Just so you know, I have never believed nor taught that God only chose a few people to be saved and others are just out of the grace loop. This is a teaching called Calvinism, and I believe it’s entirely false. Each and every one of us has the God given right to choose. If we didn’t have, the Lord God would have nothing more than robots for his children instead of born again, converted souls who freely love Him, because He first loved us.
Every individual, whether saved or lost, has the liberty to choose what he or she believes is right or wrong according to their own beliefs and conscience or lack thereof. No one should ever be forced to subscribe to any belief against their free will.
However, this liberty never exempts one from his or her responsibility to the Word of God or being accountable to God.
- Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
- Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
- 2nd Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Highly appreciated!
Seems to be a resurgence, as of late, of the old, neo-platonist leanings of Augustine, adopted largely by Calvin, and finding new vigor in the virtual world and local churches.
They argue with great vehemence and are very persistent.
Very much so.
Hi, Timmy!
I think if you’ll hang on a little bit, folks, you’ll see where I am headed with this.
What you have said is so, so true and so, so vital! I will almost tell my age here, but in college and seminary, the God is Dead “theology” was rampant, although I doubt you could call it a “theology” if its main character is dead, LOL! I am so glad to see the revival of the best refuting you can give that mess in the “God Is Not Dead” and “God is not dead 2” books and movies. So much of the permissiveness in our world comes from the fact that too many people don’t believe that God really exists, or if He does, He is very passive and irrelevant.
Yes, we had to be exposed to Calvanism, too. Confessedly, I put every ounce of my faith to the test. I even had a seminary professor who seriously believed and taught that it is possible to be saved and then lost, but here’s the pathetic part.. He believed that if you ever “lost” your salvation, you woud never be able to be saved again. And he used Scripture from Hebrews 6:1-6 to try to back up his point, and at first reading, it kinda looks that way, so I can’t say that Hebrews was not always my favorite book in the Bible.
A year or two ago, Dr. David Jeremiah changed all that for me. He did some wonderful preaching and teaching on Hebrews, but he also was General Editor of one of our Sunday School quarterlies on the subject. Those first six verses leave a dire warning that we not drift away from the elementary message of the Gospel, because IF someone has been enlightened, tasted of God’s Word and partaken o the Holy Spirit, and even then were to fall away, if would be impossible for them to be restored to salvation, for then they would have to crucify the Lord again. BUT the following verses and chapters in Hebrews make it clear that true salvation is so secure. The writer of Hebrews points out that God is not unjust. Once we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, God remembers that we are working for Him , although we may have a lot of growing to do! He provides two unchangeable proofs that He is saving us: the promises of His Word, and the oath He makes, as He did and confirmed to Abrham, to keep His promises. To me, the question of soul security is summed up in John 3:16! That verse is totally refutes Calvinism AND the wimpy “God is dead” or “God is irrelevant” mentality. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that because we can rely of God to never lie, the promises He makes, and the oath He makes to keep them (and God has sworn those oaths and promises by Himself, since one can swear by no higher, we have a hope that is totally steadfast and sure, an anchor of the soul, total security,. If we truly ever truly believe that when He died it was for us andcome to Him in repentance of sin and accepting His forgiveness we have eternal and everlasting life with Him! God broke down the veil of the temple when Jesus died, so that we could indeed enter into full and unending fellowship with Him! HALLELUJAH!