Dr. John MacArthur (opening, Part 1)
Dr. RC Sproul (rejoinder, Part 2)
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Debate on the issue of infant baptism Dr. John Mac Arthur and Dr. RC Sproul
The debate on the issue of infant baptism. Each segment is around 40 mins.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Foreknowledge vs. Foreordination
The obvious distinction between foreknowledge and foreordination, or predestination, has been the occasion for much discussion, there being those who assert that God, by His foreknowledge, discriminated between those who by their own choice would accept salvation and those who would not, and, being thus informed, God was able to predestinate those He knew would believe.
The superficial character of this notion is seen in:
1. the fact that foreknowledge and foreordination, or predestination, could not be placed in a sequence. Nothing could be foreknown as certain that had not been made certain by foreordination, nor could anything be foreordained that was not foreknown. Of three passages bearing on the relationship between these two divine activities, two mention foreknowledge first in order, while the other reverses this arrangement. In Romans 8:29 it is written, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate"; and in 1 Peter 1:2 believers are addressed as "elect according to the foreknowledge of God." But in Acts 2:23, where the divine purpose in Christ's death is in view, it is said: "him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."
2. the Scriptures declare that that which comes to pass is foreordained of God and not merely foreknown. Salvation is by grace apart from works. Men are not saved because of good works whether anticipated or realized. Election is according to grace and not according to works. If salvation be by grace, it is no more of works, and if it be by works, it is no more of grace ( Romans 11:56 ) . In the light of this revelation, it is impossible to build a foreseen structure of works as the ground of any person's salvation. Similarly, there is divine authority for denying that faith and personal holiness, even foreseen, determine divine election. The Bible reverses this order by declaring that election is unto faith and holiness. It is no slight error to confuse these issues and make faith and holiness the cause and election the effect. Faith can serve no greater purpose that to be the means by which that which God has determined may be realized. Referring again to passages already cited, it will be seen that God chose from the beginning those to be saved, and predestinated them to "belief of the truth" ( 2 Thess. 2:13 ) ; and He chose some before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love ( Eph. 1:4 ) .
3. thus it is revealed that men are not first holy and then elect; but they are first elect and that election is unto holiness. As an illustration of this order in the truth, the Apostle refers to the divine choice of Jacob over Esau before they were born and before they had done either good or evil. All this, it is said, is to the end that the divine election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calls (Rom. 9:10-13). It may be added that acceptable works and qualities are not resident in any fallen human being, except these characteristics are wrought in the human heart by divine energy. It would therefore be folly to expect the God would foresee in men what could never exist. Doubtless, multitudes of people cling to a conditional election lest they be forced to recognize the depravity of man. ( Lewis Sperry Chafer Systematic Theology III, pg. 173-174)
The obvious distinction between foreknowledge and foreordination, or predestination, has been the occasion for much discussion, there being those who assert that God, by His foreknowledge, discriminated between those who by their own choice would accept salvation and those who would not, and, being thus informed, God was able to predestinate those He knew would believe.
The superficial character of this notion is seen in:
1. the fact that foreknowledge and foreordination, or predestination, could not be placed in a sequence. Nothing could be foreknown as certain that had not been made certain by foreordination, nor could anything be foreordained that was not foreknown. Of three passages bearing on the relationship between these two divine activities, two mention foreknowledge first in order, while the other reverses this arrangement. In Romans 8:29 it is written, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate"; and in 1 Peter 1:2 believers are addressed as "elect according to the foreknowledge of God." But in Acts 2:23, where the divine purpose in Christ's death is in view, it is said: "him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."
2. the Scriptures declare that that which comes to pass is foreordained of God and not merely foreknown. Salvation is by grace apart from works. Men are not saved because of good works whether anticipated or realized. Election is according to grace and not according to works. If salvation be by grace, it is no more of works, and if it be by works, it is no more of grace ( Romans 11:56 ) . In the light of this revelation, it is impossible to build a foreseen structure of works as the ground of any person's salvation. Similarly, there is divine authority for denying that faith and personal holiness, even foreseen, determine divine election. The Bible reverses this order by declaring that election is unto faith and holiness. It is no slight error to confuse these issues and make faith and holiness the cause and election the effect. Faith can serve no greater purpose that to be the means by which that which God has determined may be realized. Referring again to passages already cited, it will be seen that God chose from the beginning those to be saved, and predestinated them to "belief of the truth" ( 2 Thess. 2:13 ) ; and He chose some before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love ( Eph. 1:4 ) .
3. thus it is revealed that men are not first holy and then elect; but they are first elect and that election is unto holiness. As an illustration of this order in the truth, the Apostle refers to the divine choice of Jacob over Esau before they were born and before they had done either good or evil. All this, it is said, is to the end that the divine election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calls (Rom. 9:10-13). It may be added that acceptable works and qualities are not resident in any fallen human being, except these characteristics are wrought in the human heart by divine energy. It would therefore be folly to expect the God would foresee in men what could never exist. Doubtless, multitudes of people cling to a conditional election lest they be forced to recognize the depravity of man. ( Lewis Sperry Chafer Systematic Theology III, pg. 173-174)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The history of the founding of Dallas Theological Seminary
This is an old audio of Lewis Sperry Chafer discussing the founding of DTS. Lewis Sperry Chafer and Dr. W.H. Griffith Thomas co-founded Dallas Theological Seminary together. Enjoy the audio !
Monday, July 25, 2011
Lewis Sperry Chafer's rebuttle to Dr. B. B. Warfield's review of his book He That Is Spiritual
" The Christian will always be filled while he is making the work of the Holy Spirit possible in his life "
In a review of the first edition of this book, which appeared in The Princeton Theological Review for April, 1919, the reviewer, Dr. Benjamin B. Warfield, D.D. , objects to this statement, and to all similar teachings in this book. This teaching, he points out, " subjects the gracious working of God to human determination. " Is this teaching Biblical ?
The Scripture gives unquestionable emphasis to the sovereignity of God. God has perfectly determined what will be, and His determined purpose will be realized, for it is impossible that God should ever be either surprised or disappointed. So, also , there is equal emphasis in the Scriptures upon the fact that lying between these two undiminished aspects of His sovereignity- His eternal purpose and its perfect realization- He has permitted sufficient latitude for some exercise of the human will. In so doing, His determined ends are in no way jeopardized. There is difficulty here, but what, in Scripture, is difficult for the finite mind to harmonize, is doubtless harmonized in the mind of God.
Though it is revealed that God must impart the moving, enabling grace whereby one may believe unto salvation ( John 6:44, cf. 12:32 ) , or whereby one may yield into spiritual life ( Philippians 2:13 ) , it is as clearly revealed that, within His sovereign purpose and power, God has everywhere conditioned both salvation and the spiritual life upon these human conditions. Both believing and yielding are presented as injuctions. The fact that " No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him " is invariably true, yet it is equally true that some resourcefulness of the human will, though it be divinely enabled, is appealed to by the words, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. " So, again : " This is the will of God, even your sanctification, " is a revelation which is invariably true; yet it is equally true that the believer's will is appealed to when he is besought to " yield himself unto God . " One aspect of this truth without the other will lead, in the one case, to fatalism, wherein there is no room for petition in prayer, no motive for the wooing of God's love, no ground for condemnation, no occasion for evangelistic appeal, and no meaning to much of Scripture: in the other case, it will lead to the dethroning of God. Though the will be moved upon by the enabling power of God, spirituality, according to God's Word, is made to depend upon that divinely enabled choice; Romans 12:1,2 ; Galations 5:16; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 John 1:9 being sufficient evidence. Men are said to be " condemned " " because they have not believed " ( John 3:18 ) , and sin will reign in the Christian's life unless appeal is heeded : " Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. " To state that spirituality is made possible, on the human side, by well-defined human acts and attitudes may seem " a quite terrible expression " ( to quote the reviewer ) as viewed by an abitrary theological theory; however, it is evidently Biblical.
The same reviwer objects to the teaching that there is any sudden change possible from the carnal state to the spiritual state. To quote: " He who believes in Jesus is under grace, and his whole course, in its process and in its issue alike, is determined by grace, and therefore, having been predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, he is surely being conformed to that image, God Himself seeing to it that he not only called and justified but also glorified. You may find Christians at every stage of this process, for it is a process through which all must pass; but you will find none who will not in God's own good time and way pass through every stage of it. There are not two kinds of Christians, although there are Christians at every conceivable stage of advancement towards the one goal to which all are bound and at which all shall arrive. "
Doubtless there are varying degrees of carnality as there are varying degrees of spirituality, but the positive denial of the statement that there are two well-defined classes of believers- " carnal " and " spiritual " - would be better supported by conclusive exposition of a large body of Scripture in which this two-fold classification of Christians seems to be taught.
In this reviewer's mind, the change from carnality to spirituality is evidently confused with Christian growth. Christian growth is undoubtedly a process of development under the determined purpose of God which will end, with the certainty of the Infinite, in a complete likeness to Christ; but spirituality is the present state of blessing and power of the believer who, at the same time, may be very immature. A Christian can and should be spiritual from the moment he is saved. Spirituality, which is the unhindered manifestations of the Spirit in life, is provided to the full for all believers who " confess " their sins, " yield " to God, and " walk not after flesh, but after the Spirit. " When these conditions are complied with, the results are immediate; for no process is indicated. Jacob, an Old Testament type, was completely changed in one night.
Christian experience bears infailing testimony to two outstanding facts: ( 1 ) There is an abrupt change from carnal to the spiritual when the Biblical conditions are met. And ( 2 ) there is an abrupt lose of spiritual blessing whenever there has been yielding to sin. ( He That Is Spiritual A Classical Study Of The Biblical Doctrine Of Spiritualty by Lewis Sperry Chafer , pg. 67-68 )
Friday, June 24, 2011
Inventing Heretics Through Misunderstanding by Lewis Sperry Chafer
DISPENSATIONAL DISTINCTIONS
Here is something from the Writings of Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer which he dealt with the false accusation of him and Scofield of teaching two ways of salvation. I located it online and decided to copy and paste it here.
In the late thirties/early forties, a great discussion was still revolving around doctrinal issues supported by C. I. Scofield and Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer of Dallas Theological Seminary. Chafer felt compelled to address these in his editorial section of Bibliotheca Sacra, the DTS Journal. Here is one of those editorials dealing with the dispensational teaching on salvation. I hope you find it stimulating.
INVENTING HERETICS THROUGH MISUNDERSTANDING by Lewis Sperry Chafer
The present ill-conceived wave of resentment, which is being fostered by Covenant theologians against dispensational distinctions in Biblical interpretation has centered its contention of the assertion that those who recognize dispensational distinctions–especially the late Dr. C. I. Scofield and the Editor of Bibliotheca Sacra–teach that there are two ways by which one may be saved–one by law-observance and one by faith in Christ. It seems not to occur to the men who frame their protests against dispensational teachings that their contentions have no basis whatever upon which to rest, nor do they estimate the injury to other men when they, attempting to state what dispensationalists believe, publish what is utterly untrue; going so far as to secure the vote of an Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in condemnation of that which really does not exist.
Are there two ways by which one may be saved? In reply to this question it may be stated that salvation of whatever specific character is always the work of God in behalf of man and never a work of man in behalf of God. This is to assert that God never saved any one person or group of persons on any other ground than that righteous freedom to do so, which the Cross of Christ secured. There is, therefore, but one way to be saved and that is by the power of God made possible through the sacrifice of Christ.
The far lesser question as to the precise human terms upon which men may be saved is quite a different issue. This feature is of less import for the reason that man never contributes anything to his salvation whether he be one who keeps the Law or one who trusts Christ alone apart from human works. The colossal error, which supplies any point to the contention of those who accuse others of believing that there are two ways by which the lost may be saved, is just this, that neither works nor faith of themselves can ever save anyone. It is God’s undertaking and always on the ground, not of works or faith, but on the blood of Christ.
That God has assigned different human requirements in various ages as the terms upon which He Himself saves on the ground of the death of Christ, is a truth of Scripture revelation and is recognized as true by those who receive their doctrine from the Sacred Text rather than from man-made creeds. Nevertheless, when the various human requirements of the different ages are investigated it is found that they come alike in the end to the basic reality that faith is exercised in God. And that one basic element of trust in God doubtless answers that which in every case God must require.
The Bible indicates three different requirements as the human terms upon which man has been, or now may be, saved.
First, God imputed righteousness to Abraham, which righteousness is the foremost feature of God’s salvation, on the sole ground that Abraham believed or amened God. Abraham believed God respecting a son whom he would himself generate. The passage–Genesis 15:2-6–should be considered with worthy attention. By divine design, Abraham was the pattern of salvation by grace and the great Apostle draws his illustrations regarding grace almost exclusively from the life of this one Old Testament character.
Second, God imputes righteousness to those in this age who believe, which righteousness is the foremost feature of salvation, on the one demand that they believe; but this belief is not centered in a son which each individual might generate, as in the case of Abraham, but in the Son whom God has given to a lost world, who died for the world and whom God has raised from the dead to be a Saviour of those who do believe. In Romans 4:23, 24 it is written, “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” From this it will be seen that, though the specific object of faith–Isaac in the case of Abraham and Jesus Christ in the case of those becoming Christians–varies, both have a promise of God on which to rest and both believe God. It does not follow that men of all ages may be saved by believing any promise of God; it is only such promises as God has Himself made to be the terms upon which He will save. Both Abraham and the Christian come by faith under transforming power and neither one saves himself. He is saved by God alone and only through the righteous freedom which the death of Christ provides whereby a holy God can save sinful man.
Third, the salvation of Israel, which salvation is dated to transpire at the second advent of Christ and according to Jehovah’s irrevocable covenant with that nation, and is unique in every particular. As to the fact of their salvation and the precise time of its achievement it is written, “And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” ( Romans 11:26,27 ) .
Almost all present confusion respecting dispensational interpretation arises from the persistent failure on the part of men to recognize that Israelites were by physical birth born into covenant relation to God and that the nation, as a nation, was redeemed as to all future generations when God called them out of Egypt. From that time on they are repeatedly addressed by Jehovah as “My redeemed.” This redemption was confirmed, as was all Old Testament redemption, by Christ on the Cross. Far beyond his own understanding the High Priest predicted, “Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not” ( John 11:49, 50 ) . Observe that this is the declaration of the High Priest regarding the one nation and is not of the whole world. Isaiah declared this very thing regarding Israel when he said, “He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken” ( 53:8 ) . And again the same prophet states that it is in the time of Messiah’s second advent that “the year of my redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:1-6), and in this great prediction Israel’s salvation alone is in view. As to the covenants with Israel, Jehovah’s oath secures
(1) an everlasting nation ( Jeremiah 31:31-37 ) ,
(2) an everlasting possession of their land ( Deuteronomy 30:5 ),
(3) an everlasting throne ( 2 Samuel 7:16 ),
(4) an everlasting King ( Jeremiah 33:14-17, 20, 21 ), and
(5) an everlasting kingdom ( Isaiah 9:6, 7; Luke 1:31-33 ) .
Regarding the nation and her promised salvation, it will be seen that they are to be saved because of the covenant Jehovah made with them to this end. When they are saved it will be because One died for that nation and on that righteous ground alone, which death for them they will then be moved by the Holy Spirit to accept by faith.
Jehovah convenants their salvation as indicated in Romans 11:26, 27; but before they are saved and as an event in connection with Christ’s return, that people must pass through their national judgment ( cf. Ezekiel 20:33-44; Matthew 25:1-10, R.V. ) . Those who pass this judgment–likened as they are to five wise virgins–will then constitute the “all Israel” that shall be saved.
It yet remains to be seen that the salvation of the nation Israel, though the precise character of that salvation has not been fully disclosed, extends to every individual. Jeremiah anticipates this when he writes, “But this shall be the convenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:33, 34 ) .
Thus it is disclosed that the salvation of an Israelite, who lived in the Mosaic age, which age will be completed in the coming Tribulation, was guaranteed by Covenant; yet the individual could, by failing to do God’s revealed will as contained in the Mosaic Law, sacrifice his place in the coming Kingdom and be cut off from his people ( cf. Luke 10:25-28; 18:18-21; Matthew 8:11,12; 24:50,51; 25:29,30 ). Jehovah’s salvation of Israel will be on the ground of Christ’s death. The human terms, because of the covenant promise regarding their salvation, are not the same as that required of Abraham or of any individual in this age, whether Jew or Gentile.
Once again and finally, let it be asserted that salvation of any character or of any people or upon any varied human terms is the work of God in behalf of man and is righteously executed by God on the sole basis of the death of Christ. It is puerile to intimate that there could be a salvation achieved alone by the power of either law-works or faith. It is only God’s power set free through Christ’s death that can save and it is always and only through Christ’s death, whatever the human responsibility may be.
Here is something from the Writings of Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer which he dealt with the false accusation of him and Scofield of teaching two ways of salvation. I located it online and decided to copy and paste it here.
In the late thirties/early forties, a great discussion was still revolving around doctrinal issues supported by C. I. Scofield and Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer of Dallas Theological Seminary. Chafer felt compelled to address these in his editorial section of Bibliotheca Sacra, the DTS Journal. Here is one of those editorials dealing with the dispensational teaching on salvation. I hope you find it stimulating.
INVENTING HERETICS THROUGH MISUNDERSTANDING by Lewis Sperry Chafer
The present ill-conceived wave of resentment, which is being fostered by Covenant theologians against dispensational distinctions in Biblical interpretation has centered its contention of the assertion that those who recognize dispensational distinctions–especially the late Dr. C. I. Scofield and the Editor of Bibliotheca Sacra–teach that there are two ways by which one may be saved–one by law-observance and one by faith in Christ. It seems not to occur to the men who frame their protests against dispensational teachings that their contentions have no basis whatever upon which to rest, nor do they estimate the injury to other men when they, attempting to state what dispensationalists believe, publish what is utterly untrue; going so far as to secure the vote of an Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in condemnation of that which really does not exist.
Are there two ways by which one may be saved? In reply to this question it may be stated that salvation of whatever specific character is always the work of God in behalf of man and never a work of man in behalf of God. This is to assert that God never saved any one person or group of persons on any other ground than that righteous freedom to do so, which the Cross of Christ secured. There is, therefore, but one way to be saved and that is by the power of God made possible through the sacrifice of Christ.
The far lesser question as to the precise human terms upon which men may be saved is quite a different issue. This feature is of less import for the reason that man never contributes anything to his salvation whether he be one who keeps the Law or one who trusts Christ alone apart from human works. The colossal error, which supplies any point to the contention of those who accuse others of believing that there are two ways by which the lost may be saved, is just this, that neither works nor faith of themselves can ever save anyone. It is God’s undertaking and always on the ground, not of works or faith, but on the blood of Christ.
That God has assigned different human requirements in various ages as the terms upon which He Himself saves on the ground of the death of Christ, is a truth of Scripture revelation and is recognized as true by those who receive their doctrine from the Sacred Text rather than from man-made creeds. Nevertheless, when the various human requirements of the different ages are investigated it is found that they come alike in the end to the basic reality that faith is exercised in God. And that one basic element of trust in God doubtless answers that which in every case God must require.
The Bible indicates three different requirements as the human terms upon which man has been, or now may be, saved.
First, God imputed righteousness to Abraham, which righteousness is the foremost feature of God’s salvation, on the sole ground that Abraham believed or amened God. Abraham believed God respecting a son whom he would himself generate. The passage–Genesis 15:2-6–should be considered with worthy attention. By divine design, Abraham was the pattern of salvation by grace and the great Apostle draws his illustrations regarding grace almost exclusively from the life of this one Old Testament character.
Second, God imputes righteousness to those in this age who believe, which righteousness is the foremost feature of salvation, on the one demand that they believe; but this belief is not centered in a son which each individual might generate, as in the case of Abraham, but in the Son whom God has given to a lost world, who died for the world and whom God has raised from the dead to be a Saviour of those who do believe. In Romans 4:23, 24 it is written, “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” From this it will be seen that, though the specific object of faith–Isaac in the case of Abraham and Jesus Christ in the case of those becoming Christians–varies, both have a promise of God on which to rest and both believe God. It does not follow that men of all ages may be saved by believing any promise of God; it is only such promises as God has Himself made to be the terms upon which He will save. Both Abraham and the Christian come by faith under transforming power and neither one saves himself. He is saved by God alone and only through the righteous freedom which the death of Christ provides whereby a holy God can save sinful man.
Third, the salvation of Israel, which salvation is dated to transpire at the second advent of Christ and according to Jehovah’s irrevocable covenant with that nation, and is unique in every particular. As to the fact of their salvation and the precise time of its achievement it is written, “And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” ( Romans 11:26,27 ) .
Almost all present confusion respecting dispensational interpretation arises from the persistent failure on the part of men to recognize that Israelites were by physical birth born into covenant relation to God and that the nation, as a nation, was redeemed as to all future generations when God called them out of Egypt. From that time on they are repeatedly addressed by Jehovah as “My redeemed.” This redemption was confirmed, as was all Old Testament redemption, by Christ on the Cross. Far beyond his own understanding the High Priest predicted, “Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not” ( John 11:49, 50 ) . Observe that this is the declaration of the High Priest regarding the one nation and is not of the whole world. Isaiah declared this very thing regarding Israel when he said, “He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken” ( 53:8 ) . And again the same prophet states that it is in the time of Messiah’s second advent that “the year of my redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:1-6), and in this great prediction Israel’s salvation alone is in view. As to the covenants with Israel, Jehovah’s oath secures
(1) an everlasting nation ( Jeremiah 31:31-37 ) ,
(2) an everlasting possession of their land ( Deuteronomy 30:5 ),
(3) an everlasting throne ( 2 Samuel 7:16 ),
(4) an everlasting King ( Jeremiah 33:14-17, 20, 21 ), and
(5) an everlasting kingdom ( Isaiah 9:6, 7; Luke 1:31-33 ) .
Regarding the nation and her promised salvation, it will be seen that they are to be saved because of the covenant Jehovah made with them to this end. When they are saved it will be because One died for that nation and on that righteous ground alone, which death for them they will then be moved by the Holy Spirit to accept by faith.
Jehovah convenants their salvation as indicated in Romans 11:26, 27; but before they are saved and as an event in connection with Christ’s return, that people must pass through their national judgment ( cf. Ezekiel 20:33-44; Matthew 25:1-10, R.V. ) . Those who pass this judgment–likened as they are to five wise virgins–will then constitute the “all Israel” that shall be saved.
It yet remains to be seen that the salvation of the nation Israel, though the precise character of that salvation has not been fully disclosed, extends to every individual. Jeremiah anticipates this when he writes, “But this shall be the convenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:33, 34 ) .
Thus it is disclosed that the salvation of an Israelite, who lived in the Mosaic age, which age will be completed in the coming Tribulation, was guaranteed by Covenant; yet the individual could, by failing to do God’s revealed will as contained in the Mosaic Law, sacrifice his place in the coming Kingdom and be cut off from his people ( cf. Luke 10:25-28; 18:18-21; Matthew 8:11,12; 24:50,51; 25:29,30 ). Jehovah’s salvation of Israel will be on the ground of Christ’s death. The human terms, because of the covenant promise regarding their salvation, are not the same as that required of Abraham or of any individual in this age, whether Jew or Gentile.
Once again and finally, let it be asserted that salvation of any character or of any people or upon any varied human terms is the work of God in behalf of man and is righteously executed by God on the sole basis of the death of Christ. It is puerile to intimate that there could be a salvation achieved alone by the power of either law-works or faith. It is only God’s power set free through Christ’s death that can save and it is always and only through Christ’s death, whatever the human responsibility may be.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
An old debate between Dr. John F. Walvoord and Harold Camping
Dr. John F. Walvoord representing Premillennialism debates Harold Camping representing Amillennialism. This is a debate which took place around the mid 1980's . It is about 6 hours long.
Here is the link :
Harold Camping vs. John Walvoord on Amillennialism vs. Premillennialism 1980 MP3
Just click on PLAY and it will start.
Here is the link :
Harold Camping vs. John Walvoord on Amillennialism vs. Premillennialism 1980 MP3
Just click on PLAY and it will start.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Free Writings of the late Dr. John Walvoord
The late Dr. John F. Walvoord former President and Chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary wrote on many important issues relating to ecclesiology, eschatology and other areas. Here is a link to his writings online.
Walvoord.com: Studies by John F. Walvoord
Walvoord.com: Studies by John F. Walvoord
The RCC's view in relationship to Islam.
The RCC teaches in it's CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH under point 841 The Church's relationship with Muslims. " The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims ; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham , and together with us they adore the one,merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day " ( Cathecism Of The Catholic Church, pg. 242-243 )
1 ) Muslims reject core Christian doctrines such as the Trinity, The deity of Jesus, virgin birth, His death on the cross for our sins and his physical resurrection and justification by faith only in Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that a person must have faith in Jesus Christ and that salvation is only through Him. No one from Islam will get saved so long as they reject who the God of Scripture really is. Salvation is through Jesus Christ only which is the all important factor here.
John 14:1;6 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
2 ) Islam does not have the same the same God as Abraham in Scripture since it reveals God as the Holy Trinity. It is on this basis that Islam has a false god that is not the God of Scripture.
3 ) Since Islam denies the correct view of God in Scripture they do not adore God together with us at all. Protestants, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox each affirms the doctrine of the Trinity while Islam does not.
4 ) The RCC tries to counter and undermine the unity of salvation in the OT and NT by appealing to the Old Testament times when the Trinity was not fully revealed as it is in the New Testament. Roman Catholics would claim OT saints were saved without knowledge of the Trinity and apply those OT conditions in to the NT. They do this in order to make the plan of salvation to include Muslims and others who reject the Trinity and embrace false religions during the present dispensation of the grace of God.This strongly implies different ways of salvation in Roman Catholic theology. So a correct single manner of salvation will be presented by me. In all dispensations man is reconciled to God in only one way, i.e. by God's grace through the work of Jesus Christ that was accomplished on the cross and vindicated in His resurrection. Before the cross man was saved on the basis of Christ's atoning sacrifice to come, through believing the revealation thus far given to him. Since the cross man has been saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom revelation and redemption are consummated.
5 ) Those of Islam will not be saved and be judged according to what light that has been given to them and shall remain lost based on Romans 1 to 3. As long as a person does not come to faith in Jesus Christ they will remain in a state of eternal condemnation. Jesus Christ on the basis of the work of the cross is the specific object of faith and of which we are held accountable for as his work is a completed fact done at the cross.
1 ) Muslims reject core Christian doctrines such as the Trinity, The deity of Jesus, virgin birth, His death on the cross for our sins and his physical resurrection and justification by faith only in Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that a person must have faith in Jesus Christ and that salvation is only through Him. No one from Islam will get saved so long as they reject who the God of Scripture really is. Salvation is through Jesus Christ only which is the all important factor here.
John 14:1;6 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
2 ) Islam does not have the same the same God as Abraham in Scripture since it reveals God as the Holy Trinity. It is on this basis that Islam has a false god that is not the God of Scripture.
3 ) Since Islam denies the correct view of God in Scripture they do not adore God together with us at all. Protestants, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox each affirms the doctrine of the Trinity while Islam does not.
4 ) The RCC tries to counter and undermine the unity of salvation in the OT and NT by appealing to the Old Testament times when the Trinity was not fully revealed as it is in the New Testament. Roman Catholics would claim OT saints were saved without knowledge of the Trinity and apply those OT conditions in to the NT. They do this in order to make the plan of salvation to include Muslims and others who reject the Trinity and embrace false religions during the present dispensation of the grace of God.This strongly implies different ways of salvation in Roman Catholic theology. So a correct single manner of salvation will be presented by me. In all dispensations man is reconciled to God in only one way, i.e. by God's grace through the work of Jesus Christ that was accomplished on the cross and vindicated in His resurrection. Before the cross man was saved on the basis of Christ's atoning sacrifice to come, through believing the revealation thus far given to him. Since the cross man has been saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom revelation and redemption are consummated.
5 ) Those of Islam will not be saved and be judged according to what light that has been given to them and shall remain lost based on Romans 1 to 3. As long as a person does not come to faith in Jesus Christ they will remain in a state of eternal condemnation. Jesus Christ on the basis of the work of the cross is the specific object of faith and of which we are held accountable for as his work is a completed fact done at the cross.
Hello
Hello everyone. This is the opening of this blog. This is a Christian blog. Though all are welcomed here. I expect everyone to be treated respectfully no matter the theological differences. No ad hom attacks are to be made here otherwise the post will be removed.
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