We began our study of Calvin predestination last week by looking at T=Total Depravity and U=Unconditional Election.  We found both doctrines false and unscriptural.  This week we will finish the study by looking at L I and P, rounding out the famous “TULIP” doctrine.  Here we go with the letter “L.” Limited Atonement      This is the teaching by Calvin that our Lord died on the Cross only for the elect, those who were predestined to be saved.  Many knowledgeable Calvinists do not hold to this doctrine these days. How could any Calvinist defend this idea, when there are too many Scriptures that indicate that Christ died for all people, giving all a means of salvation, if they choose it.  The verses I

More churches are preaching Calvinism.  This system of beliefs is from John Calvin, a “theologian” of the 1550s. It was adopted by the Presbyterian, the Reformed, and the United Church of Christ doctrines a long time ago, and is an important tenet in about half the Baptist churches.  Most megachurches preach it, and most evangelical authors believe it.  It is a growing phenomenon among evangelical churches, according to a New York Times article (January 3, 2014).  But what is Calvinism? It is represented by the acronym TULIP: T=Man’s Total Depravity U=God’s Unconditional Election L=Christ’s Limited Atonement I=The Holy Spirit’s Irresistible Grace P=Preservation of the saints I would like to summarize each in turn, as Calvinists see them. Total Depravity, according to Calvinists, means mankind has

Getting saved is not the end of God’s design for our lives; it is a means to an end.  The end is to be a functioning member of the Kingdom of God.  We must move away from a “Save Me” religion, which is wanting something for me—rather, it should be something that God wants–a kingdom, ruled by His children. The best definition of the Kingdom is in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven…”  We want God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  How is God’s will done in heaven?  We have a very beautiful picture in Isaiah 6, where he is telling us that King Uzziah died.  He was a

Most Americans are not saved. Most Americans are going to hell, barring a revolutionary event or revival. That includes many that go to “evangelical” churches. How can I say such terrible things? It’s part of the job of the watchman, when necessary.  God made prophet Ezekiel a ‘watchman,’ whose purpose was to look for gross sin in the people, hear from God that it was time to speak, and then speak strongly to caution and warn them.  If he didn’t warn, their blood exacted from them in God’s judgment would be on his hands when God comes by to punish them for their apostasy (Ezek 33:6ff). Most people dislike the prophets, so I know how unacceptable this paper is going to be; I’ve spoken parts of

Let’s learn a little more about the Last Days; after all, we may be in it! Let’s start with II Thessalonians 2:1-3. For those genuine Christians at that future time: Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled…. as though the Day of Christ had come.3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition… Paul is introducing this theme—”concerning the coming of…Christ” and “our gathering together.” So he means the rapture. Further proof is in the word “coming” –it’s the Greek word “parousia,” which is in many verses on the subject of the rapture.

  Islam is touted as being a peaceful religion.  “Only the fanatics go around killing people,” they say.  The god of Muslims, Allah, is also endorsed as being the same god as the Christian God.  “We must tolerate everyone’s path to heaven,” they say.  But that is not the case, as I will show clearly. After I talk about their founder, Muhammad, I will compare their god with Our God—and ask you:  Which is worthy of worship?   Let’s start with the life of Muhammad, the one who brought us the Muslim religion.  He was born in 570 AD.  Orphaned as a small child, he lived mostly with his uncle.  As an adult, he had physical disorders, and spent much time alone.  At age 40,

  Before I begin: The list of verses below is NOT saying you can’t go to heaven unless you “pass” all the requirements listed (there are other sins and good works; we’re not trying to list those).  Salvation has an initial date, and also requires a sanctification period for the rest of your life, as you must grow in the Lord.  As I expressed in another blog, INITIAL salvation can be accomplished by (1) BELIEF in what Christ did:  He is God, He died to pay the price to redeem me; He was resurrected—that means I could be resurrected, taking away the power of death.  (2) A desire to REPENT, change my mind and turn away from my sins and the world which I can’t

There are some pastors and priests who are teaching un-Biblical theology these days.  But should the real church that teaches orthodoxy stand up and question them?  Unlikely to happen.  In our PC society, culture does not give us a pass to judge anybody—especially not to judge someone who calls themselves “Christian,” which many of these false teachers do.    But the fact is, our society is morally going down the wrong road.  When the “fruit” of the vine (John 15) is bad, we need to call it out. That’s what Paul did. The root of the vine is Jesus, and the vines are the real Christian church. But most of them have taken a muzzled condition these days.  Christians who really know Scripture need to

When asked, “Is the God of the Old Testament the same as the God of the New Testament?”, people have strange views. Even among people who claim to be Christian, I suspect the majority would answer “no.”  The reason, I think, is emotional.  They think God in the Old Testament is mean-spirited and bloody, and they don’t want that kind of God judging them in the last day. Pastors must feel the same way, since I have only heard a sermon from the Old Testament a couple of times.  They would prefer Jesus (whom they selectively portray as soft on sin in the New Testament) doing the judging, since He was a healer, wasn’t afraid to be with sinners, and defended the common people against the

  I would like to take four sections of Scripture and analyze them together, since they are all on the same subject—namely, the woman’s role in the family and in the church.  A hot topic, for sure.  Scripture is crystal clear on several points, but churches and families are not being taught this by their pastors. First, let’s look at I Corinthians 11:3-5, 7: But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head… 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory