I realize that this article is a bit lengthy. Do not let the discourage you from reading it's content.
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The �god� of Arminianism is Not Worshippable
Throughout the Old Testament God warns His church that false shepherds are under His judgment and condemnation. They lead the flock of God astray and teach false doctrines that are �empowered� by demonic lies and satanic ploys to tear people away from God, and rely on their own works for salvation. God says in , �Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!� Again, God states in , �Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: �You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,� says the LORD.� Christ warned His disciples that deceivers would come into the fold and deceive many being ferocious wolves among the sheep of God�s chosen people. says, �Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.� Paul spoke to the Ephesian elders and warned them in like manner in , �For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.� The Apostle Peter echoes the same when he warns the church against false teachers who come in teaching destructive heresies. states, �But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies�� Certainly, false teachers and false shepherds are a grave problem for the life and sanctifying vitality of the flock of God.
Not only did God, His prophets, His Son Jesus Christ, and Christ�s apostles warn the church that heresy and false teaching will enter the church, but the Scriptures demonstrate that such teaching will have success among a great many people. is a very interesting passage that not only gives the indication that a demonic lying spirit would go out and deceive the king and his false prophets, but that God allowed this by saying the lying spirit would succeed in its task of deception, �So he said, �I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.� And the Lord said, �You shall persuade him and also prevail; go out and do so.�� Christ states the same when he says in , �Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.� The Apostle Paul follows suit and states, �Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, (),� and �But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived ( ).� It is the duty of the Christian to be so thoroughly acquainted with the work of God and His redemptive plan through Jesus Christ that when deceivers come, the Christian may be able to defend his own mind against vain philosophy, heretical doctrine, and false teaching. As James exhorts in , �Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.�
Christians should know the Word of God in an exemplary manner so that they can defend themselves against heresy and false teaching, knowing it is destructive and an abomination to the Lord. But oftentimes Christians succumb to being children of their age, and the disciples of those that teach them even if they are heretical teachers. They think that since Pastor �so and so� is a godly man, what he teaches �must� be right. And this, unfortunately, has been the reason that the heresy of Arminianism has thrived so violently across the last two hundred years of the unsuspecting contemporary church. But even in addition to knowing the Bible well, one of the secondary guards against biblical and theological heresy and false teaching is to simply know church history, or historical theology. If Christians knew where they came from, they would know why they believe what they do, and they would be able to discern true teaching from false teaching. If Christians knew that Arminianism is heretical, or that it was condemned as heresy by the Synod of Dordt in 1618-19A.D., they would be more apt to listen and discern whether they should believe it or not.
So where did this deviant teaching come from? It was spawned by a 16th century gentleman named James Harmensen, born in 1560. This was his Dutch derivation, but is more well-known by his Latinized name � James Arminius. Thus, this is where �Arminianism� was birthed as a succession of an older heresy which was called Pelagianism. In other words, Arminianism was a form of Pelagianism that was not as extreme as Pelagianism, but more subtly destructive. Pelagianism denied the fall of Adam as affecting men in any way. Arminianism did not go to that extreme, but did say men were not completely dead in sin. In both views, though, men work for their salvation by coming, of their own accord, to Christ, on their own strength, and they �decide� to follow Jesus. Grace is good, and grace is helpful, but it is man that actually makes the difference. The reader may be directed to Arminius� work published by Baker Book House in a three volume set which will demonstrate and convey the sense of all that this short article represents on his theology and thoughts about �god.�
Arminius, after serving as minister for some time, was called to the University of Amsterdam to teach as a professor of theology on the condition that he would adhere to the Belgic Confession (a Reformed confession that upheld biblical ideas surrounding salvation, God, His decrees, the nature of Christ, and other important topics). Arminius pledged loyalty to the Confession when entering the professorship. However, though Arminius gave allegiance to the confession, he really did not believe it. He was a scandalous, double-minded, shadowy and insincere individual. After a year or two he was finally caught and outwardly charged with being a scandalous teacher. It was his practice to teach the doctrines of grace in alignment with the Confession in class, but then distributed private confidential manuscripts among his pupils that taught Arminianism. By this �double-mindedness� he was able to continue in his popularity, while at the same time he was infecting the students under him of the same errors of �Arminianism� which he really believed. The States General of the Netherlands sent deputies of the Churches to question him on this, and to discover whether the rumors were true. This would involve an open debate and discussion, and then the consequences of the discussion would be taken back to the National Synod to be discussed further as to what ecclesiastical action should take place. Arminius denied the �rumors� and he agreed to meet with the council on one condition: if they found anything wrong, they would not report him to the Synod. The deputies, in view of his subtle refusal, refused to pursue the discussion believing that Arminius was not being honest and forthright with them. Instead, sometime later, they summoned him to council with a reformed theologian named Classis. Arminius declined and would not subject himself to an open synod (obviously knowing he would be caught in a lie). This was his continued position from that time forward. His strategy was to win over the secular men of the state and university to gain enough people behind him before going �public� on his �new and radical� views. This is important to note since Arminianism, like its father Pelagianism, is the secular man�s salvation.
Arminius died in 1609 before he could ever be brought openly before a public Synod. Most orthodox pastors and theologians hoped that with the death of Arminius that Arminianism would die quickly. Unfortunately, his infectious doctrine had overwhelmed too many younger students, and a group called the Remonstrants arose soon after. In 1610 the Remonstrants organized into a body and set forth a �Remonstrance� to the States General of Holland, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. The word �Remonstrance� means �vigorously objecting or opposing.� They vigorously objected and opposed accepted Christian truth, and instead desired to set forth their version of this new doctrine of �semi-Pelagianism.� The Synod of Dordt convened to examine the Arminian Remonstrance (their theological ideas set down on paper) as well as their Christian walk (their piety � or in other words, how their theology affected their �Christian� walk). Both their doctrine and life were �on trial.� The council was held for over a year. Arminianism was condemned as not only theologically deviant, but the liberal and openly abusive lifestyles of the Remonstrance gave practical application to bad theology. After the Synod convened in 1619, they gave the following censure by unanimous decision: They seriously and responsibly examined the Arminian tenants, �condemned them as unscriptural, pestilential errors,� and pronounced those who held and published them to be �enemies of the faith of the Belgic churches, and corrupters of the true religion.� They also deposed the Arminian ministers, excluded them and their followers from the communion of the church, suppressed their religious assemblies, and by the aid of the civil government, which confirmed all their acts, sent a number of the clergy of that party, and those who adhered to them, into banishment. They did not treat them as reprobate, but as those under ecclesiastical discipline. Arminianism had been banished from the land, though it thrived secretly, until a later time when it began to emerge and flourish again. It has now, for all intents and purposes, become the majority religious view of the contemporary church today. The American church overall has embraced the secular man�s religion.
What does Arminianism teach? Is the �god� of Arminianism the God of the Bible? No. Arminius did not plagiarize the bible; instead, he fabricated a brand new deity, or idol, for men to worship. The �god� of Arminianism is not the God of the Bible. For Arminius� �god� loves everyone equally, and sent his �Son� to die for all men equally. This �god� did not decree the salvation of anyone in particular, and �the christ� of Arminianism did not die for anyone in particular. Instead Arminius� �god� decreed and his �christ� died for making a �way� of salvation. The Bible, in refuting this, teaches quite a different God. God has predestined only the elect to salvation. These are those for who He �so loved� and �gave� in His beloved Son Jesus Christ (). The Bible depicts Christ as the one who fulfills the works of the Covenant of Redemption and bestows, unilaterally, this effectual work in the Covenant of Grace through the power of the Holy Sprit only to those for whom He died. This is the basic Old Testament concept of sacrifice and atonement. Sacrifice and atonement are given on behalf of a particular person, or for the nation of Israel. It did not extend beyond those bounds. Jesus Christ died for His people, the elect. These are those that the Father has elected before the foundation of the world, and those He has predestined to everlasting life. As the Westminster Confession of Faith states, �These �men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished. (; ; ; ).� God is the ever powerful God who not only plans out the redemption of men, but actually secures that redemption through ordained means. The Westminster Confession of Faith continues when it says, �Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to the praise of his glorious grace� (; ; ; ; ; see ; ; ). The �god� of Arminianism is impotent and unable to save anyone. Instead, the �god� of Arminianism �hopes� that some will come to Him, and �hopes� that some will be saved through His Son. In this way, Arminianism teaches that it is theologically and hypothetically possible that no one would come, and no one would be saved. Here, Arminius� �god� relies on man to come to Him, and find salvation. The Bible speaks differently: , �The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.� , �God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.� , �The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.� , �All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.� , �I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.� , �And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.� , �Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.� , �And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, �The older shall serve the younger.� As it is written, �Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.� , �Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?� , �Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.�
Arminius also taught that his �god� can be frustrated by the will of man because men choose their own destiny and that �god� allows them to do what they want to do without interfering. Not only is this �god� later to be deemed the �god of deism�, but it demonstrates that Arminius� �god� plans salvation in a way that may not be effectuated. This �god� has offered salvation, but cannot actually bring about the happiness of the creature since man is autonomous and has, as Arminius taught, �a free will.� This means that man�s neutrality (denying total depravity) in �willing anything� is based on a choice that is never inclined toward good or evil. Arminius though is very wrong not only about how salvation works, but the nature of man as well. This �neutrality� is actually a smokescreen. Not only is everyone born under the fall of Adam totally depraved and sinful, but their wills are never neutral. Men only have sinful inclinations (). They are not neutral in any choice they ever make. Neutrality would mean they have an aversion to good or evil, but the Bible teaches men are inherently evil as a result of Adam�s fall and disobedience. emphatically states, ��just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned�� Arminius taught that there was an island of righteousness in every man which was unaffected by the fall and thus able to do �good.� Grace, then, is a help, but as Pelagius also taught, not completely necessary since �god� has given all men �prevenient grace that aids them� in making a good decision to follow this �god� who does not interfere with their choice. The �god� of Arminius �offers salvation� to every sinner, and �he� does everything �he� can to aid them in �finding� salvation, but �he� will never convert them unless they desire to be converted. Thus, Arminius� �god� is the ever-frustrated �god� that �hopes� men will come to �him� and heed �his� aid. It is easy to see that �his� offer of salvation and all the work �he� does in helping men with prevenient grace are frustrated at every turn since many people, in fact most people, refuse �his help�.
The Bible paints a very different picture of God in His work to save men. God �effectually� converts the wicked heart of man so that he can believe. But God does not do this for all men, only those for whom Christ died. In this, God sovereignly predestines, elects, and effectually calls men to salvation in His sovereign power. The Synod of Dordt said, �That some receive the gift of faith from God, and others do not receive it, proceeds from God�s eternal decree.� In this, Christ promised that none of the elect would ever be lost, but that all God desired to save would in fact be saved. Sinful men cannot save themselves, they need a true and real savior that converts and regenerates their heart from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. clearly states God�s converting power, �I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.� Christ in the same way explains that the Father �gives� life, and the Son �gives� life to those �they desire� to give life. states, �For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.� One of the more classic Christological redemptive texts is . Christ says, �All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.� Not that Christ might do this if men desire to come, but that He will do this as a result of His saving power and plan and they will come. Not everyone is a �child of God� or a �sheep of God�s pasture.� Jesus says in , �I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father�s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father�s hand. I and My Father are one.� In addition, the God of the Bible is sovereign over the flesh of all men. says, ��as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.� The Apostle Paul says in , ��for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.� God does not hope men will come, He changes men so that they will come and they will believe.
Arminius also taught that his �god� will not regenerate a sinner who does not first choose �him� with his inherent �free will.� With Pelagius, Arminius said that all men are inherently free, and have a �free will�. The fall of Adam has not rendered them incapable of doing good things. With this will they can either follow �god� or not follow �god.� Yet, at no time will �god� ever violate their free will to make them come to �him� or change their heart first without their consent to do so. Arminius� �god�, then, is at the beck and call of sinners when it comes to their eternal destiny.
The Scriptures demonstrate God in a completely different light than Arminius� ideas. In making a pact and agreement with the members of the Triune Godhead, the Father promises to send the Son, the Son promises to complete the work given Him, and the Spirit promises to apply the work that the Son accomplishes. This is not a �hope� on the side of God; rather, it is established in God�s eternal decree. This is electing grace. The Synod of Dordt said in opposition to Arminius� teachings, �Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, He has out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His own will, chosen from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from their primitive state of rectitude into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom He from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect and the foundation of salvation.� The Westminster Confession of Faith states that, �Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to the praise of his glorious grace.� Since God has done this, He will not simply �hope� that men come to Him. Instead, He ensures their belief by regenerating their hearts through his electing grace. The Confession states, �All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by his almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.� Even the Belgic Confession, that which Arminius repudiated, though vowed to, says, �We believe that, all the posterity of Adam being thus fallen into perdition and ruin by the sin of our first parents, God then did manifest Himself such as He is; that is to say, merciful and just: merciful, since He delivers and preserves from this perdition all whom He in His eternal and unchangeable counsel of mere goodness has elected in Christ Jesus our Lord, without any respect to their works; just, in leaving others in the fall and perdition wherein they have involved themselves.� The Bible teaches that God sovereignly regenerates the elect sinner apart from the sinner�s choice. If God does not first regenerate the spiritually dead sinner, then that sinner can never come to faith in Jesus Christ. The Synod of Dordt taught in Article 1, �As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish and delivering them over to condemnation on account of sin, according to the words of the apostle: That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God (). And: For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (). And: For the wages of sin is death ().� Fallen sinners do not desire goodness, salvation, or God for that matter, since their hearts are evil. As the Apostle said in , �They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.� God must �regenerate� the spiritually dead so that they may be able to follow Christ. This is done by faith, and faith is not some �free will� contribution that men may make towards their steps to coming to salvation. Instead, they are given faith, and have implanted faith, the seeds of faith, as a gift of God so that they can believe. God sovereignly imparts faith and the ability to exercise faith toward salvation in the sovereign act of regeneration. Christ made this very clear in , �Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.� Very simply, Christ says that man is 1) unable to see the kingdom, 2) that he must be born again, and 3) if he is not born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. This �seeing� means �spiritually perceiving�. Unless the Holy Spirit first births one from above spiritually, they cannot see the kingdom. Thus, Arminius� is wrong when he says that man must see the kingdom first before being converted. That is the opposite of what Christ taught. Christ insisted that men cannot go to heaven without first being born again by the Spirit. In fact, they cannot even �see� the kingdom unless they are first born again. Christ again says that man does not have the ability to come to God without His help in , �No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.� In this way Christ says to His disciples in , �You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.� This salvation, or effectual working of God in the heart of sinners, is found all through the book of Acts and the work of God in the church after Christ�s ascension. , for example, says, �When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, �Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.� Certainly Paul�s letter reflect this same sovereign work of God. says, �So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.� And also in he says, �And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins��, and in , �For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.� He also uses a very helpful term, �granted,� in for this same idea, �For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.� Men are not the autonomous generators of �faith.� Faith is a gift given to them by God. As a matter of fact, Christ is said to be the Author of their faith, �looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith� ().
Arminius taught hypothetical universalism. This meant that Jesus Christ died on the cross for every individual person making it possible for them to have salvation, and for every person to be saved. However, Arminius affirmed that in Christ�s death no one was actually saved. Christ only made salvation possible through the universal atonement for each man. This, though, is very confusing at the least, and heretical at best. If Christ died for all the sins of all men, then why does God still hold them accountable for unbelief? Their unbelief is a sin. Christ died for all their sins. But their unbelief still sends them to hell. In light of what makes a �sacrifice on behalf of one� an actual sacrifice, this makes no sense whatsoever. Arminius did not even understand the nature of the atonement, or how �atonement� rendered the one atoned for guiltless and reckoned righteous by God�s declaration. In this way, though, Arminius taught that even though Christ died for all men, most people are lost. His atonement does not actually save them. They must first save themselves by exercising their wills to their own good � something the Christ of the Bible said they could not do without Him and the Holy Spirit (). This �god� has little power, no power in fact, to actually secure the salvation of anyone.
In differentiation to Arminius, Jesus Christ taught that none are lost for whom He died. says, �All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father�s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.� In fact, the angelic proclamation demonstrates that Jesus will complete what He sets out to do, as shown in , �And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.� Jesus Himself says He dies for His sheep, �, �As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.� Jesus does not die for any of the goats. Rather, He lays His life down for His friends in , �Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.� The church itself is bought with His blood � just the church � in , �Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.� Paul the Apostle even remarks that marriage is much like the union between Christ and the church. Christ is married to His bride and gave Himself for His bride. says, �Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.� Christ�s death, then, is what is theologically called a substitutionary atonement on behalf of His people. He died to save them, secure them, and bring them to glory. The Synod of Dordt concluded the same when they said, �Since, therefore, we are unable to make that satisfaction in our own persons, or to deliver ourselves from the wrath of God, He has been pleased of His infinite mercy to give His only begotten Son for our Surety, who was made sin, and became a curse for us and in our stead, that He might make satisfaction to divine justice on our behalf.� For them, He actually obtained salvation, and the Holy Spirit applies that salvation which God first decreed would take place for elect sinners. Jesus actually atones for the guilt of His people. Jesus said in , �for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.� Not only does He seek and save, but he also reconciles His elect to God, �For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life� (). He did not make a �way of salvation� but obtained salvation for his people as makes clear, �Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.� The Synod of Dordt follows this biblical outline and concluded, �For this was the sovereign counsel and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of His Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation; that is, it was the will of God that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby He confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation and given to Him by the Father; that He should confer upon them faith, which, together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, He purchased for them by His death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them, free from every spot and blemish, to the enjoyment of glory in His own presence forever.�
Arminius also taught that his �god� cannot secure salvation for anyone, and thus, those sinners that choose �him� may also subsequently fall away from grace after they have taken hold of it. In this way, Arminius� �god� loses people to the devil and to eternal torment, due to their decision to �stop following� �him.� These wayward souls simply give up and reject their faith. Thus, salvation can be lost at any time.
The Scriptures not only defy the idea that the elect can lose their salvation, but completely teaches the opposite. Whatever God wants, by His good pleasure, He gets. This means that after God has sovereignly saved an individual, He does everything necessary to keep that individual in His eternal grace and under the blood of Christ. This is typically called the �preservation of the saint�. It demonstrates that those who persevere in the faith are those God preserves so that they cannot lose their salvation. Otherwise, like Arminius� �god�, God would be impotent to bring His desires to pass. Jesus Christ taught that those who have eternal life will never lose it. states, �Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.� says, �My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father�s hand.� explains that God will give His people everything they need to not only be saved, but finally glorified. �For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.� Paul enters into an oratory of ecstasy when he proclaims in , �Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: �For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.� Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.� Peter teaches the church that those who are saved are kept by God�s power for salvation. says that Christians are those �who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.� God is able to do this, and willing to do this and actually does do this for His saints. asserts, �Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.�
The Bible condemns Arminius� teaching as heretical. The Bible makes it exceedingly clear that different Gospels, counterfeit Gospels, are no Gospels at all and deserve condemnation, not admiration. Paul said in , �But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.� Worshippers of a different �god� and different �gospel� are not going to be slapped on the wrist and sent to their room in heaven. Rather, they are going to be sent to hell for being idolaters. Idolaters do not enter heaven, as Paul said in , �Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.� Idolaters are damned. Arminius taught a different Gospel and deviated even from what the common consent of biblical truth was in his day. He rejected the Belgic Confession which, at the time, was an important explanation of the Bible for the church, and instead gave birth, through secretly training his disciples, to the Arminian Opinions and Arminian Articles. Both these Remonstrant documents teach a different �god� and different �gospel�. Arminius was ultimately a closet Pelagian and deeply infected with Pelagius� doctrines. In turn he infected others with a deviant variation of Pelagianism (called semi-Pelagianism) which now plagues the contemporary church all over the world. This aberration and deviancy is found in the preaching, teaching and books of such popular authors as Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Joyce Meyers, Benny Hinn, Max Lucado, Chuck Smith, Dave Hunt, Chuck Swindoll, Billy Graham and many other �lime light� (but sorely misguided and misinformed) �preachers� of today. They are popular, yes. But this again demonstrates the same popularity that Arminius had with the �secular man� and the religion that catered to the flesh. The contemporary church today is not only accepting Arminius� teaching, but running after it, selling it in their Christian bookstores (making a profit on heresy), teaching it in their seminaries (so that young and upcoming ministers affect the congregation they will one day pastor), and preaching it from their pulpits to the layman who trusts their pastor�s every word. Arminius taught the secular man�s religion � a religion of works by personal merit � and America is eating it up. Dr. John Owen called it the �brain child� of wickedness. Dr. Jonathan Edwards called it �deep darkness.� Rev. Augustus Toplady called it the �Road back to Roman Catholicism�. Westminster Divine Dr. Leighton called it �the last and greatest monster of the man of sin�. Rev. Christopher Ness called it an �abomination� and �chambers of imagery� (or fabrications). This writer, in like mind, calls it heresy. Suitably, the worship of this �other god� that Arminius created is summarized biblically as idolatry.
God had forbidden His people to worship idols. He still does. This has never changed. Idols are �representations� of Him in some �earthly form�, or they are fabricated gods of the debased and wicked human mind. God set down many commands and examples of forsaking idolatry in every form. God said in , �Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the LORD your God.� God�s people have been prone to idolatry as a result of ignorance and accepting the teaching of the �gods� of neighboring cities and peoples. The Scriptures say of the Israelites in , �for they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, �You shall not do this thing.�� Idols are basically a fabricated versions of what sinful men think God should be, or what a �god� might do for them. There are gods that help people have children called fertility gods, ones that help prosperity, cause agriculture to prosper, give kings power, and even require the worshipper to sacrifice their children for blessing. Other ideological gods take the form of worshipping money, work, family, an idea or ideal. The prophet Isaiah said in , �Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.� Whether an idol is a physical statue or an idea that one worships, idolatry is still committed. Heresy itself is idolatry of the mind.
Idols, by definition, are not to be worshipped. Not only are they not to be worshipped, they are never to be created to begin with. Whenever the God of the Bible is forgotten, or changed into some deviant idea, people worship a �useless, worthless� idol. As Jeremiah recorded in , �Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols.� And Jonah was explicit when he said that those who worship idols forsake the mercy of God and forfeit salvation. states, �Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy.� It is an unfathomable to wonder why people will turn to something worthless to worship it? Habakkuk the prophet wondered this as well when he said in , �What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, the molded image, a teacher of lies, that the maker of its mold should trust in it, to make mute idols?� Think about the foolishness of idolatry. Someone cuts down a tree, makes an idol of it, and then bows down to worship it or pray to it. In the same way people sit around taking biblical ideas to ponder, ponder them wrongly, create a god of their own thoughts, write them down on paper, or publish them in a book, and people eat it up as gospel truth. The Apostle John exhorted the church never to fall into idolatry of any kind when he said in , �Little children, keep yourselves from idols.�
Whenever God�s people, or those leading God�s people, fell into idolatry, it provoked God to be exceedingly angry and to destroy those false teachers and those who forsook the Lord with their idolatry. states, �For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols.� In it records, �And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.� Even the Apostle Paul was moved in this same way when he saw the city of Athens given over to idolatry in , �Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.� God hates idolatry of every kind, and His people should as well.
Think about the logic of worshipping an idol. Physical and mental or ideological idols are relatively the same in substance � they are mute, impotent, debased fabrications and inventions of the fallen and depraved mind worshipped by the fallen sinner. Whether an idol is seen or thought makes little difference. Idolatry is committed when God�s people have wrong thoughts about Him, how much more when entire theological systems are created in lieu of a new fangled idea or trumped-up forgery! Idols are not worshippable. They hold no inherent value and therefore cannot be worshipped as �the Highest Good.� They are not �worthy� to be worshipped. Rather, they should be rejected, abolished, banished, and destroyed. Idols do bio good or have any real consequence except that they pull people away from the One, True, Living God. They have a negative, sinful affect on people, not a positive, sanctifying affect. They d.a.m.n those who would rather worship the idol than worship the Triune Godhead.
Even though Arminianism is a theological idea, that idea has filtered down into the �god� most people worship throughout Christendom today. The �god� of Arminianism, though, has no inherent value, is impotent, frustrated, incapable of securing salvation for anyone, and is thwarted by the insignificant whims of mere mortals. That �god� is valueless; worthless. It is a god that ought not to be worshipped for any reason. That �god� is not worthy of worship. For the thinking Christian who has had even the most minimal contact with the biblical God and Creator of the universe, the Arminian �god� is not worshippable for him. Christians should simply not be able to worship such a gross misrepresentation of the God of the Bible. Many people are ignorantly spending week after week, and worship service after worship service in serving an idol, and the True God of the Bible is angry with them. Does ignorance excuse them? God says �No.� As a matter of fact, God promises to reject, forsake and finally destroy those who are ignorant about Him. states, �My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.� Not only will God forget the one worshipping in ignorance something that ought not to be worshipped, but He will even forget their children and visit the iniquity of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. In other words, God is very serious about the way He is to be worshipped and understood! In precluding the Israelites to worship strange idols or fabricated ideas about God, the Lord said this in , �You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.� God equates idolatry with hating him. Arminius� doctrine demonstrates that he and his followers hate God. By their ignorance, or willful disobedience in following after an idolatrous �god�, the Lord Himself says they hate Him. It is apparent, then, that the �god� that Arminius created cannot be worshipped without enacting God�s fervent jealousy and vengeful judgment.
A warning to the reader:
It may be that you are an Arminian. I am very saddened that you have been caught up in thinking that Arminius� �god� is the real God. However, you have been duped. Satan has used his false teacher to dupe you, along with much of the church today. You are not alone, but you are certainly not in a safe place. Arminianism is darkness, wickedness, evil, and heresy of the worst kind � and you have bought into it. Even scarier, God has allowed you to believe a lie (). That should cause you to tremble. Take the Scriptures to heart; as explains, �God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.� If that is not a scary thought for you, dear reader, I do not know what is more frightful. Not only are you believing a lie, God has sent it to you that you may be blinded and condemned in unrighteousness!
Yet, do not lose hope. You have been confronted with the truth of the God of the Bible in this article, and God may indeed spare you an eternal condemnation if you would repent of your idol.
Arminians are of different stripes. Some people in Arminian churches may be truly converted, ignorant of their church home, and ultimately the Lord will rescue them out of their ignorance for He promises He will not allow His little ones to perish (such a rescue can come from Scriptural truth used in a simple internet article!). Such Arminians, if they may even be called that, are newly regenerated, but as they spend time in God�s word, they will see the error of those who preach and teach a different Gospel, maybe even the errors that they are currently holding. Ultimately they will have to leave their church to find a biblical church if they are truly convicted about the truth of the Word of God. They will leave and will learn the truth because they have the ears of s sheep that hear their Shepherd.
Secondly, there is the Arminian who knows �enough to be dangerous� and is wrestling with understanding the differences between the �god� of Arminianism and the God of the Bible. If you have just read through this article, and were an Arminian of the first flavor, now you are an Arminianism of the second camp. That makes life exceedingly dangerous for you. The truth has been given to you and the outcome of your choice will determine whether the Spirit has truly converted you or not. Will you follow an idol, or the true God of the Bible? If you continue in your idolatry following after Arminius� deformed �god�, and you do not repent, God will judge you on the day of your death for your idolatry. The Scriptures say idolaters do not go to heaven. Thus, according to the Scriptures, you will be damned. You must recognize the fact now that you are serving a �god� that cannot be worshipped, no, that ought not to be worshipped. God forbids it. So, what will you do?
Thirdly, it may be that you are a staunch Arminian. You are sure Arminius was right. Or maybe you have never even heard of �Arminianism� but your theology is the same as Arminius. Regardless of whether he came up with his theologically deformed ideas, or you came up with those same deformed ideas, they are still heresy and have been condemned by the orthodox church for hundreds of years. Yet, if you took but an hour or two to skim through Arminius� works, you would find 1) that he probably thought through all this far more intricately than you have, and 2) that your theology is much the same as his and of his Remonstrant disciples. Repentance for you is even harder since you have been serving and worshipping an idol for so long. The longer one remains in idolatry, the harder it is for them to break free from it, especially if their theology is going to have to be relearned and remolded to conform to the Truth of the Word of God. Your whole world will be turned upside down. It is difficult to believe that everything you have believed is really a lie. Be warned though, the Pharisees did not like the kingdom that Christ brought in. They would have rather had their own fabricated �god� and �kingdom�, than Christ�s God and Kingdom. You are just like them if you reject and rebel against the Truth of the God of the Bible. Jesus came to teach the truth, and they rejected the truth because they were not His sheep. Are you His sheep?
It may even be that you are saying, �But I thought I was believing in the God of the Bible!� Alas, it is most sad that you think so because that simply gives way to demonstrating the quicksand you have fallen into. And it will be very hard and very difficult to accept that you are wrong. Such an �error� has eternal consequences to it. So it would behoove you to make some changes in your thinking, and repent of your current idolatry to serve the Living God. Will you do what the Remonstrants did and decide to reject the God of the Bible for their own �version� of God? If you worship the �god� of Arminianism, of even the �christ� of Arminianism, you must repent and acknowledge the reality that you do not worship the God and Christ of Scripture. You have been sorely deceived in your idolatry! Sure God was right when He rebuked His people for being �destroyed for a lack of knowledge.� Study the Scriptures and learn of the True Christ. Pray for grace to repent, and ask Christ, the Christ of the Bible, to change your heart and mind and to understand the truth of His Word. If you are sincere, He will teach you.
When the author focused on Arminism he truly reveals his heart, he could. worship the lord in spirt and truth. Why would you use such an article to speak of worship?
It really is a good article D. I ran across it this morning and decided to post it despite it's length. Hopefully, there are some who will take the time to read it and understand what is being said.
Ok well here are just a few Scriptures about G-d toward men and men toward G-d (relationship controlled or of the will/choice):
G-d has chosen in His severity to give man a choice!!!!
Deuteronomy 30:19 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 1:20-21 - Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
Isaiah 49:1 - Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Genesis 9:6 - Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of G-d made he man.
1 John 3:1 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of G-d: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
John 3:16 - For G-d so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Luke 18:15 - And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when [his] disciples saw [it], they rebuked them.
Mark 16:16 - He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 1:15 - And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of G-d is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Revelation 22:17 - And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
James 5:16 - Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:13 - Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of G-d: for G-d cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
James 1:1-27 - James, a servant of G-d and of the Lord Y-shua Messiah, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (Read More...)
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to G-d must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Galatians 3:26 - For ye are all the children of G-d by faith in Messiah Y-shua.
2 Corinthians 6:2 - (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 - Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of G-d; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Romans 10:17 - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of G-d.
Romans 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 6:4 - Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Messiah: for it is the power of G-d unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Acts 17:30 - And the times of this ignorance G-d winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 2:41 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Y-shua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).
Acts 2:1-47 - And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 6:44 - No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Luke 17:19 - And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Luke 14:26 - If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 12:47 - And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes].
Matthew 23:37 - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 7:13-14 - Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Isaiah 43:25 - I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 - For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Proverbs 6:16-17 - These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:
Proverbs 6:16 - These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:
Psalms 127:1-24 - (A Song of degrees for Solomon.) Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain
2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Deuteronomy 27:25 - Cursed [be] he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Exodus 23:7 - Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Exodus 21:1-36 - Now these [are] the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
Genesis 25:23 - And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Genesis 9:12 - And G-d said, This [is] the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations:
Genesis 2:17 - But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 1:26-27 - And G-d said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Galatians 6:8 - For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Read More...)
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 - See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Jeremiah 17:5-9
Thus says the Lord: �Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. �Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.� The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? l
Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord G-d is an everlasting rock.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Proverbs 4:26
Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of G-d with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Y-shua Messiah and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of G-d. ...
John 3:16
�For G-d so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 6:67-71
So Y-shua said to the Twelve, �Do you want to go away as well?� Simon Peter answered him, �Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of G-d.� Y-shua answered them, �Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.� He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
John 6:50-71
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.� The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, �How can this man give us his flesh to eat?� So Y-shua said to them, �Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ...
1 Peter 2:1-25
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation� if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of G-d chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to G-d through Y-shua Messiah. ...
1 Corinthians 10:17
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Jeremiah 33:3
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
1 Peter 1:19
But with the precious blood of Messiah, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1 Corinthians 11:1-2
Be imitators of me, as I am of Messiah. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
Genesis 1:29
And G-d said, �Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
1 Peter 3:18-22
For Messiah also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to G-d, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when G-d's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to G-d for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Y-shua Messiah, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of G-d, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Romans 1:18-32
For the wrath of G-d is revealed from heaven against all unG-dliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about G-d is plain to them, because G-d has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew G-d, they did not honor him as G-d or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ...
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of G-d.
John 3:17 ESV / 7 helpful votes
For G-d did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Luke 1:47-49
And my spirit rejoices in G-d my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
Mark 13:35
Therefore stay awake�for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning�
Psalm 37:3
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 10:15-17
I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Messiah? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
John 20:19-24
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Y-shua came and stood among them and said to them, �Peace be with you.� When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Y-shua said to them again, �Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.� And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, �Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.� ...
John 6:60-64
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, �This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?� But Y-shua, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, �Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.� (For Y-shua knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
John 6:55-59
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.� Y-shua said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Mark 13:22
For false Messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
John 8:25
So they said to him, �Who are you?� Y-shua said to them, �Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
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Mark 13:34
It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.
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Mark 13:6
Many will come in my name, saying, �I am he!� and they will lead many astray.
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Matthew 6:11-12
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
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Zechariah 4:6
Then he said to me, �This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
1 Timothy 2:1-15
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, G-dly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of G-d our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one G-d, and there is one mediator between G-d and men, the man Messiah Y-shua, ...
Romans 2:6-8
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Mark 13:32
�But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Mark 13:23
But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
Mark 13:7
And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.
Mark 13:5
And Y-shua began to say to them, �See that no one leads you astray.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Y-shua came and said to them, �All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.�
I challenge all of you to go back and examine what happened in the garden of Eden and you might realise how freedom and/or this 'free-will' can only be in God and through Christ for that matter.
Adam and Eve were told that they could eat of any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They had the freedom of choice there..no influence from God or satan was present to affect their choice. Infact, the presence of the tree itself just proves how God actually gave them choice.
We all know they didn't eat of that tree until the serpent came. After both ate, they lost their divine nature that even clothed them lest they knew they were naked. (Here i thought about infants and how they don't know they are naked..imagine that)
After the fall, it's like we got satan's stamp in our dna because we have never had a choice literally. No one can ever say they have a free choice if and when there is someone 'campaigning' that you pick their side.
Advertisements give a clear picture of this.
God doesn't advertise; He's done everything already- Fact.
Now if we are ever to believe in a 'free-will', then we ought to assume that there's is no entity influencing our choice which is rather unfortunate and deceptive.
In another perspective, we all know how we are called to 'die to self' and how the Bible is has phrases like '..not me but Christ in me..". This calls us to be moving to the condition we were before eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil that supposedly made us 'like God'.
The issue on free-will as relates to the above is that we are called to lose this notion of being our own lords, our own masters..having a say and instead let God through Christ have full control and be master of our lives which is IMPOSSIBLE to attain by our own except through GRACE.
Thanks for reading.
I leave you with this thought:
If the path is indeed narrow according to Him who lived a sinless life, how can we trust ourselves or any other person living now (who has sinned just like us) to find it?
"Now if we are ever to believe in a 'free-will', then we ought to assume that there's is no entity influencing our choice which is rather unfortunate and deceptive."
I don't believe this is a correct statement. There are various verses in the bible where it is clear that God was influencing the "actors" in the story, but did not remove their option to choose freely. The story of Jonah, Balaam, Pharaoh, etc are all good examples, and the complete history of the Chosen People of Israel, in their constant backsliding and adultery, even in the very visible presence of God, stands as the best example of all. People who were following God have chosen to disobey God against his influence, including the story of Adam and Eve. Now, in all of those stories, God still did His supreme will, and I think that belief in "free will" actually makes God more powerful and glorious. Instead of simply cheating and switching our will on and off, He has no regard for it whatsoever in carrying out His plans. He simply causes us go to Nineveh, kicking and screaming.
The 92 points (give or take a Scripture... I lost count and shall I add not all in conclusive ) of Scripture that show G-d gave free-will to mankind:
Exodus 22:18
�You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
Leviticus 19:31
�Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your G-d.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12
�When you come into the land that the Lord your G-d is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your G-d is driving them out before you.
Leviticus 20:27
�A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.�
Deuteronomy 18:10
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer
2 Kings 21:6
And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
Revelation 21:8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.�
Galatians 5:20-21
Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of G-d.
2 Chronicles 33:6
And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
Leviticus 20:6
�If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, ... after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of G-d.
Acts 19:19
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Isaiah 8:19
And when they say to you, �Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,� should not a people inquire of their G-d? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?
1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.�
1 Chronicles 10:13-14
So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
1 Samuel 28:9
The woman said to him, �Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?�
Deuteronomy 18:14
For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your G-d has not allowed you to do this.
Revelation 22:15
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Acts 8:9
But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from G-d? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify G-d in your body.
Isaiah 19:3
And the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers;
1 Chronicles 10:13
So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance.
2 Kings 23:24
Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household G-ds and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.
Leviticus 19:26
�You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.
Revelation 21:1-27
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from G-d, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, �Behold, the dwelling place of G-d is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and G-d himself will be with them as their G-d. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.� And he who was seated on the throne said, �Behold, I am making all things new.� Also he said, �Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.� ...
Revelation 18:23
And the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
Ezekiel 13:18
And say, Thus says the Lord G-d: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people
Isaiah 44:25
Who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish,
Isaiah 1:1-31
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: �Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.� Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ...
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your G-d is driving them out before you.
2 Thessalonians 2:9
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,
Acts 16:16
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
Acts 8:9-13
But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, �This man is the power of G-d that is called Great.� And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of G-d and the name of Y-shua Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
2 Kings 17:17
And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
Acts 19:17-19
And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Y-shua was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Micah 5:12
And I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes;
2 Kings 9:22
And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, �Is it peace, Jehu?� He answered, �What peace can there be, so long as the ...s and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?�
1 Samuel 28:7-25
Then Saul said to his servants, �Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.� And his servants said to him, �Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.� So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, �Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.� The woman said to him, �Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?� But Saul swore to her by the Lord, �As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.� Then the woman said, �Whom shall I bring up for you?� He said, �Bring up Samuel for me.� ...
Deuteronomy 18:10-13
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your G-d is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your G-d,
1 Samuel 28:7
Then Saul said to his servants, �Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.� And his servants said to him, �Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.�
Deuteronomy 18:9-14
�When you come into the land that the Lord your G-d is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your G-d is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your G-d, ...
Exodus 7:10-12
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.
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Isaiah 47:8-14
Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, �I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children�: These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments. You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, �No one sees me�; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, �I am, and there is no one besides me.� But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror. ...
1 Samuel 28:3
Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.
Galatians 5:1-26
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ...
Daniel 2:27
Daniel answered the king and said, �No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked,
Psalm 109:1-31
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Be not silent, O G-d of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love. ...
Deuteronomy 18:11
Or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,
John 20:26-29
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Y-shua came and stood among them and said, �Peace be with you.� Then he said to Thomas, �Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.� Thomas answered him, �My Lord and my G-d!� Y-shua said to him, �Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.�
Jeremiah 10:2
Thus says the Lord: �Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them,
Deuteronomy 4:19
And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your G-d has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.
Exodus 7:11
Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.
Ezekiel 13:20
�Therefore thus says the Lord G-d: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds.
Psalm 103:2-4
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
Nahum 3:4
And all for the countless horning�s of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whirring�s, and peoples with her charms.
Revelation 16:13
And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.
Proverbs 5:1-10
My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; ...
1. Deuteronomy 30:19 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 1:20-21 - Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
Isaiah 49:1 - Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
Genesis 9:6 - Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of G-d made he man.
1 John 3:1 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of G-d: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
John 3:16 - For G-d so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Luke 18:15 - And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when [his] disciples saw [it], they rebuked them.
Mark 16:16 - He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 1:15 - And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of G-d is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Revelation 22:17 - And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
James 5:16 - Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:13 - Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of G-d: for G-d cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
James 1:1-27 - James, a servant of G-d and of the Lord Y-shua Messiah, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (Read More...)
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to G-d must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Galatians 3:26 - For ye are all the children of G-d by faith in Messiah Y-shua.
2 Corinthians 6:2 - (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 - Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of G-d; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Romans 10:17 - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of G-d.
Romans 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 6:4 - Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Messiah: for it is the power of G-d unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Acts 17:30 - And the times of this ignorance G-d winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 2:41 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Y-shua Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).
Acts 2:1-47 - And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 6:44 - No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Luke 17:19 - And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Luke 14:26 - If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 12:47 - And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not [himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes].
Matthew 23:37 - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 7:13-14 - Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Isaiah 43:25 - I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 - For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Proverbs 6:16-17 - These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:
Proverbs 6:16 - These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:
Psalms 127:1-24 - (A Song of degrees for Solomon.) Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain
2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Deuteronomy 27:25 - Cursed [be] he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Exodus 23:7 - Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Exodus 21:1-36 - Now these [are] the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
Genesis 25:23 - And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Genesis 9:12 - And G-d said, This [is] the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations:
Genesis 2:17 - But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 1:26-27 - And G-d said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Galatians 6:8 - For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 - I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Read More...)
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 - See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Jeremiah 17:5-9
Thus says the Lord: �Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. �Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.� The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? l
Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord G-d is an everlasting rock.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Proverbs 4:26
Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of G-d with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Y-shua Messiah and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of G-d. ...
John 3:16
�For G-d so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 6:67-71
So Y-shua said to the Twelve, �Do you want to go away as well?� Simon Peter answered him, �Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of G-d.� Y-shua answered them, �Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.� He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
John 6:50-71
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.� The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, �How can this man give us his flesh to eat?� So Y-shua said to them, �Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ...
1 Peter 2:1-25
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation� if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of G-d chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to G-d through Y-shua Messiah. ...
1 Corinthians 10:17
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Jeremiah 33:3
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
1 Peter 1:19
But with the precious blood of Messiah, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1 Corinthians 11:1-2
Be imitators of me, as I am of Messiah. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
Genesis 1:29
And G-d said, �Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
1 Peter 3:18-22
For Messiah also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to G-d, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when G-d's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to G-d for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Y-shua Messiah, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of G-d, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Romans 1:18-32
For the wrath of G-d is revealed from heaven against all unG-dliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about G-d is plain to them, because G-d has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew G-d, they did not honor him as G-d or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ...
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of G-d.
John 3:17 ESV / 7
For G-d did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Luke 1:47-49
And my spirit rejoices in G-d my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
Mark 13:35
Therefore stay awake�for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning�
Psalm 37:3
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 10:15-17
I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Messiah? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
John 20:19-24
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Y-shua came and stood among them and said to them, �Peace be with you.� When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Y-shua said to them again, �Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.� And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, �Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.� ...
John 6:60-64
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, �This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?� But Y-shua, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, �Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.� (For Y-shua knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
John 6:55-59
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.� Y-shua said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Mark 13:22
For false Messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
John 8:25
So they said to him, �Who are you?� Y-shua said to them, �Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
Mark 13:34
It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.
Mark 13:6
Many will come in my name, saying, �I am he!� and they will lead many astray.
Matthew 6:11-12
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Zechariah 4:6
Then he said to me, �This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
1 Timothy 2:1-15
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, G-dly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of G-d our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one G-d, and there is one mediator between G-d and men, the man Messiah Y-shua, ...
Romans 2:6-8
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Mark 13:32
�But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Mark 13:23
But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
Mark 13:7
And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet.
Mark 13:5
And Y-shua began to say to them, �See that no one leads you astray.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Y-shua came and said to them, �All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.�
