Genuine vs False

Jesus frequently addressed the issue of genuine believers and false believers, making a clear distinction between possessors of Christ, who own God in their hearts and souls, and professors of Christ, who merely honour God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. In several of Jesus' teachings, He told us plainly that the kingdom of heaven, also called the kingdom of God, would consist of genuine believers and false believers together.

¹On that day Jesus went out of the house, and was sitting by the sea. ²And great multitudes gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole multitude was standing on the beach. ³And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. ⁶But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. ⁹He who has ears, let him hear."
¹⁸"Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. ²⁰And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. ²²And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

Matthew 13:1-9, 19-23; cf. Mark 4:1-9, 13-20; Luke 8:4-15

²⁴He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. ²⁷And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' ²⁸And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' And the slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' ²⁹But he said, 'No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. ³⁰Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
³⁶Then He left the multitudes, and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." ³⁷And He answered and said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴²and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

⁴⁷"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; ⁴⁸and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. ⁴⁹So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, ⁵⁰and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁵¹Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes."

Matthew 13:47-51

After Jesus said these things, He said something so profound, yet simple, that most people seem to miss it. Contrary to what some professors claim from their unbelieving lips, a person's faith is not personal and private. Observe what Jesus had to say on the issue.

²¹And He was saying to them, "A lamp is not brought to be put under a peck-measure, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? ²²For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light. ²³If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."

Mark 4:21-23; cf. Matthew 5:14-16; Luke 8:16-18

Jesus said other similarly revealing things as well.

¹⁵"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰So then, you will know them by their fruits."

Matthew 7:15-20

In other teachings from Jesus, contrasting genuine believers and false believers, He informed us of the kind of character that genuine believers would exhibit.

¹"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. ²And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. ³For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. ⁵Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. ⁶But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' ⁷Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps. ⁸And the foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' ⁹But the prudent answered, saying, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' ¹⁰And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. ¹¹And later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' ¹²But he answered and said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' ¹³Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour."

Matthew 25:1-13

¹"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ²Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. ³You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. ⁸By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
⁹"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. ¹¹These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."

John 15:1-11

The good soil versus the rocky soil and the thorny soil, the wheat versus the tares, the good fish versus the bad fish, the wise virgins versus the foolish virgins, the branches that bear fruit versus the branches that are barren, and the sheep versus the goats, etc. All of these are pictures of genuine converts and false converts growing up in the universal church together until Jesus returns to separate the wicked from the just (see Matt. 25:31-46). This is why Jesus says things like this:

²¹"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' ²³And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"

Matthew 7:21-23

These people believe themselves to be saved, otherwise they would not say, "Lord, Lord." However, Jesus, knowing their hearts, exposes the truth that they were merely professors whose lips honoured God but whose hearts were far from Him. This lends to why the Bible tells us to examine ourselves so much, to take the log out of our own eye before trying to take the speck out of another's eye. The heart is very deceitful, and with so many false gospels being preached of "easy believism," it is very easy for us to convince ourselves we are saved when in fact we are not. Do we hide our Christianity and refuse to speak about it? Or are we bold and confess Jesus before others regardless of what they might think of us?

Which type of Christian are you? Genuine? Or false? There is no such thing as a "carnal Christian."

A New Year's Resolution

by Matthew Henry

"My times are in Your hand!" Psalm 31:15 

Firmly believing that my times are in God's hand, I here submit myself and all my affairs for the ensuing year, to the wise and gracious disposal of God's divine providence. Whether God appoints for me . . .

     health or sickness,

     peace or trouble,

     comforts or crosses,

     life or death,

may His holy will be done!

All my time, strength, and service, I devote to the honor of the Lord Jesus, and even my common actions. It is my earnest expectation, hope, and desire, my constant aim and endeavor, that Jesus Christ may be magnified in me.

In everything I have to do, my entire dependence is upon Jesus Christ for strength. And whatever I do in word or deed, I desire to do all in His name, to make Him my Alpha and Omega. I have all from Him and I would use all for Him.

If this should prove a year of affliction, a sorrowful year to me, I will fetch all my supports and comforts from the Lord Jesus and stay myself upon Him, His everlasting consolations, and the good hope I have in Him through grace.

And if it should be my dying year, then my times are in the hand of the Lord Jesus. And with a humble reliance upon His mediation, I would venture into the eternal world looking for the blessed hope. Dying as well as living, Jesus Christ will, I trust, be gain and advantage to me.

Oh, that the grace of God may be sufficient for me, to keep me always in a humble sense of my own unworthiness, weakness, folly, and infirmity, together with a humble dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ for daily grace and strength.

The Doctrine of Divorce

Any departure from Scripture invariably works evil in one form or another. The first and most detrimental result of the Roman Catholic doctrine that not even adultery is a proper ground for dissolution of the marriage bond (although annulments are granted for much less serious offenses), is to render that crime easier of accomplishment and more frequent. An unscrupulous husband or wife knows that his or her partner cannot obtain a divorce on the ground of adultery  and so feels less restraint.

Loraine Boettner, Roman Catholicism, p. 354.

First and foremost, the doctrine that not even adultery is a proper ground for dissolution of the marriage bond is not Roman Catholic—it is biblical! Jesus does not teach that divorce is allowed for the committal of adultery. Read those passages carefully and note precisely what they are saying. They are saying that those who divorce are committing, and are causing to commit, adultery if re-marriage should take place. Let's take a look:

1. "Everyone who divorces his wife...makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Matt. 5:32
The person who marries a divorcee is committing adultery.

2. "Whoever divorces his wife...and marries another woman commits adultery." Matt. 19:9
The person who divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery.

3. "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery." Mark 10:11-12
The person who divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery.

4. "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery." Luke 16:18
The person who divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery, and the person who marries a divorcee commits adultery.

5. "So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man." Rom. 7:3
Again, being married to another while your spouse lives is committing adultery.

According to the Bible, remarriage after divorce is committing adultery. In fact, the Greek word translated "commits" and "committing" is in the middle voice, which is present tense continuous, meaning a constant state of adultery. When Paul gives exposition on this subject, he begins with "To the married I give instructions (not I, but the Lord)," and then he makes it clear that "the wife should not divorce her husband (but if she does, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife" (1 Cor. 7:10-11). These are not Paul's words—they are God's! The only dissolution of the marriage bond given in Scripture is that of death (Rom. 7:3; 1 Cor. 7:39).

Secondly, such a doctrine does not render adultery easier of accomplishment or more frequent. That is a fallacious declaration. Such a doctrine, or a lack thereof, is not going to place any more or less restraint on an unscrupulous husband or wife. Any such unscrupulous husband or wife obviously is not Christian to begin with, and any such unscrupulous husband or wife clearly does not understand, nor obey, the teachings of Scripture regarding marriage and the duties and responsibilities of the husband or wife. The husbands and wives who know what the Bible teaches in regard to marriage and embrace their responsibilities as husband and wife will have no issue with purposefully committing adultery.

Thirdly, marriage is a picture of the Gospel, as well as a picture of Christ and the church. If the Bible taught that there was proper ground for dissolution of the marriage bond, apart from death, then what does that say about the Gospel? What does that say about Jesus and the church? What does it say about the teachings of forgiveness and reconciliation that run through both pictures? If God hates divorce, how can Jesus, Who is God, provide any sort of ground for dissolution of the marriage bond, other than death, when He explicitly said, "What God has joined together, no man is allowed to separate" (Matt. 19:6; Mark 10:9)?

Lastly, most Christians, when regarding divorce, ignore what all the passages say as a whole and focus only on the two found in Matthew, latching onto the phrase "except for fornication" at the cost of the rest of the context. Let's break Matthew 19 down into a conversational script format so that we can understand the context clearly:

Pharisees: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?"

Jesus: "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no man is allowed to separate."

Pharisees: "Then why did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY?"

Jesus: "Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way."

Moses was merely regulating what they were already doing because of the hardness of their hearts. If the supposed "exception clause" is as most Christians understand it to be, then why does it appear only in the book of Matthew and not in any of the other books? For more on this, please read a previous blog entry of mine entitled Divorcing Divorce. It is important that Christians understand the correct teaching on this important issue and that they live it out practically with the help of the Holy Spirit. A husband/wife who loves God first with his/her entire heart, entire soul, and entire mind, and loves their spouse as themselves will never have to be concerned with adultery of either type, whether in marriage or the result of re-marriage.

23 Questions On Coming To Christ

by Unknown

Below, you'll see 23 simple questions designed to help you decide what God has said in the Bible about how we come to Christ. Some of the verses answer the questions explicitly, while others offer implicit principles for your consideration.

Granted, some of the either/or answers may not necessarily be mutually exclusive. (You can make them mutually exclusive by adding before each question the phrase, "In this/these verse[s]...") Yet, taken as a whole, these verses are a powerful witness to God's sovereign rule over our salvation.

All Christians believe humans make choices. The issue is how do we choose Christ - by internal, self ability and desire, or external, God-given ability and desire? And, if God gives His ability and desire to us, can we resist, or does He prevail?

1. Was your will free from Satan's control, yes or no? 

"So ought not this woman...whom Satan has bound...for 18 years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" (Lk. 13:16) 

"the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." (2 Tim. 2:26) 

2. Was your will free from sin's control, yes or no? 

"His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, & he is caught in the cords of his sin." (Pr. 5:22) 

"whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" (Jn. 8:34) 

"For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." (Acts 8:23) 

"you were slaves of sin" (Rom. 6:17) 

"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, slaving various lusts and pleasures" (Tit. 3:3) 

"they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage." (2 Pet. 2:19)  

3. Is God sovereign & in control over humans' wills including yours, no or yes? 

"you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Gen. 50:20) 

"But I will harden his (Pharaoh's) heart, so that he will not let the people go." (Ex. 4:21) 

"And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians." (Ex. 12:36) 

"And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen." (Ex. 14:17) 

"But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand" (Deut. 2:30) 

"For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them" (Josh. 11:20) 

"God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech" (Jud. 9:23) 

"the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.'" (2 Sam. 24:1) 

"The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets" (1 Kings 22:23) 

"that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom" (Ezra 1:1-3) 

"the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God" (Ezra 6:22) 

"He turned their heart to hate His people, to deal craftily with His servants." (Ps. 105:25) 

"A man's heart (will) plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (Pr. 16:9) 

"The king's heart (will) is in the hand of the LORD...He turns it wherever He wishes." (Pr. 21:1) 

"Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger...I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge...Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so" (Is. 10:5-7) 

"For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?" (Is. 14:27) 

"Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure'" (Is. 44:28) 

"I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever" (Jer. 32:39) 

"I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me." (Jer. 32:40) 

"I will give you a new heart (will) and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart (will) of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." (Ezek. 36:26-27) 

"For His dominion is and everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have you done?" (Dan. 4:34-35) 

"For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done." (Acts 4:27-28) 

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28) 

"Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" (Rom. 9:19) 

"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." (1 Cor. 12:11) 

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13) 

"Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'" (Jas. 4:15) 

"For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled." (Rev. 17:17) 

God Is in Control of ALL Things,

and Sovereign Over ALL Things

Wow! Could God possibly make it any clearer that He controls our wills? What we're saying is: God is in control (of ALL things, even salvation.) He is sovereign (over ALL things, even salvation.) Most Christians acknowledge He's in control only in a general, vague sense. But, He tells us He's in control of every minute detail of His universe, even your decisions, and the number of hairs on your head.

In the Fall, Did Adam & His Offspring Lose

Their Desire and Ability to Come to Christ?

4. After Adam and Eve sinned, did they move toward God, or hide from Him?

"Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" (Gen. 3:8)

5. Did Adam initiate contact with God, or did God initiate contact with Adam?

"Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, 'Where are you?'" (Gen. 3:9)

6. As a fallen sinner, were you just spiritually sick, or spiritually dead?

"for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Gen. 2:17) 

"you...who were dead in trespasses and sins...even when you were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Eph. 2:1, 5) 

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive" (Col. 2:13)

The spiritually dead can't raise themselves. They must be raised by God.

7. Could you spiritually see the gospel, or were you spiritually blind?

"yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive & eyes to see & ears to hear" (Deut. 29:4) 

"I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand...For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them." (Mt. 13:13-15) 

"Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'" (Jn. 12:38-40) 

"to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins" (Acts 26:18) 

"there is none who understands" (Rom. 3:11) 

"But their minds were blinded." (2 Cor. 3:14) 

"But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." (2 Cor. 4:3-4)

The blind can't see, until God first gives them sight.

8. Could you spiritually hear the gospel, or were you spiritually deaf?

"yet the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive & eyes to see & ears to hear" (Deut. 29:4) 

"I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand...For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them." (Mt. 13:13-15)

9. When you were spiritually dead, blind, & deaf, did you desire & seek God, yes or no?

"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Gen. 6:5) 

"men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil." (Jn. 3:19) 

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light" (Jn. 3:20) 

"haters of God" (Rom. 1:30) 

"There is none who seeks after God." (Rom. 3:11) 

"I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me." (Rom. 10:20)

10. Are unbelievers not sheep because they don't believe, or do they not believe because they're not sheep?

"But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep." (Jn. 10:26) 

11. When you were spiritually dead, deaf & blind, were you born again by your will, or God's will?

"who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Jn. 1:13) 

"it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." (Rom. 9:16) 

"of His own will He brought us forth (birthed us) by the word of truth" (Jas. 1:18)

How much of a part did you have in willing your own physical conception? None! Your parents conceived you by their own wills. As it is with physical birth, so it is with spiritual birth. You didn't ask to be birthed. The Father birthed you.

Then, the question arises, "If fallen, dead, deaf, blind sinners can't come to Christ, then how do they come to Christ?" Does God give the new birth because they believed, or so that they can believe? In other words, is faith the cause of the new birth, or is the new birth the cause of faith?

To believe that fallen, dead, deaf, blind sinners repented and believed to be born again is like getting the cart before the horse. Logically, they must have first been spiritually born again, before they could repent and believe in Christ.

Well, whether faith or the new birth comes first is irrelevant - because God gives not only the new birth, but also faith and repentance, so He gets all the credit, as you'll see below...

12. Did God predestine your adoption & inheritance according to your will, or His will?

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (Eph. 1:4-5) 

"In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11)

13. Did God choose you because you would believe, or so that you would believe?

"God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Thes. 2:13)

14. Whose choice made the ultimate difference, the apostles' choice, or God's choice?

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit" (Jn. 15:16)

15. Whose will made Paul an apostle, his own will, or God's will? 

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God" (1 Cor. 1:1)

16. Did God call you according to your purpose (will,) or His purpose?

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom (not "what") He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:28-29) 

"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" (2 Tim. 1:9)

17. Who opened your heart, you or God?

"He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures." (Lk. 24:45) 

"The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul" (Acts 16:14)

18. How many of the lost does God call/draw, all or only some?

"Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." (Mt. 11:27) 

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (Jn. 6:44) 

"Moreover whom He predestined, these he also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." (Rom. 8:30)

19. How many of those whom God calls/draws respond, some or all?

"And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48) 

"whom He called, these He also justified" (Rom. 8:30) 

"concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Rom. 11:28-29)

20. Who did your repentance come from, you or God?

"Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." (Acts 5: 31) 

"God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." (Acts 11:18) 

"those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth" (2 Tim. 2:25-26)

21. Who did your faith come from, you or God?

"...those who had believed through grace" (Acts 18:27) 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8) 

"For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer..." (Phil. 1:29) 

"God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Thes. 2:13) 

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights" (Jas. 1:17) 

"looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Heb. 12:2) 

"to those who have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God" (2 Pet. 1:1)

22. Who made the difference in your decision for Christ, the evangelist or God?

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." (1 Cor. 3:6-7)

23. Who made the difference in your decision for Christ, you or God?

"that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus...that as is written, 'He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.'" (1 Cor. 1:29-31) 

"For who makes you differ? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1 Cor. 4:7) 

"But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10) 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)

If you made the difference in your decision for Christ, then you'd have reason to boast, wouldn't you? Many credit God for 99% of salvation, and themselves for the other 1% (their decision.) Will you give Him ALL the glory?

Man Gets the Credit for Sin,

But God Gets the Credit for Salvation 

Ever since Adam and Eve's Fall, their offspring are spiritually dead, deaf, and blind. And, they freely, willingly, voluntarily choose sin instead of God. So, the Bible always makes man responsible for his sin. God is never responsible for man's sin.

But, ever since Adam and Eve's Fall, God (by His undeserved grace) initiates contact with some sinners. He gives them new birth, new desire and ability to freely, willingly, and voluntarily choose Him. So, the Bible always gives God the credit for salvation. Humans are never credited with having achieved salvation.

Undeserved Grace 

Praise Him that He's chosen to save some because of His undeserved grace. He could have justly chosen to save none. That's what He did for the fallen angels. They have no plan of salvation, no opportunity to hear the gospel and be saved. They don't deserve it, and neither do we!

He could have justly left Adam and Eve and all the rest of us to perish in hell. He didn't have to design a plan of salvation. He doesn't owe salvation to anyone. He freely chose to redeem a people for Himself, to the praise of His glorious grace.

So, who made the difference in your conversion: The evangelist, you, or God? Who gets the credit and glory for your decision for Christ: The evangelist, you, or God? God made the difference, didn't He. Yes, God gets all the credit and all the glory for saving us, doesn't He?

Dear saint, if He has given you the gifts of new life, repentance, and faith, then won't you humbly bow down low right now, to thank Him, and worship Him!

Witness with Confidence in God's Power to Save Sinners!

So, we can witness with confidence in God's power to change sinners because He makes the difference - no matter how hard-hearted the hearers are, and no matter how skilled an evangelist you are. Now do you understand Calvinism, Arminianism, so what?

Now, go and take the good news of Christ crucified and raised, to all nations. Make disciples, baptize them, and teach them. Surely He will be with you always, to the end of the age...

God's Love-letter

by Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity" or "HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness," 1662

The Scripture is God's love-letter to men.

Here the lamb may wade--and here the elephant may swim!

The blessed Scriptures are of infinite worth and value! Here you may find . . .
     a remedy for every disease,
     balm for every wound,
     a plaster for every sore,
     milk for babes,
     meat for strong men,
     comfort for the afflicted,
     support for the tempted,
     solace for the distressed,
     ease for the wearied,
     a staff to support the feeble,
     a sword to defend the weak.

The holy Scriptures are . . .
     the map of God's mercy--and man's misery,
     the touchstone of truth,
     the shop of remedies against all maladies,
     the hammer of vices,
     the treasury of virtues,
     the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities,
     the balance of equity,
     the most perfect rule of all justice and honesty.

Ah, friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible!

The Bible is the best preacher. This book, this preacher will preach to you . . .
     in your shops,
     in your chambers,
     in your closets,
     yes, in your own bosoms!
This book will preach to you at home and abroad; it will preach to you in all companies; and it will preach to you in all conditions.

By this book you shall be saved--or
     by this book you shall be damned!
By this book you must live.
By this book you must die.
By this book you shall be judged in the great day!

Oh, therefore . . .
     love this book above all other books,
     prize this book above all other books,
     read this book before all other books,
     study this book more than all other books!
For he who reads much--and understands nothing, is like him who hunts much--and catches nothing!

"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long!" Psalm 119:97

Can We Stop This Nonsense?

In Point of Grace's song How You Live (Turn Up the Radio) from their 2007 album How You Live, they have these lyrics:

"Cause it's not who you knew and it's not what you did, it's how you lived."

I am sorry to have to break this to those biblically illiterate Christians out there who do not read their Bibles, but it is not how you live. It is absolutely all about Who you know. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6). "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). If you do not know Jesus—the real Jesus of the Bible, then how you live is absolutely meaningless because you will still find yourself in hell for all eternity after you die.

In Jill Phillips' song Broken Heart from her 2014 album Mortar & Stone, she has these lyrics:

"There are other ways that Jesus could have saved the world. Ones that wouldn't end up with Him dead. Could've done it with an order from the throne of God, but He did it with a broken heart."

I really wish these biblically illiterate Christians would start reading their Bibles. It would help them avoid saying foolish things like this. There are not other ways that Jesus could have saved the world. There was only one way in which He could do so. "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22b). "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement" (Leviticus 17:11). Without the shedding of blood there would be no remission—no forgiveness—of sins. To say there are other ways Jesus could have saved the world is to acknowledge you either do not read and/or understand your Bible.

Christians, please stop following foolish philosophical nonsense and start reading, believing, and obeying your Bible. There are many professors of Christianity out there who have written many books. First John 4:1b informs us to "test every spirit to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." Many professors of Christianity have adapted non-Christian philosophies and attempted to merge them as one. As a professing Christian yourself, you ought to be wise enough and discerning enough to know your Bible and to be able to spot humanistic philosophies and/or cultish philosophies, such as the nonsense that comes from the New Age or "Enlightened" Movement. This is nothing more than a modern form of the Gnostic heresy that Paul, James, Peter, and John wrote to condemn in the Bible. Derive your beliefs directly from the Bible—not from songs or movies or any other exterior source. If you are not on guard, error will slowly creep in and overtake you, corrupting your beliefs. "Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Matt. 10:16b).

Who's the Biggest Failure In the Bible?

According to some preachers and teachers, God is the greatest failure in the Bible. If you hold to certain doctrines, like that of Arminianism, it is not difficult to see how one could come to that conclusion. After all, a God who apparently sets out to save all mankind, being long-suffering toward all men and not willing that any should perish (a misquotation of 2 Peter 3:9), and only succeeds in saving some most definitely is a failure. To these preachers and teachers, Judas, Adam, and Satan may have been failures, but they are not as big of failures as God. It just blows my mind how people can say that God is sovereign and then turn around and claim foolish nonsense like this. It does not even dawn on them the contradictions in what they claim to believe and the things that are coming out of their mouths.

Scripture says that God accomplishes whatever He wills and that His purposes will always come to pass (Eph. 1:11; Pss. 115:3; 135: 6; Job 42:2; et al). According to John 6:37, all of those that the Father gave to Christ Jesus as an inheritance from before the foundations of the world will come to Him in saving faith. So God has not failed in the least; not in creation and certainly not in salvation. From our viewpoint and understanding it may appear as though He has failed, but from His viewpoint and understanding, which are higher than our own, He succeeds every time. We need to quit trying to judge God based on our line of sight and our faulty reasoning. It never ceases to amaze me the number of Christians who limit God by trying to associate Him with human beings. God is not a man. He is not like us. Quit trying to box Him up with human understanding. That is like a hand-drawn 2D object trying to figure out the complexities of its 3D creator. God is not limited by our capacities.

When your belief system is filled with failures to interpret and understand Scripture correctly, of course God will inevitably be the biggest failure in Scripture. It is the Arminianist way. However, when you interpret and understand Scripture correctly, God is always the unfailing victor. His apparent failure is based on your failure to grasp what the Bible teaches. To read the entire Bible and arrive at the conclusion that God was a constant failure demonstrates your lack of ability to see the big picture or to understand anything you read. Any preacher or teacher who voices clearly that God is a failure needs to be avoided at all costs. Any preacher or teacher who does not believe God is a failure but teaches doctrines that clearly express such failure should be avoided as well. How you think and believe will be determined by the kind of people you surround yourself with and immerse yourself in. Be wise, not foolish.

Misquoting the Bible: Philippians 4:13

"But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.
And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:10-19

As with Jeremiah 29:11, this verse is also frequently misquoted and misapplied by Christians who rip it from its immediate context and attempt to apply it to various situations and circumstances in their life or others. It, likewise, has nothing to do with our personal pursuits and endeavours. It also has nothing to do with skills or abilities, employment, relationships, or anything else like that. When someone we know shares with us their struggles, fears, worries, doubts, or concerns about a particular area of their life and we quote this verse to them as some attempt to comfort, we are again doing so erroneously and incorrectly. We are ripping the verse from its immediate context and performing eisegesis upon it.

Philippians 4:13 is not an absolute statement. It is a restrictive statement, confined to the immediate context. Paul is not using this verse to say we can win our sports games because it is Christ Who strengthens us; he is not using this verse to say we can achieve whatever skill set we desire because it is Christ Who strengthens us; he is not using this verse to say we can perform whatever laborious activity we engage in because it is Christ Who strengthens us. We need to keep this verse in the context of what he said in the preceding verses. Paul uses this verse to state that, by the Lord's help, he can use well both prosperity and adversity. Whatever God called him to or put upon him, in this context—prosperity or adversity, he could do because he was united to Christ and indwelt by the Spirit. If he was put in prison for spreading the Gospel, he could endure it for the sake of Christ because it was Christ strengthening him.

"The secret of living amid life's difficulties is simple: trusting God in such a way that one can say, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. This does not mean God will bless whatever a person does; it must be read within the context of the letter, with its emphasis on obedience to God and service to God and others." —ESV Study Bible, p. 2287.

Once again, Christians should never have favourite Bible verses, unless those verses come from the book of Proverbs. Why? Because far too often they are isolating it to itself at the expense of the immediate context surrounding it that explains its meaning, and then misapplying it to their situation. Christians should have favourite Bible passages, understanding what the passage teaches and applying it correctly.

Misquoting the Bible: Jeremiah 29:11

"Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 'Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens, and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. And seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'
"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares the LORD.
"For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'"" Jeremiah 29:1-14

This verse is frequently misquoted and misapplied by Christians who rip it from its immediate context and attempt to apply it to various situations and circumstances in their life or others. It has nothing to do with our personal pursuits and endeavours. It has nothing to do with skills or abilities, employment, relationships, or anything else like that. When someone we know shares with us their struggles, fears, worries, doubts, or concerns about a particular area of their life and we quote this verse to them as some attempt to comfort, we are doing so erroneously and incorrectly. We are ripping the verse from its immediate context and performing eisegesis upon it.

Jeremiah 29:11 is not about us. It does not apply to us. Jeremiah is not using this verse to say God has plans to prosper us in our careers; he is not using this verse to say God has plans to prosper us in the pursuit of new skills; he is not using this verse to say God has plans to prosper us in our marriages. We need to keep this verse in the context of what he said in the preceding and following verses. Jeremiah uses this verse to state that God has a plan to restore Israel to their land after the Babylonian captivity has run its course.

"This deliverance will not depend upon your merits, but upon my own mercy and kind thoughts and purposes I have for the seed of Abraham my servant, and I am resolved in my own thoughts what to do; I intend not the blotting out of the name of Israel from the earth, but to give such an end to their trouble as themselves expect and desire, thought not so soon as they may expect it, being deceived by their prophets. There shall be an end of your captivity in my time, and that is after you shall have fulfilled seventy years in that captivity." —Matthew Poole's Commentary On the Holy Bible, vol. 2, p. 581.

"This antithesis is not in keeping with what follows. The meaning is rather: Although I appoint so long a term for the fulfillment of the plan of redemption, yet fear not that I have utterly rejected you; I know well what my design is in your regard. My thoughts toward you are thoughts of God, not of evil. Although now I inflict lengthened sufferings on you, yet this chastisement but serves to bring about your welfare in the future." —Keil & Delitzsch Commentary On the Old Testament, vol. 8, p. 255.

The context for this passage is very simple. Verses 4 through 7 are things God commands Israel to do while they are captive in Babylon. Verses 8 through 9 are things God commands Israel not to do while they are captive in Babylon. Verses 10 through 14 address God's promise to restore Israel to their land once the Babylonian captivity comes to an end. This passage has nothing to do with Israel in the future (as Dispensationalists falsely interpret it), and verse 11 has nothing to do with us.

Christians should never have favourite Bible verses, unless those verses come from the book of Proverbs. Why? Because far too often they are isolating it to itself at the expense of the immediate context surrounding it that explains its meaning, and then misapplying it to their situation. Christians should have favourite Bible passages, understanding what the passage teaches and applying it correctly.

Miquoting the Bible: 2 Peter 3:9

"This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward you, not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells." 2 Peter 3:1-13

2 Peter 3:9 is often quoted by those who believe that Jesus died and shed His blood for each and every individual that has ever lived in an attempt to claim that He is not willing that any individual should ever perish. However, when we study this verse and its immediate context, we soon learn who this verse is talking about. Is it talking about all men? No, it is not! If God is not willing that any should perish, then none will perish because His will will be accomplished: "My purpose shall stand, and I will accomplish all that I please" (Isaiah 46:10). Whatever God wills is what happens because He has willed it. If you think human will can override God's will, think again. You might want to go back and read about Jonah and Nebuchadnezzar.

Our first step in determining who this verse is talking about will be in examining the Greek language. The word "some," from "as some count slowness," and the word "any," from "that any should perish," are the exact same Greek word—tis (τις). It means "certain ones." So, our passage could read like this:

The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as certain ones count slowness, but is long-suffering toward you, not willing that certain ones should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Now, reading it in that light is very telling. God is not willing that certain ones should perish. Which ones are those? That is what we are going to answer by the end of this study.

Our next step in determining who this verse is talking about is to ask "Who is the 'you'?" Well, that's simple enough to answer. The good student of the Bible will immediately consider the context and read the verse prior, which reads: "But, beloved, do not be ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." The immediate context has just revealed to us that the "you" is the "beloved." In fact, in this entire chapter Peter differentiates between "you" and "they."

Who are the "beloved"? Again, the good student of the Bible will keep with context. The very beginning of this chapter reads: "This is the second epistle I now write to you, beloved." Ah ha! Peter has written two epistles to this "beloved," but we still have not figured out who these people are. For this, we need to turn to his first epistle. There, in the first verse of the first chapter, we read: "To the elect."

Finally! We have just discovered who the "you" is. The "you" (or "us" as the King James translates it) in 2 Peter 3:9 are the "elect." The first "certain ones" in this verse refers to the "they" while the second "certain ones" refers to the "you" (or "us"). Now, in the King James Bible, the word "elect" appears in the second verse of 1 Peter 1, but this is a translational error because in the original Greek it is the fifth word from the beginning of the book.

There is one more nail we need to put in the coffin on this issue. The word translated as "all" is the Greek word pas (πας) and means:

1. individually
1. each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2. collectively
1. some of all types

Now, there are those who, even after seeing this, will still reject the truth in place of their personal opinions and feelings. These people claim to study the Bible but have never studied it a day in their life. They read it and they read books that support their position, but not once have they actually studied the Bible. They will outright deny the evidence we have just uncovered because they do not truly believe what the Bible has to say.

Whether you like it or not, the "you" or "us" in 2 Peter 3:9 is speaking of and to the "elect." God is long-suffering toward certain ones (vessels of wrath) for the sake of certain ones (His elect—vessels of mercy) to come to repentance. This is what Romans 9:22-23 teaches us as well: "What if God, willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, has endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for the vessels of mercy, which He had beforehand prepared unto glory." Revelation states crystal clearly that there are those "whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (13:8) and "whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (17:8). Ephesians 1:4 tells us that "[God] chose us in [Jesus] before the foundation of the world." Romans 8:19 says, "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." Time waits for the revealing of each believer. Until the very last believer who will believe comes to faith, God will be patient with the vessels of His wrath. He is patient with them for the sake of His chosen, not willing that any of His chosen should perish -- and none of them will (John 6:39; 17:12; 18:9).