@Presby02
I will be more than happy to do so, in the morning, my day is far spent to do justice to this all important truth. Most religious sects know nothing of the truth how the first church at Jerusalem and Paul's evangelism of the Gentiles from Acts 13-28 in order to wisely defend God’s sovereignty in salvation, and it's importance to rightly understand the gospel and our duties as believers. Most have it all backwards, sad, but true.
Will not finish is one post, so bear with me.
Romans 1:15
“So, as much as in me is, I am ready
to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.”
Almost all religious sects believe and teach preaching saves the lost in a
regenerate sense, rescues the perishing, and so fills heaven. Almost from every pulpit around this world common scheme Sunday after Sunday is God wants to save everybody
so bad that He sent His Son to pay for all their sins, and the Holy Spirit
tries to get everyone to believe; so salvation is possible for all,
if they would but cooperate with God’s desires.
Gospel preaching is understood and treated as a sacrament for Baptists (I can freely speak of this groups since there are literally hundreds of such churches within a fifty square mile radius of me ~ an outward sign that conveys inward grace ~ to bring eternal life to lost wicked men.
Their doctrine may be reduced to
decisional regeneration – the unregenerate and unsaved person may become regenerated with a reservation in heaven by making
a mere decision in response to hearing the gospel presented by any sort of means. They sing songs like “Rescue the Perishing,” “Throw Out the Lifeline,” “There’s a New Name written Down in Glory,” and so forth, as thougth that name was written at that very second one believed! So unscriptural.
Organizations to “spread the gospel” are legion with constant financial pleas.
Arminians propose lost men are just ignorant and only need to believe the gospel to be born again. They deny and reject total depravity and exalt the free will of man in God’s plan to save all. To them a mere emotional moment of “deciding for Christ”
is sufficient for eternal life.
Some Calvinist aren't much better, they propose lost men are dead and
will by necessity believe the gospel to be saved. Even though teaching total depravity and unconditional election,
they still require man’s faith. They defend this contradiction by calling faith the instrument of salvation; but once faith is necessary,
we ask how much? how long? how correct? how alone?
Because we hold eternal life an unconditional gift of God by election and predestination in Christ with all the operations of grace performed by Divine Power without a single loss,
we are ridiculed for removing any purpose or value from preaching the gospel.
I fully understand some holding our doctrine became Fatalists to most human responsibility, after one comes to Christ. Some holding our doctrine became Antinomians to good works after salvation. Some holding our doctrine became Universalists of a false hope for most all men. Some holding our doctrine became opposed to evangelism or preaching to others. we hope to address these points as we move forward.
Many say they see both God’s sovereignty and man’s free will taught in Scripture, but they choose to exalt man and make salvation their own work. We choose rather to exalt Jesus Christ alone and reconcile verses about faith and works
as evidence, not conditions.
These two doctrines of salvation differ greatly with horrible consequences (
Ezek 13:22). The righteous are made sad by not hearing
the glories of an all-sufficient Saviour. The wicked are strengthened by
a false promise of life from decisional salvation.
Later....
