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A Five Pointer: Calvinism Explained
This article[1] is designed to provide an overview of The Doctrines of Grace. Not only will each point be stated as clearly and concisely as possible, but the points will be interconnected in order to demonstrate the essential teaching of the "system" as a whole. The following sketch is offered as a guide: I. The Doctrine of Man. The first and last points stand in contrast to each other, highlighting the nature of man and his relationship to God. 1. Total Depravity is the condition of man before he becomes a Christian. He is born the first time with a body and soul (Jn 3:6). However, his soul is dead (Eph 2:1), having been conceived in sin (Ps 51:5). There are serious implications of this…
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A. H. Strong On Pastoral Oversight
Augustus Hopkins Strong (1836-1921), a leading Theologian espousing Particular Baptist convictions and author of "Systematic Theology". With reference to the pastoral office in a church, he wrote: In certain of the New Testament churches there appears to have been a plurality of elders (Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5). There is, however, no evidence that the number of elders was uniform or that the plurality which frequently existed was due to any other cause than the size of the churches for which these elders cared. The New Testament example, while it permits the multiplication of assistant pastors according to need, does not require a plural elder-ship in every case nor does it render this elder-ship, where it exists, of coordinate authority with the church. There…
