Giving Thanks to God

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15

Why Reformed Theology Will Ruin You and Your Ministry

- Because it focuses on the work and words of Christ... Not yours.

- It aims to bring glory and honor to God... Not you.

- It labors to show how vast and grandiose God is and all of His attributes... Not you, your church, or your ministry.

-Reformed Theology puts mankind, including you, in its biblical place—enslaved, depraved, and spiritually dead.

-It reminds us that God has exalted two things above all creation: His name and His word... Not you or your ministry.

-Glorifying God, Reformed Theology, points out that we cannot save ourselves either that be by our works, will, or merit. We, including you and your ministry, can do nothing apart from Christ.

-Lastly, Reformed Theology will ruin you and your ministry because it instills in us that we must be saved and live by scripture alone, by Grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone, and to give glory to God alone. All of this is to point everything away from you and your ministry and to point everything to Christ.

MAY WE ALL BE RUINED.

Can You Lose Your Salvation?

Growing up in a Free Will Baptist church I was taught, “There are strong grounds to hope that the truly regenerate will persevere unto the end, and be saved, through the power of divine grace which is pledged for their support; but their future obedience and final salvation are neither determined nor certain, since through infirmity and manifold temptations they are in danger of falling;  and they ought, therefore, to watch and pray lest they make shipwreck of their faith and be lost.”- (A Treatise of the Faith and Practice of the National Association of Free Will Baptist, Inc., pg. 12, Chapter 13, Perseverance of the Saints)

I am now a member of a Southern Baptist church which teaches, “All true believers endure to the end. those whom God has accepted in Christ and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” - (The Baptist Faith and Message, Pg. 5, Article 5, God’s Purpose of Grace) 

I am convinced of the later. I believe that those who are truly saved by God will be saved to the end because they will be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. I also believe, what I think both confessions are trying to stress, those who persevere in sin will be damned and those who persevere in faith will be saved. Southern Baptist are probably known for throwing around a phrase, that has good intentions and is biblically supported, but I think falls short of the deep richness of what the Bible actually teaches, and that phrase is “Once Saved Always Saved.” Unfortunately this phrase has a connotation that once you are saved you can do whatever you feel like doing and sin and let grace abound all the more. I personally prefer the words that both confessions mention, perseverance of saints.

We must remember that we are sinners, salvation comes from God, and that Jesus died to save us and to seal the New Covenant.

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)

Jesus promises He will lose nothing that is given to Him:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. (John 6:37-39)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

God’s word also promises us, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39) This promise is for those who are IN Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verses that seem to contradict the perseverance of the saints:

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31)

I am persuaded by the very same chapters, that these passages came from, are not talking about true converts but those who only profess to be Christians but are not actually true followers of Jesus.

Hebrews continues to say, “Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:9-12)

and

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. (Hebrews 10:35-39)

Verses that show that those who have seem to have had salvation and lost it were not saved to begin with. Those who are saved will persevere in faith and good works.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19)
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. (1 John 3:6)

for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. (1 Corinthians 11:19)

This is not to say that those who are in Christ are perfect. All sin and fall short of the glory of God. But If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:6-10)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Grace and Faith are gifts from God. That being said, God is the one who guards our salvation forever and continues to give us faith to the end.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Who & What Did Christ Die For?

God hates sin and the sinner. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.(Psalm 5:5; Psalm 11:5)

But God also “so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26)

Some ask, “Why did God have to send His son to die? Why couldn’t God just forgive us of our sin?” God is not only loving, merciful, and gracious. God is also just, holy, and righteous. God does not compromise any of His attributes and if God just said, “You’re forgiven, don’t worry about my holiness or righteousness.” That would be like a judge looking at a murderer in court and saying, “Don’t worry about what is right and wrong I am just going to let you go.” That would be a horrible judge. Instead God protects and maintains all of His attributes at all times, infinitely and instantaneously. Because the wages of sin is death(see Romans 6:23) the penalty has to be paid. God sent Jesus to pay that penalty for His people.

Not only did Jesus pay the penalty but He also bought His people and confirmed the New Covenant with His blood. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying,“This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:12-22, ESV)

The New Covenant that Jesus bought with His blood is this:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

“Now therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:36-41)

I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel 36:24-28)

Jesus came to save His people from their sins and to seal the New Covenant:

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28)

And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. (Mark 14:24)

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

Jesus died for His Sheep:

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15)

The sheep are also known as “the elect” or “God’s elect” in the Bible. The elect are those who call on the name of the Lord to be saved. They are the ones who have been chosen by God before the world began for adoption as sons in Jesus Christ for salvation. (see Ephesians 1:3-14; Luke 18:7; Romans 8:33; Romans 9:6-18; Romans 11:7; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1)

We must proclaim the Gospel because there are other sheep.

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.(John 10:16)

Jesus said they will listen and He must bring them also... This is why the Gentiles rejoiced in Acts:

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)

Jesus saves His people effectively:

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6, ESV)

Where Does Salvation Come From?

Man is so effected by sin “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14). There is nothing we can do to be saved. “ [Jesus] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Repentance, Grace, and Faith are gifts from God.

Man, because of sin and the sovereignty of God, does not have free will. It would be a contradiction if man was so free that God was sovereign in name only. The opposite is a contradiction as well, God has not made everything so fatalistic that man has free will in name only. The truth is, God is absolutely sovereign and man has a limited will that can make choices that are real and significant. Because of sin we cannot will to be saved without God working it in us first and begin regeneration.

Here are two quotes on the subject before we look at more scripture:

“Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of Grace” – Baptist Faith and Message. (Pg 4, Article 4. Salvation, Section A. Regeneration.)

“A man is not saved against his will, but he is made willing by the operation of the Holy Ghost.” – Charles Spurgeon

Now for more Scripture that shows this to be true:

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11-13)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (Romans 9:16)

As you can see God has to work in us first and not only does He work in us first, to allow us to be willing, but He also draws us to Himself to be saved and He does it effectively(to see who and what Christ died for exactly click here):

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44)

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

[Jesus] who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. (2 Timothy 1:9)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-14, ESV)

 

Here is a song based on this truth:
Listen here.

My Lord, I did not choose You,
For that could never be;
My heart would still refuse You,
Had You not chosen me.

You took the sin that stained me,
You cleansed me, made me new;
Of old You have ordained me,
That I should live in You.

Chorus:
My Lord, I did not choose You,
For that could never be;
My heart would still refuse You,
Had You not chosen me.

Unless Your grace had called me
And taught my opening mind,
The world would have enthralled me,
To heavenly glories blind.

My heart knows none above You;
For Your rich grace I thirst;
I know that if I love You,
You must have loved me first.

How Sinful is Man?

Because of the fall, recorded in Genesis chapter three, all mankind is now born into sin and is bound by it. Genesis chapters 1 and 2 and Revelation chapters 21 and 22 have something in common and that is no sin. Everything between those two sets of chapters is about man and sin. Everything in between, is about the struggle man has with sin and about what God is doing to remove that sin from man and for man. God is holy, just, and righteous and He is infinite. When an offense is committed against an infinite God who holy, just, and righteous and is serious about sin, the punishment must be eternal death. 

Sin has effected every part of man. It has effected his physical body, his spirit, and his mind/will/desires. The following verses show us what man is like before he is saved by Jesus Christ.

Man produces all kinds of evil from the heart- And he[Jesus] said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy,slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23)

Man is weak- For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

Man is a slave to sin- But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (Romans 6:17)

Man is dead in sin- You were dead in the trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1)

Man is a follower of the devil- in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— (Ephesians 2:2)

Man is by nature children of wrath- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:3)

Man does not do good nor righteousness nor seeks God- as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

Man is an enemy of God- For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)

Man is hostile towards God and cannot please God- For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8)

Because of these sins we are more than horribly crippled. Every part of us is effected by sin. Biblically speaking we do not have a free will. When I say we do not have a free will I do not mean that we don’t make choices. We can make choices but they are not choices or desires for good or righteousness. But the most critical thing about this is because we are spiritually dead we cannot make right spiritual decisions. Dead people don’t make choices. Even when Jesus was speaking in the book of John He said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63) Only God can save us and draw us to Himself… No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:44) We will talk more about that later here. Right now we are focusing on our sin and the severity of it.

If you pulled a knife on an average man on the street he might pull one back or at least attempt to fight you. If you pull a knife on a police officer you are going to get hurt and end up in jail. If you attempt to pull a knife on the president you are most likely going to end up dead. Notice the offence was the same from the guy on the street to the president but the consequence of the offense increased, Why? Because the authority was also increasing. If you attempt to pull a knife on the president and are going to end up dead, what do you think the consequence is when we sin against an infinite God who is holy, just, and righteous? Eternal punishment, we deserve God’s Holy and Righteous wrath on sin—Hell.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:18-21)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

But “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

Is Your Bible Good Enough?

Have you ever wondered where we get translations of the Bible from? Or hear someone claim that the Bible can’t be trusted because it has been changed or things have been lost through out the years of it being passed down? Well lets look at the order of things and see where we get our translations from(At least for the English speaking world) 

(Original Manuscripts)... These do not exist or if they do we have no idea where they are.

Starting with the oldest copies, we have:

(Most Ancient Copies) Date back around the 2nd Century.

(Ancient Copies) People keep finding older ones all the time.

The Septuagint: This is the Old Testament translated into Greek around 285 B.C.

Vulgate: Old and New Testament translated into Latin around 400 A.D. It was used for 1,000 years for the Catholic Church.

Wycliffe: New Testament into common English from the Latin around 1380 A.D.

Tyndale: New Testament into English around 1525 A.D. and the Pentateuch around 1530 A.D. these did not lean upon the Latin as much as the Greek from the (Ancient Copies).

The Great Bible: Was made around 1539 A.D. and was based on other Bibles like the Mathews, Coverdale, and Tyndale Bibles. The Matthews leaned on the Tyndale translations and so did the Coverdale. Out of those three only the Tyndale was based on some of the Greek.

The Geneva Bible: Made around 1560 A.D. and heavily leaned upon the Matthews Bible, which was based on Tyndale's translation.

The Bishop's Bible: Made around 1568 A.D. and was based upon the Geneva Bible. It was not in this Bible, but the Council of Trent in 1500s is when the Roman Catholic Church added the Apocrypha.

King James Bible: Made in 1611. This was not based from the (Original Manuscripts), (Most Ancient Copies), or the (Ancient Copies) but was based upon the Bishop's Bible and Geneva Bible. A lot of people hold that the KJV is the best of the best Bibles because “it holds to the Greek and Hebrew” but this is not necessarily true because it is mostly based from the Bishop's Bible and Geneva Bible. The Dead Sea scrolls were not found until 1947 and 1956.

The Revised Version: was made around 1881-85 it had a great advantage over the rest because they had contact with the (Most Ancient Copies) of the Original Copies.

 

Later when they found the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 and 1956 much better copies were able to be made, but the most fascinating thing about all of this is when they found the Dead Sea Scrolls all of the Bibles that are mentioned above, that are based on the Greek and Hebrew, hold true to the Greek and Hebrew... and now we can enjoy versions like NASB, NKJV, ESV, and NIV. God’s word has never been lost even when checked against the recent finds of ancient articles everything has stayed the same.

Verses that sometimes cause question:

John 7:52-8:11 was not fully accepted in the book of John until the 12th century.

1 John 5:7 with the words FATHER, WORD, AND HOLY SPIRIT" is a disputed verse rather it should be accepted most newer versions of the bible take those words out because they were not added until the 12th Century

MARK 16:9-20 was not accepted until 2-4 Century. Compared it to (Hebrews 2:1-4; Romans 15:19; 2 Corinthians 12:12). There are many other "endings" that were made up to "fix" the book of Mark. The reason for all of this is because Mark never really finished his book.

"The ending" of the LORDS prayer "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen." is not found in early manuscripts of the Greek but can be found in 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Besides those few things here are some of God’s own promises to us about His Word.

Matthew 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.- Jesus

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.- Jesus

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. (Luke 16:17)

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

Rev 22:18-19 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

I personally would stay within these four translations: NASB, NKJV, ESV, and NIV. These particular translations stay true to the Hebrew and Greek. They are what we call a “word for word” translation or “thought for thought” translation.

Order of manuscripts to translation:
Thompson, Frank Charles. "The Origin and Growth of the English Bible." The New Chain-reference Bible: Containing Thompson's Original and Complete System of Bible Study, including a Complete Numerical System of Chain References, Analyses of Books, Outline Studies of Characters, and Unique Charts. To Which Has Been Added a New Valuable Series of Pictorial Maps, Archaeological Discoveries, Together with Many Other Features. Self-pronouncing Text. Compiled and Edited by Frank Charles Thompson. Fourth ed. Indianapolis: B.B. Kirkbride Bible, 1964. pages 180-81. Print.

Preach the Word, Trust the Word, & Live the Word

Preach God's Word: We as Christians need to seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to receive power, to live holy lives, and to preach God's word with boldness. It is through the preaching of God's word that God calls people and draws people to Himself to be saved. 

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.(Romans 10:14-17)

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14).

 

Trust God's Word: When we preach God's word that is it. We don't need to trust in anything else because God's word is from God. There is none like Him, there never was nor will be. That means you as well. We cannot trust in any degree we may have, nor any experience we have, nor any personal attribute we have(i.e. great speaker, good looks, humor, money, or I.Q.), not even our own testimony of what God has done in our own life. Trust God at His word. 

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. (Luke 16:17)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.(Matthew 24:35)

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

 

Live God’s Word: We cannot just preach God’s word and trust God’s word but we must also live out God’s word. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9)

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:26)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.(Hebrews 4:12)

An Easy Way to Evangelize.

I love to evangelize and I have seen, used, and taught many different ways to evangelize. Evangelism is simply sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with another person. Living morally, "upright", and doing good will not tell others about Jesus, ever. We must proclaim the gospel and tell people about Jesus. My best friend and brother in Christ, Bobby Upchurch, and I try to evangelize together at the least once a week. We go door-to-door, to parks, or just where ever we are.

“We want to share a method that we have found to be the most useful in day-to-day evangelism. Nonetheless, we want to preface that by saying two things. One, we fail at evangelism everyday by not sharing our faith. Two, evangelism is not about memorizing what to say; it is about loving people enough to say something. You will always be a failure when it comes to evangelism if you feel that it is an obligatory task. We’re called to love people enough to share the only truth that will save their lives. We’re not called to add evangelism to our “feel better about ourselves check-list". We’re not even called to save people. The Holy Spirit convicts and saves. We have the great privilege, however, of being used as His mouth pieces. We share Jesus…period (Matthew 28:18-20) But we can never lose sight of our call to love the lost. Jesus does.” – Bobby Upchurch

We simply evangelize through questions. Following are questions meant only to help guide your conversation toward the gospel. They are not required to be asked in a particular order or at all. First things first, make sure you know the gospel and pray before you go out to intentionally evangelize.

Questions:

1.) Do you have time to answer some questions? (This question is not needed of course if you are already talking to someone)

2.) What is your spiritual background? (This question is for your benefit because it tells you about the person you are talking to and what they believe and where to take the conversation. An alternate question for this if you are already in a conversation is “Do you go to a church anywhere in the area?” These questions also tell you how open the person is going to be with this topic.)

3.) Do you believe in Heaven or Hell and if so what determines a person to go to one or the other besides dying? (Ask this question even if the person is an Atheist. If the person is an Atheist you could rephrase the question to say, “If there is a Heaven and Hell…”. This question, no matter who the person is, what they believe in detail. Religion is man’s attempt to get to God/Heaven. Jesus is the only way. He died because no one can do anything to be saved, get to Heaven, or be with God forever.)

4.) Do you know who Jesus is? What do you think about Jesus? (This causes the conversation to turn one of two ways. Either the conversation will end or the conversation will become lively. The Holy Spirit is the only who can save people and convict people. Your job is to simply share the gospel.

5.) What do you think about what Jesus said in John 14:6? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. (During question 4 many people will say something along the lines of “Jesus was a great teacher” or “He was a great prophet” or something along those lines. When you ask this question about John 14:6 it forcing the person to take their beliefs to its logical end. This is an exclusive claim that Jesus made that is going to reveal in that persons heart that they either agree with Jesus or hate Him.)

6.) Would you like to know more about Jesus? (At this point, it is very easy to approach them with the full gospel. In all of this, be in continuous prayer and sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is saying and wanting. Distractions, debates, or arguments may occur. We do no want any part in debates or arguments. It is one thing to answer questions if they have legitimate questions, but if it moves into a fruitless debate or argument, then you have left the mission field.)

Witnessing to Jehovah Witnesses

Two things you should think about the next time a Jehovah Witness comes to your door. One, don't be so quick to say, "no thanks" and shut the door because you may be passing up an excellent opportunity to share the true gospel and second, if you are going to engage with the Jehovah Witnesses try not to burn bridges right away.

In order to share the true gospel, and not burn bridges, with the Jehovah Witnesses there are a few things that will be required from you. You will need the following:
*Prayer
*Love & Patience
*Know Jesus
*Know the Gospel
*Know the Bible

Hopefully, after reading this, you will feel a lot more comfortable sharing your faith and the truth with a Jehovah Witness.

The next time a Jehovah Witness(JW) knocks on your door, greet them and treat them like a real person, because they are. Also, remember they need Jesus just as much as anybody else. Let them talk and let them explain to you why they are there. Don't interrupt them when they are talking. You don't want them to interrupt you. Also, try not to shut them down right away with the discussion of Jesus' deity, the 144,000, Heaven, Hell, and the Earth, or The New World Translation. There is good timing for all of that later.

Do your best to meet the JW where they are. Ask them to tell you what the most important thing is they want you to know. Ask them, "If we were to never see each other again what is the one thing you want me to know, what is your gospel?". When they tell you, listen very closely because they are going to say things that may sound right and you are going to wan to repeat back to them what they have said. Unfortunately, what the JWs have, is what all cults have, a watered down gospel or non existent gospel. When they have finished telling you their gospel ask them to tell it to you again. Say to them, "I want to make sure that I am understanding you correctly and I don't want to miss anything can you please tell me that again?"

You want to do this for two reasons. One, you really don't want to miss anything they said. Two, you want to show them that you really do care about them and what they have to say and because you want to take God's word seriously. You will want them to show the same respect to you when it is your turn to share the true Gospel with them. After they have told you their gospel twice, you are going to repeat it back to them. Start out, "Is that your gospel?" Let them answer yes or no. Follow up with, "Just so I know for sure what you are saying I want to repeat it back to you to make sure I am not missing anything." Then repeat what they have said to you. When you are finished ask them, was that your gospel? As long as you have repeated what they said was their gospel there shouldn't be any problems.

When they have affirmed to you, essentially three times, that, what they said twice and you repeated is their gospel, then go to your Bible. Ask them if it is okay for you to read some verses out of the Bible. They are most likely going to say yes. Then read to them, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 10:8-13, and Galatians 1:6-9. Then say, "that is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ." At this point it could get a little hairy but you must stick to scripture. The JW may respond with a rebuttal, "that is what I meant" or "well, yes that included." but this is when you explain to them saying, "No, it is not. I asked you twice to explain to me what your gospel is and I repeated what you said and all three times you said, 'yes, that is our gospel.'" At this point make it clear to them that you have or had no intentions in attacking them but only want to show them how serious you take God's word. Whatever happens after this point remember to stick to Jesus and the Gospel. Continuously, try to keep bringing the conversation back to why Jesus came and died and rose again. Share your testimony and how Christ has changed your life and also talk about your prayer life and how God has answered your prayers. Again, when dealing with cults unfortunately those caught up in cults do no have a real personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

If it comes to the point that you have to talk about the deity of Christ you can ask them who they think Jesus is. After they have explained to you who they think Jesus is do not go right in and ask them about the deity of Christ just yet but, because they believe Jesus is not God and was a created angel, the archangel Michael, ask them to show you where in scripture it says that Jesus is the archangel Michael. No where in scripture does it say this nor does it even hint at it. But this is what the JWs hold to.

The JWs will probably go to 1 Thessalonians.

"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first." (1 Thessalonians 4:16). If this is their logic that because He comes with the voice of an archangel then He must be an archangel then logic also follows that because He also comes with the sound of the trumpet of God then He must be God.

In Jude 9-10 we see Michael afraid to confront Satan. This is not our Jesus. No, instead when we read Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is not afraid at all of Satan and in fact commands Satan what to do.

Angels throughout the gospels do not let people worship them because only God is allowed to be worshiped. But Jesus allows people to worship Him thus showing He is God.

The JWs will also try to point out the Greek and Hebrew words for Hell and try to allude to you that the words do not mean nor never meant a place of eternal torment but only a place of rest in the grave. At this point ask the JW where Satan and his demons will go when Christ returns. If the JWs say that they believe that there is a lake of fire of torment for Satan then you can show them Matthew:

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41-46)

The main point of meeting and taking time with the JWs is not to debate or have intellectual arguments but simply show them where they are wrong and present the true gospel to them. Before this is done, you must be equipped to do so, know the Gospel, the Bible, and spend lots of time in prayer. If you try to do this out of your own flesh or to try to win an argument you will have defeated the purpose of meeting with the Jehovah Witnesses and will not have done any good for anybody. For other central doctrines and their scripture click here.

Central Doctrines of Christianity

This is not an exhaustive list of verses for each topic given. Below is a list of central doctrines of Christianity found in Scripture-the bible-God's true and living word. 

The Gospel

Romans 3:10-12

Romans 3:23

Romans 6:23

1 Corinthians 15:1-5
Romans 10:6-13
Galatians 1:6-9

Jesus is God's only begotten son born of the virgin Mary. He was sent by God to live a perfect life and then die on our behalf of our sin. Three days after Jesus was crucified and buried He came back to life and resurrected from the grave. He did this so that we may die to our sins and have new life in Him. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death but the free gift of eternal life is in Jesus Christ. If we repent/turn away from our sins and turn to Jesus and put our whole faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the LORD and Savior of our life and confess with our mouth that He died and rose again, we will be saved. 

God is the One eternal God who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is the only God that exists. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three Persons are co-equal and co-eternal. They are also distinguishable or distinct from one another. These three distinct Persons are the one God. Everything that is true about God is true about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God's Attributes:

Aseity (Independence& Self existence)
Genesis 1:1
Acts 17:24-25
Psalm 50:10-12
Revelation 4:11
Psalm 90:2
Exodus 3:14
Isaiah 46:9-11
Revelation 1:8; 4:8

Omnipotent (Sovereign/in control of all things)
1 Timothy 6:15
Genesis 18:14
Genesis 1
Jeremiah 32:37
Ephesians 3:20
Revelation 1:8
2 Corinthians 2:16
Matthew 19:26
Luke 1:37

Omniscient (knows all things at all times)
Psalms 139:1
Ephesians 1:3-10
Job 37:16
1 John 3:20
1 Corinthians 2:10-11
Hebrews 4:13
Isaiah 46:9-10

Omnipresent (Is everywhere at all times)
Psalm 139:2
Psalm 139:7-10
Colossians 1:17
1 Kings 8:27
Isaiah 66:1-2
Acts 7:48

Immutable (Unchangeability)
Hebrews 13:8
Malachi 3:6
Numbers 23:19
Psalm 102:25-27
Isaiah 46:9-11

There is only one God and He is one:
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Mark 12:28-34
Malachi 2:10
Isaiah 44:6-8
Isaiah 45:2-6, 23
Isaiah 46:4-6
Ephesians 4:5-6
1 Timothy 2:5
James 2:19
Revelation 4:2-3

God is Spirit
John 4:23-24
Acts 7:48-49
Psalm 139: 11-12
1 Kings 8:27
Jeremiah 23:21-17
Jesus is 100% God
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6
John 1:1-14
Malachi 2:10
Genesis 1:1
Zacharias 14:9
Isaiah 43:10-11
Exodus 3:13-15
Revelation 1:8
Revelation 21:6
Revelation 22:13
Acts 20:28
Hebrews 13:8
1 Timothy 6:15

Jesus is 100% God
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6
John 1:1-14
Malachi 2:10
Genesis 1:1
Zacharias 14:9
Isaiah 43:10-11
Exodus 3:13-15
Revelation 1:8
Revelation 21:6
Revelation 22:13
Acts 20:28
Hebrews 13:8
1 Timothy 6:15

Jesus is 100% man
Matthew 1:23
1 Timothy 3:16
2 Corinthians 5:19
John 12:44-45
John 10:30-33
John 14:6-10
John 8:56-58

The Holy Spirit is God
John 15:26 - Holy Spirit has masculine personhood
1 Corinthians 12:11
Hebrews 2:4
Romans 8:26-27
John 16:13-15
Hebrews 9:14
Psalm 139:7-10
Luke 1:35-37
Romans 1:4
John 16:7-11

Hell is a real place. It is a place of eternal torment on Satan and his demons. It is also the place for those who reject Christ. Hell is God's Righteous and Holy wrath on sin.
Ephesians 2:1-5
Revelation 20:10
Revelation 19:20
Revelation 14:8-11
Matthew 25:41
Mark 9:48
Jude 7
Matthew 18:8-9
Mark 9:43
Matthew 10:28

Man: Body, Soul, and Spirit
Luke 1:46-47
Isaiah 26:9
Matthew 6:25
Matthew 10:28
1 Corinthians 5:3-5
1 Thessalonians 5:23
Hebrews 4:12

Man: His sinful nature
Produces all kinds of evil from the heart- Mark 7:21-24
Weak- Romans 5:6
A slave to sin- Romans 6
Dead in sin- Ephesians 2
A follower of the devil- Ephesians 2
By nature children of wrath- Ephesians 2
Sons of disobedience- Ephesians 2
Does not do good or righteousness- Romans 3
Does not seek God- Romans 3
Enemies of God- Romans 5:10
Hostile towards God- Romans 8:7-8