Here is J.I. fourth response to "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God"
(4) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the responsibility of the sinner for his reaction to the gospel.
Whatever we may believe about election, the fact remains that a man who rejects Christ thereby becomes the cause of his own condemnation. Unbelief in the Bible is a guilty thing, and unbelievers cannot excuse themselves on the grounds that they were not elect. The unbeliever was really offered life in the gospel, and could have had it if he would; he, and no-one but he, is responsible for the fact that he rejected it, and must now endure the consequences of rejecting it.
‘Everywhere in Scripture,’ writes Bishop J. C. Ryle, ‘it is a leading principle that man can lose his own soul, that if he is lost at last it will be his own fault, and his blood will be on his own head.
The same inspired Bible which reveals this doctrine of election is the Bible which contains the words,
19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3: 19-21
J.I. goes on to say, "The Bible never says that sinners miss heaven because they are not elect, but because they “neglect the great salvation”, and because they will not repent and believe. The last judgment will abundantly prove that it is not the want of God’s election, so much as laziness, the love of sin, unbelief, and unwillingness to come to Christ, which ruins the souls that are lost.
God gives men what they choose, not the opposite of what they choose. Those who choose death, therefore, have only themselves to thank that God does not give them life. The doctrine of divine sovereignty does not affect the situation in any way."
Tell me what you think.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Evangelism & The Sovereignty Of God Part 3
Here is J.I. third response to the question, "Why Evangelize if God is Sovereign?"
(3) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the genuineness of the gospel invitations, or the truth of the gospel promises.
Whatever we may believe about election, and, for that matter, about the extent of the atonement, the fact remains that God in the gospel really does offer Christ and promise justification and life to ‘whosoever will’. ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Rom. 10:13 As God commands all men everywhere to repent, so God invites all men everywhere to come to Christ and find mercy. The invitation is for sinners only, but for sinners universally; it is not for sinners of a certain type only, reformed sinners, or sinners whose hearts have been prepared by a fixed minimum of sorrow for sin; but for sinners as such, just as they are.
Some fear that a doctrine of eternal election and reprobation involves the possibility that Christ will not receive some of those who desire to receive Him, because they are not elect. The words of the gospel promises, however, absolutely exclude this possibility.
As our Lord elsewhere affirmed, in emphatic and categorical terms:
‘Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.’[Jn 6:37]
It is true that God has from all eternity chosen whom He will save. It is true that Christ came specifically to save those whom the Father had given Him. But it is also true that Christ offers Himself freely to all men as their Saviour, and guarantees to bring to glory everyone who trusts in Him as such. See how He Himself deliberately juxtaposes these two thoughts in the following passage:
38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:38-40
Packer gives commentary on these verses this way:
1) ‘All which he has given me’—here is Christ’s saving mission defined in terms of the whole company of the elect, whom He came specifically to save.
2)‘everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life’—here is Christ’s saving mission defined in terms of the whole company of lost mankind, to whom He offers Himself without distinction, and whom He will certainly save, if they believe.
The two truths stand side by side in these verses, and that is where they belong. They go together. They walk hand in hand.
Neither throws doubt on the truth of the other. Neither should fill our minds to the exclusion of the other.
Christ means what He says, no less when He undertakes to save all who will trust Him than when He undertakes to save all whom the Father has given Him.
So indeed it is. The invitations of Christ are words of God. They are true. They are meant. They are genuine invitations. They are to be pressed upon the unconverted as such. Nothing that we may believe about God’s sovereignty in grace makes any difference to this.
What do you think of Packer's third point?
(3) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the genuineness of the gospel invitations, or the truth of the gospel promises.
Whatever we may believe about election, and, for that matter, about the extent of the atonement, the fact remains that God in the gospel really does offer Christ and promise justification and life to ‘whosoever will’. ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Rom. 10:13 As God commands all men everywhere to repent, so God invites all men everywhere to come to Christ and find mercy. The invitation is for sinners only, but for sinners universally; it is not for sinners of a certain type only, reformed sinners, or sinners whose hearts have been prepared by a fixed minimum of sorrow for sin; but for sinners as such, just as they are.
Some fear that a doctrine of eternal election and reprobation involves the possibility that Christ will not receive some of those who desire to receive Him, because they are not elect. The words of the gospel promises, however, absolutely exclude this possibility.
As our Lord elsewhere affirmed, in emphatic and categorical terms:
‘Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.’[Jn 6:37]
It is true that God has from all eternity chosen whom He will save. It is true that Christ came specifically to save those whom the Father had given Him. But it is also true that Christ offers Himself freely to all men as their Saviour, and guarantees to bring to glory everyone who trusts in Him as such. See how He Himself deliberately juxtaposes these two thoughts in the following passage:
38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:38-40
Packer gives commentary on these verses this way:
1) ‘All which he has given me’—here is Christ’s saving mission defined in terms of the whole company of the elect, whom He came specifically to save.
2)‘everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life’—here is Christ’s saving mission defined in terms of the whole company of lost mankind, to whom He offers Himself without distinction, and whom He will certainly save, if they believe.
The two truths stand side by side in these verses, and that is where they belong. They go together. They walk hand in hand.
Neither throws doubt on the truth of the other. Neither should fill our minds to the exclusion of the other.
Christ means what He says, no less when He undertakes to save all who will trust Him than when He undertakes to save all whom the Father has given Him.
So indeed it is. The invitations of Christ are words of God. They are true. They are meant. They are genuine invitations. They are to be pressed upon the unconverted as such. Nothing that we may believe about God’s sovereignty in grace makes any difference to this.
What do you think of Packer's third point?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
This is Awesome!!
I am not leaving my post on the "Sovereignty of God and Evangelism", but one of my favorite preachers John MacArthur hits the nail on the head in these interviews.
These clips are taken from shows during 9-11 and after on a variety of topics. John stands on the Word of God. This is simply how I want to answer critics in a day of tolerance..... Most evangelicals side step these issues and water down the Bible and the Gospel when they are asked the hard questions on shows like Larry King, John doesn't.
These clips are taken from shows during 9-11 and after on a variety of topics. John stands on the Word of God. This is simply how I want to answer critics in a day of tolerance..... Most evangelicals side step these issues and water down the Bible and the Gospel when they are asked the hard questions on shows like Larry King, John doesn't.
Evangelism & The Sovereignty Of God Part 2
Here is Part 2 of the response by J.I. Packer to the Sovereignty of God and Evangelism question.
(2) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the urgency of evangelism.
Whatever we may believe about election, the fact remains that men without Christ are lost, and going to hell (pardon the use of this tarnished phrase: I use it because I mean it).
‘Except ye repent,’ said our Lord to the crowd, ‘ye shall all . . . perish.’[Lk xiii.3,5]
And we who are Christ’s are sent to tell them of the One—the only One—who can save them from perishing. Is not their need urgent? If it is, does that not make evangelism a matter of urgency for us?
If you knew that a man was asleep in a blazing building, you would think it a matter of urgency to try and get to him, and wake him up, and bring him out. The world is full of people who are unaware that they stand under the wrath of God: is it not similarly a matter of urgency that we should go to them, and try to arouse them, and show them the way of escape?
We should not be held back by the thought that if they are not elect, they will not believe us, and our efforts to convert them will fail. That is true; but it is none of our business, and should make no difference to our action.
In the first place, it is always wrong to abstain from doing good for fear that it might not be appreciated. In the second place, the non-elect in this world are faceless men as far as we are concerned. We know that they exist, but we do not and cannot know who they are, and it is as futile as it is impious for us to try and guess.
The identity of the reprobate is one of God’s ‘secret things’ into which His people may not pry. In the third place, our calling as Christians is not to love God’s elect, and them only, but to love our neighbour, irrespective of whether he is elect or not. Now, the nature of love is to do good and to relieve need.
If, then, our neighbour is unconverted, we are to show love to him as best we can by seeking to share with him the good news without which he must needs perish. So we find Paul warning and teaching ‘every man’:[Col. i.28] not merely because he was an apostle, but because every man was his neighbour.
And the measure of the urgency of our evangelistic task is the greatness of our neighbour’s need and the immediacy of his danger.
Please tell me your thoughts on J.I.'s views on this subject.
Comment here or by e-mail.
(2) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the urgency of evangelism.
Whatever we may believe about election, the fact remains that men without Christ are lost, and going to hell (pardon the use of this tarnished phrase: I use it because I mean it).
‘Except ye repent,’ said our Lord to the crowd, ‘ye shall all . . . perish.’[Lk xiii.3,5]
And we who are Christ’s are sent to tell them of the One—the only One—who can save them from perishing. Is not their need urgent? If it is, does that not make evangelism a matter of urgency for us?
If you knew that a man was asleep in a blazing building, you would think it a matter of urgency to try and get to him, and wake him up, and bring him out. The world is full of people who are unaware that they stand under the wrath of God: is it not similarly a matter of urgency that we should go to them, and try to arouse them, and show them the way of escape?
We should not be held back by the thought that if they are not elect, they will not believe us, and our efforts to convert them will fail. That is true; but it is none of our business, and should make no difference to our action.
In the first place, it is always wrong to abstain from doing good for fear that it might not be appreciated. In the second place, the non-elect in this world are faceless men as far as we are concerned. We know that they exist, but we do not and cannot know who they are, and it is as futile as it is impious for us to try and guess.
The identity of the reprobate is one of God’s ‘secret things’ into which His people may not pry. In the third place, our calling as Christians is not to love God’s elect, and them only, but to love our neighbour, irrespective of whether he is elect or not. Now, the nature of love is to do good and to relieve need.
If, then, our neighbour is unconverted, we are to show love to him as best we can by seeking to share with him the good news without which he must needs perish. So we find Paul warning and teaching ‘every man’:[Col. i.28] not merely because he was an apostle, but because every man was his neighbour.
And the measure of the urgency of our evangelistic task is the greatness of our neighbour’s need and the immediacy of his danger.
Please tell me your thoughts on J.I.'s views on this subject.
Comment here or by e-mail.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Evangelism & The Sovereignty Of God Part 1
I am often asked, "If God is sovereign, why evangelize?"
This questions arises from people who really don't understand God's sovereignty or His Grace.
J.I. Packer answers this question this way:
(1) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the necessity of evangelism.
Whatever we may believe about election, the fact remains that evangelism is necessary, because no man can be saved without the gospel.
‘There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek,’ proclaims Paul; ‘for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) shall be saved.’
Yes; but nobody will be saved who does not call upon the name of the Lord, and certain things must happen before any man can do this.
So Paul continues: ‘How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?’[Rom x.12 ff.]
They must be told of Christ before they can trust Him, and they must trust Him before they can be saved by Him. Salvation depends on faith, and faith on knowing the gospel. God’s way of saving sinners is to bring them to faith through bringing them into contact with the gospel.
In God’s ordering of things, therefore, evangelism is a necessity if anyone is to be saved at all.
We must realize, therefore, that when God sends us to evangelize, He sends us to act as vital links in the chain of His purpose for the salvation of His elect.
I will post the rest of his response in following blogs...
This questions arises from people who really don't understand God's sovereignty or His Grace.
J.I. Packer answers this question this way:
(1) The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the necessity of evangelism.
Whatever we may believe about election, the fact remains that evangelism is necessary, because no man can be saved without the gospel.
‘There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek,’ proclaims Paul; ‘for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) shall be saved.’
Yes; but nobody will be saved who does not call upon the name of the Lord, and certain things must happen before any man can do this.
So Paul continues: ‘How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?’[Rom x.12 ff.]
They must be told of Christ before they can trust Him, and they must trust Him before they can be saved by Him. Salvation depends on faith, and faith on knowing the gospel. God’s way of saving sinners is to bring them to faith through bringing them into contact with the gospel.
In God’s ordering of things, therefore, evangelism is a necessity if anyone is to be saved at all.
We must realize, therefore, that when God sends us to evangelize, He sends us to act as vital links in the chain of His purpose for the salvation of His elect.
I will post the rest of his response in following blogs...
Thursday, January 24, 2008
What do you think?
Listen to sound bites from this sermon by Paul Washer and tell me what you think of it?
Comment here or email me.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Redneck in India!
Below are pictures of my favorite Redneck- Todd Payne.
Todd's prayer request: preaching revival at night for 3 weeks, salvations, safety, Gracy, Jeremiah, ... etc.
Todd went to a 5am prayer service at a Dehli orphanage and saw the children shivering and bought thermal wear for them.
When I saw these pictures I just Thanked the Lord for calling and sending Todd to India. I also Thanked the Lord for the money given thru ETBC this past December that helped Todd, Gracy, and Jeremiah get to India.
If God can use a Redneck from Stony Point imagine what He can do thru you!!
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Todd's prayer request: preaching revival at night for 3 weeks, salvations, safety, Gracy, Jeremiah, ... etc.
Todd went to a 5am prayer service at a Dehli orphanage and saw the children shivering and bought thermal wear for them.
When I saw these pictures I just Thanked the Lord for calling and sending Todd to India. I also Thanked the Lord for the money given thru ETBC this past December that helped Todd, Gracy, and Jeremiah get to India.
If God can use a Redneck from Stony Point imagine what He can do thru you!!
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Duke Flop!
Is Duke an acting school? When you watch this video you see some really good acting.
Especially watch Paulus fall when barely touched on a 3-pointer with the game on the line.
What a great Coach, K must be, to ruin the integrity of the game by this travesty in sports ethics.
Duke players with 10 flops in such a short span.
In this game Duke shot 34 free throws! This is from a team that shot 22 3-pointers, unheard of!!
It's sad to watch a team ruin the integrity of the game and manipulate the refs so greatly, but I guess that's what you get when you play Duke and Coach K!
PS. Duke Fans February 6th is coming! Go Heels!
Especially watch Paulus fall when barely touched on a 3-pointer with the game on the line.
What a great Coach, K must be, to ruin the integrity of the game by this travesty in sports ethics.
Duke players with 10 flops in such a short span.
In this game Duke shot 34 free throws! This is from a team that shot 22 3-pointers, unheard of!!
It's sad to watch a team ruin the integrity of the game and manipulate the refs so greatly, but I guess that's what you get when you play Duke and Coach K!
PS. Duke Fans February 6th is coming! Go Heels!
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