Just a heads up that a few of my friends from Harding Graduate School (Now Harding School of Theology) have recently published curriculum with the “Flex” guides by 21st century Christian. These are $3.75 at 21st Century Christian.
The Story of God’s People by Mark Adams
Watershed Moments: Pivotal Points in Church History by Mark Adams
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Matt,
Thanks so much for the plug. I know James and I both worked hard to put these together, and we sincerely hope that they will be useful in God’s kingdom.
I appreciate all you do,
Mark
Thanks for mentioning this. I’m with Mark in hoping that these books make teaching bible classes easy and engaging. Most of all that God’s people are pointed back to God’s story and word.
I have looked at the sample page on “predestination” and I am quite certain that he is bleeding out some Calvinism always a LU problem. For instance, Paul never says we are PREDESTINATED.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, [He knew the Jews before)
he also did predestinate
…………………………… to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
God did not PICK US OUT as the writer seems to suggest.
I worry a lot about how so many missed prepositional phrases 101a
Gods PrePurpose was that all of the Jews would accept Christ and be saved but only a few fulfilled God’s purpose. God’s Counsel was that they be baptized but:
Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers
…………………………rejected the counsel of God against themselves,
…………………………being not baptized of him
Many are called
2811. kle÷oß kleos, kleh´-os; from a shorter form of 2564; renown (as if being called): — glory.
But FEW (diminishing small) are Chosen (tested as by fire)
4899. suneklekto/ß suneklektos, soon-ek-lek-tos´; from a compound of 4862 and 1586; chosen in company with, i.e. co-elect (fellow Christian): — elected together with.
Whosoever WILLS may come. I would follow the direct command and Christ approved example
Preach the Word by READING the Word. Peter outlawed “private interpretation” or further expounding because this was left as the mark of a false teacher.
Paul stopped in Romans and did a job on the Jews who believed that they were PREDESTINATED Chapters 9-11. He lists the idolatry and fall at Mount Sinai as proof that they were NOT predestinated.
Ken, thank you for your passion for the Word and the truth communicated therein. I’d like to address some of your critiques, if I may. When we discuss together, we sharpen each other like iron sharpens iron (Pr. 27.17).
In the context of Ephesians 1:1-14, it’s addressed by Paul (though that may be up for debate among scholars, I chose to stick with the traditional view) to the saints in Ephesus (again, I’m taking the traditional view here). So, in verse 5, the antecedent to “us” is clearly Paul and the Ephesians, not the Jews.
So, what do we do with Christians who are predestined? What does a careful reading of the Bible lead us to conclude?
I don’t want to overstep the bound of what the Bible says. I want to let the Bible interpret the Bible rather than letting my presuppositions cloud the issue. What I read in Ephesians 1 is an overarching message of how much God loves us and how active he has been in pursuing his people. I can’t say exactly what predestination means (and I hope I communicated that uncertainty well in the chapter), but I do know that God’s action toward humanity comes out of his love for us and his desire that we be saved. That gives me hope.
Thank you, again, for the thoughtful and loving discussion.
I will try to do a better job and post it so we don’t drive Matt mad. Righ now I am being tempted to go to a dinner seeing a grand niece off to med school.
God PREplanned or knew that we would be adopted by Christ. However, there is no sense of any strong-arm tactics.
I don’t believe that you can find the name of a person who is PREdetermined to be righteous or evi and certainly no connection with our eternal destiny: God predestinated us “to the adoption” by Christ but “many are called and few are chosen” or elected. I can predestinate or plan the lives of my children and grandchildren but I don’t determine how they will turn.
By the sacrifice of Jesus we are made accepted in Jesus Christ but that “justification” means that we are not ceremonially impure: that is a major subject of Paul trimming down the Jews.
Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood,
……….the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
What was the eternal purpose?
Ephesians 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
…..according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times
…..he might gather together in one all things in Christ,
…..both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
I think that includes the Jews and Gentiles in the heavenly kingdom.
Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
…..having slain the enmity thereby:
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come,
…..God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Galatians 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law,
…..that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons,
…..God hath sent forth the Spirit “OF” his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
I believe that is what was predestinated but not a personal PRE DETERMINED destiny to heaven or hell.
When Paul was speaking of Jacob
Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Notice what Paul says “not so hard to understand” if you check back to see there were TWO NATIONS involved.
Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Galatians 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons,
…..the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh;
…..but he of the freewoman was by promise
Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants;
…..the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Galatians 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
……….and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Galatians 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
I have ordered copies and will review on my own thread. However with all respect to Mark Tritheism was first invented by H. Leo Boles in 1938 and published by GA in 1942.
Proof for the trinity: John 14:8-14
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father,
……. and he shall give you another [not heteros]
…… Comforter [parakletos],
…….that he may abide with you for ever
However, Jesus also went on to verse 18
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
The Same John wrote
1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
…….And if any man sin, we have an advocate [parakletos] with the Father,
…….Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God,
……and one mediator [mesites] between God and men,
……the man Christ Jesus;
That is because.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly,
….. that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
…..both Lord and Christ.
Jesus of Nazareth in His glorified State is Holy (wholly) Spirit and
“he” shed forth what you see and hear on the day of Pentecost.
The Spirit Lord appeared to Paul as “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus as Spirit would continue to guide him.