“AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD...”

 

On August 4, 2009, George Sodini randomly killed three women and wounded nine others in a shooting spree in an L. A. Fitness Club. The following is from his blog. “Aug. 3, 2009: Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus. AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. 

Eternal life does NOT depend on works. If it did, we will all be in hell. Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY PAID” [caps are Sodini’s].

Commit mass murder and go to heaven?! Yes! Sodini wrote, “Dec. 31, 2008: “...this guy [his pastor] teaches (and convinced me) you can commit mass murder then still go to heaven.”

It is true that eternal life does not depend on a life of “works” without sin, in which case one does not need the atoning blood of Christ (this is what Paul meant by “works” in Romans 2:4-8; 9:30-33). 

But Paul also warned his readers to be aware of God’s “SEVERITY” if they did not “continue” in his kindness (Romans 11:22). 

Likewise, He made clear to the Galatian Christians that those who practiced “works of the flesh” would “NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (Galatians 5:19-21). Being ONCE saved by the grace of God does NOT mean one will ALWAYS be saved regardless of how they live.

Jesus warned, take heed what and how ye hear (Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18). Satan deceives by corrupting the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in our New Testament.

Read again, Romans 11:22... A child of God is to “CONTINUE” IN HIS KINDNESS. What does this mean? Is it not a choice? Can one choose NOT to? Hear the words of the apostle Peter, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20-22).

This is referring to a child of God. They can again become “entangled” in their sins. Just because some preacher may preach it is impossible, remember the reality of, and danger of FALSE DOCTRINE. Jesus also said, “…take heed that ye be not deceived” (Luke 21:8). WHY? Because it is possible to be deceived by false teaching.

“AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD...”. Was Mr. Sodini told the truth, or a lie by his pastor?

“CHOSEN AND PREDESTINED”

 

Text: Ephesians 1:1-6

Suppose an ad appeared in the newspaper announcing a cash giveaway at a certain department store. “Come and pick up your money!” the ad announced. When you arrived, there were thousands of people in the parking lot. A voice was heard over a loudspeaker calling out several names, and then the voice ceased. Finally, it was announced that those names called out had been chosen before the ad appeared in the paper. They were the only ones who would receive any cash.

Did the department store have a right to give away cash? Certainly. Did they have a right to pick out individuals to receive the cash? Yes again. But was it fair to advertise the event as if anyone could come and receive money? In a nutshell, this is the issue surrounding the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. But in this case, we not only ask, “Is it fair?”, but we especially ask, “Is this true?”

The Calvinistic Concept Of Predestination – John Calvin was a reformer of Christianity in the 16^th century in Geneva Switzerland. He was especially sensitive to the teachings of Roman Catholicism that works play an important role in one’s salvation. He was convinced he saw an entirely different picture in the New Testament. He wrote, in book 3, chapter 21 of his Institutes of the Christian Religion: “By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen regarding every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”

Ephesians 1:4-5 – Paul seems to agree with Calvin. “Predestined” suggests that our destiny was set in “pre” times, i.e. before we were born. This was because we were chosen in Jesus “before the foundation of the world”. In this respect, our salvation owes only to His grace.

Romans 8:28-30 – Another passage pointed to is this, which teaches that some are “foreknown” by God, i.e. known by Him before their birth. These are predestined, called, and justified. But if a person has not been foreknown, they cannot obtain justification under any terms.

1 Peter 1:1-2 – Peter also speaks of God’s foreknowledge and His act of electing some to sanctification in the Spirit. (Israel is produced as an example of God’s election. Of all the nations on earth, God chose Israel to be His special people, simply because of His grace.)

Acts 1:16-17 – Another example is that of Judas. Could he have chosen to do differently? Or was it predetermined that Judas would fall, and nothing could possibly have been done to change the outcome?

Does God alone make the choice on man’s salvation? Do humans have no choice in the matter? The Bible is very clear on man’s ability to choose salvation. Whatever the Bible means by “predestination” must be decided in view of this doctrine.

~ John 17:17 - We sanctified through the word that the Spirit has revealed, and through our obedience of that word.

~ Acts 10:34-35 - Peter learned, by being called to the home of a Gentile, that God shows no partiality. Anyone who fears God and works righteousness is accepted by God.

~ Acts 17:30 - Paul declared that God commands all men everywhere to repent. Why repent if we are not among the elect?

~ 2 Thess. 2:13-14 - God chooses based on those who are willing to submit to sanctification through the Spirit and belief of the truth. We receive this calling through the gospel - a calling that extends to anyone anywhere.

~ Titus 2:11-12 - The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all.

~ 1 Peter 1:1-2 – God’s foreknowledge doesn’t mean that He has Himself assigned us to whatever fate we reap. It means that He knows the past, present and future; all is clear to Him. Here, it is applied more generally, meaning that God foreknew as children all who would submit to the sanctification of the Spirit and who would obey.

~ Rev. 22:17 - The offer of the waters of life is for anyone who desires to come.

Guy N. Woods wrote: “The thoughtful reader will easily discern that election extends to character, and not to individuals. God has ordained, ‘from the beginning’, that those possessed of a certain disposition or character are elected to salvation; those who submit their wills to him, in obedience to the gospel, possess this disposition; therefore, those who obey his will are elected.” (Questions and Answers, vol. II p. 95)

Conclusion: A form of predestination in the true Biblical sense occurs every day in every large city in the world. Airlines have predetermined that certain airplanes will carry passengers to various destinations. But are individuals predestined? No, not until they board that plane. But when they satisfy the conditions by buying their tickets, they are “predestined”.

The character of the elect is described by Paul: “a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye” (Colossians 3:12-13).

"But What If They Do?"

Adam Litmer shared a conversation he had with a Christian recently. This Christian was concerned about something being done in the congregation they’d been visiting. I offered a few thoughts based on the little information I was given before offering this counsel. “If you’re thinking of joining that congregation, and you’re truly troubled by this, ask the elders to sit down with you and make the Bible case. Follow along closely and see if they can.” The response is the title to this article. “But what if they do?”

My first thought was, “What kind of question is that? If they make the Bible case, just do what the Bible says.” And of course, that is the answer to which every Bible believing child of God must finally subscribe. We do what God tells us to do. While it is that simple, it isn’t always easy. Let’s think about this for a few minutes.

I know what I believe and why I believe it. Most of us do. I believe that I can make a good biblical case for everything that I do and believe. I suspect most who take the time to read this feel the same about themselves. I have had opportunity to defend the things that I believe over the years more times than I can count. You probably have, too. I have considered opposing views and shown them, at least to my own satisfaction, to be erroneous through careful use of Scripture. I’m certain you’ve done the same. Yet there have been occasions when such discussions and examinations have led to a different conclusion. I have been wrong. I need to change a belief of practice. Have you been there? This is where the challenge comes in.

 If I have held a belief or practice for a long time, it can be painful to have it proven incomplete or, more painful still, simply wrong. If the belief or practice has been held by people I hold dear, it can even be traumatic. It is the easiest thing in the world to say, “If I am doing something contrary to Scripture, you’d be a friend to point it out.” It is something else entirely when someone does and proves it from Scripture. Am I an Apollos, willing to be taught the way of God more accurately? (Acts 17:26) Am I a Berean, willing to eagerly examine Scripture to see that what I’ve been told is so? (Acts 17:10-11) Or am I more like the lawyer who, uncomfortable with being challenged, sought to justify himself before Jesus rather than change his belief and practice? (Luke 10:25-29).     

“But what if they do?” It’s not a silly question at all, is it? It’s a probing, self-revealing one. Do I love God and His truth more than I love my own cherished beliefs and/or those of my group? Do I love God and His truth enough to do what’s necessary should the Bible case really and truly be made? “But what if they do?” What a great question. How would you answer?

“Hunger for the Word?”

Terry Wayne Benton shared this interesting reality from an experience in China. He wrote: In China Christians have to find secret ways to meet and some travel two hours to get to a private home to meet with other Christians. One female disciple asked, “Why doesn't everybody in America go to church?” She thought everyone who has such freedom to assemble, mostly conveniently, would take advantage of such a tremendous opportunity. What she didn't realize is that Christians in America do not have the same hunger as those who hunger for the privilege in China. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). You have to first “taste that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:1-3). These want to keep feeding their souls with the good word of God and fellowship with others. The girl in China hungers for fellowship with other disciples. Here it is often taken for granted to the point that the hunger is gone. If you are not first driven by your own hunger, you will find other things to replace the void left in your heart. If that void is filled by Jesus, you find ways to do what you want to do, and that is by life or by death to magnify the name of Jesus (Philippians 1:20). The freedom to assemble in fellowship with the Lord’s church does not create the hunger. The hunger must first be in the heart so that you long to find ways to assemble, not find excuses not to. We are thankful for those who have the hunger here and all over the world. May their tribe increase!