Download by God. - Gospel Truths

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Calvinism: Sovereignty of God
One of the most pervasive religious
philosophies of our day is: Calvinism.
Many
denominations
are
openly
Calvinistic; its influence is felt in many
others.
Calvinists
claim:
“Most
Protestant
denominations that originated in the
Reformation are founded on official
confessions of faith that are clearly
Calvinistic, such as:
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Westminister Confession
(Presbyterianism),
The Canons of Dort (Reformed),
The Thirty-Nine Articles (Episcopalianism),
The Baptist Confession of 1689 (Baptists),
The Savoy Declaration
(Congregationalism), and many others.
Historic Lutheranism is very close to
Calvinism.” (Curt Daniel, Biblical Calvinism,
page 1.)
Many songs we sing are tainted with
Calvinistic expressions and thoughts.
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We have all heard of doctrines of
“total depravity,” “faith only,” “cannot
fall from grace,” “Jesus paid the debt
of sin, “irresistible grace,” “limited
atonement” — this is Calvinism
All doctrines of Calvinism are found,
we are told, in the Sovereignty of God.
Sovereignty means: ”Supremacy of
authority or rule as exercised by a
sovereign,” in this case, “by God.”
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This supremacy of rule is described by
Calvinists:
“Reformed
theology
stresses
the
sovereignty of God in virtue of which He
has sovereignly determined from all
eternity whatsoever will come to pass,
and works His sovereign will in His
entire creation, both natural and
spiritual, according to His predetermined
plan.” (L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology,
page 100)
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Note: that “everything” happens as
God planned and makes it happen,
even sinful acts:
“Neither Man nor demon nor angel can
frustrate God’s eternal purpose from
being accomplished, for all of their
thoughts and actions are included in
that purpose.” (Curt Daniel, Biblical
Calvinism, page 1.)
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Bible Doctrine of God’s Sovereignty
The Bible teaches that God has supreme
authority, as creator and sustainer of the
universe — this is not the question.
The problem with Calvinistic “sovereignty” is that God allows no choices, or
contingencies in His eternal purpose.
Man has no input into his fate, depending upon the choices he makes — God
has already made them for him!
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What seems to be his free will to choose is
an illusion … he does as he has to do! as
God has already programmed his every
thought and action.
The question is: does God’s sovereignty
preclude any choices for man to make?
God is in control of the universe; His
authority or rule is supreme (all are subject
to Him and His will).
He is the Creator and sustainer of all the
material realm. Before creation, He had a
purpose:
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I Peter 1:18-20 “For you know that it
was not with perishable things such as
silver or gold that you were redeemed
from the empty way of life handed down
to you from your forefathers, 19 but with
the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect. 20 He was
chosen before the creation of the world,
but was revealed in these last times for
your sake.” — before “foundation” =
“the absolute beginning.”
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Ephesians 3:10-11 “His intent was
that now, through the church, the
manifold wisdom of God should be
made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to His eternal purpose which He
accomplished in Christ Jesus our
Lord.”
God created all things
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth.”
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Ephesians 3:9 “And to make plain to
everyone the administration of this
mystery, which for ages past was kept
hidden in God, who created all things.”
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. 2 He was with God in the
beginning. 3 Through him all things were
made; without him nothing was made that
has been made.”
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He Sustains The Universe
Hebrews 1:2-3 “But in these last days
He (God) has spoken to us by his Son,
whom He appointed heir of all things,
and through whom He made the
universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of
God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all
things by His powerful word. . .”
= to be in charge, to direct, govern.
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Colossians 1:16-17 “For by Him all things
were created: things in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
all things were created by Him and for Him.
17 He is before all things, and in Him all
things hold together.”
He Is Supreme Over Earth And Its Affairs
I Chronicles 29:11-12 “Yours, O LORD, is
the greatness and the power and the glory
and the majesty and the splendor, for
everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the
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kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you; you
are the ruler of all things. In your hands are
strength and power to exalt and give
strength to all.”
Daniel 2:20-22 “And said: ‘Praise be to the
name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and
power are His. 21 He changes times and
seasons; He sets up kings and deposes
them. He gives wisdom to the wise and
knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals
deep and hidden things; He knows what
lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.”
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Does this mean that God did not create man
with a free will, ability to choose, and that
God did not give man a choice?
God’s justice is immutable; it is man who
moves into condemnation or into righteousness.
Ezekiel 18:19-32 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does
the son not share the guilt of his father?’
Since the son has done what is just and right
and has been careful to keep all my decrees,
he will surely live. 20 The soul who sins is
the one who will die. The son will not share
the guilt of the father, nor will
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the father share the guilt of the son. The
righteousness of the righteous man will be
credited to him, and the wickedness of the
wicked will be charged against him. 21 But
if a wicked man turns away from all the
sins he has committed and keeps all my
decrees and does what is just and right, he
will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of
the offenses he has committed will be
remembered against him. Because of the
righteous things he has done, he will live.
23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of
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the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD.
Rather, am I not pleased when they turn
from their ways and live? 24 But if a
righteous man turns from his righteousness
and commits sin and does the same
detestable things the wicked man does, will
he live? None of the righteous things he
has done will be remembered. Because of
the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and
because of the sins he has committed, he
will die. 25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the
Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is
my way unjust? Is it not your
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ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous man
turns from his righteousness and commits sin,
he will die for it; because of the sin he has
committed he will die. 27 But if a wicked man
turns away from the wickedness he has
committed and does what is just and right, he
will save his life. 28 Because he considers all
the offenses he has committed and turns
away from them, he will surely live; he will
not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The
way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways
unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways
that are
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unjust? 30 Therefore, O house of Israel,
I will judge you, each one according to
his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Repent! Turn away from all your
offenses; then sin will not be your
downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the
offenses you have committed, and get a
new heart and a new spirit. Why will you
die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no
pleasure in the death of anyone, declares
the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!”
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We Have A Choice
Deuteronomy 30:19 – “I call heaven and
earth to record this day against you, that I
have set before you life and death, blessing
and cursing: therefore choose life, that
both thou and thy seed may live…”
Romans 2:4-11 “Or do you show contempt
for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and
patience, not realizing that God's kindness
leads you toward repentance? 5 But
because of your stubbornness and your
unrepentant heart, you
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are storing up wrath against yourself for
the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous
judgment will be revealed. 6 God ‘will give
to each person according to what he has
done.’ 7 To those who by persistence in
doing good seek glory, honor and
immortality, He will give eternal life. 8 But
for those who are self-seeking and who
reject the truth and follow evil, there will
be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble
and distress for every human being who
does evil: first for the Jew, then for the
Gentile;
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10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone
who does good: first for the Jew, then for
the Gentile. 11 For God does not show
favoritism.
Whether we receive punishment or
blessing depends upon our own conduct
II Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ, that
each one may receive what is due him for
the things done while in the body, whether
good or bad.”
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Lord hears righteous, against wicked
I Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are
on the righteous and His ears are
attentive to their prayer, but the face of
the Lord is against those who do evil.”
God has not already predetermined who
is saved and who is lost … His pleasure
to save some, condemn others
I Timothy 2:4 God “will have all men to
be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
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II Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping
His promise, as some understand slowness.
He is patient with you, not wanting anyone
to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance.”
God is Sovereign: His eternal purpose will
be fulfilled: the righteous of earth will be
saved; the wicked will be banished.
This is not to say that God is responsible for
the wickedness of the wicked, nor righteousness of righteous, that He made them
so.
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I John 3:7 “Dear children, do not let
anyone lead you astray. He who does
what is right is righteous, just as He is
righteous.”
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The Doctrine of Inherited Total Depravity
“The imputation of Adam’s sins to his
posterity is not an isolated fact.”
“The whole plan of redemption rests on this
same principle. Christ is the representative
of His people, and on this ground their sins
are imputed to Him and His righteousness
to them.”
(Systematic Theology, 11, pages 198, 199,
201 ~ Taken from The Reformed Doctrine
Of Predestination by Loriane Boettner,
page78).
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The Doctrine of Inherited Total Depravity
“Yet he (man) is spiritually dead, and
totally averse to and incapable of the
discharge of any of these duties which
spring out of his relation to God, and
entirely unable to change his own evil
disposition in innate moral tendencies, or
to dispose himself to such a change, or to
co-operate with the Holy Spirit in effecting
such a change.”
(Presbyterian Doctrine, page 21 ~ Taken
from
The
Reformed
Doctrine
Of
Predestination by Loriane Boettner, pages
75-76).
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History of the Doctrine
Total Depravity is the first in a series of
doctrines.
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints
“In the beginning of the seventeenth
century, Arminianism rose as a necessary
and wholesome reaction against scholastic
Calvinism, but was defeated in the Synod of
Dort, 1619, which adopted the five knotty
canons of
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History of the Doctrine
Total Depravity is the first in a series
of doctrines.
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints
unconditional predestination, limited
atonement, total depravity, irresistible
grace, and the perseverance of saints.”
(from Schaff’s History of the Christian
Church)
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History of the Doctrine
The Calvinistic System.
“The Augustinian, Lutheran, and Calvinistic
systems rest on the same anthropology,
and must stand or fall together with the
doctrine of the universal damnation of the
whole human race on the sole ground of
Adam’s sin, including infants and entire
nations and generations which never heard
of Adam, and which cannot possibly have
been in him as self-conscious and responsible beings.”
(from Schaff’s History of the Christian
Church)
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History of the Doctrine
He found in it the strongest support
for his faith. He combined with it the
certainty of salvation, which is the
privilege and comfort of every
believer.”
(from Schaff’s History of the Christian
Church)
Impute (Reckon) logizomai ~ To place
to one’s account.
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“By the decree of God, for the manifestation
of His glory, some men and angels are
predestinated to everlasting life, and others
are foreordained to everlasting death.
“These angels and men, thus predestinated
and foreordained, are particularly and
unchangeably designed; and their number is
so certain and definite that it cannot be
either increased or diminished.” (The
Westminister Confession, Chapter 111,
sections III-VII – Taken from The Reformed
Doctrine Of Predestination by Loriane
Boettner, page 84).
32
Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance
God winked at; but now commandeth all men
every where to repent:”
Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets, and stonest them
which are sent unto thee, how often would I
have gathered thy children together, even as a
hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,
and ye would not!”
John 5:39-40 “Search the scriptures; for in
them ye think ye have eternal life: and they
are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will
not come to me, that ye might have life.”
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Does the Bible teach predestination and
election?
Answer ~ Yes!
Ephesians 1:3-14 “Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as He
hath chosen us in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before Him in love: 5 Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will,
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6 To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein He hath made us accepted in the
Beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace; 8
Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all
wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made
known unto us the mystery of His will,
according to His good pleasure which He
hath purposed in Himself: 10 That in the
dispensation of the fulness of times He
might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven, and which
are on earth; even in Him:
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11 In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according
to the purpose of Him who worketh all
things after the counsel of His Own will: 12
That we should be to the praise of His glory,
who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye
also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom
also after that ye believed, ye were sealed
with that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is
the earnest of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of His glory.”
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God has
predestinated that all
who are in Christ have
All Spiritual Blessings
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11 In whom also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestinated according to
the purpose of Him who worketh all things
after the counsel of His Own will: 12 That we
should be to the praise of His glory, who first
trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after
that ye believed, ye were sealed with that
Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest
of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of His
glory.”
Believe
Romans 10:10
Repent
Acts 11:18
ALL Spiritual
Blessings Are
• IN CHRIST
Into
Confess
Romans 10:10
Romans 6:3-6
Galatians 3:26-27
God’s Plan For Saving Man
By God’s Mercy, Grace and Loving Kindness,
He Sent Christ to Die on The Cross - Thus
Showing His Love For Us (John 3:16).
Christ said, “If you love me you will keep my
commandments” (John 14:15).
Those in the New Testament who kept the commandments
for salvation: Heard the Word (Romans 10:17); Believed the
word (Hebrews 11:6); Repented at the command of God
(Acts 17:30); Confessed their faith in Christ (Romans 10:10);
and were baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38)
When a Christian sinned, he was told to repent and pray
(Acts 8:22). They were also told in I John 1:9 to confess
their sins.