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Sunday Morning Message for March 11, 2012
Sunday Morning Message for March 4, 2012
Sunday Morning Message for February 26, 2012
Sunday Morning Message for February 19, 2012
Sunday Morning Message for February 12, 2012
Sunday Morning Message for February 5, 2012
The “Dangerous” Book of John!
We seem to come, over and over again, to THE great spiritual question. Who can be saved, and how?
We quickly agree that only those whom the Lord chooses, for that is in Scripture.
We also agree that only those who “believe” are saved, for that is in Scripture.
So, is it by our choice or by His choosing? Is it one, or the other? Is it by Sovereignty, or by free will? Did Calvin have it right, or not? To further mess thing up, let’s throw in issues of holiness and obedience and confession and repentance and apostasy and denial. OMG
(Let’s admit here that our historical attempts to answer this are based on our first deciding which answer we like, and then developing a doctrine to support it. Let’s agree here that Protestants need to stop protesting so much, as it isn’t bringing unity, but discord. Don’t agree? Start another denomination. Command that you are right, by fiat.)
Let me ask: why must it be one or the other? Why can’t it be both, since both are supported by Scripture? Why must we accept one and exclude the other, which only leads to the accusation of someone not believing the Bible?
God is Sovereign, we agree. He chooses, we agree. Praise His Name that He chooses me!!! Has He chosen YOU? Of course He has. It is His will that NONE should perish!
Must we believe, in order to be saved? Of course we must. We must answer His call and pursue Him, following the path He lays out for us. We can deviate from the path, and find it doesn’t work out so well, and return to the path and again enjoy the Blessing of His provision. This isn’t rocket science! In fact, we’re discovering that rocket science is kids stuff to Him!!! It isn’t even rocket science; it is His science, from beginning to end, or, better, from ignorance to understanding!
His choice? Yes. Our free will? Yes. Who gets to Heaven? Everyone who does not reject the Salvation of God Almighty.