Featured The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

For God so loved the world……..

The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

Part 1​

Our Pelagian/Arminian/non-Cal friends are fanatical when making the case for God loving all – all without exception -- the world’s inhabitants. John 3:16 is central to their theology.

Our Pelagian/Arminian/non-Cal friends are also fanatical when making the case for Christ dying on behalf of all – all without exception -- the world’s inhabitants.

Favorite proof texts:

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Our Pelagian/Arminian/non-Cal friends are equally fanatical when making the case for the gift of eternal life in Christ offered equally to all – all without exception -- the world’s inhabitants.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Had that not been the case, God would prove Himself to be less than just, merciful and loving…….attributes which He claims.

So they say.

Therefore, to uphold the righteousness, holiness and love of God for all mankind, our Pelagian/Arminian/non-Cal friends use these Scriptures as infallible proof texts of God’s universal love for all, without exception, as well as Christ’s dying in the stead of all, without exception, the gift of Christ offered equally to all, without exception.

In their minds and hearts, a God who does not love all without exception, who does not send Christ as a propitiation for all without exception, and who does not offer the gift of Christ to all without exception, is a cruel, heartless, wicked God who is not worthy to be served, trusted or worshipped.

Those of us who, on the other hand, hold salvation to be only of grace, believe Scripture is clear that our sovereign, righteous, holy God loves only His Elect, sending Christ to die in the stead of only those the Father has elected and given to Him that they would be saved to the uttermost.

They and they alone receive the free gift of Christ because the Lord has given them the spirit of revelation knowledge of God, to which carnal man cannot attain nor receive (Matt. 11:25-27; Matt. 16:15-17; 1 Cor. 2:12-14).

There are many ways to prove this proposition which states the Father never ever intended, purposed or determined to actually save all men without exception. Nor does He intend to do so now.

Rather, God eternally purposed to reprobate, judge and damn those not given to Christ.

To prove this position we begin with Proposition # 1:

1. If salvation is contingent on faith in Christ (which it is), it is an undisputed fact that untold billions never heard the Gospel.

He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord (Psalm 147:19-20).

2. If billions never heard the Gospel, they died lost, never having had a chance to hear and believe on Christ.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10: 13-14).

3. Now either God was unaware billions would never hear the Gospel, or He was fully aware billions would never hear the Gospel.

4. If He was unaware, then He is not omniscient, and is not God.

5. But our God is omniscient (Isaiah 40:13-14; John 16:30).

6. Therefore, either God willfully left billions to die without the knowledge of Christ, or He unwillingly did so.

7. If He unwillingly did so, then He is not the Lord God, the Ruler and Governor of Creation. Rather He is a little god, subject to the will of another greater God.

8. But there is no other God but our God (Isaiah 46:9).

9. Therefore, since God willfully left billions to die without the knowledge of salvation through faith in Christ (whether pre-cross or post-cross), there was either a wise reason for doing so, or there was not.

10. If there was not, then He is not God who is all-wise.

11. But He is the all-wise God (Romans 11:33).

12. Therefore, by necessity, there must be a wise reason for doing so.

The Bible reason: salvation is by grace, not by debt or merit (Eph. 2:8).

God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy (Romans 9:15-16).

He owes salvation to no man.

And the natural man has nothing pleasing to offer God by which to gain His favor.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8).

Furthermore, to imagine any other way for the billions to be saved without hearing and believing the Gospel is to believe and preach a false Gospel.

As such, that false preacher is cursed of God.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 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 (Galatians 1:6-8).

Rev. Billy Graham preached such a false Gospel, both in print and on live worldwide TV.

Watch Billy preach a false Gospel here.

Billy Graham preaches a false Gospel because he hates truth which the true God affirms.

To hate the truth is to hate Jesus, who is the truth (John 14:6).

If you believe God loves those whom He willed should not hear the Gospel, you are not only gravely mistaken, you don’t comprehend the love and grace of God which cannot fail to save those He loves.

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end (John 13:1).

If you believe Christ paid the sin debt of all mankind, yet billions are in Hell (both pre and post crucifixion), you do not comprehend the purpose, saving power and efficacy of Christ’s atonement, let alone His role as our High Priest.

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine……. (John 17:1-2; 9).

There are many on this Board who believe and preach a Christ who purposed to die for those whom He knew will never hear the Gospel, for whom He never prays, and because of which will never come to saving faith.

Only a most foolish and unstable mind could presume such a purpose.

Sadly, many members of this board believe and preach a Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, yet had such an irrational, illogical and nonsensical purpose.

P.S. The Gospel was preached to Adam (Gen. 3:15); Abraham (Galatians 3:8); Moses (Exodus 20:6; Exodus 33:19); to name but a few instances.

P.P.S. It is impossible for the Gentiles to come to saving knowledge of God through nature, despite the claims of Rev. Graham.

For Paul declares, For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law (Romans 2:12).

Also, Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent (Acts 17:29-30).

Previous to the atonement of Christ whereby the Apostles were commanded to take the Gospel worldwide to the Gentiles, the Gentiles were purposefully kept ignorant of the Messiah who was to come.

The expression ‘God winked’ refers to His willfully passing them by, denying them the grace and knowledge necessary to salvation.

Those ignorant Gentiles will not be judged for refusing Christ.

Rather they will be judged for their sins -- sins which have nothing to do with refusing the grace of God in Christ (Luke 12:48).

However, Paul now declares that those who have heard the Gospel will be held guilty of the more heinous crime, that of rejecting Christ crucified (Luke 12:47).

NEXT: The Two-Fold Absolute Decree of Reprobation

 

Amen, SG. Graham does not literally deny the saving message of the Gospel. Rather he advocates the heresy that teaches God does not leave men who never heard the Gospel without saving knowledge of Himself, be it by revelation of nature or by other mysterious means. This, in effect, denies Christ and His Gospel.

Furthermore, by honoring the Pope of Rome as the most moral Christian man of the 20th century, he displays gross ignorance of what, exactly, true Christianity consists, thus revealing himself to be a preacher who was never called by the Spirit of God.

 

The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

Part 2​

Had the Lord not included the absolute decree of Reprobation in His Word, there would be no reason to concern ourselves with it, let alone explain it.

For according to Scripture, The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deut. 29:29).

Paul included the doctrine of Reprobation in his teaching because he has not shunned to declare all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27).

The absolute decree of Reprobation is two-fold:

1. Negative

2. Positive

By negative we are to understand the denying of saving grace to many.

There are those whom God, in eternity, chose for salvation (Ephesians 1: 1-4).

Likewise, there are those whom God, in eternity, did not choose for salvation (Matthew 7:21-23).

The former are known as the Called, the Elect or the Chosen; the latter the Reprobate.

The withholding of saving grace is called Preterition: God has purposed to pass by most of mankind, not giving them the saving graces necessary to salvation.

God owes nothing to man, including mercy and compassion.

He is free to have mercy or not. He is the arbiter of His own will, needing no counsel of anyone.

Saving graces which our Lord may dispense or withhold are many.

They include the efficacious death of Christ on their behalf, the preaching of the Gospel, effectual calling, saving faith, repentance unto life, justification, good works, love of God and the brethren, sanctification, holiness, perseverance, to name a few.

In Part 1 of this author’s thesis, it was proven the Lord purposefully and willfully denied knowledge of saving truth to untold billions prior to the New Testament command to go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.

Prior to this New Testament command, the vast majority of the world was passed by, denied the knowledge of saving truth.

They were intentionally reprobated by our sovereign, holy, righteous God.

Unbelief in the Gospel was not the reason or cause of their reprobation, since they never heard the Gospel.

This biblical truth is so disdained by professing Christians that they have taken it upon themselves to preach ‘another Gospel,’ which is no Gospel.

Billy Graham is a perfect example of such a preacher who preaches this heresy.

Many on this board are not quite so audacious as to preach such a false Gospel outright. Instead, they preach a God who, in secret and mysterious ways, communicates to all people the way of salvation, thereby giving all people an equal chance to be saved. In their unstable minds, this unbiblical doctrine allegedly affords God the right to maintain His justice, honor, holiness, as well His love for all mankind.

Accepting the hard truth that salvation is impossible unless the saving truth of Christ is known and believed, would then, of necessity, compel the naysayers to accept the hard truth that God never intended to effect the salvation of all men and, therefore, never loved those to whom He denied the Gospel.

Furthermore, since Christ declared greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (john 15:13), why would the all-wise God deny such critical saving knowledge to untold billions if He loved all men without exception?

By rightly using the gifts of logic and reason, which most men have been given (John 1:9), one would think our adversaries would humbly capitulate, admitting their heinous error, surrendering to the truth.

But alas, most hold to their errant theology no matter the cost.

“The truth be damned!” seems to be their united cry.

“We will not have this truth to reign over us.”

To Be Continued……………….

 

The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

Part 3​

Today there are few who have not heard the name and wonderful works of Jesus Christ.

And yet there are multitudes that have been passed by, denied saving grace, despite having been given the gracious privilege of having heard the Gospel.

This is due to the fact that many are called, but few are chosen.

Though there are many caught in the Gospel net, not all are ‘good’ vessels. (Matthew 13:48).

For not all have faith (2 Thess. 3:2; Matt. 13:19).

And not all have the faith of the Elect (Titus 1:1; Matt. 13:20-22).

From whence comes saving faith?

From God, as we believe, or from man, as our adversaries believe?

We can all agree that faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Without the word of God there is no faith.

Billions have been bereft of the word of God.

Therefore, they could not believe.

Therefore, it was God’s eternal will of purpose to deny them the means of salvation, thereby destining them to damnation.

The question arises: Could they, of their own volition, believe the Gospel had it been preached to them?

If so, then it would be an act of cruelty to deny them the only means to salvation.

And it would be crueler still had the Gentiles actually sought the true God with all their heart and soul to no avail.

Alas, such is not the case.

For, according to biblical testimony, which cannot lie, there is none that seeketh after [the true] God (Romans 3:11).

Furthermore, what truth God did reveal to them, they willfully changed into a lie (Romans 1:25).

Therefore, we can conclude it was impossible for those Gentiles living in Old Testament times to believe the Gospel by virtue of their own volition, had it been preached to them.

For if they would not believe the lesser (they worship false gods), how would they believe the greater (the true God will send His Son in the form of a man to save sinners through His death on their behalf)?

Moreover, God is under no obligation to save one sinner (Romans 11:33-36).

He was under no obligation to send Christ. Nor was Christ under any obligation to lay down His life (John 10:18).

Grace is owed no man.

Justice, however, is.

Reprobation displays the glorious justice of God in dealing with many sinners.

Election displays the glorious grace of God in dealing with many other sinners.

God is not unjust in giving to some what they do not deserve (saving grace), while giving to others what they do deserve (punishment for sin).

For in passing by many, leaving them in their sin, while giving to others saving grace, God displays His sovereign right as Lord and Creator to do with His own as He pleases.

This essential truth is exemplified in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). By giving the group of workers called at the end of the day the same pay as the first group who worked hard all day long, the human mind recoils at the unfairness/injustice of it. The vineyard owner was either far too generous with the last group or not generous enough with the first.

What is the response of the vineyard owner?

The first group received what they were promised: a fair wage for a day’s work. No injustice was done them.

The last group received what the vineyard owner determined was right for their labor. He decided, according to his will of good pleasure, their pay to be the same as the first group.

The first group thought it evil the owner paid the last group the same wage.

The owner’s response:

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

The first group was paid according to justice. They received precisely what they deserved.

The last group was paid according to grace. They did not deserve the exorbitant pay received. It was the sole decision and good pleasure of the owner to be gracious.

And moreover it was his right. The money was his to dispense as he pleased.

In this Parable Jesus teaches the right of God, the sovereign Lord and Creator of all men, to dispense justice and grace as He so wills.

To the reprobate, He dispenses justice.

To the Elect, He dispenses mercy.

By so doing, He is neither unjust nor evil.

For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy (Romans 9:15-16).

The Lord gives and the Lord withholds as He alone so wills, according to His good pleasure.

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

To Be Continued………..

 

The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

Part 4​

In Romans 9, Paul uses the analogy of the potter and the clay to teach the same truths found in the Parable of the Vineyard Workers.

Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (v. 21).

If so, then has not the sovereign Lord, creator of all men, (who are of the same fallen sinful nature in Adam), the right to choose one for honor as a vessel of mercy, and another for dishonor as a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction….according to His good pleasure?

The reader may ask on what basis God chooses one for honor and mercy and another for wrath and destruction.

Our adversaries would owe the cause to belief or unbelief in Christ.

The Bible teaches no such thing.

The reprobation of untold millions in Old Testament times was not due to unbelief in Christ of whom they never heard.

The reprobation of untold millions in New Testament times is also not due to unbelief in Christ of whom they did hear.

Rather, the cause of the reprobation of Old Testament, as well as New Testament sinners, was the same: the unconditional, absolute, secret, eternal, decretive will of purpose of God, according to His good pleasure.

To reiterate: The unconditional, absolute, secret, eternal, decretive will of God’s purpose, whereby He determined the eternal destinies of men according to His good pleasure alone, is the cause of both election and reprobation.

Why choose one for mercy then bypass another?

It was the will of His good pleasure contingent on nothing outside of Himself.

There can be no cause outside the will of God, for the will of God is the ultimate cause of all things. Nothing existed before God willed it into existence. Therefore, common sense dictates that which did not exist could not influence God in any respect.

Several Scriptures reveal this paramount truth.

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… (Ephesians 1:3-5).

· The Father chose us. We did not choose Him.

· He blessed and gave us that which we did not deserve, for we were neither holy nor blameless.

· He freely gave us all spiritual graces necessary to salvation, including the prerequisite, saving faith in Christ, without which salvation is impossible.

· We were destined to salvation before we existed, before the creation of the world.

· He did this because He loved us according to the good pleasure of His will, and not because there was anything lovable or commendable in us.

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 (Ephesians 1:6-9).

· We owe our election solely to God’s grace.

· It was God who made us acceptable to Him, not because He found anything favorable in us deserving of His mercy.

· His choosing us for salvation through Christ’s atonement was not capricious, but was made with wisdom and prudence.

· We Christians had no clue we were predestined to salvation until God saved us in time.

· The Elect are known to God eternally, but revealed to man in time, after the fact.

· Paul reiterates the divine truth that we were saved according to the good pleasure of His sovereign will, not contingent on anything good foreseen in us.

Election is of grace (Romans 11:5). Therefore, it is from God alone. Man has no grace to give, nor has he anything in him to cause God to show him favor by electing him for salvation.

Grace is dispensed at God’s will of good pleasure alone, contingent on nothing outside Himself.

To further exemplify this central Christian tenet, Paul cites the historic example of Jacob and Esau:

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (Romans 9:8-13).

Paul makes the point that the eternal destinies of both men were determined by God before they were born.

Foreseen faith or good works had nothing to do with the election of Jacob.

God’s determination was according to His eternal purpose to elect unto salvation.

If foreseen faith were the cause, Paul would have, and could have, easily indicated such as the cause.

For example:

“Though the children being not yet born, God foresaw Jacob’s faith, and therefore purposed Jacob’s election.”

So by stating neither had done good or evil, Paul dismisses foreseen faith or lack thereof, as causing God’s choice.

In the eyes of God neither man was better or worse than the other.

Yet He loved Jacob and hated Esau.

The love of Jacob is evidenced in election.

The hatred of Esau is evidenced in reprobation.

The cause of election is the same cause as reprobation: the sovereign, eternal absolute purpose in God according to His will of good pleasure alone.

This biblical truth is echoed in Romans 9:18:

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

The will of God in both cases is His eternal will of good pleasure.

He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy.

Translation: The sovereign Creator and Lord over all creation, has purposed, in eternity, to freely elect specific miserable sinners who He freely chooses to save through Christ - not because of anything good foreseen in them, but because it pleases Him to do so.

He will have mercy = It is His absolute right to purpose and decree to have mercy

on whom = upon those of His own choosing, who not only do not deserve mercy, but instead deserve judgment because they hate Him and want nothing to do with Him;

He will have mercy = and He does this for no other reason than it is His sovereign will of good pleasure to do so and to the praise of His glorious grace.

and whom He will He hardeneth = and because God is Judge as well as Lord over all creation, He freely chooses to judge the other specific miserable sinners for their sins, punishing them by hardening, thereby destining them to their deserved doom, according to His sovereign will of good pleasure and to the praise of His glorious justice.

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Revelation 4:9-11).

The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil (Proverbs 16:4).

To Be Continued……………

 

The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

Part 5​

It has been proven that our Lord has passed by billions in Old Testament times, reprobating them according to His eternal, sovereign will of good pleasure.

The same holds true in New Testament times.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight (Matthew 11:25-26).

Jesus thanks His Father for passing by the so-called wise and prudent, thereby hiding from them the true identity of Christ.

The Father willfully denied them the grace necessary to believe on Christ.

Instead, the Father revealed Christ to those whom He drew by the power of His Spirit. They are called ‘babes’ signifying the change wrought in them by God. Men by nature are not humble and child-like.

Jesus cites the eternal will of good pleasure in God as the only factor in hiding from some what He reveals to others.

Then there is Matthew 13:9-16:

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Jesus explains His disciples were given the gracious gift of faith which enables them to see and understand spiritual truths. The multitudes of others were denied that grace. They were passed by so that they would be judged for their sin, including the sin of unbelief.

It is important to note the Lord did not cause the unbelief which was natural to them, having been born children of wrath, having gone astray from birth (as have we all).

Neither the decree to reprobate nor the Lord’s initial denial of merciful grace is the cause of unbelief in the reprobate.

Rather, unbelief is the inevitable consequence when sinners are passed by and deserted by God.

If the human physician does not apply the treatment necessary to cure a patient’s disease, he is not responsible for the inevitable effects of the disease left untreated.

Likewise, our Lord, the Divine Physician, applies the cure of saving grace only to those who acknowledge their powerlessness in curing their sin sick condition. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:12-13). The righteous have no need of the healing Jesus provides.

Hardening is the Positive Judicial Act of God as Judge

Verse 12 speaks to the second phase of reprobation: judicial hardening and blinding.

As a just punishment for unbelief in the face of so great a salvation, the Lord takes away common sense and logic. By so doing, the reprobate hear, yet hear not; see, yet perceive not.

The just punishment of hardening and blinding is taught in 2 Thess. 2:8-12:

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

These Scriptures reference the Man of Sin, the Antichrist, who deceives only those who perish. Jesus promises the Elect will not be deceived by him (Matthew 24:24). It is they who rightly identify and expose him, refusing to fellowship and communion with him.

It is the reprobates who have been hardened, having lost all rationale and common sense through strong delusion, choosing instead to believe lies.

NEXT: Further evidence foreseen unbelief in the Gospel is not the cause of New Testament reprobation.

 

The Absolute Decree of Reprobation Expounded

Part 6​

Further elaboration must be made in reaffirming the fact that the cause of reprobation in the New Testament is not due to foreseen unbelief in the Gospel.

The cause lies only in the sovereign absolute eternal will of God’s good pleasure.

Had unbelief been the cause, all would be reprobated, for all sinned in Adam.

Besides, man is not born with a heart amenable to God or His word.

Unbelief is part of man’s core being, which is why we are born children of God’s wrath.

Jesus taught the Pharisees the cause of their reprobation, which was not due to their unbelief.

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand (John 10:26-28).

The Pharisees did not believe because they were not chosen by God, from eternity, for salvation.

They were never numbered among Christ’s sheep.

Instead, they were reprobated and passed by, denied the necessary saving graces which are freely given Christ’s sheep, His Elect, chosen from eternity to inherit eternal life.

Please note Christ’s sheep were not elected because they believed.

They were elected so they would believe.

Had Christ taught unbelief the cause of reprobation He would have stated, “Ye are not my sheep BECAUSE ye believe not.”

Instead, Christ clearly and definitively explains the cause of their unbelief is their reprobation:

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

Another instance of this teaching is seen in John 8:47:

He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

The refusal to hear and believe God’s teachings is not the cause of reprobation.

Rather, the sovereign, absolute, eternal purpose to reprobate according to God’s good pleasure alone is the cause of their not hearing and believing.

Again, Christ did not say, “Ye are not of God BECAUSE ye hear them not.”

The cause of their deafness was their reprobation.

Unless you are chosen for salvation, hearing and believing God’s Word is not possible.

The Elect are chosen of God, according to His sole good pleasure and taken by force from the Devil’s damned domain of darkness and then adopted, by grace through the gift of faith, into God’s holy family of light and love (Matthew 12:29; John 1:12-13).

The Reprobate are passed by, according to God’s good pleasure, left as slaves of sin who do the will of their father, the Devil (John 8:44).

The Elect sheep hear their Shepherd’s voice and follow [obey] Him (John 10:27).

This they do willingly.

For when our omnipotent God exerts His irresistible power His people are always willing:

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power (Psalm 110:3a).

Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned (Lamentations 5:21a).

Lazarus, come forth! (John11:43).

The Reprobate do not hear the Lord’s voice, preferring instead to follow [obey] the Devil, their master.

NEXT: Signs by which to identify the Reprobate.

 

Percho asks:

Hi Percho. Thanks for joining the discussion.

I believe his eternity will be what Scripture clearly and unequivocally declares:

It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

His judgment is condemnation:

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).

As a Gentile who never heard of the way of salvation, he will not be judged for not believing that which he did not know. Instead, he will be judged for all sins committed during his lifetime:

[This pygmy]changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen (Romans 1:25).

The many who have sinned without the Gospel, will perish without the Gospel (Romans 2:12).

For God will render to those Gentiles according to their deeds (Romans 2:6).

And because all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), this pygmy will not escape eternal damnation.

Percho asks:

Scripture does not allow for second chances after death (Revelation 20:11-15).

This heresy is taught by Universalists.

Luke 16 also dispels any hope of a second chance. Once a man dies he goes to one of two places: Heaven or Hell. There is no possibility of the one in Hell transferring to Heaven:

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come from thence.

Furthermore, repentance and faith are gifts of God to His Elect (2 Timothy 2:25; Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8-9).

These gifts are given the Elect before death.

I hope this helps your understanding of essential biblical truths.

 

I would be glad to answer your latest questions.
However, it would be invaluable to my response if you would indicate your agreement or disagreement with the Scriptures I cited.
Should you have disagreement, please explain your pov as to why you disagree.
Then we can move on to your latest questions.
Thanks.

 

Sadly, Mr. Percho has apparently opted to fade back into the woodwork.

Explaining his theology using scriptural authority is not what he is accustomed to do.

It has been my experience that too many professing Christians have neglected to build their biblical views upon a firm foundation.

To do so requires effort, study, prayer and perseverance.

For many, that is asking too much of them.

They prefer their Christianity fed to them in sound bites.

 

Signs by Which to Identify the Reprobate​

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (2 Cor. 13:5)

He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God (John 8:47).

Does your religious leader talk to and pray to little girl dolls? If yes, then he/she is reprobate.



My friends, you must keep away from idols. I am speaking to you as people who have enough sense to know what I am talking about (1 Cor. 10:14-15 CEV).

Does your religious leader enjoy the wild praises of masses of humanity?

If yes, then he/she is reprobate.



What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets (Luke 6:26 NLT).

Does your religious leader kiss and fawn over huge plaster doll babies to prove his/her adoring worship of that doll baby?

If yes, then he/she is reprobate.



This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness (Ephesians 4:17-19).

Did your religious leader transform herself from this:



…..to this….after an alleged conversion to Christ?



If yes, then she is reprobate.

Continued…………..