FREE WILL A MYTH? GIVE ME A BREAK!

DEAR FRIENDS:  WE’RE DEALING WITH THE “CALVINISTIC  CONTROVERSY”.  One of statement that leads to arguments is the claim , as Luther put it, “The bondage of the will.”  Sometimes phrased as the “sinner’s inability.”

First, for you in the “Reformed” or “Calivinistic” camp, we are not in 1813 but 2013.  When you make a claim to deny “free will” you play right into the hands of the materialists.  On campuses there are professors who teach there is no “free will.”  We are simply chemical, physiological reactions.  (Why then do these profs. grade papers and tests if they’re just chemical reactions?)

As the great Spurgeon put it, the lost are not bricks!  So let’s see if we can come to an understanding as well as some kind of “Bible-believing  unity” about this.

Jesus tells us in John 3:19, that people are condemned because they all “love darkness rather than light.”  That simply means that our mind is blind to Jesus’ truth (John 3:16, context), we do not like that truth, so left to our selves how are we going to choose?

I see a lot of arguments against Calvinism by people quoting texts as to our responsibility.  No answer at all.  If I sit down to a wonderful meal, and someone tells me “one bite and you’’re dead. The food is poisoned!”  WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM GOING TO DECIDE?  Put it another way.  WHY DO YOU PRAY FOR YOUR LOST LOVED ONE OR FRIEND?  You expect God to intervene and take  away the spiritual blindness and love for darkness, so that person will respond to the light of Christ’s salvation.

Let’s Get the Calvinists, Free Will Baptists, Wesleyan Holiness People Together! Here’s the balance.  We know that no one on his own will decide to come to Christ unless the Holy  Spirit is working. (John 16:8-10).  SO WE PRAY FOR THE LOST.  We know that they will not decide unless they know about the gospel. SO WE WITNESS TO THEM. (Romans 10:14-15).  We know they must  not delay SO WE URGE THEM TO COME TO CHRIST NOW.  “Today, if anyone hears His voice, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART!” (Hebrews 3:7,8). Let’s from this day expect to be used of Him in sowing, cultivating, or reaping  for the Gospel (I Corinthians 3:6).

THE CALVINIST CONTROVERSY

First Picture, John Calvin 1500's,Theologian of the Reformation, Wm. Carey first missionary from England, A.Judson, first missionary from North America, George Whitfield, greatest Evangelist since Paul, (All 1700's), Charles Spurgeon, 1840's to 1890's, world's largest Christian Church at that time, tremendous conversions to Christ, Marty Lloyd-Jones, Pastor Westminster Chapel, saw personally 500 conversions a year just by his own witnessing. All historic Calvinists and main stream of the historic Protestants.

A few years ago I met a man in a shopping center who was helping a Southern Baptist Church get started in the Lehigh Valley. He was a “layman” who was  serving  through the North American Mission Board for a few weeks.  There are only about three small works in our area of over 880,000 people that are SBC.  So I asked, “How are the Southern Baptist doing?”

“I guess you heard we’re divided over Calvinism.”

HOWEVER, CALVINISM SHOULDN’T  DIVIDE CHRISTIANS!  Now I don’t even like the term “Calvinism.”  However, I became a Calvinist in Seminary, when I bowed to what God’s Word declared. Yet, when I describe what I believed to those of the opposite camp they tend to agree or at least don’t think we are very much apart.

Let me give a brief history. John Calvin, the Reformer, wrote a book that never before was attempted.  He sought to systematically set down all the teachings in the Bible.  This work was the first “theology book,”  Institutes of the Christian Religion.

It was written with passion, and by in large became the “theology of the Reformation.”  Statements of faith reflective of Calvin were made.  The Presbyterian , Dutch, and German Reformed churches.  The Anglicans, the Congregationalists, and most of the Baptists.

It became the foundation for the Puritans and the American work ethic was born from it.

However, Calvin was a man and was flawed like all of  us are.  For my mind he wrongly believed in “double predestination,” a state church in which the government enforced Christian morality instead of the church, because it was filled with hypocrits.  His tyrannic view from Geneva against religious liberty was transported by the Puritans  under Cotton Mather. (Yes. Same governor who lived during the Salem Witch trials.)

I believe I am a “Biblicist”.   I see a Sovereign God who always wins!  We need to seek  Him for everything.  I  also believe the Lord Jesus is with all who love Him, even though I may differ with some.   I am a “Calvinist” after the order of Whitfield, Carey, Judson,  Spurgeon, and Martyn Lloyd Jones. (Without all their talent).  Next week we’ll look at the problem of “free will.”

 It is my hope that I can share how close God's people really are in these matters, whether they are Calvinists, Free Will Baptist, or Wesleyan Holiness.

ARE YOU A "FUNDAMENTALIST"?

THE FIRST PICTURE SHOWS THE BOOKS MAILED TO EVERY PASTOR IN THE U.S. AN CANADA. THEY WERE CALLED THE FUNDAMENTALS. R.A.TORREY HELP EDIT THEM. THE OTHER PICTURES ARE OF THE OLD BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES AROUNG 1910. R.A. TORREY WAS HEAD OF THE SCHOOL AND THE 3000 AUDITORIUM WAS THE MEETING FOR TORREY'S CONGREGATION ON SUNDAY, "THE CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR." THE FUNDAMENTALS WERE WRITTEN IN A POPULAR WAY BY TOP SCHOLARS WHO HELD TO THE HISTORIC CHRISTIAN FAITH. MORE AND MORE PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS IN THE NORTH DRIFTED AWAY FROM BELIEVING: THE BIBLE WAS INFALLIBLE, CHRIST WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN, DIED FOR OUR SINS, AND ROSE AGAIN, THE DEITY OF JESUS AND HIS SECOND COMING, SALVATION IS BY GRACE THRU FAITH. THE WORLD FUNDAMENTALIST ASSOCIATION WAS ORGANIZED BY TORREY AND OTHERS. SO THE WORD "FUNDAMENTALIST" CAME INTO USE. IT WAS USED TO MEAN THOSE WHO BELIEVED THE CARDINAL TRUTHES OF CHRISTIANITY. BEFORE LONG IT BECAME A DERISIVE TERM. WHAT REALLY DID IT IN WAS WHEN THE PRESS UNFAIRLY CALLED MUSLIM TERRORIST, "MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISTS." THE TERM "EVANGELICAL" CAME INTO VOGUE IN THE 1950'S. IT WAS THE TERM MOST EUROPEANS USED FOR PROTESTANT. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES IT HAS BEEN USED FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF WEIRD! I USE THE TERM "BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIAN." THE BEST TERM IS WHEN PEOPLE SEE OUR LIVES AND LOVE AND SAY, "THAT'S A REAL CHRISTIAN"!

R.A. Torrey, Great Defender of the Faith

Here's a picture of me at the desk in Torrey's home study.

After his conversion to Christ and during his days at Yale Divinity School (1868-71) and after a year of graduate study in Germany, Torrey did not believe all the Bible was true. He held to the conclusions of the "higher critics." There were many unbiblical views he held as well. However, he began to study and read those who were Bible-believing scholars. He became convinced that the Bible was completely God's Word, infallible and inerrant. He even helped edit a scholarly work answers the so-called "higher ciritics." When he entered his powerful evangelistic career, he would often show in a popular way, why the reasons for believing the fundamental truths of the Bible. Dr. Allen MacRay was a great Biblical scholar and stalwart defender of the faith, He testified that when he graduated from Princeton, he faced many questions about the Bible he could not answer. He enrolled for a year at the Bible Institue of Los Angeles. Torrey answered thoroughly and understandably every objection MacRay had heard at Princeton. Peter tells us to "Sanctify Jesus as Lord in our hearts, and be ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within in us." I Peter 3:15. EVERY ARGUMENT AGAINST CHRISTIANITY HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY ANSWERED. If some one questions you about something you don't know, be honest. Then you and your questioner go to a source (person or book) that gives the answer. Later in life (1910). Torrey edited the last two of ten paper back books defending the Christian faith. They were given free to every clergyman in the United States. They contained articles written by Scholars in language everyone could understand. The series was called the "Fundamentals of Christianity." That's where the term "fundamentalist" came from. The press has used the term to speak of ignorant, reactionary and extremist people. (Muslim Fundamentalists). It actually came out of popular books that set forth the case for Christiantiy in reasonable, scholarly terms.

WHAT DID DR. TORREY MEAN BY THE "BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT?"

Dr. Torrey, 1856-1922 was an associate of D.L. Moody, ran his Bible Institute, Pastor of the Chicago Ave. Church (Now called Moody Memoriai). A great evangelist who succeeded Moody. He preached in all continents of the world, seeing results surpassing Moody and many others. Of the hundred of thousands who professed faith in Christ, 90% were still faithful after a ten year survey. His style was calm and he likened himself like a lawyer making the case for Christ’s claims on each life. He attributed his results to having received repeatedly the “baptism of the Spirit.” I do not think his terminology was entirely accurate. However, most in his day used that phrase. When I examine I Corinthians 12:13 I read that ALL are baptized in the Spirit, and He gives to everyone gifts according to His will. The baptism in the Spirit was that intial work of God in incorporating all individuals into the New Testament Church. It is that mystical work that incorporates us all into the body of Christ if we savingly repented and trusted Jesus as our Savior and Lord. AS ONE WISELY PUT IT: THERE IS ONE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT, BUT MANY FILLINGS! Torrey was correct! We need to have  The infilling of the Spirit to empower us to win people to Christ, to continue faithful in sorrow, and have the peace and joy God has promised for us. Today I would urge all reading this, and myself, to take in expectancy the power of the Spirit and go out in faith to serve Him and overcome all obstacles to remain faithful to Our Lord and Savior!