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“I Believe In Free Will” “Me, Too”
“That’s where we differ”, said my questioner, “I believe in freewill.” What do you mean by freewill? In one sense nothing can exist, or function, except God permits it, including man’s will. Man is not God, he is not free and self-existent. Man’s will is free only to the extent God allows. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Proverbs 21:1). Yet, undoubtedly, God has allowed men a degree of freedom in their choices and decisions. He does not force us. Even the powerful, sovereign operations of God’s grace in conversion do not drive men to unwilling obedience. Rather, the elect of God, for whom salvation has been eternally purposed are…
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Tom Nettles Versus George Ella On Fuller
Having been of quite another opinion than The Founders Journal so often about what I believe and disbelieve and having met their ill-founded and quite misleading arguments to a large extent in various articles and books, I was surprised to read an online article today (20.10. 2014) by Tom Nettles, originally published in Issue 53 of the Founders Journal for 2003 and entitled ‘Jonathan Edwards: An Appreciation’, containing a doubly mistaken report appertaining both to myself and Andrew Fuller. I had obviously missed this at the time it was written. In Nettles’ article, the author creates an effigy of wax to stick pins into which he gives my name in order to create an Andrew Fuller after his own heart. Bad as I believe Fuller’s…
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27 Bible Doctrine – How Can The Framework Of Sovereign Grace Be Used As A Tool For Discipleship And Evangelism?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous study, I commended the Framework of Sovereign Grace as an excellent teaching tool for evangelism and discipleship. First, it is a scripturally shaped framework, based on the teachings of Romans 9:21-23 and 2 Timothy 2:20; Second, it begins with the Unconditional Election of God the Father, rather than the Total Depravity of man; Third, it allows room to discuss other vital doctrines and related issues within the context of God’s masterplan for the ages; Fourth, it doesn’t require the use of unnecessary academic labels; Fifth, it presents the major teachings of the Bible in the form of a diagram, illustrating how they fit together as a whole; Sixth, it tends to nurture a warm and humble…
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Ten Arguments Against Duty Faith
It is popular in modern evangelical circles to preach that it is the duty of all men to believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour. This teaching spawns numerous errors and is so widespread that to question it results in faithful men having their characters and ministry blackened. However, every fashion has its day and we look forward to the time when our brothers and sisters in Christ turn their back on the mongrel gospel of duty faith and return once again to the true gospel of free and sovereign grace in Jesus Christ. Here are ten arguments with which to rattle and pierce the empty barrel of duty faith. 1. Christ did not teach duty faith All who examine the Lord’s own ministry will…
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Chapter 12: Of Exhortation To Sinners To Come To Christ, In Preaching The Gospel, Examined.
The bowels of Jesus Christ are the greatest bowels to sinners, Phil. 1:8, and therefore let us understand what the bowels and mercies are, Phil. 2:1, and understand what the mind and will of the Lord is, Eph. 5:17, in exhortations. An exhortation plainly differs from an invitation, {though we see that men have mismatched them, as if they understood not the property of them,} and likewise is the difference from an offer of Grace. It is sheer ignorance in the thoughts of any men to take them up promiscuously; that is, without order or consideration, without any regard or respect to difference. An offer, as I’ve have shown, is before a person, and an invitation is of a person, and is sent out after…
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26 Bible Doctrine – Are There Disadvantages Using The Five Points Of Calvinism As A Tool For Evangelism And Discipleship?
A Transcript Of The Video Study In our previous study, I gave an explanation on what I believe the terms evangelism and discipleship mean, and then proceeded to show how the Five Points of Calvinism can be used as a teaching tool for both. In my concluding remarks, I commended to you the use of the Five Points for that purpose. Indeed, there are some advantages associated with using the Five Points as a teaching tool—first, it provides a basic summary of the duties incumbent upon the unregenerate under the authority of the covenant of works, and also of the blessings bestowed upon the regenerate under the authority of the covenant of grace; second, it clearly distinguishes between the free will of man on the…
