Predestination and God’s Sovereignty
Jesus says that hell was created “for the devil and his angels” and not for mankind (Matthew 25:41) …. which further confirms that God sent His only begotten Son to pay the price for sin “for the sins of the WHOLE world.” (1 John 2:2). The LORD is “NOT willing that ANY should perish” but would have “ALL men to be saved.” (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9)
Beginning in the early days of the Methodist Revival, John Wesley’s position on predestination became a controversial issue. His friend and partner in ministry George Whitefield was a staunch Calvinist, which meant that he believed that salvation was only available to those who had been elected by God, and that the elect would certainly be saved. Wesley was an Arminian, meaning he believed God’s gracious gift of salvation was available to all, though it could be rejected.
While Wesley and Whitefield began their conversations about predestination in private, it wasn’t long before “pamphlet warfare” flared up as each side began to publish sermons and open letters advocating for their positions. Wesley and Whitefield were able to reconcile to a certain extent, but the passionate and fiery debates left a mark on their relationship, and the Methodist movement as a whole. To this day, many see the predestination debate as an important dividing line in evangelicalism.
Why was John Wesley so resolute in his rejection of the Calvinist approach to predestination? There were two key concerns motivating his thinking on this question.
Two Key Concerns
The first key concern had to do with the character of God. Sometimes people mistakenly think that Wesley’s rejection of unconditional predestination was based on an overly optimistic view of human nature, as opposed to a more robust Calvinist understanding of depravity. In fact, Wesley agreed with the historic Calvinist position on total depravity. The real issue at stake was God’s character, rather than innate human abilities. Wesley felt that the idea of absolute unconditional predestination by divine decree was inconsistent with God’s justice, as well as his love and goodness.
This fundamental difference can be seen in the respective ways in which the Calvinist and Wesleyan traditions have approached the question of divine sovereignty. Generally speaking, the Calvinist tradition has seen sovereignty through the model of a ruling monarch, whereas Wesley conceived of sovereignty primarily through the model of a loving parent. The monarch’s power over his subjects is conceived primarily as an exercise of “will,” and hence, for Calvinists, the fact that some are saved while others are not is explained as a decision of the divine will. On the other hand, a parent’s power over their children is conceived primarily as an exercise of love. From this Wesleyan perspective, it is inconceivable that God, as a loving parent, would eternally decree some of his children to life and others to death.
Wesley’s second key concern related to the character of the Christian life. He worried that preaching a Calvinist approach to predestination would lead to antinomianism – living without any concern for the law of God. If salvation is unconditionally established by an eternal decree, why would any of us concern ourselves with obedience and discipleship?
Wesley felt the Calvinist approach therefore undercut the pursuit of holiness, because the connection between God’s gift and our response is marginalized. In his 1739 sermon, “Free Grace,” which ignited the first round of public controversy with Whitefield, Wesley wrote, “So directly does this doctrine tend to shut the very gate of holiness in general, to hinder unholy men from ever approaching thereto, or striving to enter thereat.”
The Biblical Position
It was on the basis of these two areas of concern that Wesley advocated for his evangelical Arminian position on predestination, which can be outlined in the following six points:
- Total depravity is true in that the fallen human being is completely helpless and in bondage to sin. Yet Calvinists erroneously teach that man has no ability in his depravity to make the choice to obey the divine command to repent and trust Christ.
- The atonement is universal in scope. Christ’s death was sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world, not only an elect few, as proposed by five-point Calvinism.
- Prevenient (or preceding) grace is universally available. God’s grace is present in our lives before we turn to Christ in faith, and this grace restores a measure of freedom so that we can respond to his gracious gift. This is how Wesley could affirm that all human persons were free to respond to the gospel in spite of total depravity—but note that the freedom which humans possess is a measure of freedom (not absolute freedom in all respects), and it is freedom-by-grace, not an inherent endowment of fallen humanity.
- Grace is resistible and can be rejected, to our own destruction. God is actively drawing all people to himself, but his grace is not coercive.
- Predestination is therefore based on God’s foreknowledge, not his will. That is, God corporately predestines all those who respond in faith to salvation, and by foreknowledge he knows who will respond. Yet the response of each person is truly theirs, because God’s foreknowledge does not cause their response.
- Assurance of salvation is given by the Holy Spirit, who witnesses directly to our adoption as children of God through Christ, and whose fruit in our lives also provides confirmation that we are God’s children.
Jason Frost writes:
“What is predestination?
Calvinism Crushed
The Sovereignty of God as Defined by Calvinism vs Scripture [podcast]
Antichrist
THE ANTICHRISTS ARE MULTIPLYING [podcast]
Jesus’ apostle John told us there were “MANY antichrists” in His day (1 John 2:18). THOSE FLAMING HERETICS WHO DENY THAT JESUS CHRIST IS GOD ARE ANTICHRISTS OF THE MOST PROFOUND DEGREE. SUCH REBELS DO NOT KNOW HIM. John the apostle also writes: “…Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20,21). Read that again. Memorize it.
How can we know who the “many antichrists” are among us? (1 John 2:18)
“Antichrist” means against and in place of. An “antichrist” puts something in front of “the doctrine of Christ” given us in the record of Holy Scripture. They replace what Scripture records with something, anything else.
Doctrine – a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group.
The Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, “the Word was Made Flesh, and Dwelt Among Us.”
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
“God was manifest in the flesh.“ 1 Timothy 3:16
Since human blood had been contaminated by sin, of necessity it had to be divine blood shed for mankind’s sin – hence the prophetic utterances and fulfullment of a virgin conceiving by the Holy Spirit – and the Word, the “mighty God” Himself being made flesh to dwell among us and die for our sins (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Matthew 1:21-23, etc.).
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Acts 20:28
The biblical doctrine of the deity of Christ is simply that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh (John 1; 1 Timothy 3:16, etc.).
1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ IS COME IN THE FLESH is of God:
1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ IS COME IN THE FLESH is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 John 7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ IS COME IN THE FLESH. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
“Immanuel”
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23
Of necessity, perfect blood had to be shed to atone for the sins of fallen mankind and this required that God do such Himself – hence Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, came to the earth, born of a virgin, and was “God with us.” He alone qualified. No man, no sinner qualified (Isaiah 59:16; Ezekiel 22:30). There was no other way.
“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.” Isaiah 59:16
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30
Jesus Christ is God’s man to redeem man. We owe a debt we cannot pay. He came and paid a debt He did not owe.
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15
What does God’s Word say about the deity of Jesus Christ? – Jesus Christ is equal to and identical with God.
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:” Philippians 2:6
“That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father (because the Son is also God). He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” John 5:23
The Eternal God, the Word, was by a miracle conceived and born of a virgin – “A virgin shall conceive.”
“A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 9:6-7
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16
Three times the Bible tells us that “Jesus Christ IS COME IN THE FLESH” (1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 7). In other words “GOD was manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16).
From the inception of the New Testament church, the antichrist Gnostics and Origen and other heretics taught that Jesus Christ was not God. The same evil spirit that possessed them possesses the modern antichrists who go about as a roving band to make twofold children of hell after themselves (Matthew 23:15).
You will notice also how these antichrists HATE the real Bible, the King James Bible. Why? The devil himself possesses them and it was the devil who empowered evil men to concoct the fake “bibles” so many today read – “bibles” which deny the deity of Christ. Here’s but one example of such:
1 Timothy 3:16
KJB: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
NIV: Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
ESV: Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
NLT: Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.
In this one example, we see here that the KJB clearly states that it was God who was manifested in the flesh while the modern translations obscure the passage by removing and replacing “God” with “He.” He appeared in a body? Well, just who appeared in a body? We’ve all appeared in a body. Come on now. Also, these are new age “bibles,” concocted by Satan, that are preparing people to receive the antichrist and so they had to steal the identity and glory of the real Christ!
What does it reveal to us that Satan’s children are attacking the King James Bible and the deity of Jesus Christ? Hmmmmm.
Whenever you see the most evil of Satan’s children hating these things, you can deduce that it’s Satan himself behind it all. And have you noticed that they make accusations without any evidence?
EMAIL RECEIVED:
“Since I’m still on your email list…. why are you mistreating women truthseekers on Facebook? It’s very disturbing. You are insulting the spirit while claiming you are 💯 without any theological error. YOU ARE WRONG.
Your beloved KJV has errors. I just went through that eye opening study. Holy GHOST 👻??? This is a serious mistranslation among hundreds of others. The TRINITY? The anointed Messiah Christ King Jesus did not claim to be the Almighty. There is ONE God who can’t die or be tempted and is not a man.
At least treat other believers with more respect, drop the pride and study YOUR BIBLE again. You are absolutely NOT getting it all right.
In truth,” Jennifer
REPLY:
Communicating God’s truth, Word, is not “mistreating women” or men or anyone else. Yet you are using this occasion to make this look sexist? Truth is only “disturbing” to you because you are a vile, demonic heretic who wouldn’t know Jesus if He stood in your rebellious face.
God is calling you to repent.
You are an antichrist…. For denying the deity of Jesus Christ.
Repent now sinner.
JESUS SAYS:
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, THE ALMIGHTY.” Revelation 1:8
Jesus Christ is God – and anyone who denies such is the most evil of antichrists. | See Jesus Christ is God
To be saved, one must repent and believe on Christ according to “the record that God gave of his Son.”
“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” 1 John 5:10
Rebels love butchered, toned down, satanically stripped fake “bibles”. The King James Bible uses “Holy Ghost” and because they’ve been demonized to ridiculously think that the word “ghost” always refers to demons. They are trained by Hollywood and so they can’t understand that He, the Spirit of God, is the “HOLY Ghost” and not any other ghost, spirit. There are spirits, evil spirits, and there is the “HOLY Spirit.” She foolishly conflates and assumes any and all spirits are unholy. Not.
“Holy Ghost” appears 183 times in God’s Word. Yet as you will see for yourself, this antichrist woman, who denies Jesus Christ is God, has foolishly listened to antichrists and pretends to know better than the unspeakably educated scholars who translated the King James Bible as they were guided by the Holy Ghost Himself – in fulfillment of the prophecy of Psalms 12:6-7. See 2 Peter 1:19-21.
You will notice that she doesn’t even respect the LORD enough to capitalize “Spirit” as in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost. Take a look.
“The antichrist spirit is strong in that woman. Just plain nonsense in her comment. She made it clear who her god is and it’s not Jesus Christ or the Father. She doesn’t even know who the Holy Spirit is.” B.
Keep in mind saints that people like Jennifer, above, have been sent “strong delusion” from God Himself for not loving His truth (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). This is all “after the working of SATAN” himself. When you read this important passage, you will witness how God actually takes it personally when people do not receive the love of His truth.
Some Gnostics adamantly deny that the supreme being, God Almighty, came in the flesh, claiming Jesus to be merely a human who attained enlightenment through gnosis and taught his disciples to do the same.
One writer notes:
“Make no mistake, however: There are professing Christians who reject essential doctrine about the person and work of Jesus Christ and who can therefore rightly be labelled heretics. I recently read a two-views book, which centred on the question of whether or not Jesus is God. Both writers claim to be Christian. Both, in fact, claimed to be evangelical Christians. By his rejection of Jesus Christ as divine, however, one of the authors negated his claim to being Christian. Christians do not reject the divinity of Jesus Christ. But that is exactly the error into which the Gnostics fell.
The Gnostics ‘denie[d] that Jesus is the Christ.’ John and his fellow apostles preached Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. The Gnostics rejected this teaching and, as such, minimised the biblical teaching on the person and work of Christ. And their teaching invalidated their claims that they were Christian.”
John did not consider these Christ-denying “antichrists” to never have been Christians. No, they only departed from the body of Christ because they departed from the faith which Scripture tells us some would do (1 Timothy 4:1). Instead he says that “they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19).
They only departed from the true believers because they chose not to “abideth (does not continue) … in the doctrine of Christ” and the fact that Jesus Christ the Messiah is God is abundantly obvious from Genesis to Revelation. See Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:21-23, etc.).
2 John 9 is key. Memorize it.
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth (remains) in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 9-11
Nothing could be more integral concerning “the doctrine of Christ” than that He is God Almighty. Any person denying such is a child of the devil, 100%.
In 1 John 2:19, interestingly, the word “never” does not appear in this verse above which is so often used to “prove” OSAS. Let’s read it again with an objective mind. And, also remember what Jesus says about the primary importance of His teaching of the seed and the soil, the sower and the Word:
“And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?” Mark 4:13
For more on 1 John 2:19, go here.
Warning Concerning Antichrists – Read this Closely
1 John 2:18-27
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
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Mission Mexico Part 26
Our LORD is Changing Lives here in Mexico
Last week our brother in Christ Vicente had a financial need and you met that need for Vicente and his family.
I brought him the money and he was… absolutely elated. He had been telling me about this pretty serious need for a few weeks. Finally I brought him the money he needed. God is able amen saints.
Update: Vicente update: I ran into our brother Vicente this morning and he was ministering to some men who were a work crew right outside of his restaurant on the street. I quickly handed him about 40 JESUS tracts and he began passing them to the men. Going to be supplying Vicente with more of the JESUS tract in Spanish soon.
Our brother is super overjoyed for the help he received to get his family vehicle repaired.
Jesus is God.
He’s coming.
More on the ministry to the Spanish speaking peoples of our LORD’s world! In the fellowship with the Florida group, a dear lady named Hilda repented and received Christ. Thank you for thanking our LORD for saving her and for His perfect will to be done in Hilda’s life. Phil 1:6
Excellent fruitful ministry time with Alex today. He’s also been sent the Born Again book in Spanish (PDF). Would you like to pause and ask God to bless, to save this man? (Ps 2:8; Acts 3:26)
Your prayers and support make this mission work to these beautiful, ultra-receptive people possible.
No religious organization or rich people support this Gospel mission. God is the Author of it!
Thousands have received the Gospel by the spoken ministry of the Word in Spanish and the JESUS tract.
“WE are labourers TOGETHER with God.” 1 Cor 3:9
“Matthew 5:3! No one wants to be in a humble state of submission in America. Even the so-called Christians! And be needy and weak. Like a little child. They pride themselves on all they can do. And why do I need God I can do it myself! This is why I love hearing testimonies of the people of Mexico who are poor in spirit, meek and humble! Without this you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Karen Cochran
Thank you for lifting in prayer the Mexican people – that many more will be saved and established in Christ (1 Timothy 2:4).
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See the Mission Mexico category for many more pics, videos, and testimonies.
Articles
Somebody Prayed Teddy Swims [video]
Nearly broke down in tears when this one came on while I was in the gym. … Try not to cry listening to this one…. God has been so very good to us! Jesus saves.
Never stop praying for your friends and loved ones.
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