Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Heb. 10: 23-25
Beauty fades, but dumb is forever.
Judge Judy
A man walks into a restaurant with a full-grown ostrich behind him. The waitress asks them for their orders.
The man says, "A hamburger, fries and a coke," and turns to the ostrich, "what's yours?"
"I'll have the same," says the ostrich.
A short time later the waitress returns with the order "That will be $9.40, please," and the man reaches into his pocket and pulls out the exact change for payment.
The next day, the man and the ostrich come again and the man says, "A hamburger, fries and a coke."
The ostrich says, "I'll have the same."
Again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.
This becomes routine until the two enter again. "The usual?" asks the waitress.
"No, this is Friday night, so I will have a steak, baked potato and a salad," says the man.
"Same," says the ostrich.
Shortly the waitress brings the order and says, "That will be $32.62."
Once again the man pulls the exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table.
The waitress cannot hold back her curiosity any longer. "Excuse me, sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact change in your pocket every time?"
"Well," says the man, "several years ago, I was cleaning the attic and found an old lamp. When I rubbed it, a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, I would just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money would always be there."
"That's brilliant!" says the waitress. "Most people would ask for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!"
"That's right. Whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there," says the man.
The waitress asks, "What's with the ostrich?"
The man sighs, pauses and answers, "My second wish was for a tall chick with a big rump and long legs who agrees with everything I say."
What you get may not be what you want.
What you want may not be what you need.
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
II Tim. 2: 2
Just because a person has been to seminary does not mean he is able to equip saints with the sound doctrines of the Christian faith.
A friend of mine has recently moved from
*One "church" invited people to come because they had "great coffee and cookies."
*Another "church" performed show tunes each week. On Easter they featured the music from Brigadoon.
But my favorite story was this, which I will let my friend tell you in her own words:
I didn't not know how good I had it at ________.
This morning's church was the worst (non-denominational):
The pastor was preaching on "I am the wine, and you are the branches"
Alright, I thought he was going to make some sort cute reference to his quote, integrating it into the sermon, however, he didn't. He preached on Jesus being the wine of life and never expounded on the branches other than grapes grow on branches and wine comes from grapes.
After the service (at cookies and coffee time) I told him his quote was incorrect - Jesus is the vine, not the wine. He said, "You think you know more than I do - can you show me where that is?"
After pointing it out in my Bible, he became beet red and excused himself, moving on to get a refill on his coffee.
I quietly left.
At this point I think I may be more qualified to give a sermon and teach than this guy!
Also, I would give about anything for a choir to sing The Old Rugged Cross, or something else of a traditional origin.
I just can't get into this modern cr_p they all seem to be into these days (I sound like an old f_rt, but I find nothing spiritual about droning the same words over and over again to the point of nausea, with drums and electric guitar banging away in the background. Actually seems unholy to me and an insult to Him).
Sorry to those of you who treasure this "music", but to me it means nothing. I speak, of course, from a classical background and never have had much use for what is in vogue at the time.
As I have learned to go with the flow in this regard, I have to learn to accept, however I will never embrace that variety of music as worthy of God's ear
I visited many, many congregations. Some had good music and pathetic preaching. Some had great programs and pathetic preaching. Some were warm and caring Christian families with pathetic preaching. [Pathetic preaching is preaching that does little or nothing to equip the saints with the sound doctrines of our Christian faith.]
How can a church make a clear, unequivocal witness if the members don't know what that church believes? It may be interesting to hear about the pastor's experiences in mountain climbing, or trials in getting his latest book published, but how does that equip the saints?
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. . .
II Tim. 3: 16
Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
A congregation can offer every service under the sun, and still not be a Church. Unless the congregation is committed to equipping saints with the sound, Biblical doctrines of God's grace -- TULIP -- it just isn't doing the job Christ called it to do. To ignore TULIP is to deny Hope. And every saint needs Hope.
*Where do sinners find salvation when they have deluded themselves into thinking they are basically good?
*Where do the feeble find strength when they have been taught that the power of faith is in their free will?
The doctrines of God's grace -- TULIP -- are the only logical, Biblical explanation of how lost sinners become eternally secure saints. To ignore TULIP is not merely ignoring the clear, unequivocal teaching of Scripture; it is denying Hope to those who need it most. Saints need that a lot more than "great coffee and cookies."
Albert Einstein was once traveling from
The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively.
The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.
The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you have one.'
Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"
Thank God that He knows who you are!
Thank God that He knows where you are going!
Thank God you don't have to produce your "ticket" in order to get there!
Saints need to know where they are going. Saints need to know TULIP.
Total Depravity -- Man in his natural state is dead in trespasses and sins.
It is the ancient conviction of the Christian church that man -- being dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1, 5) -- cannot save himself. Yet how often man has tried to do something to bring about his own salvation! But Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). It is for this reason that the Bible says that God alone is the author of man's conversion. Any man who hears the gospel is commanded by God to accept it. He is free to accept it. But -- and this is the whole trouble -- he is not able to accept it, because he does not have the holy desire or will to do so. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil" (Jer.
Man's sinful nature and this alone, makes it impossible for him to do anything to bring about his own salvation. As Jesus once said, "With man this is impossible ..." (Matt.
The Reformed faith teaches that man's ability has suffered drastic change as a result of his fall into sin. He was originally both free and able to do the will of God. But "by his fall into a state of sin," he has "wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto" (Westminster Confession of F, IX:3;).
God did not take away from man the liberty to do good. So far as God is
concerned, man is still free to do good. But he is not able to do good; in fact, he is "utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil" (WCF, VI:4). This is what the Scripture teaches, when it says, "The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so" (Rom. 8:7). Man's depravity, in other words, is total by nature.
Unconditional Election -- God the Father has sovereignly chosen those who will be saved.
All Christians confess that God is sovereign. But it is of no value to say that God is supreme, unless we really mean it in the whole of our confession. But listen: "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass" (WCF, III: 1). And again: "God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least" (WCF, V:1). There is, in this entire universe, no such thing as "fortune" or "chance." This is teaching which says and means that God really is God. For, as the Scripture says, "He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?' "(Dan. 4:35). It is not merely that God can do His will, but that He actually does it -- without any hindrance from anyone or anything.
Even with respect to the fall of man in Adam, and the eternal destiny of men and angels, the Reformed confession says that he is Lord of all. "By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.... Their number [is] so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished" (WCF, III: 3-4). But also let it be immediately observed that this same confession emphatically denies that God is the author of sin or that violence is offered to the will of the creatures by God's control of them (III:1). This seems contradictory, of course, for it seems that if God controls all things, then it must be his fault if men are condemned. But this is not the case. Scripture does not explain how God determines human destiny while yet the entire responsibility for sin belongs to us. It only teaches us that this is so. The difference between the Reformed faith and less consistent types of Christianity is that the Reformed faith does not argue or reason against the supremacy of God, nor against what the Bible clearly states.
It is an age-old objection to the doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty, that it cannot be held in an unqualified way without the denial of human liberty. For how, it is asked, can man be free if God controls everything? Many, when seeing this problem, immediately decide that God must not be absolutely sovereign after all. But this not only misrepresents God, but also misunderstands man. For man's freedom is very limited indeed. There are many things that he cannot do because of limitations of heredity, environment, family training, and opportunity. And every one of these limitations has been imposed by God. He is truly Lord of all, and "works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will" (Eph.
Go back to the ancient world before the Flood, and what do you see? You see the true picture of what man chooses by his own free will! But then you see one man and his family saved out of the ruin. But why was he saved? Was Noah better than other men? Was he good enough to choose God by his natural ability and inclination? If this had been the case, the Bible would not say that he "found grace" in God's eyes. It says that, because Noah did not deserve God's mercy any more than the others; God simply chose him. And why did God save Abram? His people worshiped "other gods" (Josh. 24:2), yet God called him out of
And what is the common reaction to this awesome doctrine? Well, it goes something like this: "If I'm elect, I'll be saved no matter what I do. And if I'm not elect, it won't make any difference what I do because God won't accept me anyway." The natural man always wants to turn the tables and blame God instead of himself. But God's ways are not our ways. His sovereign election does not in any way destroy our responsibility.
If you fear you are not elect, your position is much like that of the lepers mentioned in 2 Kings 7:3-8.
Limited Atonement -- The Lord Jesus died for all whom the Father had given to him, and for them only.
We are saved because God the Father has chosen us to be saved. But we are not saved by election alone. No, we are also saved through the atonement made by Jesus on the cross. For, as the Bible says, His name was called Jesus because he would "save his people from their sins" (Matt.
Although the Bible clearly says that not everyone will be saved, some teach that it was God's will to save all without exception. This teaching is to be rejected because it suggests that God is not able to do what He intends to do. Others say that it was not God's will fully to save anyone. They say that He intended only to save all people in part, leaving the other part to be performed by them. This teaching, likewise, is to be rejected because in it Christ is not the sole savior--He must share that glory with the sinner himself!
The Reformed faith, echoing Scripture, teaches that only some people will actually be saved. It also teaches that God alone saves sinners, and so it teaches that those who are saved are those whom God intended to save. As Jesus said to the Father, speaking of himself: "For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him" (John 17:2). And, "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John
We are well aware that this doctrine offends man's natural reason. It has long been said, against this doctrine, that it restricts the hope of eternal life to only a few. Some even say that if this doctrine were true, there would be no point to preaching the gospel, since Christ's death was not intended to save many who hear it. Thus, they are quite willing to reduce God's glory in order to increase man's "chances," as they see it. They prefer to say that God intended the death of Christ for all, in order to give every man a chance by leaving the final decision with him!
How foolish this is; it sacrifices much and gains nothing. By saying that God merely wants all men to be saved, how many more are actually saved? The answer is: none! For even those who work on such a theory admit that many will be lost, as the Bible teaches. This compromise only seems to give people a better "chance," but it does not really do so.
On the Reformed view, how many less are saved? The answer is: none. For the Bible itself teaches us that God will save "a great multitude that no one could count" (Rev. 7:9). And who, by this fact, is given any less opportunity to be saved? The answer again is: none. For no one can know--until he dies in unbelief--that he is not elect, for the simple reason that God has not revealed such information to any unbeliever. Yet those who do come to God through Jesus discover that He did die for them in particular. They can then say with Paul that the Son of God "loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal.
Irresistible Grace -- The Holy Spirit sovereignly and effectually applies salvation to the elect.
If people were left to depend upon their own strength and ability at any point in the process of salvation, none could be saved. But such is not the case. The Reformed faith teaches that which Jesus prayed: "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John
The triune God actually saves his elect people by "enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by his almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace" (WCF, X:1). And let it be carefully noted that "this effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it" (sec. 2).
All sinners who hear the gospel are commanded to repent and believe. But this they cannot do, because they are dead in trespasses and sins. Then God, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, creates within His elect the power to do what he commands. Just as it was impossible that dead Lazarus should hear the voice of Jesus and come forth from the grave, and yet did hear and come forth because the one who called him forth also gave him power to hear and obey, so it is with our conversion. No wonder the apostle Paul asked, "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7).
The divine and sovereign act of regeneration effected by the Holy Spirit precedes the human activity of repentance and faith. This clear teaching upholds both the undivided glory of God and the responsibility of man. Some have imagined that if regeneration is only possible by a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, then someone might sincerely desire to be saved and yet have no "chance" of salvation. But the truth is that no one has ever desired to be saved in God's way, without this prior work of regenerating grace: "We love because he first loved us" (1 John
Others have thought that if God converts the sinner, there is no need for the sinner to obey the commands of the gospel by repenting and believing in Christ. But again, the truth is otherwise. For the only way that we can know that God's grace has been given to us, is by being willing to heed the Lord's commands. "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands" (1 John 2:3). Everyone who answers the call of God's grace from the heart has, in that very act, the only evidence there is of the grace that has been given. As Peter said: "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3). All who refuse to obey the gospel have only themselves to blame; all who come to Christ have only God to praise. Perseverance of the Saints -- Those who are truly saved will never be lost.
As we have now seen, the Reformed faith has a much more exalted view of God and a much lower view of humans than is commonly held. No doubt this is why the natural man cannot receive the Reformed faith, while he can often agree with easier, more "acceptable" forms of Christian teaching. No doubt this is also why Jesus said to Peter, when he first accepted such teaching, "This was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" (Matt.
But we must not imagine that the Reformed believer is the poorer for this fact, because the benefit is far greater than the cost. For if it costs sinful man the admission that he is helpless, that puts him in possession of an incomparable blessing: "They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved ... can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved" (WCF, XVII:1). They cannot fall from grace because God brings the work of salvation to perfection in them that are his. And this is true in spite of the mere appearance (but not the reality) of grace in hypocrites and the remaining tendencies to sin in genuine believers.
Now, as everyone knows, there are those who appear to fall away from grace. They seem to have faith in Christ, but then lose all interest in Him. How then, it may be asked, can we be sure that all those who are chosen by Christ will persevere in faith? The answer is found in the Bible: "They went out from us," says John, "but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us" (1 John
If people could be saved by God, only to be lost again because of themselves, then God would be a failure! It even seems that this does happen. But it does not really happen at all, because "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Phil. 1:6). All those who really belong to Him "through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet. 1:5). This is wholly due to God's power, and not to any strength coming from the believer himself; even true believers can do nothing by themselves.
There is, by the creating and sustaining grace of God, an unquenchable faith in, and desire for, God in the heart of every true believer, who is encouraged and enabled to fight the good fight of the faith, enduring even to the end. How could God be God if He did not perfect that good work which He himself has begun in us?
Perseverance of the Saints -- Those who are truly saved will never be lost.
As we have now seen, the Reformed faith has a much more exalted view of God and a much lower view of humans than is commonly held. No doubt this is why the natural man cannot receive the Reformed faith, while he can often agree with easier, more "acceptable" forms of Christian teaching. No doubt this is also why Jesus said to Peter, when he first accepted such teaching, "This was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" (Matt.
But we must not imagine that the Reformed believer is the poorer for this fact, because the benefit is far greater than the cost. For if it costs sinful man the admission that he is helpless, that puts him in possession of an incomparable blessing: "They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved ... can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved" (WCF, XVII:1). They cannot fall from grace because God brings the work of salvation to perfection in them that are his. And this is true in spite of the mere appearance (but not the reality) of grace in hypocrites and the remaining tendencies to sin in genuine believers.
Now, as everyone knows, there are those who appear to fall away from grace. They seem to have faith in Christ, but then lose all interest in Him. How then, it may be asked, can we be sure that all those who are chosen by Christ will persevere in faith? The answer is found in the Bible: "They went out from us," says John, "but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us" (1 John
If people could be saved by God, only to be lost again because of themselves, then God would be a failure! It even seems that this does happen. But it does not really happen at all, because "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Phil. 1:6). All those who really belong to Him "through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet. 1:5). This is wholly due to God's power, and not to any strength coming from the believer himself; even true believers can do nothing by themselves.
There is, by the creating and sustaining grace of God, an unquenchable faith in, and desire for, God in the heart of every true believer, who is encouraged and enabled to fight the good fight.
Are You Getting What You Need?
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
II Tim. 2: 2
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.
Peter Druker
No matter how hard the saints work, how creative the programming is, no matter how involved the minister is in the community or how beautifully the choir sings or how inspiring the pastor preaches . . . if the saints do not learn to trust what the Bible teaches about how lost sinners become eternally secure saints, they are only "protected" by a false sense of security.
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14: 1-3
Every Christian deserves to know that this promise is true. . . for him/her, personally.
Suppose that you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to say to you, "Why should I let you into My Heaven?" What would you say?
Dr. James Kennedy, Evangelism Explosion
Are the saints in your church getting what they need? Are they equipped to answer this question?
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
II Peter 1: 19-21
If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.
Anatole
Many claim to accept the authority of Scripture . . . but if the saints are still in the "dark," they aren't getting what they really need. If the Bible is the infallible rule of faith and life, and if the Bible teaches TULIP, then NOT to teach TULIP is to deny the authority of the Bible, the sufficiency of Christ, and the basis for holy living.
Calvinists won't be the only ones in Heaven;
Just the only ones who understand why they are there.
O holy God,
encourage this soul of mine.
Inspire all my thoughts.
Pervade all my imaginations.
Suggest all my decisions.
Direct my will and order my actions.
Manifest Chris through me in my silence and in my speech,
in my haste and in my leisure, in company and in solitude,
in freshness of new day and weariness of evening and
give me grace at all times to rejoice in Thy blessed companionship.
In Jesus' name, I pray.
Amen
Blessed are the saints who are equipped with the sound doctrines of TULIP!
The Old Gray Dog
James E. Tuckett
Clearly and Unequivocally Proclaiming What It Means To Be Reformed Christianshttp://www.westminsterfellowship.org
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