Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” — GAL 3:11

The doctrine of justification, the storm center of the Reformation, was a major concern of the apostle Paul. For him it was the heart of the gospel (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-5:21; Gal. 2:15-5:1) shaping both his message (Acts 13:38-39) and his devotion and spiritual life (2 Cor. 5:13-21; Phil. 3:4-14). Though other New Testament writers affirm the same doctrine in substance, the terms in which Protestants have affirmed and defended it for almost five centuries are drawn primarily from Paul.

Justification is a judicial act of God pardoning sinners (wicked and ungodly persons, Rom. 4:5; 3:9-24), accepting them as just, and so putting permanently right their previously estranged relationship with himself. This justifying sentence is God’s gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:15-17), his bestowal of a status of acceptance for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 5:21).

God’s justifying judgment seems strange, for pronouncing sinners righteous may appear to be precisely the unjust action on the judge’s part that God’s own law forbade (Deut. 25:1; Prov. 17:15). Yet it is in fact a just judgment, for its basis is the righteousness of Jesus Christ who as “the last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45), our representative head acting on our behalf, obeyed the law that bound us and endured the retribution for lawlessness that was our due and so (to use a medieval technical term) “merited” our justification. So we are justified justly, on the basis of justice done (Rom. 3:25-26) and Christ’s righteousness reckoned to our account (Rom. 5:18-19).

God’s justifying decision is the judgment of the Last Day, declaring where we shall spend eternity, brought forward into the present and pronounced here and now. It is the last judgment that will ever be passed on our destiny; God will never go back on it, however much Satan may appeal against God’s verdict (Zech. 3:1; Rev. 12:10; Rom. 8:33-34). To be justified is to be eternally secure (Rom. 5:1-5; 8:30).

The necessary means, or instrumental cause, of justification is personal faith in Jesus Christ as crucified Savior and risen Lord (Rom. 4:23-25; 10:8-13). This is because the meritorious ground of our justification is entirely in Christ. As we give ourselves in faith to Jesus, Jesus gives us his gift of righteousness, so that in the very act of “closing with Christ,” as older Reformed teachers put it, we receive divine pardon and acceptance which we could not otherwise have (Gal. 2:15-16; 3:24).

Official Roman Catholic theology includes sanctification in the definition of justification, which it sees as a process rather than a single decisive event, and affirms that while faith contributes to our acceptance with God, our works of satisfaction and merit contribute too. Rome sees baptism, viewed as a channel of sanctifying grace, as the primary instrumental cause of justification, and the sacrament of penance, whereby congruous merit is achieved through works of satisfaction, as the supplementary restorative cause whenever the grace of God’s initial acceptance is lost through mortal sin. Congruous, as distinct from condign, merit means merit that it is fitting, though not absolutely necessary, for God to reward by a fresh flow of sanctifying grace. On the Roman Catholic view, therefore, believers save themselves with the help of the grace that flows from Christ through the church’s sacramental system, and in this life no sense of confidence in God’s grace can ordinarily be had. Such teaching is a far cry from that of Paul.    Source

– J.I. Packer

From: Concise Theology: A Guide To Historic Christian Beliefs

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is summed up in these two verses of scripture.  That Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised back to life three days later, thus conquering death which gives us the hope that we too if we are found in Christ when we die will be raised to be with Him forever. While these two verses are a summation of the truth of the Gospel, and are of first importance,  it doesn’t tell the whole story…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” – John 1:1-3

These verses are so rich in themselves and there is so much that we can talk about just in these scriptures but I want to focus the fact that in the beginning God made everything.  Specifically, all things were made through Jesus (the Word) and without Jesus nothing was made that was made. Everything was made by Christ.  the heavens, the earth, everything in the earth including the seas, the trees, all creeping things, as well as man and woman.  He created the garden of Eden for Adam and Eve, and God gave them charge over everything in the garden as well as the whole earth. – Gen. 1:28-30.

God gave them one command.  ”And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” – Gen. 2:16-17.  They could freely eat of any tree within the garden, but there was ONE tree that was forbidden to them.  Just like us today, we always want what we can’t have.  We can never be content with what we have.  Not only did they have no doubt hundreds of trees they could eat off of… but they had the privilege of being in the presence of Almighty God Himself, living in perfect harmony with the Creator of the universe!

We then read that the Serpent came by and persuaded Eve to eat of the forbidden tree.  Then she went to her husband and lured him into the deception of eating the fruit also.  - Gen. 3:1-7.

This is no small thing.  This tragic event has HUGE implications… I think too many times we tend to minimize what actually happened here in the garden of Eden that day.  It is not the fact that they ate the fruit from a certain tree that is in view here.  What IS in view is that Adam and Eve, our first parents, sinned against an infinitely holy God, transgressed the commandment of the God who had made them and gave them everything they had.  They decided that their way of doing things was so much better than God’s way.  Essentially, they were the ultimate authority… not the God who had created them.

Then we read on…   To the woman He said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.  Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”  And to Adam He said,  “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” – Gen. 3:16-19.

and also we read… ‘Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.’ – Gen. 3:22-24.

Not only were they punished in the sense that woman would have pain in childbearing, and man would have to work the ground and earn his living by the sweat of his face… but God said that they would die physically.  It doesn’t end there though.  Notice that God drove them out of the garden, from His presence, and placed cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life.  This is a picture of the SPIRITUAL death that they will now experience.  Notice that they would never be able to earn their way back to God by making up for the wrong they had done.  They couldn’t go back and regain a good standing with God by undoing what they had done by eating of the tree of life on their own.  That way was now blocked. God would have to provide another way… IF He chose to do so.  I say IF because God did not have to.  He could have left them in their condition.  He could have left us all in our sinful state.  He is under NO obligation to rescue anyone.  He would be perfectly just in condemning us all to hell eternally.  Why is the punishment so severe? You might ask.  Well because of the nature of the Person whom they and we have offended.  God is infinitely HOLY, and thus the punishment for breaking His commands should be of an infinite nature.  God is righteous and just, we are unrighteous and full of wickedness.  “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked;  Who can know it?” – Jeremiah 17:9.

From the time of Adam on, man would continue to try and find his own way to get back to God.  Man, sinful in nature because of the fall would never again be right with God.  God’s Word says that our nature since the fall has become enslaved to sin.  Romans 6:6, John 8:34, Romans 6:17, Romans 6:20.  This means that we can do nothing but sin. Nothing.  You might find this hard to believe since there are many “good” things that humans do all over the world.  There are hospitals, orphanages, shelters for the homeless, young men who help the elderly across the street… (well, there used to be anyway.)  Sure people do good things, I recognize that.  Remember that God doesn’t look on the outward, but on the inward.  He looks at the heart, its motivations and intentions.  The scripture says that, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” – Romans 14:23b.  Also, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” – Rom. 8:8.  And, “without faith it is impossible to please him…” – Heb. 11:6a.  What we can take from these scriptures is that nobody can please God apart from faith, and that everything that is not done by faith in Christ is SIN. So naturally this has to mean that if a person does not have faith in the Son of God everything they do is from a heart that is sinful by nature… enslaved to sin.  This has disastrous implications when it comes to humans trying to work their way to God or do things for God for merit on their own.  This is why there is absolutely NOTHING that we sinful, wicked humans can do to merit salvation.  Apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ, we are left without hope.  We are on our way to hell.  God would be totally just in sentencing us to such a punishment for our open rebellion toward Him everyday.  Reflect upon God’s Word:  “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” – Rom. 3:10-18.

We deserve Hell…

“BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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.”

Even when we dead in our trespasses… enslaved to sin… at enmity with God… without saving  faith toward God, God rich in mercy because He loved us made us alive by His grace and raised us up with Him to show forth the riches of His grace in kindness toward us.  He saved us.  It is not our own doing, it is His gift to us so that no one may boast.  And He planned for us to walk in good works (from faith) before everything began!

But how were we saved?  On what basis?

In accordance with God’s plan of redemption set forth from before the foundation of the world (Acts 4:27,28), God the Father sent His only begotten Son into the world in human form, the form of a lowly servant, born of a virgin.  He fulfilled all of the Law for us, keeping all of God’s commandments, living a totally sinless life.  He was betrayed by the Judas Iscariot, given into the hands of the Jewish religious leaders of the day and ultimately given up to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate to be nailed to a cross for a crime that He did not commit.  He suffered and died a horrible, shameful death on the cross for our crimes… all of our sin, our open rebellion, our hatred for God, all of it was laid on Jesus and He took it willingly as a substitutionary atonement for our sins.  He died for us, so that we who repent and trust (believe) in Him might live with Him!  You see, God was able to render us justified because of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.  He died a death that we should have died.  Our sins were transferred or imputed to Him, and His righteousness (or sinless perfection) was transferred or imputed to us so that when we stand before God after we die we will be welcomed into the presence of God on the basis of the work of His Son Jesus Christ.  After He died He was buried in a tomb and on the third day He rose from the grave and eventually ascended to heaven to the right hand of God thus triumphing over the power of death for us so that we who are found in Jesus can hope to triumph over death and live eternally with Him!  What a great God!! All those who believe this… who believe in Christ’s atoning work on their behalf and repent of their sins will be saved.  We do not work to merit favor with God any longer… but we rest in the Son, trusting that what He has done is sufficient for us! THIS IS THE GOSPEL.

In summary, God made us, and instead of finding our joy and satisfaction in Him we broke His commands and decided that our way was better.  We try and try to get back to God by trying to earn favor with Him using our own methods.  We deserve hell and God would be perfectly just in letting us go there but instead God was pleased to send Jesus to be a ransom for His people.  He was sinless and yet suffered, died, and was buried. He rose again three days later and conquered death for us.  Through repentance from sin and faith toward God we are saved on the basis of Christ’s substitutionary work.

Repent of all your wickedness and place your faith in Christ for salvation today!

Though repentance is the act of man—yet it is the gift of God. It requires the same power to melt the heart—as to make it. As we are deeply fallen from a state of innocence, so we should rise to a state of penitence. Those sins shall never make a hell for us—which are a hell to us. Some people have sin enough for all their sorrows—but not sorrow enough for all their sins. Their eyes are windows to let in lusts—when they should be flood-gates to pour out tears!

When godly sorrow takes possession of the house—it will quickly shut sin out of doors. There must be a falling out with our lusts—before there can be a genuine falling off from our lusts. There must be a sincere loathing of sin in our affections—before a true leaving of sin in our actions. It is a hearty mourning for our transgressions, which makes way for a happy funeral of our corruptions!

Sinner, you have filled the book of God with your sins—and will you not fill the bottle of God with your tears? Remember, that when Christ draws the likeness of the new creature, His first brush is dipped in water: “Unless you repent—you shall all likewise perish!” Is it not better to repent without perishing—than to perish without repenting? Godly sorrow is such a grace, that without it—not a soul shall be saved; and with it—not a soul shall be lost! Is it not therefore better to swim in the water-works of godly repentance—than to burn in the fire-works of divine vengeance? Do not think that the tears which are shed in hell—will in the least abate the torments which are suffered in hell!

He who lives in sin, without repentance—shall die in sin, without forgiveness. There is no coming to the fair haven of glory—without sailing through the narrow strait of repentance. We must mourn for sin on earth—or burn for sin in hell! It is better traveling to heaven sadly—than to hell merrily!

It is the coldness of our hearts—which kindles the fire of God’s anger. “They will look on Me whom they have pierced—and shall mourn!” Zechariah 12:10. Christians! The nails which pierced Christ’s hands—should now pierce your hearts! You should now be deeply wounded with godly sorrow—for having so deeply wounded Him with your ungodly sins!

– (William Secker, “The Consistent Christian” 1660)

It is not enough to reply, “I belong to the church; I suppose I’m a Christian.” Thousands of nominal Christians show none of the signs of being born again which the Scriptures have given us—many listed in the First Epistle of John.

No Habitual Sinning

First of all, John wrote: “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” (I John 3:9). “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not” (5:18).

A person who has been born again, or regenerated, does not habitually commit sin. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole inclination. There was probably a time when he did not think about whether his actions were sinful or not, and he did not always feel grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends. But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it. Sin no longer pleases him, nor is it even a matter of indifference to him; it has become a horrible thing which he hates. However, he cannot eliminate its presence within him.

If he said that he had no sin, he would be lying (I John 1:8). But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or shortcomings, omissions, and defects from appealing in both his words and his actions. He knows that “in many things we offend all” (James 3:2). But he can truly say, in the sight of God, that these things cause him grief and sorrow and that his whole nature does not consent to them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Believing in Christ

Second, John wrote: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (I John 5:1).

A man who is born again, or regenerated, believes that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour who can pardon his soul, that He is the divine person appointed by God the Father for this very purpose, and beside Him there is no Saviour at all. In himself he sees nothing but unworthiness. But he has full confidence in Christ, and trusting in Him, he believes that his sins are all forgiven. He believes that, because he has accepted Christ’s finished work and death on the cross, he is considered righteous in God’s sight, and he may look forward to death and judgment without alarm.

He may have fears and doubts. He may sometimes tell you that he feels as if he had no faith at all. But ask him if he is willing to trust in anything instead of Christ, and see what he will say. Ask him if he will rest his hope of eternal life on his own goodness, his own works, his prayers, his minister, or his church, and listen to his reply. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Practicing Righteousness

Third, John wrote: “Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him” (I John 2:29).

The man who is born again, or regenerated, is a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God’s will, to do the things that please God and to avoid the things that God hates. He wishes to continually look to Christ as his example as well as his Saviour and to prove himself to be Christ’s friend by doing whatever He commands. He knows he is not perfect. He is painfully aware of his indwelling corruption. He finds an evil principle within himself that is constantly warring against grace and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.

Though he may sometimes feel so low that he questions whether or not he is a Christian at all, he will be able to say with John Newton, “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.” What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Loving Other Christians

Fourth, John wrote: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (I John 3:14).

A man who is born again has a special love for all true disciples of Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he loves all men with a great general love, but he has a special love for those who share his faith in Christ. Like his Lord and Saviour, he loves the worst of sinners and could weep over them; but he has a peculiar love for those who are believers. He is never so much at home as when he is in their company.

He feels they are all members of the same family. They are his fellow soldiers, fighting against the same enemy. They are his fellow travelers, journeying along the same road. He understands them, and they understand him. They may be very different from himself in many ways—in rank, in station and in wealth. But that does not matter. They are his Father’s sons and daughters and he cannot help loving them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Overcoming the World

Fifth, John wrote: “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world” (I John 5:4).

A man who is born again does not use the world’s opinion as his standard of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the world’s ways, ideas and customs. What men think or say no longer concerns him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which seem to bring happiness to most people. To him they seem foolish and unworthy of an immortal being.

He loves God’s praise more than man’s praise. He fears offending God more than offending man. It is unimportant to him whether he is blamed or praised; his first aim is to please God. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Keeping Oneself Pure

Sixth, John wrote: “He that is begotten of God keepeth himself’ (I John 5:18).

A man who is born again is careful of his own soul. He tries not only to avoid sin but also to avoid everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the company he keeps. He knows that evil communications corrupt the heart and that evil is more catching than good, just as disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the use of his time; his chief desire is to spend it profitable.

He desires to live like a soldier in an enemy country—to wear his armor continually and to be prepared for temptation. He is diligent to be watchful, humble, prayerful man. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

The Test

These are the six great marks of a born again Christian.

There is a vast difference in the depth and distinctness of these marks in different people. In some they are faint and hardly noticeable. In others they are bold, plain and unmistakable, so anyone may read them. Some of these marks are more visible than others in each individual. Seldom are all equally evident in any one person.

But still, after every allowance, here we find boldly painted six marks of being born of God.

How should we react to these things? We can logically come to only one conclusion—only those who are born again have these six characteristics, and those who do not have these marks are not born again. This seems to be the conclusion to which the apostle intended us to come. Do you have these characteristics? Are you born again?

– J.C. Ryle

Don’t be lazy when it comes to your study of the scriptures…

Dig deep… KNOW GOD!

Visit me over @ Transformed By Grace

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,  and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”  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.  For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”  And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,  though they 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.”

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!  For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  So then it depends not on human will or exertion,  but on God, who has mercy.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. –Rom. 9:6-18

I recently heard a pastor preach from the above text of scripture.  This pastor is a non-Calvinist and so knowing this I wanted to see how he would handle this very straightforward, very non-negotiable section of scripture as I see it.

I know what he believes theologically but I’ve never heard him preach through this text before so I thought it would be just another rendition of a typical semi-Pelagian or Arminian who would totally mangle the text, miss the context, import the corporate-election view, etc…

Surprisingly, for about 85-90 percent of the sermon he preached it almost just like a Calvinist would preach it… emphasizing God’s sovereignty and God’s right to choose unconditionally whom He would save.  He even said that God actually hated Esau!

But towards the end, with about 10 mins left he totally flipped the track.  He began to emphasize the responsibility of man to choose Christ.  (I do believe in mans responsibility to repent and trust Christ)  He said though God is sovereign and elects whom He will save He still gives us free will to “choose” Christ.  It’s up to you!  You have to make a decision for Christ!

The rest is history.  After this he went in to the giving of the altar call, and the persistent begging of people to come up and dedicate their lives to Him… to accept Jesus into their heart.  (I was completely nauseous at this point.)

I’ll tell you why I was nauseous: Throughout the sermon I actually started to think that the pastor was going to let go of his tradition and faithfully exegete the scriptures as they were laid out.  Like I said before, most of the way through he preached as though God elects some to be saved unconditionally.  So when he made the statement above in bold, my heart grew faint because he chose to go back to his tradition rather than sticking to what the scripture actually tells us.  What he said doesn’t even make logical sense!  If God does it all, then it cannot be up to you!  Either God is sovereign or man is sovereign!

My question is this: Why would he do this?  Why would he interpret scripture according to the authors original intent for 90% of the sermon and then import his own interpretation in order to try and balance it out at the end?  I’ll tell you what, he didn’t balance it out at all.  All he did was put the focus of eternity right back onto man and his sinful, depraved, fallen decision making which cannot please God at all (Rom. 8:8)

Note to pastors everywhere: If you want to be faithful to the text and the authors intended meaning, (exegesis)  you cannot allow potential repercussions, (such as losing members of your congregation)  emotions, palatability, tradition to stand in the way!  The flock that God Almighty has entrusted YOU with will definitely appreciate you and respect you more for it.  Not to mention you will be honoring God by being faithful to your call as a faithful shepherd to His people.  Online Source

Ok… I’m done with my rant for now.  What do you think?

– Roger Servin

By the way, For one argument for the biblical soundness of Amillennialism, click here: Problems with Premillennialism. Now on to the principal intent of this post…

A Purpose for this Writing

In the past, it has been thought and even today it is currently being asserted that if one holds to Amillennialism, then he must believe that the Land Promise divinely issued for the sake of Abraham and his seed has been revoked. For the Millennium, as happening after the return of Christ, is said to be the grounds upon which that promise, concerning Abraham and his seed, shall come to fruition. Those who hold to Amillennialism are commonly and erroneously (as in this site: gotquestions.org) referred to as Replacement Theologians, so as to be seen as believing that God has rejected Israel and has set the Church in it’s place (as if the Church did not consist of Jews!). There is a twofold reason why such disparaging expressions about Amillennialism take place: There is an ignorance of Amillennialism and there are misunderstandings of Scripture. It will be my attempt to vindicate Amillennialism, in respect to the extent to which it is impugned by the more notable and erudite Dispensationalist, and stay the reproach that men have designated for those that hold to it as well as articulate at some measure how the Land Promise is still maintained and that it still necessarily finds fulfillment in light of a proper adherence to Amillennialism. Of course, particularly for those who depart from Dispensationalism in order to lodge at any non-Dispensational perspective on the Millennium (whether Historic Premillennialism, Amillennialism, or even Postmillennialism), a dramatic change on how the term ‘Israel’ is defined is necessary. But an espousal of a non-Dispensational eschatology doesn’t entail that God has forsaken his intent to accomplish his love toward Israel. What I intend to do by the following words is not to comprehensively and conclusively prove Amillennialism, but simply to show in one respect how Scripture itself is perfectly consistent with it.

A Word on the Identity of Israel for whom God’s Promises were made

By the Dispensationalist, there is much emphasis as to what is to be done with Israel. For what we do with Israel should jibe with God’s intent to effectually bring mercy to Israel as he has brought mercy to the Gentiles, to bring about a mass conversion for Israel, to actually save all Israel. That God will accomplish these things, there is ardent agreement on my part. But when we use the term, ‘Israel’, it is necessary that there be qualifier applied to it. Consider the following verse (and everything from the beginning of Romans Ch 9 to the very end of Romans Ch 11 for that matter).

Rom 9:6 – Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

You have here a statement that is quite unequivocal, conveying that one is not Israel just because he is (born) of Israel. This necessarily excludes reprobate Jews (those Jews who actually will never place their respective faiths in Jesus Christ unto salvation) from being deemed Israel. But in the same context, insofar as Israel is distinguished from “the World” (the Gentiles), Israel necessarily or logically excludes the World also. Thus Israel in this context consists exclusively of the elect Jews. But upon the confirmation of the New Covenant, a middle wall of partition, once separating the elect Jews (Israel) from the elect Gentiles (the World), is broken down. This is not so that the elect Jews, whom God foreknew, would be replaced, but rather so that the Gentiles who were far off and strangers would be reconciled with the elect Jews to God, so that they might also be citizens of the commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2:11-19). So in accordance with how Paul uses the term ‘Israel’ in Rom 9-11, of course the invisible Church (true believers) doesn’t replace Israel. The Church comprises Israel.

However, Paul’s usage of ‘Israel’ in Rom 9-11 does not necessarily preclude the appropriateness of referring to the invisible Church as Israel (or spiritual Jews), especially considering that believing Gentiles are considered citizens of Israel as Scripture indicates (Eph 2:12, 19, see also Rom 2:25-29, Phil 3:3, Col 2:11-12, Rom 9:6-9, Psa 73:1, Matt 3:9, Gal 3:29, and possibly also Gal 6:16 depending upon the correct translation/interpretation). And if there should be objection to this, I reserve that at best such an objection could only be a correction on mere semantics. Even if it were wrong for one to call the Church “Israel”, it does not follow that such a reference necessarily entails that the Church has replaced Israel.

A New Testament Explanation of the Promise of Inheritance to Israel’s Father

Hebrews 11:8 – By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out to a place which he should after receive for an inheritance; and he went out not knowing whither he went.

Abraham was to receive (this inheritance that he went out to) “after”, and not then. Not just after he left from his native residence, Ur of the Chaldees, but “after” his earthly life. This is corroborated with the context, especially the next two verses as well as with Acts 7:5 which says, “And he gave him [i.e. Abraham] none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child“.

Hebrews 11:9 – By faith he sojourned in a land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

Even when he arrived in and walked and dwelt upon what was at that time called Canaan, he is referred to as a sojourner. Verse 10 tells us why…

Hebrews 11:10 – For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

He never received what was promised physically (Heb 11:13 & 39, Acts 7:5). Notwithstanding, he did receive it through promise (Gal 3:18). And since God did promise him, he looked for (or forward to), that city, that country, that world, which was heavenly. And in such a way should the promise be ultimately, absolutely fulfilled.

The Scriptural Account of God’s Promise to Abraham Concerning him and his Seed

Now lets look at the scriptures, which show us God’s intimations to Abraham concerning the land that he and his seed should possess. The very first verse, I will not comment on, but nonetheless have included as a preface for the series of passages in the book of Genesis that I shall pose for the sake of the subject at hand:

Gen 12:1 – Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen 13:5 – For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

God does not merely say to Abraham that he will give the land to his seed, but regards Abraham as being a future recipient of the land as well. This must pertain to the land, not (or at least not merely) in its temporal state, but in it’s final and renewed. For even though his seed did possess the land physically when Joshua was leading them, Abraham had not. Therefore, seeing as the fulfillment of this promise is for Abraham and his seed to experience, and not his seed only, the totality of this promise has not been fulfilled as of yet. So while the land was to Abraham’s seed that did possess it, it will also be for him as and as a part of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Gen 13:15 – Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

Notice, here, that God says Abraham will be given the land that he himself is told to tread upon. Meanwhile, in this particular instance, his seed is not even mentioned even though they should also be given the land, seeing as they were in him, are blessed with him, and are plainly said, by God, to be heir to the land, as he was heir to the land (Rom 4:13). Abraham had yet to physically receive the land that he tread upon for as long as he was living, seeing as he never actually received it in the entire duration of his earthly life.

Gen 12:7 – And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Gen 15:18-21 – In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

In these two verses, God speaks of the land as it should be (i.e. in its temporal state) when given exclusively to Abraham’s seed. Note that even Abraham is excluded. With Gen 12:7, he says that Abraham’s seed will be given the land and with, Gen 15:18-21, to stress the certainty and irrevocability or immutability of his promise, he says not that they would be given the land, but that his seed had been given the land. And he gives specific details, naming real geographic locations, enabling us -the readers- to know the state and extent of this land as should be given to his seed according to the way he means it here in this passage, whether it be in it’s temporal state or whether it be in its renewed. And it is clear that he is speaking of the land in its temporal state, and such that his seed, and not he himself, should physically possess. And according to Scripture and so as to fulfill the promise issued to Abraham, his seed did in fact possess the land (Josh 21:43-45, 23:14, 1 Kings 4:20-21, 8:56). It is in this state that Abraham’s spiritual and true seed (otherwise known as the elect or the remnant) physically did receive it, and as they should have -in faith (as evidenced by Heb 11:30).

Also, in that Abraham’s seed did possess Canaan under Joshua’s leadership, the promise that Abraham and his seed should physically possess the land was partially fulfilled. How was it only partially fulfilled? (1) Only his seed physically possessed the land, and not he also. (2) Canaan itself wasn’t capable of housing a people, so great in number and bodily form, as that which Abraham and his seed are to be. (3) Abraham’s seed doesn’t consist merely of those that are his seed merely biologically. Though it absolutely comprises a portion of his biological seed, it also includes the Gentiles who are fellow-heirs and partakers of the same promises (Eph 3:6) (4) I believe and suggest also that there was only a partial fulflillment because, as yet, many more were to become Abraham’s seed, because of the continual deaths that the constituents of that seed have been subject to, as any and all men, since the members thereof first went into the land to receive it under Joshua, and because of their displacements -however temporary- from the land which were consequent to the nation’s recurrent apostasies. And being that it was partially fulfilled, the promise that Abraham and his seed would receive the land (as an everlasting possession) was not totally fulfilled. Therefore, in that a partial fulfillment –however substantive and significant- is not a fulfillment as it shall finally be, there is a sense in which it was not received. For it is true that it is not merely that the land should be received, but that it should be received as an entirely new world, by every single one of those that are ordained both to be renewed and immortalized. And this is indeed what the scripture says (Heb 11:13 and 39, see also Heb 4:8).

As the promise that his spiritual seed should possess the land in it’s temporal state was totally fulfilled (Joshua 21:43-45, 23:14, 1 Kings 4:20-21, 8:56), I do not contest against the notion that some of those, of Abraham’s biological seed (John 8:33) and never also of his spiritual seed (John 8:36, John 3:3), should have possessed the land also. Moreover, I do not contest against that such possessing happened upon entering into it for the first time after the exodus from Egypt, upon being born within the land, and upon entering into it again at the decree of Cyrus (2 Chron 36:22&23 or Ezra 1:1-4). As a matter of fact, considering that the reprobate and elect Jews alike had part in the Old Covenant, it was necessary and perfectly fitting that the elect and reprobate Jews alike would have possession of Canaan. Yet still, though they were his biological seed, they did not receive the land, as they should have, for they lacked faith (Heb 4:2). Thus, in a noteworthy sense, they didn’t receive it (i.e. they did not receive it as spiritual or regenerate men), and as far as their receiving of it (i.e. as natural or unregenerate men) was concerned, there was futility. Being that those who have not faith are not counted as Abraham’s seed (Rom 4:12, Rom 9:8, see also Gal 3:29) as Jesus himself indicates (John 8:39), they cannot be counted as having possessed the land for the fulfillment of the promise that Abraham and his seed would possess the land as a physical possession in any sense –whether temporal or eternal.

The Land Received by Abraham by Promise and by his Seed Temporally

It is certain that God gave the land to Abraham’s seed as he promised and that his seed did possess it (as it was temporal and confined). It is also certain that there is a sense in which God had yet to give the same land to his seed (as it shall be eternally renewed). This parallels significantly with God’s administrations to Abraham as enunciated earlier. And here, I shall reiterate: He received it along with other blessings by promise (Gal 3:8), which obviously is before any of the promises were even fulfilled, and thus he had yet to receive it (Heb 11:39, Acts 7:5) (see also Heb 11:8) perfectly and eternally, in and by Christ. Concerning Abraham, one manner of his own receiving of estate from God was merely virtual (by promise), and the other is perfect and eternal (in and by Christ). Concerning his seed (that is his spiritual seed), one manner of receiving was temporal (under Joshua), but the other is perfect and eternal (in and by Christ). Since there is indeed a distinction between the way in which Abraham has already received the land, which is as through the promise of God, and the way in which his seed has already received the land, as under the leadership of Joshua, let it be recalled and stressed that ultimately such a distinction is obscured insofar as neither of them in their days received the land as in its renewed, perfected, and eternal state as God had promised. And thus the scripture implies by saying that “the world was not worthy” of those who had faith (Heb 11:38). And again, speaking in respect to the world as it shall be, it is written that Abraham and his seed, by faith, should be the heir (intentionally singular) to the world (Rom 4:13) (Some might argue that ‘world’ as used in both of these two passages represent people and not a place or location, but I assert that a proper consideration of the contexts that encompass these two passages respectively would lead to the conclusion I am supposing). It does not matter whether the land, which was part and parcel to the world and temporal, is received virtually as opposed to actually or vice-verse insofar as they all  (Abraham and his seed) “desired a better” and “heavenly” place which God prepares (as Heb 11:16 says, see also John 14:2 and Isa 65:17&18), not having received it when they were alive (as Heb 11:13 quite clearly says).

A Delicate Point Concerning Israel as Relating to a Right to Possess Israel-Palestine

As I state emphatically that the promise of Abraham and his seed’s rightful possession to the world is realized merely spiritually now and physically at the coming of Christ, I am certainly not trying to make a case that ethnic Israel should under no circumstance occupy the land that is today called Israel and Palestine and that we should contest that occupancy as it now is, except to the extent that there real is scriptural grounds. But I do believe that we should avoid both of what constitutes two diametrically opposed and unbiblical standpoints…

As Gentile Christians (for those of us who are Gentile Christians), I don’t believe that we should side with those that seek for ethnic Israel to be “driven into the sea”, lest we be not too unlike the Assyrian, Rabshakeh who said, “The Lord said unto me, go up against this land and destroy it” (2 Kings 18:25) which entailed the destruction of the occupants of that land. Rabshakeh sought not only for destruction concerning Israel, but even affirmed that God actually sent him. Although God did send him in some sense, it was certainly not as he thought, or at least not as he affirmed. We are not to go in the way of Rabshakah and act outside of the boundaries of scripture, which says that we are to love our neighbors (Rom 13:10) and indicates that we are to be a light of the Gospel to the whole world, not excluding ethnic Israel (Rom 11:14), especially considering the fact that Scripture says that God is able and actually will bring about a mass revival within ethnic Israel.  Aside from this, we see quite consistently that after God has finished bringing another nation even against apostate Israel, He disposes of that other nation. I would not opt to be a part of the nation, which God shall dispose of, however much or in whatever way God uses that nation to chasten Israel.

On the other hand, we should be discerning and effective about our treatment of ethnic Israel if we should deem it is necessary to have concern for them. After all, for the sake of our own souls, we should not be overly eager about this temporal world for ourselves (1 Pet 2:11, Phil 3:19-20, Col 3:2, 1 Cor 7:31). And it is corollary to or consonant with this that we should not encourage others, particularly the Jews, to be overly eager about this temporal world for themselves. Israel-Palestine, being part and parcel to this world, is no exception. In the times of Moses, an entire generation, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, was not allowed into Israel-Palestine, and because of unbelief. Today, especially since May 14, 1948 Jews chiefly occupy the land, though the majority of them are unbelieving. As astonishing and significant as it might be that the Jews have become or been established as an independent nation and as scriptural as it actually is that God shall eventually bring about a mass conversion within ethnic Israel, should we now commit the error of making our concern for the welfare of the Jews to be also the condoning of a system of worship or the attempted keeping of Old Covenant ordinances that God, himself, has purposely abolished (Dan 9:27, Heb 10:5-12))? If our treatment of the Jews, is not for the furtherance of the Gospel among them (as well as all other peoples) to begin with, in effect we will do just that. If our treatment for the Jew is not unrelentingly according to the Gospel, in effect we will do just that. And while it might appear that we are “pro-Israel”, we would actually be performing a grave disservice to them.

The Insufficiency of Terrestrial Jerusalem and the Anachronism of Old Covenant Practices

Gal 3:21-26 – Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to (or corresponds with) Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Right here Paul says that Jerusalem is in bondage, being such that corresponds to Mount Sinai and is therefore not worthy of being distinguished by those that are spiritual and of faith. No wonder why Abraham looked above (Heb 11:9). For earthly Jerusalem itself, as stated in the passage above, was initially allegorical and is currently in bondage, and is not the city of those that are children to Abraham (Heb 13:14). And so the land that encompasses it is in bondage, and the whole world for that matter (Rom 8:21). And all this agrees with Heb 11:38.

Now if there is land to look forward to as well as occupy now (as I would argue Gal 3:9 implies and 2 Pet 3:13-14, Heb 11:9 & 10, 12-16, 13:14, 12:22 explicitly states), which is designated for Abraham and his seed, and we know that his seed is those who have faith -Jews and Gentiles (Rom 4:17 & 18), it must be that the promises shall have their literal fulfillment in the future by Christ, and it is necessary that presently there exists a spiritual fulfillment in Christ. This must be conceded as scripture actually prompts.

Consider Jesus in his declaration to the woman at the well.

John 4:21-24 – Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Consider also…

Gal 4:24-26 – Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth [corresponds] to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Now if we will be serious about embracing Jesus’ words to the woman at the well as well as what Paul says to the Galatians, in order for all the promises to be fulfilled concerning Israel, must there really be an age, be it regarded as a thousand literal years, in which it is mandatory for all of the nations to physically offer sacrifice in a terrestrial Jerusalem?

The Return of the Jews to the Holy Land

Considering the fact that God said he would scatter Israel among the nations for persistently rebelling against him and that their return to the land would be preceded by their return unto him, I will offer some explanation as to how it is that the Jews can occupy Israel-Palestine as they do now even though they are in unbelief: In this current, post-pentacost and inter-advental age or as the New Covenant has been confirmed, the land doesn’t have such significance that God should keep them out. For Israel-Palestine has not the purpose that it once had in respect to the Old Covenant, seeing as the Old Covenant is now abolished. Their occupancy of Israel-Palestine as unbelievers reflects this. For regarding the economy or dispensation of the Old Covenant, God spoke of Israel’s turning back unto Him as taking place within the nations to which they were scattered, before they were allowed or brought back into the land (Lev 26:40-45, Deut 4:29, Neh 1:9). And in fact, they did (Dan 9:18 &19) and they were brought back into the land after the consummation of seventy years of Babylonian captivity. Aside from this, it seems that God has permitted them to occupy Israel-Palestine insofar as they are human beings that require residence in this world just like everyone else. So of course, we have no reason to suppose that God absolutely forbids and should prevent them from occupying Israel-Palestine due to their unbelief. And if on the basis of ethnic Israel’s unbelief, we will still suppose this, it seems that we might as well also suppose that God forbids the unbelieving Gentiles from occupying any place in the rest of the world.

Faith in Christ and the Anticipation of an Incorruptible and Eternal Estate

Any legitimate appropriation of Israel-Palestine, from the point at which Abraham was given the promise of it and from the point at which Joshua lead them into it until the first coming of Christ, was to be done in faith and in anticipation of the new world as spiritually occupied in Christ through his first coming and physically inaugurated by him at his second coming (Heb 11:13). Even now, any legitimate appropriation of any part of this world, whether Israel-Palestine or elsewhere, is to be done in faith (Acts 4:13). With ethnic Jews in general today as well as many Gentiles, faith in Christ is lacking. Yet with those that are not Abraham’s seed (merely) biologically (Rom 11:7), but rather spiritually (comprising Jew and Gentile, Gal 3:29), there is faith (Gal 3:7). These are those who appropriate not merely a sliver of land, but the whole world as found only in Christ. And these are those who shall reside for all eternity in this world renewed: the New Heaven and the New Earth.

- Written by Sonny Burrell – Original Post

There’s always alot of talk going around the blogosphere on unconditional election and free will. It doesn’t seem like it will ever end… and rightly so, its a very important topic and there are many differing opinions on it. Calvinists hold to God’s sovereignty, in order to attribute all the glory to Him, and Arminians hold to libertarian free will saying, “God will never violate our free will!”

I’ve been meditating the passage of Scripture in Romans chapter 8, verses 28-33 lately and just wanted to point out a few thoughts that came to mind as I was reading the text.  Let’s hone in on verses 28-30:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”   (ESV)

Non-Calvinists and Arminians alike extrapolate from the text in verse 29 that the word “foreknew” means that God looked down into the corridors of time and saw who would in fact choose Him… and based upon that prior choice of Him, He “chose” them for salvation.

Now for the sake of argument…  if this were true, then there is still a definite number of people who have been chosen for salvation.  There is a number of people that God has known from all eternity that He would save.  This means that we can preach the Gospel and beg and plead all we want for people to come to know Him, but in the end only the number that God “chose” before time began will come to faith in Christ.  No more, no less.  The only other alternative would be open theism, which says that God doesn’t know the future… that everything is open ended.  In this case, God wouldn’t know who would come to faith, and thus He wouldn’t be able to “choose” anybody.  But we know that this is unbiblical heresy.

So, the question remains…  are we ultimately self-determining, meaning that we have the free moral ability to choose Him and based upon this choice of Him, God “elects” us?  (It doesn’t seem to me like God is choosing anything here, but that He is just acknowledging our choice to come to Him.)

Or, is God ultimately self-determining… meaning that according to His sovereign election He chooses some to salvation according to His electing Grace?  Romans 9:11, 19-26.

Remember, God is not obligated to save anyone…  but being a God who is rich in mercy, He chose to save some.  (Eph 2:1-10)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 ButGod, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  (emphasis mine)

Which is it?  Let’s have it…

- Roger Servin

I was a baby Christian at that time, all I knew was that I had broken God’s commandments every day and that I needed to repent and believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.  I had a great love and appreciation for the Savior because of what He had done for me.  I had a desire to serve Him in any way that I could and tell others about Him.  I was hungry for His Word!

Week after week the pastor would teach the Word and have altar calls at the end of the service.  Back then, I would say that he would more often than not preach on sin, hell, righteousness, judgement, etc…  Every once in a while I would hear something a little different coming from the pulpit…  “if you’ve come to the end of yourself… your marriage is on the rocks, you’re on the brink of divorce, you take drugs, you’re an alcoholic and you need to break out of the addiction, you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired…  then just come to Jesus, and He’ll make it all better.” At that time I didn’t think too much of it, I even believed it to be biblical… and so I went with the flow of things.

Over the next couple of years I actually began to hear more and more of the message I just described and less and less of the biblical Gospel.  I now know that God was definitely speaking to me and opening my eyes to see what was going on during that time.  As this was happening week after week, (I heard gradually less about sin, hell judgment, Law) and as I was studying the scriptures on my own God began to show me that there was something wrong with what I was hearing.  I couldn’t really pinpoint what it was right away, but I just knew that something was off.  It just sounded a little too squishy to me…  as Todd Friel would say.  I continued to press on as a worship leader in various ministries even though I knew that something was wrong with what was coming from the pulpit.

It wasn’t until about 3 1/2 years ago, probably about March of 2006 when I started listening to then Way of the Master Radio hosted by Todd Friel.  (Now Wretched Radio)  One day, he was talking about the Reformers and Reformed Theology.  This was something that I had never heard before… I mean, I had heard of Calvinism but I didn’t know that it was also called Reformed Theology.  It struck interest in me so I endeavored to find out what it was.  And I endeavored… and researched… and studied the scriptures… and endeavored some more.  After wrestling with it for about 6 months, I was a Calvinist!

This led to more and more studying… going deeper into the scriptures, going to the greek and hebrew and studying the Word exegetically, using  proper hermeneutics.   I have studied ecclesiology, eschatology, dispensationalism, covenant theology, missiology… and I’m still going praise God!  Prior to learning about reformed theology I didn’t even know these words existed in the dictionary!  I didn’t know church history, I didn’t know anything about Martin Luther, or any of the reformers. (except C.H. Spurgeon, cause every good Calvaryite throws in a little Spurgeon every now and then!)

Since then, my eyes were fully opened to the pragmatic ways of Calvary Chapel. (”If we get them to get up and walk down the aisle during an altar call and repeat the sinners prayer after us, then they are saved.  Look at how many raised their hands tonight!  How many decisions were there?  Praise God they made a decision to follow Christ!” – paraphrased)   I want to say one thing: This does not pertain to every Calvary Chapel, I know full well that there are a few out there that are swimming against the flow!  They’re not all like this. But let me say this:  Just because someone raises their hand, or stands up, or walks the aisle and repeats a prayer after you doesn’t mean they are saved at all!  Especially if they heard the “weighed and found wanting”,  “squishy” interpretation of the Gospel that we hear so prevalent in the American church today.  You know what I’m talking about too… “God has a wonderful plan for you life…” or “Just give Jesus a chance and He’ll make everything better…”  or “Accept Him into your heart…” or “There’s a God-shaped hole in your heart that can only be filled by Jesus…” or “you’ve tried everything else and you find that there is nothing that can fulfill you so give Jesus a go, He will fulfill you…”

None of these are biblical. Go ahead, try and give me one text (in context, no proof-texting allowed) that resembles any of the examples I just gave…  You’re not going to find one if you’re being honest, rational and exegetical in your approach to scripture.

Check this out.  Dr. James White, founder of Alpha and Omega Ministries, just posted a blog featuring a youtube video with Chuck Smith and other Calvary Chapel leadership taking a call during the radio program “Pastors Perspective” the other day and I wanted to include it here to show you just how shallow their approach to interpreting the text can be.  So I’m going to embed the video and then include the audio of James White discussing what he heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKXYeUqH8QE

Now, here’s James White’s podcast “Dividing Line” where he also plays the video and then shares his thoughts on what he heard. (What you want to hear is about 12 minutes into the podcast)
James White’s original post can be found here.

My friend Michael Brewer who blogs over at Diary of a Broken Vessel wrote a post about his experiences at Calvary Chapel a couple of weeks ago that I thought pretty much hit the nail on the head as to some of the problems we find within the Calvary Chapel movement or brand as he calls it.  I wanted to add his thoughts here within this post since I agree with most if not all that he had to say…

Original post here. Or just read below…

I have a tendency to be very critical and sharp when it comes to discussing Chuck Smith, the Calvary Chapel “brand“, the church of my youth, and those leading (or involved with) them.

Chuck Smith’s system,beliefs, theology, or whatever you want to call it is questionable at best. The Word is mishandled and conformed into his image and heavily backed by verses that support only the Calvary Chapel position.Controversial subjects that can be quite uncomfortable are handled in a way to find themiddle road so that everyone is kept happy and peaceful -though ignorant- so as not to lose numbers (Calvary Chapel Distinctives, pp.56-57).

Some people object because they feel that I gloss over certain passages of Scripture, and they’re correct. But glossing over controversial issues is often deliberate because there are usually two sides. And I have found that it’s important not to be divisive and not to allow people to become polarized on issues, because the moment they are polarized, there’s division.

~Calvary Chapel Distinctives, Chuck Smith, pp. 55

Chuck Smith also holds to an authoritarian form of church government known as the Moses Model.

Let’s look at an example of theocracy in which God was ruling. Under God there was a man called Moses. Moses went to God for guidance and direction. Moses was the earthly leader who was recognized as receiving from God the guidance, direction, laws, and rules for the nation. It was recognized by the people that he was their link to God…

…In the church today we see this structure in a modified form. We see that Jesus Christ is the Head over the body of the church. It’s His church. He’s the One in charge. As pastors, we need to be like Moses, in touch with Jesus and receiving His direction and guidance. As pastors we need to be leading the church in such a way that the people know that the Lord is in control…Also like Moses, within the church we have a Board of Elders who are there to pray with us and support us in seeking the Lord’s leading for the church.

Let me warn you. First of all, you want to get elders who are men of prayer, and who recognize that God has anointed you and ordained you as the pastor of the church…

…It’s necessary to have godly men who recognize that God has called and ordained you as the pastor of the church. Men who will work with you and support those things that God is directing you, as the pastor, to implement within the church…

~Calvary Chapel Distinctives, Chuck Smith, pp. 21-23

In short, the pastor is a type of Moses, he has the greatest access to God, hears God the clearest, and surrounds himself with those who approve of him and support his moves (cult of personality). This has lead to all sorts of abuse within many Calvary Chapel churches (not limited to the senior pastor alone!).

Critics say this “Moses model” produces pastors who refuse to let their authority be challenged. Such pastors often resist accountability measures such as financial audits and providing detailed financial statements. Some curious Calvary Chapel attendees, who have sought financial information from their churches, say they were ostracized.

Other churchgoers say Calvary Chapel pastors also don’t like to be questioned. During the investigation for this article, Smith cautioned CT’s reporter: “The Lord warns, ‘Don’t touch my anointed. Do my prophet no harm.’ I think that you are trying to do harm to the work of God. I surely wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”

-Day of Reckoning, Rob Moll, Christianity Today

Chuck Smith’s “Distinctives” are to be accepted by all affiliate churches via their “fellowshipping” process according to the Calvary Chapel Outreach Fellowship website.

Can I become a Calvary Chapel if I don’t necessarily agree with the Calvary Distinctives and have Biblical proof for my position?

No, because we want the use of the name Calvary Chapel (copyrighted) to imply the doctrinal positions expressed in the “Distinctives”. This is not to say other positions are wrong, they are simply other positions than those held by Calvary Chapel. It is no different in the secular world and referred to as “branding”. When a name comes into widespread recognition that describes what one can expect, it needs to be maintained as such.

~CCOF FAQ

So it really comes as no surprise that there are so many people who have experienced similar abuses (and treatment when that abuse is challenged or brought to light) across the board. I have talked to many current and former Calvary Chapel goers who have shared similar stories of abuse of authority, ostracism when they questioned prominent members/leaders within their Calvary Chapel, and how they are called out as being unfaithful to forgive when they have sought to have their problems addressed (the victim being told that they are at fault).

Personal Stories

The church of my youth also followed closely in the way of Chuck Smith, which as discussed above, makes perfect sense. I experienced certain abuses, and when I brought them to light I was turned away to deal with it myself, or was told to just forgive. And I completely agree that we should forgive those who have wronged us, but when the wrongs are being committed habitually and blatantly, you have done as Scripture demands, and you are still brushed off, there then comes a point when the church needs to step up.

We didn’t do that. In not just my case alone, in several instances I witnessed practiced sin ignored for the sake of maintaining peace among the saints. This turned those of us who made claims of wrong doing into dividers and enemies of peace. Without accountability or real church membership, the matter was simple: if you don’t like it, there’s the door.

Now I have written about some of the wrongs I’ve seen and experienced before. I used to own a blog titled The Mess You Left Behind where I -in a rather sinful manner (and for which I later repented)- spewed forth vile rhetoric in response to the wrongs committed against me. And I have since forgiven those who have wronged me, but still I am critical.

Calvary Critical

I am critical of Chuck Smith because he does what is right in his own eyes. He holds his own views superior even though their may be Biblical support against them. The Moses Model (really?). Heencourages scoffing at ideas contrary to his own (and also demonstrates a lack of knowledge of what happened at the cross, and proper exegesis of Scripture -see link-).

I am critical of the Calvary Chapel Brand because of the abuse I have experienced, witnessed, heard, and read about. I am critical because of the treatment of God’s Word. How God’s Word is made into a play thing that we manipulate to fit our own reasoning and conscience. How peace and love are to be sought after in all things, at all cost.

And I am critical of the church of my youth for a number of reason similar to the things discussed above. But chiefest of all things I have regarding them is this: a family was utterly destroyed before them. They were warned before, they were talked to during, and they were asked begged to help after, but in silence they stood for the sake of peace, ignoring sin, and that family is utterly undone. And I have not spoken to my father since then.

Because of all of this, I will always be critical of Chuck Smith, the Calvary Chapel Brand, and the church of my youth. But…

All Things Are Not Equal

But please understand that NOT ALL CALVARY CHAPELS ARE THE SAME! There are some that break what seems to be the general mold. There are those Calvary Chapels that submit first to the Word of God, understand what the Church is supposed to look like, practice what they preach, practice church discipline, and seek the Will of God first and foremost.

So…

So if it ever seems that I am being critical of Chuck ‘n’ Pals or of the Calvary Chapel Brand or even the church of my youth this is my official reason as to why you can expect these things from me. I pray that they are not the overarching theme of my life or my writings. And I write this for anyone who has ever been hurt like I have, or for those who have ever wondered why I am so critical of the things I have spoken of here today.

– Michael Brewer

And here’s a brother who is a Bible College director within the movement who has questions…

Me again.  Now, like I said before there are Calvary Chapels out there that are in opposition to what Pastor Chuck has laid out in the distinctives.  As he continues to grow older there is no doubt in my mind that there will be many more that will “come out” so to speak.  Here is an good example of a church that has different views. (albeit biblical)

My earnest prayer to God is that He will bring about change within the CC movement.  That He will raise up pastors and elders that will be biblically honest, properly exegeting the scriptures and not suppressing the truth of His Word in order to keep people in the pews.  God’s Word is divisive by nature… and if you’re interpreting it and preaching it rightly that’s exactly what it will do.  But at the end of the day, you will know that you have true Christians there who care about being true to the text of scripture whether it is palatable or not.

As for me and my family, we will be moving on.

– Feel free to leave comments, they are welcome.  Even if you’re feeling a bit snarky…

]]> http://regenerated.us/is-calvary-chapel-theologically-sound/feed/ 3 http://regenerated.us/biblically-anemic-preaching-the-devastating-consequences-of-a-watered-down-message-by-john-macarthur/ http://regenerated.us/biblically-anemic-preaching-the-devastating-consequences-of-a-watered-down-message-by-john-macarthur/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:01:58 +0000 Roger Servin http://regenerated.us/?p=53

Those who are familiar with my ministry know that I am committed to expository preaching. It is my unshakable conviction that the proclamation of God’s Word should always be the heart and the focus of the church’s ministry (2 Tim. 4:2). And proper biblical preaching should be systematic, expositional, theological, and God-centered.

Such preaching is in short supply these days. There are plenty of gifted communicators in the modern evangelical movement, but today’s sermons tend to be short, shallow, topical homilies that massage people’s egos and focus on fairly insipid subjects like human relationships, “successful” living, emotional issues, and other practical but worldly—and not definitively biblical—themes. These messages are lightweight and without substance, cheap and synthetic, leaving little more than an ephemeral impression on the minds of the hearers.

Some time ago I hosted a discussion at the Expositors’ Institute, an annual small-group colloquium on preaching held at our church. In preparation for that seminar, I took a yellow legal pad and a pen and began listing the negative effects of the superficial brand of preaching that is so rife in modern evangelicalism.

I initially thought I might be able to identify about ten, but in the end I had jotted down a list of sixty-one devastating consequences. I’ve distilled them to fifteen by combining and eliminating all but the most crucial ones. I offer them as a warning against superficial, marginally biblical preaching—both to those who stand behind the pulpit and to those who sit in the pew.

1. It usurps the authority of God over the soul. Whether a preacher boldly proclaims the Word of God or not is ultimately a question of authority. Who has the right to speak to the church? The preacher or God? Whenever anything is substituted for the preaching of the Word, God’s authority is usurped. What a prideful thing to do! In fact, it is hard to conceive of anything more insolent that could be done by a man who is called by God to preach.

2. It removes the lordship of Christ from His church. Who is the Head of the church? Is Christ really the dominant teaching authority in the church? If so, then why are there so many churches where His Word is not being faithfully proclaimed? When we look at contemporary ministry, we see programs and methods that are the fruit of human invention, the offspring of opinion polls and neighborhood surveys, and other pragmatic artifices. Church-growth experts have in essence wrested control of the church’s agenda from her true Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Puritan forefathers resisted the imposition of government-imposed liturgies for precisely this reason: They saw it as a direct attack on the headship of Christ over His own church. Modern preachers who neglect the Word of God have yielded the ground those men fought and sometimes died for. When Jesus Christ is exalted among His people, His power is manifest in the church. When the church is commandeered by compromisers who want to appease the culture, the gospel is minimized, true power is lost, artificial energy must be manufactured, and superficiality takes the place of truth.

3. It hinders the work of the Holy Spirit. What is the instrument the Spirit uses to do His work? The Word of God. He uses the Word as the instrument of regeneration (1 Pet. 1:23; Jas. 1:18). He also uses it as the means of sanctification (John 17:17). In fact, it is the only tool He uses (Eph. 6:17). So when preachers neglect God’s Word, they undermine the work of the Holy Spirit, producing shallow conversions and spiritually lame Christians—if not utterly spurious ones.

4. It demonstrates appalling pride and a lack of submission. In the modern approach to “ministry,” the Word of God is deliberately downplayed, the reproach of Christ is quietly repudiated, the offense of the gospel is carefully eliminated, and “worship” is purposely tailored to fit the preferences of unbelievers. That is nothing but a refusal to submit to the biblical mandate for the church. The effrontery of ministers who pursue such a course is, to me, frightening.

5. It severs the preacher personally from the regular sanctifying grace of Scripture. The greatest personal benefit that I get from preaching is the work that the Spirit of God does on my own soul as I study and prepare for two expository messages each Lord’s Day. Week by week the duty of careful exposition keeps my own heart focused and fixed on the Scriptures, and the Word of God nourishes me while I prepare to feed my flock. So I am personally blessed and spiritually strengthened through the enterprise. If for no other reason, I would never abandon biblical preaching. The enemy of our souls is after preachers in particular, and the sanctifying grace of the Word of God is critical to our protection.

6. It clouds the true depth and transcendence of our message and therefore cripples both corporate and personal worship. What passes for preaching in some churches today is literally no more profound than what preachers in our fathers’ generation were teaching in the five-minute children’s sermon they gave before dismissing the kids. That’s no exaggeration. It is often that simplistic, if not utterly inane. There is nothing deep about it. Such an approach makes it impossible for true worship to take place, because worship is a transcendent experience. Worship should take us above the mundane and simplistic. So the only way true worship can occur is if we first come to grips with the depth of spiritual truth. Our people can only rise high in worship in the same proportion to which we have taken them deep into the profound truths of the Word. There is no way they can have lofty thoughts of God unless we have plunged them into the depths of God’s self-revelation. But preaching today is neither profound nor transcendent. It doesn’t go down, and it doesn’t go up. It merely aims to entertain.

By the way, true worship is not something that can be stimulated artificially. A bigger, louder band and more sentimental music might do more to stir people’s emotions. But that is not genuine worship. True worship is a response from the heart to God’s truth (John 4:23). You can actually worship without music if you have seen the glories and the depth of what the Bible teaches.

7. It prevents the preacher from fully developing the mind of Christ. Pastors are supposed to be under-shepherds of Christ. Too many modern preachers are so bent on understanding the culture that they develop the mind of the culture and not the mind of Christ. They start to think like the world, and not like the Savior. Frankly, the nuances of worldly culture are virtually irrelevant to me. I want to know the mind of Christ and bring that to bear on the culture, no matter what culture I may be ministering to. If I’m going to stand up in a pulpit and be a representative of Jesus Christ, I want to know how He thinks—and that must be my message to His people too. The only way to know and proclaim the mind of Christ is by being faithful to study and preach His Word. What happens to preachers who obsess about cultural “relevancy” is that they become worldly, not godly.

8. It depreciates by example the spiritual duty and priority of personal Bible study. Is personal Bible study important? Of course. But what example does the preacher set when he neglects the Bible in his own preaching? Why would people think they need to study the Bible if the preacher doesn’t do serious study himself in the preparation of his sermons? There is now a movement among some in ministry to trim, as much as possible, all explicit references to the Bible from the sermon—and above all, don’t ever ask your people to turn to a specific Bible passage because that kind of thing makes “seekers” uncomfortable. Some churches actively discourage their people from bringing Bibles to church lest the sight of so many Bibles intimidate the “seekers.” As if it were dangerous to give your people the impression that the Bible might be important!

9. It prevents the preacher from being the voice of God on every issue of his time. Jeremiah 8:9 says, “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; so what wisdom do they have?” When I speak, I want to be God’s messenger. I’m not interested in exegeting what some psychologist or business guru or college professor has to say about an issue. My people don’t need my opinion; they need to hear what God has to say. If we preach as Scripture commands us, there should be no ambiguity about whose message is coming from the pulpit.

10. It breeds a congregation that is as weak and indifferent to the glory of God as their pastor is. Such preaching fosters people who are consumed with their own well-being. When you tell people that the church’s primary ministry is to fix for them whatever is wrong in this life—to meet their needs, to help them cope with their worldly disappointments, and so on—the message you are sending is that their mundane problems are more important than the glory of God and the majesty of Christ. Again, that sabotages true worship.

11. It robs people of their only true source of help. People who sit under superficial preaching become dependent on the cleverness and the creativity of the speaker. When preachers punctuate their sermons with laser lights and smoke, video clips and live drama, the message they send is that there isn’t a prayer the people in the pew could ever extract such profound material on their own. Such gimmicks create a kind of dispensing mechanism that people can’t use to serve themselves. So they become spiritual couch potatoes who just come in to be entertained, and whatever superficial spiritual content they get from the preacher’s weekly performance is all they will get. They have no particular interest in the Bible because the sermons they hear don’t cultivate that. They are wowed by the preacher’s creativity and manipulated by the music, and that becomes their whole perspective on spirituality.

12. It encourages people to become indifferent to the Word of God and divine authority. Predictably, in a church where the preaching of Scripture is neglected, it becomes impossible to get people to submit to the authority of Scripture. The preacher who always aims at meeting felt needs and strokes the conceit of worldly people has no platform from which to confront the man who wants to divorce his wife without cause. The man will say, “You don’t understand what I feel. I came here because you promised to meet my felt needs. And I’m telling you, I don’t feel like I want to live with this woman anymore.” You can’t inject biblical authority into that. You certainly wouldn’t have an easy time pursuing church discipline. That is the monster that superficial preaching creates. But if you are going to try to deal with sin and apply any kind of authoritative principle to keep the church pure, you must be preaching the Word.

13. It lies to people about what they really need. In Jeremiah 8:11, God condemns the prophets who treated people’s wounds superficially. That verse applies powerfully to the preachers who populate so many prominent evangelical pulpits today. They omit the hard truths about sin and judgment. They tone down the offensive parts of Christ’s message. They lie to people about what they really need, promising them “fulfillment” and earthly well-being when what people really need is an exalted vision of Christ and a true understanding of the splendor of God’s holiness.

14. It strips the pulpit of power. “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). Everything else is impotent, giving merely an illusion of power. Human strategy is not more important than Scripture. The showman’s ability to lure people in should not impress us more than the Bible’s ability to transform lives.

15. It puts the responsibility on the preacher to change people with his cleverness. Preachers who pursue the modern approach to ministry must think they have the power to change people. That, too, is a frightening expression of pride. We preachers can’t save people, and we can’t sanctify them. We can’t change people with our insights, our cleverness, by entertaining them or by appealing to their human whims and wishes and ambitions. There’s only One who can change sinners. That’s God, and He does it by His Spirit through the Word.

So pastors must preach the Word, even though it is currently out of fashion to do so (2 Tim. 4:2). That is the only way their ministry can ever truly be fruitful. Moreover, it assures that they will be fruitful in ministry, because God’s Word never returns to Him void; it always accomplishes that for which He sends it and prospers in what He sends it to do (Isa. 55:11).

-Online Source-

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