Podcasts about Arminianism

In this episode of GraceNotes from no. 87 "Arminianism and the Gospel of Grace," we dive into the theology of Arminianism and its views on the gospel of grace. Named after Dutch theologian Jacob Arminius, Arminianism challenges the strong determinism of Calvinism, particularly in its views on salvation, free will, and God's grace. We'll explore the historical roots of Arminianism, from Arminius' objections to John Calvin's doctrines to the formalization of Arminian theology in the early 17th century. Through this study, we'll unpack key points of disagreement between Arminianism and Calvinism, such as the nature of election, the concept of prevenient grace, and the question of whether salvation can be lost. While Arminianism emphasizes human free will and the ability to choose salvation, it also presents challenges to the gospel of grace, particularly when it comes to assurance of salvation and the idea of works in maintaining salvation. How do Arminians reconcile their belief that salvation can be lost with the Bible's teaching on God's unconditional grace? We'll also look at how Arminianism compares to biblical teachings on eternal security, examining the struggles many believers face with assurance of salvation when their security is tied to human effort rather than God's grace. This episode seeks to bring clarity to these complex theological systems and highlight the importance of understanding the full gospel of grace. Whether you're familiar with the terms TULIP, prevenient grace, or the history of Arminianism, this episode will equip you to better understand both Arminian and Calvinist views and how they relate to the truth of the gospel. Join us as we unpack the core of the gospel message—salvation by grace alone, through faith alone—and why it's essential for believers to rest in the assurance of eternal security.

Send us a textThe doctrine of atonement stands as the most divisive battlefield in Christian theology, yet many believers struggle to articulate what Christ's sacrifice actually accomplished. This thought-provoking conversation explores the profound question at the heart of salvation: For whom did Jesus die?Breaking down the word itself reveals its true meaning – "at-one-ment" with God. But how does Christ's blood sacrifice reconcile sinners to a holy God? Does His death make salvation merely possible for everyone, or does it actually secure salvation for specific people? The answer divides Christianity into two theological camps: Arminianism and Calvinism.Through an engaging panel discussion, we unpack the essential elements of Christ's atonement – substitution, satisfaction, reconciliation, and forgiveness. We explore why the Old Testament sacrificial system could only temporarily cover sin while Christ's sacrifice permanently removes it. As one participant aptly notes, "Animal sacrifices couldn't actually remove sin permanently; it was just a temporary covering, a shadow pointing to the ultimate atonement which would come in Christ."This conversation challenges common misconceptions about atonement while revealing its centrality to the gospel message. You'll gain clarity on terms like "limited atonement" and "particular redemption" while understanding why these concepts matter deeply to your faith journey. Whether you're a theological novice or seasoned believer, this exploration of Christ's atoning work will deepen your appreciation for what happened at Calvary.Ready to move beyond surface-level Christianity? Listen now to discover how your understanding of Christ's atonement shapes your entire view of salvation, God's character, and the gospel itself.The Balance of GrayGod, doubt, and proof walk into a podcast... it goes better than you'd expect!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

00:00 - Intro02:41 - Shouldn't we hate sin?16:08 - Are you saved based on feelings or emotions?20:22 - Why is it Calvinism or Arminianism?26:59 - What about Lutheran churches?29:06 - Are you Non-Denominational?36:10 - Struggling with a lack of fruit/consistency.48:14 - Do you have tips on witnessing to Jewish people?52:08 - God sent an evil spirit to Saul?58:35 - Is 1 John 1:9 about salvation or sanctification?01:09:43 - I am struggling with anger amidst other things...01:16:35 - Luke 13, repentance for salvation?01:31:00 - How to have everlasting life.01:32:26 - Closing and Outro @focusevangelisticministriesinc HOW TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE : https://youtu.be/t_6L7E_mfIwSUBSCRIBE https://www.youtube.com/c/biblelineLIKE https://www.facebook.com/biblelineminCOMMENT ask us a question!SHARE with all your friends and familyDo you have a Bible question? Send your question to questions@biblelineministries.org!Support Bibleline - https://www.calvaryoftampa.org/donate/Bibleline is a ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida and is hosted by Pastor Jesse Martinez.LIKE THIS? CHECK THESE GUYS OUT:https://www.youtube.com/c/Northlandchurchstc(Tom Cucuzza)https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdddWVKMcM9c-SjUR1LZTBw(Jim Scudder)https://www.youtube.com/@focusevangelisticministriesinc(Josiah Coile)https://www.youtube.com/user/biblelinebroadcast(Yankee Arnold)https://www.youtube.com/c/TheKeesBoerMinistryChannel(Kees Boer)#bibleline #liveqna #salvation #calvinism #arminianism #repent #repentance #feelings #holyspirit #anger #nondenominational #freegrace #1john #sanctification #focus #ministries #josiahcoile #femi

HE  IS  RISEN! Easter is a time of year that many people celebrate and recognize, but what is the true reason behind this? Between the signs of spring, bunny rabbits, and easter eggs it can be difficult to see where the true significance is. It is important to highlight and discuss the true reason to celebrate Easter and that is the death and resurection of Jesus Christ. In this episode, Stephen sits down with Jacob to discuss the facts about the death and resurection of Jesus Christ and how it is the true reason to celebrate Easter. This is a very different episode than what is become expected on this show, but Stephen and Jacob both felt it very necessary to share the truth of the gospel and deeply discuss the varifiable truths of the Bible. We ask that regardless of your background you give this episode a listen and consider the topics and perspectives that are shared in it.  *CORRECTIONS* @min-17:45 While explaining the diety of Jesus Christ, Jacob intended to reference the heresy known as "Arianism" but accidently said "Arminianism". To clarify, Arminianism is not a heresy, but is a protestant theological prospective. Arianism (the intended reference) is a heretical perspective that denies the eternal diety of Jesus Christ and claims He was created.   Learn More About Jesus & How To Be Saved What Is Christianity? Answers About Christianity Who Is Jesus?   Other Valuable Resources Located below are helpful resources for more education on much of the topics discussed in this episode: The History of Easter Biblical Manuscipts  Biblical Reliability  Archaeological Evidences Why We Should Share The Gospel Known Christian Heresies   CONTACT US The best way to get a hold of us is to email us. We love hearing from you and we also love discussing details and helping where we can with specific or more nuanced questions. Please feel free to reach out. We'd love to talk to you! minutemen.initiative@gmail.com   HOW TO SUPPORT US & THE PODCAST Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! @Dynamic.Defense.Solutions  |  @Minutemen.Initiative  |  @Minutemen.Initiative (YouTube) We are passionate about training / education which is a major drive behind why we do the podcast, this same passion extends to our social media presence. We post high quality and in-depth educational content on our DDS instagram as well as our Podcast instagram.  Support us through our webstore: Dynamic Defense Solutions Webstore Use Discount Code: MINUTEMEN We thoroughly test and evaluate all the equipment we sell. If you see it for sale on our webstore then we personally back it and recommend it. We are always adding new products to our store that we believe supports the "Modern Minuteman" and that mission. We get asked often how people can support us and the podcast. Purchasing gear, equipment, holsters, and accessories from us directly supports DDS which makes the Minutemen Initiative podcast possible. We appreciate all of you who listen and greatly appreciate your support!  Thank you, Jacob & Stephen   INDUSTRY  COLLABORATIONS:  IWA International Website: https://iwainternationalinc.com  Discount Code: DDS5   One Hundred Concepts Weblink w/ Discount: https://onehundredconcepts.com/DYNAMICDEFENSESOLUTIONS Discount Code: DYNAMICDEFENSESOLUTIONS If code is inactive or not working, please use the follwoing email to request you dicount: cs@onehundredconcepts.com 

On todays show James, Chris, Jimmy, and Glenn talk about  the Book of James, focusing on its practical and spiritual aspects. Key points included the importance of faith accompanied by deeds, the role of the Holy Spirit in conversion, and the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism on predestination. The conversation highlighted James's emphasis on treating the poor with respect and the need for a changed heart to produce fruit of the Spirit. The group also explored the historical context of Martin Luther's critique of James, emphasizing that faith alone justifies, but works are evidence of true faith. The discussion emphasized the importance of both academic knowledge and practical application for pastors. Speaker 2 stressed that preachers need to understand complex theological concepts to address challenges from laypeople and to effectively communicate spiritual truths. They also highlighted the need for pastors to model their faith and provide practical guidance. The conversation touched on historical figures like Martin Luther and Calvin, and the significance of understanding theological contexts. Additionally, the speakers discussed the relevance of the Apostolic Fathers' Greek text and English translation. Don't miss the episode!

We look at a number of apparent theological paradoxes that are resolved in the same way, according to the principle that: “the entirety of Your WORD is TRUTH” (Ps 119:160). In each case, there are a set of Scriptures that emphasise one truth and another set of Scriptures that emphasise a different truth, but it can seem hard to see how to hold both truths together as they don't seem to fit. Some examples are: (1) the Prophecies of the Sufferings and Glory of Christ (Luke 24:25), (2) the Goodness and Severity of God, (3) God's Sovereignty and man's free-will, (4) the fact that Christ is both God and man (the hypostatic union), (5) the Tri-unity of God, and (6) how we can be forgiven in Christ (as far as our relationship is concerned), and yet still need forgiveness (as far as our fellowship with God is concerned). In each of these cases, people can easily go into a ditch on either side of the road of truth by choosing the set of Scriptures they like, and then ignoring or explaining away the Scriptures on the other side. The answer is found in realising that both sets of Scriptures are fully true, because there are 2 distinct (but related) realms of truth (if you can try to reconcile the 2 truths by mixing them together, you end up compromising and destroying them both - for example, by saying Christ is a semi-god and a semi-man, whereas the truth is that He is fully God and fully man). On the basis that all Scripture is true, we should embrace both revelations of truth, then seek God for a deeper understanding of how both sides can be fully true. When we do this, we will be rewarded with a fuller revelation of God's truth.

We look at a number of apparent theological paradoxes that are resolved in the same way, according to the principle that: “the entirety of Your WORD is TRUTH” (Ps 119:160). In each case, there are a set of Scriptures that emphasise one truth and another set of Scriptures that emphasise a different truth, but it can seem hard to see how to hold both truths together as they don't seem to fit. Some examples are: (1) the Prophecies of the Sufferings and Glory of Christ (Luke 24:25), (2) the Goodness and Severity of God, (3) God's Sovereignty and man's free-will, (4) the fact that Christ is both God and man (the hypostatic union), (5) the Tri-unity of God, and (6) how we can be forgiven in Christ (as far as our relationship is concerned), and yet still need forgiveness (as far as our fellowship with God is concerned). In each of these cases, people can easily go into a ditch on either side of the road of truth by choosing the set of Scriptures they like, and then ignoring or explaining away the Scriptures on the other side. The answer is found in realising that both sets of Scriptures are fully true, because there are 2 distinct (but related) realms of truth (if you can try to reconcile the 2 truths by mixing them together, you end up compromising and destroying them both - for example, by saying Christ is a semi-god and a semi-man, whereas the truth is that He is fully God and fully man). On the basis that all Scripture is true, we should embrace both revelations of truth, then seek God for a deeper understanding of how both sides can be fully true. When we do this, we will be rewarded with a fuller revelation of God's truth.

Title: Qualities of an Elder Text: Acts 20:13-27 FCF: We all struggle when our leaders are ungodly. Prop: Because an Elder must be and continue to be blameless, so all Elders and would be Elders must endure in these same qualities. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 20. In a moment we'll read from the Legacy Standard Bible starting in verse 13. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last week we noted Luke's shift in focus as his book hastens toward its close. Since the remainder of the book is concerning Paul's travels to Jerusalem, his imprisonment, his travel to Rome, and imprisonment there – Luke now shifts his attention to the character, person, and instructions of Paul. He began this last week by focusing on Paul's top priority. To the expense of himself, Paul desired greatly to instruct God's people in His ways. This was his primary objective. Such clarity in purpose reveals to us how all church leaders should prioritize the spiritual instruction of God's people. Today we will lean even more into the discussion of what godly church leaders should be, as Paul summons the Elders of Ephesus to himself to give them parting words of instruction before he goes on to Jerusalem. Let's see what he has to say. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Most Holy God, we come to You as Your children seeking wisdom and instruction from Your Word. We praise You Father for giving through Your Son and empowering through Your Spirit, undershepherds who care for the flock that You have claimed as Your own. We praise You for sending watchmen among us to watch out for wolves and to feed and to guide us. We pray that You would use this text this morning to equip us to understand and pursue all that You have given us regarding godly Elders. And we pray desperately that You would continue to bless us with men who love You and are called to serve. We ask this in Jesus' name amen. Transition: Let's get right to the text this morning. I.) Paul demonstrated the qualities necessary for all church leaders, so all Elders and would be Elders must endure in these same qualities. (13-21) a. [Slide 2] 13 – But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos (AH-sohs), intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14 - And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene (my-tell-EEE- knee). 15 - And sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios (KEY-ohs); and the next day we crossed over to Samos (SAM-ahs); and the day following we came to Miletus (my-LEE-tuhs). 16 - For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. 17 - Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. i. [Slide 3] On the screen behind me is the travel map of Paul and his 8 companions. ii. Luke records that by the plan of Paul, he desired to go by land from Troas to meet them in Assos. iii. Since this was Paul's plan all along, and we aren't told why, it is likely some unknown-to-us reason that Paul desired to travel by land on the first leg of the journey to Assos (AH-sohs). iv. More than likely, this took a couple days for Paul to catch up. v. Then they all sailed to Mitylene (my-tih-LEE-knee). Then the next day they came to what Luke calls the opposite of Chios (KEY-ohs). By this he probably intends the eastern side of the island of Chios as the map depicts. vi. Then the next day they came over to Samos (SAM-ahs), which is the unnamed island on the bottom. vii. Then the following day they came to Miletus (my-LEE-tuhs). viii. Miletus is about 25 miles south of Ephesus. ix. It has probably been about two years since Paul was in Ephesus at this point. x. Here Paul is faced with a dilemma. He loves the church of Ephesus and the Elders whom he helped to appoint and guide in that city. But he knew that if he stopped in to Asia to meet with them, he would be held up there. Most likely because of the love they had for him and he for them. xi. But, Paul is being led by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem and to make it before Pentecost. xii. Most likely, Pentecost is only a few weeks away when he lands in Miletus. xiii. Nevertheless, Paul cannot ignore the church in Ephesus completely. He had spent 3 years ministering to them. So, what is he to do? xiv. Paul decides to send for the Ephesian Elders to come and meet him. b. [Slide 4] 18 - And when they had come to him, he said to them, i. From verse 18 through verse 35 we have recorded for us one of the fullest expressions in the scriptures of what Elders are to be and what Elders are to do. ii. We will take half of his exhortation this week and next week we will look at the rest. iii. The first half is mostly Paul instructing them from his own example. c. [Slide 5] “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, i. The very first thing Paul exhorts them with is his own example of how he ministered in the city of Ephesus. ii. From their own observation and experience, they know that Paul was with them the whole time. iii. This probably is not referring to Paul staying with someone, or not leaving the city. iv. More likely this is Paul indicating that he lived his life before them. They observed him in the most basic functions of human existence all the way to worship services, and evangelism, and discipleship, and preaching, and prayer, and everything in-between. v. He was not separated from them but was with them. vi. But what did they observe of him while he was with them? d. [Slide 6] 19 - serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; i. They saw Paul under pressure. ii. [Slide 7] And the first pressure they observed Paul endure was his own flesh battling against his pedigree. 1. Paul had every reason to be proud. He began a successful church in the city of Ephesus. He taught for three years avoiding persecution from the Ephesians for almost the entire stay. 2. He was a good speaker. He was wise. He was followed by many. 3. Not only that but he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a Roman citizen, and well-respected by many powerful people. 4. But in the midst of this the Ephesian Elders observed that Paul served the Lord in all humility. 5. Paul put the needs of others above the needs of himself. 6. He was meek, he was lowly. He was a servant to all. 7. He did not demand that others wait on him, instead he became the servant to them for the sake of Christ, his Lord. 8. He did not expect due compensation for all his work like the traveling philosophers and preachers of his time. Instead, he was content with whatever he had. 9. In this way, Paul served the Lord, as merely a slave to His master's will. iii. [Slide 8] The second pressure they observed Paul endure was the weight of his mission. 1. Paul served the Lord with tears. 2. Paul was passionate about the mission and the message that he was sent by Christ to give. 3. Paul wept with them and plead with them to follow the Lord. 4. Paul cried with tears of joy as they came to Christ and turned from their sin and their idols. 5. Paul no doubt shed many tears when many of them confessed their former dalliances with magic and as they burned their books in rejecting their former ways, never to go back. 6. Paul mourned the tragedy of those who denied Christ, many of whom were his own kinsmen. 7. Paul wept over believers who chose to continue in sin and did not desire to be corrected, like with the Corinthians. 8. Paul sobbed tears of joy when the Corinthians repented and returned. 9. Paul cried over false teachers making shipwreck of believers' faith. 10. Truly Paul's mission was weighty. iv. [Slide 9] The third pressure they observed in Paul was the persecution from the Jews. 1. Paul served the Lord even with his trials. 2. He rejoiced in suffering at the hands of the Jews. For His own Savior had suffered also at the hands of the Jews. 3. He endured the many plots from them all over the empire and even in Ephesus, to destroy him and the message he taught. 4. Through it all, Paul's eyes were on Christ, knowing that he could endure all of it and more through Christ who gives him strength. v. Paul did not bow to the pressures he faced. He had excellent moral character and spiritual strength. He was blameless. vi. But what did he do with such noble character? e. [Slide 10] 20 - how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, i. Against secret societies, hidden knowledge cults, Gnosticism, free masonry, scientology, Mormonism and any other religious group that trickles out secret knowledge to those who are loyal… ii. Paul did not withdraw or shy away from sharing with them everything he knew that was profitable for them. Everything that was expedient to them, he told them. iii. These mystery cults and philosophical and religious gurus ensure that you will continue to support them or their faith by holding back information you need, until you have sufficiently paid for it. iv. Not Paul. v. Paul gave them everything he knew that could help them. vi. He knew a good deal more about the law and about Judaism and about being a Pharisee. But this was not expedient to them. It was not profitable. But the things of Christ? The way of faith? The grace of God? vii. Of these, he told them everything he could. viii. And he didn't do it privately to only a few wealthy people, as if to peddle this gospel for personal gain. ix. Instead, he shared all this publicly, teaching in the hall of Tyrannus. And when those discussions continued, he went to houses and taught too. x. There was no membership fee, no subscription model, no downloadable content. xi. He passionately pursued any who desired to be taught the ways of the Lord. f. [Slide 11] 21 - solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. i. Finally, we see Paul say that they observed the undeniable fact that he, with great seriousness and sincerity, bore witness to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. ii. Paul shared the gospel, even after the church was founded there in Ephesus. iii. And he shared the gospel to every person he came in contact with regardless of their heritage or lineage. iv. We know that the Jews were despised and mocked in Ephesus. We know from the letter to the Ephesians Paul emphasizes the church being one made of both Jews and Gentiles. v. Paul passionately and sincerely bore witnesses to all men about the command of God for all men to repent toward God and receive faith in Jesus. g. [Slide 12] Summary of the Point: Luke dutifully records Paul's exhortation to the Elders of Ephesus as he commends them to continuing the work there in their city. Paul's opening point is the track record that he exemplified while he was among them. He was a man who selflessly served the Lord by serving them, through tears and trails. He taught them in season and out of season. He reproved, rebuked, corrected and instructed them in all that was helpful to them, and he did the work of an evangelist calling all kinds of men to repentance toward God and faith in Christ. But they knew all this. They observed him for three years being this kind of man. So, what is Paul's message? What is Luke telling us? Quite simply – the church needs this caliber of man to be Elders. In fact, for every Elder or would be Elder, it is safe for us to conclude that this should be our character profile. Transition: [Slide 13 (blank)] Paul leaves the past and now looks to the uncertainty of the future. Will he be the same man? Will he make changes? If the pressure increases, will he break? II.) Paul will continue to demonstrate these qualities despite the cost, so all Elders and would be Elders must endure in these same qualities. (22-27) a. [Slide 14] 22 - And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 - except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that chains and afflictions await me. i. Paul leaves the past and now looks to the future. ii. He knows that he must go to Jerusalem. We saw before how he resolved to go to Jerusalem and now, we see that this was by direct leading of the Holy Spirit. iii. Paul has no idea what to expect when he arrives. It has been about 5 years since he last went to Jerusalem. He went there after his second missionary journey and before heading to Ephesus. iv. In fact, the only thing he does know is what the Holy Spirit continues to remind him of in every city he visits. v. Really it is the prediction that Christ gave to Ananias at Paul's conversion. Jesus said, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” vi. The Holy Spirit has revealed that many afflictions and imprisonments await Paul in the near future. vii. So, he doesn't know what will happen in Jerusalem, but he does know that he is going to suffer imprisonments and afflictions for the name of Christ. viii. What is the moral fiber of Paul? What is his outlook here? b. [Slide 15] 24 - But I do not make my life of any account nor dear to myself, i. Paul is holding his life loosely. ii. He is not fighting to stay alive at all costs. He is not striving to avoid all pain and anguish. iii. If the Holy Spirit has revealed that this is God's will for him – it would be foolish to resist and to fight against it. iv. Paul will not flee like Jonah. v. Why? c. [Slide 16] so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. i. Jesus gave Paul a job to do. ii. He is to go and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to Jews, to Gentiles, and to Kings. iii. Well, so far, he has not proclaimed the gospel to kings. iv. He has certainly had audiences with many powerful and wealthy people. Some of them have even come to Christ. v. But, to date, Paul has never stood before any rulers to preach the gospel. vi. So, his mission is not complete. vii. Here we see again his desire to sincerely or solemnly testify to the gospel of the grace of God. viii. There are many perspectives on soteriology. For the last four hundred years the church has been enamored with the discussion of Arminianism vs. Calvinism. ix. I'm not going to talk about either right now. x. But one thing is for sure. If the gospel you believe is not a gospel of God's grace, then it is not the gospel at all. xi. So, what is grace? 1. We have all memorized the quick definition – unmerited favor. 2. And that is a fine definition of the word grace. 3. But if we are talking about God's grace and specifically God's grace in salvation, which is what Paul is talking about here, I do not believe the definition “unmerited favor” is sufficient. 4. So, how would I define God's grace in salvation? 5. It is simply this. God accomplishes 100% of our salvation. 6. There is no step that God has left to us in order to be saved. 7. According to Romans 3:24, we are justified as a gift by His grace through Christ's redemption. 8. [Slide 17] Another way to remember what grace is, is by the acronym for GRACE 9. God's 10. Riches 11. At 12. Christ's 13. Expense 14. God delivers the gift of all his riches, indeed sonship and becoming heirs to His throne, at the expense of Christ. 15. Notice that this still has nothing to do with us. Our response isn't factored in yet, for God has given His riches because of the redemption of His Son. 16. Now this isn't denying that there are necessary responses flowing out of that gift of justification by grace through Christ's work. 17. In fact, in the other instance in this text in which Paul talks about sincerely testifying about the gospel he explains the command and the responsibility of Jews and Greeks to respond in repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. 18. But God uses our repentance and faith, both of which the scriptures teach us are ALSO gifts He gives to us, God by grace uses this gifted repentance and faith as means to unite us to our gifted justification. 19. [Slide 18] To suggest that God has accomplished even 99.9% of our salvation and waits on us to do the other .1% - is to make another gospel… one that is not GRACE - God's Riches At Christ's Expense, but is in fact, God's Riches Awaiting Mankind's Submission. I know that spells GRAMS which isn't great… 20. [Slide 19] but My point is not for you to remember GRAMS but GRACE! 21. Call yourself an Arminian. Call yourself a Calvinist. Refuse to take a title. It matters very little. 22. But if your gospel is not ALL of God – then it isn't the gospel of the Grace of God that Paul preached. And that means… it isn't the gospel at all. d. [Slide 20] 25 - And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. i. Now Paul laments the fact that most likely, he will never see any of the Ephesian Elders again. ii. Is Paul being overly dramatic here? iii. No. Paul knows that his future will be full of all kinds of difficulties. iv. And as far as we know, Paul never did return to Ephesus. Paul will go to Rome as a prisoner. He will be release and then spend time in and around the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Greece, and potentially even going as far as Spain. But eventually he will be imprisoned for the last time and beheaded by Emperor Nero. v. So no, Paul isn't being dramatic. vi. He went among them and preached the Kingdom of Christ- of which they were now a part and working to do the same. vii. But never again will he see them. viii. In light of this, Paul wants to say one more thing about the future… and specifically their future. Then he will move to exhorting them. ix. We won't get to the exhortation this week, but let's look at what Paul says about their future… e. [Slide 21] 26 - Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all. 27 - For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. i. Much like God commanded Ezekiel in Ezekiel 3:17 and 18 warning him to be a watchmen for the people and warn them when God tells him to warn them, Paul recuses himself from any guilt that might be placed on him for the spiritual futures of any of these Elders present with him, and for any of the church in Ephesus. ii. Why? iii. Because he did not hesitate to tell them all that God had revealed. iv. If any of these Elders bring a different teaching or slip away from the teaching Paul gave either by adding to it or taking from it – it is not a charge that can be laid on Paul. v. And if they lead any of the Ephesian church members into apostasy or heresy – it cannot be blamed on Paul. vi. Why? vii. Paul did not hesitate to tell them everything God had given him. The whole purpose or counsel of God was available to them through him. viii. Again, this goes back to his statement that he didn't withdraw from telling them everything that was profitable or expedient to them. f. [Slide 22] Summary of the Point: As Paul looks to the future and understands that there is no hope for things to improve. In fact, things will most certainly get worse, for the Holy Spirit has revealed as much to him. But Paul's intention is to continue to exemplify these qualities and these passions. He desires to continue to be used up, to be emptied out, all for the sake of the gospel of God's grace. His desire is to leave no one's blood on his hands, but like a good watchman, he has told everyone all that they must hear to participate in the kingdom of Christ. Despite a bleak future – Paul intends to continue to exemplify these qualities, until he is extinguished. My friends… Elders and those who would be Elders someday… Is this us? It must be. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today and how then shall we live? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 23] All of our truth points come from Paul's example. This may be challenging for us to receive because Paul is merely a man, but when we understand that these qualities in this text are merely a reflection of who Jesus is and what He demonstrated, we then understand that the qualities Paul has demonstrated are simply those he has received from Christ. But if we were to look at the two letters Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus concerning the qualifications for Elders, we would see a remarkable but unsurprisingly similar 1 to 1 connection between those qualifications and the qualities Paul demonstrated to the Ephesians. Paul is blameless, temperate, sensible, respectful, apt to teach, not a brawler but considerate, peaceable, free from the love of money, he had a good reputation with those outside the church, he was not selfish, nor a liar to cheat people of money, he loved what was good, he was righteous, holy, self-controlled, and he held fast the faithful teaching of the gospel, proving to be able to exhort others in sound doctrine, doing the work of an evangelist, and was able to reprove those who contradicted the gospel. In that sense, Paul's life becomes an illustration of what qualities we must look for in men who are or desire to be Elders. And if we are Elders or desire to be Elders, Paul's example becomes a good template to compare ourselves to. But let me seek to apply this text today, primarily to Elders and would be Elders, but also to the congregation as a whole. 1.) [Slide 24] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that blamelessness is the chief qualification of an Elder. a. All the qualities Paul puts forward in this text are summarized in the basic qualification of blamelessness. b. Blamelessness is the quality one possesses in which it is impossible to find fault with someone. c. This does not, of course, speak to perfection. All men continue to battle and kill off their sin in this life. If the standard were perfection and true sinlessness, then only Christ could be given the title of Elder. d. Instead, blamelessness takes on a legal quality. In the law of moses it took two or three witnesses to bring someone to trial and find them guilty. e. Similarly, we see in I Timothy 5, Paul outlines the process for the discipline of an Elder. If two or three witnesses are not available to substantiate an accusation of sin against an Elder, then the accusation is not even to be heard. But if two or three witnesses confirm that an Elder is in sin, the Elder must be rebuked. f. This again instructs us as to the exact nature of the qualification of blamelessness. g. In order for a man, who desires the office, to be qualified for it, it must be impossible to achieve the necessary quorum among the body to accuse the man of living in sin. In fact, being blameless would imply that any such accusation would be hard to fathom considering the character of the man in question. h. Blamelessness does not mean sinlessness, but it does mean that there is no sin that is cherished, nurtured, encouraged, or befriended by this Elder. They desire the death of sin in their hearts and keep their accounts short. i. Looking at the rest of the qualifications we can see how all of them flow out of or into this one quality of blamelessness. j. Why must the man be blameless? k. Think about an Elder's responsibility. He is to guard the souls of the little lambs of God, serving as an undershepherd below the Great Shepherd. l. Such a place, such a responsibility, such a position given to a man who no one really trusts, or who when a rumor floats around people say, “well that does sound like a sin he would be doing.” Such a man cannot possibly watch for the souls of others… for others much watch out for his soul instead. He would be a liability to the children of God and the rest of the leadership. m. How can an Elder teach or lead someone in holy and Christlike lifestyles when he himself is ensnared and overcome by sin? n. So, by way of application for us this morning, we diverge into a few groups of people. i. First, if you are a man in this congregation, you need to consider blamelessness to be your command. 1. Whether you are an Elder or not, as a man in our congregation we still possess the innate headship of our home meaning that we are in essence an Elder of our family. 2. We have the responsibility of watching out for the souls of our wife and children or future wife and/or future children. 3. Such a role requires us to be the spiritual leader of our family. Setting the example in thought, word, and deed. Exemplifying Christlikeness. And pursuing Christ before our family and leading them to Him. ii. Second, if you are a man in this congregation who desires the office of an Elder, you must first be blameless. 1. No amount of biblical knowledge can make up for lacking blamelessness in your character. 2. No amount of teaching prowess can make up for lacking blamelessness. 3. No amount of kindness, gentleness, rule following, leadership, or charisma can make up for lacking blamelessness. 4. If a man is perfect in every way, and gifted as Paul was for ministry but was known for indulging in a specific sin… such a man is still unqualified to be an Elder. 5. And it is not enough to be blameless until you become an Elder… now you must live blamelessly not only before your family and the church, but before the other Elders as well. iii. Third, if you are an Elder in this church, let this be a healthy reminder to us that we must continue to be blameless. 1. We must continue to serve the Lord in humility. We must continue to serve Him and His church with tears and with endurance through persecution. 2. We must continue to declare the whole counsel of God to His people, sparing no teaching that is profitable and expedient to them. 3. We must continue to solemnly testify to all men the gospel of God's grace and implore them to turn from their sin and to God through faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. 4. My friends, we must be blameless. And we must make sure we hold each other to that standard. iv. Finally, if you are none of the above, you must pray for and seek out leaders who are blameless. 1. It is the congregation's responsibility to only seek out and receive Elders who are blameless. 2. And if a Prospective Elder is put forward for consideration, who you do not consider to be blameless, you must make your concerns known to the Elder Board. 3. Although we have only been Elder led for a few years now, there may come a time in the future where the Elders put forward another man we have considered to be qualified to be an Elder in our church. 4. You have a solemn responsibility to make your concerns known to us. Perhaps you know the man in a way we do not. o. For the sake of the church and the purity of the gospel message, Elders must be blameless. 2.) [Slide 25] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that Elders can hold others to a standard they do not meet. a. Nothing Paul will charge these men to do next week are things that Paul has not already demonstrated and done himself. b. Paul is not instructing the Elders in Ephesus to do something he would not or could not do. Instead, he is instructing them to be like him and continue doing what he was doing. c. There is a common saying in ministry and it is something like, “the spiritual maturity of the body can never exceed the average spiritual maturity of its leaders.” d. If such a thing could be measured mathematically, we could conclude that if the spiritual maturity of the Elder board was averaged to be 50% conformity to Christ (again, these are very crude numbers – just follow me for the sake of the illustration) – If this were so, then the church body cannot possibly be expected to exceed that maturity. e. Thus, if the Elders are a group of power-hungry little kings vying for their own slice of the church pie – imagine what such a church would be? f. Regardless of whether you are an Elder, a would be Elder, or a member of this body – this is still further incentive to find men who are blameless to lead. g. Because if they are not blameless, the church won't be anywhere close to blameless. h. An Elder can only preach and teach that which he has repented of and submitted to in His own life. i. Elders must practice in example what they intend to preach from the scriptures. 3.) [Slide 26] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must pray for godly leaders. a. This works out in two specific ways. b. First, we must pray for God to give more godly leaders to us. i. Unfortunately, Jerry Gunst isn't going to live forever. Neither is Nick, or CJ, or Justin - and even though I am not even 40 yet, I have already begun praying for and looking for a young man who could potentially replace me as the Primary teaching Elder of the church. ii. Our lives seem so long in some ways – so long that we procrastinate on things that go beyond our lifetime. iii. And yet life is so short in other ways. So short that by the time we do realize we need to plan for the future beyond our lives, it is too late. iv. Even now, we can be in prayer for the future Elders of Columbus Baptist Church. v. We can pray that God would give grace to save and shape and mold young men to rise up to the challenge of blamelessly shepherding God's people. vi. You can start that today. Every week I pray through our membership directory. And when I come to a name of a boy – I pray that God would raise him up to be godly and that he might become a future Elder or Deacon of this church. vii. Be in prayer for the future leaders of our church. Even if you will be long gone before they take office… be in prayer. c. Second, we must pray for the leaders we currently have to be godly. i. Occasionally some of you get a sneak peek into the lives of we Elders. ii. Occasionally you are exposed to the trials, the tears, the pains, the hardship, the difficulties we face in leading this church. And that is all in addition to the normal trials and troubles we face in our families and in our personal lives… And most of your Elders actually have ANOTHER job that they do that has its own set of difficulties. iii. My point is, that we… NEED.. your prayers. iv. I would even say that we are desperate for them. v. And don't just pray that we be healthy, that our kids are healthy, that our bodies are healthy… no… please… pray especially that God would protect us from the schemes of the devil and the principalities and powers that seek to destroy us to get to you all. Pray for that first. vi. I'd rather die of cancer having lived a godly life, than live forever having rejected my Lord's commands. And I can confidently say that that is true for all the Elders. vii. Pray for our physical needs – but not at the expense of praying for our spiritual protection and godly wisdom. 4.) [Slide 27] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” Elders, we must be Watchmen for these people. a. Notice how Paul twice emphasized that he declared the whole plan of God and all that was profitable to the Ephesian Elders when he was with them. He did this to the extent that if any of them walked away from this truth and their faith failed and they were cast into the lake of fire… then he would not be to blame for it. b. We too are watchmen of these people. c. May none here have the luxury of saying in that final day, “But that Elder didn't tell me everything. He never told me the fullness of your plan or the teachings that were of great expediency to me.” d. May we teach with our words and our lives all that is necessary to be known so that in the final day we are innocent of all blood, having watched out for all the souls in our charge. e. Let us not grow weary in our labor. But let us press on brothers. 5.) [Slide 28] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” A plurality of biblically qualified Elders is one of the greatest gifts Christ has given His church. a. Who wouldn't want a bunch of little Paul's looking out for them? b. Who wouldn't want a bunch of little Christ's guarding them? c. God has called and equipped men to lead His church. They are mere men, which means they are not perfect. But they are equipped by God, blameless, so that even when they fail, they humbly seek forgiveness and make appropriate changes. d. Who else would we want leading our church? e. What a great comfort it is to have godly men leading. f. May they remain godly so that we may thrive as the church of Christ. [Slide 29 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the Reformer Thomas Becon Lord Jesus Christ, you are the true and everlasting Bishop, the mirror and pattern for all faithful pastors both in life and doctrine. You came down from God your Father not only to be our Redeemer, but also our teacher, to open and declare to us the mysteries of the holy Scriptures. We humbly pray now that in your mercy you would look upon your poor and scattered flock, whom you have purchased with your most precious blood. Send us shepherds who will diligently seek the lost sheep, lovingly carry them on their shoulders, and faithfully bring them home again. Lord, you see how great the harvest is, and how few the workers. You are Lord of the harvest. Send us into the harvest! And take away from us those false prophets who come to us in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Take away those false anointed and false preachers, who by their subtle doctrine would bring us into error. Grant also, O Lord, that these true shepherds may accurately and reverently minister your holy mysteries to us… [that we may have] our faith … established, confirmed, and strengthened. And may we be comforted and made strong against the gates of hell, the devil, the world, the flesh, the curse of the law, sin, death, desperation, and all that is hostile to us. May their shepherds hands not be stretched out to receive, and slow to give. But establish in them a mind that is content, and willing to spend for the relief of the poor, that they may feed the flock both in word and deed. You commanded your apostle Peter three times to feed your flock. And you gave this command not only to Peter, but to all your apostles-even to all pastors who follow. Deal with your flock, most faithful Shepherd, according to your promise. Raise up faithful and diligent shepherds who may feed their flocks with your life-filled word, lead a good life, and maintain hospitality for the comfort of the poor. And in all things may they behave according to your will and commandments. So when you, the most high Bishop and chief Shepherd, appear, may they receive the pure and spotless crown of glory. In Jesus' name we pray this. Amen. Benediction: May the Lord grant you The love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can sway, The hope no disappointments can dismay, And the passion that burns like fire. Until we meet again, go in peace.

EPHESIANS 2: 1-10

Colossians 2:10 says, And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. When God says that those who repent of their sin and embrace Jesus Christ as Lord are complete, He means complete. Jesus Christ is called The Author and Finisher of our faith. Because Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form, that means that those who are born again are complete in Christ because of the composite work of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Spirit, in the life of every single believer.We will see in our study today that every false religious system or teacher insists that there is something else that needs to be done in addition to faith is Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Let me put it this way, whatever that something else is, let's call it an “ism”: Legalism, Ceremonialism, Ritualism, Mysticism, or Asceticism. When any “ism” is insisted upon in order to be made complete in Jesus Christ, whatever that “ism” is, is saying that Jesus Christ is not enough.Not all “isms” are bad in and of themselves, and there are many Christian “isms” that are used to define a certain theology or belief system. It can be Calvinism, Arminianism, Pentecostalism, Dispensationalism, or Cessationalism. In many cases, the “ism” can become our identity and necessary in order to understand the gospel clearly.Beloved, let us never forget that whatever “ism” you and I may choose to embrace as a follower of Jesus Christ, the believers identity is found in who they are in Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself IS The Gospel. Remember beloved, you are complete in Him, and no “ism” was ever meant to “fill the void” and that only Jesus can pay the debt of our sin and fill the spiritual void within the sinners soul. No “ism” is sitting on the throne of glory. No “ism” is the Head of The church. No “ism” created and maintains the universe. No “ism” can save your soul.Rev 5:12 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. Amen. SELAH

In this episode, we continue studying the topic of Limited Atonement by reading through the excellent introduction by J.I. Packer to the Banner of Truth Edition of John Owen's "Death of Death in the Death of Christ". This intro deserves to be read regularly by those who want to understand the issues at stake between Calvinism and Arminianism. Link to Intro here : https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/packer_deathintro.html

JOHN 10: 24-30

EZEKIEL 36: 22-38

The principal focus of this podcast episode is the exploration of theological differences within the Christian podcast community, specifically concerning the contentious topics of Calvinism and Arminianism. We convene as a collective of podcasters dedicated to engaging in these discussions with a spirit of love and charity, striving for a deeper understanding of our diverse perspectives. Throughout the dialogue, we address the complexities of salvation, divine sovereignty, and human responsibility, seeking to delineate our various interpretations of scripture and doctrine. Our conversation aims to illuminate the nuances of these theological positions, fostering a respectful exchange of ideas that is both enlightening and constructive. Ultimately, we aspire to enrich our listeners' faith journeys by providing thoughtful insights into the intricate tapestry of Christian theology.The podcast episode delves into the intricate theological debate surrounding Calvinism and Arminianism, a topic that has engendered considerable discourse within the Christian community. The speakers engage in a nuanced discussion, highlighting their respective positions while emphasizing the importance of love and charity in theological disagreements. Each participant introduces themselves and their podcast affiliations, providing context for their perspectives. The episode explores the historical and biblical foundations of both theological viewpoints, addressing key concepts such as total depravity, election, and the nature of grace. Through earnest dialogue, the speakers strive to elucidate their beliefs while respecting the diversity of thought within the Christian faith, ultimately advocating for a spirit of unity amid doctrinal differences. This rich narrative underscores the complexity of theological discussions and the necessity of mutual understanding among believers.Takeaways: In this episode, we engaged in a thoughtful discussion on the theological differences within the Christian podcast community, emphasizing the importance of love and charity in such conversations. We explored the complex debate between Calvinism and Arminianism, acknowledging the passionate beliefs held by many individuals and the historical context of these theological positions. The concept of total depravity was examined, with particular attention given to how it influences our understanding of human will and God's sovereignty in salvation. I articulated the idea that God's election is unconditional, emphasizing the biblical basis for this belief and how it impacts the assurance of salvation for believers. We discussed the preservation of the saints, affirming that true believers are secure in their salvation and cannot be lost, despite the existence of warning passages in Scripture. The conversation concluded with a call for unity and understanding in theological debates, advocating for respectful dialogue among differing viewpoints within the faith community.

The principal focus of this podcast episode is the exploration of theological differences within the Christian podcast community, specifically concerning the contentious topics of Calvinism and Arminianism. We convene as a collective of podcasters dedicated to engaging in these discussions with a spirit of love and charity, striving for a deeper understanding of our diverse perspectives. Throughout the dialogue, we address the complexities of salvation, divine sovereignty, and human responsibility, seeking to delineate our various interpretations of scripture and doctrine. Our conversation aims to illuminate the nuances of these theological positions, fostering a respectful exchange of ideas that is both enlightening and constructive. Ultimately, we aspire to enrich our listeners' faith journeys by providing thoughtful insights into the intricate tapestry of Christian theology.The podcast episode delves into the intricate theological debate surrounding Calvinism and Arminianism, a topic that has engendered considerable discourse within the Christian community. The speakers engage in a nuanced discussion, highlighting their respective positions while emphasizing the importance of love and charity in theological disagreements. Each participant introduces themselves and their podcast affiliations, providing context for their perspectives. The episode explores the historical and biblical foundations of both theological viewpoints, addressing key concepts such as total depravity, election, and the nature of grace. Through earnest dialogue, the speakers strive to elucidate their beliefs while respecting the diversity of thought within the Christian faith, ultimately advocating for a spirit of unity amid doctrinal differences. This rich narrative underscores the complexity of theological discussions and the necessity of mutual understanding among believers.Takeaways: In this episode, we engaged in a thoughtful discussion on the theological differences within the Christian podcast community, emphasizing the importance of love and charity in such conversations. We explored the complex debate between Calvinism and Arminianism, acknowledging the passionate beliefs held by many individuals and the historical context of these theological positions. The concept of total depravity was examined, with particular attention given to how it influences our understanding of human will and God's sovereignty in salvation. I articulated the idea that God's election is unconditional, emphasizing the biblical basis for this belief and how it impacts the assurance of salvation for believers. We discussed the preservation of the saints, affirming that true believers are secure in their salvation and cannot be lost, despite the existence of warning passages in Scripture. The conversation concluded with a call for unity and understanding in theological debates, advocating for respectful dialogue among differing viewpoints within the faith community.

Topics: Predestination, Biblical Predestination, False Predestination, Role of Free Will in Salvation, Predestination and God's Love, Predestination vs. Calvinism and Arminianism, Invitation of Gentiles Into God's Family, Meaning of Ephesians 1-3, Romans 9-11 and the Jewish Rejection of Christ, Impact of Legalism on Salvation, God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, The Gospel as Good News for all People, The Elect as the Body of Christ, Stumbling Block of Jesus for the Jews, Faith vs. Works of the Law in Salvation, Role of Grace in Predestination, Inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan, Misinterpretation of Romans 9, God's Mercy in Salvation, Abraham's Promise and its fulfillment, Purpose of the Law Before Christ, Predestination as God's Predetermined Plan for Salvation, Spiritual Significance of Being Children of the Promise, Transformation of Believers Into a New Creation, Meaning of “Many are Called, Few are Chosen," Rejection of Christ by Legalistic Jews, Dangers of Relying on Works for Righteousness, How Faith in Jesus Replaces the Law, Role of the Holy Spirit in Guiding Believers, Ultimate Glorification of Believers in ChristThe Christian Identity Volume 3Send Matt a text about this episode!Support the showSign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

John 10

Romans 9

If God's determination concerning any thing should have a temporal original, it must needs be either because he then perceived some goodness in it of which before he was ignorant, or else because some accident did affix a real goodness to some state of things which it had not from him; neither of which, without abominable blasphemy, can be affirmed, seeing he knoweth the end from the beginning, all things from everlasting, being always the same, the fountain of all goodness, of which other things do participate in that measure which it pleaseth him to communicate it unto them.

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: A Display {Refutation} of Arminianism #1 Subtitle: John Owen Sermons Speaker: John Owen Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan Event: Audiobook Date: 2/28/2025 Length: 34 min.

Romans 9

JUDE vs 3

In this short episode, Charlie explains how the Simply by Grace podcast continues to be popular but now GraceLife is expanding to video format. You will be able to still listen via your favorite podcast service or visit the GraceLife Youtube channel to watch the podcast.  https://youtube.com/@GraceLifeOrg On top of this, Charlie's popular GraceNotes will be the kickoff series, beginning with eternal security. GraceNotes are the most popular and most downloaded resource on our GraceLife.org website and the GraceLife app (GL Ministries). GraceNotes are two-page studies designed to be downloaded, copied, and handed out as a teaching tool. No special permission is needed! They are currently available in seven languages and with more on the way. After beginning with the hot topic of eternal security, Charlie will continue with episodes grouped around assurance of salvation, the nature of faith, grace, repentance, the Judgment Seat of Christ, Rewards, Calvinism, Arminianism, Lordship Salvation, Sanctification issues, discipleship, and special studies on John, Romans, Hebrews, 1 John, Revelation, and problem passages. These studies originated from the questions Charlie gets when he is teaching and preaching. Be sure to subscribe so you will be notified when the episodes are released. #SimplybyGrace #GraceNotes #FreeGrace

Unpacking Calvinism: An In-depth Interview With Leighton Flowers Why Calvinism?  In a recent interview, Walt engaged in a thoughtful discussion with Leighton Flowers on the topic of Calvinism, exploring the theological intricacies and implications of this doctrinal framework. Calvinism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all aspects of salvation and human existence, often highlighting doctrines such as predestination and total depravity. During the conversation, Walt and Leighton examined how Calvinism contrasts with other theological perspectives, such as Arminianism, which offers a different understanding of free will and divine grace. They also delved into the practical impact of these beliefs on personal faith and church practices. The interview aimed to provide clarity and insight into why some individuals are drawn to Calvinist thought, while encouraging respectful dialogue and deeper understanding among those with differing views.Audio only and video: https://truthunbound.podbean.com/  Truth Unbound website: https://truthunbound.org/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnbound  YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TruthUnboundMinistries  Info@TruthUnbound.org https://lbu.edu

Unpacking Calvinism: An In-depth Interview With Leighton Flowers In a recent interview, Walt engaged in a thoughtful discussion with Leighton Flowers on the topic of Calvinism, exploring the theological intricacies and implications of this doctrinal framework. Calvinism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all aspects of salvation and human existence, often highlighting doctrines such as predestination and total depravity. During the conversation, Walt and Leighton examined how Calvinism contrasts with other theological perspectives, such as Arminianism, which offers a different understanding of free will and divine grace. They also delved into the practical impact of these beliefs on personal faith and church practices. The interview aimed to provide clarity and insight into why some individuals are drawn to Calvinist thought, while encouraging respectful dialogue and deeper understanding among those with differing views.Audio only and video: https://truthunbound.podbean.com/ Truth Unbound website: https://truthunbound.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnbound YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TruthUnboundMinistries Info@TruthUnbound.org https://lbu.edu

Unpacking Calvinism: An In-depth Interview With Leighton Flowers In a recent interview, Walt engaged in a thoughtful discussion with Leighton Flowers on the topic of Calvinism, exploring the theological intricacies and implications of this doctrinal framework. Calvinism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all aspects of salvation and human existence, often highlighting doctrines such as predestination and total depravity. During the conversation, Walt and Leighton examined how Calvinism contrasts with other theological perspectives, such as Arminianism, which offers a different understanding of free will and divine grace. They also delved into the practical impact of these beliefs on personal faith and church practices. The interview aimed to provide clarity and insight into why some individuals are drawn to Calvinist thought, while encouraging respectful dialogue and deeper understanding among those with differing views.Audio only and video: https://truthunbound.podbean.com/ Truth Unbound website: https://truthunbound.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnbound YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TruthUnboundMinistries Info@TruthUnbound.org https://lbu.edu

Unpacking Calvinism: An In-depth Interview With Leighton Flowers Why Calvinism?  In a recent interview, Walt engaged in a thoughtful discussion with Leighton Flowers on the topic of Calvinism, exploring the theological intricacies and implications of this doctrinal framework. Calvinism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all aspects of salvation and human existence, often highlighting doctrines such as predestination and total depravity. During the conversation, Walt and Leighton examined how Calvinism contrasts with other theological perspectives, such as Arminianism, which offers a different understanding of free will and divine grace. They also delved into the practical impact of these beliefs on personal faith and church practices. The interview aimed to provide clarity and insight into why some individuals are drawn to Calvinist thought, while encouraging respectful dialogue and deeper understanding among those with differing views.Audio only and video: https://truthunbound.podbean.com/  Truth Unbound website: https://truthunbound.org/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnbound  YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TruthUnboundMinistries  Info@TruthUnbound.org https://lbu.edu

Unpacking Calvinism: An In-depth Interview With Leighton Flowers In a recent interview, Walt engaged in a thoughtful discussion with Leighton Flowers on the topic of Calvinism, exploring the theological intricacies and implications of this doctrinal framework. Calvinism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all aspects of salvation and human existence, often highlighting doctrines such as predestination and total depravity. During the conversation, Walt and Leighton examined how Calvinism contrasts with other theological perspectives, such as Arminianism, which offers a different understanding of free will and divine grace. They also delved into the practical impact of these beliefs on personal faith and church practices. The interview aimed to provide clarity and insight into why some individuals are drawn to Calvinist thought, while encouraging respectful dialogue and deeper understanding among those with differing views.Audio only and video: https://truthunbound.podbean.com/ Truth Unbound website: https://truthunbound.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnbound YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TruthUnboundMinistries Info@TruthUnbound.org https://lbu.edu

Unpacking Calvinism: An In-depth Interview With Leighton Flowers In a recent interview, Walt engaged in a thoughtful discussion with Leighton Flowers on the topic of Calvinism, exploring the theological intricacies and implications of this doctrinal framework. Calvinism, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all aspects of salvation and human existence, often highlighting doctrines such as predestination and total depravity. During the conversation, Walt and Leighton examined how Calvinism contrasts with other theological perspectives, such as Arminianism, which offers a different understanding of free will and divine grace. They also delved into the practical impact of these beliefs on personal faith and church practices. The interview aimed to provide clarity and insight into why some individuals are drawn to Calvinist thought, while encouraging respectful dialogue and deeper understanding among those with differing views.Audio only and video: https://truthunbound.podbean.com/ Truth Unbound website: https://truthunbound.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnbound YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TruthUnboundMinistries Info@TruthUnbound.org https://lbu.edu

In this episode I talk about the real dangers of modern Arminianism and how this religion is really nothing more than ancient Pelagianism with a Christian mask.

The Synod of Dort (also known as the Synod of Dordt or the Synod of Dordrecht) was a European transnational Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy caused by the rise of Arminianism.

Mark joins Sermon Spotlight to discuss hot-button issues surrounding Calvinism, Arminianism, and the nature of our salvation. Listen to the sermon we're talking about: https://fbcva.org/sermons or https://fbcva.life/sermonpodcastBe a part of the conversation by submitting your thoughts and questions: https://fbcva.life/podcasts#questionsWatch this episode and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FellowshipB...Find out more about Fellowship Bible Church: https://fbcva.orgSubscribe to emails from Fellowship: https://fbcva.life/subscribeEngage with us:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipbi...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fellowshipb...More Channels from Fellowship:Weekend Sermons: https://fbcva.life/sermonpodcastThe Global Church Podcast: https://fbcva.life/globalchurchpodcastThe Fellowship Family Podcast: https://fbcva.life/fellowshipfamilypo...

In this video, we dive deep into the controversial doctrine of Limited Atonement—one of the key points of Calvinism and the Doctrines of Grace. If you're a Christian seeking a biblical understanding of this complex topic, whether you're a Calvinist or a Non-Calvinist, this video is for you. We will explore whether Jesus Christ's atonement was truly limited to the elect and how it fits into the five points of TULIP theology.Are you a Christian YouTuber, seeking to better understand or discuss the differences between Arminianism and Calvinism? Or are you simply curious about how the doctrine of Limited Atonement relates to the larger framework of Reformed theology? This video provides clarity and insight into one of the most debated aspects of Christian theology.Limited Atonement isn't just a theological debate; it's foundational to understanding the nature of Christ's sacrifice and the scope of God's grace. Join us as we explore the biblical evidence for and against Limited Atonement and answer the burning question: Is it naughty or nice?#LimitedAtonement#Calvinism#TULIP#DoctrinesOfGrace#ReformedTheology#ChristianTheology#ChristianYouTubers#Calvinists#NonCalvinists#BiblicalDoctrine#ChristianDebate#TheologyTalk#ReformedFaith#Elect#Atonement#Arminianism#GraceOfGod

In this video, we dive deep into the controversial doctrine of Limited Atonement—one of the key points of Calvinism and the Doctrines of Grace. If you're a Christian seeking a biblical understanding of this complex topic, whether you're a Calvinist or a Non-Calvinist, this video is for you. We will explore whether Jesus Christ's atonement was truly limited to the elect and how it fits into the five points of TULIP theology.Are you a Christian YouTuber, seeking to better understand or discuss the differences between Arminianism and Calvinism? Or are you simply curious about how the doctrine of Limited Atonement relates to the larger framework of Reformed theology? This video provides clarity and insight into one of the most debated aspects of Christian theology.Limited Atonement isn't just a theological debate; it's foundational to understanding the nature of Christ's sacrifice and the scope of God's grace. Join us as we explore the biblical evidence for and against Limited Atonement and answer the burning question: Is it naughty or nice?#LimitedAtonement#Calvinism#TULIP#DoctrinesOfGrace#ReformedTheology#ChristianTheology#ChristianYouTubers#Calvinists#NonCalvinists#BiblicalDoctrine#ChristianDebate#TheologyTalk#ReformedFaith#Elect#Atonement#Arminianism#GraceOfGod

Does everything happen for a reason? This age-old question sparks intense debate among Christians. Join Pastors Dave and Jeff as they navigate the complex theological tensions between God's sovereignty and human free will.Discover how these opposing views impact our understanding of suffering, prayer, and the purpose of our lives. With personal stories and pastoral wisdom, they unpack this divisive topic in a way that brings comfort, clarity, and a renewed confidence in God's goodness. Whether you lean towards Calvinism or Arminianism, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and deepen your faith. LinkTree:https://linktr.ee/AllisonParkLeadershipNetworkEmail:Jeffl@allisonparkchurch.comDavel@allisonparkchurch.comInstagram:@Jeffleake11@Dave.Leake

What is the responsibility of evangelism? In this sermon titled “Calvinism, Hyper-Calvinism, and Arminianism,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between the three from a biblical perspective in regards to evangelism. There is a great confusion today between mere activity and real spiritual work. People are always impressed by activity, but this is often carnal zeal and activism. What is “prayer-backing”? Do Calvinists need to be reminded of the responsibility of evangelism in ministry? What is the right motive for evangelism? Learn of the history of Calvinism and the over-correction that often results. Hyper-Calvinists press logic so far that they do not give the free offer of salvation to others. Hear of election, predestination, and human responsibility, and of the biblical truths that cannot be logically reconciled. God alone is responsible for salvation, while humanity alone is responsible for damnation. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that a person ought to be a great Calvinist who preaches like an Arminian. Evangelism is the result of a great urge, not mere duty; it is an inevitable fruit, not something to be added. How did Christianity spread before the printing press? Look to God for help, rather than oneself; be filled with the glory of God, rather than statistics and organizations. Stand humbled before God.

What is the responsibility of evangelism? In this sermon titled “Calvinism, Hyper-Calvinism, and Arminianism,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between the three from a biblical perspective in regards to evangelism. There is a great confusion today between mere activity and real spiritual work. People are always impressed by activity, but this is often carnal zeal and activism. What is “prayer-backing”? Do Calvinists need to be reminded of the responsibility of evangelism in ministry? What is the right motive for evangelism? Learn of the history of Calvinism and the over-correction that often results. Hyper-Calvinists press logic so far that they do not give the free offer of salvation to others. Hear of election, predestination, and human responsibility, and of the biblical truths that cannot be logically reconciled. God alone is responsible for salvation, while humanity alone is responsible for damnation. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that a person ought to be a great Calvinist who preaches like an Arminian. Evangelism is the result of a great urge, not mere duty; it is an inevitable fruit, not something to be added. How did Christianity spread before the printing press? Look to God for help, rather than oneself; be filled with the glory of God, rather than statistics and organizations. Stand humbled before God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

In this episode Dennis is joined once again by Phil Ducap as they discuss a viewpoint called Covenantal Nomism and "the New Perspective on Paul." They discuss how academic theologians will sometimes go off the rails in their obscure interpretations and how sometimes it's good to just focus on the cross of Christ.If you want to support this podcast and ministry with InFaith you can go to Infaith.org/dennis-sutherby and donate there.If you want to ask more about the ministry, ask a question, or add a comment you can email Dennis as dennissutherby@infaith.org or follow his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DennisInFaithCheck out the feature of InFaith on Dennis Quaid's show "Viewpoints" and get a clearer picture of who InFaith is and what we're all about as a mission:https://www.facebook.com/share/v/MHfrTPqZ7v8yx7RY/To donate to Phil's ministry with Reliant as he ministers on college campuses you can go to https://reliant.org/phil.ducap#Romans #Biblestudy #Bible #Christianity #Church #CovenantalNomism #ApostlePaul Support the show

Have you ever attended a church that taught differently or drifted away from what you believe? In this Grace Story, Sean Runcorn took quite a journey from the time he was saved through troubled teenage years, and finally a return to the Lord and regular church attendance. His experience with different churches forced him to think through some biblical and theological issues. His brushes with Arminianism and later with Calvinism made him think through the issues of the gospel of grace. But the result was good--Sean came to a clearer understanding and a stronger grip on God's grace. Sean lives in Springfield, Missouri with his wife of 31 years, Krista. They have seven children and eight grandchildren, who they have faithfully steered into the truth of God's grace.   #FreeGraceAlliance#FreeGraceGospel#GospelofGrace  

Send us a textWhat is Arminianism? What are its tenets? Why are they so dangerous to the Church? Listen in as we continue this series on Protecting the Flock.================ We want to be a resource for you. Please send us your questions to questions@kerrvillebiblechurch.org or leave us a text or voicemail at 830-321-0349.Please share this podcast on your social media or to your mailing list. We'd appreciate your help getting the message out.================The KBC Pastors Podcast is a production of Kerrville Bible Church. The show is hosted and edited by Toby Baxley. Original theme music by Toby Baxley.Our pastors are: Lead Pastor Chris McKnight, Associate Pastor Scott Christensen, Worship Pastor Toby Baxley, and Youth & Family Pastor Murray Van Gundy.

Send us a textCould it be that Jesus's sacrifice was never intended for everyone? Discover the complexities of particular redemption, often referred to as limited atonement, as we explore the question that has puzzled theologians for centuries: For whom did Jesus die? Join us as we dissect this pivotal doctrine within the Calvinistic framework, challenging the notion of universal atonement and offering a fresh perspective grounded in historical and theological insights.We contrast the diverging views of Calvinism and Arminianism, diving into concepts such as unconditional election and the sufficiency versus efficiency of Christ's atonement. Through thought-provoking metaphors and scriptural references, you'll learn how Adam's sin and Christ's sacrifice parallel each other in their effects on humanity. We unravel the intricate layers of spiritual lineage, divine sovereignty, and predestination, questioning traditional interpretations and encouraging a deeper understanding of one's spiritual heritage.Lastly, grapple with the unsettling implications of salvation and condemnation as part of God's divine purpose. We tackle the controversial idea that Christ's atonement, while universally sufficient, is applied efficiently only to the elect, making a compelling argument for deliberate, selective grace. If you're ready to challenge your beliefs and seek clarity in the doctrine of atonement, this episode is for you. Join us on this journey to uncover the profound theological truths about God's plan for salvation.Survive the holidays without going broke! Keep Christ at the center of Christmas.It's not just about pinching pennies – how to balance frugality with generosity.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Rapp Report episode 316 Austin Brown challenges the current view of Limited Atonement in his book A Boisterously Reformed Polemic Against Limited Atonement.Resources mentioned:Bonus: Superintending the Solution to Calvinism vs. Arminianism, What We Believe, Part 27This podcast is a ministry of Striving for Eternity and all our resources Listen to other podcasts on the Christian Podcast CommunitySupport Striving for EternityLeave us a reviewGive us your feedback, email us info@StrivingForEternity.comGet the book What Do They BelieveGet the book What Do We BelieveSponsors:Squirrelly Joe's Coffee use the code SFEfor 20% off your purchaseLogos Bible SoftwareMyPillow or call (800) 873-0176 and use promo SFE

In this episode Dennis is joined once again by Phil DuCap as they continue their discussion on theological concepts like Lordship Salvation, Calvinism, and Arminianism. These systems of belief all too often divide more than they unite us in Christ and Dennis and Phil discuss why they don't really subscribe to any of them. If you want to support this podcast and ministry with InFaith you can go to Infaith.org/dennis-sutherby and donate there.If you want to ask more about the ministry, ask a question, or add a comment you can email Dennis as dennissutherby@infaith.org or follow his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DennisInFaithSupport the show

God's Plan And Purpose For Evil (1) (Audio)  David Eells – 10/13/24  Many of God's people are having a problem forgiving their enemies in these days when we have seen so much evil. It is God's place to judge and recompense evil. Have you not read? Rom 9:21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? We've all been sinners from the same lump of clay But we got unmerited favor and they did not. The old saying is true: “There but for the grace of God go I.” So we got grace but they got justice. We must forgive to be forgiven. God is sovereign over all things; even those He draws unto Himself. Some think this not so, but let's see. Let's begin with a little foundation of God's sovereignty. We are shown in Rom.8:28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, [even] to them that are called according to [his] purpose.  Do we really believe that “all things” work together to bring to pass the good purpose of God for His called? Our reactions to life's circumstances are a good gauge of this. Knowing God's purpose in all things gives great peace. What purpose is Paul speaking of in the above verse? In the next verse we can see that he is talking about the purpose of bringing many sons into the image of Jesus Christ. (Rom.8:29) For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. God foreordained or pre-determined to bring His true children into the image of Jesus. This has been God's purpose since the creation of the world, even before man was created and fell.   All things serve God in order to manifest His sons. That is why God created this world. Some people who do not understand may see failure in God's plan. But when we study the sovereignty of God, we see there is no failure in God's system. Sovereignty means to exercise supreme and independent authority. Even sin, evil, and the fall will serve God's purpose. He is going to have sons to fellowship with throughout eternity. Toward this purpose, He is going to make all things work together for good. All things are not good, but all things work together for good. As I have said many times, “What does ‘all' leave out?” Applying this truth to our life takes thought.  God must be omnipotent (all-powerful) over all things to make this statement. He must also be omniscient (all-knowing) in order to make such all-encompassing statements in His Word. The Scriptures proclaim that God has sovereign control over all things that have anything to do with your life. He never falls off the throne and He never shares the throne with the devil. The authority that the devil has is according to God's design and laws. Everything serves God in the ongoing creation of sons and daughters. (Psa.119:91) They abide this day according to thine ordinances; For all things are thy servants. All things serve Him in this process, good and bad, to bring to pass His plan.   God never created anything that could thwart His plan, because God never makes mistakes. God even makes the evil to bring to pass His plan. Some will argue with that. Hopefully, you will change your mind as we examine the Scriptures. Evil is a tool of God's sovereignty to bring us to purity and maturity. Without the evil, there is no one to put us on the cross, to persecute us, and to cause temptations to rise up so that we might reject them and be cleansed. God has made everything, even the wicked for the day when His people will need chastening. (Pro.16:4) The Lord hath made everything for its own end (Some manuscripts say: for His own purpose.); Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.   The apostle Paul learned contentment. He understood that none could thwart God's good plan for him. Anxiety, fear, or impatience only comes because of our own nearsighted, immature understanding of God's master plan for us. You can imagine how valuable a great apostle and evangelist such as Paul was to the saints in his day. But, in this case, Paul was put in prison. (Php.1:12) Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things [which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the Gospel; (13) so that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest; (14) and that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the Word of God without fear.   Paul had an understanding that the devil was not the author of his imprisonment because of its value to God's kingdom. Everything is going to work together for the good, individually and corporately. Individually it was for Paul's good, and corporately it was for the brethren's good. The Gospel went out because Paul was in prison. It was from prison that Paul wrote much of the New Testament. The Word of God went more places and was spread much faster because Paul was in prison. People became bold to go out and preach the Gospel because he was in prison.   Sometimes we look at circumstances instead of the Word and think that the devil has been able to stop God's plan. God would have never made the devil if he had been someone who could stop His plan. Some may think that God did not make the devil, but rather a good angel that fell. Since God is all-knowing as the Scriptures say He is, He knew His angel would become the devil. He is also all-powerful to stop what He knew would happen, therefore, at least by omission, He is the creator of the devil. God says in (Isa.45:7) I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil. I am the Lord, that doeth all these things. (Isa.54:16)… I have created the waster to destroy. (17) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper…   Since God created the evil waster, then obviously, He has authority to say that he cannot prosper against us. Evil cannot prosper for its own purpose, only God's good purpose. Do you suppose the three Hebrews wondered why the God to whom they had been so faithful had ordained the wicked to cast them into a fiery furnace? Those Hebrews found out this trial was to impress a heathen king with the power and saving grace of the God of Israel. He was impressed when God appeared to be walking with them through the fire and there was no harm to their bodies or clothes, only their ropes or bondage was burned off (Dan.3:25-27). God's purpose was to impress the heathen and to deliver them from bondage. This is a type or shadow of His purpose in our lives, too.  Everything that God is doing, He is doing according to the counsel of His own Will. There is not another completely free will in all of creation. If there were, this would be a dangerous place. A free will is a will that is able to do what it wants. Thank God that it is only His good free will, which “worketh all things after the counsel of his will,” that is in control.  I want to encourage you and show you how God is using the wicked and their evil works and His purposes for it. As we saw, He said in (Isa.45:7) I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil. I am the Lord, that doeth all these things. What good reason could God possibly have in creating darkness and evil? Be patient, believe the Scriptures and receive a wonderful understanding of this. Let's examine how God exercises His Will over evil and to what extent.   In (Isa.10:5) Ho Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, the staff in whose hand is mine indignation! In this verse, God calls the enemy of Israel His rod and staff to correct them. In Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd uses His rod and staff to comfort David. The rod and staff were tools of the shepherd. The Lord, our Shepherd, uses our enemies as tools to correct us and keep us in line. (Isa.10:6) I will send him against a profane nation (Israel or the Church), and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. (7) Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few.   Notice that the Assyrians did not know they were sent by God to fulfill His plan. It was in their heart to take a spoil and a prey. Whenever God uses vessels of dishonor, they are just fulfilling their lusts. God worked in the Assyrians to will and to do of His good pleasure. We will see that God does this with all of His vessels of dishonor. He has purpose for the wicked in the earth, otherwise, He would have removed them long ago. After God fulfills that purpose, He will do away with them.   (Isa.10:12) Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. (13) For he hath said, By the strength of my hand I have done it… Notice that the king of Assyria thought that he had done this by his own strength. As history and this verse prove, when God is finished using the wicked for His people, He will destroy them. From the beginning, God did not intend to immediately do away with the wicked but to use them to perfect His people.  He commanded the angels to let the tares grow together with the wheat until the end (Mat.13:30), and only then will He separate and destroy the wicked (Mat.13:41-42). He explained that if you gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them (Mat.13:29). If God took away the tares, the wheat would die for lack of chastening and object lessons.   (Isa.10:13) For he hath said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom…The Assyrians believed that this victory was by their wisdom and strength, but God claimed to be using them as a tool. (15) Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? shall the saw magnify itself against him that wieldeth it? as if a rod should wield them that lift it up, [or] as if a staff should lift up [him that is] not wood. That is the way God sees this army, like a dumb tool. God wielded the axe, saw, rod, and staff and lifted it up to work on His creation. How ludicrous for men to take any credit. God is sovereign, and everything else is a tool to be used by Him in the chastening and perfecting of His saints.   We should know that God sends these tools to us to carve us into a vessel for His use and that we need to submit for our own sake. These tools are necessary until the saints are God's finished creation and then He will put them away. Meanwhile, we need not fear that the purpose of evil is prospering. (Isa.54:16)… I have created the waster to destroy. (17) No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper… How comforting it is to know that only God's purpose is prospering!   Even Satan is not put in his place until the end when the tempting and crucifying of the saints is over. (Rev.20:1) And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, (3) and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it], and sealed [it] over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.  One angel had no trouble chaining Satan and casting him into the pit. That was so easy that God could have done it a long time ago if He wanted to. According to the theology of most, God would have had to send an army of angels to get that “heavyweight.” After all, has he not been resisting God for over 6,000 years? Wrong! Notice that after 1,000 years God looses him again! Does that give you any idea about who loosed him the first time in the Garden of Eden? Does God loose Satan to do His Will, or to thwart His Will?   (Rev.20:7) And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (8) and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (9) And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down out of heaven, and devoured them. (10) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire…   (11) And I saw a great white throne… God loosed the devil to deceive all the evil nations, to make war on the saints. He did this so that He could rain down fire on the nations to destroy them, just in time for the great white throne judgment of the wicked. God did not even need the angels to destroy the devil and all of his children. He could have done this in the garden and saved us the trial, but it was not His plan!   Who cast the devil and his angels down to the earth to deceive the nations and to make war on the saints during the Tribulation period? (Rev.12:7) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels [going forth] to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; (8) And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him. Then the devil in the beast made war with the saints.   (Rev.13:7) And it was given unto him (the beast) to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. If God was going to cast the devil and his angels down, why not cast them into the lake of fire? Instead, God restrained them to the earth where we are! God needed the hoards of evil to separate the tares from the wheat and to mature the saints. Notice, there “was given unto him” (the beast), both authority over the nations and authority to make war on the saints. God gave authority to the devil, who dwelt in the beast and gave authority to the beast, to try the saints and to crucify their flesh.   Back to (Isa.10:20) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. People lean on the flesh and the world. We trust in America to defend and make us socially secure. The world has our love, respect, honor, and fear, all of which belongs only to God. God has a remedy for that. God brought the illicit lovers of Israel against her so that she would learn who the true enemies of her soul were. In this case, the Lord is showing us the same thing.   One of His remedies for us loving the things, people, and thinking of the world is that He is going to bring all that against us. (Mat.24:9) Ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. It is necessary that we be hated of all nations so that God's name is manifest in us. It is necessary that the world hate us to turn our heart away from the love of the world. God's people were too comfortable in Egypt so He turned the Egyptians' heart to hate His people (Psa.105:25). Then He saved them from the hand of him that hated them (Psa.106:10). First, God turned their heart against Israel, then, God delivered Israel out of their hand, and they were so grateful.   In (2Sa.7:14) I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. God's purpose in creating sons is going to be fulfilled by using vessels of dishonor to chasten His sons for their sins. The rod is physical men, armies, and nations. God uses spiritual principalities and powers to motivate these vessels of dishonor. If I were to pick up a stick and hit my neighbor with it, you would accuse me of evil. On the other hand, if I take the same stick and go chasten my child because of willful disobedience, you should think that good (Pro.23:13-14). What is the difference? The same stick was used, but the purpose was opposite. To attribute evil to God for using evil shows a lack of understanding of His purpose or motive.   God is going to use evil to do good. God is good and all things that God does are good. We cannot limit God with self-righteous thinking. God is going to do a good work with evil. In fact, without evil, God cannot do this work. (1Ti.1:20) of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme. The word “blaspheme” here means “to speak evil against.” These men were speaking evil against either someone or the truth, and Paul, for God, turned them over to Satan so that they might be taught not to blaspheme. Satan teaches us much. In most cases, it is Satan and his demons that execute the curse on those that sin.   The curse was spoken and ordained by God in Deuteronomy 28 to motivate sinners to repent. Satan tempts us with lusts, but when we give in, he legally may administer the curse until we repent. When we get out from under the blood, Satan is waiting. It is not in Satan's mind to teach us anything or chasten us. That is God's purpose. Satan is full of lust, and hates mankind and wants to do evil against mankind. Satan does not wish to teach us, mature us, or bring us to an understanding of God but he still brings that to pass.   Jesus said, If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand (Mar.3:24). Satan's kingdom is divided against itself because what he does to the people of God causes them to repent and mature. It is not just Satan, but everything around us that God is going to use to bring us to maturity. Satan, the leader over the vessels of dishonor, is very important to this process. Satan is in command over the wicked spirits and thus, wicked people. God is in command over Satan. The Scripture says, “All things work together for good.” According to this, what Satan does to us is for our good. Does Satan understand what he is doing? No, he does not understand.   According to the law of sowing and reaping, he has sown deceit, therefore he is deceived. He is out to take man's position of authority by tempting him to sin. Satan is also a created being. God did not create any being that was going to be able to thwart His Will. He created everything for the purpose of bringing His chosen into the image of Jesus Christ. There are several methods that God uses to move the wicked, Satan, and the demons. One is by the power of suggestion. He works in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. He also commands or gives permission to them.   We read in (1Co.5:5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. This man had his father's wife, probably what we would call a stepmother. Paul spoke to the elders in Corinth and determined to agree with them to turn this man over to Satan. Do you think that Satan is thinking about destroying people's fleshly nature to save their spirit? The flesh is Satan's ally and a manifestation of his very nature.  Paul is taking authority over the power of the enemy and using that power to chasten rebellious children of God. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy… (20) Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you… Jesus delegated authority over the power of enemy spirits to His disciples.   Disciples have a right by the Spirit of God to use their power or to forbid their power. (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind (forbid) on earth shall be bound (forbidden) in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose (permit) on earth shall be loosed (permitted) in heaven. Disciples have authority to forbid or permit. With the guidance of God's Spirit, mature disciples can permit the devil's power for a good purpose, “that the spirit may be saved.” In this way, God exercises His sovereignty through His disciples.   When Jesus sent out His disciples to make disciples, He commanded them to pass on the same authority and commands that He had given them. (Mat.28:20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. If we are disciples (Greek: methetes, “learners and followers”) of Christ, we have the same commands. Jesus said that He would be with them to do this “even unto the end of the world.” Obviously, the original disciples did not live that long, therefore He is speaking to all disciples.   Today, ministries go from one extreme to the other. Either God's ministers are totally powerless in the face of rebellion or they exercise carnal dominion like the Pharisees. Just as a father and mother have authority in a family to chasten their children physically, the leadership in the Church has authority, because of the love of Jesus, over His children. This authority is not for the purpose of personal animosity, anger, or vengeance. It is because we do not want to see God's people come to the end of their lives having never repented of their sins and fall off into the pit. God's purpose has to be continually working in a person's life to bring them to maturity, to get them ready to face Him. In the above reference, Paul turned this man over to Satan in obedience to the Spirit, out of love. Some worry about the possibility of abuse here, but the curse that is causeless alighteth not (Pro.26:2).  We read in (Rom.8:7) Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. It is God's plan for Satan to administer chastening. It is Satan's lust to do what he is permitted, to destroy man. Satan has been given power over the flesh. Do you remember the serpent in the garden? He was cursed to crawl on his belly and to eat the dust of the earth. What is the dust of the earth? It is what our flesh was made from. Satan has been given authority to come against flesh. I am speaking not only of this body but also of the carnal desires and appetites that gratify self. Satan's job is to devour the old man, and he is very good at it. The benefit is the saving of the spiritual man.   God commonly turns us over to Satan for chastening when we walk in willful disobedience. In Matthew 18, we have a case of unforgiveness. (Mat.18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors (demons), till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. This is a common thing. When we see ourselves delivered over to the curse, we should examine our conscience to see if there is cause to repent. I say “if,” because sometimes Satan is permitted to come against us to build our faith and to prove our authority over him. God uses a very bad devil to do a very good work in more ways than one.   It says in (2Pe.2:9) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; (10) but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion… God takes credit for keeping the rebellious under judgment. Some live under judgment all their life because they “walk after the flesh.” If we do not understand the sovereignty of God, many times we are going to go through a lot more judgment. We need to recognize God's purpose in everything. He uses Satan, his demons, or the wicked people around us to chasten and bring us to repentance or to build our faith through trials.   Many only see the vessel; they do not see God behind the vessel whose purpose is being fulfilled. Satan would have us believe that the reason he comes against us is because we are good children of God. However, God would have us believe that when Satan comes against us it is because He loves us and chastens our corrupt nature and acts, or to give our faith a spiritual workout. If you only see Satan coming against you and not God, then you do not have any motivation to change. But, if you see God sending Satan against you, then you are motivated to change. (Joh.3:27) … A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.   (Heb.2:2)… Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. All you have to do is look at the recompense, and you can tell when something is a transgression. When we look at the recompense we can see if it is wrong. Is it wrong to recreationally indulge in hard liquor? Look at the recompense, deterioration of the body and spirit. Is it wrong to smoke? Look at the recompense, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and other physical complications. People who are bitter, angry, and unforgiving are delivered over to cancer, arthritis, and other immune deficiencies.   Many with cancer or arthritis have kept up anger and bitterness in their lives. Anxiety and worry gives way to ulcers. You do not have to ask if it is sin; look at what it does to people. Even if you do not know a verse that tells you it is a sin, look at the fruit of it. Look at what comes against you because of it. God has ordained the entire curse system to come against those who transgress. Whether God is using the devil, his demons, wicked people around you, sickness, or any other part of the curse, He is doing it to bring us to repentance and fruit.   God will use evil spirits to humble us and bring about good fruit in us. Paul is a good example. He was caught up to the third heaven and received wonderful revelations that tempted him to be proud. (2Co.12:7) And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger (Greek: angelos, “angel”) of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Paul says the thorn was an angel of Satan to buffet him. The word “buffet” means “to hit over and over.” You can see that this evil spirit was given to Paul to fulfill God's purpose of humbling him.   (2Co.12:8) Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness… This angel of Satan was bringing about a humbling in Paul's life that God called grace. When Paul was in a position of personal weakness or inability to save himself, he got to see God's power to save. It should be the same with us. Earlier in the text, Paul lists what he calls weaknesses. He lists things such as shipwrecks, prisons, persecutions from enemies, and stripes. Not once does Paul mention sickness in the list. The point is that God uses evil angels to come against our lusts, to humble us, to chasten us, and to cause us to repent.   (2Co.12:8) Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it (the angel of Satan or demon) might depart from me. (9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee… God was saying that He would deliver Paul from the individual buffetings, but not from the angel of Satan. Paul said as much to Timothy. (2Ti.3:11) Persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. (2Tim.4:18) The Lord will deliver me from every evil work… In this, we see the sovereignty of God in both bringing the chastening and supplying the deliverance.   We read in (2Th.1:4) So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure. God never does anything just for one purpose. (2Th.1:5) [Which is] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.   Sometimes God's method is to use an angel of Satan to bring us into persecution and affliction, which Paul said was a token of the judgment of God to get us ready for His kingdom. Most often, the demons are administering the curse to do that. All things, curses and blessings, are working together for our good. We have a covenant right to deliverance from the curse. (Gal. 3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us…   Now let's go to (Psa.78:43) How he set his signs in Egypt, And his wonders in the field of Zoan, (44) And turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, so that they could not drink. (45) He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; And frogs, which destroyed them. (46) He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, And their labor unto the locust. (47) He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycomore-trees with frost. (48) He gave over their cattle also to the hail, And their flocks to hot thunderbolts. (49) He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, Wrath, and indignation, and trouble, A band of angels of evil.   (50) He made a path for his anger; He spared not their soul from death, But gave their life over to the pestilence (51) And smote all the first-born in Egypt. Here we have God sending judgments, which He called “a band of angels of evil,” to chasten His people and destroy their enemies. When God sent all these judgments through “angels of evil,” they came against both the Egyptians and the Israelites in the beginning until His people were willing to come out of Egypt. Then God made a separation between Goshen and Egypt. The judgments then fell only on the Egyptians so that God's people would be set free. When we repent of living in Egypt, we do not have to live under the judgments. And (Exo.12:23) For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. Notice that the Lord passed over the Israelites' door with the destroyer and smote the Egyptians. The king angel of the abyss in Revelation 9:11 was Apollyon (in the Greek) or Abaddon (in the Hebrew), and both of these names mean “destroyer.”   These are just two of the many names for the devil. He was the king demon over death, but God had authority over him. The destroyer came through at midnight, exactly when God said he would. God's purpose was for him to destroy God's enemies and anyone who did not partake of the lamb. God told them to eat the lamb, and the destroyer would not smite them. That is how we come out from under the curse of sin and death. We must eat the lamb, Jesus Christ, the Word. By consuming and digesting the Word of God, we are delivered from the curse and manifest our sonship.   Sennacherib, king of the Assyrian Empire, had sent his vast army against Judah, but God promised them victory through Isaiah. (Isa.37:7) Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he shall hear tidings, and shall return unto his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. God put a demon spirit in Sennacherib, who, hearing voices, was then afraid of being away from home. Many demon-possessed people hear voices. The demons want to destroy God's people. Sometimes they have no choice in what they do. God used this demon to take the king home where he fell by the sword of two of his sons (Isa.37:38).   Some ministers, who have not lived righteous lives and yet retain authority over God's people, have been demon-possessed. King Saul was just such a man. God called him and anointed him, but he rebelled. (1Sa.16:14) Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. If most people did not know this was in the Word, they would accuse me of heresy. We read here an evil spirit from the Lord troubling Saul because he would not obey. (15) And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. (16) Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. Of course, they found David with his harp to comfort the king. Isn't that something? God sent an evil spirit to trouble Saul and then sent David with his harp to give him some relief from the torment. He works on us from both sides.   I ministered in an assembly once where I discerned that the pastor had demons. He was having problems with women, money, and honesty. He told me three times that God had spoken to him that he was Saul and I was David. I shared with him truths that would help him to overcome, but he was self-willed. I asked the Lord what to do about him because he was causing believers to stumble. God said, “Let the Philistines take him out.” The Philistines were the enemies of God's people who took Saul out. The enemies of God's people did take this man out, too. I ended up taking over the ministering there for a short time. It was Saul and David all over again. God worked on this man from both sides. In Deuteronomy 28, God says over and over that He would send the curse to the rebellious, and now we know that He sent Jesus to deliver from that curse.   We are constantly faced with a choice. God has put us here for our soul to make a decision between our flesh and our spirit. We are the highest creation of God and the lowest creation of God. We are between heaven and hell, between demons and the angels, between God and the devil. Every way we turn, there is a decision to be made. God planned it that way. He is saying to rebellious people, “The curse is in front of you; do not go. But if you do, it is your own fault, and you will pay a penalty.” At the same time He offers grace to make the right decision.   God raised up Gideon to conquer Israel's enemies. After this, Gideon would not accept a position of authority over Israel. In fact, he would not let his sons take a position of authority over Israel while he was alive (Jdg.8:23). Gideon had seventy-one sons, one of these by a concubine in Shechem. This son lusted after authority and wanted to be the next king over Israel. So he conspired with the men of Shechem to kill Gideon's seventy sons. All but Jotham were murdered. Jotham prophesied the following to the men of Shechem after they had executed the dastardly deed: (Jdg.9:20)… Let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.   God was pronouncing through Jotham a curse of division upon the guilty parties. (Jdg.9:22) And Abimelech was prince over Israel three years. (23) And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: (24) that the violence done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to slay his brethren. God wanted to judge and destroy this evil alliance so He sent an evil spirit between them to divide and conquer. Both Abimelech and the men of Shechem were destroyed because of this one evil spirit. God used evil to judge the guilty and to deliver His people from their hand.   Once I was ministering in an assembly along with two other ministers. These two ministers were grieving me because they were continually patting each other on the back, even while they were agreeing to disagree with God's Word. When I went home one evening after witnessing them confirm one another's errors in front of the congregation, I felt that the Lord put in my heart to pray that He would send an evil spirit between these two ministers to break up this evil alliance. I was shocked. The next day, I found out that on the very evening of my prayer, those two had fallen out with one another to the degree that they had separated. God used that to separate this evil alliance between these two people.   God uses this method all through the Scriptures. Let me share another example. (Rev.16:14) For they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. Here demons gather the whole world to fight the battle of Armageddon. The same account in Zechariah says that God gathered the whole world to that battle. (Zec.14:2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle… (3) Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. So now we see that God will use the demons to gather the enemy army against His people just so that He can destroy them and save His people. Friend, can you see that if God [is] for us, who [is] against us? (Rom.8:31) On the other hand, if God is against us then who can be for us?   After gathering the nations to the battle, the Lord said that He would “fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.” In 2 Chronicles 20:17, the Lord told Jehoshaphat, “Ye shall not need to fight in this [battle]: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” He was going to fight this battle. His method of warfare is described in the following verses: (2Ch.20:22) And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten. (23) For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.  I used to think that they waited in ambush for one another. But as I looked at the Scripture more carefully, I discovered that God set liers-in-wait for the whole army so that they fell out with one another. The demon spirits who brought them there were waiting to assemble them so that they could ambush them with suspicion, greed, anger, fear, etc., and cause them to destroy one another. He divided three armies that came as one into three, and they killed off one another. Since God is paralleling this to the battle of Armageddon, He will cause a civil war in the midst of the end time beast kingdom, and they will divide into kings of the north, kings of the south (Dan.11:40), and kings of the East (Rev.16:12) to destroy one another and save God's people. God is in control of demons, therefore, He is also in control of their obedient servants, men. All this is for the purpose of bringing us to repentance and glorifying Himself in our eyes and the world's. This should be a word of encouragement to anyone.   Though God uses evil spirits to divide, He also uses us to forbid them when appropriate. God wants us to resist the devil, to not permit his lies or his accusing of the brethren. God expects us to be vigilant and to test the spirits at all times. The ability to test with discernment comes from the practice of seeking to be a vessel of honor and having our spiritual senses exercised by the Word to discern good and evil (Heb.5:13-14). It is a pity more of God's people do not hear from the Lord today.   Many falsely believe that the division of an assembly of Christians could not possibly be the Will of God. The assembly at Jerusalem was scattered by persecution in order to spread the Gospel. Israel rebelled from under the house of David leaving only Judah and Benjamin. King Rehoboam gathered his army to bring the rebels back into the fold, but the Lord through the prophet spoke to them. (1Ki.12:24) Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me… Other reasons for division could be because the assembly is too large to meet the needs of the individual or because the assembly is apostate and ruled by men, in which case, the people would not grow up in Christ.   God divided Babel because their unity was for the purpose of evil. Notice it was the tongue that divided them just as the denominations are divided now. God's purpose in division is always good but man's purpose is generally evil. Denominationalism is the tendency to divide into sects and is a work of the flesh according to the Word (Gal.5:20; 1Co.1:10-13; 1Co.3:1-8; 1Co.11:17-19; and so on.). Jesus prayed that His disciples would be one even as He and the Father are one (Joh.17:21-22). This can only happen when in the Tribulation the righteous give up their sects to be one flock with one Shepherd (Joh.10:16).   Now let's go to (Rom.9:17) For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth. (18) So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. Here it is hard to escape the fact that God made Pharaoh stubborn in order to make Himself famous and powerful in the eyes of men. God knows that we need to perceive a great God and Savior. Those who ignorantly think they are defending God's reputation usually say that Pharaoh hardened his own heart first. (Exo.4:21) And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go. (Exo.7:3) And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.   Five times in Exodus, God says that He hardened Pharaoh's heart before we are told that Pharaoh… hardened his heart (Exo.8:15). God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to set His people free. He then hardened Pharaoh's heart to refuse to set them free. To Israel this made their freedom naturally impossible. God gave to them what they perceived as hopeless in order to glorify Himself in their eyes. They needed to know that He could save them from anything in their coming wilderness trial. God and you are a majority in any situation.   If that was not enough, God hardened Pharaoh's heart again to cause him to follow the Israelites into the Red Sea to the Egyptians' destruction. (Exo.14:4) And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host… Unlike the movies, this is the only Pharaoh that they have found that died of drowning. All this was just to impress Israel with God's power to set free. They were going to need this in the trials to come.   Have you ever had some hardened heart in a position of power over you? Go to God, not Pharaoh. All Moses ever got from him was insolence. Have you considered your flesh? Does it seem more powerful than your ability to obey God? That was God's plan. He wants to show us His power to save from sin. (2Co.4:7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. God wants no competition from our own ability. He wants to prove the power of His grace through our faith in Him.  It says in (Pro.26:2) As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not. No curse can alight upon us unless there is a cause. Sin and corruption are the most likely cause. Only God's purpose is fulfilled in a curse. It says in (Num.23:8) How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? We are really wise if we are looking for the cause, and not looking at the curse, or looking at the devil. If we deal with the cause, we do not have to live with the curse.   The problem is people will not deal with the cause. They just live with the curse and try by man's methods to be delivered from it. If man, by his own methods, could deliver us from the curse that God sent to cause us to repent, man would be detrimental. What if we examine our conscience and do not see the cause? Then it is very possible that the cause is so that we renew our mind with the Word and fight the good fight of faith. Sometimes the Lord sends Satan against us so that we can whip him. Yes, God does that to prove to us that His Word is true and that we have authority over all the power of the enemy. God's ultimate purpose is to manifest His sovereignty through us.   God wants us to learn to fight a spiritual warfare. God gives us practice sometimes. When Satan comes against us through demons, wicked people, or circumstances, we should examine our conscience. If we do not find guilt because of willful disobedience, then we should exercise the authority that Jesus gave us against Satan, because we are going to win. In coming against Satan, we are also crucifying our old man because our old man is created in the image of Satan. When we fight with Satan, we fight with “self”. When we win against Satan, we win against “self”. That is another part of God's plan that is so perfect and so beautiful. Amen.   Let's go to (Lam.3:37) Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Can evil command something and it come to pass if the Lord has not commanded it? No! God is sovereign. Jesus said His words were not His but the Father's. We know this was true because they came to pass. By the grace of God, I have commanded healings, miracles, provisions and deliverances that have come to pass. Religious people have told me that my faith was presumptuous because we cannot know the Will of God. I have thought, “How ludicrous! Do I have power to do these things? God did them. I merely agreed with His Word.” The proof that I was in agreement with God is that they came to pass. If the devil commands something and it comes to pass, is it because he is more powerful than God? Not according to this verse. It is because God commanded it whether the devil knew it or not. (Lam.3:38) Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?   Where does evil and good come from? God says that it comes out of the mouth of the Most High. Does that mean God is evil? No, it means we deserve or need the ministry of evil. (Lam.3:39) Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? We have been brainwashed to believe that man is basically good and deserving of good, so we are shocked when bad things happen to “good” people. (Mar.10:18) And Jesus said unto him… None is good save one, [even] God.  From God's mouth comes blessing and curse, good and evil. The evil here represents the hard things that happen to “good” people in order to turn them toward good and to stop them from continuing in sin. Any evil that comes against the life of those who “are called according to His purpose” is for good. We should always examine our conscience and the Word to find out if God is sending Satan against us because of the sin in us or the actions of sin that we do.   Arminianism is the erroneous belief that everyone has a free will. God is the only one who has a free will. We have a limited free will, limited by our ability, thinking, nature, body, and circumstances. If you have a free will, let's see if you can stop sinning. We cannot do just anything we would like to do. The only one the Bible credits with the ability to do everything He wishes is God (Eph.1:11) In whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained (predestined) according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will.  Like this verse, Calvinism teaches the sovereignty of God over election, predestination, evil, and everything. The only way that we can do what we want to do is to get God's Will in us. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Then we can do what we want to do because we want what He wants, and what He wants He gets.   That is how the Son sets us free, by giving us a will to do His Will. While we have our own will, we will be at war with ourselves. (Gal.5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. We have God's Will in us, and we have our will in us. They are tugging away at each other. That is not freedom or a free will. This means that “ye may not do the things that ye would.”   We did not even have the freedom of will to come to God. (Joh.6:44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. That is not a free will. We choose not to come to God, unless He draws us. You may choose to sin, most do, but God will choose the time, place, and extent. (Pro.16:9) A man's heart deviseth his way; But the Lord directeth his steps. God directs the steps of His vessels of honor or dishonor. The only reason we make the choice in God's direction is because of grace. (Joh.15:16) Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit… Jesus first chose us and gave us the will to choose Him because of His unmerited favor. We bear fruit because of a gift of His Will in us.  The Lord brings spirits against us to chasten us and to cause us to repent, then after we overcome, He has total ability to make our enemies to be at peace with us. (Pro.16:7) When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. We see here that God has total control over our enemies and He can put peace in their heart toward us when we overcome. We should remember this when we are tempted to take care of our enemies ourselves. So we see, God uses our enemies when our ways do not please the Lord.   God created our enemies just for that purpose. (Pro.16:4) The Lord hath made everything for its own end (Some manuscripts say: for His own purpose.): Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Need I say that we should not argue with God? We see God's hand as sovereign in all of this. God can send the wicked to us, for a day of evil, because our ways do not please the Lord. When we overcome, God can give us total peace in the midst of our enemies. Whether they are wicked men or demon spirits, it does not make any difference.   Should we reason with our puny understanding that God would be wrong to make the wicked? He has an answer in (Rom.9:21) Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? (22) What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted (Greek: “to complete thoroughly”) unto destruction. Notice that they are vessels of dishonor and wrath, made to be destroyed. (2Pe.2:12) But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed…   In instances like this, we must repent and conform our reasoning to God's if we want truth. In God's opinion, and His is the only one that counts, the wicked are animals, made to be destroyed when they have served their purpose. (Pro.21:18) The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; And the treacherous [cometh] in the stead of the upright. A ransom is a price that must be paid for someone's freedom. The wicked are a price that God pays to create sons who are free from the bondage of corruption, so let us not waste their sacrifice.   When Joseph was revealed unto his brethren who came out of Canaan's land into Egypt, they were repenting to him because of the way that they had treated him. Joseph understood the cause for all the tribulation he had been through. (Gen.50:20) And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Joseph credited God for using evil to bring him into Egypt “to save much people alive.” The Israelites who came out of Canaan's land were starving to death. When they came to Egypt, Joseph, who was sent on ahead because of his ‘Judas' brothers, fed them. God used them to crucify Joseph and prepare him as a vessel of honor.   I remember once when I bought a used car from a heathen. We had agreed on a price and were to close the deal the next day. I had asked God for a better price. The next day, when I went to close the deal, he said he would sell it for the better price that I had only spoken about to the Lord. Only God could put in the heart of a lost used car salesman to suggest selling for a cheaper price after we had already agreed. I realized that God had put this in his heart even though it did not come naturally to him. God works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, so also them.   The Lord said to Peter in (Luk.22:31) Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: (32) but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren. Satan asked to sift Peter, but why would God give any heed to what he asks unless it is for our good? If Peter had been like most people, he would ask, “Lord, why did you give Satan permission to have me? Just say, ‘No, Satan, you cannot have him.'” But Jesus knew that was not God's Will.   God's purpose is for Satan to get what belongs to him in our lives. The purpose of sifting is to separate and remove what you want. He keeps what is his. The Lord said, “The evil one cometh but he hath nothing in me.” Jesus was pure; there was nothing in Him that belonged to Satan. Satan is sifting to get what belongs to him. God only wants what is left. God could have destroyed him back at the beginning of the world but God ordained Satan for His good purpose. When God is through doing His whole work upon the people of God, guess what He is going to do with Satan, the demons, the wicked, the false prophet and the beast, too? That is right, the lake of fire.   Jesus set the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left (Mat.25:33). That is exactly how God uses the righteous and the wicked, as His right hand and His left. His right hand is the vessels of honor, and His left hand is the vessels of dishonor. Satan is, in effect, one of God's hands to create His sons. Let me share a dream from a close spiritual brother. He saw a line of the saints coming before Jesus in heaven. At Jesus' left hand was Satan with an old-style cannon in front of him pointed at the first person in line. Satan with a lighter in his hand eagerly wanted to light the fuse on the cannon and blow them away. Jesus' left hand was in front of Satan stopping him. From that dream, you can see that when the Lord moves His left hand, Satan moves.   Here is a clear case of that. (Job.1:8) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil. God brought Job to Satan's attention and bragged about him. That is just like waving a red flag in a bull's face. Satan did not want to hear that. In fact, Satan is trying to prove just the opposite to God. He is the accuser of the brethren. God inflicted Satan on Job by the power of suggestion. (9) Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? (10) Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.   Satan is admitting he did not have the power to get at Job because of God's hedge. The same is true of us. (11) But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face. (12) And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. Satan suggests to God that He drop the hedge and put forth “His hand” against Job to try him. So why drop the hedge? It was not keeping God's hand out unless you see that the left hand of the Lord was Satan! God confirms this by using the terms “in thy power” and “thy hand.”   Satan was the one who brought the Sabeans, the fire of God, the Chaldeans and the great wind from the wilderness against Job and his family to try him. Look at what Job said about it in verse (21) And he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (22) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. God says plainly here that Job was not sinning by attributing all this to Him. The Lord gave on the right hand, and the Lord took away on the left.   Some people would say that the Sabeans, Chaldeans, and the fire took everything away from Job. Some would look behind those and say that Satan did it. Then some would look a little further back and say that God did it. That is what Job did. That is what we have to do if we are to have the purpose of God fulfilled in our lives. We have to look all the way back and see God's purpose in our lives. Job did not stumble because he understood that. Anyone who sees only the vessel will stumble. If we see only an evil vessel, we will end up fighting and wrestling with flesh and blood. Even though Job was hurting, in his spirit he had rest because he saw God's purpose.   He goes on in (Job.2:3) And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity (God was rubbing Satan's nose in it.), although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. God appears to be using reverse psychology on Satan, letting him believe that he was moving God when it was the other way around. God was moved against Job, but Satan was the instrument.   It was God who pointed Job out to Satan in the first place in order to fulfill His own purpose. (4) And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (5) But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face. (6) And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life. God always laid down the conditions of Satan's involvement even as he does today. (9) Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. (10) But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.  God wanted to make it plain to us, using two witnesses, that what Job was saying was correct. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil? Job never gave credit to Satan. He never even gave credit to the Sabeans, Chaldeans, or the wind from the wilderness. Job only looked at the primary purpose of God.  Jesus, in teaching us to cooperate with God's purpose of crucifixion in our lives, said, “Resist not him that is evil,” speaking of men. However, we are commanded to, “Resist the devil,” speaking of evil spirits. We should never get caught up and wrestle with flesh and blood. Jesus would not. (Isa.53:7) He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. We are to wrestle with principalities and powers.   God wants us to see evil people as victims of Satan and the curse, vessels to be pitied. (Luk.23:34) And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do… God wants us to see through those vessels of evil and see Him. Jesus had peace because He knew all power comes from our sovereign God. (Joh.19:10) Pilate therefore saith unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to release thee, and have power to crucify thee? (11) Jesus answered him, Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above…  Eli rebuked his sons for their apostasy in (1Sa.2:24) Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. (25)… Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord was minded to slay them. The purpose of the Lord is ultimate. Many will not repent because it is in the mind of the Lord to slay them for their evil. We could justly receive the same treatment, but God gave us grace. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God. Only God gives the gift of faith to believe and repent. We have to go to God; He grants faith and repentance. True understanding of salvation by unmerited grace causes us to fear God.   Some do not value the gift of God only to have it taken away and given to ones who do value it. The Jews lost out to the Gentiles. Let no one take thy crown (Rev.3:11). The self-righteous flirt with catastrophe. (1Co.4:7) For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? If we have anything more than our neighbor, it is a gift of God, not cause for pride. 

Dr. John Piper recently was asked the question, "Is it foolish to ride a motorcycle?" And then he proceeded to ask for clarification on whether it is right to take risks given the belief that God micromanages everything anyway. Dr. Leighton Flowers confronts some of the unbiblical assumptions of Calvinism baked into Piper's answers.   To hear the original Ask Pastor John broadcast, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAsL0ilIDdY    To get your copy of Dr. Flowers new book, Drawn By Jesus, go here: https://a.co/d/6s767Ey   To SUPPORT this broadcast, please click here: https://soteriology101.com/support/   Subscribe to the Soteriology 101 Newsletter here: www.soteriology101.com/newsletter   Is Calvinism all Leighton talks about? https://soteriology101.com/2017/09/22/is-calvinism-all-you-talk-about/   DOWNLOAD OUR APP: LINK FOR ANDROIDS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... LINK FOR APPLE: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soterio...   Go to www.ridgemax.co for all you software development needs! Show them some love for their support of Soteriology101!!!   To ORDER Dr. Flowers Curriculum “Tiptoeing Through Tulip,” please click here: https://soteriology101.com/shop/   To listen to the audio only, be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or one of the other podcast players found here: https://soteriology101.com/home/   For more about Traditionalism (or Provisionism), please visit www.soteriology101.com   Dr. Flowers' book, “The Potter's Promise,” can be found here: https://a.co/d/j8LLnDZ   Dr. Flowers' book, “God's Provision for All” can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Provision...   To engage with other believers cordially join our Facebook group: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1806702...   For updates and news, follow us at:  www.facebook/Soteriology101   Or @soteriology101 on Twitter   Please SHARE on Facebook and Twitter and help spread the word!   To learn more about other ministries and teachings from Dr. Flowers, go here: https://soteriology101.com/2017/09/22...   To become a Patreon supporter or make a one-time donation: https://soteriology101.com/support/   #LeightonFlowers #Calvinism #Theology

Welcome back T&J fam to the first official day of PSL 2024! This week we dive into a listener request that falls in line with some of our recent discussions. The question is about prayer but also acknowledges the role of Calvinism and Arminianism is this discussion. We decide to tackle this over two episodes, starting with the age old debate between John Calvin vs John Wesley. We walk through the five tenants of both beliefs, discuss how paradigm shapes interpretation of scripture, and begin to look at how this might impact prayer. Next week we plan on diving into the prayer side of this discussion and unpacking what Josh has promised to be . . . controversial. Enjoy!

Dana, Steve, and Lee tackle the risky question of Calvinism vs. Arminianism. What are they? What should we believe about how people are saved? *********************************************************************Website: rbcbellefontaine.comIntro Music: “Thunder” by Telecasted

Dr. Leighton Flowers welcomes back Lou Ruggiero to discuss how Acts 10 completely debunks the claims of Reformed Calvinistic theology.   To get your copy of Dr. Flowers new book, Drawn By Jesus, go here: https://a.co/d/6s767Ey   To SUPPORT this broadcast, please click here: https://soteriology101.com/support/   Subscribe to the Soteriology 101 Newsletter here: www.soteriology101.com/newsletter   Is Calvinism all Leighton talks about? https://soteriology101.com/2017/09/22/is-calvinism-all-you-talk-about/   DOWNLOAD OUR APP: LINK FOR ANDROIDS: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... LINK FOR APPLE: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soterio...   Go to www.ridgemax.co for all you software development needs! Show them some love for their support of Soteriology101!!!   To ORDER Dr. Flowers Curriculum “Tiptoeing Through Tulip,” please click here: https://soteriology101.com/shop/   To listen to the audio only, be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or one of the other podcast players found here: https://soteriology101.com/home/   For more about Traditionalism (or Provisionism), please visit www.soteriology101.com   Dr. Flowers' book, “The Potter's Promise,” can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Potters-Promis...   Dr. Flowers' book, “God's Provision for All” can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Provision...   To engage with other believers cordially join our Facebook group: https://m.facebook.com/groups/1806702...   For updates and news, follow us at:  www.facebook/Soteriology101   Or @soteriology101 on Twitter   Please SHARE on Facebook and Twitter and help spread the word!   To learn more about other ministries and teachings from Dr. Flowers, go here: https://soteriology101.com/2017/09/22...   To become a Patreon supporter or make a one-time donation: https://soteriology101.com/support/   #LeightonFlowers #Calvinism #Theology

True Grace of God Pastor Chad Wagner There are many voices in the world and most of them are of deceiving spirits. The Bible is clear on that. In fact, there is only ONE VOICE we need to listen to and that is voice of Jesus as we hear by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen! When we learn to discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we are able to minister to others and pray effectively with others. We are able to discern between “good and evil” and when things being presented are not Biblically grounded in the Word of God or when things are actually proclaiming the Truth from the Word of God. One man who has taken this to the next level is Pastor Chad Wagner. Chad is the pastor of the “Excelsior Springs Church” which is an Independent Baptist Church located in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. Chad is also the author of a great book titled, “The True Grace of God.” This book uses scripture to expound upon the “True Grace of God” while refuting the errors of both Arminianism and Calvinism. Amen! To open this great discussion, help me welcome to the program Pastor Chad Wagner!  Pastor, thank you for taking the time to join us today! First question I always start with is this. Other than that brief information I shared, can you tell us in your own words, “Who is Chad Wagner?” In preparing for our interview today, I noticed you were in the Army and even trained at Fort Bliss, Texas, my old stomping grounds for a few years.  What was your MOS in the Army? I always take the time to honor those who served this nation in the military. So thank you for your service.  The military veterans hold a special place in my heart, mainly because of my 12 years of service as well. But I just wanted to take that minute to honor your service. Let's talk about your book, “The True Grace of God.” Why did you write this book and why publish it now? One thing I found on your website is the definition of salvation from Jesus' own Words, where he said in John 3:36, “…he that believes on the Son HAS eternal life.”  Not “gets eternal life” but HAS it – already!  Because Faith comes by HEARING and true hearing ONLY COMES by the Word of God.  Share with our audience how that revelation became true for you… How did the Lord grow your faith as you studied scriptures in preparing the manuscript for this book? Explain the layout of “The True Grace of God.” From what I took away, you take certain topics and then discuss them from what the Bible has to say, plainly, in scripture… then compare the Arminian and the Calvinistic positions on the same scriptures. Correct? What is the #1 takeaway you would like your readers to understand after reading “The True Grace of God?” This sounds like a book that needs to be on the book shelves and desks of pastors around the country. They may have their toes stepped on though when reading the Truth's contained in your book. But I always say in my sermons, “If you don't want your toes stepped on, don't put your feet out from under the desk.” Amen! Pastor, how can someone obtain a copy of your book, “The True Grace of God?”  Is it on...