2 Timothy 4:3-4
Wow! What a condemnation of the idea that a lost man can choose Christ. What a reproof of decisional salvation. What a vilification of man’s so-called free will. That “doctrine” is a myth and here Paul is warning Timothy about such doctrines. Many don’t put up with the sound doctrine so clearly taught in the Bible by Jesus Christ Himself, as well as by the apostles. That teaching is the Doctrine of Election: God chose His Elect before the foundation of the world, then at a specific point in their lives He quickened their dead spirit, converted them, and gave them the gifts of faith, belief, and repentance - ALL without that man doing ONE THING FIRST.
3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Wow! What a condemnation of the idea that a lost man can choose Christ. What a reproof of decisional salvation. What a vilification of man’s so-called free will. That “doctrine” is a myth and here Paul is warning Timothy about such doctrines. Many don’t put up with the sound doctrine so clearly taught in the Bible by Jesus Christ Himself, as well as by the apostles. That teaching is the Doctrine of Election: God chose His Elect before the foundation of the world, then at a specific point in their lives He quickened their dead spirit, converted them, and gave them the gifts of faith, belief, and repentance - ALL without that man doing ONE THING FIRST.
Yes, man has the responsibility AFTER those events occur to respond, but he WILL respond as Christ so clearly stated in John 6:37.
The sound doctrine and Truth that many do not put up with is the Doctrine of Election Paul clearly wrote about in Romans 9:11-12. Before the twins were born and before they had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told the older would serve the younger. Why? Because God loved Jacob and hated Esau (Malachi 1:2-3), BEFORE they were born and BEFORE they had done anything good or bad.
The truth that so many turn away FROM is the Doctrine of Election, and the myth that many turn TO is Arminianism, or the idea of man’s “free will” or decisional salvation. Many believers were raised in the general idea of Arminianism, or are stiff-necked and just can’t face the fact that the idea of what they’ve believed all their lives is wrong. But every man, woman, boy or girl believes exactly what God wants them to believe. How can I say that? Easy, go read Deuteronomy 29:4.
The sound doctrine and Truth that many do not put up with is the Doctrine of Election Paul clearly wrote about in Romans 9:11-12. Before the twins were born and before they had done anything good or bad, Rebekah was told the older would serve the younger. Why? Because God loved Jacob and hated Esau (Malachi 1:2-3), BEFORE they were born and BEFORE they had done anything good or bad.
The truth that so many turn away FROM is the Doctrine of Election, and the myth that many turn TO is Arminianism, or the idea of man’s “free will” or decisional salvation. Many believers were raised in the general idea of Arminianism, or are stiff-necked and just can’t face the fact that the idea of what they’ve believed all their lives is wrong. But every man, woman, boy or girl believes exactly what God wants them to believe. How can I say that? Easy, go read Deuteronomy 29:4.
Regardless of what you (and I) believe, it is God who gives people hearts that perceive, minds that understand, eyes to see and ears to hear - AND it is God working in ALL to will (think, reason, believe) and to do (act, behave, live) according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
Bottom line - The Doctrine of Election is the Biblically sound, God-centered doctrine away from which many have turned and FREE WILL is the man-made, man-centered myth they have embraced.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.