Hyper Calvinsm.

I was asked today by a very dear friend of mine if since I believe differently, have different views, if I still believe in evangelism. I replied, "most assuredly! Since coming to the point of understanding and believing in the doctrines of grace, I've been astronomically more involved in evangelism. I have a better understanding of why I evangelize, and by relying soley on the Lord and His power and His will, I find there to be nothing more enjoyable and fulfilling than to share His word with a lost world. Since becoming "Calvinist" (said in tone of distaste), I find myself, Praise be to God, more willing, more ready and more graceful and understanding with evangelism."
It kills me how people accuse us reformed christians of one, not believing or practicing evangelism, two, not believing in eternal security and basing our walks on a works salvation because we believe in the perseverance of the saints.
I BY NO MEANS am perfect in any area!!! You, my brothers and sisters in Christ have seen my many faults, failures, acts of immaturity. I write this to try to explain and enlighten y'all on where I stand. As my friend and I discussed tonight, we really are not that different at all in our beliefs, we agree in almost everything. And for the record, show me someone who agrees with me 100% on EVERY issue and I'll congratulate you and slap you on the back! lol Sadly, because I believe in the doctrines of grace, brothers and sisters in Christ are no longer as close to me as they once were, some ways my fault some ways theirs. Thankfully though we will always have a common bond in Christ Jesus, praise be to God!

Anyways, that's my interduction to a link I found today. Phil Johnson (Spurgeon blogger) wrote a very good article on Hyper Calvinism. Sadly many people think this way of us instantly upon hearing that we're "calvinists". Please, Please, Please read the article, for that is the main thing I posted for, not my piddly words.

www.spurgeon.org

Of Salvation, Its Loss, and its Perseverance

Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:28-39)

This is, quite simply, a hard passage. As a TULIP pusher (coined by our own Pilot Missionary), I do not believe this contradicts the doctrine of the Perseverance to the Saints. I am going to make three points on this subject. I will present two arguments why this does not contradict the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints and why it does pose a problem for that doctrine of spiritual insecurity; i.e., we can loose our salvation. But I do feel it is very necessary to first put forth wither in Scripture as defines the doctrine of Perseverance. Lets us look to Scripture as our advocate, in John 5:24 we are told them as "hear the Word and believes him who sent me[Christ] has eternal life" and will not come into judgement. Both John 6:35-37 and John 10:27-29 tell us that "All that the Father gives me[Christ] will come to me, and whoever comes to me I[Christ] will never cast out" and that "My Father, who has given them[Christ's sheep] to me[Christ], is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." And thees not to mention Romans 8:1, Romans 8:35-39, Rom 11:29, and Hebrews 3:14. These passages strongly defend the doctrine, and many others as are said to contradict this doctrine do nothing of the sort. However, the passage of Hebrews 10:28-29 seem to throw a monkey wrench into the mix. Therefore, I hope to clarify with the following three points.

First, we need always, when reading a passage as defines a theological point to read it in context. Above I quoted the whole passage all the way to verse 39. Wherein we will find our first defense and a great point. Verse 39 says:

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

We have here where Paul explains to us that we have 1.) "faith" and 2.) "preserve" our souls. Please note Ephesians 2:8-10. By faith, our souls are preserved and from Ephesians we see that this faith is not of us but a gift of God. Quite simply, the Lord saved us and will carry His work to completion (Philippians 1:6). So what does this say to the loss of our salvation in context of the full passage in Hebrews 10? Well, what we have here is a picture of the terrible wrath that should come on us should we shun what the Lord hath done in our hearts. This is a picture of the consequence of what could be if we did shun the Lord but, as v.39 says, we hope of promise in our sealed faith. What then are we told? We are told not to fall away and that the wrath of God for doing so would be great. It is a warning of what would happen, not what does happen to them as are chosen.

Second, we do infact have examples of them as appear to "fall away". The argument for this goes thusly, that these individuals were quite simply never saved in the first place. Our Biblical example was King Saul, 1 Samuel 16:14, "Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul". We do not have a picture of a man "after God's own heart" but a man of rebellion and sin. He was never truly of God's fold. This can be evidenced in Saul's life. Let us look briefly, in 1 Sam. 9:5-8 shows us that Saul was not a man of God and that his servant knew more about the Lord and the Prophet Samuel than even did he. Saul himself had tried to hide himself from God's calling (1 Sam. 10:22). Further, Samuel disobeyed, a sign of his reverence in his heart for God, before the Spirit of the Lord left him (1 Samuel 15:22). Samuel was never truly saved. However this passage would and did apply to him as the Lord was quick in His wrath upon Saul and the kingdom was indeed torn from him. Which brings us to our final point.

Third and finally, this passage posses a problem for them as believe you can loose your salvation and you must come back to faith. If you read this passage fully, you will see that when one "shrinks back" he is "destroyed". The passage is very harsh in its description of them as "spurn the Son of God", "profane the blood of the covenant", and has "outraged the Spirit of Grace" (Heb 10:29). And we are told in v.39 that these "who shrink back... are destroyed" (Heb 10:39). So this passage is as difficult for those against the Perseverance of the Saints as it is presumed to be for them who hold to that doctrine. For my part, I feel that my first point is our strongest defense and, as always, encourage you to read in context and let Scripture interpret Scripture. The grace of Christ be with you.

Soli Deo Gloria

Recorded

This is a poem that was written out of the frustration that many believe they are saved because they made a decision for Christ on a given day. This is completely absurd! "Making a decision for Christ" does not save you! It is Christ's sacrifice that saves us! By His shed blood are we redeemed (Matt 26:28)! The day you "made a decision", recorded in the front cover flap of your Bible does not shew that you are indeed saved. Yay, that date means naught. Even if you do not remember the day you were saved does not mean that you are not saved. Behold, the day we were saved is recorded in the Word!

Recorded

The day I was saved
Was written
Grave Stone Engraved
Where within
My Bible Displayed

Was written within
So I knew
that the Devil when
Whispered new
I knew my salvation

I know not exact
month and day
My sin to exact
I knelt to pray
so to sign contract

The line, "My Decision"
is as blank
White as is clean
as is blank
The book of my sin

Where then is written
that am I
saved from Perdition,
though I die,
Will I to Heaven?

Within the Scriptures
Recorded
Is Christ to the Cross
Reported
My salvation thus

And praise the Most High
I was saved
Christ, me for to die
Recorded
In Lamb's Book of Life.

Soli Deo Gloria

(c) James Marikle 2010

An Exercise in Allegory (Salvation)

I am going to ask you to observe (Psalms 114:7-8)

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

We will notice that this is an obvious allusion to Exodus 17:6 and Numbers 20:11 as well as a not so obvious reference to Psa 78:15; 105:41; 107:35 and Deut. 8:15. Behold the allegory! What we have here is a picture, beautifully portrayed of our salvation. But what need I say for it is very clear, Christ came and saved. God initiated our salvation by first touching our hearts like when Moses struck the stone. Out hearts, like the stone, were turned to water! Look in Ezekiel 11:19 which is also repeated,

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

These are all gorgeous pictures of our salvation in the Old Testament. But look ye,

Joh 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I [Christ] will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Soli Deo Gloria

Darcy v.s. Edward v.s. Christ

Now please do not mistake me, I am one of Austen's greatest fans and I find Pride and Prejudice the crown of her works! I adore the depth of the story, the detail of the characters, the love, the romance, the honour. So know that this is no slight on this great gem of literature! My concern is strictly with the object of worship.
I am going to continue my discourse, on Eph. 5. As you may infer from the title, I am now addressing the ladies of the audience. I will indeed try to keep this short as the passage does indeed address the wife quite briefly:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (Ephesians 5:22-23) and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
(Ephesians 5:33b)

I wish wives, wives-to-be, and ladies in general to observe this, "submit... to the Lord." This is quite simply what you are told here. For the fact that I am in fact a gentleman, I cannot boast knowledge on all that you may draw from this allegory. But you must understand this command. Ladies, this submission is quite simply a complete surrender and adoration of the one and true love of your lives.
But first, lets us not continue to the end ere we have dwelt on the beginning. Lets us thither with this question, what is the ideal sort of a man to marry? Historically, it has been universally accepted that this type of man is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Well for this, ladies, we find a man perfect. A man full of honour, a man of love and devotion. A man who worships her whom he loves. And in this we find his greatest fault. That is the very reason why there is no "real" Mr. Darcy. And it is his greatest strength that fails him completely. For you see, if infact the man you ladies love and wed worships you, he will fail you. And he does not infact love you chief in his soul; but rather, he loves himself. He will only wish to satisfy himself, for now, with your love, but when that fails him, he will fail you as he will seek that which does. And on that note, we might easily turn to the one gentleman who now turns every lady's heart, or so it seems. Let us look to Edward Cullen, a man so far beneath even Darcy. For you see ladies, Edward did not give himself up for his love as you suppose. He infact won his prize by ultimately drinking her blood, the which he denied himself for love, and still, in the end, took the heart of her after whom he lusted. Edward himself lusted and was a man of his lusts, he thusly, in the end, gave way to those lusts. So here we have two men who are not perfect.
So now, we come to the point. you ladies ought instead submit to Christ as your perfect bridegroom. He is in all ways perfect, unfailing in love (Heb 13:5), giving of Himself; that is, humble even to death (Philippians 2:8), very goodness Himself (Psalm 34:8; 100:5; 135:3; 145:9 and Lamentations 3:25). Ladies, seek a husband after the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). For he will be humble, he will give himself completely for you, and he will be good, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control"(Galatians 5:22-23). He will love you truly for he truly knows how to love. As He loves Christ completely, he can fully love you without giving himself to the impediments of his own flesh (Gal. 5:24). Now ladies, you will never find a Darcy to satisfy you. You will never find an Edward to love you. And any man you wed will fail you at some point. So then, know that your greatest bridegroom is Christ. Love Him, adore Him, seek after Him with all your heart.

Soli Deo Gloria

The Holy Allegory of Matrimony

I will confess with all truth, I am a hopeless romantic. Should it happen that one of my friends or my family, or my friend's family, or the friend of a friend's family's friend were to wed I will rather go romantic and be all congratulations. I mean, what is not to like? There is love in the air, hearts pine for one another in dearest adoration, and there is sweet feelings for one another! Ah! Such beauty. But what is it that makes Matrimony so gorgeous? Holy Matrimony is beautiful because it is a beautiful representation, even allegory of Christ and His relationship with the Church! That is indeed the very reason I love it so much!
This is all seen very clearly in Eph. 5:25-33. This is the "profound mystery" of marriage and why it is strictly a Christian institution. Holy Matrimony is intended an allegory of Christ and His Church. But this is not my chief point, merely my introduction. As I passed through this passage, I was reminded of its structured guidelines for how a Christian man is to conduct himself as a husband. As holy matrimony is a picture of our relationship with Christ, we are to thus mirror Christ as the perfect bridegroom. Quite simply, we don't need psychologists' theories, therapy, or how-to manuals (and this goes for "Christian psychologists as well). Instead, we need Sola Scriptura.
So how does this break down? How are we as husbands to conduct ourselves? Why, after the image of Christ for His Bride the Church, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). My goodness! That is sooo simple, but as Spurgeon said of Salvation, it is also so complicated and hard. So what does this mean? Well, as any good theologian will tell you, let Scripture interpret Scripture. What did Christ do for His Bride? Christ gave Himself up for her, yay unto very death on the cross.

And being found in human form, he [Christ] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

I want you to notice some very important facts in this verse, which also explains how we, as husbands, must conduct ourselves. 1.) Christ "humbled Himself". Men, you must do this constantly, as a Child of Christ, you will notice that this is the same as we do in the mortification of the flesh. We must put down our own desires and put first them of our wives (and eventually children but that is another allegory altogether). As leader of your household, you must see that you are to be the first to serve and the last to be served (John 13:5-16). I need not provide examples of this as you will know full well where to apply this; that is, in all of your life. If you hold anything back, it is much the same as when we attempt two masters (Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13 [this in reference to idols and our service to God Almighty, keep in mind that this is still the allegory of Christ's relationship with us and our relationship with Him; thusly it often goes both ways]). 2.) Christ "became obedient". No, this is not an argument for feminism. It was not Christ who became obedient to the Church, but rather, to God Almighty "even to death on the Cross". So also we become obedient to Triune God. We must obey the Word, as outlining the Law of God and further put forth by Christ in Matt. 5. We must obey Christ as He commanded us to live in His earthly ministry. We must obey the Holy Spirit as He inspired the apostles post Ascension. How then are we to be godly husbands? Through Humility and Obedience to God's Holy Word. This is laid out to us in the first verses of Eph 5:

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Soli Deo Gloria

Peace on Earth?

Hear ye! Hear ye! The voice of angels, "Glory to God in the Highest and Peace on Earth!" (Luke 2:14). But Hold up! There is something wrong with this picture... look ye, don't you see? There is no peace on earth! There are wars and rumors of wars, there are drugs hither and yon, abortions to fill the streets with blood, and a sex trade as would make stone statues blush with shame. So where is this peace?
Ah! But look, lets us "Tolle Lege, tolle lege!" Let us take it up and read it; that is, the Word. What does the Word say? Well if we read in context, we will discover this truth, that this peace is not a world, temporal peace:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2:14)

Ah! Well now that we have the second half, we can observe that, by the fact that the Lord is pleased only with them that are His children (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Isaiah 55:7) that this is peace to His Children. But wait!? Do we not see the opposite in the following passages; Luke 12:51 and Matt 10:34-36. Which is really the point. Christ did not come to bring temporal peace. He came to save our souls from damnation. The peace referred to by the Heavenly host would be that peace of Salvation;

For in him [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. (Ephesians 2:13-16)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

So then, it is the peace in our hearts that Christ brought in His first coming so let us praise God and sing glory glory to God in the Highest!

Soli Deo Gloria