the fact that God will receive him as a repentant sinner, as one who hates sin, though he finds himself repeatedly falling into it, as one who knows the joy of forgiveness and who pleads with God for that joy.

Then we are able to have the comfort that the Almighty, unchangeable Jehovah keeps His covenant with His people forever. He rules over all things, He holds all things in His hands. My remaining faithful to Him is His own work in and through me. Therefore, my confidence is not to be found in my own abilities, in my own obedience, but in that covenant promise which Jehovah has given me: I will be your God; you will be My people.

Jehovah will stand as Judge in the last day. He will stand upright upon the earth. All men will be as the dust of the earth. If they are not lying dead, they will be cast down because of His majesty. He will restore all of the bodies of men, casting the wicked into everlasting destruction and ushering the righteous into eternal bliss. On that last day, when He stands as Judge, He will be more merciful than any man. His love is eternal. His grace and mercy will cover all of His own. Those whom He has chosen He will redeem by the blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ-the One who came into our flesh, who suffered, died, was buried; the One who rose again on the third day as the Victor over death; the One who paid the price of ransom. That One is our Redeemer.

Job, by faith, was able to lay hold upon this precious truth knowing that indeed Jehovah had sent him a Redeemer.

If Job was able to lay hold upon this truth, how much more ought you and I, since the cross and the resurrection have become a historical reality. By faith we see Jesus Christ exalted in the highest heavens. The books of the Bible testify to that reality. By faith we know that our Redeemer, our Savior, lives. He lives even now in our hearts by the power of His Spirit. By faith, therefore, our concern is not merely, How am I living before men? But, How am I living before God, my righteous Judge? And we keep our eye of faith fixed upon Him, that we might find ourselves approved by Him.

The only possibility of making this confession, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," is by faith. Faith knows the Word of God and knows Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners. That gift of faith is given by God to His people, according to Ephesians 2:9. That faith is the ability to know God and to trust in Him as one's Savior.

The confidence of faith is always personal. I cannot know Jesus Christ as Savior without knowing that He is my personal Savior. No one can believe in God and in Jesus Christ without putting all of his confidence and trust in God. One who confesses that God is God also confesses that God is his God, He is his Lord, He is his Redeemer.

This confidence is frequently tested in our lives. The believer is faced with many trials from day to day. The Lord is purging us even as silver is purified by fire. This purification is difficult. It is painful. There are many temptations that face us: pressures to give in to evil, sufferings which we must bear, sufferings within our marriages when we fail to live as a godly husband or wife, suffering with respect to our children when they fail to live for Christ and when they seek their own selfish pleasure, suffering when it seems as though the wicked are prospering and we are experiencing disappointments, adversities, pains, distresses. In the face of all of the temptations and trials there are times when we, like Job, are inclined to give up, to throw up our arms in despair. Why, if God loves us, must we suffer like this? His hand seems so heavy on us. There seems at times to be no relief. With the psalmist, we are inclined to ask, Will God cast me off? Has His mercy gone from me? Has He forgotten to be gracious?

In the midst of these trials and temptations, the triumph of faith is: I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall see Him. I know this because this is the testimony of the Word, of the revelation of God to me in His Word. He has made known to me His great love for me. He has made known His pardoning grace and saving mercies for all those who are in Jesus Christ. He has promised victory and a glorious inheritance for all His saints.

How do I know that this is all for me? The Holy Spirit assures me in my heart that all of these benefits are for me. By the power of the Spirit I am convicted of sin. By the power of the Spirit I am made weary, but I am also assured of rest. By the power of the Spirit I am cast down in agony of soul, but I am also lifted up, delivered. By the power of the Spirit I am made hungry, but I am also fed. I am made thirsty, but I am given to drink of the streams of living water. And by the power of the Spirit I am able to cry out, "Abba, Father." The One whom I love, the One who has redeemed-He, indeed, is the One in whom I put my trust.

And this trust in God is not a trust that is conditioned upon earthly blessing. We do not believe in God because He feeds and fills our bellies. Our faith rises above all that we see in this world. We believe in God since He has already given us to taste His goodness and His power. He cares for us now, even though our bodies are corruptible. How much more will He not care for us when our bodies are spiritual?

Our confidence is not based merely upon the things that we see around us. Such was the temptation of the three friends-"Job, if you do not have any possessions, if you do not have any food, if you experience suffering, then God does not love you."

But Job was able to see through that false conception of God's love. Job was able to make his confession by a true and living faith which God had implanted in his heart. And in that faith he was able to be comforted. "In my flesh shall I see God."

How are we to understand that statement of Job? I Corinthians 15:50 makes clear that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. And the flesh which Job here mentions is the same as the flesh and blood in I Corinthians 15:50. The Scriptures make clear that our present, corruptible bodies cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We must have new, spiritual bodies in order to enjoy the blessings of heaven. How is it possible, then, that Job can say here that he will see God "in his flesh," that is, in his earthly, corruptible, natural body?

The explanation can be derived, I believe, from a little better translation of the Hebrew. A better translation here would be: From my flesh shall I see God. The idea is, literally, outside of, or separate from, my flesh shall I see God. Job is stating here his confidence in a spiritual, raised body, apart from his current physical body. His current body is decaying. Huge sores are causing him tremendous pain and affliction. This body, he knows, will die. It will go to the grave. It will be eaten by worms. But Job's confidence is not in this body. His confidence is outside of this body, so that when this present flesh has been stripped away, when it has been put off, when worms have eaten it up, then, he will see God. Not in this present, corrupted, earthly body, but he will see God in a new body, a body which will be raised and spiritual.

The confidence of Job is outside, apart from, this present physical body. Then God will give me the ability to see Him. He will give me new eyes, a new spiritual body by which I will be able to lay hold upon and behold God.

My flesh informs me that death is imminent. My flesh informs me that I will die. I experience the struggles and difficulties of my flesh. But yet I will see God. My soul will be safe and secure in God's protection. And God will give me a new body, a body far different from this present earthly body. And Christ will make me strong.

My body may be so weak, but I will be made strong. Such is the confidence here of Job, expressing the truth of II Corinthians 5:1 that his body is but a temporary house, a hut which will pass away. When that exterior is removed from us, we have a building which is prepared, much better, more excellent: an eternal home.

There is no way to comfort us more in our afflictions. When our need gets greater and greater, when our backaches become more frequent, when sleep becomes far more difficult to attain, when our heart begins to give out, when it seems as though doctors can do very little or nothing to alleviate our pain or discomfort, then our confidence is: "When this body will be destroyed, I will see God. I will see God, then, not merely by faith, but directly, through Jesus Christ, with my new, spiritual, raised body." This victory song must echo in our homes, in our lives: This is the power by which we can face adversities and trials. Jehovah is our Judge. His judgment is perfect. And that judgment is gracious because our Redeemer lives.

Then the truth of Romans 8 will echo in our hearts: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor thing present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee for the wondrous comfort which faith is able to proclaim. And we thank Thee for the victory which is ours in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Preserve and keep us in the midst of our trials, give us the confidence with Job that our Redeemer lives, and grant that our hope might be put in Him alone. Amen.

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The Jesus Nobody Wants To Know

Not Peace, but a Sword

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.  Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. - Matthew 10:34-39

If I were to ask you today to name some characteristics of Jesus, what would you name? If you were describing the personality of Jesus to someone, what adjectives would you use? Think of some in your head, and I will share with you the first ones that came to my mind.

The three characteristics that immediately came to my mind were: GENTLE, FORGIVING, and LOVING. My guess is that most of you think of Jesus in similar terms as well.

When I came to the end of chapter 10 in Matthew, however, I got a very different portrait of Jesus. After reading this section, I was reminded of the book by Philip Yancey entitled, "The Jesus I Never Knew". Not many people, until reading this particular section in Matthew, know this side of Jesus. And if we are aware of this side of Jesus, we often choose to forget about it.

We are anxious to hear how Jesus loves His enemies, forgives prostitutes, touches lepers, and feeds the hungry, but that's it. The Jesus we see in chapter 10, verses 34-39--this Jesus, quite frankly, is the one that nobody wants to know .

It would have been so easy, and tempting, for me to skip this section of Matthew as I endeavour to reach the "Passion" narrative by Easter. But if I skipped this section, you would miss an essential side of Jesus. The side of Jesus that is DEMANDING.

This is where Jesus is, what you might term, "brutally straight forward". He holds nothing back here. "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword"(v.34).

What a shocking statement! Jesus "did not come to bring peace, but a sword"?!. Why would He say such a thing?

What Jesus is doing here is He is correcting false assumptions about what the Jewish Messiah's mission was. According to Isaiah 9:5-7, the Messiah is described as the "Prince of Peace". The interpreters of the Hebrew Scriptures took that to mean that the Messiah would be the "Prince of Peace" ON EARTH. That, however, was not Jesus' mission. The ultimate goal of the Gospel was, and is, not harmony on earth, but PEACE WITH GOD(Rom.5:1).

Jesus says, "Do not think that I came to bring peace ON THE EARTH", but He did come to make peace between God and humanity(Rom.5:1).

I think we would all agree that peace does not come easily. Right now, all over the world, wars are being fought. And it would be ignorant for us to suggest that these countries are enjoying being at war. Peace is always preferable, but the reality is, when two sides strongly disagree on something conflict is inevitable.

The same goes for the Gospel. The goal of the Gospel is NOT conflict--with God, or with each other. The goal of the Gospel is "peace with God"(Rom.5:1). The difficulty is that the Gospel is such a penetrating message that it acts like a "sword". It pierces the consciences of humanity and calls us to love God more than we love ourselves.

Jesus warns us that profound conflict should be expected between those who accept the Gospel and those who reject it.

I am not telling you anything new here. Likely every person in this sanctuary can relate to what Jesus is saying. When you go to work, what do you usually talk about with your co-workers? Sports? Fashion? Home repair? Anything and everything, but not religion.

When your family gathers at Christmas, what do you talk about? Anything and everything, but not religion. Why? Because honest, from the heart, discussions on religious beliefs inevitably causes conflict. We have all been there--at least I have--many times. Even with fellow Christians, conflicts arise when it comes to getting straight the message of Jesus. The Corinthians fought, the Galatians fought, therefore so will St.Andrew's and Fraser if you try to get the message right, stand by that message, and share it with others.

Nowhere in this section is there the sense that we should run from this conflict either. It is presented as an inevitability--"A man's enemies WILL be the members of His household"(v.36). Now that doesn't give us permission to be obnoxious for the sake of the Gospel. This does not give us permission to pick fights with people who don't share our views. We are still required to be gentle, patient, loving, and gracious towards everyone. The cause of conflict SHOULD NEVER BE our personality or our manner of presentation. The only legitimate cause of conflict is the CONTENT of the message. An abrasive personality should never be the "sword"--the content is the "sword"--the Gospel is the "sword".

After warning His disciples about the potential the Gospel has for conflict, Jesus reminds them of their need for loyalty. Jesus tells them that "he who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me"(v.37).

Now Jesus isn't calling us to dislike our family members. And even though Luke's version would have us "hate" our family, we must conclude this to be relative. Scripture is clear in its command for us to "honour (our) father and (our) mother"(Ex.20:12). And Scripture makes it clear that we should love our spouses(Eph.5:25).

So what is Jesus getting at here? Quite simply, Jesus wants us to prioritize Him. He wants us to make Him our first loyalty, and to emphasize this He names the two things most precious to us: our family and our own life .

Those of you with aging or ailing parents, think about how you devote yourselves to seeing that they are looked after. Those of you with children, think about to what extreme you would go to, to defend, protect, and look after your children. You invest your valuable time and resources in them on a daily basis. Quite frankly, you put your "heart and soul" into your care for them.

Then you read this passage, "he who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me".

If you work hard to love, and care for, your parents and children that is terrific. It really is. Jesus would think so too. Jesus is NOT asking anyone to abandon their love and care for family. What Jesus is calling for here is, that you put the same energy and care into your relationship with Him, as you do with the people you love most. In fact, He calls for more. This is the mark of a Christian disciple: ONE WHO PUTS JESUS FIRST.

Christians should be known as hard workers at work. Christians should be known as good parents and committed spouses. But above all, Christians should be known as people committed to Christ--committed to Him above all else.

And just in case those listening to Jesus' message still haven't figured that out yet, He drives the point home with this challenging statement: "He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it"(v.38, 39).

What does Jesus mean, "take (our) cross"? I have heard some people describe their chronic illness as a "cross". Others will name everything from their nagging boss to their car trouble to their cranky mother-in-law as their "cross". But this is NOT what the word "cross" meant to a first century audience. The "cross" did not call to their minds the idea of long term difficulties or troublesome burdens. Even though Jesus had not yet revealed how He would die, the disciples knew the meaning of cross bearing well enough. To bear a cross was to shoulder a heavy wooden beam on the way to one's execution.

No, this doesn't mean disciples of Christ should go and get themselves killed. Christianity does not teach salvation by martyrdom. What Jesus is calling for here is loyalty so profound that one should be willing to make the most extreme sacrifice if necessary.

The apostles of Christ did just that. "The Foxe's Book of Christian Martyrs" records, that of the 11 apostles who remained after the Resurrection of Christ, 10 of them were executed for preaching the Gospel. At least 6 of them were executed by crucifixion.

We are extremely blessed here in 20th century North America. Few, if any, of us will ever be in danger because of our belief in Christ. Yet the Word of God still challenges to make sacrifices for the sake of the Gospel. And making sacrifices of time and resources is never easy. In fact, sacrificing may make us quite uncomfortable and cause us distress.

But this is the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. We stretch ourselves. We think about the vigour we have towards our career, towards supporting our family and we hear the call of God to give even more vigour and more enthusiasm for the sake of the Gospel.

I am not trying to present the Gospel as some charity case that needs our contribution. I am trying to communicate precisely what I see here in Matthew 10--and that is a summons tosacrificial discipleship . Not sacrifice to a "charity case", but sacrifice to a God who came to us in human form and made the ultimate sacrifice--He died for us.

He died because He loves us. And He wants our loyalty not simply because we owe it to Him. Christ desires our sacrifice to have the same motivation as His--LOVE.

May you resolve today to follow Christ no matter what the cost is. And may you resolve to follow Him day after day because you love Him.

(Source: http://www.reformedtheology.ca )

Jesus Christ, God and Man: How Can a Man Be God?

Reformed theology has consistently affirmed both the full humanity and full divinity of Jesus. Traditionally, this has been called the doctrine of the hypostatic union, a doctrine that expresses the perfect union between Jesus' divine and human natures in his one person In this union, the second person of the Trinity (see theological article "The Trinity: One God or Three?"), namely, God the Son, became fully human (see theological article "The Full Humanity of Jesus: What Kind of Man Was Jesus?t") without losing any of his divine attributes.

That the Jewish followers of Jesus believed that Jesus was both God and man is amazing. Jesus' apostles and most of the New Testament writers were Jews who strongly believed that there is only one God and that no human is divine. Nevertheless, they all taught that Jesus the Messiah should be worshiped and trusted as God. This idea is especially observable in the writings of John, Paul, Peter and the author of Hebrews.

John reveals Jesus as the eternal divine Word, agent of creation and source of all life and light (John 1:1-5,9), who, in becoming "flesh," was revealed as the Son of God, the source of grace and truth-and, indeed, as "God the One and Only" (John 1:14,18). John's Gospel is punctuated with Jesus' "I am" statements-these are especially significant because "I am" (see notes on John 8:24,28,58) was used to render God's name in the Greek translation (Septuagint) of Exodus 3:14. Examples also appear in the seven declarations of Jesus' grace as (1) the bread of life, giving spiritual food (John 6:35, 48, 51); (2) the light of the world, banishing darkness (John 8:12; 9:5); (3) the gate for the sheep, giving access to God (John 10:7,9); (4) the good shepherd, protecting from peril (John 10:11,14); (5) the resurrection and life, overcoming our death (John 11:25); (6) the way, truth and life, guiding to fellowship with the Father (John 14:6); and (7) the true vine, nurturing for fruitfulness (John 15:1,5). Climactically, Thomas worships Jesus, saying, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). Jesus then pronounces a blessing on all who share Thomas' faith, and John urges his readers to join their number (John 20:29-31).

Paul quotes from an apparent hymn that declares Jesus' personal deity (Phil. 2:6-11). He states that "in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Col. 2:9; cf. Col. 1:19). He hails Jesus as the Son as the Father's image and as his agent in creating and upholding everything (Col. 1:15-17). He declares him to be "Lord" (a title with divine overtones), to whom one must pray for salvation according to the exhortation to call on God in Joel 2:32 (Rom. 10:9-13). He calls him "God over all" (Rom. 9:5) and "God and Savior" (Tit. 2:13), and he prays to him personally (2 Cor. 12:8-9), looking to him as a source of divine grace (2 Cor. 13:14). The testimony is explicit: Faith in Jesus' deity is central to Paul's theology.

In explaining Christ's perfect high priesthood, the author of Hebrews declares the full deity and resulting unique dignity of the Son of God (Heb. 1:3,6,8-12), whose full humanity he then celebrates in chapter 2. The perfection, and indeed the very possibility, of the high priesthood he ascribes to Christ depends on an endless, unfailing divine life in combination with a full human experience of temptation, pressure and pain (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:14-5:2; 7:13-28; 12:2-3).

No less significant is Peter's use of Isaiah 8:12-13 (1 Pet. 3:14). He cites the Greek (Septuagint) version, urging the churches not to fear what others fear, but to set apart the Lord as holy. But where the Septuagint text of Isaiah says "Set apart the Lord himself," Peter writes, "Set apart Christ as Lord" (1 Pet. 3:15). Peter offered the adoring fear due to the Almighty to Jesus of Nazareth, his Master and Lord.

A crucial time for the church's affirmation of the hypostatic union came at the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451). At that time, the church countered two errors: (1) the Nestorian idea that Jesus had two "persons" (divine and human), as well as two natures, as if he were two people bound together in one body; and (2) the Eutychian idea that Jesus had only one nature, his divinity having absorbed his humanity. Rejecting both, the Council affirmed that Jesus is one divine-human person with two natures (i.e., two sets of capacities for experience, expression, reaction and action) and that the two natures are united in his personal being without mixture, confusion, separation or division, such that each nature retains its own attributes.

The New Testament reveals the great mystery that Jesus is both fully God and fully human. All that God made us to be, as well as all that is in God himself, was, is and forever will be really and distinguishably present in the one person of Jesus. The New Testament commands the worship of Jesus and focuses consistently on the divine-human Savior and Lord as the proper object of faith, hope and love.

Reference:

Richard Pratt, General Editor. Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2003.

Soure: http://reformedanswers.org

Jesus Christ: The Interpretive Key to the Scripture

Jesus Christ: The Interpretive Key to the Scripture
With Four Examples of Doctrinal Errors that Arise When this Key is not Used.

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." (John 5:39, 40)

"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" - (1 Tim 2:5)

"The Scriptures should be read with the aim of finding Christ in them. Whoever turns aside from this object, even though he wears himself out all his life in learning, he will never reach the knowledge of the truth." - John Calvin

I have recently had the privilege of reading a phenomenal book that I highly recommend to all teachers of the Word. That book was Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics by Graeme Goldsworthy. Its thesis is simple: the Gospel (or, Jesus Christ) is the Key to all Christian Hermeneutics. During the course of reading, his focus got me to thinking about its antithesis which would be that almost all errors and inconsistencies in our understanding of Bible texts occur when our interpretation is less than Christ-centered. This is foundational. Unless our study, however diligent, leads us to see that all Scripture points to Jesus Christ, our study is in vain. The importance of the Bible (OT & NT) is that it testifies about Jesus Christ (John 1:43-45, Acts 3:18, Acts 17:2-3, 2 Tim 3:14-15,1 Pet 1:10-12, Rom 1:1-3, 16:25-27, Luke 24:25-27 & 44-46).

Jesus never condemned a Pharisee for taking Moses too seriously. They take him far less seriously than they should. For Jesus says, "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for He write of Me. But if you don't believe His writings, how will you believe My words. Your accuser is Moses." (John 5:46). So to understand Moses is to come to know Christ when He is revealed. Likewise, Abraham saw Jesus’ day and was glad, the Bible testifies. And "...foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." (Gal)

But now, let's shift gears by getting specific about doctrinal errors that fail to take into account the above biblical principles ... These are produced by an interpretitive grid or presupposition that arises from Christless or less-than-Christocentric views of Scripture. In the following, I wish to give 3-4 examples of current popular, but erroneous, interpretations, that err simply because they fail to see the centrality of Jesus Christ in their understanding:

1) The False Assertion that Salvation can be Lost

The claim by some that a Christian can actually lose his or her salvation is a prime example of reading Christ out of the text, because the focus becomes your own moral ability rather than Christ. Some erroneously believe that a Christian, after being saved by Christ, can make certain choices that will lead to the loss of their adoption and justification, and thus, their salvation in Christ. In other words, they must, by their own effort, or with the Spirit's help, maintain their just standing before God. With such a view, Christ is not sufficient to save completely. Such a doctrine should immediately make us think of Paul's warning in Galatians: "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal 3:3) But why is Paul so stern as to call them foolish? Because they have forgotten that Christ and Christ alone has saved them. To think that we can add to Christ's perfect work is to utterly misapprehend the Gospel at its core. For, we ask, is it Jesus or something else which is sufficient to carry you to the end? Any addition to Jesus Christ is to believe that justification is found in something else has forgotten about the centrality of Christ.

So we ask in relation to this doctrine, is it Christ who saves us, or does He merely assist us so we may save ourselves? The warning passages in Hebrews actually warn against this very error. They start by pointing out that Jesus is superior to the angels, to Moses and to the Sacrificial System. The warnings of falling away are actually warnings about going back to something inferior to Christ, like the sacrificial system which only pointed to Christ. To read that a particular sin can make us lose our salvation, is thus, to utterly forget what the context of the Text in Hebrews itself is. So the assertion that a Christian can lose salvation is the first error that we have spotted that arises because Christ was seen as the ultimate interpretive presupposition, and thus, left out of the interpretation. Some other ultimate presupposition guided our exposition.

2) Synergism

Synergism is the error that affirms that the natural man can cooperate with God in the regeneration process (the new birth) ...that an unregenerate person has the moral capacity to embrace the Gospel apart from the work of the Spirit changing the heart.

Again, remember what our interpretive Key to the Bible is? Jesus Christ. So, in relation to regeneration and conversion, when the gospel is preached, what makes people to differ in their response to it? Does Jesus Christ make us differ or does something else? This “something else” may take various forms; it may be something native to the human constitution (i.e. Pelagianism) or something alien yet universal (i.e. Arminianism)? In either case, the point is that it is not Christ that makes the difference. Anyone who claims that the difference arises from one of these something-else’s has failed to see first our hopelessness as fallen creatures apart from Christ and second the exclusive sufficiency of Christ’s saving work. If I am different than my neighbor because of something other than Jesus Christ, then Christ, whatever role he may play, cannot be central to my understanding of salvation. He is only partly responsible for it. It is the grace we have in Christ that saves, and nothing in addition to it.

3) Four-Point Calvinism

Four-point Calvinism fails the test of Christ-centered interpretation because this view tends to see the TULIP as an abstraction. But the TULIP only works when we see Christ at its center. Consider the TULIP as a chiasm with the "L" at the top of the pyramid. It is Jesus Christ which makes sense of all the doctrines of grace. Four-point Calvinists who reject Limited Atonement but embrace irresistible grace must consider this: Irresistible grace is not some abstract doctrine but must be seen in relation to Jesus Christ, specially in relation to the grace purchased by Christ upon the cross. The Spirit of Christ illuminates, regenerates and effectually brings to faith his elect. And this enabling, effectual grace is, from first to last, Christ-centered. It does not come out of a void, nor from some hidden source of grace in God the Father. Therefore Christ must have died for the elect so as to purchase that grace in a way – a redemptive way – that he did not die for the non-elect. That is why we often call it particular redemption. Irresistible grace is one of the redemptive benefits purchased by Jesus Christ ... and it was never granted to the non-elect nor intended for them. I believe that until Jesus Christ is seen as central to the TULIP then four-pointers will continue to reject what is plain.

4) Purgatory

Roman Catholics believe in Purgatory, which again accents their belief that Christ is not sufficient to save completely. Rather then, we must work off our sins after death for 1000's of years until it is paid. Where is Christ in all this? Was His work insufficient to cover their sins completely and once for all?

Each of these errors occurs when the our hermeneutic - our ultimate presupposition - is not Jesus Christ.

J.W. Hendryx

Munus Triplex - The Triple Cure - Christ as Prophet, Priest and King

In the Old Testament, a person could be a prophet, a priest or a King, but it was impossible to be all three. Yet Scripture attributes all three of these offices to Christ. To discover what He does for us as He fulfills these three differing roles is a wonderfully enriching biblical study.

Christ holds these offices eternally. As the ultimate revelation of the Prophet, He speaks the word of God to us; as Priest, He represents us fully to the Father and brings the supreme atoning sacrifice (of Himself) that placates the Father's holy and just wrath against us for our sin; and as the conquering and reigning King, He is forever worthy of our worship and adoration. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Christ's threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King is a central teaching in Reformed Theology, but it is a much neglected theme in much of the modern day Church. The Latin theological term for this is Munus Triplex, also known as "the Triple Cure," referring to these offices of Christ providing the remedy for us in our fallen condition.

As far as we can tell, it was Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History (1.3.8) who first described the concept of these three fold offices of Christ. He said that Jesus is “the only high priest of all, and the only king of every creature, and the Father’s only supreme prophet of prophets." Yet as with most things, it was John Calvin who made the concept widely known by his teaching in the Institutes:

"Therefore, in order that faith may find a firm basis for salvation in Christ, and thus rest in him, this principle must be laid down: the office enjoined upon Christ by the Father consists of three parts. For he was given to be prophet, king and priest." - Institutes II. xv. 1

This concept was then taken up by others in the Reformation, including Herman Bavinck, as seen in this quote:

"…Christ, both as the Son and as the image of God, for Himself and also as our Mediator and Saviour, had to bear all three offices. He had to be a prophet to know and to disclose the truth of God; a priest, to devote Himself to God and, in our place, to offer Himself up to God; a king, to govern and protect us according to God’s will. To teach, to reconcile, and to lead; to instruct, to acquire and to apply salvation; wisdom, righteousness, and redemption; truth, love, and power – all three are essential to the completeness of our salvation. In Christ’s God-to-humanity relation, He is a prophet; in His humanity-to-God relation He is a priest; in His headship over all humanity He is a king. Rationalism acknowledges only His prophetic office; mysticism only His priestly office; millennialism only His royal office. But Scripture, consistently and simultaneously attributing all three offices to Him, describes Him as our chief prophet, our only [High] priest, and our eternal king. Though a king, He rules not by the sword but by His Word and Spirit. He is a prophet, but His word is power and really happens. He is a priest but lives by dying, conquers by suffering, and is all-powerful by His love. He is always all these things in conjunction, never the one without the other: mighty in speech and action as a king and full of grace and truth in His royal rule."

The Westminster Shorter Catechism: refers to it in questions 23-26:

Q. 23. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet (Deut 18:18, Heb 1:1-2), of a priest (Heb 4:14-15, Heb 5:5-6),and of a king (Is 9:6-7, Lk 1:32-33, John 18:37, 1 Cor 15:25), both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

Q. 24. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?

A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his Word (Heb 2:3) and Spirit (1 Peter 1:11), the will of God for our salvation.

Q. 25. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?

A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice (Acts 8:32-35), and reconcile us to God (Col 1:21-22), and in making continual intercession for us (Heb 9:24).

Q. 26. How doth Christ execute the office of a king?

A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us (Col 1:13), and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies (Col 2:15).

Here is Dr. Kim Riddlebarger teaching on the three fold offices of Christ: Prophet, Priest and King:

Love Not Uncertain Riches

We should not love the world because it will direct us toward things that are unreasonable, which will be seen in these four particulars: 

1. It will direct you to things that are merely probable, and make you leave things that are certain. It is unreasonable to be taken away from things that are certain in order to be put on things that are only probable. It is only probable for any man in this world to get the world. It is unreasonable to follow hard after that which is only probable, whether we shall get it or not. Haggai 1:6 says, “Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.” Verse 9 then concludes, “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it.” It is a hazard, a great venture to get the things of this world. Men may take a great deal of pains to pursue these things eagerly, and yet come short of them. Most people die in their expectations; they look to get these things and do not get them.

Indeed, those who labor most usually attain least. Therefore, as the wise man says in Ecclesiastes 9:11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift.” Now who should win the race but the swift? It is most probable that the swift should win the race; but “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” It is uncertain whether they shall get these things or not. The promises of the world and the devil are seldom made good. However, there are other things that are certain, and therefore it misleads men to think unreasonably to leave certain things for improbable things. God’s promises are certain. God will not fail men who take pains for true wisdom and understanding. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7). Seek these things, for they are certain.

—William Greenhill “Stop Loving the World”

Deeds of Darkness and Death. Lights of Love and Life.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 John 3:11-15.

                                         
“11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;  12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother.  And for what reason did he slay him?  Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.                                


13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.  14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.  He who does not love abides in death.  15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer;  and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”  1 John 3:11-15.

There are deeds of darkness and death.

“Cain … was of the evil one and slew his brother.  And for what reason did he slay him?  Because his deeds were evil”.  Verse 12.

“Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”  Verse 13.

“He who does not love abides in death.”  Verse 14.

“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer”.  Verse 15.

“and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”  Verse 15.

There are lights of love and life.

“For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another”.  Verse 11.

The deeds of Abel “were righteous.”  Verse 12.

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.”  Verse 14.

Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, is our only hope that we can be those lights of love and life in a world of darkness and death.

“The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,
And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”  Matthew 4:11.

“In Him (Jesus Christ) was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  …

“There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  John 1:4-5 and 9-13.

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;  but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  1 John 1:5-7.

“The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”  1 John 2:10.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God;  and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”  1 John 4:7.

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  1 John 4:10-11.

“We love, because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”  John 5:24.

Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | February 19, 2013 Reformeddoctrine.com

Will You Enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scripture Reading:

Psalm 15 and 101
Matthew 7:13-23

To know more about CREC, visit http://www.calvary.org.ph/

Christ Predicted the Papacy as the Antichrist

Christ predicts the dynasty of the Antichrist and the False Prophet. Note carefully His language. He warns in Matthew chapter twenty-four against the deception of antichrist but never uses the singular in His references. - Dr. Ian R. K. Paisley

We have already shown that Antichrist cannot be one potentate but a dynasty of potentates. David’s prophecy which holds within it the key to its right interpretation, shows us that. Now this is dearly confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ. Daniel tells the story in parables, in the pictures of the beasts and the horns. The little horn of Daniel chapter seven is the Antichrist, the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition. Throughout the prophecies of Daniel, a horn as indeed the beast from which it grows denotes not a single man, an individual king but a kingdom, a sovereignty, a dynasty. That is the plain teaching of scripture and to it all must submit.

Christ confirms this not only about Daniel's little horn but about the two beasts of Revelation chapter thirteen, the Beast and the False Prophet. These beasts are not two individual men but a dynasty - the Beast the dynasty of the Popes and the False Prophet the dynasty of the priests of Rome pursuing the objective of obtaining the worship and submission of the whole world for the Pope.

There is not one word in all Christ's prophecy concerning the end of time and of His Second Coming about a one man antichrist or a one man false prophet. Read and see for yourself.

Christ predicts the dynasty of the Antichrist and the False Prophet. Note carefully His language. He warns in Matthew chapter twenty-four against the deception of antichrist but never uses the singular in His references.

He speaks of the dynasty, of 'many' not 'one.' ‘For many shall come in My Name,’ Matt. 24:5. This does away with the Atheistical antichrist, the Communist antichrist, the Jewish antichrist, the purely political antichrist. The dynasty of antichrists will come in the name of our Lord, the true Christ of God. How this points its finger at the Pope and the Papacy. The Pope is the only person who fits the prediction

'Saying I am Christ,' Matt. 24:5. Notice how Christ changes from the plural 'many' to the singular 'I.' This is the personal claim of each individual Pope. Listen to their own words.

'I alone despite my unworthiness, am the successor of the Apostles, the Vicar of Jesus Christ: I alone have the mission to guide and direct the barque of Peter; I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.' - Pope Pius IX.

‘Shall deceive many.’ What a statement! How many have been and are being deceived by the Pope and the Papacy. Why even the Lambeth Conference of the whole of the Anglican Church (the Church of Ireland included) meeting in July 1989 has agreed that the Pope must be the Head of the Church when the other ecumenical episcopal Churches unite with Rome.

'Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.

Behold I have told you before.

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.' Matt. 24:33-36.

Here our Lord predicts the dynasty not only of Antichrist but of the False Prophet. See Revelation chapter thirteen. After the Lord mentions in the plural the 'false prophets,' he predicts the great 'signs and wonders' which these will do. Compare this carefully with Revelation 13:13,14. Note how our Lord's prediction about the deceptions of the false prophet dovetails perfectly into the prophecy of John. Christ states, 'Insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.' John states, 'And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do.'

The narratives of Mark and Luke confirm these statements of our Lord in Matthew's Gospel.

‘And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.’ Mark 13:5-7.

‘And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.’ Mark 13:21-23.

‘And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.’ Luke 21:8-9.

‘And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.’ Luke 17:23.

Christ has told us that many false Christs will appear after His ascension to glory and before His return. When we open the Pages of history we see how our Lord's words have been so literally fulfilled. Many Christs who professed to come in His Holy Name have appeared exactly as He predicted - at least 265 of them - all phoney christs, self styled christs, false christs and all harboured by the Church of Rome. Of them all Christ said, ‘BELIEVE THEM NOT.’

How clearly Christ predicted the Papacy. How plainly Christ interpreted for us the prophecies of Daniel and John. We bow to His authority and rejoice that the Antichrist has not deceived us and we have not gone after him as the world has.

The Popes of Rome for centuries have, under the title of Vicar of Christ, been masquerading as christs.

Ever since the Bishop of Rome got a taste for power, early in the Christian era, he yelled, ‘I AM CHRIST,’ and right down to Pope John Paul II they have been yelling it, shouting it, trumpeting it and parroting it. The halls of Christendom have not been without this din for sixteen centuries. Reverberations and amplifications from the original cries and their echoes and re-echoes plus added new yells multiplied a million tunes by the Roman acoustics of the halls, plague us daily. I am Christ! I AM Christ! I AM CHRIST! THIS IS THE CONFESSION OF THE ANTICHRIST. THANK GOD WE RECOGNISE HIM.

If any man shall say unto you, lo here is Christ, or lo He is there, believe Him not.'

Source: http://www.ianpaisley.org

The Doctrine of Salvation by Grace Alone is a 450 year old Western Paradigm?

Visitor: The Doctrine of Salvation Grace Alone is a 450 year old Western Paradigm.

Response: "450 years old?" C'mon ..... Both the words of the Bible itself (1000s of years old) and Christian history after the closing of the canon demonstrate that your statement is false.

Not only does the Bible declare it but early Christians did as well, including the quote at the top of the page of this blog from the Council of Orange (529 AD)

    "...if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10). (Council of Orange: Canon 6).

Even before that Augustine drew the same conclusions from the Bible. Among the many things he said, here are just a few:

    "In some places God requires newness of heart [Ezek 18:31]. But elsewhere he testifies that it is given by him [Ezek. 11:19; 36:26]. But what God promises we ourselves do not do through choice or nature; but he himself does through grace."- Augustine

    "To will is of nature, but to will aright is of grace." - Augustine

    "The nature of the Divine goodness is not only to open to those who knock. but also to cause them to knock and ask."- Augustine

    "Without the Spirit man's will is not free, since it has been laid under by shackling and conquering desires." - Augustine

The question is not whether you like Augustine or his statements but rather to show you beyond further question that this doctrine is clearly over 450 years old.

Your idea of the meaning of "grace" seem to not go beyond more than an offer. It does not do anything for the person to change their heart. So I must ask why do you pray for unbelievers then? It would be absurd to pray for them if God can do nothing more than persuade from the outside. This is really nothing more than we do when we preach the gospel to them. No we pray because only God can help them. So while you may believe in the necessity of Christ but you refuse to acknowledge that He alone is enough to supply everything we need for salvation, including a new heart to believe, which is declared widely through all through Scripture.

If regenerating grace depends on our will or cooperation then it is no longer grace (John 1:13, 3:6 & 6:63) but instead it is no different than the humanistic philosophy of the present age which declares that "God helps those who help themselves." But even a cursory reading of Scripture will make clear that grace is not a reward for faith, but the cause of it.

Source: http://www.reformationtheology.com

The Love of God

by  Rev. D. H. Kuiper

"He that loveth not knoweth not God;  for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  I John 4:8-10
 
Without doubt the love of God is the subject preached on, in the churches on the mission fields, more than any other subject. Strange to say, there are many who talk about the love of God  who are actually strangers to the meaning of divine love. God is love! But love is one aspect of the divine Being, so that once I have stated that God is love, I am compelled to go on and say that God also hates. God loves and He hates, He blesses and He curses, He chastens and He punishes, He saves and He damns. And it is when we see and confess that full picture that the love of God becomes very precious to us; for God does not love everyone, but He loves a people chosen in Jesus Christ.

 The love of God is amazing! Amazing when you consider Who loves, how He loves, how He reveals that love, and whom He loves! I want to know more about the love of God, don't you? Let's get the Biblical terms for love before our minds that we may arrive at a Scriptural definition of the love of God.

 There are two Hebrew terms for love: one has the root meaning of fastening, binding, sticking together; the other has the idea of breathing after, longing for, desiring strongly. The Greek term, used by John in the passage quoted above and by Paul as well, agrees closely with the Hebrew. As Paul writes to the Colossians (3:14), love or charity is "the bond of perfectness." Love can exist and flourish only in the sphere of moral perfection, where there is holiness, justice, and truth. For love is to be mutual, for love to flourish and grow, the one who loves and the one who is loved must be ethically perfect. This is the great reason why God hates even as He loves. God takes delight in Himself and in certain men because He is the highest perfection, and because He has provided perfection in certain men. But God takes no delight in darkness; He hates it. And God takes no delight in the workers of iniquity; He hates them. Because God is love, love is of God; that is, all true love finds its source in God. Hence, we can define love this way: in God, love is the bond of fellowship that eternally exists between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, according to which these perfect Persons seek, find, delight in One Another. In respect to love outside the Godhead, love is the spiritual; bond of fellowship between ethically perfect persons, who because of that perfection, delight in one another and seek one another.

 If one examines the occurrences of the word love in the Bible, he finds that God's love is characterized by ten outstanding virtues.  1.) The love of God is sovereign or free, for He did not have to love anyone nor was He influenced by anything when He set His love on certain ones.  2.) The love of God is eternal in that there never was a time when He did not love Himself or His people.  3.) The love of God is unconditional for in its beginning and in its continuance the good or evil in man does not influence it.  4.) The love of God is unchangeable for whom He loves always remain the objects of that love.  5.) His love is particular for it burns not for every man, but for a definite few.  6.) His love is strong, enduring the sternest tests, capable of following the wayward and returning them to the way of life.  7.)The love of God is primary or first, it is a casual, working, producing love; all other love is result of it.  8.) His love is always fruitful, for God never yet loved a man and than man failed to love God, his brother, and his neighbor.    9.) The love of God is always a Father's love, so that those whom He loves experience that they are His sons and His daughters.  And 10.) The love of God always gives; it belongs to the nature of the loving God always to give.  We'll return to this idea of giving in a moment.

 Someone may ask whether it is really necessary for the Church to proclaim that God loves and hates, that He reaches out in love for the men of His good pleasure but is angry with the wicked every day, that He saves and that He damns.  Our answer is, Yes, that's necessary for three reasons.  First, this belongs to the revelation of God in Holy Scripture so that it would be unfaithfulness on our part not to include this. Second, it is only when a person understands that God does not love every individual that he sees the love of God to be exceeding precious, a pearl of great price, the most astonishing thing in the world!  Believers must view the love of God for them as rare, exquisite, and precious!  In the third place, God would have both His love and hatred carefully proclaimed that the Church is gathered not only, but that the unrepentant are left without excuses as well.  No one may arrive at the great judgement scene saying, I didn't know, I never heard, that God also hates, punishes, and destroys.

 God has revealed His great love for us in Jesus Christ.  "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son."  God loves and sent, God loves and gave (John 3:16).  You see, the question is, How can the great love of God reach us, how can we be taken into the family of God in order to experience His love, and how can we return that love to God and live in that love with the brethren? Remember who and what we are!  We are sinners from two points of view; we share in the sin and guilt of Adam (Romans 5:12), and we add to our sin and guilt every day of our lives.  In ourselves we are depraved and corrupt, incapable of loving God or anyone.  And the love of God is not some wishy-washy sentiment, it is the bond of perfectness!  God can only love that which is ethically pure, and love between men can only be established when there is that same perfectness present.  How can the love of God reach me, become a bond that unites us, and be returned to Him?

 The answer is that when God sent His Son, God made Him a propitiation for our sins.  Now the word propitiation, a word related to the mercy seat of the ark in the temple, means that Christ is the covering for our sins.  The blood of Christ propitiates, appeases, or satisfies God.  When Christ died on the cross, His death paid the debt of our sin, satisfied the outraged justice of God, and reconciled us to God.That means that we are innocent (justified) and holy (sanctified) before God.  Or, that means that we have become ethically perfect for Christ's sake, and thus can enter into the life of love with God!  In Christ God's love reaches us, transforms us, renews us, and works in us that we live as sons!

 God loved and God gave!  Oh, how God gave!  Humanly speaking, it cost God a great deal when He manifested His love to us in Christ!  The gift of God's Son to the Church collectively and to believers individually can only be termed an unspeakable Gift.  No one can adequately describe the value, beauty, power, and the benefits of such a Gift!  God sent His only begotten Son from His own bosom into this world of sin, to become poor, to endure the contradiction of sinners, to be despised, betrayed, denied, and forsaken.  And even though God loved Him eternally, God withheld His love and His friendship at the crucial moment of the cross; God would have nothing to do with His Son in our flesh, in order that He might be the righteousness of God in us!  What a love that it would not spare such a Gift!

 Having given Christ to His people, it follows with irresistible logic that God also gives us all things!  Thus Paul argues in Romans 8: "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?"  There is nothing that God does not give to us; nothing that God does not do for us!  All things are ours, we are Christ's and Christ is God's!  All things must work together for out temporal and eternal good!

 There are tremendous fruits in the life of the saints as they experience the love of God in Jesus Christ.  Because the apostle John writes "He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love", we can say that who so loveth God knoweth God!  Because God loved us, we love Him; because we love Him, we know Him and have life everlasting!  Loving and knowing God, we keep His commandments, for love is the keeping of the law.  That which God loves and delights in is to be found in the Ten Commandments.  Those that love God love His law, meditate upon it day and night, and use it daily as a guide for thankful, holy living.

 Secondly, the fruit of the love of God for us is that we love one another also.  "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (v. 11) Because God loved us and placed us in family relationship to Himself, we owe the debt of love to all members of the same family.  We must love the whole Church of God everywhere in general and the saints that we know in particular.  (Please note that the believer's calling to love also the unbelieving neighbor is outside the scope of this chapter.)  It would be monstrous and unnatural if believers did not love one another, give themselves and their substance to one another, and share in the joys and sorrows of one another.  "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" (v. 20)  The point is not, Is the brother a nice person and does he show himself worthy of my love? The only point is, Has God by His love made that individual a member of His covenant family?  That's all I need to know!  Then I love him!

 Finally, the fruit of God's love for us is that His perfect love casts out fear. (v.18)  Love reaches its perfect goal when the child of God does not have fear but has boldness in the day of judgment!  Fear hath torment; the one who has fear in his heart regarding the judgment is a tormented person.  He worries about that day.  He is afraid to die.  When he lies down at night he wonders whether he shall awake; and if not, where shall he be?  But when the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, that love carries us powerfully along life's pathway unto the end.  And it casts out fear!  What a blessing that we may have boldness, confidence, even longing for the day of Jesus Christ!

 All this, because God loved us and sent Christ to be our propitiation.  In love He chose us, in love He gave us to Christ, in love He redeemed us unto Himself at the cross, in love He preserves us all our days, and in love He judges us worthy of everlasting live at the end of the ages!  Believing all this, I say, "I love Him!"  But I also say, "He must have loved me first!"

Source: http://www.reformedwitness.org