Predestination destroys legalism. If the whole of salvation, in all its parts, is understood to be by Christ alone, it leaves no room for boasting or trusting in ourselves, even partly. It strips us bare and forces us to abandon all hope in self-effort or rules to attain a right standing before God ... It shatters our self-complacency and causes us to renounce our self-righteousness. It makes us cover our lips and utter God is God and I am not (Rom 9:15, 16).
When you encounter professing Christians who attempt to deny penal substitutionary atonement, I would encourage you to make sure to point them to Luke 22:37 (among many other passages). Here Jesus is speaking just prior to Jesus' crucifixion, where He defines the importance and meaning of His going to the cross:
"For I tell you that this Scripture MUST be FULFULLED in ME: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its FULFILLMENT.” Luke 22:37 (emphasis mine)
This week I received from the local school district here in Oregon, the Comprehensive Education Sexuality Plan K-12 Guidelines
One of the FAQs they respond to is as follows:
Q: Why does sexuality education require that gender identity and sexual orientation be taught in the classroom?
The Extent of Original Sin in Every Faculty of the Soul (eBook)
by Anthony Burgess
The Total Depravity of Man (eBook)
by A. W, PInk
The Doctrine of Man's Impotence (eBook)
by A. W. Pink
An Unregenerate Man's Guiltiness Before God (eBook)
by Thomas Goodwin
Salvation is not just forensic. As central to our faith as this is, we cannot reduce salvation simply to justification only. Salvation is multifaceted. The work of our Lord includes, regeneration, justification, sanctification and ultimately, glorification, It includes imputation and impartation, not just forgiveness of sin, but a changed heart. We are saved in Christ from both the guilt and power of sin.
by Barrett Duke
Deconstruction is designed to strip texts of their meaning so that readers can appropriate foundational values in ways that are satisfying to them, regardless of authorial intent.
When you ask an Arminian friend if it would just if God left us all in our sin and saved no one, most answer yes, we are sinners and justly deserve God's wrath. But then turn around and ask, if God decided to pardon a number of these ill deserving sinners, but gave over the others to the justice they deserve, these same people suddenly cry out "that makes God unfair". Yet how can the former be okay in their eyes, but not the later? Does not God have the right to do what He wants with His grace? And are not those rebels getting their just deserts?
by Aaron Shafovaloff
1. Restraint shows wisdom. “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” (Proverbs 17:27)
2. Patient listening is contrary to a quick temper. "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." (Proverbs 14:29) “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” (James 1:19)
