Why The Consternation Over Reformed Theology?

There have been many Christians writers who have made it their mission to undermine Reformed thinking and to destroy whatever vestige of the truth they feel bitter about and want to avenge themselves, as it were, by convincing Calvinists they are wrong, and enjoying their argumentative writings.  Sectarianism is sin according to Paul in 1 Corinthians and we are not to look down on our brother just because we disagree with him. We are all in Christ!  Most Calvinists were Arminians at one time and understand their "ignorance."   They aim their guns at doctrines such as eternal security and predestination, denying their having biblical basis.

But there is much outcry in some churches over Calvinistic excess and the consequent prejudice and stereotype of them as having an ax to grind and having a one-track mind and being expert on minor points like splitting hairs or nitpicking doctrine that is just a doctrine that divides (the correct nomenclature should be doctrines of grace, not the five points of Calvinism known from the acrostic TULIP).  They seem to major on the minors according to Arminians, but they are wrong.

It is alright to be on a mission, but not to divide and conquer like the strategy of the devil.  Seek the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace according to Ephesians 4:3. Most Calvinists are not divisive, contentious, argumentative, nor judgmental as people think and John Calvin never made these points himself but wrote on hundreds of topics.  People don't know that Martin Luther agreed with the doctrines of grace even though today's Lutherans have strayed from his teachings.

But the time does arise when one must take a stand and say his piece and let people know his position so that there is no confusion or prejudice. In the meantime, Calvinists need to be wise not to push it and try to "convert" people to the truth.  Their motivation should be to enlighten people to grace-orientation and to set them free from legalism and self-sovereignty and trust in the Lord's providence--let God be God.

What amazes me is that there really are no Arminians in fact, only in theory, because they live, talk, and pray just like Calvinists most of the time!  ("O God, make this person see!)  They acknowledge God's sovereignty and control over all in their prayer and just don't know it!  The really insecure ones are the ones on a mission to prove they are right no matter what and to have a one-track mind majoring in one doctrine, for instance. We should never be preoccupied with a doctrine that we become unbalanced and think it is our mission to straighten everybody out.  God wants us to learn the whole counsel of Scripture not just our favorite doctrines.  We can readily diffuse a quarrel by admitting we could be wrong and not seeming like we know it all--no matter what our position. This is only a matter of personal humility and realizing that we are all part of the story and need each other as fellow body parts.

No one has a monopoly on the truth or has cornered the market and knowledge in itself as an end and not a means to an end leads to arrogance and spiritual pride--that one side is a cut above others or the others are poor specimens.  There are some Arminians who are great men of God and live holy lives and are faithful and some Calvinists who are carnal and worldly.  In conclusion:  At the Bema Seat, Jesus isn't ever going to ask us what school of thought we subscribed to but did we know Him and learn to love and obey Him.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Selfishness And Its Consequences...

"Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness. People whose lives are based on selfishness think about selfish things, but people whose lives are based on the Spirit think about things that are related to the Spirit.  The attitude that comes from selfishness leads to death, but the attitude that comes from the Spirit leads to life and peace.  So the attitude that comes from selfishness is hostile to God.  It doesn't submit to God's Law, because it can't. People who are self-centered aren't able to please God"  (Romans 8:5-8, CEB).

One of the worst insults you can assign someone is that he is selfish.  Albert Schweitzer said that the only people that are happy are those who have learned to serve.  Jesus said that the greatest in the Kingdom of God is the one who humbles himself the most (like a child).  To be great in God's kingdom you must be willing to be the servant of all;  for didn't Christ come "not to be served, but to serve..." (Mark 10:45)  Where would civilization be without selfless people who dedicated their lives to something that will outlast it, something greater than themselves--a legacy indeed!  The secret of happiness is to think of Jesus first, others second and yourself last (J.O.Y.).  If Christ hadn't arrived on the scene and taught selfless love for our fellow man, it is doubtless we would have orphanages, hospitals, universities, and charities as we know them.  Christ changed the course of history, thinking outside the box, and turned the world upside down (even seeing women as equal to men).  We could not have a civilization if everyone thought only of themselves and looked out only for good old "Number One." The old Darwinian idea of the "survival of the fittest" is non-Christian and we are not to live "each man for himself," and not be "altruistic" (a characteristic unknown to animals and sets us apart as human and in God's image).

They say that the capitalistic system works and it is based on greed; well this is an imperfect society and that is not ideal and is certainly not part of "God's economy."  In heaven, we will not be primarily concerned with bottom lines, but effort and faithfulness and the blessing of God in what we do--not giving ourselves the glory.  But of course, when people come up with ideas like the proposition that we need to learn to be "selfish" to get ahead and be a "success" they don't realize that this is nothing new:  "There's nothing new under the sun."  What amazes me is that most people don't recognize evil when confronted with it, but have itching ears that hear what they want to hear without any discernment.

Only the mature in Christ according to Hebrews 5:14 are able to discern good from evil.   When we see evil we have the opportunity to take our stand and stand up for Jesus and truth and not let the devil have his wicked way in the world.  Just thank God for all the sacrifices people have made before us to give us the culture and civilization we have and their selfless love and commitment to the welfare of others.  In conclusion:   Don't let evil be unchallenged and unanswered and remember to conquer evil with good (cf. Rom. 12:21).   Soli Deo Gloria!

How Free Is Free Will?

NB:  There are two kinds of will:  mundane and spiritual.  My premise is that we cannot choose Jesus apart from the grace of God completely on our own--it is a divine work in us to change our nature.

Martin Luther wrote one of the most influential books of the Reformation, The Bondage of the Will, to refute the Catholic scholar Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (In Praise of Folly). The Roman Catholic Church, in the Council of Trent (the Counter-Reformation), 1545-63, pronounced this doctrine anathema and aimed their guns at it.  However, the debate has its origin with the bishop Aurelius Augustine of Hippo and the British monk Pelagius during the fifth century.  Much of the controversy lies in a problem of semantics, nevertheless, the debate rages on and is considered by some a doctrine that divides, since there are sincere believers (Arminians) who believe otherwise.

Verses to ponder by way of introduction:  Isaiah 63:17 says, "O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart so that we fear you not?" (where is the free will [a term, by the way, not in Scripture except freewill offerings to mean voluntary and not compulsive] in that?).  The anticipatory question of Paul:  "...Why does he still find fault, for who can resist his will?" (Rom. 9:19b, ESV).  We are born into slavery in a hopeless situation [it couldn't be worse!]:  "Wretched man that I am.  Who will deliver me from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24, ESV).

Augustine is famous for saying that we are "free but not freed."  Martin Luther said that to call it "free will" is too "grandiose" a term.  Actually, granted we have so-called "free will," the Bible makes it clear that we are "in Adam" before our salvation, and he, therefore, represented the race of mankind and chose evil when he was given this free will.  Our wills are also depraved and spoiled by the sin nature in us.  We are enslaved to sin prior to salvation and must be set free as prisoners of ourselves, sin, and Satan.  We are not born free, as some think, but must be set free.  "For you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free"  (John 8:32).  Adam chose the devil's way and ever since we do the same "in Adam" and are no different.  God granted us free will, as it were, but we chose Satan. Yes, we certainly make our choices willingly, they are not made for us--we only have ourselves to blame for our failures, not God.

What is God to do, but elect and choose to save some unconditionally and not by any merit of their own "according to the good pleasure of His will."  Remember that Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" in John 15:16.  If there were any reason in ourselves such as a tendency or bias toward good (we are inclined toward evil and sin), then the choice would not be by grace but by merit. We do not deserve salvation and nothing makes us worthy: Some people don't just desire to be saved and others don't--it's not that simple (that would be a basis of merit).  God didn't choose us because He foresaw that we would believe (the prescient view, would be according to our works --cf. Titus 3:4-5)--that would be the beginning of merit and we'd have something to brag about in God's presence.  God made believers out of us and quickened faith within us, even making the unwilling willing and turning hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.

We are still responsible for our decisions and the road we take, and can't claim to "be on the wrong" list" because we all have adequate light to be culpable and make a decision for or against God--I do not believe in coercion or determinism, where we have our decisions made for us, like robots, or are made to do something we don't want to do.  The limit of our will is the ability to make decisions of the one available to us:  If I throw a ball, you have the choice to catch it or let it pass by.  But I decided which ball and when to throw it, etc.  We are free to "choose our own poison" in other words. The freedom of the will is a curse in other words because it has worked against us.  The problem with most theologians is that they jump to the conclusion that just because we can make decisions and are not robots, therefore we are free in the absolute sense and have "free will."  For example, this line of reasoning is like an animal acting according to its will, if you will,  and not doing anything it doesn't want to do; therefore, this means it has "free will."

Our Freedom is like a felon in prison believing he didn't act according to his free will and his rights are being violated in prison--he has the free will to make life decisions they give him (like what to eat, what TV channel to watch, what God to worship, etc.), but not the freedom to get out of prison.  Or it is like a man with a ticket on a train that thinks he has free will but doesn't even know where the train is going--that's up to God, as it were (our destiny is ultimately in God's hands).  Our freedom cannot say, for instance, "Henceforth, I will only do good."  Paul says, "I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do"  (Rom 7:15).  We are natural slaves to sin before salvation, and afterward, we are slaves to righteousness! The locus of our default inability is our nature we are born with (old nature vs. nurture debate).

But God thought it "worth the risk" as Paul Little says, decided we would be in the image and likeness of Him. Is God "free" because He cannot sin?  Are we free in heaven where we cannot sin? We are "voluntary slaves" and enjoy our slavery to sin. Some say that if we cannot choose of our own volition for God then we don't have free will--Jonah 2:9 says, "Salvation is of the Lord."  It is not a joint venture, but God gets all the credit.  (Soli Deo Gloria! or to God alone be the glory!)   We don't cooperate in our salvation, to merit it in any way--we don't add merit to grace as Catholics do.  Now, sanctification is another matter, whereby we cooperate with God to increase in godliness and holiness and in our personal fellowship and walk with the Lord.

"Know that the LORD, he is God!  It is he who made us, and we are his..."  (Psalm 100:3, ESV). "But now, O LORD, you are our Father, we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand" (Isaiah 64:8, ESV).  We are not self-made men but should look to the rock from which we were hewn and the quarry from which we were dug (cf. Isaiah 51:1).  We act according to our nature, (e.g, temperamental, impetuous, impulsive, sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, garrulous, introverted, demonstrative, reserved, melancholy, etc.) and God decides our nature (like the difference between a dove and a vulture desiring different food by nature); we are hot-wired to divine spec!  God is our maker and we cannot ask Him why He made us the way we are.

So little of our decisions is because of the will that God can manipulate circumstances and use Providence to get His will done through anyone He chooses. Some people are vessels of honor, some of the dishonor.   We didn't decide where we were born, who our parents were, what schools we went to, what our heritage is, et alia. (There are many variables and control factors to take into account in the equation.)   God is free to act according to His divine nature and we are free to act according to our God-given tainted and fallen human nature.

Our wills have limits according to Scripture ("No man can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them..." according to John 6:44) and no man can do nothing apart from Christ's grace ("Apart from Me you can do nothing" according to John 15:5).  We have a will, but not the ability to choose or will Christ apart from the grace of God.  The condition for coming to Christ is recognizing our inability and of being unqualified.

The sum total of our circumstances and resultant life decisions are laid out before we are born and written in God's book (the eternal decree) as certain to happen (Psalm 139:16).  "My times [future] are in your hands" (Psalm 31:15).  "I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23, ESV). "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps"  (Prov. 16:9, ESV).  "A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?" (Prov. 20:24, ESV).  To sum up:  We have a destiny, but not a fate, which is impersonal and needs no input from us to achieve--in a destiny, we cooperate with God, fate leaves us no choice at all and will happen regardless.

The bottom line is that we don't need free will to get saved, we need wills made free, as you will see if you are grace-oriented.  We don't come to Christ of our own free will--He draws us (It says, compelle intrare or force them in.)  Furthermore, Romans  9:16 says it is "not of him who wills...." We can't reform ourselves or prepare ourselves for salvation.  John 1:11 says that we are "born not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh" We cannot change our nature or in any way prepare ourselves for salvation: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?  Then neither can you do good who are accustomed to evil" (Jer. 13:23).

However, we are, nevertheless, "free moral agents" and this means we are culpable and God gives us a choice to make.  Plato was wrong when he thought man would only choose the good because man is depraved and willingly chooses evil.   We are not "basically good" but inherently evil through and through. Martin Luther says, "We have not ceased to be man, but ceased to be good!"

 [Appropriate history lesson:  The Roman Catholic Council of Trent (1545-63) declared that anyone who doesn't affirm that we cooperate with God by our own free will is anathema (cursed)!  This Arminian position was condemned at the Synod of Dort in 1618.]

Jesus said, "You will not come to Me ..." (John 5:40).  God is "no man's debtor"(He will authenticate Himself!) and God "no respecter of persons" and makes us willing and able to respond to the gospel; however, He gets all the glory. We do not have the inherent ability to equally choose between good and evil--we are biased toward evil (not inclined to good anymore after Adam's sin) and need grace! This is one of the so-called  5 Onlys:  Soli Deo Gloria!  We simply would never have believed apart from grace:  We are those "...who through grace [have] believed" (cf. Acts 18:27, ESV).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Time To Weep...

As Ecclesiastes 3:4 says:  "A time to weep, a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance."
"...to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion--to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit [a spirit of heaviness]..." (Isaiah 61:2-3, ESV).  PLEASE  READ ON!

God works everything according to His timetable, "...for he hath made everything beautiful in its time" (Eccles. 3:11); also, "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven" (Eccles. 3:1, NLT).  We must not question Him:  Job 12:13 (ESV) says, "With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding [His wisdom is profound, His power is great]."  And  King Nebuchadnezzar says:  "...none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What hast thou done?" (Daniel 4:35).   We wouldn't do any better of a job running the cosmos as God, who is still at work micromanaging the time-space continuum with all its matter and energy--there is not even one maverick molecule that escapes His sovereignty, and nothing surprises Him that He has to revert to Plan B. 

One reason we have trials, tribulations, suffering, and adversity or calamity is to show what we are made of--Christ didn't even exempt Himself because it's part of the required curriculum of life (Reality 101) and everyone should experience it.  It doesn't show what they were made of but what you are made of.  The same sun hardens the clay melts the butter.  Experience is not always just what happens to you, but what you do with it--what happens in you.   God is determined to make us in Christ's image.  When does a silversmith know when he is done polishing;  when he can see himself in the silver!  When asked a sculptor how he could make a horse out of a rock, he said he simply takes away everything that doesn't look like a horse!  Michelangelo found a rock of granite that had been rejected by other artists as useless and formed the statue of David out of it.

Therefore, God can make something out of nobodies and uses common people to accomplish His purposes just as readily as anybody else.  It follows that we are works in progress and must keep in mind that He will not give up till He is finished with us:  "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion..." (Phil. 1:6).  Remember that God isn't finished with us yet and no one has arrived:  "I have seen a limit to all perfection" (Psalm 119:96); "Let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12); also, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended..." (Phil. 3:13).

I postulate that God is the"...Father of all mercies and the God of comfort..." (2 Cor. 1:3).  God's in the "comfort business" so be comforters!  That's why Paul says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep" (Rom. 12:15, ESV). He wants us to have empathy and that means putting ourselves in their shoes.  We find out what we are made of and not what kind of people they are by our experience.  He comforts us so we can return the gesture to others in their bereavement in kind.

Mourning is a therapeutic thing to do for coping with tragedy and death (it is not escapism or a sign of weakness) and all of must get the closure sufficient to readjust and carry on.  For instance, in the military, they practically force you to go on emergency leave when your next-of-kin passes on, because they don't want you to be maladjusted and have emotional problems later coming on.  You cannot predict a moment of breakdown into tears and sorrow.  When Jesus wept I'm sure He was taken aback Himself and didn't anticipate it.  A person may go to a funeral and seem unmoved, but it will sooner or later hit him and he will pay the piper as it were.

Rest in faith and be assured that God has a purpose for everything He does:  "The LORD has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for punishment"  (Prov. 16:4, NLT).   Jesus had to get "acquainted with grief" and weep for Lazarus to be in the position to identify with our sorrows. "He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" according to Isaiah 53:3.

It is not appropriate to have a spirit of levity, or jest at funerals for the sake of humor (we don't want a comedian there to change the mood, for instance) but to feel their loss and comfort them in their bereavement.  We console them and not make light of it if we can relate to them at all.  Humor should be appropriate:  I have seen much laughing going on at funerals, which isn't wrong per se; there is a place for holy humor, but we shouldn't get carried away and put it into its place (if something funny happened in his life, that's different) and not let it disturb the spirit--that's why we attend funerals with our condolences:  Solomon says that "it is better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting [mirth]" ( Ecclesiastes 7:2).

Somehow it seems that we are closer to God in our tears than in our laughter for Jesus said, "Woe to you who laugh [inappropriately] now, for you shall weep" (Luke 6:35).  "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief" (Prov. 14:13).   It is harder and better to make someone cry than to laugh;  anyone can tell a joke:  "Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad"  (Eccles. 7:3).

Funerals are a necessary ingredient to the healing process whereby we get closure and reach a conclusion about the matter and can go on living, having learned something from it--they are to console the survivors and not to judge the deceased.  Like God said of Abel's blood, that it spoke, though he was dead ("And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks," from Heb.11:4b, ESV), every person that dies has a story to tell and we have something to glean and relate to--our chance to get to know them from people that did.  The concept of putting ourselves in their shoes and empathizing, and trying to say their message as they would tell it if they were with us, is quite a gift and part of the grace we can give others from our learning experiences or wisdom.  We may experience the gamut of emotion and show transition from tears to joy and even laughter!  We must all say our goodbye's and go on living and know that we have done all we could have done and have no regrets,  (we must acknowledge that it's over and we must go on)--not blaming ourselves and develop guilt that could scar us, for instance.

We don't want to be inappropriate but supportive in our fellowship with the mourners, and reassure them that Christ came to "comfort those who mourn in Zion" (cf. Isa. 61:1).  When we grow strong from our afflictions, we can testify with Paul:  "But none of these things move me..." (Acts 20:24, KJV).  Soli Deo Gloria!