Preparing a Truthful, Calvinistic Sermon (by a Calvinist)

[convicted1]

Do you tell them not everyone is offered the grace of God?

Nope. Not in the least. If someone asks me my beliefs, I'll freely tell them to them.

 

[Revmitchell]

Steaver, you guys preach lies when you state in the pulpit Christ died for everyone and left nobody out. Look at the OT alone. God chose Noah and seven others and destroyed everyone else.

He chose Noah and his family because they believed. All the others were given a chance to believe as Noah preached to them for 120 years. So let's not misrepresent us or scripture.

 

[Iconoclast]

Which only proves you are completely ignorant of what Calvinism is and what a Calvinistic sermon looks like. Let me help you there.

A Calvinistic sermon focuses on the sovereignty of God, the holiness of God, the sufficiency of the Word of God, the sinfulness of man, the saving power of the Gospel, and most importantly, CHRIST! A Calvinistic sermon calls on the Christian hearer to take action. It calls on the sinner to repent and believe. The Calvinistic sermon does not concern itself with preaching to the elect. Why? Because who is elect (or not) is known only by God. God has ordained the means of salvation (the preaching of the gospel) and the Calvinist preacher has no greater joy than to be used to preach that message. The idea that a Calvinistic sermon must somehow mention TULIP or "the elect" in every sentence comes from your fanatical obsession with all things Calvinist. You have created a Calvinist Boogeyman that exists only in your fertile and misguided imagination.

:thumbs::applause::thumbs:well said

 

[steaver]

Do you tell them not everyone is offered the grace of God?

Only in their circle of like-minded believers (Calvinist). If I have to mask or withhold my doctrinal beliefs with someone, I would question what I have decided to believe......

 

[Revmitchell]

Nope. Not in the least.

There ya go.

 

[Iconoclast]

Do you even know how to preach? Do you even have the slightest idea of what it is to exegete a text?

I absolutely 100% concur that not everyone is elect. That is fact and I know it galls you, steaver, and few other board members I will not even waste my breath naming. But just because I know only the elect will respond to the gospel call, I am not going to focus my preaching on those whom God has not called. That knowledge is withheld from me. Only God knows those whom He has called. I plead with those who hear my words to believe because maybe, just maybe, God is calling them to be one of His sheep at that moment. Can you not get that, or is your skull so thick from anti-Calvinist mania that you are incapable?

good questions and once again you're right on the money with the answer:thumbs::wavey:

 

[Reformed]

Hit a nerve huh? The truth can be a tough pill. All of this is not a good excuse to hide your doctrine. See I do not have to withhold any doctrine when I preach.

My nerve(s) are just fine.

When I preach what is commonly referred to as a "salvation message" why would I have to tell people that if they are not elect they will go to hell? How does not impart to them the life saving message of the gospel? Sure. If I was teaching a course on election I would cover that part of soteriology. But in a sermon? That just is not a fact that is necessary to convey. That is not dodging what I believe. It is preaching what is necessary. Does the Arminian tell sinners they need to cooperate with God in salvation? It certainly is part of Arminian theology. So why do they not say it?

It is biblical to tell sinners that they are at enmity with God and that the penalty for dying in their sins is separation from God for eternity. The remedy is to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the gospel. That those who are not elect are not able to do so is superfluous to the message. No one knows who is elect this side of glory, so for the Calvinist preacher to preach that is at best careless.

I would like to be generous and say that you do not understand this, but you understand all too well. Your ignorance is willful.

 

[PreachTony]

Brother Tony, God never chooses people because of something 'special' within them, as it appears you're saying. That's not grace. That's merit. God doesn't 'scratch My back and I'll scratch yours' in regards to how He deals with people...

So you believe God still would have chosen out Noah if Noah had been just as wickedly perverse as every other member of his generation? If Jabez hadn't been "more honourable than his brethren?" If Abram hadn't "believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness?"

Please understand that I am in no way stressing any form of works-based salvation. I believe we are saved by grace through faith, not of works. But I also believe God requires things of us who believe and seek to do His will. As the scripture says "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required..." God has already given us everything in the form of Jesus Christ as our Savior taking the sins of the world upon Himself and dying on the cross and rising again from the grave. We've been given all, therefore much is required. That does not mean that our salvation is a result of our works, but rather our works are a result of our salvation. But we still had to believe first.

These men chosen for these great works by God had to first believe on God. In order for us to be saved, we have to believe. That is, unless you hold to eternal justification, as some do.

I know that's probably confusing, and I know I started rambling. I hope my position makes some kind of sense for you, though.

 

[Revmitchell]

That those who are not elect are not able to do so is superfluous to the message.

Sad for you. I do not have anything that is "superfluous" to the message. Repent, believe, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. I do not have to hold anything back. I don't have to hide that I believe God only chooses some, hope your one of them. Otherwise you have no opportunity. To bad so sad.

 

[convicted1]

There ya go.

Look, saving grace is bestowed upon the believer. It is the working of God Almighty. Faith is the gift of God in salvation, at witnessed by Romans 12:3, Hebrews 12:2, Job 32:8, &c...

"I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice -- living, sanctified, acceptable to God -- your intelligent service; and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what [is] the will of God -- the good, and acceptable, and perfect. For I say, through the grace that was given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think above what it behoveth to think; but to think so as to think wisely, as to each God did deal a measure of faith,"(Romans 12:1-3 YLT)


Without faith it's impossible to please God(Heb. 6:6). And not everyone has faith as 2 Thess 3:2 affirms. So then, reconcile 2 Thess 3:2 where it states 'not all men have faith' with Romans 12:3 states 'God has dealt the measure of faith to every man'.


"looking to the author and perfecter of faith -- Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him -- did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down;"(Hebrews 12:2 YLT)

God is the Author and Finisher/Perfector of our faith. This gift is from above and bestowed upon the believer...

"Surely a spirit is in man, And the breath of the Mighty One Doth cause them to understand[/u]."(Job 32:8 YLT)


Everything that happens to the believer at the point of conversion/salvation come from above. John 3:3 affirms that thought.

"Jesus answered and said to him, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;"

 

[steaver]

Look, saving grace is bestowed upon the believer. It is the working of God Almighty. Faith is the gift of God in salvation, at witnessed by Romans 12:3, Hebrews 12:2, Job 32:8, &c...

Brother, we ALL believe that. These debates are over the fatalism of Calvinism. And why the Calvinist feels a need to hold back some things they believe to be true.

 

[convicted1]

So you believe God still would have chosen out Noah if Noah had been just as wickedly perverse as every other member of his generation? If Jabez hadn't been "more honourable than his brethren?" If Abram hadn't "believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness?"

Please understand that I am in no way stressing any form of works-based salvation. I believe we are saved by grace through faith, not of works. But I also believe God requires things of us who believe and seek to do His will. As the scripture says "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required..." God has already given us everything in the form of Jesus Christ as our Savior taking the sins of the world upon Himself and dying on the cross and rising again from the grave. We've been given all, therefore much is required. That does not mean that our salvation is a result of our works, but rather our works are a result of our salvation. But we still had to believe first.

These men chosen for these great works by God had to first believe on God. In order for us to be saved, we have to believe. That is, unless you hold to eternal justification, as some do.

I know that's probably confusing, and I know I started rambling. I hope my position makes some kind of sense for you, though.

What made Noah choose God and the didn't? Was he wiser? A better intellectual thinker? Were the others just too dumb to believe. If God chooses based on what we've done, that's not grace, unmerited favor, but merit.

 

[convicted1]

Brother, we ALL believe that. These debates are over the fatalism of Calvinism. And why the Calvinist feels a need to hold back some things they believe to be true.

Do you tell people to cooperate with God in being saved?

 

[Revmitchell]

Look, saving grace is bestowed upon the believer. It is the working of God Almighty. Faith is the gift of God in salvation, at witnessed by Romans 12:3, Hebrews 12:2, Job 32:8, &c...

"I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice -- living, sanctified, acceptable to God -- your intelligent service; and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what [is] the will of God -- the good, and acceptable, and perfect. For I say, through the grace that was given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think above what it behoveth to think; but to think so as to think wisely, as to each God did deal a measure of faith,"(Romans 12:1-3 YLT)


Without faith it's impossible to please God(Heb. 6:6). And not everyone has faith as 2 Thess 3:2 affirms. So then, reconcile 2 Thess 3:2 where it states 'not all men have faith' with Romans 12:3 states 'God has dealt the measure of faith to every man'.


"looking to the author and perfecter of faith -- Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him -- did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down;"(Hebrews 12:2 YLT)

God is the Author and Finisher/Perfector of our faith. This gift is from above and bestowed upon the believer...

"Surely a spirit is in man, And the breath of the Mighty One Doth cause them to understand[/u]."(Job 32:8 YLT)


Everything that happens to the believer at the point of conversion/salvation come from above. John 3:3 affirms that thought.

"Jesus answered and said to him, `Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;"

Nothing posted there adds up to God withholds grace from some.

 

[convicted1]

Nothing posted there adds up to God withholds grace from some.

It absolutely does. Faith is the gift of God and not everyone who ever lives/lived will have it. So if not everyone has faith, they don't have God's grace...

 

[steaver]

Do you tell people to cooperate with God in being saved?

I never used the word cooperate, I have told them to call upon Jesus Christ to receive the gift of eternal life which is Christ entering into you via the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost.

 

[Revmitchell]

It absolutely does. Faith is the gift of God and not everyone who ever lives/lived will have it. So if not everyone has faith, they don't have God's grace...

No it doesn't. See this is part of the arrogance of Cals. You all like to think that there is only one possible answer to theses tensions. You all are wrong and such thinking is pure arrogance.




With that I will give you the last word.

 

[convicted1]

I never used the word cooperate, I have told them to call upon Jesus Christ to receive the gift of eternal life which is Christ entering into you via the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost.

So do I. We tell people to call out to Jesus, too.

 

[convicted1]

No it doesn't. See this is part of the arrogance of Cals. You all like to think that there is only one possible answer to theses tensions. You all are wrong and such thinking is pure arrogance.




With that I will give you the last word.

Arrogance of Cals? Really!?!?!?

You're one of the most arrogant, if not THE MOST arrogant, posters on here.

You was once banned for how long? Two years? And Cals are arrogant??

And with THAT, I'll give you the last word...

 

[steaver]

So do I. We tell people to call out to Jesus, too.

Yes, but the subject matter is "Calvinistic" sermon. Now unless you hold to the Gospel as being Calvinism, the sermon needs to have something Calvinistic actually in it.