Jump To:
Intro
Part I
Part II
Is Arminianism a false gospel? Consequently, is man's determinate will the decisive act in salvation?
That's a question I started asking about 6 years ago as a result of meeting other youth ministry leaders in the East Bay Area. Hearing them focus so much on getting the youth to make a choice to live for Christ, caused me to search the scriptures on this topic only to realize the undeniable, biblical truth that God is entirely sovereign over all things including (and especially) the will of man.
Rather than enumerate here what I learned through the years on this topic, I offer the following instead...
A few weeks ago, my wife found a message preached by Pastor John Piper on this very topic called How to Distinguish Between the Gospel and False Gospels. I've been blessed by it and I hope that you are too.
Pastor Piper has very clearly shown from the Scriptures that Arminianism (and any teaching that denies the complete sovereign work of God alone in salvation) is a false gospel.
I wondered what might have prompted Piper to speak on this topic. I remembered that in September of 2007, Pastor Piper was invited to be the sole preacher at a weekend conference in Sacramento hosted by a large and growing Ukrainian church (). During one of his messages, he touched on the biblical teaching of election. The church, being Armenian, apparently (secondhand knowledge) preached a "rebuttal" message the following Sunday after Pastor Piper had left. Coincidentally, the message above was preached just a few months later.
This is quickly becoming a battleground of truth for the Christian church and warrants careful thought and search of the scriptures.
I'm sure this is difficult for some who either themselves or have family members under this false teaching. I fall in that category as I have a sister who is in such a church.
Does it discourage me?
On the contrary! It makes me even more vigilant about finding opportunities to share with her and her family the truth of Christ in the Scriptures. May it also spur you on to do the same.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Would God Save Through a Lie? - Intro
Jump To:
Intro
Part I
Part II
Many recent discussions with close friends, trusted mentors and fellow believers have led to asking some very important questions that I've personally wrestled with for about six years. These events have sharpened me to again search the scriptures to "see if these things were so" as the Bereans did. The next few articles will try to address these questions/issues. Some of the answers may be difficult to accept but I hope and pray that you consider the clear teachings from the scriptures on these topics.
Below are the questions I'll raise in this series:
When a preacher teaches that a man is saved by their choice (Freewill, Arminianism, etc.) plus God's grace, is he preaching a false gospel?
Consequently, could a man be saved through such a preaching?
If a man merely reads the scriptures but never is given a man of God to share the gospel with him, could he come to a saving knowledge of Christ?
These are serious questions because their application runs deep and can lead to some very personal questions such as those below:
If I pray for my [insert closest family member here] who is steeped in Catholicism but never share the gospel with her, would God work to save her?
What if I give my [insert closest family member here] a bible, then pray? Would God work through that?
My sister goes to an Arminian church. They preach Christ there. I've been there. Wouldn't God save through that preaching?
These are uncomfortable questions to wrestle with but the Spirit has graciously given us answers in the Scriptures. I pray that the Spirit would lead us to only the truth as it is in Christ.
Intro
Part I
Part II
Many recent discussions with close friends, trusted mentors and fellow believers have led to asking some very important questions that I've personally wrestled with for about six years. These events have sharpened me to again search the scriptures to "see if these things were so" as the Bereans did. The next few articles will try to address these questions/issues. Some of the answers may be difficult to accept but I hope and pray that you consider the clear teachings from the scriptures on these topics.
Below are the questions I'll raise in this series:
When a preacher teaches that a man is saved by their choice (Freewill, Arminianism, etc.) plus God's grace, is he preaching a false gospel?
Consequently, could a man be saved through such a preaching?
If a man merely reads the scriptures but never is given a man of God to share the gospel with him, could he come to a saving knowledge of Christ?
These are serious questions because their application runs deep and can lead to some very personal questions such as those below:
If I pray for my [insert closest family member here] who is steeped in Catholicism but never share the gospel with her, would God work to save her?
What if I give my [insert closest family member here] a bible, then pray? Would God work through that?
My sister goes to an Arminian church. They preach Christ there. I've been there. Wouldn't God save through that preaching?
These are uncomfortable questions to wrestle with but the Spirit has graciously given us answers in the Scriptures. I pray that the Spirit would lead us to only the truth as it is in Christ.
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