Misconceptions, Part 2 of 2

The church only holds what its Lord has passed on to us in terms of truth regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ. He claimed that He alone, being Lord of Heaven, was capable of bringing sinful men and women to His Father. He alone knew the way because He alone is the way, John 14:6.

Misconceptions, Part 1 of 2

What does the Christian Church teach regarding its exclusivity? Do we covet a dogmatic “our way alone” mentality that denies everyone else? Is there a particular denomination in today’s rank and file of the church that is the main gate by which the saints must enter?

Doctrine, Part 1 of 3

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little, Isaiah 28:7-10.

Irresistible God? A Considerate Search into Calvinism, Part 7 of 7

Two passages of contention:

#1: Acts 13:48, a pro for Calvinism.
The portion of the verse that seems to strongly support Calvinism is, “And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” The KJV uses the word “ordained” in place of “appointed.” The Greek word for “ordained” is “tasso” and can mean either “appointed, determined, or disposed (to a certain position or lot).” In the sense of the latter two uses of the word the verse’s context would entirely alter, and read as such it would suggest that those who were disposed to eternal life believed the gospel. There is another Greek word rendered as “appointed” in Acts 17:26; the word being “protasso.” It literally means “to pre-arrange or appoint before.” Surely, had Luke intended to clarify this verse in Acts to teach predestination as Calvinism explains it this would have been the word of choice.

Irresistible God? A Considerate Search into Calvinism, Part 6 of 7

When God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, take note that Pharaoh also hardened his own heart first, Exodus 3:19; 4:21. This is in accord with 2nd Thessalonians 2:11-12, which tells us that God sends strong delusion to those who resist His message, so He might destroy those who received not the truth. God hardened Pharaoh in his obstinacy so that He might demonstrate His power in him, but this was not something that Pharaoh, by his volition, hadn’t already chosen for himself.

Irresistible God? A Considerate Search into Calvinism, Part 5 of 7

Regarding again the topic of Total Depravity: True, man is “dead in sins and trespasses” but spiritual death is not the same as physical death. Physical death is the passage of one state into another. The body is inanimate and moldering; the spirit has passed on into an eternal abode. The physically dead can’t speak, think, act, etc. Spiritual death means that your sin has separated you from God, Genesis 2:17; Isaiah 59:2.

The Sword of Denominationalism, Part 2 of 2

There are other doctrines, to be sure, of greater or less importance. Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the eternal nature of the human soul, the reality of Hell, the reality of the Devil, personal holiness, etc. are all doctrines that a Christian searching God’s word by the light of the Holy Spirit will eventually come to on his own…or not, as some cases go. We are commanded to reach a state of spiritual maturity, and to walk by the same mind; and for anyone who does not possess this understanding, God will reveal even this to you if you are willing.

The Sword of Denominationalism, Part 1 of 2

I have addressed this issue in my series of Posts entitled Simply Christian but I felt it worthy of further consideration. I felt it appropriate to examine the passage of Scripture below in light of denominational boundaries, since this was one of the very first examples of “denominational” differences between followers of Jesus Christ.