Archive | April 2012

Also Romans 9 shows man’s free will

Romans 9 – the calvinists´favorite

Let’s go through the whole chapter.

¹I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, ²That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:⁴Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; ⁵Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Paul apparently doesn’t believe that God has predestined some for heaven and some for hell, because he says he wish he were accursed for the sake of his kinsmen (the jews) even though not all of them have faith in Jesus as the Messiah. If God the Father didn’t intend for Jesus to die for ALL people but only SOME (the lucky elect) then why would Paul desire to die for people who are not christians? It wouldn’t make sense for Paul to be willing to die for people who Jesus would not be willing to die for. Paul also seems to be unaware of that (if he were a calvinist) that things turn out exactly as God has planned from before the creation of the world, so to have “heaviness” and “continual sorrow” would be puzzling emotions. Why feeling sorry for people who will end up (heaven or hell) exactly where God wants them to end up? Paul has no business feeling sorry for people who God doesn’t feel sorry for. Then again, limited atonement is not Biblical!

⁶Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: ⁷Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. ⁸That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. ⁹For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

Not all jews are the children of Abraham even though they are related to him through his blood. Only those who are of the “promise” are counted for the seed, and they are of FAITH. Abraham himself showed his faith through his deeds, and he was considered righteous for this reason. The promised Messiah came through his bloodline and through Sarah who was the free woman (and not through Hagar who was a servant and not free).

Gal. 3:7 Know ye therefore thatthey which are of FAITH, the same are the children of Abraham. ⁸And 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.⁹So then they which be of FAITH are blessed with faithful Abraham.

¹⁰And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; ¹¹(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

The fact that children who are still in the womb have not done any good or evil, implies that the sinful nature is not true since babies are viewed as neutral. We can read about “election” here, but note that it’s not about electing individuals TO BELIEVE. The children in question are Jacob and Esau and they are not only individuals but also NATIONS and PEOPLE. God chose the seed of Jacob to bring forth the Messiah. Esau rejected his birthright (which is usually given to the first born) but still expected to maintain it when it was time to get the blessing from his Father, whereas Jacob took actions to lay hold of the birthright. A parallel can be made with the jews who expected to inherit the Kingdom just because they were born as jews and “God’s chosen people“. Paul tells them that salvation doesn’t work that way, but that we are rather saved by FAITH (proven by deeds) and this promise is also for the gentiles.

¹²It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. ¹³As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Did the person Esau ever serve the younger person Jacob? No, not at any point in his life did he serve him. However, the PEOPLE who came forth from Esau did serve the people who came forth from Jacob. God had good reasons to hate Esau, both as an individual and as a people. Read more about Jacob and Esau here.

¹⁴What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. ¹⁵For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. ¹⁶So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

The point here is that it’s God’s prerogative to arrange his salvation plan in any way he wants, and he certainly doesn’t need to ask man for permission to do it. The jews might feel that they should have an advantage since they are the chosen ones who the Law was given to and since they are of the seed of Abraham and Jacob, but Paul explains that this is not so. The salvation offer is also given to the gentiles, and we are not saved by being born a jew or by obeying the jewish ceremonial Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ who died for the world. Notice also that it doesn’t say that God doesn’t want to show mercy on all. What it does say is that GOD decides on whom he will show mercy. Does God have the right to show mercy based on CONDITIONS? Yes absolutely, and the text doesn’t say that he provides mercy on individuals UNCONDITIONALLY. We know from elsewhere in Romans and in the rest of the Bible that we are saved upon conditions, and those conditions are faith and repentance. If God wants to show mercy and compassion on those who have repentant hearts – and not on those with unrepentant hearts – then he may do so, and he would not be unrighteous for doing so. We can read that God uttered those words (about mercy) to Moses, and we know that God had conditions on the Israelites and chose to not show mercy on those who rebelled against him.

¹⁷For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. ¹⁸Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Pharao hardened his heart several times before God did. God has the right to harden hearts that are unwilling to conform to him (harden even more). See my blog post about Pharao here.

¹⁹Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? ²⁰Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

“Who are thou that repliest against God?” we are asked. This means we should NOT reply against God and argue with him, right? Has it ever happened in history that people still HAVE replied against him? YES! There are numerous examples of this in the Bible, and not only that – but there are angels and human beings who have even REBELLED against him! Does God want people to rebel against him? Of course not! Each time people reply against God and rebel against him it’s AGAINST his will. We are being disobedient to God by rebelling against him. So this text is not what people cannot do, but what they SHOULD NOT do. And let’s not forget that the context is still that GOD alone has the right to bring about his salvation plan in any way he wants. The text doesn’t say that God always directs our steps and forces us (predestines us) to walk his way.

Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Yes, woe unto him because he acts against the will of God by striving with his maker which he is not supposed to do.

²¹Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? ²²What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: ²³And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, ²⁴Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

The context is still that the salvation offer is also given to the gentiles. We can read that God could have chosen to “endure with much longsuffering” the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. Why would we read terms such as “endure” and “longsuffering” as though the vessels had a will of their own and put up a resistance against God? If God predestines all things that come to pass, then surely he is able to bring them to pass without struggle, and with no need to “endure” with “much longsuffering”? We can also read below that we are expected to purge ourselves, and if we choose to do so then we will be a vessel unto HONOR! If we struggle against God and make it hard for him to conform us to what he wants, then we are fitted for destruction (we have fitted ourselves for destruction) and our right place is on the scrap heap, BUT for our sake he might choose to endure with much long-suffering. Which vessels are the ones made unto honor? Could it be those who have repentant hearts and who are willing to conform? Which vessels are the ones unto dishonor? Could it be those with rebellious hearts and who are unwilling to conform? The vessels who choose to conform are the same as the vessels of mercy, and they are the ones which are prepared beforehand to enter the Kingdom of God. Now, it’s up to us to purge ourselves so that we can become vessels of mercy, and the wonderful promises will then apply to us.

2 Tim 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore PURGES HIMSELF from these, he shall be a vessel unto HONOUR,sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work

Jer 18:3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4And the vessel that he made of clay WAS MARRED in the hand of the potter: so he made it again ANOTHER VESSEL, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Read my blog post about the potter and the clay here.

²⁵As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. ²⁶And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. ²⁷Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: ²⁸For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. ²⁹And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. ³⁰What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. ³¹But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. ³²Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; ³³As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Here we can see the crux of the problem spelled out. The stumblingstone which the jews stumbled upon and which can separate them from God is JESUS CHRIST. The jews were at risk to miss God’s salvation plan by continuing to reject the Messiah and that’s what Paul is so grieved about. The condition for salvation is faith in Jesus and that might very well, to the jews’ surprise, exclude the jews and include the gentiles. The Jews assumed they were God’s chosen people and that salvation was limited to them. Above we can see that faith must precede in salvation and it’s the condition for salvation. The Jews, who were God’s elect, sought to reach salvation through keeping the law rather than by faith. Nothing is said here about God’s choice in salvation but ONLY about “men” having faith – NOT God giving faith to individuals. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Jew or Gentile, because God has sovereignly chosen to save all those who trust in Jesus for salvation.

Romans 10:12-13 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.

Origen: “Therefore has He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardens.” And certain of those who hold different opinions misuse these passages, themselves also almost destroying free-will by introducing ruined natures incapable of salvation, and others saved which it is impossible can be lost”

Whom he did predestinate, them he also called and justified and glorified – Rom. 8:29-30

Apr17

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Rom. 8:30)

Let’s go through the whole chapter from the start, based on KJV.

¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Notice the condition involved. There is no condemnation for those who WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. Are we still exempted from being condemned even if we would choose to live according to the flesh? No way. Then we would be in deep trouble.

²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The same condition once again. Thanks to Jesus sin offering we can be cleansed from our past sins, but the idea is to not get dirty once again. These verses don’t say that we are only free from the PUNISHMENT of the law while we continue to BREAK it. No, we are free from the law IF we live by the spirit. It’s the same thing as Paul says elsewhere:

Gal. 5: ¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall NOT fulfil the lust of the flesh.¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. ¹⁸But IF YE BE LED OF THE SPIRIT; YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW.

⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Paul is clear about that being carnally minded is DEATH. So to obey the flesh ( i e to sin) is to be “carnally minded”.

¹⁰And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Paul says that we indeed have the power to overcome our fleshly desires and that is when we obey the spirit. IF we live after the flesh we shall die, but IF we live by the spirit we shall live. It’s one or the other and we can’t serve two masters. We are able to know WHO the “sons of God” are and they are the ones who are led by the spirit of God. The spirit of God would never lead us into sin but AWAY from sin, so we know we are God’s children if we obey Jesus! As christians we must be careful since the devil walks about like a roaring lion, trying to tempt us and make us fall. Thankfully, God has promised us a way out. IF we fall, we must repent…

¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:¹⁷And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We are in bondage as long as we live after the flesh and we have no reason to fear for the eternity ahead of us since we can KNOW that we are the children of God. IF we are his children (this could change from one day to another if we choose to live after the flesh) then we are also heirs of God, and we have something wonderful to look forward to. The children of God are promised a place in God’s kingdom. In fact, we are guaranteed a place in the kingdom, provided of course that we remain “sons of God”. If we suffer with Jesus, carry our cross daily and endure to the end despite persecutions, then we will also be glorified with him.

¹⁸For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.²⁰For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.²²For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

We live in a world which is in bondage of corruption and the whole creation groans. This is clearly not what God had intended when he created it. However, we shall be delivered!

²³And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

As children of God, we can continue to live on the hope that we will get new glorified bodies, which we are indeed guaranteed if we endure to the end. We must remind ourselves that a few years in a painful and corrupted world is nothing compared to what is in store ahead of us. There will be no more tears, no more pain, no more agony!

²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Our prayers have a great impact on things, and that’s why it’s so important to pray. We can change the outcome of the future. Paul tells us in his letters to the Corinthians that we should pray in two ways; 1) with our spirit and 2) with our minds. The first option means that we do NOT pray with our minds since we can’t understand what we are praying. That would be speaking in tongues.

²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

The word “HIS” is NOT in the Greek. And notice the condition again. Things work out well TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, which is the condition for a good outcome. If we love God, it also means we have reacted upon and accepted Jesus sin offering for us. The Bible says that if we love God we OBEY him, and that’s how we know we are the children of God. As children of God we are then CHOSEN, SPECIAL, PRECIOUS and ELECT. As children of God we can look forward to a wonderful inheritance which we are guaranteed – as long as the condition is met of course.

In the parable in Matthew about the King who prepared a wedding feast for his son, we can read “For many are called, but few are chosen“. The ones who were called “chosen” were the ones who accepted to come (and also went) to the wedding feast and who made sure to dress up in wedding clothes. One fellow neglected to do this and was thrown out. WE must keep in mind to wear the wedding clothes because that is our responsibility. God will certainly not pick and choose who will enter his Kingdom, but he welcomes whosoever wills. And we know the conditions…

29 For whom he did FOREKNOW, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

This is about a corporate election. Those who are predestined are those who will have persevered and God foreknows who those will be. We are justified when we are cleansed from our past sins, and after that our goal is to be conformed into the image of Jesus. We have assurance in the hope of salvation while on earth, as long as we abide in Jesus of course.

Rom. 8:29 is referring to those WHO LOVE GOD, stated in vs 28. The promises are tied to THEM and no others. Also in 1 Peter 1:1 the elect are chosen according to God’s foreknowledge. Paul affirms that the body of Christ is foreknown, predestined and elect in the eternal plan of God and will persevere to final glorification. Individuals can take comfort in the promises, but only as they are identified as members of the Christian community. A person who is not part of this community has no claim to the promises. What is predestined is not who will be in or out, but what will happen to all who are in. They will eventually be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and glorified. God predestines the consequence of the choice to be in Christ or not, but he doesn’t predestine the choice itself.

The word called in v.30 is a translation from the Greek word kaleo, and it’s the same Greek word found in Gal 1:6. In this verse we can read that the called Galatians were still risking to desert Christ by turning to another gospel. This means that called people have no unconditional assurance of salvation, unless of course they stick to Jesus Christ.

³¹What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

There are some who take the “if God be for us, who can be against us” to mean that there are no worries as long as we have faith in God. While that is partly true, the conditions must still be met. If we make sure to belong to Christ, the enemy can’t harm our souls but only our bodies. If Jesus has cleansed us from our sins, and we have continued to kept us clean (and/or repented for any new sins we have committed) then there is no one who can charge us for any transgressions. We have been justified because Jesus had made us clean! However, Jesus is not automatically making intercessions for us. To be forgiven we must confess our sins and repent. Only THEN will Jesus make intercessions for us.

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁶As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God will never cease to “love the world” in such a way that he is hoping that as many people in the world as possible will turn to him and LIVE, but we also know there are conditions for God’s love and acceptance. If we love him and show it through our obedience, then nothing will separate us from his love.

Ps. 145:20 The LORD preserveth all them that LOVE HIM: but all the wicked will he destroy.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Origen:

“that those whom God foreknew would become the kind to conform themselves to Christ by their sufferings, he even predestined them to be conformed and similar to his image and glory. Therefore there precedes a foreknowledge of them, through which is known what effort and virtue they will possess in themselves, and thus predestination follows, yet foreknowledge should not be considered the cause of predestination.”

Did God cause an Assyrian King to do evil and SIN in Isaiah 10:6?

Apr15

I will send him against an hypocritical NATION, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. (Isaiah 10:6)

God had an agenda that was carried out and he used the plans of evil men to do it. His plans were ADDED to by men. Consider what God said of the Assyrian king whom He used to destroy sinful Israel in Isaiah 10:5-15.

Isaiah 10:⁷Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; BUT IT IS IN HIS HEART TO DESTROY and cut off NATIONS not a few

Note that God’s instruction was concerning a “nation”, but here we can see that the Assyrian had in his heart to destroy NATIONS, in plural. God had told the Assyrian king to go against Israel, not Jerusalem, but the king’s motive was different than God’s. The king merely wanted to plunder the nation of Israel for his own personal gain and without divine permission. Therefore God says he will judge the Assyrian king for his pride. This is similar to the crucifixion of Christ. The death of Christ at the hands of sinners need not to have been attended with any more feeling of maliciousness than Abraham had toward Isaac. (See my blog post about this.)

Isaiah 10 starts out with a WOE to them that decree unrighteous decrees. If God caused the Assyrian King to do evil, then this woe would fall back on God himself.

¹WOE unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed— ⁴Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Does God want people to decree unrighteous decrees? Clearly not. This shows that people can indeed decree unrighteous decrees against his will, and do other evil things. As a consequence, this could lead to being without the protection of God and end up in trouble. Without God’s divine protection it will be so much easier for the enemy to gain victory. When God stretches out his hand against Israel, the Assyrians will be more successful.

Isaiah 10:¹¹Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? ¹²Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of THE STOUT HEART OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA, and the glory of his high looks.

It’s a sin to worship idols, and it’s a sin to have a stout heart. Clearly the Assyrian King acted against the will of God. God will punish the King for his actions, since they were done without his divine permission.

¹³For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: —

The King forgets that he may not have been so successful had not God allowed destruction to come upon Israel. God used the King’s evil scheme to accomplish something he had in mind, and that’s why the King felt things went rather smoothly for him.

²⁴Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

The same message is found in Isaiah 9

⁹And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,— ¹¹Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; ¹²The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Pride and stoutness can cause God’s wrath, and here he stretched out his hand against Israel.

¹³For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

Bad idea to not seek the Lord of hosts. God would have preferred if they did.

¹⁴Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. ¹⁵The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. ¹⁶For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

The reason why God allows Israel to be destroyed is due to their own actions. God is not the one who predestines people to err, but we can read that it’s LEADERS who cause people to err. When people make the bad choice to trust in evil leaders, they will have to take the consequences, and they will be lead astray.

¹⁷Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

God has no joy in their young men. Would God predestine men to behave in a way that is not pleasing to God? We can read that “every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and that every mouth speaketh folly”. Does God want people to be and behave in that sinful way? Clearly not. People constantly act against the will of God and DUE to their sinful actions, God will turn away and stretch out his hand against them in anger.

¹⁸For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. ¹⁹Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.— ²¹Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

The trouble is due to man’s wicked actions.

Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, says God to Jeremiah, Jer. 1:5

Apr12

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (Jeremiah 1:5)

This verse shows God’s plans for Jeremiah before he was born, and it doesn’t imply that Jeremiah could not have resisted God’s purpose for him. The case could also be that God foreknew that Jeremiah would accept the ordination, and therefore expressed himself the way he did. Also Paul was appointed for a certain service, and he chose to not be disobedient to it.

Acts 26: ¹⁹Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: ²⁰But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

There are other verses in the book of Jeremiah that show that people can act in total contrast to God’s will.

Jeremiah 7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, NEITHER CAME IT INTO MY HEART.

Jeremiah 19:5 They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, NEITHER CAME IT INTO MY MIND.

The book of Jeremiah also contains many poetic and prophetic descriptions and analogies. There are many verses we can’t take literally. Just look at the rest of the text in the very same chapter; Jeremiah 1.

⁶Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

But children CAN speak if they are old enough, and surely Jeremiah wasn’t a child when he spoke to God?

⁸Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

If God predestines everything that comes to pass, then God should really have said “I will make sure you will not be afraid of their faces” instead of warning/advising Jeremiah for not being afraid of their faces.

⁹Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Surely God didn’t literally use his hand of flesh and blood to touch Jeremiah’s mouth.

¹⁰See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Is the idea that Jeremiah was supposed to literally do all those things, as in literally build something (buildings?) and PLANT something (seeds?) I don’t believe God’s words are hard to understand as long as we recognize the poetic and prophetic descriptions involved.

¹⁵For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

Are we supposed to believe that ALL families (100%) of the kingdoms of the north will come and set their thrones (literally?) at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem?

¹⁶And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

Here we can read that God will judge those who have FORSAKEN him, burned incense to other gods and worshiped the works of their hands. Did God WANT them to forsake him, burn incense to other gods and worship the created things instead of their true Creator? Clearly not! Those things are nothing but SINS and God doesn’t want us to sin but to OBEY him. Since the people spoken of were disobedient, it shows man’s free will in action.

¹⁷Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

“Gird up thy loins” is a well-known idiom, and once more we can read here that God advises Jeremiah to NOT be dismayed at their faces. IF he would still choose to do this (LEST) God would in his turn confound Jeremiah before them. So whether God would confound Jeremiah or not depended on Jeremiah’s actions.

¹⁸For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

God didn’t literally do all those things that particular day.

¹⁹And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.²Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

In the next chapter Jeremiah 2, we can see more evidence of people acting against the will of God.

⁵Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?⁶Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt—⁷And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. ⁸The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.⁹Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.¹⁰For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.¹¹Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.¹²Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.¹³For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.—¹⁶Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.¹⁷Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?—¹⁹Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.²⁰For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.²¹Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?²²For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.²³How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;—²⁷Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.²⁸But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.²⁹Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.³⁰In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.³¹O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? ³²Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.—³⁵Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

It’s rather silly to ignore all the above examples of man thwarting God’s hopes and plans, as well as God pleading with man (just like the rest of Jeremiah, and the rest of the BIBLE) and select one verse out of context just to support a certain doctrine. God could have created us with NO free will if he wanted, but seeing this would make us into robots, he apparently created us with Free Will and THAT would be a godly decision we could NOT change even if we wanted.

As many as were ordained to eternal life believed, but they were not FORCED Acts 13:48

Apr12

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 (Acts 13:48)

This verse alone doesn’t mention the criteria for God’s choice to ordain individuals, unlike many other verses which clarify that it’s our FAITH that is the criteria – which is something that is requested from us. Neither does this verse suggest that God’s appointing is the CAUSE for people’s faith. IF God is the one who chooses who will believe, then he is also the one we should blame each time a person does NOT believe – because lack of faith wouldn’t be anyone’s fault but God’s. If people are not able to believe unless God makes them believe, then God is guilty of preventing people from believing, and also for being in the same team as the devil – who is overjoyed when people don’t believe in God.

The word “ordain” is a translation from the Greek verb tasso (Strong’s 5021) – and the middle voice of this word is tetagmenoi (it’s not necessary to view this word as a perfect passive participle) – and “includes no idea of preordination or predestination of any kind” according to Adam Clark (Commentary on Acts 13:48). The word simply means “disposed” (to set in position), and therefore the verse could be translated “as many as were disposed (or who set themselves in such a disposition)to eternal life believed”. Their disposition to receive the gospel is contrasted with the disposition of the Jews just two verse before, and the Jews had chosen another path.

Acts 13:⁴⁶Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

So those who judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life did not believe, but those who disposed themselves to eternal life believed, and whether they believed or not depended on whether their heart rejected or accepted the Gospel which was preached to them. Those who hardened their hearts did not believe, but those who softened their hearts did believe, and what made the difference was the disposition which they choose to have to the good tidings. If we won’t accept the offer of salvation, we are sending ourselves to hell and that is of course a very bad choice. God himself doesn’t want anyone to perish and he would like that we ALL should repent. This is the same story that we can read in Romans 1 and in the rest of the Bible.

Below we can read about a sorcerer who WITHSTOOD Paul and Barnabas and who apparently perverted the right ways of the Lord. With other words; God’s will doesn’t always happen.

Acts 13:⁸But Elyma the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. ⁹Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. ¹⁰And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?— ¹²Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

What would have happened if Paul and Barnabas would not be present to prevent the sorcerer from perverting God’s ways? Paul’s statements make is sound like this wasn’t the first time this sorcerer had perverted the right ways of the Lord. We can also read that the deputy started to believe due to what he saw. If men are elected to believe before the creation of the world, why did the deputy’s faith coincide with what he heard and saw? The Bible says faith comes from hearing the Word of God and we are expected to believe – particularly if we can see God’s works in actions.

Joh. 14:¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

We can read that the Word is sent to men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham., and we can read that the Word is sent to “WHOSOEVER among you feareth God”. To fear is something we do and if God would have chosen a lucky few to believe in him, wouldn’t we rather be reading something like “And God will make sure he places godly fear in you so that you can believe”?

Acts 13:²⁶Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

GLAD TIDINGS are declared “unto you” and why would not “you” be those mentioned in the verse above and in the rest of verses in the same chapter?

Acts 13:³²And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers³³God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

Paul continues to address “men and brethren” and that the forgiveness of sins is preached unto them. We can also read that “ALL THAT BELIEVE are justified from all things”. This is an offer to all who believe. We are also warned “BEWARE THEREFORE, lest that come UPON YOU, which is spoken of in the prophets”. So even if Paul is making a wonderful promise to his listeners, there is also a condition for this promise because the risk is always that we can fall away if we don’t walk in the light:

Acts 13:³⁸Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:³⁹And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

Paul is telling us about despisers, who are those that perish. Does God want people to despise Him and to NOT believe in Him? No of course God wouldn’t want anyone to reject him or rebel against Him. Moreover, we can read about further warnings from Paul and Barnabas who persuaded people to CONTINUE in the grace of God, which is not so certain they will:

Acts 13:⁴¹Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.—⁴³Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Here again we can read that salvation is offered also to the gentiles and unto the ends of the earth. Not just a limited amount of people:

Acts 13:⁴⁷For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Comments from various Bible scholars/teachers

The phrase “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed “can be compared with a statement such as “As many as were set for the test passed it”. Friberg’s lexicon suggests it could mean “as many as had become disposed toward eternal life” , and Max Zerwick “who had been set (in the way)” in Zerwick and Grosvenor’s A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament. The NT lexicon BDAG suggests it means “to put in place”, and Henry Alford suggests it means “as many as were disposed” in The Greek Testament. Thayer’s and Strong’s defines “τάσσω” as determined or disposed and not predetermined or predisposed. Also John Wesley agrees with this idea.

Adam Clarke:

“Acts 13:48: As many as were ordained to eternal life believed – This text has been most pitifully misunderstood. Many suppose that it simply means that those in that assembly who were fore-ordained; or predestinated by God’s decree, to eternal life, believed under the influence of that decree. Now, we should be careful to examine what a word means, before we attempt to fix its meaning. Whatever τεταγμενοι may mean, which is the word we translate ordained, it is neither προτεταγμενοι nor προορισμενοι which the apostle uses, but simply τεταγμενοι, which includes no idea of pre-ordination or pre-destination of any kind. And if it even did, it would be rather hazardous to say that all those who believed at this time were such as actually persevered unto the end, and were saved unto eternal life. But, leaving all these precarious matters, what does the word τεταγμενος mean? The verb ταττω or τασσω signifies to place, set, order, appoint, dispose; hence it has been considered here as implying the disposition or readiness of mind of several persons in the congregation, such as the religious proselytes mentioned Acts 13:43, who possessed the reverse of the disposition of those Jews who spake against those things, contradicting and blaspheming, Acts 13:45. Though the word in this place has been variously translated, yet, of all the meanings ever put on it, none agrees worse with its nature and known signification than that which represents it as intending those who were predestinated to eternal life: this is no meaning of the term, and should never be applied to it. Let us, without prejudice, consider the scope of the place: the Jews contradicted and blasphemed; the religious proselytes heard attentively, and received the word of life: the one party were utterly indisposed, through their own stubbornness, to receive the Gospel; the others, destitute of prejudice and prepossession, were glad to hear that, in the order of God, the Gentiles were included in the covenant of salvation through Christ Jesus; they, therefore, in this good state and order of mind, believed. Those who seek for the plain meaning of the word will find it here: those who wish to make out a sense, not from the Greek word, its use among the best Greek writers, and the obvious sense of the evangelist, but from their own creed, may continue to puzzle themselves and others; kindle their own fire, compass themselves with sparks, and walk in the light of their own fire, and of the sparks which they have kindled; and, in consequence, lie down in sorrow, having bidden adieu to the true meaning of a passage so very simple, taken in its connection, that one must wonder how it ever came to be misunderstood and misapplied. Those who wish to see more on this verse may consult Hammond, Whitby, Schoettgen, Rosenmuller, Pearce, Sir Norton Knatchbull, and Dodd.”

Be ye therefore PERFECT, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect Matt.5:48

Apr11

Be ye therefore PERFECT, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48)

The Greek definition of “perfect” is teleios.

Definition: perfect, (a) complete in all its parts, (b) full grown, of full age, (c) specially of the completeness of Christian character.

We are told to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect and that means we CAN since we can trust the word of Jesus. It doesn’t say that God can be perfect for us, or that we should only STRIVE to be perfect but we are told to BE perfect. So to start off it’s clear that we CAN become perfect but the question is what that means? Evidently it could not mean to have lived a completely sinless life, because Jesus told people who have sinned to be perfect, and they of course couldn’t be required to change their past in order to obey Jesus. The best way to find the meaning of to “be prefect” is to find similar examples of the same word in Greek – see below. When we are cleansed from our sins in the blood of Jesus we are indeed perfect and complete. God looks at us as though we have never sinned and we ARE free of sins thanks to being forgiven. But this does not mean that we are still fine even if we would continue to get filthy, because that will only get us dirty once more and again in need of cleansing. If we live in sin, we are neither perfect or complete. So a christian who sins is not perfect, but a christian who is cleansed and walk in the light is perfect. God doesn’t ask for anything impossible from us. Can we be as merciful as our Father is merciful? Jesus says we can, and Zacharias and Elisabeth are examples of this:

Luke 6:³⁵But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.³⁶Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Luke 1:⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.⁶And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

If you don’t believe we can be either perfect or merciful as our Father, what other verses don’t you trust in the Bible? Can we argue that the the following commands are impossible to obey?

Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Matt. 28:¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost

The OT shows that people can be perfect as well (read my post about numerous righteous people who lived in the OT):

1 Ki 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not PERFECT with the LORD his God, AS WAS THE HEART OF DAVID his father.

Examples of verses where “teleios” is used:

1 John 4:¹⁸There is no fear in love; but PERFECT love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made PERFECT in love.

1 Corinthians 14:²⁰Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Philippians 3: ¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as be PERFECT, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. ¹⁶Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

Colossians 4:¹²Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand PERFECT and complete in all the will of God.

James 1:4 Let endurance have its PERFECT work, that you may be PERFECT and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Corinthians 2:⁶Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are PERFECT: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought

Romans 12:2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and PERFECT will of God.

1 Corinthians 13:¹⁰But when that which is PERFECT is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Ephesians 4:¹³Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Colossians 1:28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man PERFECT in Christ Jesus;

James 1:¹⁷Every good gift and every PERFECT gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

James 1:²⁵But whoso looketh into the PERFECT law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be PERFECT, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

James 3:2 For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a PERFECT man, able to bridle the whole body also.

Hebrews 9:11 But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more PERFECT tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

Hebrews 5:¹⁴But strong meat belongeth to them that are of FULL AGE, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Examples of people who were perfect in the Old Testament

Gen. 6:⁹These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

1 Kings. 15:¹⁴But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.

Job 1:⁸And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

2 Kings 23:²⁵And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Jesus paid a high price as a sin offering for us, but he did not PAY for our SINS

Apr11

In the parable in Matthew 18:23–35, we can see that the servant who had a debt (sin) to the King was LOOSED and FORGIVEN for it. The debt was REMOVED. TAKEN AWAY. No one offered to pay the debt for this servant but it was simply ERASED due to his pleadings. However, when the same servant later refused to forgive another person, then the same debt was back on the table yet again! Had the debt been paid for originally, then the King couldn’t request for yet another payment of a debt which is already paid and settled, regardless of any bad behavior of the guilty servant. But we know that when we ask for forgiveness and repent, it’s our PAST sins that are forgiven and removed. Not our FUTURE sins. If Jesus had PAID for all our sins on the cross, then we would be BORN forgiven and saved. If we would sin, we could always suggest that we’re still safe since Jesus has already PAID for our transgressions, and this means we don’t have to. We could also suggest that we can actually serve two masters and still be saved, because our sins are already forgiven. We would actually be off the hook and free from punishment no matter what we did. Clearly this is not the true scenario. This is the parable:

Matt 18:²³Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. ²⁴And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ²⁷Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and LOOSED him, and FORGAVE him the debt. ²⁸But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. ²⁹And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. ³⁰And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. ³²Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: ³³Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? ³⁴And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. ³⁵So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

When it comes to the animal sacrifice system in the OT, there are no verses which say anything close to “sins were transferred to the animal”. Was the animal sacrificed OR punished? The animal certainly suffered and died as a result of the sin of man, but never did the animal become posessed by sin and die for those sins. This would imply guilt and that the animal was being punished for sins it did not commit. In the same way Jesus suffered and died because of man’s sin. He did not die because sin was transferred to Him, otherwise it would not be an adequate sacrifice. Rather than being an offering for sin and suffering an unjust death, he would have been punished for our sin which we know was not the case since He was without sin.

2 Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin

Hebrews 10:8 — saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein.

It is not uncommon to the Scriptures to use the word “sin” to refer to a “sin offering” as the word “sin” is translated “sin offering” in numerous places throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Chronicles, Nehemiah, and Ezekiel, because the context of such passages is clearly referring to a sin offering and not an act of sin. In Leviticus alone, it is rightly translated as sin-offering over 50 times! The same is true in Hebrews 10:6-8 which is a quotation from Psalm 40:6. In the Psalm, the Septuagint also does not have the word “sacrifice” in the text. Albert Barnes said “To be sin – The words “to be” are not in the original. Literally, it is, “he has made him sin, or a sin-offering”. Even a footnote in the ASV gives sin-sacrifice as the meaning, as do other translations. This view of the atonement, that Christ suffered our penalty and took our punishment, has inevitably lead to the errors of universalism, limited atonement, unconditional salvation, and once saved always saved. These conclusions cannot be logically denied if the premise is accepted that Jesus Christ took our punishment or suffered the penalty for our sins.

Gal. 3:¹³Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree

What is the curse of the law? Did the law of God ever demand for sinners to be crucified? No. In the civil government of Israel, the severest punishment of the law was stoning. Crucifixion was sanctioned by Roman law, but it was not sanctioned by Jewish law. Under the moral government of God, the severe punishment of the law is eternal hell. That is why the text says that Jesus suffer “a curse” not suffered “the curse of the law”. The curse of the law is what we are saved FROM; a curse is what he ENDURED. The curse of the law was SUBSTITUTED with a curse.”

Jesus Christ shed his blood “for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28), but the Bible says that even after the atonement that sinners must still repent “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38)

Jesus died to reconcile God and man (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21) but after the atonement we have the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18) and after the atonement we are to tell men “be ye reconciled unto God“(2 Cor. 5:20)

If Christ bore the sinner’s punishment as a Substitute, then the sinner is unconditionally free from it, for both the sinner and the Substitute cannot be justly punished for the same offence. The theory, therefore, leads necessarily to either universalism on the one hand, or unconditional election on the other. The truth is though that Jesus died on my behalf but did not take MY place on the cross.

The animal for a sin-offering had to be absolutely pure, without a blemish, all of which Jesus was. For Him to have become “sin” in the sense of disobedience to God, He would have become a blemished sacrifice. The priests making an offering under the Law also had to be as spotless as the sacrifice they offered. Just so, Jesus as High Priest was “holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heaven … when he offered up himself,” Hebrews 7:26-27. Leviticus 16:22 says the scapegoat will “bear … unto a land” the sins of the people. This was figurative, meaning to “take away” sins, remove sins as is the likely definition of “azazel.” The scapegoat symbolized the removal of sins. This is exactly the meaning to be attached to Jesus’ “bearing our sins“.

Isaiah 53:4, 11-12.Surely he hath borne (nasa) our griefs, and carried (sabal) our sorrows … for he shall bear (sabal) their iniquities … and he bare (nasa) the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Notice that the two words are used interchangeably.

Matthew 8:16-17And when even was come, they brought unto him many possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.

What Jesus performed in healing the physical diseases was the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4, specifically that He bore (nasa) our griefs and carried (sabal) our sorrows. But, their diseases were not transferred to Jesus so that he then became a leper, demon possessed, blind, etc. Yet, he “bore” their diseases in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4 and he took away their diseases! The Greek word for “bare” in Matthew 8:17 is bastazo, which is the inspired translation of nasa. Bastazo may mean to take up, to transport, to carry, to take away or to remove. In this figurative use, the emphasis is on the taking away, removal. The word for “took” in this passage is lambano. It’s obvious in Matthew 8:17 that bastazo and lambano are synonyms and mean to remove.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear (bastazo).

Seeing that the Holy Spirit gives us the meaning of nasa and sabal in Isaiah 53:4, why should we understand these words to mean any differently in Isaiah 53:11-12 when it says He “bare their iniquities” or “bare the sins of many?” This only tells us that He “took away” the sins and iniquities, not that the sins and iniquities were transferred to him or imputed to him.

Hebrews 9:26 …else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself … so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation,” , 28.

Verse 28 repeats the subject of verse 26 with a slight change of words. “Put away” in verse 26 becomes “bear” in verse 28. “Sacrifice” in verse 26, becomes “offered” in verse 28. Jesus bore our sins in that He took them away.

I Peter 2:24″—who his own self bare (anaphero) our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

In this passage, the “cross” replaces the altar as the place of sacrifice. The body of Jesus was offered up on an altar, an offering to God. The last sentein the Septuagint by anaphero. He “shall bear (sabal/anaphero) their iniquities” and “he bare (nasa/anaphero) the sin of many”. We have seen the meaning of nasa and sabal to be to take away. The same is true in an offering up of a sacrifice.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on (paga) him the iniquity of us all

Paga is found in Isaiah 53:12 “made intercession for the transgressors”. So, even in the context of verse 6, the same verb is used to mean “intercession.” The Hebrew scholars who translated Isaiah 53:6 into Greek “and the Lord gave him up for our sins”. The verb paredoken, from paradidomi, means to deliver up or intercede. Paradidomi is in the following two N.T. passages,

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?

John 1:29 On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!

I Peter 2:24…who his own self bare (removed) our own sins in his body upon the tree

The fact that Jesus “bore” our sins and iniquities does not mean our sins, guilt and punishment were transferred (imputed) to him. His death actually occurred but the terms used to describe what it accomplished are used figuratively.

1 Cor. 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Jesus indeed paid a high price for us because he gave up his LIFE for us! The price he bought us with was his life. It doesn’t say we are purchased unconditionally though. In the same breath Paul tells us to NOT be servants of men. What would happen if we disobeyed him and became servants of men (as in living for people instead of God)?

Partly from Jesse Morell and Mike DeSario

A list of reasons why calvinism is not what is taught in the Bible

Apr10

Biblical reasons why Calvinism is not Biblical Christianity

Thanks to Stephen Thomas for this list!

1. “For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to ALL MEN” [Titus 2:11]

2. “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin… He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” [1 John 3:5-8]

3. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” [Deuteronomy 30]

4. “But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” [Jeremiah 23:22]

5. “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?” [Jeremiah 4:14]

6. “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy” [Jonah]

7. “[Christ] was the true Light, which lights EVERY man that comes into the world.” [John 1:9]

8. “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” [Acts 7:51]

9. “Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.” [1 Tim 5:12]

10. “…’Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..” [Acts 16]

11. “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” [1 John 2:2]

12. “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” [John 3:16]

13. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often WOULD I HAVE gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and YE WOULD NOT [you were not willing]!” [Luke 13] (exclamation mark in the text.)

14. “Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live.” [Ezekiel 18]

15. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance..” [2 Peter 3:9]

16. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though GOD WERE PLEADING through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, BE RECONCILED TO GOD.” [2 Cor 5:19]

17. “Because that which may be known of GOD IS MANIFEST IN THEM; for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when THEY KNEW GOD, they glorified him not as God…” [Romans 1]

18. “[God] has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, [in the hope that] they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from EVERY ONE OF US: For in him we live, and move, and have our being… For we are also his offspring…now commandeth all men every where to repent. ” [Acts 17] [spoken to a city full of pagan heathens]

19. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, BECAUSE we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” [1 Jn 3:2]

20. “God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in WELL-DOING seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life...” [Rom 2:6]

21. “brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for IF YE DO these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:9]

22. “And if you will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk *contrary* unto me [resisting the Spirit of Grace (as per Hebrews 10:29 / Acts 7:51)]; Then will I also walk contrary unto you.. And if you will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you… if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, ” [Lev 26]

23. “Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that RIGHTEOUS MAN dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his RIGHTEOUS SOUL from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” [2 Peter 2:7]

24. “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS, saith the Lord GOD.” [Ezekiel 14:14]

25. “And [Jesus] marvelled because of their unbelief” [Mark 6:6]

26. “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” [Acts 10:24]

27. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” [James 1:13]

28. “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness” [Acts 8]

29. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL MEN unto me. This [Jesus] said, signifying what death he should die.” [John 12:32]

30. “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? [Why] then, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?…” [Isaiah 5]

31. “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore PURGE HIMSELF from these [sins], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and [useful] for the master, and prepared unto every good work.” [2 Tim 2:20]

32. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, ..to KEEP HIMSELF unspotted from the world.” [Jas 1:27]

33. “But let every man prove[test/examine] HIS OWN WORK, and then shall he have REJOICING IN HIMSELF alone, and not in another.” [Gal 6:4]

34. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But *as many as received him*, to them gave he power to BECOME the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” [John 1:12] (i.e. receive Christ, THEN become a son of God by regeneration.)

35. “brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you OUGHT to walk and to PLEASE GOD.. Therefore he who rejects this does not REJECT man, but GOD, who has also given us His Holy Spirit”. [1 Thess 4]

36. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD [Man’s initiative / responsibility], and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. [God’s response]” [Isaiah 55:6-7]

37. “Enoch…had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” [Hebrews 11:5-6]

38. “he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the 1.) lusts of men, but to the 2.) will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the 1.) will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries…” [1 Peter 4:2-3]

39. “For all that is 1.) in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is NOT OF THE FATHER, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth 2.) THE WILL OF GOD abideth for ever.” [1 John 2:16-17]

40. “When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” [Ezekiel 18:27]

41. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” [1 Tim 2:3]

42. “Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.” [Deut 33:!1]

43. “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” [Psalm 111:7]

44. “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?” [Numbers 14:27]

45. “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation” [2 Peter 3:15]

46. “Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? ” [Matt 17:17]

47. “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah” [1 Peter 3:20]

48. “and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man…” [Acts 11:22]

49. “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, **Strive to enter in** at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” [Luke 13:23-24] [Strive = Agōnizesthe = Struggle with antagonistic difficulties and dangers, Agonise, Endeavour with strenuous zeal, labour, contend earnestly (as in an athletic contest, or warfare

50. “Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to HIS righteousness.” [1 Kings 8:32]

51. “Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” [Hebrews 11:5]

52. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers” [James 2:”2]

53. “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” [Genesis 6:9]

54. “just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations” [2 Peter 2:7]

55. “as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:” [1 Kings 9:4]

56. “LORD rewarded me according to MY righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to MY righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure..” [2 Samuel 22:21]

57. “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” [Job 1:1]

58. “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” [Psalm 7:9]

59. “Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” [Ecclesiastes 7:29]

60. “the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and *forgetteth the covenant of her God*. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. That thou mayest walk in the way of *good men*, and keep the paths of *the righteous*. For *the upright* shall dwell in the land, and *the perfect* shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.” [Proverbs 2:16-22]

61. “That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” [Psalm 78]

62. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured...” [Isaiah 1:19]

63. ” Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” [1 John 3:7]

64. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God..” [Romans 6:12]

65. “And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And IF it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” [Luke 13:2-9]

66. “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” [Jer 36:3]

En PÅNYTTFÖDD kan förlora sin frälsning

Apr10

“En gång frälst alltid frälst” stämmer inte alltid

Evigt liv får vi visserligen inte förrän vi verkligen stiger in i Guds rike, och Jesus varnade sina egna troende lärljungar att de måste hålla ut till änden för att bli frälsta, men vi kan ändå säga att vi gått från död till liv när vi blivit födda på nytt. Vi har ju blivit förlåtna och därför renade från våra synder och då blivit rättfärdiga och nya levande människor. (Vi är sedan rättfärdiga om vi lever rättfärdigt.) Att en sann kristen kan förlora sin plats i “vinträdet” är glasklart i Bibeln enligt Joh. 15. Om till och med Kung David – en man av Guds eget hjärta – kunde välja att leva i otrohet och mord i ca ett år (och självfallet var han inte frälst under det året) så ska vi inte tro att kristna som lever idag är helt befriade från risken att ge efter för frestelser och därmed synda. Djävulen är efter oss som ett rytande lejon för att hitta någon att förföra, men vi har ett löfte att vi kan stå emot OM vi håller oss till Jesus.

Joh 15:1Jag är det sanna vinträdet, och min Fader är vingårdsmannen. Var och en gren i mig, som inte bär frukt den tar han bort, och var och en, som bär frukt, den rensar han, för att den skall bära mer frukt. 3. Redan nu är ni rena på grund av det ord som jag har talat till er. 4. Förbli i mig, och jag i er. Såsom grenen inte kan bära frukt av sig själv, om den inte förblir i vinträdet, så kan inte heller ni det, OM ni inte förblir i mig. 5. Jag är vinträdet, ni är grenarna. Den som förblir i mig, och jag i honom, han bär mycket frukt. Ty utan mig kan ni ingenting göra. 6. Den (IF anyone KJV) som inte förblir i mig kastas ut såsom en gren och förtorkas, och man samlar ihop dem och kastar dem i elden, och de brinner. 7. OM ni förblir i mig, och mina ord förblir i er, så kan ni be om vad ni vill, och ni skall få det. 8. Min Fader blir förhärligad genom att ni bär mycket frukt och blir mina lärjungar. 9. Såsom Fadern har älskat mig, så har jag också älskat er. Förbli i min kärlek. 10. OM ni håller mina bud, förblir ni i min kärlek, så som jag har hållit min Faders bud och förblir i hans kärlek.

Jesus talar till sina frälsta lärljungar och det han säger gäller även oss liksom det mesta i NT). Jesus säger “redan nu är ni rena” till lärljungarna. Jesus uppmanar dem att FÖRBLI i honom för de kan inte bära frukt om de inte gör det. Jesus varnar de utvalda apostlarna att OM de inte förblir i honom så kommer de att tas bort utav Fadern och de kastas ut och förtorkas, vilket visar att de hade liv tidigare. De kastas sedan i elden där de brinner. Jesus säger “OM ni håller mina bud, så förblir ni i min kärlek” vilket är ett tydligt VILLKOR. Risken finns att kristna inte håller buden och därmed mister sin plats i Livets Bok.

Hebr 10:28. Den som bryter Mose lag måste dö utan barmhärtighet, efter två eller tre vittnesmål.29. Hur mycket hårdare straff tror ni då inte att den förtjänar som förtrampar Guds Son och håller för orent förbundets blod, genom vilket han är helgad, och som smädar nådens Ande?

Upp 22:19. Och om någon tar bort något från jorden i denna profetias bok, så skall Gud ta bort hans del från livets bok och från den heliga staden och från det som är skrivet i denna bok.

Upp 3:5. Den som vinner seger skall bli klädd i vita kläder, och jag skall inte stryka hans namn ur livets bok, och jag skall bekänna hans namn inför min Fader och inför hans änglar.

2 Mos 32:33 Men HERREN svarade Mose: »Den som har syndat mot mig, honom skall jag utplåna ur min bok. Jeremia 15:6Du själv försköt mig, säger HERREN; du gick din väg bort. Därför uträckte jag mot dig min hand och fördärvade dig; jag hade tröttnat att förbarma mig. 7Ja, jag kastade dem med kastskovel vid landets portar, jag gjorde föräldrarna barnlösa, jag förgjorde mitt folk, då de ej ville vända om från sina vägar.

Psaltaren 51:13 Förkasta mig icke från ditt ansikte, och tag icke din helige Ande ifrån mig.

Matt 11:5. Blinda ser, halta går, spetälska blir rena och döva hör, döda står upp, och för de fattiga blir evangelium predikat, 6. och salig är den som inte tar anstöt (fall away on account of me KJV) av mig.

1 Tim 4:1Men Anden säger uttryckligen att i de sista tiderna skall somliga avfalla från tron och hålla sig till villoandar och onda andars läror

Rev 2:5 Tänk därför på varifrån du har fallit och omvänd* dig och gör de första gärningarna, annars skall jag snart komma till dig och flytta din ljusstake från dess plats, OM du inte omvänder dig. (sagt till en kristen kyrka)

Matt 24:12. Och därför att ondskan* tilltar, skall kärleken kallna hos många.13. Men den som står fast intill änden, han skall bli frälst.

Hebr. 3:12. Se till bröder, att inte någon av er har ett ont otroshjärta, så att han AVFALLER från den levande Guden, 13. utan förmana varandra alla dagar så länge det heter i dag, för att ingen av er skall bli förhärdad genom syndens bedrägeri.

1 Kor 15:1 Bröder, jag påminner er om det evangelium, som jag har förkunnat för er, vilket ni också har tagit emot och i vilket ni också står fast vid. 2. Genom vilket ni blir frälsta, om ni håller fast vid det ord som jag förkunnade för er, såvida ni inte har trott förgäves.

2 Pet 2:15. De har övergivit den rätta vägen och gått vilse och följt efter Balaams, Bosors sons väg, som älskade orättfärdighetens lön,—18. De talar stora men tomma ord och lockar i lösaktighet med köttets begär tillbaka dem, som verkligen kommit undan deras villfarelser. 19. Och de lovar dem frihet, fast de själva är slavar under fördärvet. Ty det man besegrats av är man slav under. 20. För om de genom Herrens och Frälsarens Jesu Kristi kunskap har kommit undan världens orenheter, men sedanåter har låtit sig snärjas och besegras av dem, så har för dem det sista blivit värre än det första. 21. Ty det hade varit bättre för dem att inte ha lärt känna rättfärdighetens väg, än att lära känna den och sedan vända sig bort från det heliga bud, som har blivit överlämnat åt dem. 22. Det har gått dem som ordspråket så sant säger: En hund vänder åter till sina spyor, och ett tvättat svin vältrar sig åter i smutsen.

Lukas 8:13. Och det som såddes på stengrunden, det är de som när de hör tar emot ordet med glädje, men de har ingen rot, de tror till en tid, men då frestelsen kommer avfaller de.

Matteus 10:22. Och ni skall bli hatade av alla, för mitt namns skull. Men den som står fast intill änden skall bli frälst.

Jakob 5:19. Bröder, om någon bland er går vilse, bort från sanningen och någon omvänder honom, 20. så skall han veta, att den som omvänder en syndare från hans villoväg, frälser en själ från döden och skyler över mängd av synder.

Psa. 125:5 5 Men dem som vika av på vrånga vägar, dem rycke HERREN bort tillika med ogärningsmännen. Frid vare över Israel!

Upp 3:15. Jag vet om dina gärningar. Du är varken kall eller varm. O, att du vore kall eller varm.16. Men eftersom du är ljum och varken kall eller varm, skall jag spy ut dig ur min mun.

2 John 1:9. Var och en som överträder och inte förblir i Kristi lära, han har inte Gud. Den som förblir i Kristi lära har både Fadern och Sonen.

Judas 5. Men jag vill påminna er, fastän ni redan en gång fått veta, att då Herren hade fört ut folket ur Egypten, förgjorde han sedan dem som inte trodde.

Hosea 9:15 All deras ondska är samlad i Gilgal; ja, där fick jag hat till dem. För deras onda väsendes skull vill jag driva dem ut ur mitt hus. Jag skall icke längre bevisa dem kärlek; alla deras styresmän äro ju upprorsmän. —17Ja, min Gud skall förkasta dem, eftersom de icke ville höra honom; de skola bliva flyktingar bland hedningarna.

Matt 10:28. Och frukta inte för dem, som dödar kroppen, men inte har makt att döda själen, utan frukta mer honom som kan fördärva både själ och kropp i helvetet. (Jesus frälsta lärljungar var adresserade.)

Matt 10:32. Därför, var och en som bekänner mig inför människorna, honom skall också jag bekänna inför min Fader,som är i himlen. 33. Men den som förnekar mig inför människorna, honom skall också jag förneka inför min Fader, som är i himlen.

Upp 3:11. Se, jag kommer snart. Håll fast det du har, så att ingen tar din krona.

2 Tim 2:12. Om vi uthärdar, så skall vi också regera med honom. Men förnekar vi honom, så skall även han förneka oss.

The reformers and their uncivilized behavior against the anabaptists

Apr10

Anabaptists required that baptismal candidates be able to make their own confessions of faith and so rejected baptism to infants. As a result of re-baptism, Anabaptists were heavily persecuted during the 16th century and into the 17th by both Protestants and Roman catholics. The Anabaptists insisted upon the “free course” of the Holy Spirit in worship, yet still maintained it all must be judged according to the Scriptures. The Swiss Anabaptist document titled “Answer of Some Who Are Called (Ana-)Baptists – Why They Do Not Attend the Churches” shows one reason given for not attending the state churches was that these institutions forbade the congregation to exercise spiritual gifts according to “the Christian order as taught in the gospel or the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 14.” Common Anabaptist beliefs and practices of the 16th century continue to influence modern Christianity:

Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice – the authority of the Scriptures
Freedom of religion – liberty of conscience
Separation of church and state
Pacifism or nonresistance
Separation or nonconformity to the world
Voluntary church membership and believer’s baptism
Evangelistic zeal
Priesthood of all believers

Persecutions by Protestants. 343 och A Short History of the Inquisition. 344, 346

Article IX: Of Baptism. Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God’s grace. They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children.

August 7th, 1536, a synod was convened at Hamburg to devise the best means of exterminating the Anabaptists. Not one voice among all the delegates was raised in favor of the Anabaptists. Even Melancthon voted to put all those to death who should remain, obstinate in their errors. The ministers of Ulm demanded that heresy should be extinguished by fire and sword. Those of Augsburg said: “If we have not yet sent any Anabaptists to the gibbet, we have at least branded their cheeks with red iron!?

The Reformed church also fiercely persecuted the Anabaptists. The Anabaptists rejected infant baptism, and advocated immersion as the only effective form of holy bathing. Shortly before the convening of the diet of Augsburg, in 1534, Rothmann, one of the leaders of the Anabaptists, had openly preached in the streets of that city. He had won the people, who cried out to his opponents, “Answer Rothmann, Catholics, Lutherans, Zwinglians!”Luther and his friends answered Rothmann in the old persecuting way. The Anabaptists were excluded from the diet, and Luther wrote to Melanchthon that they were “ravenous wolves,” who harried the sheep-fold of Christ and “should be banished.” At the same diet the consistent Luther demanded liberty of conscience, churches in which to worship, and the full rights of citizenship. He was the prototype of our Sabbatarians, who demand “religious liberty,” while asking that laws be enacted to deprive everybody but themselves of liberty on Sunday. August 7, 1536, a synod was convened at Hamburg to take measures for the suppression of the Anabaptists.

Delegates came from all the cities which had renounced Catholicism. Not one spoke for the Anabaptists. Even the “gentle Melanchthon” voted for death for all who should prove obstinate in their errors, or who should return from banishment. “The ministers of Ulm demanded that heresy should be extinguished by fire and sword. Those of Augsburg said: If we have not yet sent any Anabaptists to the gibbet, we have at least branded their cheeks with red iron. Those of Tubingen cried out: Mercy for the poor Anabaptists who are seduced by their leaders, death to the ministers of this sect. The chancellor showed himself much more tolerant. He wished that the Anabaptists should be imprisoned, where, by dint of hard usage, they might be converted” (Catrou, ut supra, liv. i., 224; Zudin, 464).

This decree was issued: “Whoever rejects infant baptism; whoever transgresses the orders of the magistrates; whoever preaches against taxes; whoever teaches the community of goods ; whoever usurps the priesthood; whoever holds unlawful assemblies; whosoever sins against faith, shall be punished with death. As for the simple people, who have not preached or administered baptism, but who were secduced to permit themselves to frequent the assemblies cf the heretics, if they do not wish to renounce Anabaptism, they shall be scourged, punished with perpetuc.1 exile, and even with death if they return three times to the place whence they have been expelled“ (see Catrou, Gastius, Menzel and Meshovius).

That same year Luther wrote to Philip, Landgrave of Hesse: “Whoever denies the doctrines of our faith aye, even one article which rests on the scripture, on the authority of the universal teaching of the church must be treated not only as a heretic, but also as a blasphemer of the holy name of God. It is not necessary to lose time in disputes with such people; they are to be condemned as impious blasphemers.”

In the same letter, referring to a man who had denied the “doctrine of our faith,” he advises this gentle treatment: “Drive him away as an apostle of hell; and if he does not flee, deliver him up as a seditious man to the executioner.” “It is true that many Anabaptists suffered death merely because they were judged to be incurable heretics, for in this century the error of limiting the administration of baptism to adult persons only, and the practice of baptizing such as had received that sacrament in a state of infancy were looked upon as most flagitious and intolerable heresies” (Mosheim). In Zurich there was a place of imprisonment called the “her etics tower.” Swiss Protestants would put Anabaptists in sacks and throw them into the Rhine, remarking “That they were merely baptizing them by their own favorite mode of immersion” (Menzel).

The Calvinists were as intolerant of the Lutherans as the latter were of the Anabaptists. In some parts of southern Germany the Calvinists had gained the ascen dency and they drove out the Lutheran “sons of the devil.” “More than a thousand Lutheran ministers were proscribed, with their wives and children, and reduced to beg the bread of charity” (Olearius).

In Switzerland Calvin ruled with an iron hand. Audin tells us that the lady who arranged her hair coquettishly was to be imprisoned, as also her chambermaid; the merchant who played cards was confined in a jail; no one could have in his possession a cross or any other symbol of the Catholic church; to sell wafers was a finable offense, and the merchant s stock would be burned as sacrilegious; if a man kept his hat on at the approach of Calvin he was fined; if he contradicted Calvin he could be brought before the consistory and threat ened with excommunication; all must eat meat on Friday, because Catholics had conscientious scruples against doing so; the penalty of disobedience was three days imprisonment.

In one instance a father was imprisoned for four days because he preferred a certain name for his child and the minister preferred another. For having “proposed an opinion false and contrary to the evangelical religion,” Jerome Bolsec was exiled; Gruet was beheaded and his head nailed to a post because “he was suspected of being the author of a placard against Abel Poupin, and because letters ridiculing Calvin were found in his house”; Servetus, on the charge of being a sower of heresies, was kept in prison for two months, tormented with vermin, almost naked, and with little food, and then taken out and burned slowly to death in a greenwood fire.

This atrocious murder was sanctioned by even the “merciful” Melanchthon. Calvin published a treatise entitled “A Faithful Account of the Errors of Michael Servetus, in which it is Proved that Heretics ought to be Restrained with the Sword.” To this Castellio or Socinus replied; this in turn called out Beza and a host of smaller Protestant writers, who proved with perfect ease, of course that killing heretics was sanctioned by the Bible. They said that there was a special dispensation of providence in the case of Servetus, who might have escaped had he not gone to Geneva in disguise after his first conviction. “Calvin and other foreign divines had many tools in Poland, particularly Prasnicius, a violent orthodox clergyman. With this man, and through him with the nobility, gentry and clergy, Calvin and Beza corresponded; and many divines of Germany and Switzerland, and even the synod of Geneva, sent letters and tracts into Poland, all justifying the murder of Gentilis and Servetus and the necessity of employing the secular power to rid the world of such monsters was denied the trinity and infant baptism” (Robinson, “Ecclesiastical Researches”). The consistory of Geneva advised Prince Radzivil “to use his influence with the nobility of Poland, to engage them to treat the antitrinitarians as they would Tartars and Muscovites.”

/text from wikipedia and other resources

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Archive | April 2012

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The reformers and their uncivilized behavior against the anabaptists

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