How to Kill and Be Killed 101: Answering A Fool

 "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself." - Proverbs 26:4

Close-Minded by Adam4d

"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes."

- Proverbs 26:5

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Canvas

As the clock strikes midnight
The bell tolls
And the curtain closed
Enter the dawn of a new day
Yet another chance at finding
A better way of existence
To become complete
To be more consistent...

But can the art say to the Maker
"Why have you made me this way?"
His ways are not my ways
Could it be that the imperfections
That I detect are indeed
A thing...of beauty?

Suited for the tapestry
Into which they have been placed
Bringing character through
Tension and grace
Every shadowed line of my face
Tells a story -
Subtle shades of mercy
That play off of the light

The canvas of my skin
Stretched and healed over time
To err is certainly human
But the salvation so sublime
While just over the horizon
To me remains the unknown
Providence paints away in every corner
Creating a masterpiece within my soul

(cf. Psalm 139:14; Romans 9:20-24; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Philippians 1:6)


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Truth In a Million Pieces

"The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." - John 1:9-11

We take the truth
And break it up
Into a million little pieces
That way, it's easier
To sweep it under the rug
And come up with a different thesis...

But particles always linger
So as soon as we lift a finger
To point in the other direction
The light brings it back to our rememberance

All around the atmosphere
It becomes a nuisance and a problem
Because it settles into everything
Giving a reason to the logic

Harboring the Harbinger
That's come down through the ages
That we misappropriate to the aliens
Or the wisdom of the sages

Dangerous mental assertions
As the blind lead the blind
Into miscalculated divination
(Maybe it's just a sign of the the times)

Or maybe a deeper symptom
When the hearts of men wax cold
And an old lie becomes new truth
Wherever an alternative reality is sold

It's a bold statement - I know
But somebody had to say it
Because we're playing roulette
With a loaded .45
And with no one else to play with

Every shot hits the mark
Even though we're aiming in the dark
Because the world and everything in it
Is just a firing range
When it ain't seen as a work of art


"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed." - John 3:19, 20


(cf. Isaiah 8:14; Matthew 21:44; Romans 9:32; 2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:8)

Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Weatherman

"You don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." - Bob Dylan

No I'm not like these weathermen
Meteorology doesn't suit me...(anymore)
I'm a foreigner in my homeland
This is a Head-out-of-window,
Hand-on-the-glass forecast
I'm trusting in Providence
And not chance...

While the masses sit back and wait for signs
The sky opens and closes as designed
And I'm fine with that
I'll trust what's already been revealed and written
And for all that remains hidden
I'll just consider it none of my business
Because there's a profound sense of wisdom
In saying "I don't know that much"
But what I have come to learn
Wasn't discovered by dumb luck

We cover up so that we don't get wet
But the rain, the cold, and the pain...
They still come when we least expect it
Many consult the constellations
But it leaves them second guessing
And vexed by the outcome
Because you still haven't got the message

Winter's still coming...
The sky's still falling...
And Jesus still saves...
Even though the creditors keep calling
Signs from above are trumped by a love
That came down and laid down
To give peace like a dove

But we have these hovering suspicions
That manifest in the shift of tectonic plates
And lose faith in the notion of goodness
Every time another child is raped

Seems that the harder we pray
The longer the stay of Death's execution
Which gives us the excuse
That we're always looking for
To live a life of disillusionment

And yet still...
Seasons come and seasons go
Only God truly knows
So, I don't gotta be a weatherman
To know which way the wind blows

(cf. Matthew 16:1-4; Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 11:5; Ezekiel 37:9 Mark 4:41; John 3:8, 20:22; Acts 2:1-4)


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Strabismus

 Her feet go down to death;
 her steps follow the path to Sheol;
 she does not ponder the path of life;
 her ways wander, and she does not know it.
(Proverbs 5:5-6 ESV)

 

A silhouette breaks through the pattern of the bed sheet
And in that moment, I realize that I am in too deep…
But I keep pressing forward with my hands
Because I can no longer make out the lines in the sand

So I become a slave to the senselessness of my senses
Just a taste, a feel, or a touch
And suddenly the voices drown away in the distance
Reminiscent of flying –
Bodies crashing and burning
But the height of the ecstasy
Leaves me wanton and yearning

Because the more that I take
The more that it aches
And the more that the lines become blurred
The less I’m willing to wait
Until I’m crossed-eyed and feverish -
Suffering from strabismus
It’s led me to a duplicitous reality
And a heart that is desperately abysmal

Lusting after lust
Constantly frustrated by trust
Relying on primal instincts of my flesh
To relieve the agony of the rush
As it makes its way to my head
And the things that I’ve hardly ever said
Hunt me down with a vengeance
Love’s not just blind…now it’s dead

And with this ring, I thee wed
Like a noose that hangs from the bedpost
Meshing my affections with the conquests
As I place them on the mantle above my ego
Erotomania claims another victim
Barely a mention; only sealed with a kiss…

Sex is death. Death is sex.
It says it right here on my crucifix.

 

 

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
(Proverbs 27:20 ESV)

 

 

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Reformed Theology Vs. Hyper-Calvinism by Michael Horton

Before the average believer today learns what Reformed theology (i.e., Calvinism) actually is, he first usually has to learn what it’s not. Often, detractors define Reformed theology not according to what it actually teaches, but according to where they think its logic naturally leads. Even more tragically, some hyper-Calvinists have followed the same course. Either way, “Calvinism” ends up being defined by extreme positions that it does not in fact hold as scriptural. The charges leveled against Reformed theology, of which hyper-Calvinism is actually guilty, received a definitive response at the international Synod of Dort (1618–1619), along with the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms.

Is God the Author of Sin?

The God of Israel “is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he” (Deut. 32:4–5). In fact, James seems to have real people in mind when he cautions, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). Sin and evil have their origin not in God or creation, but in the personal will and action of creatures.

Scripture sets forth two guardrails here: On one hand, God “works all things after the counsel of his own will” (Eph. 1:15); on the other, God does not — in fact, cannot — do evil. We catch a glimpse of these two guardrails at once in several passages, most notably in Genesis 45 and Acts 2. In the former, Joseph recognizes that while the intention of his brothers in selling him into slavery was evil, God meant it for good, so that many people could be saved during this famine (vv. 4–8). We read in the same breath in Acts 2:23 that “lawless men” are blamed for the crucifixion, and yet Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God….” The challenge is to affirm what Scripture teaches without venturing any further. We know from Scripture that both are true, but not how. Perhaps the most succinct statement of this point is found in the Westminster Confession of Faith (chap. 3.1): “God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass;” — there’s one guardrail — “yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creature; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established,” and with that, the second guardrail. The same point is made in the Belgic Confession of Faith (Article 13), adding that whatever God has left to His own secret judgment is not for us to probe any further.

Is the Gospel for Everyone?

Isn’t it a bit of false advertising to say on one hand that God has already determined who will be saved and on the other hand to insist that the good news of the Gospel be sincerely and indiscriminately proclaimed to everyone?

But didn’t Christ die for the elect alone? The Canons of Dort pick up on a phrase that was often found in the medieval textbooks (“sufficient for the world, efficient for the elect only”) when it affirms that Christ’s death “is of infinite worth and value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world” (Second Head, Article 3). Therefore, we hold out to the world “the promise of the gospel … to all persons … without distinction ….” Although many do not embrace it, this “is not owing to any defect or insufficiency in the sacrifice offered by Christ upon the cross, but is wholly to be imputed to themselves” (Second Head, Articles 5–6).

Here once again we are faced with mystery — and the two guardrails that keep us from careening off the cliff in speculation. God loves the world and calls everyone in the world to Christ outwardlythrough the Gospel, and yet God loves the elect with a saving purpose and calls them by His Spiritinwardly through the same Gospel (John 6:63–64; 10:3–5, 11, 14–18, 25–30; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28–30; 2 Tim. 1:9). Both Arminians and hyper-Calvinists ignore crucial passages of Scripture, resolving the mystery in favor of the either-or: either election or the free offer of the Gospel.

Grace for Everybody?

Does God love everybody, or is His kindness simply a cloak for His wrath — fattening the wicked for the slaughter, as some hyper-Calvinists have argued?

Scripture is full of examples of God’s providential goodness, particularly in the Psalms: “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made …. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Ps. 145:9, 16). Jesus calls upon His followers to pray for their enemies for just this reason: “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:44). Christians are supposed to imitate this divine attitude.

The doctrine we are talking about has come to be called “common grace,” in distinction from “saving grace.” Some have objected to this term (some even to the concept), insisting that there is nothing common about grace: there is only one kind of grace, which is sovereign, electing grace. However, it must be said that whatever kindness God shows to anyone for any reason after the fall, can only be regarded as gracious. Once again, we face two guardrails that we dare not transgress: God acts graciously to save the elect and also to sustain the non-elect and cause them to flourish in this mortal life. While it is among the sweetest consolations for believers, election is not the whole story of God’s dealing with this world.

When we, as Christians, affirm common grace, we take this world seriously in all of its sinfulness as well as in all of its goodness as created and sustained by God. We see Christ as the mediator of saving grace to the elect but also of God’s general blessings to a world that is under the curse. Thus, unbelievers can even enrich the lives of believers. John Calvin pleads against the fanaticism that would forbid all secular influence on Christians, concluding that when we disparage the truth, goodness, and beauty found among unbelievers, we are heaping contempt on the Holy Spirit Himself who bestows such gifts of His common grace (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.2.15).

Is Calvinism a License to Sin?

The first thing we need to say, with Martyn Lloyd-Jones, is that if we are never accused of preaching antinomianism (that is, grace-as-license), we probably have not preached the Gospel correctly. After all, Paul anticipates the question, “Shall we then sin that grace may abound?” precisely because his own argument from 3:9 to this point has pressed it: “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more” (5:21). At the same time, some Reformed Christians, especially those liberated from legalistic backgrounds, seem to end Paul’s argument at Romans 5:21, concluding, in effect, “God likes to forgive, I like to sin — the perfect relationship!”

The difference between being accused of antinomianism (literally, anti-law-ism) and being guilty as charged is whether we are willing to follow Paul on into chapter 6. There the apostle answers this charge by an announcement of what God has done! At first, this would seem to favor antinomians, since they place all of the emphasis on what God has done and reject, or at least downplay, the importance of imperatives. Yet in fact, what Paul announces is that God has accomplished not only our justification in Christ, but our baptism into Christ. His argument is basically this: being united to Christ necessarily brings justification and regeneration, which issues in sanctification. He does not say that Christians should not, or must not, live in sin as the principle of their existence, but that they cannot — it is an impossibility. That they do continue to sin is evident enough, especially in chapter 7, but now they struggle against it.

The fathers at Dort recognized the charge that the Reformed doctrine “ leads off the minds of men from all piety and religion; that it is an opiate administered by the flesh and the devil,” and leads inevitably to “libertinism” and “renders men carnally secure, since they are persuaded by it that nothing can hinder the salvation of the elect, let them live as they please” (Conclusion). Yet they would neither surrender the comfort of justification by Christ’s righteousness imputed nor of sanctification by Christ’s resurrection life imparted. Perfection of sanctification in this life is impossible, but just as impossible is a condition known today as the “carnal Christian.” One is either dead in Adam or alive in Christ. Again, some wish to resolve this mystery: either we can be free from all known sin, as John Wesley taught, or we can be in a state of spiritual death, as antinomianism teaches. However satisfying to our reason, such an easy resolution in either direction ignores the clear teaching of Scripture and robs us of the joy of such a full salvation.

So the two guardrails on this point emerge from the fog of legalism and antinomianism: justification and sanctification are not to be confused, but they are also not to be separated.

In addition to these other charges, Reformed theology is often regarded as “rationalistic” — that is, a system built on logic rather than on Scripture. However, I hope we have begun to see that the real rationalists are the extremists on either side of these debates. The wisdom of the Reformed confessions is that they refuse to speculate beyond Scripture and insist on proclaiming the whole counsel of God, not simply the passages that seem to reinforce one-sided emphases. It is not a question of where the logic should lead us but where the Scriptures do lead us. It might be easier to resolve the mystery in simple, either-or solutions, but such a course would certainly not be safer. So let us too strive to read all of the Scriptures together, keeping a sharp lookout for those guardrails!

Mr. Puritan: Regeneration & Fruit of Faith

Mr. Puritan gives a brief explanation of John 3:1-5...


for further study: John 1:13, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Mark 16:16, Luke 17:20-21, Acts 2:38, Ephesians 5:26, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 10:22, John 10:9; 14:6.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Winfrey/Puritan: Mr. Puritan Goes on the "O" Show

It appears that our friend, Mr. Puritan, is becoming a pretty popular guy...

As a result of his public forum debate/discussion with President Obama, Mr. Puritan is invited to be a guest on Oprah's Web Show to discuss Religion, Spirituality, Liberty, and Freedom.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

"The Cattle on a Thousand Hills": The Sovereignty of God and The Recession

I was watching the news today, listening to all of the pundits discussing our current recession and the "Stimulus Package".  Suddenly, I was struck by the profundity of two of the verses that I've been meditating on recently (Job 1:21-22, Psalms 50:10-11).  If we truly understand what Scripture is teaching us here, we will find peace amid these pressed economical times; realizing the fact that there are no maverick molecules in the universe by which God has no control. 

John Piper - What is the Recession For?  (Sermon Series 1-10)

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Evangel Lies: "Not THAT Death...Your Other Death!"

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. - Philippians 1:21 ESV

What you are about to see is indeed disturbing. At times it may seem funny (as they do make some really outlandish statements), but please remember that these are real people talking about real events that they have actually taken part in. But understand, this is what happens when there is a famine of the word and a poor understanding of the gospel; where people rely on dreams and visions rather than relying on the whole revelation of Christ that we find in the scriptures...

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. - Matthew 10:5-8 ESV





A Mortuary Outreach?!

Comments on the Xtreme Prophetic Teams urging fellow Christians to start up a "morturary outreach "(raising people from the dead).



No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. - John 6:44 

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. -Colossians 2:13-15 

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:27-28 ESV

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” - Revelation 14:12-13 

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6 



Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Unconditional Election: Good News?!

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. - Acts 13:48 ESV

"Divine grace is necessary before a person can even begin to will to love God." - Gerald Bonner, Augustine's Doctrine of Man


The video presented below is one the most concise at clearly explaining the doctrine of unconditional election. John Piper does an excellent job illustrating the comfort that should be found in this biblical teaching.

As I finished watching this clip, I noticed the comment that was left by a fellow viewer:


"I am a Christian and i fully believe in free will, i respect Mr. Piper for his views, but one thing that made me uneasy about what he was saying is if God chooses people to enter His Kingdom then He must choose for people to be destined to Hell. That cannot be though because he wishes no one into Hell according to James. I just disagree heavily on what was said in this video. I appreciate Mr. Piper and his God gifted work."




The problem that I have with this comment is not merely personal. I'm indeed a fan of John Piper and his work, but I'm not solely coming to his defense because I like him. My first issue is based upon the assumption that Piper is simply expressing his opinion. This is not the case; he is basing his beliefs on the Scriptures themselves and what they teach. The comment offers no such biblical reference other than "according to James". What passage in James? Would you like to expound on this? Have you actually searched the scriptures to find out whether or not these things are so? When we are dealing with matters as great as this, we must always remember to approach them with the seriousness that they deserve. This is a doctrine that is at the very heart of our evangelism methods. Secondly, to make a claim such as, "that cannot be", we need to be absolutely sure that we have taken the time to properly hear the statement and compare it to the writings of the Holy Bible before we go out on a limb. The reason this is necessary to bring up is because the commentator opens up their statement with, "I am a Christian and I fully believe in free will". Here is where the hand is tipped; the statement makes it clear from the outset that regardless of the information presented, their presupposition was going to rule the day. It was not going to ultimately be based on Scripture - but rather, opinions and emotional attachment to their own views. It is because of this that the person fails to see the full doctrine and concentrates on a particular aspect that doesn't seem to jive with their own convictions.



But What Does the Bible Say?


For those unfamiliar with the doctrine of unconditional election, it can be summarized like this:


God freely chooses whom he will save, based upon his own sovereign will and purpose, not on the merits of the individual being saved.

Can this be backed up with scripture? Absolutely! We can look at the two passages alluded to by Piper. First, he quotes from 1 Corinthians:


For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ESV


It is clear from the scripture above that God does, in fact, elect or choose those whom will be saved out of the world. Notice that it even goes as far to say, "And because of HIM you are in Christ Jesus". That means that it is God who brings us to Christ. This is done so that we can stake no claim in our own salvation. The Glory belongs to God alone.

The next passage we can look at is about the conversion of Paul himself:


Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." - Acts 9:10-16 ESV


It is important to note that Paul was perfectly fine persecuting Christians and had no interest in turning over a new leaf (Acts 9:1-2). Paul's conversion is a tale of a man interrupted. God elected him to be a witness to the gentiles. Paul's will of freedom of choice had nothing to do with it. It is the glorious intrusion of God that saved him from perishing - and so it is with all who believe (Psalms 65:4).



I Have Decide To Follow Jesus...But Why?

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. - Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV


So what shall we say about free will? Does it have any role at all? Yes. But, we must remember that we must look at the will and election in the light of the Scriptures, not mere human reasoning. This is the response that I offered to the commentator in regards to what we must believe in regards to the freedom of our will.


Man does indeed have a will. But according to scripture, the will is only free to act on its strongest inclination - what it desires most. Therefore, Jesus states that,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin..." - John 6:34 ESV

This is why Paul is justified in his statement in Romans 6:20:

"For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness."

So we can draw the conclusion from these verses that if we are slaves to sin, we can do nothing but sin. We can see this brought to our attention more severely in Ephesians 2:1-3:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

So in our natural state, how is it that you, me or any other believer comes to true faith in Jesus out of such a horribly depraved condition? Our will in bondage to sin and hearts darkened and hostile towards God (Colossians 1:21); what breaks our chains of bondage and brings us into the love of Christ? What causes me to choose to turn away from my sin? It obviously can't be me. From the scriptures, it has already been established that I am incapable of doing this! So, that leaves only one answer. Jesus states that,

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day." - John 6:44 ESV

It is clear from this statement that we are not "free" to will ourselves to come to Christ apart from the divine initiative of God's. I always find it peculiar that all throughout the Old Testament, we find God choosing people and there's never an objection raised, yet when we get to the New Testament, we treat it as some sort of blasphemous or foreign concept. This objection, while it may be an earnest one, is misguided. It is the same objection that Paul expects and deals with in Romans 9:6-24:

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son." And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

While this is a hard saying in scripture, it should ultimately bring us comfort for it is the only way that we can be certain that we are saved. As Jesus, again, says:

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." - John 6:37 ESV

So if God calls us by the power of his spirit, then and then only is our salvation secured. If we rely on our so-called "free" will to bring us to Christ, it will be an exercise in futility. Faith may come by hearing the word of God, but it cannot be forgotten that this is because the Holy Spirit operates through the Word of God alone. If left merely to our will, this would leave us under the law, not grace. This means that you are obligated to fulfill the law through your own will, which is impossible.

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. - Romans 3:19-20 ESV



Praise be to the unconditional election of the Almighty God! But to see the beauty and mercy we must understand it from both sides of the coin. We can no more decide for God who he can save, than we can tell him who he can't. That is why it's called amazing grace...


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Say It Ain't So, Joe: The Pope, Peter and The Church

Pope: Jesus formed 'only one church'
Benedict issues statement asserting that Jesus established ‘only one church’
MSNBC News Services
Updated: 8:52 a.m. CT July 10, 2007

LORENZAGO DI CADORE, Italy - Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.
Benedict approved a document from his old offices at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that restates church teaching on relations with other Christians. It was the second time in a week the pope has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that modernized the church.
On Saturday, Benedict revisited another key aspect of Vatican II by reviving the old Latin Mass. Traditional Catholics cheered the move, but more liberal ones called it a step back from Vatican II.
Benedict, who attended Vatican II as a young theologian, has long complained about what he considers the erroneous interpretation of the council by liberals, saying it was not a break from the past but rather a renewal of church tradition.
In the latest document — formulated as five questions and answers — the Vatican seeks to set the record straight on Vatican II’s ecumenical intent, saying some contemporary theological interpretation had been “erroneous or ambiguous” and had prompted confusion and doubt.
It restates key sections of a 2000 document the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation, “Dominus Iesus,” which set off a firestorm of criticism among Protestant and other Christian denominations because it said they were not true churches but merely ecclesial communities and therefore did not have the “means of salvation.”
In the new document and an accompanying commentary, which were released as the pope vacations here in Italy’s Dolomite mountains, the Vatican repeated that position.
“Christ ‘established here on earth’ only one church,” the document said. The other communities “cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense” because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles...(full article here)



Gabcast! How Shall We Then...Blog (In Audio) #2 - Say It Ain't So, Joe: The Pope, Peter & The Church

My response to an article in which Pope Benedict declares all other denominations to be 'counterfeit'






Martin Luther on Salvation Outside the Church of Rome



Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms






"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand." — Edward Mote (1797-1874)


For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ESV





Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Systematic Mormonism: Last Things (The Beginning of the End)

“Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the Scripture laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of the more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously . . .” - Joseph Smith

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17 ESV

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book.
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. - Revelation 22:6-21 ESV

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Systematic Mormonism: The Way of Salvation (Soteriology)

With the doctrines of Revelation, God, Man, and Jesus Christ being so drastically different from that of the traditional Christian Faith, where does this leave them on the issue of the salvation of souls? The implications of their teachings clearly nullify the idea of the justification by faith in Christ alone--so in what or who does the faithful Mormon put their hope in order that they may acquire eternal life? What must a Mormon do to be saved? The answer will surprise you...

Mormons and Eternal Life

To view the previous chapter, click here.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Systematic Mormonism: The Doctrine of Jesus Christ (Christology)

Here, we will take a look at the person and work of Jesus Christ, according to the writings of Mormonism, in contrast with that of the Holy Bible. While the content of this clip is short, the differences are not hard to point out even if one has an elementary level of biblical knowledge. Everything that we have seen up until now greatly effects this particular doctrine, just as every category that follows after this one will be greatly effected by this teaching as well. Leaves you with the lingering question, "How Christian can Mormonism actually be?"


Jesus Christ According to Mormonism

For previous chapter, click here.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Systematic Mormonism: The Doctrine and Study of Man (Anthropology)

In this section, we will survey the origin of the human species (anthropology) from the doctrines of Mormonism. We will look at some of it claims through historical, scientific, and archaeological evidence (or lack thereof). We will see a short history lesson on the life and character of the man, Joseph Smith, himself.



Mormonism v. Anthropology/Archaeological Evidence (1)







Mormonism v. Anthropology/Archaeological Evidence (2)


A Short History of Joseph Smith


To view the previous chapter, click here.


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon