I have been thinking a lot about Dispensationalism. Although I know some who are Dispensational in their beliefs and it is not my intent in down grading them in this post and would also consider that I am no scholar at what Dispensationalism is. This is what I have considered and came to understand what Dispensationalism is:
That there is the body of Christ made of Jewish believers and then Gentile believers. God has promised the Jewish believers that are solely for them and promises that the Gentile believers will inherite and it does not mean that God saves seperately from the works of Christ by grace through faith. However, the thing is that this view seems to be contradictory to the views of scripture and also difficult. Accordingly, Ephesians 3:10 - So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have bodlness and acces with confidence through our faith in him.
Moreover, Paul even tells us in Romans 10 - 11 the purposes of why the Jewish people do not believe and it is to fulfill God's purpose of election for His glory. But as he says in Romans 11 that it was because of the Jews unbelief that the Gentiles were able to be ingrafted.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
God's acting in us and through us in unity
God's soveriegnty in Salvation actually upholds Evangelism. I look at this in two degrees. 1. Ontologically (Primarily as God is depicted in the Scriptures as being a Triune Person; God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and 2. First Causes (Justification, Regeneration, Faith, Election, and Repentance).
My Scripture sources: Romans 12:1-2 and also Ephesians 2:8-10 for first causes and Galatians 3:1-14 for Ontological purposes.
My reason for this thought is that if all of History is for the Glory of God and God is by nature a triune God then that would mean that the Trinity is also at work in the salvation of His People and the purpose of Creation is to magnify the glory of Christ through the Cross and thus give heedance that if God the Father elects some to salvation, and Christ actually goes out and accomplishes that salvation on behalf of his Elect and then the Spirits job is to effectually call those that the Father has Elected and the Son has died on behalf for (Romans 10). For the reason is that the triune God does not work seperately but together, although they have different jobs they primarily work together in unity. (This is probably more of a Johnathan Owen argument) All this is to mean that in evangelism, the reason that evangilism is upheld with the person and nature of God is that the Spirit will not work without Jesus Christ and Him Crucified preached to the lost souls.
On the First Causes: Man's inability to come to God on his own unless the Spirit, who works through the preached word of Christ Jesus, regenerates the dead man and causes faith and repentance to come so that the dead man may believe and have faith in Christ Jesus and so may be Justified by faith alone in Christ Jesus Alone all by the grace of God alone.
Although I have seperated these two points they should really be read together as one. My whole point is that God soveriegnly saves men and women to be saved through the preached word of Christ Jesus that is the Gospel. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that our nature is changed to go out and evangelise those who are dead in their trespasses and sins Romans 6:4.
My Scripture sources: Romans 12:1-2 and also Ephesians 2:8-10 for first causes and Galatians 3:1-14 for Ontological purposes.
My reason for this thought is that if all of History is for the Glory of God and God is by nature a triune God then that would mean that the Trinity is also at work in the salvation of His People and the purpose of Creation is to magnify the glory of Christ through the Cross and thus give heedance that if God the Father elects some to salvation, and Christ actually goes out and accomplishes that salvation on behalf of his Elect and then the Spirits job is to effectually call those that the Father has Elected and the Son has died on behalf for (Romans 10). For the reason is that the triune God does not work seperately but together, although they have different jobs they primarily work together in unity. (This is probably more of a Johnathan Owen argument) All this is to mean that in evangelism, the reason that evangilism is upheld with the person and nature of God is that the Spirit will not work without Jesus Christ and Him Crucified preached to the lost souls.
On the First Causes: Man's inability to come to God on his own unless the Spirit, who works through the preached word of Christ Jesus, regenerates the dead man and causes faith and repentance to come so that the dead man may believe and have faith in Christ Jesus and so may be Justified by faith alone in Christ Jesus Alone all by the grace of God alone.
Although I have seperated these two points they should really be read together as one. My whole point is that God soveriegnly saves men and women to be saved through the preached word of Christ Jesus that is the Gospel. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that our nature is changed to go out and evangelise those who are dead in their trespasses and sins Romans 6:4.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Free Will or Bondage?
First Question: whether or not people have free will? Scripture is clear on the issue. Most if not all would argue that free will is a given state given to men for the power to choose over good and evil. However, scripture doesn't state that is what free will is.
Question to the first question: So it depends on how it is defined? Jonathan Edwards wrote a great book called "Freedom of the Will" (which is a shortened title) that I would highly recommend.
Answer: If given the freedom to choose, it doesn't necessarily negate that one will choose what is good. John 3:16-18.- and given our current state, by which all of humanity has fallen, it does not follow that we can do anything that is good. Romans 8 depicts.- Scripture however is clear that men and women are under the bondage of sin - gen 3, romans 1-3;5, Eph. 2- and that the only way out of that bondage is found in Christ alone, by grace and faith alone. gen 15, all of Romans, Eph. 2, Gal. 2-3.
Question: So you would say man does not have free will? Or would you define it differently than libertarian free will?
Answer: does man have the power to choose or does he have free will - no
Another users Comment: My comment is that it doesn't matter. From the end user (us), we feel like we have free will, but we know that God's will will be done. So, there's really no difference.
Reply: I would say it does matter, because the approach to dealing with people's understanding and our need for God changes. Also, I think it should make us more humble and see God's power, love, mercy, and glory more vibrantly.
Question to the first question: So it depends on how it is defined? Jonathan Edwards wrote a great book called "Freedom of the Will" (which is a shortened title) that I would highly recommend.
Answer: If given the freedom to choose, it doesn't necessarily negate that one will choose what is good. John 3:16-18.- and given our current state, by which all of humanity has fallen, it does not follow that we can do anything that is good. Romans 8 depicts.- Scripture however is clear that men and women are under the bondage of sin - gen 3, romans 1-3;5, Eph. 2- and that the only way out of that bondage is found in Christ alone, by grace and faith alone. gen 15, all of Romans, Eph. 2, Gal. 2-3.
Question: So you would say man does not have free will? Or would you define it differently than libertarian free will?
Answer: does man have the power to choose or does he have free will - no
Another users Comment: My comment is that it doesn't matter. From the end user (us), we feel like we have free will, but we know that God's will will be done. So, there's really no difference.
Reply: I would say it does matter, because the approach to dealing with people's understanding and our need for God changes. Also, I think it should make us more humble and see God's power, love, mercy, and glory more vibrantly.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Humility
How does the Grace of God bring about humility?
Election - for one I did not deserve Salvation. The Scriptures say that all men fall short of the glory of God. There is no one who fears God (Romans 3). John 3:16-20 sets up the characteristic of those who walk in light and those who walk in darkness. First thing to note is that when one looks at his nature and sinfulness, he cannot help but realize that he is a sinner. In my life especially when I look at my own sinfulness of my past and current, I cannot help but notice that I am a wretched sinner saved by grace alone - not deserving of it at all. As Ephesians 2:1-3 shows first that the Christian was dead in their sins and trespesses obeying the desires of the flesh ruled by the ruler of this world deserving God's just wrath as the rest of the world, but they are now made alive, raised up, and seated with Christ in the heavenly realms by grace alone (Grace is what is causing the action). This ought to bring me especially very low as that of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11). The thought when one thinks of the whole world being lost and depraved hating God, should be leading question of location: where were they brought out from or where were they before being made alive in Christ Jesus? And on the purpose of Election, with this last question in step we should ask, 'why would God even choose to save anyone?' Of course we understand from Romans 9 why He would do so and the reason is of course for His own Glory, for His own pleasure. So thus Grace is undeserved through Election which is unconditional.
Humility - Because of the nature of this grace - it being undeserved it ought to bring about humility in how I live through my daily speech, walk and thought life. Which is reflected in my prayer life and devotional life to Him. (Phil. 2, Jude 18-25). What is Humility? It is that which honors God because it is 1) dependent upon God and 2) It does not boast in its own merits but on the righteousness of Christ alone (Romans 10:1-4) and 3) does not shout for rights that it probably deserves and 4) It, to say positively, obeys God fully, Which is what Faith does; Faith is a humble trust in the glory of God's gospel in which the focus is not man but God alone.
Election - for one I did not deserve Salvation. The Scriptures say that all men fall short of the glory of God. There is no one who fears God (Romans 3). John 3:16-20 sets up the characteristic of those who walk in light and those who walk in darkness. First thing to note is that when one looks at his nature and sinfulness, he cannot help but realize that he is a sinner. In my life especially when I look at my own sinfulness of my past and current, I cannot help but notice that I am a wretched sinner saved by grace alone - not deserving of it at all. As Ephesians 2:1-3 shows first that the Christian was dead in their sins and trespesses obeying the desires of the flesh ruled by the ruler of this world deserving God's just wrath as the rest of the world, but they are now made alive, raised up, and seated with Christ in the heavenly realms by grace alone (Grace is what is causing the action). This ought to bring me especially very low as that of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5-11). The thought when one thinks of the whole world being lost and depraved hating God, should be leading question of location: where were they brought out from or where were they before being made alive in Christ Jesus? And on the purpose of Election, with this last question in step we should ask, 'why would God even choose to save anyone?' Of course we understand from Romans 9 why He would do so and the reason is of course for His own Glory, for His own pleasure. So thus Grace is undeserved through Election which is unconditional.
Humility - Because of the nature of this grace - it being undeserved it ought to bring about humility in how I live through my daily speech, walk and thought life. Which is reflected in my prayer life and devotional life to Him. (Phil. 2, Jude 18-25). What is Humility? It is that which honors God because it is 1) dependent upon God and 2) It does not boast in its own merits but on the righteousness of Christ alone (Romans 10:1-4) and 3) does not shout for rights that it probably deserves and 4) It, to say positively, obeys God fully, Which is what Faith does; Faith is a humble trust in the glory of God's gospel in which the focus is not man but God alone.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Soteriology
Supralapsarianism - According to what I understand as of this moment is that it means (Supra) "before or above" (Lapsa) "the fall" and it states that God first decreed the Cross, then secondly He decreed to elect certain individuals, and thirdly He decreed to permit the Fall. The whole point of creation was to bring glory and honor to God. God creates man so that man may glorify and enjoy God forever.
Man chose freely to disregard or to rebel against God in disobedience thus permitting the Fall of Humanity. Genesis 3.
Accordingly all of History points directly towards the Christ event. Thus as history progresses from the fall, as we read from the Old Testament, it anticipates the coming of Christ as the supreme Sacrifice to come, which ultimately shows the Glory of God in his righteousness and his mercy.
Now According to Romans 9, where Paul ask the question why are the Jews living in disobedience, for it was they who had all of the things that pertained to Salvation. Pauls answer is that 1. Just because one is born an Isrealite does not make them an Isrealite. For it is not the ethnic who are Isreal. "This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring" Verse 8. Pauls second answer is that this was to promote or ensure God's purpose of election, it was for God's own glory. "Though they (Esau and Jacob) were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" verses 11-13.
Now the ultimate point I want to make is that elect are the people who are loved by God and the repobate are the people who are hated by God. Just to be sure no one knows who are the elect and who are the reprobate and thus as those who profess faith in the Son - Jesus Christ - by the working of the Holy Spirit there is the need to go out and do evangelism. To put clear IF one is the elect, and yet does not come to faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, THEN he was never part of the elect.
Man chose freely to disregard or to rebel against God in disobedience thus permitting the Fall of Humanity. Genesis 3.
Accordingly all of History points directly towards the Christ event. Thus as history progresses from the fall, as we read from the Old Testament, it anticipates the coming of Christ as the supreme Sacrifice to come, which ultimately shows the Glory of God in his righteousness and his mercy.
Now According to Romans 9, where Paul ask the question why are the Jews living in disobedience, for it was they who had all of the things that pertained to Salvation. Pauls answer is that 1. Just because one is born an Isrealite does not make them an Isrealite. For it is not the ethnic who are Isreal. "This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring" Verse 8. Pauls second answer is that this was to promote or ensure God's purpose of election, it was for God's own glory. "Though they (Esau and Jacob) were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" verses 11-13.
Now the ultimate point I want to make is that elect are the people who are loved by God and the repobate are the people who are hated by God. Just to be sure no one knows who are the elect and who are the reprobate and thus as those who profess faith in the Son - Jesus Christ - by the working of the Holy Spirit there is the need to go out and do evangelism. To put clear IF one is the elect, and yet does not come to faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, THEN he was never part of the elect.
In Jesus Christ Alone
In reading 1 John 1-2 and the various letter openings from the Apostles we see the exclusiveness of Christianity. That Christ by His life, death, and resurrection those who are trusting in His righteousness are Justified in Him alone, and It is through His death the Wrath of God is Pacified or appeased (as a baby sucks on a pacifyer to keep it from crying) towards the one who has Faith in Christ Jesus and through his resurrection, just as he lives for the praise and glory of God the Father, those who are in Him now and also ought to live for the praise and glory of God.
TULIP
Total Depravity - Man can do nothing spiritually good to gain them salvation before a Holy God, who justly gave the law. Through this depravity man's will is in bondage to their sins. This meaning that they can do nothing but to sin and has thus lost the ability to choose good over evil. This however does not mean that man can do no good, it just means man is so evil that if left to himself he would act accordingly without the grace of God. Ezekiel 36, and Romans 1-3 and Ephesians 2:1-3.
Unconditional Election - God's election of particular sinners is unconditional. It is not based upon man's desire or will or even effort, but on the choice of God for his glory alone. This being said, it needs to be stated that 1. it is after the elect are regenerated or become spiritually alive by the working of the Holy Spirit when they actually repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus "those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ." As someone once said where the arminian says he owes his election to his faith, the Calvinist says he owes his faith to his election. Romans 8 and 9, Ephesians 1 and 2
Limited Atonement - Probably one of the most confused and misunderstood doctrines amongst many Christians is this. Christ death was a Substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin on behalf of particular sinners chosen by God for his own glory alone. Where in the doctrine of the election God chooses a particular people, in Limited atonement, Christ actually wins salvation for those whom God foreknew first and predestined. Romans 5, and Hebrews 9
Irresistible Grace - The Grace of God is effectual and irresistible, meaning that when the gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit is active in such a way in the persons heart, the person cannot reject it. Those whom are Elect will be saved and those who are not elect will not be saved. This being said it must be noted that the word preached once to a sinner and rejected does not necessarily mean he is part of the repobate. It may take months and years till the Spirit brings the sinner to salvation. "He is not limited by man's will or dependent upon man's cooperation for success." Acts 9 -Pauls conversion.
Perservance of the Saints - Those who are saved will never lose their salvation. In other words, "all who were chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved." Those who apparently move away from the faith can be said to have never actually been saved at all. It is a working of God that one is saved and not a working of the human will. "This doctrine does not maintain that all who profess the Christ faith are certain of heaven. many who profess belief and then 'fall away' do not fall from grace; they were never in grace. True believers fall into various temptations and commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or seperate them from Christ." Romans 8 and Jude 24-25
Unconditional Election - God's election of particular sinners is unconditional. It is not based upon man's desire or will or even effort, but on the choice of God for his glory alone. This being said, it needs to be stated that 1. it is after the elect are regenerated or become spiritually alive by the working of the Holy Spirit when they actually repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus "those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ." As someone once said where the arminian says he owes his election to his faith, the Calvinist says he owes his faith to his election. Romans 8 and 9, Ephesians 1 and 2
Limited Atonement - Probably one of the most confused and misunderstood doctrines amongst many Christians is this. Christ death was a Substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin on behalf of particular sinners chosen by God for his own glory alone. Where in the doctrine of the election God chooses a particular people, in Limited atonement, Christ actually wins salvation for those whom God foreknew first and predestined. Romans 5, and Hebrews 9
Irresistible Grace - The Grace of God is effectual and irresistible, meaning that when the gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit is active in such a way in the persons heart, the person cannot reject it. Those whom are Elect will be saved and those who are not elect will not be saved. This being said it must be noted that the word preached once to a sinner and rejected does not necessarily mean he is part of the repobate. It may take months and years till the Spirit brings the sinner to salvation. "He is not limited by man's will or dependent upon man's cooperation for success." Acts 9 -Pauls conversion.
Perservance of the Saints - Those who are saved will never lose their salvation. In other words, "all who were chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved." Those who apparently move away from the faith can be said to have never actually been saved at all. It is a working of God that one is saved and not a working of the human will. "This doctrine does not maintain that all who profess the Christ faith are certain of heaven. many who profess belief and then 'fall away' do not fall from grace; they were never in grace. True believers fall into various temptations and commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or seperate them from Christ." Romans 8 and Jude 24-25
The Gospel
God is the Sovereign creator of all things that is here and He is Perfectly good and not evil, without and even hating sin (Holy). All men, though created by God, made to glorify Him by enjoying Him forever, rebelled against God and thus stand condemned before Him and deserving of His eternal wrath. The Scripture say that because Adam sinned all have sinned, sort of like a batch of dough with a little leaven added to it, thus all men being related to Adam stand marked as depraved through his disobedience and through our own action. But God being merciful and gracious sent Jesus Christ, Who being the Son of God was able to live the righteous life that no one can live commanded by God through the Law and being fully Man was able to take mans place on the Cross. Therefore through His righteous Life and death, His righteousness may be imputed (that is transfered to the sinner's bank account). Therefore through Jesus Christ righteous acts imputed to him, the sinner may have a relationship with God by repenting (turning away from sin and turning to God) and believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Less the sinner repents and believes the good news he will surely die in his unrighteousness and recieve as a wage the wrath that is to come due to his own sin. "For the wages of sin is death and the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23. Although good works does not save one, the assurance that one is saved is not through church membership or a prayer, but is through good works. As Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
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