Brian and Cathy Gray Bible study

Getting Through the Gate

As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.

Rom 9:13

Romans 9 is key to the formation of the doctrine of predestination espoused by John Calvin in 1536. Arminianism is the response to Calvin’s doctrine of predestination framed by Jacob Arminius in 1610. The primary difference between the two is in their Soteriology. Soteriology is the study of the doctrine of Salvation.

Calvin said that man has no role or power in choosing to be saved. God chooses whom He will choose and rejects whom He will reject. The chosen are the elect and can not resist salvation once they hear the gospel. Once they are saved they are always saved.

Arminius said that man has free will and the power to decide whether or not He is saved. God desires that all men be saved 1 Tim 2:4  God has foreknowledge of who will be saved. But He does not force anyone to come to Him against their will. Free will reigns supreme, therefore man can accept the gift of salvation and then later reject it.

Now, you might say, and rightly so, that Calvin and Arminius are not in the Bible. Yet every Christian denomination that does not represent outright heresy leans towards Calvinismism or Arminianism – predestination or free will.

Take a moment and consider which way you instinctively lean. How did you come to know Jesus? Did you choose Him or did He choose you? What made you believe the gospel? Did someone argue you into it? Or did something just seem to click into place and you suddenly believed? Before you answer consider this. Suppose every one of your thoughts, decisions and actions were predetermined by God.

How would you know?

What does scripture say?

Paul begins Romans 9 with a lamentation. He says he wished he were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers, to whom belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises, the patriarchs. It was from them that Jesus came. It may be worthy to note, especially here, that accursed is the same word Paul used in Galatians 1:8-9 regarding anyone preaching a different gospel than the one they have heard. Accursed means going to hell. This lends greater weight to his admonition not to go beyond what is written. 1 Cor 4:6. The word of God is not something to toy with or take lightly as so many charasmatics do.

Paul is grieving that so many of his Jewish brothers who seemingly should be saved are not saved. He might have wished he could go to hell in thier place. Yet his wishing had no effect.

Think about that.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,

Romans 9:6-10

Paul continues

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Romans 9:11-13

God told Jeremiah,“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 God knew Jeremiah and by extension us before we were in the womb. Some might wonder, albeit philosophically; did Jacob and Esau act in ways before they were born that predetermined their status before the womb? Did we? Paul clearly answers that it was not because of works but because of him who calls she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

It seems that Calvin might have a point.

All that being said, it occurs to me that while God knew them, the Bible does not say that Jeremiah, Jacob, and Esau knew God. Could it be that our only purpose on earth is to know God? If so then it follows that the entire work of God is to believe in the one He has sent. John 6:29  Thats it! Solomon who wrote the ultimate “been there, had that, done that” book of Ecclesiasties concluded the same.

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.

Ecclesiasties 12:14

Of course we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10. Arminians might imagine God needs our works to complete His plan. Calvinists would say He does not. We simply have the privilege of coming along for the ride. Speaking of Ephesians 2, exactly how much free will are dead people able to exert? 

Paul continues to affirm the doctrine of predestination by quoting Exodus 33:19 and Exodus 9:16. A common argument among Arminians is that God only hardened Pharaoh’s heart after Pharoah first chose to harden it himself. Yet God told Moses beforehand that He would harden it so that Pharaoh would not let the people go. Exodus 4:21 Still, an argument previously put forth by me is that the “hardening” was more akin to a “giving up” or “giving over” to sin as described in Romans 1:24-28. If we insist on sinning, God allows us to go the way we desire. That may be true in the context of Romans 1. As it turns out I was wrong. The hardening – chazaq– of Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus 4 means exactly that. God, not Pharaoh, chose to harden Pharaoh’s heart because that is the prerogative of a Sovereign, omniscient, and omnipotent God. Argue with the Potter if you will.

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

Romans 9:20

So many today presume to know and declare the plan purposes of God. Some do it propheticly. Others make philosophical assertions. Meanwhile, His word declares.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecc 3:11

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your waysand my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

God doesn’t want us to know what He is doing and why. He wants us to know Him.

Of course, Paul is not debating Calvin versus Arminius here. He is laying a foundation for explaining the relationship between Israel and the gentile church in the context of His perfect sovereign will. Israel is not Israel because they were superior. Israel is Israel because God, in His sovereignty, chose Jacob to become Israel before he was in the womb. Gen 32 The same principle is applied to the gentile church. Paul paraphrases the prophetic declaration from Hosea 2:23

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
    and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
“And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

Romans 9:25-26

Hosea was told to marry and remain faithful to a prostitute who remained a prostitute. The prostitute represents Israel, and as we will see, us, the church.

Paul concludes with a prophetic reference to about Jesus in Isaiah 8 and Isaiah 28:16.

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Romans 9:33

As I said, I’ve always tended toward Arminianism. I preached the gospel to sell Jesus. I did good works in hope that people would see Jesus in me and “accept Him.”  Anyone will believe if I can just make a good enough case – offer an apologetic defense that is solid enough. Aside from illustrating the futility of ideas that counter biblical claims, I don’t think that debate has ever worked. Not even once. Roland Baker who is a Calvinist, recently posted the following.

When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this… One week-night, … the thought struck me, “How did you come to be a Christian?” I sought the Lord. “But how did you come to seek the Lord?” The truth flashed across my mind in a moment – I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him.I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray?
I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God”

-Spurgeon Carry The Light-

If I am honest the same truth applies to me. I didn’t come to Jesus of my own free will. Heck! I was trying my very best to reject Him and die. He saved me despite me. Not because of me. It occurs to me that the driving force behind Arminianism might be the very self that Jesus commands us to deny as a first step in becoming His disciple. Mat 16:24 Here in the charismatic I-dentity culture, we can not fathom that the imagined exaltation of the almighty “I” in His eyes might be the problem instead of the solution it is proported to be.  If indeed I am in Christ Jesus, then I am a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17  I am also dead. Col 3:3. Becoming a new creation is not an invitation to shift my focus from Him to my I-dentity. Today, I am more convinced than ever that my sole purpose on earth is to know HIM and deny the little “i”. Less of me. More of HIM is key. I will be eternally grateful to be nothing here on earth if I can simply pass through the gates of heaven into His Holy presence for eternity.

Maranatha!

Brian and Cathy Gray Bible study, Devotional

Knowledge Applied

As I’ve said, Roland Baker reminds me of Miyagi from the movie The Karate Kid. I remember listening as people tried to debate him on theological topics in Harvest School. “Is God like this or is God like that?…” “Well…this and that.” Roland would reply. “Do we have free will?”

“Yes and no.”

Have you ever found yourself in a discussion with other believers on something as seemingly clear as salvation a.k.a Soteriology and left feeling more conflicted and confused? How could two believers read the same Bible and arrive at such different conclusions?

If you aren’t Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Coptic then you are Protestant. The roots of every Protestant denomination began with the Protestant Reformation. Over time, these denominations continued to split over theological disagreements. Blatant heresies like Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses aside, these disagreements were almost always rooted in the views of two theologians, John Calvin, 1509-1564, and Jacobus Arminius 1560-1609. Both arguments are rooted in five opposing points as follows.

Calvinism

  • Total depravity – Mankind is incapable of obeying the law of God. No one is righteous Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23 We are “dead in trespasses and sins”. Ephesians 2:1 We have no hope of salvation apart from divine intervention.
  • Limited atonement – Jesus’ death and resurrection made salvation possible. However, it is only definite for those elected (Predestined) by God. At the end of the day we don’t choose salvation we are appointed to it. “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” Acts 13:48
  • Unconditional election – Those who are saved are predestined to be saved. Ephesians 1:4-5 God chose them before the foundation of the world. Salvation is in no way influenced by our decisions or actions but by the sovereign will of God.
  • The irresistibility of grace – No one can be saved unless God draws them. No one can resist God when they are drawn. John 6:44 “All that the Father gives me will come to me,” John 6:37  Whom God calls He will justify, sanctify and glorify. Romans 8:28-30. Those predestined to be saved can not stop God from saving them.
  • Perseverance of the saints – Once saved ALWAYS SAVED John 10:28-29. We immediately obtain eternal life the moment we believe. John 5:24; 6:47 Our salvation cannot be lost John 10:27-28; Romans 8:31-39.

Denominations that lean toward Calvinism include Primitive Baptist or Reformed Baptist Churches, Presbyterian Churches, and Reformed Churches. The United Church of Christ, The Protestant Reformed Churches in America.

Arminianism

  • Human Free Will – God does not want anyone to perish 2 Peter 3:9 but many do. If God is sovereign, then part of that sovereignty must include that he gave man free will to choose Him or reject Him.   
  • Conditional Election – God has foreknowledge of who will be saved because He is omniscient. He does not pre-determine who will be saved. In the end, we make the final decision whether we will be obedient to the call. 1 Peter 1:1–2
  • Prevenient Grace – We absolutely CAN reject salvation via our own free will. We hear the Gospel John 6:45 are convicted John 16:8 and exercise free will to believe in Christ. Holy Spirit makes us open to the message  Acts 16:14, Luke 24:45 and draws us to God. John 6:44, 12:32 Still, we must exercise our free will to believe. 
  • Universal Atonement – Jesus bore the sin of everyone who ever lived not just the elect. 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10
  • Persistence of salvation – A person can fall from grace and lose his salvation.  Galatians 5:4, Hebrews 10:26-29, Hebrews 6:4–6 The NT is a higher standard than the OT. Mat 7:21-23, Mat 5:28 We must “endure” to be saved. Mat 24:13

Denominations that lean toward Arminianism include The Evangelical Methodist Church, the Church of the Nazarene, the Free Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Church, and the Salvation Army. The Assemblies of God, Church of God, and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel.

The Division

Calvinists accuse Arminians of minimizing or even denying the sovereignty of God. Arminians see Calvinists as robots living in a proverbial Truman Show before Truman realized he had free will.

Most debates concerning the character, nature, and will of God are reduceable to the subject of free will or the lack thereof. Exactly how much free will a.k.a POWER do I have? Arminius says, “Some”. Calvin says, “None”. Consider this. Suppose every thought and action of yours was in fact predetermined by God.

How would you know?

That’s a deep rabbit hole

Roland Baker frequently writes provocative FB posts illuminating this seemingly bottomless rabbit hole and Ecc 1:9 debate.

If Roland’s posts don’t clarify the confusion the comments certainly do.

“Who cares!” some of you say. “That’s theology or “religion”. “I’m led by Holy Spirit!” Ok. But doesn’t every believer makes that claim? Like it or not we all have a theology especially those “religiously irreligious” people who claim they do not. That said, anyone who has studied theology understands the Ecc 1:9 nature of most unresolved theological debates.

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

One thing is certain, our theology is at least partly shaped by the denomination or faith stream we choose. Hardly anyone reads their Bible without also consulting books and commentaries written by theologians and teachers aligned with their stream. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this unless you don’t read the Bible and only read books by theologians and teachers aligned with your stream. Think about it. How many of those aligned with Bill Johnson read books by Paul Washer or God forbid the likes of John MacArthur? If they do it is usually through the lens of Bill Johnson.

“That’s not right! Bill Johnson says…”

Of course, the opposing side is just as guilty. The point is that too many determine the truth by who said it. This is the Genetic Fallacy and always results in Christian tribalism otherwise known as denominations and streams.

So much for attaining the unity of the faith…Eph 4:13

Call me crazy but maybe we have never agreed on the answers to certain questions because we are asking the wrong questions. “Can I lose my salvation? Or in the words of Martin Luther, am I free to “love God and sin boldly?” “How righteous or unrighteous am I? “What is my true identity?” “How much power have I been granted?” “Does more faith mean more power?” “Can I choose to grow in faith or am I stuck with the measure I have been given?” It seems to me that a better question might be,

Does Jesus know me?

 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Mat 7:21-23

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Prov 9:10

Some of you were just triggered.

For the record, fear is never the goal. 1 John 4:18 Most fears among believers are rooted in groundless accusations from people and the accuser of the brethren. Still, sometimes fear points to things that we are reluctant to address Phil 2:12

All fear aside, What if it is only possible to understand what matters to God in the context of doing what matters to God?

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

For example, Ephesians chapter five speaks of marriage between Christ and His Church in the context of the relationship between a husband and a wife. It follows that learning about marriage would be a good way to understand Paul’s words to the Ephesians.

Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Eph 5:25-27

I could study about being a husband, and read opposing arguments about loving a wife. I could read books about family dynamics. I could get a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I could memorize all the love languages, read books on human sexuality, and neuropsychology, and become an authority on the differences between the male and female brain. I could lead marriage seminars and debate other credentialed therapists before writing my own expert opinion on marriage. I might even become a celebrated expert cited by other credentialed experts. I might have paid speaking engagements, sell millions of books and God forbid, find millions of people rebutting arguments with,

“But Brian Gray says…”

At the end of the day, the only way to know anything about being a husband and loving a wife is to be married to one. Even then most of what I know is beyond what mere words can convey. The same applies to walking with God as a part of His body and bride. For the record that is not an excuse to not study yourselves approved. 2 Tim 2:15 Faith (still) comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17. God’s Word remains Truth. John 17:17. The full understanding of God’s word comes by walking it out. Eph 5:9-10 Don’t go beyond what is written. 1 Cor 4:6 And don’t extrapolate weird abstract meanings from scriptures. Focus on what is clearly stated in the text.

Then walk it out

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Eph 5:1-2

Roland Baker is a theologian. More importantly, he is an imitator of God. That’s not an invitation to put him on a pedestal as another celebrity idol.

You’ve missed the point entirely if you do.

If you’ve been to Mozambique and seen the suffering that surrounds him and spoken with the locals alongside whom he and Heidi suffer, then you know Roland’s knowledge of God is beyond words he can express. It is rooted in his best attempt at walking in love, just as Christ also loved him. Again I’m not suggesting that Roland is some elevated saint whose shadow heals and whose touch turns everything to gold or that he can mystically impart his knowledge and anointing through his hands. That’s Harry Potter Christian silliness. I am saying that he is an example of what it looks like to imitate God’s faithfulness the best way he knows how. God calls us to be faithful, not successful. Mat 25:23 Faith precedes knowledge. Everything else is the fruit of

knowledge applied. 2 Peter 1:5-11

Chew on that…

MARANATHA