"...For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life..."
I suppose in our age, that this has become the most famous and quoted (but
misunderstood) scripture found in the bible - Not because of belief of this truth, but rather
therein is shown the opposite - the manifestation of the unbelief of this truth, as
now manifest in the wide spread teaching, acceptance, bias and allegiance to the doctrine
of Arminianism, or the theory of the "offer" of eternal salvation, based (fundamentally)
upon man's free will to accept the "proffered" salvation, to reject or neglect the "offer"
just as one may please, and so be saved in Heaven and Immortal Glory,or be eternally
lost.
- But I have not so learned Christ, and (given grace and ability) I would like to prove (to
the joy and deliverance of the spiritual mind, and to the logic of the natural mind) from the
Scriptures that this text and context (the words of Christ Himself) gives no credence
whatsoever to the free-will theory, but is the grand proclamation of Eternal Salvation
found in the redemptive merit and work of the Son of God, to the deliverance of a
believer's conscience to rejoice in the same through the Power of the Holy Spirit which is
given to them to believe. If a professed believer in Christ is trusting to their mere
"acceptance" of the Gospel instead of trusting in Christ Himself, Whom is the very
subject and substance of the message of the Gospel; Then can it said that their
profession of faith in is indeed in Him and His redemptive work, or merely in their
"acceptance" of this work? 2 Cor 1:9, Eph 1:11-14, Phil 1:29, Rom 1:16, Rom 3:3, 1 Tim
4:10, 2 Tim 2:10-13, 2 Th 2:13-14.
The free will doctrine, (as it is taught throughout "Christendom") is that Christ died
universally, but conditionally for all of mankind, based upon each individual
person (of mankind) accepting of His "offer" or sacrifice to God of Himself, in order to
make salvation merely "possible" or "available" for them. Some even teach that Christ
was "offered", not to God, but to "lost sinners", that is directly; Still, others teach that
Christ died "indefintely" for sinners - that is, that His sacrifice was "sufficient" for a lost
world, if a lost world of sinners would only believe in it (as being so?), and thus avail
themselves of it. Conditional Salvationists also teach that Christ did not die
absolutely for anyone in particular, but only generally for all mankind, based
upon each individual's "acceptance" of salvation when they (may have the opportunity to)
hear the "gospel" preached. They, therefore do not believe that the Gospel is the "good
news", but a legalistic proposition presented conditionally to mankind. It seems that even
nature teaches man that there is not much, if any "good news" that is contained in a mere
offer, or a mere bundle of propositions when compared to a simple message of free Grace
and deliverance to a bound captive, based on no conditions whatever. Thus conditional
(indefinite) redemptionists teach that the sacrifice of Christ of Himself was conditional
and not absolute, and therefore not certain to any particular member of human kind. Paul
believed that Christ died for sinners, and immediately added: "Of whom I am chief" He
also stated that sinners believe according to the "mighty working of God's power in
Christ", which same Power was displayed when "God raised Christ from the dead". Paul
also taught that if anyone believed in Christ as the (their) Savior, it was because it had
been given unto them by divine Grace: He taught that faith came by the gift of grace
which was given unto these because God had chosen them personally, individually and
intimately before the world began, or in eternity, and all their blessings in time (and
eternity) were predicated on this special, individual choice of them, and not upon
anything as seen beforehand in them by God - (this includes righteousness, meritorious
works- works of righteousness that they had done, could do, or would do, such as
belief, faith, repentance, etc, for all these works are the fruits of the Spirit which
flow not from themselves (their own flesh), but from The Good Tree within them,which is
Christ in them, the Hope of Glory) -
"... Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go
free.
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance..."Psa 105:18-21.
"...Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and
the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth
with thee, and I will save thy children..."Isa 49:24-25.
There are several points upon which this theory needs to be
questioned:
1. Where do the Scriptures (including John 3:16) ever say that salvation or eternal life
has ever been offered to mankind? (Rather, are there not many scriptures that clearly
state that God does not in fact, offer eternal life upon conditions to be accepted
by His creature man, but that He freely gives natural life and eternal life to whom He
pleases without any conditions (works) whatever to be performed by them?)
Has God, in the Scriptures ever "offered" eternal salvation to mankind in general (or even
to any specific group of mankind, (including national Israel?)
No. He offered national Israel only temporal blessings, such as "eating the good of the
land" and preservation from captivity and the sword. Even in keeping and abiding by the
terms of this, they completely failed, as prophesied even at those moments by Moses and
Joshua; for like the holy Apostle, neither was there any good thing in their flesh. Added to
their common rebellion and wickedness was their murder of all the prophets that were
sent among them, including the Great Prophet, Jesus of Nazereth, Himself. Their final
destruction, which culminated in 70 A.D. by the armies of the Roman general, Titus
Vespasian, the son of the emperor, was brought on by the terms of the covenant that God
in His sovereignty had made with this people according to His Own Will; As they were
brought into captivity and bondage, by their land being occupied by foreign armies, and
their politics being dictated by foreign powers, (but not their religion and culture) it
revealed only the fulfilling of the judgments of God upon them as a covenanted people,
and according to the terms dictated in their law - which was spoken and delivered unto
their fathers by Moses. - And as for the pagan gentiles during this period: As Paul
pronounced upon Mars Hill, God had winked at their foolishness of times past, and had
instead of sending retribution upon them as sinners, had instead as a gracious Creator,
sent them temporal blessings, regardless of their ignorance, wickedness and idolatry,
therefore showing in nature His mercy and goodness to undeserving creatures - ("He
makes His rain to fall upon the unjust") but now (then) commanded them to repent of
their gross idolatry, which reformation gradually took place under the Providence of God
and the influence of the gospel - That is, before another beast rose up out of the former
paganism, which was the spirit of Satan embodied in the Man of sin in religious garbs,
whom re-established the former Paganism in the form of a false Christ This beast was
also marked out and determined by God for destruction.(Acts 14:16-17, Acts 17:26-31, 2
Th 2:1-10. For "He makes His rain to fall upon the just (those who are justified by faith and
seek their Life from Christ,) and the unjust" Matt 5:45. (those whom seek their existence
in the natural life, and only in order to be gratified and therefore justified in their fleshly
desires.) - Those who "are dead in trespasses and sin", Eph 2:1-5 until it pleases God to
quicken (some of) them, and raise them up from death and "make them sit together in
heavenly places in Christ", because they were chosen in Him before the world began. Eph
1:4
3. What is faith or belief in Christ as The Savior? When it is said that we believe,
or "must" believe on or in Christ, what does this imply? What is it, or the thing we must
believe about Him? What causes us to believe? All these questions are clearly answered
in the Holy Scriptures, (and believed by the enlightened mind.)
4. Just what is the "gospel" any way? What does it do for a believer? How does the
Gospel save a believer? How is it "the power of God unto salvation" to everyone that
believes (it)? Rom 1:16.
5. Which comes first, eternal life or salvation? Can man believe in Christ except eternal
life is already abiding in him? If we do not believe (the record that God has given of His
Son), is this not evidence that we have no (at least the manifestation of) Life in Christ, and
therefore that we have not the love of God (abiding) in us? John 5:42.
6. Has God ever made a covenant with man - conditional or otherwise? Has He not rather
always revealed His Eternal Covenant of Grace as being made with Himself, and salvation
as being made in Eternity in the Three-In-One Godhead? 2 Sam 23:5, Isa 55:3,Isa 61:8,Jer
32:40, Ezk 16:60, Ezk 37:26, Heb 13:20, Gen 17:21. What "covenant" did God ever make
with the Israelites that "seemed" to be conditional, did they ever keep, or were for that
matter, able to keep? For some answers to this, see - Luke 16:11-13, Rom 5:20, Rom 7:9-
10, Gal 3:10-14, Josh 24:15-20, Deu 30:19-27, 1 Th 2:15.
7. Are there in fact, any conditions whatever to be performed, left to the free-will option of
God's children; that is to say, "here it is - take it or leave it"? - But rather, is not the
performance of this great work of Love and Grace to be found in that which God in Christ
has given to His people in Eternity in His Mind and Purpose, and has now revealed (these
things) unto them by His Spirit (working) in their hearts and minds by the revelation of
Jesus Christ in their souls as the Hope of Eternal Glory, for it is even God Himself that
works in them by His Spirit, both to will, and not only working in these a will to do, but
graciously grants them the power also, and that of His Own good pleasure, so they
through His Spirit in them, work out their own salvation with fear and trembling that is
given them by Grace ) Phil 2:12-13. ("For by Grace, and not by their works you will
observe, are they saved"... as Paul stated in Eph 2:8-10 -
"...For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them..."
8. To whom is the gospel to be preached? How "general" does the "commission get?
How much "time" and "territory" did the so-called "Great Commission" cover, and was
the "Great Commission" fulfilled by the Apostles of Christ in that age, or is it still in effect
in a "general" way to the "church" in this day, so that every one who feels to do so, are
minsters of Christ and therefore qualified to "offer" Christ and the "gospel" to lost
sinners in any way, in any place in the world as may strike their fancy? How do these
"modern" "evangelists", as they have named themselves, come to have more inherent
power and authority in the preaching of the gospel (as they call it) than even the Apostles
were given in "The Great Commission" - For they say that they have a general
authority to go (or mostly, to be sent) to any place in the geographical and cultural world
as may arise in their mind, or more to the point, that may arise in the minds of the
religious organizations and institutions that they are affiliated with? - When the holy
Apostles were not suffered (although under the Orders of Their Great Commission) to go
anywhere except where the Spirit led them, and upon which they must rely for guidance
as to which specific place and also the specific time allowed to go there by the Holy
Ghost. Who would not suffer them to go anywhere arbitrarily, as it may have
entered into their natural minds ! I am sure that the "commission" to preach the gospel
"in all the world" is not nearly as "general" as most "evangelists" would make it out to be.
It fact, I believe in God's Providence and Gospel Arrangement of Things, that there are
periods of time in history, although there may be much flurry and outward activity
throughout the religious world (nominal Christiandom), when there is very little of the true
gospel of Christ being preached by The Holy Ghost, sent down from Heaven, for the
(religious) world now seems to be largely overcome - at best, by a Galatian "gospel",
"which is not another gospel, but there some (now many) who would pervert the gospel
of Christ."
"...I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel
of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than
that ye have received, let him be accursed.
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ..." Gal 1:6-10.
"...5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and
were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in
Asia,
("How many modern day "evangelizers" have you ever heard say that they were
"forbidden by The Spirit" to go into such and such a place?" - Evidently, the reason they
never encounter an experience similar to the Apostles, is because they don't have the
same commission as the Apostles had, and therefore they are not dealing with or are
being led by the same Spirit in truth, therefore, they cannot be preaching the same Gospel
that the Apostles were preaching, "but another (perverted) gospel, which is not the
gospel of Christ.)
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia:
but the Spirit
suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and
prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia,
assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the
next day to Neapolis;
12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a
colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to
be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which
worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the
things which were spoken of Paul..." Act 16:5-14.
Does any one have the right to assume or rather, presume the office and commission (in
a general way) to preach the "gospel" and present it as an "offer" of salvation to
unbelievers? Is not the Gospel rather ordained to be preached to believers, or
those whom already have had their heart opened by the Holy Spirit, (Evidently,
Lydia, being "a worshipper of God", as was also Cornelius, could not have been so,
except she and he were already born of the Spirit, for how could anyone be a worshipper
of the True God without being in possession of the Holy Spirit? "God is a Spirit, and He
seeketh such to worship Him, as DO worship Him in Spirit AND IN TRUTH, said Jesus to
the Samaritan woman at the well; "For he is not a Jew (a true worshipper, for salvation is
of the (spiritual) Jew) - as Jesus also told the woman at the well - "whose circumcision is
not outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew, (a true worshipper of God) whose circumcision
is inwardly, in the heart, and not in the letter," etc. says Paul.- Rom 2:28.- Are not these
then able to attend unto the (spiritual) things that are contained in the message and
power of the gospel? Matt 24:14, Mark 16:19-20, Acts 3:20-23, Acts 16:7,10, Acts 16:14,
Rom 15:19, Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 2:9-15, Col 1:23, 1 Tim 2:5-7, 1 Tim 3:16, Heb 5:4, Lev 10:1,
Num 3:4, Num 26:61.
9. Did Christ actually "save" "His people" from their sins, according to the Scriptures and
the message of the angel, or did He just "try to", make an "effort", or merely "provide an
opportunity" for them to be saved, etc, etc. The foregoing are statements commonly made
in Arminian pulpits and publications the world over, and should be considered (in the
negative) by the child of God, if God permit to "give them acknowlegement unto the
truth", and that they may compare these things, "comparing spiritual things with
spiritual" to realize that if Christ did not actually accomplish that He came into the world
to do - that is, that He laid down His life for "His sheep", then they are "yet in their sins",
and perished as stated in 1 Cor 15:12-17, Isa 42:4, Isa 54 10-12, John 10:14-16.
10. When Christ says "God so loved the world, what does He mean? Does He mean
the whole world of mankind, or only the gentile "world" or "the nations of the world" in
contradistinction to the "Jewish" world? John 10:16, Acts 11:17-18, 1 John 1:2. The word
or term world, has many significations as it is used in the Scriptures, according to
the context and the analogy of faith for the believer, and for the biblical historian, the time
frame that it was spoken in, and the time it referred to; Also to how the Jews were
accustomed to using this word in their writings and teaching as referring to their own
nation and that of the gentiles, as Jesus was conversing with Nicodemus, a devout leader
and teacher of the Jews at that time...