A sermon by John Wesley taken from http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/58/ On Predestination By John Wesley Sermon 58 (text from the 1872 edition – Thomas Jackson, editor) ——————————————————————————– Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be…
Scripture Index
Adam Clarke, Commentary on Romans 9
The following commentary by Adam Clarke was taken from http://revivaltheology.gharvest.com/1_cal_arm/romans9.html Adam Clarke’s Commentary Paul’s Letter to the Romans Chapter 9 ——————————————————————————– Paul expresses his great sorrow for the unbelief and obstinacy of the Jews, 1-3.…
1 John 3:1-3; A Devotional
Know how great the love the Father has given to us, in order that we would be called the children of God, and we are. Through this the world does not know us, because it…
Does Jesus Teach That Regeneration Precedes Faith In John 3:3, 6?
The content of this post was authored by Ben Henshaw and is posted on his behalf. Probably the favorite Calvinist proof text for their doctrine of irresistible regeneration is John 3:3, 6. Here Jesus directly…
Examining A Rather Strange “Proof Text” For Irresistible Regeneration
I believe that I have sufficiently demonstrated that the Biblical ordo salutis (order of salvation) is not that regeneration precedes faith. I gave both a positive argument, and negative arguments (ed.s note referring to the author’s blog). Before moving on to examine the other petals of our favorite little flower, I wanted to give some brief attention to what I believe to be a rather odd proof text often urged by the proponents of irresistible grace.
This argument focuses on the grammar of two related passages in 1 John. James White makes use of these passages in The Potter’s Freedom. He sets up his argument by first quoting 1 John 5:1,
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.”
1 John 2:28-29; A Devotional
And now, little children, remain in him that when he would appear we would have boldness and we would not be ashamed by him at his coming. 29 If you would know that he is…
John 3:16 and Calvinism
It has been contested that John 3.16 fits well within a Calvinistic framework. After all, as Calvinist R. C. Sproul has noted, whosoever will may come to Jesus. But, he continued, no one will ever…
1 John 2:24-27; A Devotional
You, what you heard from the beginning, let it remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning would remain in you and you in the Son, you will remain in the Father. 25…
Calvinism And Free Will: An Exegetical Vindication of Matthew 23:37
The following post was first published at http://www.indeathorlife.org/. I decided to re-post it as it relates to the previous post regarding God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will. A few minor revisions have been made.
Arminians have long pointed to Matthew 23:37 to respond to the Calvinist doctrines of determinism, limited atonement, and irresistible grace.
Calvinism teaches that Christ died only for the elect (particular atonement), that he has decreed whatsoever shall come to pass in human history (determinism- no human free will as pertains to true contingencies), and that man has nothing to do with his own salvation (monergism), which necessitates their doctrine of irresistible grace.
A Recent Reading of Ephesians
My wife and I have a daily reading of Scripture where we read through large sections of the Bible at once, to get the bigger pictures in Scripture, and cover the full ground of Scripture…
1 John 2:21-23; A Devotional
I did not write to you that you do not know the truth but that you know it and that all lying is not from the truth. 22 Who is the liar if not the…
1 John 2:18-20; A Devotional
Little children, it is the last hour, and as you heard that an antichrist is coming, and even now many antichrists are here, because of this we know it is the last hour. 19 They…
1 John 2:15-17; A Devotional
Do not love the world nor things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 Because all the things in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, are not from the Father but are from the world. 17 And the world is passing away and its lusts, but the one who does the will of the Father remains forever.
This passage begins the recurring theme of love and its import to the Christian. This time, love is focused in a negative way, as in what not to love. The world here stands for those things not from God. This can be seen in the terse explanation that love of the world precludes love from God.
Note how that was worded: love of the world, in other words the love one has for the world, precludes love from God, that is the love instantiated in the person of Christ. One can either love the world or be saved. John does not allow room for gray, he sees this in simple black and white.
Essay on Ephesians 2.1-10
I. Grace Is Essential Because Sinners Are In A “Dead” State Of Mind. (2:1-3) The Greek text of Ephesians 2:1 begins with, Kai hymas ontas nekros, literally, “and you were dead.” The New King James…
1 John 2:12-14; A Devotional
I am writing to you, little children, that your sins would be forgiven you through his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known it from the beginning. I am writing…
1 John 2:8-11: A Devotional
Beloved, I do not write a new command to you but an old command, which you have from the beginning. The old command is the word which you heard. 8 Yet I write a new…
1 John 2:6; A Devotional
The one who claims he remains in him ought to walk even as that one walked. (author’s translation) This verse is just incredible. John challenges the reader in a way like only “Be perfect” can.…
Perseverance of the Saints Part 9: Hebrews 10:32-39
We finish our exegetical examination of the warning passage in Hebrews 10 with verses 32-39: [32] “But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, [33] partly by…
Perseverance of the Saints Part 8: What Kind of Sanctification is Being Described in Hebrews 10:29?
We now examine another interpretation that looks to make this sanctification merely outward with no internal reality. It looks to compare the sanctification described in 10:29 with the outward ceremonial cleansing referred to under the…
Perseverance of the Saints Part 7: Who is Sanctified in Hebrews 10:29?
The content of this post was authored by Ben Henshaw and is posted on his behalf. We will now examine one of the alternative interpretations offered by the proponents of unconditional security concerning the apostate…
