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Reason Baffled
Dear Brother in the Bowels of the once-slaughtered, but now exalted Christ,—I received your kind letter, and thank you for all favors. What a divine mercy it is that the Lord reigns; and, bless his dear name, he can make no mistake; so that whatever crosses or afflictions he sends to or suffers to come upon his people, they are all subject to his sovereign control, and must, in the end, work for their good. Flesh and blood often say, “How can this be?” I have long proved that I have no business to meddle with the hows, whys, and wherefores; but God knows, my brother, fools will be meddling; and, in very deed, I am one of these fools, and very often both call…
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Part 1 – (3) Deuteronomy 5:29
“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”—Deuteronomy 5:29. I. These vehement desires of God for the good of these people, are said to be irreconcilable with his decrees of election and reprobation; and supposing those decrees, they are represented[1] to be hypocritical: to which may be replied: 1. For God passionately to wish good things, even salvation itself, for some, and not for all, is no ways contrary, but perfectly agreeable to the doctrine of election. If any thing is said to the purpose, as militating against that doctrine, it ought to be said and proved, that God has…
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6 Bible Doctrine – Are There Adaptations Of Arminianism And Calvinism?
A Transcript Of The Video Study The simple answer is yes, there are adaptations of Arminianism and Calvinism. However, the answer becomes a little more complicated when attempting to identify the variant teachings of these two frameworks. In an effort to simplify the matter, there are three main categories under which these adaptions of Arminianism and Calvinism may be arranged—First, the “point” classification; Second, the “scale” classification; Third, the “shade” classification. All of this may sound rather technical, but as I hope to show you, it actually explains in a concise form an otherwise bewildering clash of differences between believers on these matters. Let’s begin with the first category—the “point” classification. The point classification is based on the number of points to which one subscribes.…
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5 Bible Doctrine – What Is The Spectrum Of Sovereign Grace?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous studies, I have drawn a clear distinction between two frameworks of theology—Arminianism and Calvinism. I have sought to show you that Arminianism is based on the philosophy of Humanism, and is therefore the epitome of all false religion; whereas Calvinism is based on the revelation of sovereign grace, which is the essence of all true religion. However, the leading factor which determines whether a sinner will enter into the kingdom of God is the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit; not the substance of a preacher’s sermon or the content of a sinner’s creed. Henceforth, it is possible for a regenerate sinner to subscribe to the teachings of Arminianism, just as it is possible for an…
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4 Bible Doctrine – Do These Teachings Identify A True Christian?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous study, I drew a sharp line between these two systems of teaching—Arminianism, which is deeply rooted in the philosophy of Humanism; and Calvinism, which is rooted in the sovereign grace of the TriUne Jehovah. Arminianism, as it has its roots in humanism, is the epitome of false religion; whereas Calvinism, as it has its roots in sovereign grace, is the essence of true religion. The question which therefore follows—are we to conclude, if Arminianism is the epitome of false religion, and if one subscribes to it, then he/she must be a non-Christian? There are some who take a very strong and harsh view on this question. I know, for instance, of some Arminians who believe all…
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3 Bible Doctrine – Do These Teachings Originate With Arminius And Calvin?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous study, we considered the meaning of the labels “Arminianism” and “Calvinism”. I presented to you the five major doctrines each framework of teachings represent—the five points of Arminianism based on the teachings of a Dutch theologian named Jacobus Arminius, and the five points of Calvinism based on the teachings of a French theologian named John Calvin. And so, the question which naturally follows—do these teachings originate with Jacobus Arminius and John Calvin? The answer is, no! Arminius and Calvin were not the authors or originators of these teachings. They merely set out in a systematic form what had been in circulation for centuries. In fact, both systems of theology can be traced as far back as…
