Protestant
Well-Known Member
In this example our well-meaning board member teaches man must, by his own power, come to faith first before he can access and ‘drink’ the Spirit which saves.
Example # 4:
“Jesus compared his Spirit to living water. Suppose you were dying of thirst and I gave you a big glass of cold water that would save you. Will that big glass of water help you if you fail to drink it? This is how God's grace is, it is offered to every man, but a man must drink it by faith for it to profit them.”
Refutation:
The board member habitually places the cart before the horse; the effect before the cause. He refuses to believe the devastating, corrupting, debilitating effects sin has upon unregenerate man. He continues to teach sinful man’s ability to do that which requires the miraculous, supernatural work of creation by God Almighty – resurrection from the dead.
If Scripture is truthful when the Holy Spirit declares unregenerate men spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, then the comparison to dead men must infer:
1. The dead cannot think clearly.
2. The dead cannot see clearly.
3. The dead cannot quite open their mouths wide enough to drink or swallow.
4. In point of fact, the dead cannot do a damn thing. They are dead. Plain and simple. They have not the power to think or drink. But they do have the power to stink.
Here we are given the cause of our resurrection, our faith and our salvation:the grace of God.
Not the will of man.
Not the intellect of man.
Not the heritage of man.
Not the deeds of man.
Not the power of man.
The cause is the grace of God alone according to His will of good pleasure.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6)
Conclusion:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
Example # 4:
“Jesus compared his Spirit to living water. Suppose you were dying of thirst and I gave you a big glass of cold water that would save you. Will that big glass of water help you if you fail to drink it? This is how God's grace is, it is offered to every man, but a man must drink it by faith for it to profit them.”
Refutation:
The board member habitually places the cart before the horse; the effect before the cause. He refuses to believe the devastating, corrupting, debilitating effects sin has upon unregenerate man. He continues to teach sinful man’s ability to do that which requires the miraculous, supernatural work of creation by God Almighty – resurrection from the dead.
If Scripture is truthful when the Holy Spirit declares unregenerate men spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, then the comparison to dead men must infer:
1. The dead cannot think clearly.
2. The dead cannot see clearly.
3. The dead cannot quite open their mouths wide enough to drink or swallow.
4. In point of fact, the dead cannot do a damn thing. They are dead. Plain and simple. They have not the power to think or drink. But they do have the power to stink.
“And you hath he quickened [made alive in Christ through regeneration by the Spirit], who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Eph. 2:1)
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)" (Eph. 2:5)
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)" (Eph. 2:5)
Here we are given the cause of our resurrection, our faith and our salvation:the grace of God.
Not the will of man.
Not the intellect of man.
Not the heritage of man.
Not the deeds of man.
Not the power of man.
The cause is the grace of God alone according to His will of good pleasure.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6)
Conclusion:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
