Amazing Grace DVD--Third Post

Election doesn't seem politically correct or fair to everyone. But what does Scripture say?

 

Part Two of the Amazing Grace DVD gives Scriptural support for election. Many Christians skip over terms in Scripture such as chosen.

As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48

Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. . . . Ephesians 1:4 

The film points out that we don't seem to have a problem with Jewish people being chosen in the Old Testament. We also see God chose Jacob over Jacob's brother Esau.  Why would God save anyone? God's plan to elect some to salvation doesn't include everyone. Signing on the dotted line or "going forward" and then living selfishly is not what it's about and neither is it penance or doing good.

J. I. Packer makes this contrast: "The Arminians say: 'I owe my election to my faith'; the Calvinist says 'I owe my faith to my election.'" Man does 1%, Arminians say, but C. H. Spurgeon points out

The doctrine of justification itself,

as preached by an Arminian,

is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works.

So many modern churches have turned to works-righteousness--doing things for God. The DVD deals with Scripture that Arminians often use as proof and you just have to see this film which thoroughly examines those passages. The late D. James Kennedy is even humorous in the DVD when he explains ALL and EVERYONE.

Part Three of the Amazing Grace DVD answers questions about evangelism. If God elects, does the believer do anything? Do the Calvinists sit back then and let God elect? No! Historically Calvinists Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield have been outstanding evangelists as have John Piper and D. James Kennedy.  Like D. Martin Lloyd-Jones they start with the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man and the consequences of that sin. Easy Christianity lets you have it your way--you are okay and God loves you as you are--Christ is just something new to try. However, escaping hell is not what Christianity is about. It is about following willingly, persevering, because He has called his elect to righteous living and what He expects He enables. Ephesians 2 points out that by grace you are saved through faith not of works and no one can boast even about their 1%.

Theology is so very accessible in this film, and you just have to purchase it from NiceneCouncil.com or view it if you know someone who has it. Be prepared for over four worthwhile hours. Many view it several times as we have. Executive Producer Jerry Johnson has reported that upon viewing this film viewers have become believers, and Christianity has begun to make sense for others. It has informed my faith and my reading. 

                                                   Jerry Johnson Interview

Amazing Grace DVD--Second Post

Postmoderns don’t need the history of the church, but the first part of the Amazing Grace DVD is about the history of the church. So if you are a postmodern, don’t bother viewing.

Why do we need to know the history of the church? It has been said we are doomed to repeat history if we don’t learn from it. The debates in history become quite interesting in this film. I will not give you the whole carefully crafted historical account written and produced  by Jerry Johnson and Eric Holmberg that includes the Council of Carthage, the Council of Trent and the Synod of Dort. Suffice it to say man either saves himself or God saves him--what the historic and  current debate is about.

Augustine prayed, Lord give us what though commandest, and command what thou wilt. Pelagius disagreed. He felt that man was born sinless and could cooperate with God in his own salvation, taking credit. If I ought, I can was the view of Pelagius--the beginning of  the free will concept.

Semi-Pelagian Erasmus believed that by free choice in this place we mean a power of the human will by which a man can apply himself to the things which lead to eternal salvation, or turn away from them.

Then came James Arminius of the Netherlands whose name is associated with Arminianism and of course in contrast the Martin Luther's beginning of the Reformation:

MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH AND NOT BY WORKS.

“Prince of Preachers” Baptist Charles Spurgeon quotes Martin Luther If any man doth ascribe aught of salvation, even the very least, to the free will of man, he knoweth nothing of grace, and he hath not learnt Jesus Christ aright.

Put all this in perspective as you view Part One of this DVD. Understand these concepts:

• Monergism-- Man is dead in trespasses and sin. Regeneration is the work of God alone.
• Synergism—God and man together for man's salvation.

Hear insights from leaders such as J. I.  Packer: Arminianism made man’s salvation depend ultimately on man himself, saving faith being viewed throughout as man’s own work.

The late D. James Kennedy says:  

Unregenerate man is free

to do what he wants to do, 

but 

not what  God wants him to do.

Human effort, doing God's work for Him,  has crept into the church  We need that prospective of history to evaluate this works/righteousness synergism.

Not going well...

I guess it depends on who you are. Really. I mean, if you're the kind of person who likes to see debate shut out, and narrow margin adoption of resolutions, and people tearing their hair out, then I guess this Convention is for you.

See, during the convention, we have a standing rule that states that, when there is a "con" statement made during a debate, then it MUST be followed by a "Pro" statement. So the chair gets to spend several minutes skipping over people who are waiting to speak their minds to a specific resolution in search of a pro or con statement, till a time limit is up where the chair gets to call the question on the resolution. Then the chair asks a bunch of disgruntled people (namely us delegates) to decided to end the debate and vote, which everyone does for whatever reason... then the resolution passes by a narrow margin (somewhere in the range of 51 percent to 49 percent)...

So are things going well here today? No. People are getting frustrated. Oh yeah. I am, the people next to me are getting frustrated... It's getting old quick.

But tomorrow is the synodical presidential election. Perhaps this will be the bright spot.

This delegate, however, is beginning to realize we've been talking to the wrong group. We thought that Evangelicals needed help finding the way forward... it turns out it's our own synod that needs help in knowing which way is forward.