21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NASB)

As Dr. Voddie Baucham said today here, “What are the boundaries of our associations? What role does “race” play in modern evangelicalism (btw, I always put quotation marks around race because it is an unbiblical concept in itself… there are but two “races”: the race of the first Adam and that of the Last)?” As a Christian, we must look at our theology as one. There is not a version for different “groups” of people based upon “values” or “race” or any other cultural set. No, genuine Christianity overrides all man-made boundaries. As Dr. Baucham said, there is the race of the unredeemed and that of the redeemed and that is all.

The current Elephant Room 2 “discussion” included Modalist/Word of Faith preacher T.D. Jakes. Dr. Baucham was invited, but declined because Jakes was included and being treated as a brother in the Lord even though Dr. Baucham had made it plain to James MacDonald that he considered Jakes to be a heretic on both counts.

Here at Possessing the Treasure I have always attempted to lead all who read my posts into a deeper understanding of the Holiness of God, the Righteousness of God and that it is through knowing him as he has revealed himself to us through his good doctrines that we worship him correctly and serve him for his glory. These posts are my attempts to teach you wisdom and discernment that you will be able to know the truth and then when you see what pretends to be the truth, but is not, you will know it right away and not only will you turn from it, but warn the brethren about it.

The continual attacks on the Church by groups made up of men like James MacDonald, Steven Furtick, Rick Warren, Rob Bell, to name just a few have one common thread. If we look at their ministries with discernment it is quite easy to see their attempts to bring down the Church to the level of the world. They are continually blending the ways of the world with how they “do” their ministries. Why is it so blatantly easy for us to spot the heretical nature of the Word of Faith preachers? It is their blend of the sensational, entertainment aspects of the world system and their love of money with just enough “Christianity” to look Christian, but we know it isn’t. The inclusion of T.D. Jakes into the Elephant Room 2 discussion was a blatant attempt by James MacDonald and those with him to create unity between themselves and what they deemed to be “Black Christians.” I wonder at that since there are plenty of solid Black Christians like Dr. Baucham who are not in any way part of the Word of Faith heresy yet they ignored him and his warnings and went after T.D. Jakes even though he was also a Modalist.

Carefully watch this video especially after the 4:00 mark if you can stomach it. Now, who is being a Racist? Is there such a thing as a version of Christianity for different races? I agree with Ken Silva here who believes that this whole discussion was setup to sweep the whole Modalism issue under the rug. I was appalled as these men attempted to call Jake’s Modalism an insignificant issue.

As I read Dr. Baucham’s response to this video by James MacDonald and these men I was amazed at his graciousness and obvious Christian maturity in how he handled this. Let us see if we get the same response from those behind ER2.

Soli Deo Gloria!

In keeping with this push to keep you informed of what is really going on in these things I have two links for you that I suggest you follow and read both articles in full. I assure you that if you do that with a heart open to hear the truth from God that you will be blessed.

The first one is something I have been trying to find a way to express myself for quite some time. I have found it very difficult to understand why anyone would take the likes of Steven Furtick seriously. He is immature and unqualified to be a Pastor and proves it continually with his mixing of “ministry” with pop-culture and his childish reactions to doctrinal criticism directed to his methods and message. Here is the link.

The second one is directed to the sad case of Elephant Room 2. It is by Dr. James White. It is both thought provoking and convicting. Please read it with a heart ready for repentance. Here is the link.

That’s it for now.

Soli Deo Gloria!

12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that 13 some worthless men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known), 14 then you shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly. If it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you, 15 you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword. (Deuteronomy 13:12-15 NASB)

1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; 2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, 9 WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. 10 “THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS’; 11 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’” 12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:1-13 NASB)

It must have been about four or five years ago that I was in a discussion on this blog after I had written a piece about some of the confusing things coming from the ministry of Dr. John Piper and others. I made the comment to one of my friends that I thought that Dr. Piper needed to show the fruits of repentance for some of the things he had said and done or he would eventually be considered an apostate. Someone not in that conversation (a bottom feeder or troll??) jumped all over that statement and condemned me for calling Dr. Piper an apostate which he refused to consider because (according to him) an apostate is one who drops all pretense of Christianity and walks away from his faith. Using that reasoning those who continue to claim to be Christians even though they preach heresies such as Modalism (T.D. Jakes for instance) or deny the necessity of the Atonement and Justification by Faith alone and the reality of Hell (Rob Bell for instance) or those who insist on Christianity that is forever changing according to whatever society demands or wants (pragmatism) and insist that doctrine is not needed, but works is what God wants (Rick Warren for instance) are Christians along with the Roman Catholics, Mormans, and anyone else who claims that they are. Of course then there are those fellas (Steven Furtick, and James MacDonald for instance) who are all about erecting “cool” idolatrous worship which is really all about themselves and they sell this product to other wannabe preacherboys who want to be rich and famous like them. Do you see the common denominator in all this? Is any of what these people do about God and his glory? Is it about the edification of the Body of Christ through the genuine worship of God for his glory alone? No, it is about making money and becoming famous while fleecing the sheep who have been duped into thinking its all about the gospel. Have you noticed that these people never talk about the gospel without talking about money?

Where do apostates come from? According to God’s Word, some are revealed through persecution (Matthew 24:9-10; Luke 8:13). Notice these are not genuine Christians who went bad. No, they were never genuine to begin with. In 2 Timothy 4:10, for instance, Paul talks about Demas who forsook him because of his love for this present world. Demas had a worldly spirit. Apostates are more worldly-minded than they are concerned for the glory of God. In 1 John 2:19 the Apostle John makes it clear that Apostates were never genuine believers and their departure, whether that is to walk away from the faith or into a false form of Christianity (same thing), reveals their disingenuousness.

However, let us be clear. Genuine believers do not become Apostates. Here are some passages for your meditation.

18 Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Your way, 19 Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals And covered us with the shadow of death. (Psalm 44:18-19 NASB)

9 But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. (Hebrews 6:9 NASB)

39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39 NASB)

On the other hand, an Apostate is impossible to restore.

4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6 NASB)

Even our Lord Jesus had disciples who professed to follow him, but apostatized.

65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. (John 6:65-66 NASB)

In the latter days (now?) Apostates will abound.

9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. (Matthew 24:9-13 NASB)

3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NASB)

1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3 NASB)

Apostates are not simply those who walk away from Christianity and become irreligious or become a Muslim or Hindu or whatever. No, an Apostate can remain in an organized so-called “Christian Church” and be very religious and remain quite active in the “ministry” of deceiving as many people as he or she can. I mentioned it earlier in this post. Money is one of the motivating factors. There is also fame and celebrity. All of that feeds the ego of these people whose ministry is the source of their idolatrous ministry to themselves.

Now for a bit of confession on my part…I wrote a couple of books back in 2004-2005. In fact, I wrote four books and had two of them published. However, my motive for doing that was not pure. I thought it was, but after I went through several months of the marketing process I realized what a reality gap there was between where God wanted each of us to be focused in our daily lives, which is not in self-promotion, but in worship and service of our Lord. To become successful the way my publisher wanted would have meant becoming exactly the opposite of what I was writing about in my books. I chucked it and teamed up with Ken Silva when he offered me the opportunity to do so. More importantly, this path is one I knew to be the right one because it was one of humility with no opportunity of ever becoming accepted by the world and what is popular in what is accepted as “mainstream” Christianity. No, when I go into a church setting and people find out who I am and what I do, I am usually ostracized in one way or another. In any case, I run into Christian writers on occasion who are all about getting known by commenting on my blog and making sure no one says anything bad about them, et cetera. I notice the same reaction from that very same group of people I sort of listed in my introduction. Is that a coincidence?

Soli Deo Gloria!

3 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 would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6 NASB)

I listened to an attack on “Reformation Theology” today in which the preacher based his entire case upon one single charge. He said that a Monergistic interpretation of the Bible is based upon a faulty presupposition. That presupposition is in two parts. The first part is that we say man is dead in trespasses and sins and incapable of obeying all commands to come to God in his own ability. The second part is that we say God takes the initiative and regenerates those whom he has elected before the foundation of the world enabling them to repent and believe and come to Christ and be justified by faith. This fellow totally ignored the fact that this theology is based upon God’s free choice before the foundation of the world and the redemptive work of Christ in the obedient life and keeping the Law and going to the cross to the become the propitiation for those elect. That’s right, he totally ignored what was actually accomplished at the cross. Instead, his interpretation of all those “difficult” passages like John 6:44 are best to be seen as God’s people being those who come to him in repentance and then he saves them. So, totally ignoring all these passages about election and imputation, he says salvation is a totally Synergistic system which man kicks starts by coming to God in repentance first and then God takes over from there. He gave examples of genuine converts he had seen who came in brokenness and he could tell they were saved because they grasped the truth and walked in repentance, et cetera. He contrasted that with false converts who were simply religious who never walked in repentance. Right, could it be that he is confusing the order of things? Could it be that those he is seeing coming in repentance have been regenerated by God first and now are able to believe because they are the elect of God?

God does not elect people because they repent. Carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post. At the end of v4 into v6 we see, “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” Why did God choose or elect those who are in Christ? It was in love. Love is at the very root, the very heart of God’s election. Here is this same passage from the Greek text, “ἐν ἀγάπῃ, προορίσας ἡμᾶς εἰς υἱοθεσίαν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς αὐτόν, κατὰ τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ, εἰς ἔπαινον δόξης τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ ἧς ἐχαρίτωσεν ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ.” Which translated says, “In love, He predestined us to sonship through Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he favored us in the Beloved.” The word “love” translates ἀγάπῃ (agapē), “a self-emptying self-sacrifice.” Αγάπῃ is a word I am sure we have all heard numerous sermons and teachings about. The essence of this passage and Paul’s usage of ἀγάπῃ here to explain why God elected all who are saved in Christ is that he does not deal with us only according to his sovereignty and holiness. If he did, all of us would be doomed. God also deals according to love.

God’s election flows from his love and this is found throughout the Scriptures (Deut. 7:7-8; Deut. 31:27; Jer. 17:23). Why did God love you or me? Are we not just as stiff necked, depraved, rebellious, and self-centered as the nation of Israel described in those passages? That’s right, we do not know. All we have is what is given to us in passages like Ephesians 1. God elected us because he loves us. In Deuteronomy 10:15 we learn that, “Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.” Now let’s take this to the New Covenant.

16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 “This I command you, that you love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:16-19 NASB)

As we not only stand firm in the doctrines of truth don’t we experience the wrath of those who cling to the man-centered, easy-believism non-gospel that has decimated the visible church? That mess is no different than the world. Of course, the attacks from unbelievers who hate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are just as vicious at times. Our Lord had it right.

God loved us before the foundation of the world. He loved us according to his gracious purpose, his good pleasure. Don’t we love him because he first loved us (1 John 4:19)?

Soli Deo Gloria!

3 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 would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-5 NASB)

For what reason did the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ chose (elect) all in Christ before the foundation of world? It was that they would be holy (ἁγίους) and blameless (ἀμώμους) before him. The Puritans have always been accused of being legalistic and way too concerned about Christians living holy and blameless lives. I heard a Jeopardy clue not long ago that actually defined this aspect of them as being “harsh” and “stern.” Is it an unreasonable thing to command that believers conform their lives unto holy living and be separate from the world and its ways? 

Αγίους (hagious), an adjective meaning “holy, set apart, consecrated”, is the Accusative, Plural of ἅγιος (hagios). In Paul’s letters those who name Jesus as their Lord are called ἅγιοι (hagioi), which is translated as “saints.” However, this is not primarily an ethical expression but is parallel to being “called” (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2), “chosen” (Roma. 8:33; Col. 3:12), and “faithful” (Col. 1:2). Being one among the ἅγιοι implies association with the Holy Spirit. Christ is the one in whom believers become holy to the true God (1 Cor. 6:11). This power comes from the risen Christ, who operates according to the Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4). In these cases holiness refers to a relationship with God that is not mediated through ritual (ceremonial) observation but through the leading of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). Spiritual worship is the offering of oneself as a living, holy sacrifice, acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1).

To help us define what “holy living” really means, let us take a closer look at ἀμώμους (amōmous), “without defect, unblemished, blameless, faultless.” The Greek adjective ἀμώμους is the Accusative, Plural of ἄμωμος (amōmos), which is derived from the root μῶμος (mōmos), “spot, blemish,” and the prefix ἄ, the “alpha-negative that means “without.” Therefore, ἄμωμος means that nothing is amiss in a sacrifice that would render it unworthy. It was also used in the Septuagint to show that sacrificial animal was to have no spot or blemish (e.g., Lev. 22:21). Therefore, this is how we are to live—pure in attitude and action. Christian lives must be above reproach. People should be able to examine our lives and find nothing unholy or ungodly there.

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:13-16 NASB)

Peter quoted Leviticus 11:44-45 in v16 commanding us to be holy just as God is holy. Yes, we are positionally holy and blameless before God because of the finished work of Christ, but in our sanctification, we are called to actually become holy and blameless through the work of the Holy Spirit as we work our salvation with fear and trembling as living sacrifices.

Soli Deo Gloria!

3 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 would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.  (Ephesians 1:3-14 NASB)

29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30 NASB)

In this post we will look at Ephesians 1:3-14 and Romans 8:29-30. In these two passage are found three Greek words that have been the source of large numbers of polemic works and, in my own experience, I have been accused of holding to doctrines that I do not hold to (nor do any hold to that I know of) by Synergists constructing straw men in order to attack them in an attempt to make it look as if they are defeating the Doctrines of Grace to which I do hold dear and the Monergistic faith through which I know I am saved.

The first is found in Ephesians 1:4, which the NASB translates as “chose.” Here is v4 from the NA27 Greek text, “καθὼς ἐξελέξατο ἡμᾶς ἐν αὐτῷ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ”, or, “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world for us to be holy and blameless in his sight, in love…” The verb chose translates ἐξελέξατο (exelexato), “to pick or choose out for oneself.” ξελέξατο is the Aorist, Indicative, Middle case of ἐκλέγομαι (eklegomai). This verb case denotes simple action taking place in the past. The middle voice pictures the subject acting in its own interest, that is, it receives the benefit of the action. Therefore, this verb case tells us that that God the one choosing independently in the past and did so primarily for his own interest, this, for his glory. Also, no where mentioned here is the fodder for most the straw man attacks I have experienced pertaining to election. God elected or chose for himself those who would believe and be of his kingdom. He did not reject or those not chosen, he simply did not elect them. It is not necessary to do that. Why? Ephesians 2 tells us plainly that all are born dead in trespasses and sins. Without God intervening, no one comes to Christ.

Our next polemic verb is translated in both passages from the NASB as “predestined.” In Ephesians 1:5 the verb is προορίσας (proorisas), “to designate before.” It is an Aorist, Participle, Active case of προορίζω (proorizō). This verb form is describing simple action. In Romans 8:29-30, the verb case of προορίζω used in both verses is προώρισεν (proōrisen). Προώρισεν is in the Aorist, Indicative, Active case. But, what is the essence of what the Holy Spirit is imparting to us through the Apostle Paul in the usage of this verb in these passages? Προορίζω is a compound word. The first part, προ, means “beforehand.” The second part of the word, ὁρίζω (horizō) speaks of a “boundary or limit.” It is the source of our English word “horizon.” Therfore, just as the horizon marks a limit between what we can and cannot see, God has placed us within a certain limit, a certain “horizon.” He has put us in a place where we can see and comprehend many things but where many other things are hidden from our sight and understanding, many things that are beyond our horizon. Even if we walk closer to the horizon, and understand things we never understood before (grow more mature), a new horizon appears. We will never understand it all this side of glory. God has marked out something for each of his elect. He has marked out a destiny. Much of that destiny is hidden from us because it is beyond the horizon, but praise be to God, he reveals more of it with each new step we take toward it.

The third polemic verb, found in Romans 8:29, is translated in the NASB as “He foreknew.” This is translating the verb προέγνω (proegnō), “know beforehand.” Προέγνω is the Aorist, Indicative, Active of προγινώσκω (proginōskō). The best way to understand what Paul was attempting to say here is to look at the subject of the verb. Here is Romans 8:29-30 from and NA27 followed by my translation.

29 ὅτι οὓς προέγνω, καὶ προώρισεν συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· 30 οὓς δὲ προώρισεν, τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν· καὶ οὓς ἐκάλεσεν, τούτους καὶ ἐδικαίωσεν· οὓς δὲ ἐδικαίωσεν, τούτους καὶ ἐδόξασεν. (Romans 8:29-30 NA27)

²⁹ Because whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son for him to be Firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And whom he predestined these also he called and whom he called these also he justified and whom he justified these also he glorified. (Romans 8:29-30 Possessing the Treasure New Testament V1)

This is, of course, the Ordo Salutis. Notice that it is God doing all the action and the subject of all of the action is those “whom he foreknew…”This is not a foreknowledge of facts, but a foreknowledge of each of those in Christ personally. Each was foreknown before the foundation of the world. God predestined each of them to be conformed to the image of his Son. Because of this predestination he, therefore, called them, justified them and their glorification awaits in eternity.

The more I think about it. I really don’t care if people want to denigrate me for believing this Biblical truth or not. I do not simply believe some philosophy or have some hope in some confession or religious act that I did. No, I am trusting in the completed work of God he did on my behalf and on behalf of all those elected before the foundation of the world. God foreknew me personally then and if you are in Christ, he did you as well. Notice what his purpose is in our predestination. It is to be conformed unto the image of our Saviour. That should sober us up quickly. Yes, we walk towards that horizon as we mature, but the more we learn the more there is to learn. How are you doing?

Soli Deo Gloria!

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (2 Corinthians 4:1-6 ESV)

Carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post (1 Corinthians 4:1-6). What is the Apostle Paul saying here? The Gospel that he preached, the other Apostles preached, which was passed on to them from Christ himself, is understood and obeyed only by those whose hearts have received the light which God has shone into the darkness in their hearts to give light to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

That being true, those who attack this very same Gospel are unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of the world (Satan) to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. These very same unbelievers are the perishing while those who are in the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ are the living because they possess eternal life in Christ.

Notice that Paul makes it clear that he has openly renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways of manipulating the gospel or God’s Word. In fact, he refused to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s Word in any way. What is he talking about? There were some in his day as there are multitudes in our day who do what he is talking about in that they take bits and pieces of God’s Word and add to it man-pleasing philosophies and things to tickle itching ears in order to gain large followings, sell lots of books, and grow big churches.

Paul does not back away from the truth, and we should not either, that the Gospel is indeed veiled to those who reject it. Those who want a gospel on their own terms reject out of hand the genuine gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who demand a God who loves everyone and must save everyone regardless of whether they come to him in repentance and bow to the Lordship of Christ or not reject the true Gospel that reveals God as Sovereign in salvation as he is all things.

The following video is a perfect example of this. It opens with Rob Bell making many assertions about the validity of the Biblical gospel then it ends with Dr. James White giving the correct understanding of that.

Soli Deo Gloria!

48 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῇ· ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. 49 καὶ ἤρξαντο οἱ συνανακείμενοι λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· τίς οὗτός ἐστιν ὃς καὶ ἁμαρτίας ἀφίησιν; (Luke 7:48-49 NA27)

⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” ⁴⁹ And the ones reclining with him began saying among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:48-49 Possessing the Treasure New Testament V1)

In Luke 7:36-50 there are three main characters. There is our Lord Jesus Christ, Simon the Pharisee, and an unnamed woman who is referred to in v37 and v39 simply as ἁμαρτωλός (hamartōlos), “sinful, sinner.” The events in this passage take place at a meal in Simon’s home and there are others reclining at the table with them. The unnamed woman is uninvited. These events take place in Galilee immediately after John the Baptist’s disciples have come to our Lord on his bequest to confirm whether Jesus is indeed the Messiah. He then shows the Pharisee’s hypocrisy in vv31-35 for rejecting John the Baptist even though he lived in rigid abstinence even though they demanded that of our Lord while the message preached by both was the same. Then in v36 one of these Pharisees, Simon, invites Jesus to eat with him.

            [36] [u]One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. [37] [v]And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, [38] and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and [w]wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If [x]this man were [y]a prophet, he [z]would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” [40] And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

            [41] “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred [a]denarii, and the other fifty. [42] [b]When they could not pay, he [c]cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” [43] Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” [44] Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; [d]you gave me no water for my feet, but [e]she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] [f]You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to [g]kiss my feet. [46] [h]You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I tell you, her sins, [i]which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” [48] And he said to her, [j]“Your sins are forgiven.” [49] Then those who were at table with him began to say among[f1] themselves, [k]“Who is this, who even forgives sins?” [50] And he said to the woman, [l]“Your faith has saved you; [m]go in peace.”           

(Luke 7:36-50 ESV)

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[u] ch. 11:37; 14:1

[v] For ver. 37-39, [Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8]

[w] ver. 44; John 11:2

[x] [ch. 15:2]

[y] ver. 16; John 4:19

[z] [ch. 22:64]

[a] See Matt. 18:28

[b] Matt. 18:25

[c] [Rom. 8:32 (Gk.)]

[d] 1 Tim. 5:10; See Gen. 18:4

[e] ver. 38

[f] 2 Sam. 15:5; 19:39; 20:9

[g] ver. 38

[h] Ps. 23:5; 141:5; Eccles. 9:8; Matt. 6:17

[i] [ver. 39]

[j] ch. 5:20; Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5; James 5:15; 1 John 2:12; [John 20:23]

[k] ch. 5:21

[l] ver. 9; [ver. 47; 1 Tim. 1:14]; See Mark 10:52; Eph. 2:8

[m] ch. 8:48; 1 Sam. 1:17; Mark 5:34

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[1] 7:49 Or to

If we put this passage in context, we know that Simon the Pharisee probably had ulterior motives for having Jesus over to his house for this meal. Notice also that he did not treat him as an honored guest. Simon knew of the reputation of the woman weeping and anointing our Lord’s feet. What was his reaction? His reaction was based in his contempt for sinners. He was convinced that if Jesus knew her character, he would have sent her away. Why? Her very touching of him was presumed to convey ceremonial uncleanness. In other words, he cared nothing for the spiritual needs of those who desperately needed forgiveness and to hear the words of life. Of course, his whole theology was totally based in works righteousness.

Early in this ministry I wrote an article about the unbiblical nature of the ministry of Rick Warren. I wrote it on my old PC one night and transferred it over to my new MAC, which I got the next day and converted it to a new format for the Word Processor on it. In any case, there was one section in which two words came together with no space between then and I did not catch it. I posted it. One very well known Purpose Driven pastor posted a very rough comment basically telling me that that post couldn’t be from God because of that typo being in there. I thanked him for pointing out the typo, fixed it, and I never heard from him again. What did I learn? What do we learn from this? It is the very same thing Jesus was teaching us in Luke 7 with how these Pharisees think. Their rejection of the truth is deliberate and they are determined not to hear it.

Jesus’ reaction to this woman is radically different than Simon’s. He does not pull away from her. He allows her to weep and wash his feet with her tears, dry them with her hair and anoint them with the very expensive ointment or oil. The Greek clearly says in v40 that Jesus answered Simon proving that he was indeed a prophet, knowing Simon’s thoughts.

In vv41-42 our Lord poses a question of comparison. If a creditor freely forgives two debtors who cannot pay, but one owes 10 times as much as the other, which will love the creditor more? Simon supposes that the one forgiven the most money will love him more.

In vv44-46 our Lord compares what this sinful woman has done for him since his arrival at Simon’s house while Simon failed to treat Jesus with the respect of an honored quest in any shape form or fashion.

Here is v47 from the Greek, “οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι, ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ· ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται, ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ.” Or, “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven for she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, he loves little.” What does our Lord mean? This woman was not forgiven because she loved much. If we go back to vv41-42, the forgiving of the loans was unconditional, and love was the result. Therefore, we cannot make the woman’s love the reason for her forgiveness for this would distort the lesson Jesus is teaching. He then clearly tells the woman in v48 that her sins are forgiven. It is then those others at the table marvel at who Jesus is or who does he think he is, et cetera for making such a statement. It is in v50 that it is made clear why this woman’s sins are forgiven. She exhibited true faith and now has peace with God.

Simon the Pharisee and those like him attempt to have peace through works righteousness while walling up all possibility to access to God to those like this woman who desperately need to hear the words of life and have access to the Saviour. This is why I am a Monergist not a Synergist. God saves his people despite the wacky religiosity of those all around us that darkens the truth and attempts to direct people down wrong paths. This woman came to where Jesus was and notice that she was already weeping when she got there. The Father drew her to the Son, gave her to him and her regenerate faith saved her by the grace of God.

Soli Deo Gloria!

7 οὗ ἐγενήθην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. 8 Ἐμοὶ τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων ἁγίων ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις αὕτη, τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εὐαγγελίσασθαι τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ 9 καὶ φωτίσαι [πάντας] τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι, 10 ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, 11 κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων ἣν ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, 12 ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ. 13 διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ ἐγκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσίν μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν δόξα ὑμῶν. (Ephesians 3:7-13 NA27)

⁷ Of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God having been given to me according to the working of his power. ⁸ To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given to the gentiles to preach the unsearchable wealth of Christ ⁹ and to enlighten all men as to what is the stewardship of the mystery hidden from the ages in God, the one who created all things ¹⁰ that it might be made known now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies through the Church the many faceted wisdom of God ¹¹ according to the plan of the ages, which he made in Christ Jesus our Lord ¹² in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through faith in him. ¹³ Therefore, I ask you not to despair concerning my afflictions for you, which is for your glory. (Ephesians 3:7-13 Possessing the Treasure New Testament V1)

In our last post, Boldness not Insolence, we saw from Ephesians 3:7-13 (above) that those truly in Christ have indeed been given the incredible privilege of unimpeded access to the Throne of Grace, and that means they can come “boldly” to their Heavenly Father in Christ-confidence, not self-confidence. From this same passage we also see the “access” all in Christ have as a granted privilege. This access to come boldly to God in prayer has been granted only to those in Christ, no one else. Even so, this privilege is not to be taken for granted by Christians being impetuous or impulsive, that is, doing things hurriedly, or rushing about. I often despair of my lack of time in prayer each day as I take small parts here and there and pray hurriedly through them. What good is that? When we do that, our prayers become habitual and rushed and nothing more than a form of idolatry.

In Ephesians 3:12 (above) the word “access” translates the Greek noun προσαγωγὴν (prosagōgēn), “access,” the accusative, singular of προσαγωγή (prosagōgē).  This word was used in ancient Greek culture to describe a person who gave someone else admittance to see the king. The person who wanted to see the king had no right to do so, therefore, someone else had to give him admittance, had to make the introduction. Even Christians have no inherent right in and of themselves to come before God, but they have been granted the privilege of doing so because they are in Christ.

To take this a step deeper; I didn’t mention this in Boldness not Insolence, but in the Greek text, παρρησίαν (boldness) has the definite article τὴν (tēn) before it. This means that v12 literally says, “In whom we have the boldness and the access…” What does that really mean? It narrows down who Paul is referring to. This is only for genuine Christians. Only those who come through Christ can have access to God (John 14:6).

As I contemplate my own poor prayer “habits” throughout the day, I pray that you do as well. We must not take this privilege of access to come boldly to the Throne of Grace for granted. Let us cease for doing so. May we see that we no right to come before God, but, instead, have been granted a marvelous privilege by the introduction of our Saviour. Let us not rush into his presence, hurriedly making our desires known then taking off as if he does not matter. Instead, let us be in deliberate communion with him throughout the day in humble submission to his will.

Soli Deo Gloria!