“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 Jn. 4:1 Test,

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 Jn. 4:1

Test, examine, prove

John Calvin1509-1564Switzerland

Great TalentGreat Talent Good memoryGood memory Good thinkerGood thinker Influenced manyInfluenced many

Total Hereditary Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

Total Hereditary Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

All conceived in sinBorn children of wrathInherit sins back to Adam

Some elected to be savedSome elected to be lostGod chooses who will be saved / lost

Jesus died only for the elect to be saved

God’s saving grace cannot be resisted

Once saved always saved

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 Jn. 4:1

Test, examine, prove

Adam not corrupted at creation Luke 3:38 “which was the son of God”

Children are pure Matt.18:3 “become as little children”

Judged by our own actions Rom.2:6 “every man according to his deeds:”

Sin cannot be transmitted Ezekiel 18:1-20 “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” “the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father”

Conditions for salvation Rev. 3:20 “If any man hear my voice and open”

All given a chance 1 Tim.2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved”

Great Commission - Go Matt. 28:19-20 Mark 16:15-16

Why preach ?No need for predestined to be savedUseless for predestined to be lost

God’s Predestination - Rom. 8:28-30

28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

God’s Predestination - Rom. 8:28-30

Certain characteristics that God approves

Matt. 5:6 “hunger and thirst after righteousness”

Jn. 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Bible does not teach Calvinistic Predestination !

God has not decided ahead of time who will be saved / lost

Free moral agents = accept or reject

Questions for the Calvinists to consider

How does God desire all to be saved, if he chose some to be lost ??

Why go preach if every person cannot be saved ?

How can we be accountable for what God foreordained?

Is God a respecter of persons if he chose some to be saved and some to be lost?

Jesus died for all men Luke 19:10 “seek and to save that which was lost” Heb. 2:9 “taste death for every man 2 Cor. 5:15 “And that he died for all”

His blood can wash away sins of all 1 Jn. 2:2 “for the sins of the whole world” Jn.1:29 “taketh away the sin of the world” Jn.3:16 “have everlasting life” 2 Pet. 3:9 “not willing that any should perish”

Invitation is for all Rev. 22:17 “whosoever will” Mark 16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all

the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Does not mean all men will be saved !

Elect are forced to be saved

Tit. 2:11-12 God’s grace brings salvation to all men

God’s grace can be resisted Acts 7:51 “ye do always resist the Holy Spirit”

2 Tim.3:8 “so do these also resist the truth”

Jn. 1:12 “But as many as received him,…”

Elect are forced to be saved

If true then man is just a robot – machine

Programmed to act

No choices

Impossibility of apostasy – once saved always saved

2 Pet.1:5-11 “If ye do these things, ye shall never fall”

2 Pet.2:20-22 “entangled again”

1 Tim.1:19-20 “shipwreck” of their faith

2 Tim. 2:16-18 – erred from the truth

1 Tim.4:1-4 “depart from the faith”

HymenaeusAlexander

HymenaeusPhiletus

Impossibility of apostasy – once saved always saved

19. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

20. Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

If Adam and Eve were predestined to sin they had no choice, therefore God is responsible for sin.

God would be a respecter of persons. Rm.2:11

Wicked will not suffer for their sins but because God chose them to be lost.

Cannot pray for salvation of sinners !

Why preach the Gospel?

Total Hereditary Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

Total Hereditary Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistible Grace

Perseverance of the Saints

TTotal depravityotal depravity

UUnconditional electionnconditional election

LLimited atonementimited atonement

IIrresistible gracerresistible grace

PPerseverance of the saintserseverance of the saints

TTotal innocenceotal innocence

UUnconditional electionnconditional election

LLimited atonementimited atonement

IIrresistible gracerresistible grace

PPerseverance of the saintserseverance of the saints

TTotal innocenceotal innocence

RRestricted electionestricted election

LLimited atonementimited atonement

IIrresistible gracerresistible grace

PPerseverance of the saintserseverance of the saints

TTotal innocenceotal innocence

RRestricted electionestricted election

UUniversal atonementniversal atonement

IIrresistible gracerresistible grace

PPerseverance of the saintserseverance of the saints

TTotal innocenceotal innocence

RRestricted electionestricted election

UUniversal atonementniversal atonement

TThwarted gracehwarted grace

PPerseverance of the saintserseverance of the saints

TTotal innocenceotal innocence

RRestricted electionestricted election

UUniversal atonementniversal atonement

TThwarted gracehwarted grace

HHoliness lostoliness lost

TTotal innocenceotal innocence

RRestricted electionestricted election

UUniversal atonementniversal atonement

TThwarted gracehwarted grace

HHoliness lostoliness lost

Lost / saved because of deeds done in the Body

II Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Each is responsible for his own sins.

Romans 14:12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Will be judged based upon our: Obedience to God Rejection of God

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

[email protected]@bellsouth.net

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Morning January 18, 2015