LETTER TO A DEAR BROTHER ON TINA TURNER AND THE END OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW BUDDHISM

My dear Brother John,
Thank you for your recent letter and the questions you have asked concerning Tina Turner and the Salvation of those who follow the Buddhist path. I am not surprised that you being a newly converted Christian asked me such a question. But do not the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ settle that question once and for all, dear Brother? For He bluntly said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but BY ME!” [John 14:6]

And His disciples after Him reiterated the same truth by asserting, “Neither is there salvation in ANY OTHER: for THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN given among men, whereby we must be saved.” [Acts 4:12]

I understand that there are a lot of folks on Social-media who are praising Tina Turner and all the good that she has done etc, saying that “she is in a better place now” blah blah. And as far as I know, only one prominent Christian writer, Ray Comfort spelled out the facts on Twitter, saying – “The Queen of rock ‘n’ roll passed into eternity today. All the money that Tina Turner possessed, all her fame, all her awards, and accolades now mean nothing. The only thing that matters, is “Were her sins forgiven?”

Oh, brother that sure stirred a hornet’s nest amongst the ungodly, with people bashing this man right, left and center . . . you know why? It’s because he was coming against their idol, and in exposing HER he was exposing THEIR OWN GODLESS LIFESTYLE AND THEIR INEVITABLE END, if you will. It happens every time you speak out exposing the wrath of God that awaits those who know not Christ, celebrity or not.

Our Lord stated that in no uncertain terms, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM!” [John 3:36]

So, what of Tina Turner and her faith? WHAT did she believe and practice? While Tina Turner is heralded as a Rhythm n Blues and Rock icon, her Buddhist faith was the soul that drove her eventful life and career.

She often credited the Buddhist religion with helping her find the strength to leave her abusive relationship with her husband Ike Turner in 1976. In the years since, Turner was known to recite Buddhist chants daily, even chanting on national television on Larry King’s CNN show in 1997, a practice she continued until her death on Wednesday, at 83, in her home in Küsnacht, near Zurich, Switzerland, where she had kept her own Buddhist shrine.

Here’s what she said concerning her Buddhist faith, “Chanting helped me to go within myself and open deep sources of happiness and wisdom in my own heart and mind,” she revealed. “Soon, I realized that I already had within me everything I needed to change my circumstances and create a truly happy life. We all have that, and I want everyone to know it. I’ve met people from all over the world, from many cultures and faiths, and I believe that all religious traditions share the same basic aspirations at their core—to experience everlasting joy by aligning with the positive forces of the universe. We may describe this ultimate reality as Jehovah, God, Allah, Jesus, Hashem, Tao, Brahma, the Creator, the Mystic Law, the Universe, the Force, Buddha nature, Christ consciousness, or any number of other expressions.”

Read that again, John, she said that she “already had within me everything I needed to change my circumstances and create a truly happy life.” Oh, how different from the apostle who said, “For I know that in me [that is, in my flesh,] dwelleth no good thing!” [Rom 7:18]

Any ‘Christian’ who knows Tina’s lifestyle and beliefs and thinks that “she is in a better place now” needs to be Born-again! And for those who argue that such ungodly sinners could have repented on their death-beds, A.W. Pink’s words are appropriate –“What insanity is it that persuades multitudes to defer the effort to repent till their deathbeds? Do they imagine that when they are so weak that they can no longer turn their bodies they will have strength to turn their souls from sin? Far sooner could they turn themselves back to perfect physical health.”

Coming back to Tina Turner, she was deluded into thinking that all religions “share the same basic aspirations at their core—to experience everlasting joy by aligning with the positive forces of the universe” She is dead wrong!

As we have said in many of our posts, there are basically only TWO RELIGIONS in the world. One says, “IF YOU WILL do such and such, God will graciously bestow His blessing upon you.” The thousand and one varieties of this religion differ only on what the “such and such” is that you must be willing to do. One variety says bathe in a sacred river, another bids you to sit and chant mantras for hours on end, while another beckons you to kiss the sacred rock located in the holy city, still another says be baptized or some similar rite, and in distinctly evangelical circles this religion emphasizes, “IF YOU WILL OPEN YOUR HEART, THEN GOD WILL etc . . .”

Now the second religion is the message of the Bible. It is the gospel of FREE GRACE. It does not look to God for the PROVISION and then turn to man for the POWER, but it boldly proclaims that the same sovereign grace that planned salvation for helpless sinners also furnishes them with the ability to desire and receive it. This second religion not only starts at a different place, it works on a different principle, and moves toward a different goal. In short, it is a totally different religion.

The religion based on free will which include Hinduism, Buddhism, Mohammedanism, and Roman Catholicism [i.e., Arminianism in general – If you will …], and that based of free grace [i.e., Calvinism — God makes us willing …] are two very distinct and opposite religions that differ on every theological point at which they meet.

But since your question concerns Tina Turner and her Buddhist faith, let us briefly examine the religion she followed.

Buddhism teaches that man has to work in order to find salvation from suffering. He does this by following the ‘Noble Truths’: Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Awareness, Right Meditation.

This is just the proud error that man has believed since the beginning: self-salvation. The Buddhist does not believe that he is a sinner and needs to be saved from the guilt, punishment and pollution of sin. Buddhists do not have a correct view of sin: the transgression of the holy law of God. Buddhists have no understanding of original sin: that all people are born totally depraved because they sinned ‘in Adam’. They believe that man is basically good and can achieve ‘enlightenment’ by his own efforts. However, all the supposed good works man does are eloquently described in Scripture as ‘dung’ [Phil. 3:8] and ‘filthy rags’ [Isaiah 64:9].

The Christian on the other hand does not want to be found in his own righteousness, but to be found in Christ. Paul [who was a Pharisee before his conversion] says this: ‘But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith’ [Phil 3:7-9]. When God saves a person, all glory must go to Him. No sinner can boast in God’s presence that he attained salvation in any sense by his own efforts. Any sinner who believes that salvation is by works is lost, no matter how sincere and outwardly nice he is. That includes all Buddhists.

PEACE IS TO BE FOUND IN CHRIST ALONE:

Peace comes not from relentlessly chanting Buddhist chants or Rosaries, but from having one’s sins forgiven in the blood of Jesus Christ. When a sinner knows, really knows, that he has eternal life, trusting that Jesus Christ bore the curse and guilt of his sins, he has peace. How can a Buddhist have peace? He never knows if he has done enough to achieve salvation. He can never tell if on his death he will cease to exist [which is the ultimate goal of Buddhism!], come back as a worse or better form of life, or awake in hell. What a torment that is!

The child of God however knows peace: ‘I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety’ [Ps. 4:8]; ‘Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them'[Ps. 119:165]. Christ is called the ‘Prince of Peace’ [Isa. 9:6]; and ‘the chastisement of our peace was upon Him’ [Isa. 53:5], meaning that the punishment which brought peace to sinners was upon Him. Only by satisfying God’s justice on the cross could Christ make peace for sinners with God. However, to the wicked ‘there is no peace’ [Isa. 57:21] because they ‘have not known the way of peace’ [Rom. 3:17].

To His followers Christ says, ‘Peace I give unto you’ [John 14:27]. Many of the Epistles start with the greeting of peace [Rom. 1:7 etc.]. The fruit of the Spirit is peace [Gal. 5:22]. Christ’s work brings peace: ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ [Rom. 5:1]. ‘For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us'[Eph. 2:14]. He ‘made peace through the blood of his cross’ [Col. 1:20]. All who reject the peace-making Atonement of Christ on the cross are lost, including all Buddhists.

I trust that answers your query briefly. And in closing let me add that all who have abandoned the Faith of their fathers, [I am speaking here specifically of Hollywood and Contemporary music and sports celebrities] for a faith or a god other than the one the Bible proclaims are LOST, PERIOD!

“O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters!” [Jer 17:13]

with much Love
thy Brother for whom Christ died
Brother Mike

REJOICING IN THE TRUTH OF SOVEREIGN ELECTION

Compiled by Michael Jeshurun

Whatever truth I contend for is usually the truth which God has been showing me all along progressively, either from His Word or from my own personal experience as a preacher. For instance, I was sovereignly taught by the Lord concerning Election and Predestination long before I ever picked up any book by Calvin or A.W. Pink! Even though in my initial years I sat amongst ‘Arminians’, I always knew in my heart that I had not chosen Him, but that HE had chosen me! [John 15:16] Come now, how could I have chosen Him, when I was a hardcore Satanist who took pleasure in burning Bibles and campaigning for Satan for all those years I spent in the Occult!

So, when a few years following my Regeneration I finally ran into some Calvinists/Monergists or whatever you want to call them, it was like finding your family after many years of separation! I knew I had found the fold where I belonged! It mattered little what language they spoke or what color they were; what mattered most was that God had ALREADY revealed to them, what he was now revealing to me!

And that is – that Salvation is “not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy!” and the very reason I had come to believe in the Gospel was not because I had carefully weighed the pros and cons and made a ‘decision’ to ‘accept’ Christ, but only because, I was “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, so that I should be holy and without blame before Him . . . in love He had predestinated me unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory, not of my supposed ‘free-will’ or decision, but of His sovereign grace, wherein He had made me accepted in the beloved!”

When God first revealed to me the truth of His election and predestination, man I was blown! I just flipped out! To think that God had passed by so many of my good and moral religious relatives and friends, (not to mention the drunkards, drug-addicts and blasphemers who were my bosom buddies) and had chosen ME just blew my mind. I could weep with David, “Who am I, O Lord GOD that Thou hast brought me hitherto?!” [2Sam 7:18]

And ever since, Election and Predestination have been my cause for rejoicing. Here are some technical or doctrinal reasons as to why –

ELECTION ENSURES THAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD WILL STAND –
“For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth; it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.” (Rom. 9:11-12)

ELECTION ENSURES THAT MY SALVATION DEPENDS NOT ON ME BUT GOD’S MERCY:
“So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but OF GOD that showeth mercy” (Rom. 9:16).

ELECTION PRODUCES IN ME HUMILITY, MAINTAINING THE CREATOR-CREATURE DISTINCTION:
“Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Rom. 9:19-21)

ELECTION GUARANTEES MY GOOD IN THIS LIFE AND MY GLORIFICATION IN THE NEXT:

“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. 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. 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.” (Rom. 8:28-30).

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning CHOSEN you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thes. 2:13-14).

ELECTION ENSURES MY BLAMELESS JUSTIFICATION:
“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth!” (Rom. 8:33).

ELECTION GUARANTEES THAT MY GOD WILL BE WORSHIPPED :
“God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down Thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant ACCORDING TO THE ELECTION OF GRACE.” (Rom. 11:2-5).

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, BEING PREDESTINATED according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Eph. 1:11-12).

ELECTION ESTABLISHES GRACE:
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Rom. 11:6).

ELECTION OBTAINS THE SALVATION I SEEK:
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for ;but THE ELECTION HATH OBTAINED IT, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.” (Rom. 11:7-8).

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thes. 2:13).

It is worth noting that God’s Election here is specifically to SALVATION, and not just for ‘service’ as some haters of election propose!

ELECTION MAKES THE GIFTS AND CALLING OF GOD IRREVOCABLE:
“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, (i.e., irrevocable).” (Rom. 11:28-29). A man may at times be sorry that he chose to marry a certain woman or adopted a certain child from an orphanage, etc. But the great God never feels sorry or regrets having chosen someone for Salvation. What’s more He knew full well what they would turn out to be and how they would behave long before He chose them. (Isaiah 48:8,9)

ELECTION EXPRESSES ITSELF WITH THE FATHER’S LOVE TOWARD ME IN ADOPTION:
“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. . . ” (Eph. 1:4-5).

ELECTION COINCIDES WITH THE SANCTIFYING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied” (1 Pet. 1:1-2).

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2 Thes. 2:13).

ELECTION PROVIDES THE GROUND FOR MY PERSEVERANCE IN GOSPEL MINISTRY:
“Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.” (Acts 18:9-11).

“Therefore, I endure all things FOR THE ELECT’S SAKES, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:10).

There are many more reasons as to WHY the truth of Election is sweet music to my ears – the main one being I happen to be one of them. Come now, it stands to reason that only God’s elect can rejoice in the truth of Sovereign Election, just as only the ‘redeemed’ can rejoice in the truth of Redemption.

I do not expect the non-elect or the reprobate to either understand it, receive it or rejoice in it. They can only stop their ears to it, cavil against it and persecute those who preach it. In other words they can only behold it, wonder about it and perish! As it is written “BEHOLD, ye despisers, and WONDER, and PERISH: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in NO WISE BELIEVE, though A MAN DECLARE IT UNTO YOU”. [Act 13:41]

As John Kay said long ago, “Men are greatly deceived in religion. They think thus that there is no mystery in religion; whereas, TRUE RELIGION IS THE VERY MYSTERY OF GOD. “The mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Rev. 10:7) “It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom.” (Matt. 13:11; Luke 8:10)

For my part, I bless God that it was early in my religion laid on my mind to pray; to pray in reading the Scriptures; to pray in everything; for I became gradually persuaded that there was a secret, a mystery, “a deep couching beneath”; something hidden; something the non-elect were never to know; something hidden from the eyes of all naturally living; something “sealed”; something running under ground, as it were, in religion. And O the deeps! for who hath known the mind of the Lord? “Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun (of righteousness); because, though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea, farther, though a (supernaturally) wise man think to know it, yet shall not he be able to find it,” (Eccl. 8:17) by thinking merely, reading, hearing, or speculation. It is “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” [Zech 4:6]

FALSE TEACHERS WHO DENY THE EXISTENCE OF A SINFUL NATURE IN MAN

Compiled by Michael Jeshurun

This morning I happen to click on a Youtube video titled, “Democrats Don’t Have a Sinful Nature” a ‘Christian’ teaching video by Michael Pearl of “No Greater Joy Ministries” Tennessee. His wife Debi and Michael have written many books on Child-training which are quite popular amongst unwary Christians.

This short write-up however is not concerning his views on ‘child-training’ but his attack on the ‘the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.’ [Jude 1:3]. As I listened through this Youtube, it quickly became clear that it had very little to do with Democrats, but was a vicious attack on the theology and doctrine which we hold so dearly – The Doctrines of Grace.

For the uninitiated we must first define who a ‘Pelagian’ is and what Pelagianism teaches – Pelagianism is a Christian theological position that holds that the original sin did not taint human nature and that humans by divine grace have free will to achieve human perfection. Pelagius (c. 355 – c. 420 AD), an ascetic and philosopher from the British Isles, taught that God could not command believers to do the impossible, and therefore it must be possible to satisfy all divine commandments. He also taught that it was unjust to punish one person for the sins of another; therefore, infants are born blameless. Pelagius accepted no excuse for sinful behaviour and taught that all Christians, regardless of their station in life, should live unimpeachable, sinless lives.

In this video I mentioned above, Pearl starts off by saying, “There’s no such thing as a sinful nature, not anywhere in the universe, nor will there ever be such an entity, as a sinful nature does not exist. In fact, it’s an impossibility!”

Michael Pearl does not believe in the imputation of Adam’s sin to all human beings. (He does not believe in the Total Depravity of Man.) He is a proponent of the false teaching of ‘The age of Accountability’. He writes, “When a descendant of Adam reaches a level of moral understanding (sometime in his youth) he becomes fully, personally accountable to God and has sin imputed to him, resulting in the peril of eternal damnation.” Pearl adds, “When man reaches his state of moral accountability, and, by virtue of his personal transgression, becomes blameworthy, his only hope is a work of grace by God alone, etc.”

This seems like a minor quibble, but it is profound. And from there on Pearl goes on to attack Augustine, Calvin and especially Martin Luther and his take on ‘The Bondage of the Human Will’ and Calvinists in general.

Whatever else Michael Pearl may believe and teach, his denial of the existence of a sinful nature in man and his ‘Bondage of the Will’ and Total Depravity is enough to throw this man’s teaching in the TRASH where it belongs!

We cannot do better here than quote that faithful servant of God A.W. Pink –

“They (the Pelagians/Arminians) deny the Total Depravity of Man, for they insist that he possesses a free will and can accept Christ and be saved by a decision of his own; thus directly repudiating God’s word, as found in John 1:13; 6;44; 8:36; Rom 9:16, and other passages. And where any teacher or preacher is unsound on these BASIC TRUTHS, no confidence must be placed on him on any other subject. IF HE IS ALL WRONG AT THE FOUNDATIONS, HIS SUPERSTRUCTURE IS BOUND TO BE FAULTY!”

Pastor Henry Mahan said in one of his sermons – “Sin and death came upon all men.” Is that what the Word teaches? Then, it is so! That is doctrine! That is original sin, and that is what man has to straighten out OR HE WILL BE MESSED UP ALL THE WAY THROUGH IN HIS DOCTRINE. What happened in the Fall, determines what happened on the Cross. What happened on the Cross, determines what happens in a sinner when God saves him. What happens in a sinner when God saves him, determines where a man is going to spend eternity”.

“If you have never felt the weight of original sin, do not call yourselves Christians. I am verily persuaded that original sin is the greatest burden of a true convert; this ever grieves the regenerate soul, the sanctified soul. The indwelling sin in the heart is the burden of a converted person; it is the burden of the true Christian. He continually cries out, “Oh, who will deliver me from this body of death,” this indwelling corruption of my heart? This is that which disturbs a poor soul most. And therefore, if you never felt this inward corruption, if you never saw that God might justly curse you for it, indeed, my dear friends, you may speak peace to your hearts, but I fear, nay, I know, there is no peace”. – George Whitfield

Incidentally, Pearl teaches the false doctrine of ‘Sinless perfection’. Just Google – “Michael Pearl sinless perfection’ and do your own research. Pearl’s heresy of ‘sinless perfectionism’ is perhaps why he is comfortable preaching in Assemblies of God congregations and at times holds seminars for them.

Continuing with quotes from trusted theologians on the doctrine of Total Depravity here is another one from William G. T. Shedd from his ‘Theological Essays’ –

“Though written many decades ago, the following quotation is an admirable expression of the continuing concern of Reformed thinkers for the doctrine of total depravity.

If the church and the ministry of the present day need any one thing more than another, it is profound views of sin; and if the current theology of the day is lacking in any one thing, it is in that thorough-going, that truly philosophic, and, at the same time, truly edifying theory of sin, which runs like a strong muscular cord through all the soundest theology of the church. (William G. T. Shedd, Theological Essays)

John Gerstner expresses the same perennial Reformed interest epigrammatically when he says to the contemporary world,

One cannot think of God’s holy ways without thinking of our unholy ones. We cannot think of ourselves without thinking of our sin. Sin is the most important conviction any man can have. It is a bad theology which thinks man good. Any good theology must start with man as bad. (John Baillie, Our Knowledge of God (London: Oxford Press, 1939), p. 32.)

Gerstner and Shedd make remarkable assertions: “a good theology must start with man as bad”; the church needs a “truly edifying theory of sin.” Can any good thing come out of a consideration of sin? Reformed theology, going back through classical theology to the Scriptures, answers earnestly, “yes.” To be saved is to be saved from sin. If sin means Total Depravity, and if Total Depravity means hell, then salvation can really mean amazing grace.” – Thomas Gregory

Let us close by saying that the study of the doctrine of “Original Sin” and the ‘Sinful nature’ inherent in Adam’s progeny is the proper foundation to be laid in the study of God’s Word, and as A.W. Pink stated above, “where any teacher or preacher is unsound on these BASIC TRUTHS, no confidence must be placed on him on any other subject. IF HE IS ALL WRONG AT THE FOUNDATIONS, HIS SUPERSTRUCTURE IS BOUND TO BE FAULTY!”

WHAT YOU DO WITH JESUS IS NOT IN YOUR POWER

Michael Jeshurun

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Christ?” [Matt 27:22]. This is the most important question that has ever been asked. It is also the question you must ask yourself. What will be YOUR decision concerning Christ?” – Billy Graham

Like old Billy, most Arminian preachers in the land have a sermon on the words of Pilate, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” [Matt 27:22]. They use it to try and prove to the sinner that the salvation of his soul rests entirely in his deciding for or against Jesus. But very few preachers ever are fair enough to preach on the reply Jesus made to these words of Pilate. Jesus said to Pilate, “Thou couldst have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above” [John 19:11].

In other words, just like Pilate of old “what you do with Jesus” is not in YOUR power! Sure, it is in your sinful choice TO REJECT HIM, which ALL the sons of Adam inevitably do; but to believe in Him and confess Him as Lord and Saviour lies not within your power!

The apostle said, “. . . no man CAN say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” [1Cor 12:3] And the Holy Spirit, which enables one to confess Christ, is One who is sovereignly given to a man at regeneration. “Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath GIVEN US OF HIS SPIRIT.” [1Jn 4:13]

THAT is what it means to be ‘born of the Spirit’. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born-again.” [Jn 3:6,7]

In regeneration one of God’s elect is the SUBJECT, and the Spirit of God is the sole AGENT. The subject of the new birth is WHOLLY PASSIVE: he does not ACT but is ACTED UPON. The sovereign work of the Spirit in the soul precedes all holy exercises of heart- such as sorrow for sin, faith in Christ, love toward God… This great change is not a gradual and protracted process, but is INSTANTANEOUS: in an instant of time the favored subject of it passes from death unto life.

Make no mistake, until THIS first takes place there is no believing or ‘accepting’ Jesus. And THIS only happens to those whom God hath ordained to eternal life before time began. [see 2Tim 1:9] Following Paul’s preaching, it is written, “and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” [Acts 13:48]

We who have believed in Christ, believe not because ‘we weighed the pros and cons’ of accepting or rejecting Christ and then made ‘the RIGHT CHOICE’. God forbid! But we believed BECAUSE OF GOD’S WORKING! [Eph 3:20; 1Thes 2:13]

Read this verse carefully and meditate on it, “For unto you IT IS GIVEN in the behalf of Christ, not only TO BELIEVE ON HIM, but also to suffer for His sake!” [Phil 1:29]

Read that again, you ‘believe on Him’ because it is ‘GIVEN’ to you! To those who reject Him “it is not given.” Get it? [see Mark 4:10-12]

Again, “IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” [1Cor 1:30,31]

Men in general do with Christ what Pilate of old did because they are dead in trespasses and sins as was Pilate. If they must make a choice contrary to Pilate they MUST be quickened by God’s Spirit. In the heart of man, there dwelleth no good thing, nothing which finds Christ attractive. To the unregenerated Jew, the Gospel is a ‘stumbling block’ and to the gentile it is mere foolishness! It is only to those who are THE CALLED that the Gospel preached is both the power of God, and the wisdom of God. [see 1Cor 1:23,24]

No man whether dead in sin or dead in a profession ever seeks after the discriminating God of the Bible. [see Rom 3:11]

It is God’s sovereign regeneration or being ‘born-again’ which changes all that!

“Salvation is of the LORD!” [Jonah 2:9]

HOW CHRIST DISARMED SATAN

compiled by Michael Jeshurun

The black Angus bull, one of the most expensive and heavy-boned bulls in the trade.

Imagine how terrifying it would be to face one such angry bull which is determined to gore you to death!

It reminds you of the well bred ‘bulls of bashan’ which encircled our Lord while He suffered on the Cross. He says there were ‘many’ such bulls apart from the ‘dogs’ which surrounded Him in His greatest hour of suffering.

“Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.” [Psalm 22]

“For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. Deliver My soul from the sword; My darling from the power of the dog.” [Psalm 22]

To interpret these deadly beasts to mean just the gentile wicked and the murderous pharisees is to miss the point. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [Eph 6:12]

And THIS was THEIR HOUR i.e., the power of darkness! [Lk 22:53]

Here is clearly displayed the Sovereignty of God in granting or withholding wisdom and knowledge from His creatures. [see James 1:5]

As subtle, cunning and smart as the Devil is, he had this knowledge withheld from him – i.e., in crushing the Son of God physically, he would be fatally crushing his own head spiritually! He was digging the proverbial pit into which he himself would fatally fall.

For had he known this, he would not have crucified the Lord of glory and sealed his own fate!

The apostle declared, “And having spoiled (or disarmed) principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” [Col 2:15]

Our great captain has won the contest. The seed of the woman has bruised the head of the seed of the serpent (Gen. 3:15).

While not as familiar to us, Colossians 2:15 was beloved in earlier periods of Christian history. It is also regularly invoked in academic theology to support a certain understanding of Christ’s atonement known as the “Christus Victor” model, which argues that Christ’s saving work consists in defeating the evil powers that afflict and enslave humanity.

Unfortunately, some go on to argue that this way of looking at Christ’s atonement excludes other important aspects of His work, particularly His satisfaction of divine justice on our behalf.

As we shall see, properly understanding Colossians 2:15 can help us avoid this error by rightly affirming Christ’s victory over evil in and through His sacrificial death on the cross.

Colossians 2:15 states that Christ “disarmed the rulers and authorities.” To whom does this phrase refer? The combination of “rulers and authorities” appears elsewhere in Paul’s writings in reference to human authorities (Titus 3:1), but more often it applies to spiritual powers (Eph. 3:10; 6:12). When we compare Colossians with Ephesians (its parallel epistle), we see that “thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities” are obviously spiritual entities, whether angels or demons (Eph. 1:21; 2:2; 3:10; 6:12).

We can safely conclude that the enemies Christ triumphed over in Colossians 2:15 are the spiritual beings who were at war against Him.

But if Christ disarmed Satan and his demons and took away their power, HOW exactly did He do it? He did it by nailing Satan’s Chief Weapon to the Cross!

Colossians 2:15 isn’t talking about some war in the underworld as some suppose, but of Christ’s victorious work on the Cross. In the prior verses, Paul speaks about the “legal debt” sinners were under. Christ has now “set this aside” by “nailing it to the cross” (Col. 2:14). Because of this, no one can condemn us (Col. 2:16).

THIS is how Jesus has disarmed the powers. He has taken away Satan’s power to hold sinners to the debt of their sins and trespasses.

Indeed, accusation is the chief activity for Satan. He attempted to undermine God’s righteous verdict over Job (Job 1:9–10), stood ready to accuse Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3:1), and accused all believers before God day and night (Rev. 12:10). The power of sin is the law (1 Cor. 15:56), and Satan attempted to use the demands of the law to destroy God’s people. But Christ, in taking the law’s curse on himself (Gal. 3:13), has wrested this weapon from Satan.

He has disarmed him and triumphed over all the forces of evil precisely in His sacrificial death on the cross. As John Calvin put it, “There is no tribunal so magnificent, no throne so stately, no show of triumph so distinguished, no chariot so elevated, as is the gibbet on which Christ has subdued death and the devil, the prince of death.”

This understanding also explains the nature of Satan’s defeat. He hasn’t yet been so utterly destroyed or defanged that he can’t do battle against the believer. But he cannot hurt us spiritually or bring a successful charge against us (Rom. 8:33). We’re now free to wrestle against the spiritual forces of evil knowing we will get the victory. In the words of John Davenant, “Those who are vanquished are always more angry than powerful.” While Satan and his minions rage, they can only express frustration that their fate is sealed.

Indeed, Satan was made a spectacle in the cross. Believing that Jesus had been defeated, Satan made his grandest boasts. And yet, the death of Christ was the greatest victory. The cross crushed Satan’s head for good. His boasting became foolishness and his glory shame, as the justification of all God’s Elect now makes plain.

You and I beloved, are fighting a defeated foe, and hence the assuring promise, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under YOUR feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” [Rom 16:20]

ONE MAN AND GOD – A MAJORITY!

The times in which the prophet Jeremiah lived and the message God gave him to preach can be compared to the times in which we are living in.

Jeremiah lived in a time of great apostasy! And are we not living in such times? We are living in a time when men are most religious and claim to know the God of the Bible, but are in truth actually worshipping ‘another Jesus’! On one hand we have the deadly error of Arminianism which has pervaded almost all recognized denominations and on the other hand we have those who claim to believe in the Sovereign God and the Sovereignty of God in salvation and yet live an antinomian life – Like the men in the days of Jeremiah God says of them that they – “come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?” [Jer 7:10]

Another thing worthy of notice is that Jeremiah was pretty much a ‘lone voice’ in the midst of a compromised people! And is this not so in OUR day! How many do we find who are zealous for the Sovereign God of the Bible and desire to see His people brought back to the worship of the true God? Hardy a handful!

And the commission which God gave the prophet Jeremiah is the same commission to US! And WHAT is that commission? This – “Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant!” [Jer 1:9,10]

Now meditate very carefully on this following commission. The instruction to the prophet is to ‘build and to plant’ but before he can do that he needs to “root out, and pull down, destroy, and throw down!” Is that not this the SAME commission which God has given us?! People always ask us WHY we spend so much time attacking heresies and false doctrines and not just preach Jesus and His love for all! Well now you know!

Before one can build he needs to clear the ground! Before we establish in a man’s mind that Jehovah is absolutely Sovereign we must show him how depraved and helpless he is! Before we can tell a man of the perfect holiness and righteousness of the Son of God we need to show him that all man’s righteousness are as filthy menstrual rags in God’s sight! And therefore we preach not only the truth but spend a great deal of time exposing the Lie!

“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins!” [Isaiah 58:1]

And the commission given to Jeremiah is not an easy one that can be carried out in the flesh or in human strength. And therefore the Lord assures the prophet of his election by grace; telling him that this is no ‘happen-chance’ but that he (Jeremiah) was a chosen vessel for this commission long before he was even born! “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations!” [Jer 1:5]

But Jeremiah is not an angel from Heaven, but flesh and blood like you and me, and is overwhelmed by the task at hand and therefore tries to shirk off the responsibility by appealing to his inexperience – for he says, “Look for someone else God because I am a child”. But what is the answer of the Holy one unto him? This – “Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” [Jer 1:7,8]

And did not our Master assure US with these very same words? “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls!” [Luke 21:15-19]

All that to say, history does repeat itself and the Word of God in the Old testament is as relevant to US as it was to the people to whom it was originally intended. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come!” [1Cor 10:11]

There is lot more to be said about Jeremiah and his message. But more later . . . .

Love
Michael Jeshurun

DID CHRIST GO TO THE CROSS TO MAKE CERTAIN THE SALVATION OF ALL HIS SHEEP, OR MAKE SALVATION POSSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL WHO MIGHT BELIEVE OF THEIR OWN FREE-WILL?

Michael Jeshurun

A.W. Pink said, “Christ died not merely to make possible the salvation of all mankind, but to make certain the salvation of all that the Father had given to Him. Christ died not simply to render sins pardonable, but “to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). As to whose “sin” (i.e., guilt, as in 1 John 1:7, etc.) has been “put away,” Scripture leaves us in no doubt-it was that of the elect, the “world” (John 1:29) of God’s people!”

THIS we believe is the dividing line between the Arminian and the Calvinist! While the former believes that Christ went to the Cross to make Salvation a ‘possibility’ to all who may believe, the latter holds that His death actually ‘secured’ the Salvation of all whom He represented.

To the Arminian the words of the Saviour, “It is finished!” mean that Christ finished 99% of all that pertains to Salvation while leaving 1% for the sinner himself to do – i.e., to believe and appropriate what the Saviour finished. All said and done, the saved sinner now hath ‘whereof to glory’ at least for having believed. And in the final analysis it is the sinner who makes himself to differ from another, and not GOD who made the difference.

According to the Arminian, God FIRST calls the sinner and THEN saves him, IF he believes, while the Calvinist correctly understands the ‘Ordo salutis’ or ‘order of Salvation’ as God first sovereignly saving the sinner and then calling him. Thou wilt then say unto me “If God has already saved the sinner then why does He bother to call him?” We answer that God calls the one whom He hath saved to show him what he is now a possessor of – i.e., life and immortality!

“Who hath (first) saved us, and (THEN) called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT through the Gospel.” [2Tim 1:9,10]

God first regenerates the sinner by the sovereign operation of the Holy Ghost and THEN sends a preacher to preach the Gospel and show this regenerated sinner WHAT has actually happened to him in regeneration.

There are times when conversion immediately follows regeneration so that the recipient may be misled into thinking that he is now saved BECAUSE he believed. But the order never changes – Regeneration FIRST, THEN faith, repentance and good works following as a fruit of that regeneration!

Salvation has always been and still is “of the LORD”, and man hath no part nor lot in it! [Jonah 2:9]

“Who hath (first) saved us, and (THEN) called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began!” [2Tim 1:9]

And all this that “no flesh should glory in His presence.
. . . . That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord!” [1Cor 1:29-31]

BIBLICAL ELECTION – A TRUTH TO BE PREACHED

Michael Jeshurun

We have come across not a few who contend that the ‘doctrine of Election’ though it may be true is not for us to know. Election and predestination are ‘God’s business’ and we need not break our heads over it.”

Is that what the BIBLE teaches?

Here’s what the Scripture says –
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” [Deut 29:29]

Read that again – “but those things WHICH ARE REVEALED belong unto us and to our children!”

And WHAT has God revealed apart from the who He is and what He expects of man . . . why, He has revealed to us that He is a DISCRIMINATING GOD who has mercy on whom He will and hardens whom He will! [Romans 9:18]

THE BIBLE EXPLICITLY TEACHES ELECTION in both the old and the new testaments and those who fail to see it are either men who are spiritually BLIND who must be born again or just plain REBELLIOUS men who willfully reject the teaching of God’s word because it is NOT AGREEABLE to their feelings and plausible to their understanding. Every Christian MUST believe in some kind of election, for the great God hath chosen to ‘REVEAL IT’ in His Word! And while the Scriptures leave unexplained many things about the doctrine of Election, they make very plain the FACT that there HAS BEEN AN ELECTION!

“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the ELECTION HATH OBTAINED IT, and the rest were blinded!” [Rom 11:7]

The most eminent apostle of them all who wrote more than half the New Testament, towards the end of his ministry confessed to the Ephesian Church – “I KEPT BACK NOTHING THAT WAS PROFITABLE UNTO YOU, but have showed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house.” [Acts 20:20]

And WHAT was one of those ‘profitable’ doctrines which he did not keep back from the Ephesians? Why ELECTION and PREDESTINATION!

“According as He hath CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having PREDESTINATED US unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will etc” [Ephesians 1:4,5]

And Paul was not the only one who taught Election and Predestination, but so did ALL OF THE APOSTLES! It is either expressly stated, strikingly illustrated, or clearly implied!

The Apostle Peter starts off his very first letter thus – “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus . . . ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, through sanctification of the Spirit . . .” [1Pet 1:1-3]

And John that apostle of love was so full of the doctrine of election that he even addresses a sister in Christ as “the Elect lady” [2John 1:1] You can’t get more ‘Reformed’ than that!

GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO KNOW THE TRUTH OF HIS ELECTION AND SOVEREIGN GRACE or He had not filled the pages of His Book speaking about it!

“but those things WHICH ARE REVEALED belong unto us and to our children!” [Deut 29:29]

And the reason why God has revealed the doctrine of Election in His Book is because as all other Biblical doctrines the Doctrine of Election and we might add the Doctrine of Man’s Total Depravity are profitable to us!

“ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is PROFITABLE for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” [2Timothy 3:16,17]

The doctrine of Election which we hold and contend for gives God ALL the glory and puts man where He belongs – i.e. in the dust! And the Holy Spirit has seen fit to reveal it in His Word and holy men of God through the ages have contended for it and in some cases have even laid down their lives for it!

Such a precious truth as this must not be neglected or set aside! It must be preached from the rooftops!

“What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that PREACH YE UPON THE HOUSETOPS!” [Matt 10:27]

BUT TRUTH IS NEVER POPULAR and this is especially so with the truth of Election! It is not taught to gain favour with men. The preacher whose goal is to ‘win friends and influence people’ must needs AVOID this doctrine or explain it away to the satisfaction of the religious goats who warm his pews! . . . and sadly many have done just that!

In fact, to mention it before some, is like shaking the proverbial red flag before an enraged bull. It arouses the fiercest passions of their nature, and brings forth a torrent of abuse and calumny. But, because men have fought against it, or because they hate it, or perhaps misunderstand it, is no reasonable or logical cause why we should turn the doctrine adrift, or cast it behind our backs. The real question, the all-important question, is not “How do men receive it? But, IS IT TRUE?”.

“It is the duty of every theologian to subordinate his theories to the Bible, and teach not what SEEMS TO HIM TO BE TRUE OR REASONABLE, but simply WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. The question as to whether Election and Reprobation are true, is not to be decided by ascertaining which is more agreeable to our feelings or the more plausible to our understanding, but which is consistent with the doctrines of the Bible and the facts of experience.” (Dr. Charles Hodge).

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law.” [Deut 29:29]

WHY DOES FAITH NOT COME TO ALL WHO HEAR GOD’S WORD?

Michael Jeshurun

“So then Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”! [Romans 10:17]

All men have some kind of faith or they could not possibly live here on earth. Even an insignificant act as sitting on a chair requires faith! You decide to sit on it because you have the faith that the chair will hold you. When your friend offers you a drink you drink because you have the faith that it is safe, and so on. But the faith which saves a man is something different altogether! It is called the ‘Faith of God’s elect’! [Titus 1:1] And the Apostle says that “All men have not (this) faith”! [2Thes 3:2].

The Bible speaks of this faith as something which belongs to Christ, for it speaks of “the faith of Christ” “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the FAITH OF CHRIST, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified”! [Gal 2:16]

This saving faith is God’s property and is given as a gift to His chosen ones! And Jesus is spoken of as the AUTHOR and the FINISHER of this faith! [Heb 12:2] “Now faith “cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. [Rom 10:17] Notice that faith ‘cometh’ from somewhere. It is not an inherent product of fallen nature! So WHERE does it come from? It comes from above! “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from Heaven”! [John 3:27] And again, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from ABOVE, and cometh down from the Father of lights”! [James 1:17]

But here is the question to ask – “If faith ‘cometh’ by hearing the word of God, why does it not come to ALL who hear it”? [Rom 10:17]

Because all refuse to believe, is the usual answer given! But that is only one side of the truth! Yes ALL refuse to believe, but the fact remains that some do! In what way are these who believe different from those who do not? The answer is found in Paul’s rhetorical question – “For WHO maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not RECEIVE? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it”? [1Cor 4:7]

The reason why faith does not come to the majority is because, to the majority the Word of God comes in WORD ONLY! It is not accompanied by power, and the Holy Spirit and much assurance! Hear what the Apostle wrote to the Thessalonians – “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in WORD ONLY, but also in POWER, and in the HOLY GHOST, and in much ASSURANCE“! [1Thes 1:4,5]

How did the apostle know that the Thessalonian Christians were ‘elected’ by God to salvation? Why, by this- that when he initially preached to them, the word of God came not just as a dead word from the Bible, but the Word was accompanied by power, the Holy Ghost and much assurance!

Now this is the way it is through all the ages! To God’s chosen it is GIVEN to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God by the gift of faith, but to the rest IT IS NOT GIVEN! [Matt 13:11]

God is absolutely sovereign and does not owe fallen man ANYTHING! He can give to one what He withholds from many and none can say unto Him “what doest Thou”?! So He has mercy on whom He will and whom He will He hardens! [Rom 9:18]

So ultimately, saving faith, repentance and perseverance which are all required for salvation are the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast! Salvation is “not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who showeth MERCY! [Rom 9:16]!

And all the praise and glory to God alone! Amen!

THE ARMINIAN FAIRY TALE DEBUNKED

Michael Jeshurun

It is so sad to watch people start their Christian testimony with the words – “I was searching for the truth. I was seeking for God in all the wrong places and then one day . . blah blah.”

Fact is no fallen child of Adam ‘SEEKS FOR GOD OR THE TRUTH”! Period! God is his sworn enemy and the ‘truth’ is something which he was born hating! So why would he seek for either?!

There is NONE there is none that seeketh after God! [Rom 3:11]

But here is the amazing thing – “Blessed is the man whom THOU CHOOSEST, and CAUSEST to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts”! [Psa 65:4]

Watch carefully, that God not only ‘CHOOSES’ but ‘CAUSES’ the one chosen ‘TO APPROACH’ Him. In other words, or in the words of our Lord “DRAGS HIM’ to Himself!

“No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me DRAW him”! [John 6:44] The word ‘DRAW’ in the Greek literally means to DRAG! Its first occurrence is here in John 6:44. Here it is the power of God overcoming the enmity of the carnal mind. It occurs again in John 18:10 –
“Then Simon Peter having a sword DREW it, and smote the high priest’s servant.”

Here the term signifies that Peter laid FIRM HOLD of his sword and PULLED IT OUT of its sheath. It is found again in John 21:6, 11, “Simon Peter went up and DREW the net to land full of great fishes.” Here it signifies the putting forth of strength so as to DRAG AN INANIMATE AND HEAVY OBJECT. It is used (in a slightly different form) in James 2:6, “Do not rich men oppress you and DRAW YOU before the judgment seats?” Here it has reference to the IMPELLING OF UNWILLING subjects.

Hence from its usage in the New Testament we are therefore obliged to understand that fallen man if he is to ‘come to God’ at all, he MUST BE DRAWN OR DRAGGED BY THE POWER OF OMNIPOTENCE! In raising the sinner from spiritual death to eternal life God employs the same power which He put forth in raising Christ from the dead! [Eph 2:4-6]

This is why when the apostles exclaimed – “WHO then can be saved”? The Lord replied – “With MEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, but not with God: for WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”! [Mark 10:27] Hallelujah!

But it is a known fact that God the Father does not draw EVERYONE to Christ! WHY?!

BECAUSE HE DOES NOT LOVE EVERYONE!

The love of the father is a DISCRIMINATIVE love! It CHOOSES whom to love and whom to hate. “Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated”! [Rom 9:13]

In the same line He chooses on whom He will have mercy and whom He will harden! [Rom 9:18]

If God was dealing with a bunch of ‘INNOCENT’ men and women this would seem unjust! But God is dealing with a fallen bunch of God haters who are His enemies (Rom 5:10), and if there is anything He owes them it is HELL!

So out of this ‘Hell-Deserving’ bunch or ‘lump’ He chooses to display His UNCONDITIONAL MERCY on some and the rest He ordains to eternal damnation which they rightly deserve!

These are the facts! You’ve got to put it in your pipe and smoke it whether you like it or not!

If the Father was choosing everyone and drawing everyone as some suppose, then, scriptures like these make no sense –
“Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts”! [Psa 65:4]

Notice that these few whom the Father loves, He not only ‘CHOOSES’, but ‘CAUSES’ to approach unto Him!

Fallen man is so depraved that just ‘choosing him’ is not going to save him!! God must ‘CAUSE’ him to approach!
In other words, the Father must not only choose or elect those whom He loves, but He must DRAW them to Christ!

And He does not draw ALL, because He has not chosen ALL. And He has not chosen ALL, because He has not loved ALL!

I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, “Wherein hast Thou loved us”? Was not Esau Jacob’s BROTHER? saith the LORD: YET I LOVED JACOB, AND I HATED ESAU, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness”! [Malachi 1:2,3]

HOW do I know that God loves ME and that I am one of His elect?

Why, I look around me and see so many of my own family who are morally better off than me, who are either lost in unbelief or in a false religion, and that God has loved me and DRAWN ME to Himself and taught me truths which ‘angels desire to look into’ [1Pet 1:12], by this I KNOW I am one of His elect!

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: THEREFORE with loving kindness have I DRAWN THEE”! [Jer 31:3] Hallelujah!