Why would Paul preach the gospel to everyone if:
1. He knew Jesus didn’t die for everyone?
2. He knew God doesn’t love everyone?
3. He knew they didn’t have a choice unless God gave it to them?
Also, why would Paul even say, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Rom 9:1-5)
If Paul knew Israel was not going to be saved, why even say this and even have a burden so deep for his people to be saved if it were not possible leading the Roman Christians, and us who have the Scriptures, to think that it were possible?
Charles Spurgeon said that Calvinism is the Gospel. Is Calvinism the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Does faith in Calvinism save? Is Calvinism the power of God unto salvation? (Rom 1:16) I think not. The Gospel IS the DEATH, BURIAL, and RESURRECTION of JESUS CHRIST!
Next, what is a choice? Do we really have one when it comes to the gospel?
Choice, alternative, option, preference all suggest the power of choosing between things. Choice implies the opportunity to choose: Alternative suggests that one has a choice between only two possibilities. Option emphasizes free right or privilege of choosing: to exercise one’s option.
The choice that sinners are left with when evangelizing is: Option A. Repent and place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ or Option B. Spend eternity in hell.
Now, it is said that man has no choice. They cannot choose Option A unless God, in His infinite mercy has predestined that person to be one of the elect, therefore giving him the ability to repent and believe. They say it like this:
The unregenerate (unsaved) man is dead in his sins (Romans 5:12). Without the power of the Holy Spirit, the natural man is blind and deaf to the message of the gospel (Mark 4:11f). This is why Total Depravity has also been called “Total Inability.” The man without a knowledge of God will never come to this knowledge without God’s making him alive through Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5)
The Calvinist asks the question, “In light of the scriptures that declare man’s true nature as being utterly lost and incapable, how is it possible for anyone to choose or desire God?” The answer is, “He cannot. Therefore God must predestine.” Calvinism also maintains that because of our fallen nature we are born again not by our own will but God’s will (John 1:12-13); God grants that we believe (Phil. 1:29); faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29); God ordains people to eternal life (Acts 13:48); and God predestines (Eph. 1:1-11; Rom. 8:29; Rom. 9:9-23). (Note: This is from the perspective of the Calvinist)
So they give man a choice while sharing the Gospel, knowing full well that they don’t have a choice. THAT IS CALLED DECEPTION! WHICH IS A LIE! 9TH COMMANDMENT!
Then there are those that go back on this and say that man has a choice but he will only choose his sin. If there are two options, but the one is really void, is there really a choice? No. A choice demands two alternatives with the ability to choose one of the two. So how can you say they have a choice? That is the same idea that the sinner is incapable of believing the very gospel which offers him forgiveness and salvation and yet he is condemned by God for failing to believe. To say that God commands men to do what they cannot do without His grace, then withholds the grace they need and punishes them eternally for failing to obey, is to make a mockery of God’s Word, of His mercy and love, and is to libel His character. That’s like me saying to you, “Look, you have two options. You can jump out of this plane with or without a parachute, but you really can’t have the parachute unless I give it to you and well, today just isn’t your day.” I then proceed to allow you to jump with no parachute because I don’t love you the same way I love those that I choose to give the parachute to and you deserve what you get anyway.
Great! I just posted this on face book!
I have had similar notions about calvinism, it always sounded a little weird to me.
Just curious…
Have you ever come across a Urantia follower? What do you think of this religion? I’d be very appreciative to get your perspective on the matter.
God bless.
I have never ran across someone who believes in Urantia as far as I know. Here is some good info on it though
http://www.letusreason.org/Cults17.htm
Thank you
Well said.
I appreciate and heartily agree with your comments regarding Calvinism. That said, your statement, “Option A. Repent, turn from your sin and place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ” is troubling. It appears you’ve defined saving repentance (repentance wherein the consequence of said repentance is eternal life) as “turning from sin”. What does “turning from sin” in an eternal salvation context mean to you? Does it mean to stop sinning?
Thanks,
Jimmy
P.S. Please respond to my email address if possible.
Jimmy,
I didn’t write this particular article but I do agree the word repentance should be clarified to mean “a change of mind.” I will edit the post in that part to simply say “repent.” I know the author personally and he doesn’t mean to imply you must add works to faith.
Thank you for pointing that out.
Bill
Its from this link http://www.organicthemes.com/themes/natural-theme/
I agree, repentance is a change of mind where you change your mind about who God is (He is holy) and who you are (I’m a sinner deserving of God’s judgement.)
>Both comments have since been deleted. Please advise.
They weren’t deleted. Posts must be approved by me first before they go “live” on the site.
>CAUTION! The writers of this blog are guilty of re-defining saving repentance, and therefore are guilty of promoting a false gospel. They teach that saving repentance means to “confess and forsake sin”. If forsaking sin means to stop sinning, we have the lost person REEFORMING his/her life as a CONDITION FOR ETERNAL SALVATION. This is a works-based false gospel!
Agreed. The post has already been changed. I remember several people I was witnessing to who, after I told them to turn from their sin and believe told me “Oh ok, I will clean myself up before coming to Christ.” I thought to myself, “Thats not what I told him…oh wait…that IS what I just told him!”
Since then I no longer say “turn from sin” but say “Change your mind” or “repent” or something.
Thanks for your concern.
Bill
Thank you Bill for recognizing the biblical definition of saving repentance. Our Lord is no doubt pleased when the biblical condition (belief) for receiving eternal life is communicated accurately and clearly with no additions. NOTE: When a person believes the Gospel, he has, by the very fact that he’s beleived the Gospel, had a change of mind (i.e. repented). This is why you won’t find the word “repent” anywere in the Gospel of John.
You stated:
“Since then I no longer say “turn from sin” but say “Change your mind” or “repent” or something.”
To be honest, if I were the propective believer in this scenario, I would naturally be wondering what I needed to change my mind about. Diagnostic questions would flush this out for me.
Yours in Christ,
Jimmy
P.S. I’m leaving you a biblically-solid aritcle on saving repentance. I hope it blesses you like it did me years ago:
http://www.cleargospel.org/topics.php?t_id=27
Calvinism is a terribly false and flawed doctrine from a historically proven murderer, John Calvin. True Christians must beware of this false teaching because it contradicts a lot of Scriptures and made a twisted representation of the true character of God.
Pretty much. Thank you for your comments.
Bill