Why the Reformation Still Matters

Posted by Dan C. on

As Reformation Day approaches, a timely reminder posted here a few years ago.

Dan C.'s avatarThe Battle Cry

by Michael Reeves

Last year, on October 31, Pope Francis announced that after five hundred years, Protestants and Catholics now “have the opportunity to mend a critical moment of our history by moving beyond the controversies and disagreements that have often prevented us from understanding one another.” From that, it sounds as if the Reformation was an unfortunate and unnecessary squabble over trifles, a childish outburst that we can all put behind us now that we have grown up.

But tell that to Martin Luther, who felt such liberation and joy at his rediscovery of justification by faith alone that he wrote, “I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.” Tell that to William Tyndale, who found it such “merry, glad and joyful tidings” that it made him “sing, dance, and leap for joy.” Tell it to Thomas Bilney, who found it…

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A Comparison of Arminianism and Calvinism

Posted by Dan C. on

From 10+ years ago, and still relevant today.

Dan C.'s avatarThe Battle Cry

The information below provides an accurate and easily understood explanation of the central teachings of two schools of thought concerning the salvation of men. This post is not intended to promote one view or the other. The topics presented can certainly be discussed without labels connected to the men they represent, Jacob Arminius and John Calvin. However, they seem inextricably linked and therefore are used in this post. You are encouraged to further research both systems of thought, and to examine both in the light of Scripture.

Free-Will or Human Ability – Arminianism

Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe, but He does not interfere with man’s freedom. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it. Man’s freedom consists…

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“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

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“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

— Read on reformeddoctrine.com/2022/09/27/for-while-we-were-still-helpless-at-the-right-time-christ-died-for-the-ungodly-2/

Who CAN (is able) come to Christ?

Posted by Dan C. on

This is a blast from the past (2011) worthy of repeating…

Dan C.'s avatarThe Battle Cry

Is anyone and everyone able to come to Christ, solely in the strength of human will? What, if anything, does the Bible have to say about who can (has the ability) come to Christ? For the moment, lay any doctrinal position you already have aside and just focus on the words in the pages of Scripture.

“No one cancome to me unlessthe Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyonewho has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” – John 6:44-45

Those who are drawn by the Father, and who have heard from and learned from the Father are able to come to Christ. We are in fact told that they will come.

“. . .no one can come to…

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The REST of the Verse – 2 Peter 3:9

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It’s been said by some biblical scholars that the three most important rules for a proper and thorough understanding of the text of Scripture are Context, Context, & Context. By that we mean:

  • The immediate context in a section or chapter of Scripture
  • The larger context of a particular book in the Bible
  • The broad context of the entire Bible and God’s plan for his children

I freely admit that some passages of Scripture can be valuable in and of themselves as precious promises, words of comfort, or even admonition or warning. They can also be used to ‘prove’ one’s personal opinion or preferred interpretation. Examining context can therefore be not only profitable, but extremely edifying.

With that said, let’s examine 2 Peter 3:9.  

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing (“willing”, KJV) that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance”. (2 Pet 3:9, ESV)

We are not concerned so much with what we think it means or what we might want it to ‘prove’, but only what it is actually telling us in the three contexts mentioned above (chapter, book, the entire Bible). We can ask a few simple questions to accomplish our goal.

1. To whom is it written?

First of all, we know that the Apostle Peter wrote it, along with another, earlier letter (1 Peter) to a person or group of people called “you”. (The KJV and a few other translations use the term “us-ward”, or simply “us”.) If we look at the first chapters of 1 & 2 Peter letters’ greetings to his hearers, we are told exactly to whom they were written:

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,” (1 Pet 1:1)

“Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:”(1 Pet 2:1)

From those two greetings we know that Peter was writing to a group of God’s chosen people scattered across Asia Minor (1 Pet 1:1) and that they were fellow believers (2 Pet 1:1). That’s important.

2. What does it mean that “God is not slow to fulfill his promise? What promise?

In addition to our subject verse (2 Pet 3:9), Peter also writes:

“. . .you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your
apostles,  knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. “They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”(2 Pet 3:2-4)

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Pet 3:10)

When Peter said “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise” he was referring to the day of the Lord, and not wanting any of God’s chosen people (elect exiles) to perish, but that they all would come to repentance and been saved.

3. What about the context of the entire Bible concerning God’s chosen people and salvation? Is there a wider application to be found in 2 Peter 3:9?

Although there are numerous places in Scripture where God’s promises for his chosen people are  declared, I think Peter answered our third and final question quite clearly:

“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 Pet 1:3-5)

The Apostle Paul also summarized it even more succinctly:

 “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.” (Phil 1:6)

So regardless of what you have believed about 2 Peter 3:9, now you have. . .

. . .the REST of the verse!

Be Blessed!

 

What Does it mean to Come to Christ?

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Before we take a closer look at it really means to “come” to Christ, we need to realize that the term “come” must be understood spiritually and not carnally. We know this because the Bible tells us that our natural mind is actually hostile to God:

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (Rom 8:7)

The Bible also tells us that the natural man is unable to understand spiritual matters:

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14)

Our coming to Christ not merely a matter of obeying God’s commandments, attending a Church service, going to a Bible study, listening to Christian music, or even reading the Bible. Anyone can do all of those things. Genuine coming to Christ is a spiritual matter.

With that understanding, we, can now try and describe our “coming” to Christ. To paraphrase John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress author John Bunyan described it as a “moving of the mind towards him”, from “a sound sense of the absolute want that a man has of him (Christ) for his justification and salvation.”

In simpler terms, when a person realizes his/her spiritually lost condition in sin, and that justification and salvation are only to be found in Christ, that person willingly comes to Christ. Coming to Christ involves both the will and the heart. So how can we describe those who genuinely come to Christ? Consider these evidences:

· They come with prayers, supplications and tears, demonstrating their heartfelt need for mercy.

“With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” (Jeremiah 31:9)

  • They ‘run’ to Christ, fleeing the wrath to come. Realizing their desperate condition in sin and that Christ is the only way of escape, they fly to safety as fast as they can. (Matt 3:7; Psa 143:9).
  • A genuine coming to Christ is marked by a clear sense of an absolute need of Jesus Christ to save and evident from the outcries of those even as they are coming to him. Consider the following examples:

PETER WALKING ON WATER

“But when he (Peter) saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” . (Matthew 14:30)

PETER PREACHING AT PENTECOST

“Now when they (the crowd) heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)

THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER

“Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30)

  • A genuine coming to Christ is accompanied by an honest and sincere forsaking everything to follow him.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)

The above evidences describe all those who have, or are coming to Christ. Anyone genuinely coming to Christ for salvation casts leaves everything behind and forsaking all to follow Christ. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer so eloquently said in his book The Cost of Discipleship:

“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die”

When we glance at today’s evangelical environment, we can see example after example of invitations to come to Christ for a multitude of reasons focused on what we mortals desire most in this life (our best lives now), rather than what God has done for us in sending his Son do die for our sins. Some have called them “adventures in missing the gospel.”

Anyone who truly comes to Christ comes because of being spiritually awakened to the reality of their sin, the dire consequences of it, and the reality that Jesus Christ is the only escape from the just wrath of God.

My desire is that everyone who reads this has truly come to Christ and is faithfully serving him in whatever vocation they find themselves. If not……..

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Fully Equipped!

Posted by Dan C. on

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If we were to break that down into outline form we could say that Scripture is:

1. Breathed out (inspired) by God and given to man

2. Profitable for:

  • Teaching
  • Reproof (proof or conviction)
  • Correction
  • Training in righteousness

3. So that:

  • The man of God may be complete
  • The man of God is fully equipped for every good work

Rather straightforward and easily understood, is it not? Scripture contains everything anyone might need to live a godly life and faithfully serve our God.

While I was serving in the Army, there were several stages to becoming ‘fully’ equipped. The first stage was at the reception station when I enlisted. Once assigned to a Special Forces unit after initial training (basic & advanced), stage 2 kicked in and there was another set of equipment given to all new members of the unit. Then, after being assigned to a specific operational detachment (‘A Team), another set of specialized equipment was issued, depending on the specific mission of the Team (mountain, scuba, HALO, Special Wpns, etc.), and the specific position to be manned on the Team (medical, demolitions, communications, weapons, etc.).

I’m sure you could discover the same ‘equipping for performance’ principal exists for most jobs, for every sort of occupation, in every labor sector. Do you see the glaring comparison between Scripture’s sufficiency for equipping the man of God for every good work in the Kingdom and what’s be needed for earthy vocations? What a blessing God has provided his children!

Another point to be made here is that our passages tells us that being fully equipped for Christian service is connected in some way to all of scripture. That statement brings to mind the Apostle Paul’s assurance the Ephesian Christians that he had preached to them the whole counsel of God.

“. . .for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:2, ESV)

One Bible teacher suggests that what Paul meant was “ I told you all the important things that God has revealed that you must know for your salvation and service to Him.” We are not told everything there is about God or in the mind of God – we are finite and he is infinite. There is no way we could handle everything about God or all of his thoughts!

So what? How can we best apply what that passage teaches us? There are two things that present themselves to this old soldiers ‘brain housing group’, especially as we look around and thoughtfully consider today’s evangelical landscape.

Concerning Scripture itself, while other sources can help us tremendously in our Christian walk in this life, if all we had was the Bible, it would be enough. I don’t know about you, but my Facebook page is literally filled with links to and offers for every kind of Christian source imaginable. We’re talking about churches (local and otherwise), Christian discipleship material, along with concerts and events, not to mention Christian apparel and all sorts of trinkets.

Concerning all of Scripture and the whole counsel of God, It grieves me to see so many memes and images of Bible passages ripped completely out of context that, while they might give us ‘warm fuzzies’, complete miss the fuller meaning that the author intended. Then there is contemporary Christian music (CCM). It tends to mostly be about the positive aspects of Christian life, either focused on blessings, what God purposes to give us as his main reason for being, omitting topics which might not be very popular, like sin, wrath, and judgment. If you doubt that, compare a few classic hymns of the church to CCM. Feel free to challenge me.

Lastly, there’s the content of much of what is presented from pulpits and stages from ‘sea to shining sea’ these days. While there some church leaders who preach and teach in an expository manner from the pages of Scripture, they are in the minority these days. Additionally, much of what we hear these days, whether topical or focused on teaching the text at hand (expository) seems to be man-focused than God centered.

Please note that I am not being intentionally critical, but personal observations. I don’t intend to be argumentative, but like I already mentioned, certain things grieve me, or should I say grieve the spirit living me.

If there are any lessons to be learned from what is written here, they are two-fold.

First, spend more time reading and studying your own Bible than every other source that comes your way promising to teach you the ‘real deal’ concerning Scripture.

Secondly, be selective concerning your preferred sources of preaching and teaching. That also includes Christian music. After all, music both preaches and teaches.

Not only do we want to receive all of what God has to say to us, we want what God offers to us to fill our hearts and minds.

Be Blessed!

Book Review: Studies on Saving Faith – A. W. Pink

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The introduction to this book at Monergism.com, states the following:

clip_image002One of the most helpful books we have ever read on the gospel. Pink’s deep understanding of the nature of regeneration and how that relates to faith and works is top notch. Pink levels the serious and solemn charge that much “evangelistic” preaching falls short on delivering the true gospel message. He states, “The ‘evangelism’ of the day is not only superficial to the last degree, but it is radically defective. It is utterly lacking a foundation on which to base an appeal for sinners to come to Christ. There is not only a lamentable lack of proportion (the mercy of God being made far more prominent than His holiness, His love than His wrath), but there is a fatal omission of that which God has given for the purpose of imparting a knowledge of sin. There is not only a reprehensible introducing of ‘bright singing,’ humorous witticisms and entertaining anecdotes, but there is a studied omission of the dark background upon which alone the Gospel can effectually shine forth.” Whether you are a preacher or a layperson, this remarkably relevant study in Scripture will challenge you to hold firmly to the Gospel.

I’ve just finished my first reading and I have to say that I was blessed beyond measure in ways too numerous to mention in this article. The book proper is divided into four parts; Part I – Signs of the Times (Introduction), Part II – Saving Faith, Part III – Coming to Christ, and Part IV – Assurances. Parts I – IV are divided into logical and easily understandable subsections and thoroughly supported from Scripture.

Sometime after completing his most thorough treatment on saving faith, he decided to further amplify one or two of the leading points with the hope that some might be helped thereby, in the form of four dialogues. The simulated, but completely relevant and believable dialogues, between ‘The Writer’ and two gentlemen, ‘Mr. Carnal Confidence’ and ‘Mr. Humble Heart’, actually summarize the entire content of the earlier parts of the book, expressed in language quite familiar to early 20th century readers, yet at the same time easily understood today.

I found the dialogues to be not only an amplification of the book proper, but an excellent summary of its entire contents. I highly encourage you to read not only the book proper, but also the Dialogues. You will be blessed!

_____________

Studies on Saving Faith is available for download without cost at Monergism.com and the Members Only section of the Christian Military Fellowship Website here, and also available for purchase at Amazon.com, as well as from numerous Christ book distributors.

Book Review: Regeneration and Conversion – W. E. Best

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I don’t remember exactly how I discovered W. E. Best’s book Regeneration and Conversion. Nevertheless, I recently read it and will probably return to it now and again for various reasons, as well read other books by this wonderful Pastor and author. The list of his books found here has this to say as an introduction to Regeneration and Conversion:

“How does a person become a true Christian? Many people believe they have to earn good standing with God by their upright moral behavior, including their choice to have faith in God. Salvation is entirely the work of a sovereign and gracious God. Regeneration is an immediate act of God that imparts the principle of life without any participation by men. Conversion is the beginning of a holy life, and is the first of many conversion experiences throughout the Christian’s earthly pilgrimage. God doesn’t make bad people into good people; instead, He makes dead people alive, grants faith to believe the gospel, and transforms hearts so that we then want to obey Him.”

Naturally, the book is divided into the two sections in the title, Regeneration and Conversion. Both sections discuss their respective subjects using the most chapter of the Bible, the Gospel of John, as the central biblical focus, using Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus to address in-depth each topic.

The introduction to the topic of Regeneration begins thusly:

“The religious world is staggering under the influence of a depraved intellectualism which denies God His right to operate among the peoples of the world as He pleases. No one can believe in free will and free grace at the same time. These subjects are as diametrically opposed as light and darkness, heaven and hell, or a holy God and an unholy man, To believe in free will dethrones the sovereign God; to believe in free grace dethrones depraved man. Who is on the throne in your concept of salvation?”

The introduction to the topic of Conversion has this to say:

“The subject in John 3:14-18 is conversion, not regeneration. It may seem to the untutored Christian that conversion is synonymous with regeneration, but the student of Scripture soon learns to distinguish the difference. Regeneration is the sole act of God in the heart of the sinner, and is described in the Bible by such terms as these: new birth (John 3:3, 5); God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10); and a new creature (II Cor. 5:17). Conversion, however, is the turning of the regenerate by the influence of God’s grace.”

This book makes a compelling case for the necessity of regeneration preceding faith in the life of all genuine believers. Every believer in Christ either exercises his/her own natural faith and is then “born again” (regenerated), or must be regenerated first, followed by exercising saving faith and receiving the new birth.

I must confess that for a long time I was convinced that my new birth was the result of a natural free will decision after acknowledging that Christ was the sacrifice for my sin. Over time, I have come to believe that the new birth was necessary before I could savingly believe in Christ.

Regardless of what you personally believe, W.E. Best makes a compelling case for his argument and I highly recommend reading Regeneration and Conversion, for spiritual stimulation and exercise!

________________

Wilbern Elias (W. E.) Best was born on June 18, 1919 and went home to be with the Lord on June 15, 2007. Brother Best was married to Ada Juanita Best for 64 years and had a son named Richard. Ada Juanita Best was born on February 4, 1919 and stepped out of time into eternity on December 14, 2002. Brother Best served our Lord in the Gospel ministry for over 60 years and pastored churches in Missouri and in Texas.

Works by W. E. Best can be accessed and downloaded using the following links:

Free Books on Christian Theology and Bible Study | W. E. Best Book Missionary Trust (webbmt.org)

W.E. Best Library (springassemblyofchrist.org)