Featured The Doctrines of Grace and the preaching of the Gospel

All I can say is that if you went to a Bible College and you do not easily see the MANY errors of Reformed Theology, you need to get your money back, because you were absolutely ripped off.

 

So are you saying that you could correctly interpret the book of Esther in light of its historical context to present the good news of Jesus. I find no mention of Jesus in that book. Looking back I can see a type of God's salvation but I fail to see how one could look forward as the Jews did and say Jesus is the good news in the OT at that time in history? While they looked forward to the Messiah I am unable to find anything that mentions salvation in Jesus in the OT. Certainly it is directly mentioned in the NT but I do not find that in the OT. If they knew salvation was in Jesus at that time then why the atonement? I believe that is something that came out of the enlightenment period but not out of a study of Judaism during that time.

 

Herald...if you really want to make a serious commitment to both Christ & NJ then I will help you...providing its NOT SBC:laugh:

 

I agree with you 100% and what you wrote is essentially my point. It seems that for about 100 years there has been little devoted to the study of Judaism in an effort to understand what Jesus taught and so the idea of the community of faith has had little influence on how we live and practice our faith. In essence it leaves the church devoid of the gifts being operative and often people disillusioned. People too often forget that we are not in the world with just God but that evil is also present.

 

Well, there are lots of different Bible colleges, many are Reformed, so I am sure they would train a person so as they would believe Reformed theology.

Look at this article by R.C. Sproul;

Now, R.C. Sproul was already a believer before he went to college. What did he believe? He believed faith preceded regeneration. Why? Because that is exactly what the Bible says;

Jhn 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John 20:31 is plain as day, it says you must believe to have life. Regeneration means to be made alive again. Simple and straightforward, and I could show you another ten or so verses that ALL teach you must first believe to be made alive or born again.

So, it is perfectly natural that this is what R.C Sproul believed. He had to be trained to believe otherwise, and that is exactly what he admits in this article.

He can't show any scripture to support regeneration preceding faith, no Calvinist can. It has NEVER been shown, not once.

But, Calvinists show you a bunch of proof texts like John 3:1-8. Does this say regeneration precedes faith? NOPE, doesn't even mention faith in these verses, yet you will see Calvinists use these verses as proof texts all the time. Truth is, they stop short, because immediately following these verses Jesus plainly says a person must believe to have life or be regenerated.

Jhn 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 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.

Calvinists always stop short at verse 8. Faith is not mentioned in the first 8 verses, so no argument supporting regeneration preceding faith can be made from it. But Jesus did not stop talking to Nicodemus at verse 8, he continued on and explained to Nicodemus exactly how he could be regenerated or born again, and this is by believing on Jesus.

So, you can cherry pick scripture to teach error, and this is exactly what many Reformed teachers do.

 

Don't think the area needs any more seminary trained people. I don't think either Old Regular or Icono are & they are quite effective.

 

I would contend that not all have equal understanding. If you would believe as the enlightenment folks do then your sole existence depends on God and you alone. That kind of focus and practice leaves everything up to you and God and leaves out those in the community of believers to assist in making right choices and proper understanding of scripture. It also leaves out the idea and practice of evil to destroy. It is very difficult to tell someone they are wrong or give that person counsel if what they believe they "heard" from "God" is true. With that kind of practice there is no room for teachers who explain things well and it provides the person with the idea that they know everything and has all wisdom necessary. The problem is that the person completely fails to recognize wisdom among a community of believers. The person also fails to recognize that evil is active and plays a significant part for failures. Too often those people blame themselves or God for a failure with a complete disregard (although not knowing it) for evil and its play in their lives to destroy. The Christian life is not just us and God alone. It is also the play of evil on our lives too. Too often God is blamed for evil activity. Failures may have nothing to do with anything we do. What happens in this world or to me personally may have nothing to do with me or God but with evil.

 

I agree and that is what is missing among those who believe that living the Christian life is just about them and God. The Bible teaches that there is a variety of gifts and ministries that should be operative in the body so that all are edified. That is not done when people fail to recognize their place in the body. We not only have a personal responsibility to God but we also are placed in the body and work within a community of believers. In that way "we" are not the focus but are one member of the body.

 

Looking back at the role of Israel and Judah in Gos's purpose in the Salvation of His people I sure can!

If you look carefully I believe you will find no mention of God.

I can't either but Paul tells us that:
Galatians 3:8. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

You need to check in on Job:
Job 19:25-27
25. For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

The simple answer to "why the atonement" is that God demanded it. God instituted the passover and all Temple services/sacrifices including the Day of Atonement once each year. Man could only approach God on His terms! We would do well to learn that today!

The atonement was first instituted by God when He made clothes of animal skins to cover Adam and Eve. Their awareness of their nakedness was for some reason not revealed indicative of their sin. The covering made by God required the shedding of innocent blood. Looking back we can understand that this was a foreshadowing of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. You should study the Book of Hebrews to get a better understanding of the atonement in the Old Testament and that of Jesus Christ.

You lost me here!

 

Very well said and much appreciated. The Apostle Paul tells us:

Romans 15:4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

We cannot comprehend how blessed we are!

 

The enlightenment period is a focus on self being sold as a personal relationship with God and that is all that matters. Christianity is a focus on Jesus, within the bigger context of a community of believers. Our life is not just God and us, but also evil plays on that too. Failures cannot just be blamed on God or us, but we may fail because of evil. For example one could be executed because of lies and that has nothing to do with anything else. Satan comes to destroy. There are three parts to the Christian life as the Jews taught during the time of Jesus and James responds to. There is self, God, and the community. Within two of those evil may reside.

I believe that when one looks at the context of what Jesus taught is the background of what the people knew and practiced in Judaism. In Judaism self was not all that important, but rather the community. It is the same way in Christianity. Often we forget the impact of the Christian community and focus on self. If I cannot love another in the community then I lack love. Our faith is practiced not with self but in the context of the community. I can spend my time as a monk but if I cannot love those who are in the faith then I do not know God.

Because of the enlightenment period Christianity has become focused on self and God and does not include the community.

 

There was a time in my life as a Christian when the idea of God choosing some to Salvation in Jesus Christ was repugnant to me. In time the study of Scripture, my increased understanding of myself, and to some extent my observation of other people had a profound affect on my understanding of Scripture and the Grace of God.

I believe the one verse of Scripture, a passage my father quoted to me from time to time, that really started me on the road to understanding Scripture and from there the Doctrines of Grace is the following:

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

I believe that once people really understand the Doctrines of Grace they will heartily embrace them. Simply put the Doctrines of Grace magnify the Grace of God!

 

An explamnation goes beyond what Calvin taught and back into what Jesus taught. Jesus said many are called but few are chosen.