The Gospel According to Acts Chapter Two: His; Ours CONT'D.
Now lets see, what else must you know?
Oh yeah! I prophesy that someday this guy named Calvin will explain how none of us really have anything to do with all this God stuff. Some of us were elected to Gods Grace, and some to Gods wrath. Now never mind if again that guy who will be called Paul, when he writes some dribble to the church in Rome, will begin his explanation of this elective grace thing by using the words "what if." He should not have done that, for such will only bring divisiveness to the church. He should have just flatly come out and said so-and-so. But by prefacing it all with "what if," it was almost as if the Father was implying its all none of our business and who do we think we are to judge God. But the Father didnt mean that at all. After all, my mind is full of all these unanswered questions, and if God doesnt fill in the blanks, who will? Surely God doesnt expect us to live our lives based purely upon faith and the guidance of His Spirit during every waking moment of our life. Surely no person can be THAT dependent upon God. After all, Christianity would then just become a crutch for people who cannot help themselves.
But, on the other hand, after Calvin will come, I predict, some gut named Armin who will show how too presumptuous Calvin was, and straighten it all out for the church. He will explain how its all in our hands, and even though God says nobody seeks Him on their own, you will know that God draws all men to seek Him, but somehow theres something extra special about those of us who actually do and go on to become saved. We must somehow be a little more smarter or a little less sinful or a little more or less of something in order for us to accept the truth of Jesus, since, after all, we all have the same chance.
But, you know what guys, this is all getting a bit confusing. I would tell you whether Calvin was right, or whether Armin was, but, you know what Im going to do . . .
Oh, that reminds me, I almost forgot that other thing thats tantamount to your understanding.
Some are going to try and tell you, that once you get saved you will remain saved for eternity. Now never mind that when you will shortly be born-again, that God will only place upon you "the seal of His PROMISE." Never mind that He will tell you to continue on in the HOPE of your someday obtaining eternal life. He really didnt mean to say hope. That was a mistake by the writer, I guess. He meant to say faith, for surely eternal life is an absolute guarantee to all who get saved. Isnt that what it means to get saved, after all?
Now that Paul guy is again going to try and trip you eternally secure ones up, by warning, in what will someday be termed Romans 11:21-22, that the entire New Testament church will be cut off from Gods mercy if they dont get their act together. But thats not really what God meant. After all, if it was, where would be the need for an individually, eternally secure doctrine? And to believe such a doctrine is vital if we are going to really exercise "OUR" faith for salvation. Besides, God is ONLY love. And a loving God would not go back on His word and not give His children eternal life. Never mind that they may be poor stewards and do little with salvation beyond bicker among themselves. You miss the point.
God must have meant something else. But we will have to leave it up the intellectual theologians of the future to tell us how we get out from under that one. And this they will be more than willing to share.
Besides, theres also many places in the Bible which imply that, even as individuals, once we get saved, if we dont produce the fruitful life expected of us, then God is no longer able to--
Oh guys, do you know what? Again this is beginning to get confusing. Perhaps I wasnt exactly correct to put all of this on you now. I tell you what. Lets divide up into two groups. All of you that think God will save the Christian regardless of how they live their lives, line up over here on my right. You guys we will name the First Church of Jerusalem. And all of you that believe if you slip up and fall out of fellowship, will then burn in hell for all eternity, line up here on my left. You shall be called The Second Church of Jerusalem. Actually, you know what? Thats not exactly fair, as it could be construed as one being more likely correct then the other. Lets draw straws, just like we did for an apostle to replace Judas, because we were too impatient to wait for that Paul guy. Hey, I just realized something. I think this Paul guy is going to be a trouble maker. We better look out for him, and not take him too seriously or literally.
Okay, great. I guess were almost ready to get you guys saved.
Actually, though, Im still not sure all of you are yet knowledgeable in the necessary doctrines of God. I tell you what. Lets hold off on this a little while. Im going to get together with the other apostles, and we will try and figure out everything someone needs to know before they can have a genuine and lasting conversion. We dont want to take a chance and leave all this up to the Holy Ghost. I think He was a little premature to cause your hearts to seek the Father, seeing as how you didnt even have all that you needed to know yet. After all, the Bible was not yet written, and all the facts are not yet in. So lets all hold off until we can obtain a fuller understanding of the things of God. (And Im still not sure why I said Jesus in the flesh was only a man, when I should have been more complete in my explanation - I was almost certain I was speaking by the voice of God, and would some day write the same words by His hand. Oh well, I guess thats one more thing God forgot would some day be a problem, and therefor need men to correct Him and expound upon His much too terse and ambiguous explanations. Perhaps we will even have to wait hundreds of years until universities and advanced schools of theology are built.
In the meantime, everyone, just do the best you can. After all, were not perfect!
brotherjim@mail.com
Copyright 2002 by brother jim. May be freely shared if this notice is included.
Too be continued: Parts Two and Part Three (Maybe.)
Now lets see, what else must you know?
Oh yeah! I prophesy that someday this guy named Calvin will explain how none of us really have anything to do with all this God stuff. Some of us were elected to Gods Grace, and some to Gods wrath. Now never mind if again that guy who will be called Paul, when he writes some dribble to the church in Rome, will begin his explanation of this elective grace thing by using the words "what if." He should not have done that, for such will only bring divisiveness to the church. He should have just flatly come out and said so-and-so. But by prefacing it all with "what if," it was almost as if the Father was implying its all none of our business and who do we think we are to judge God. But the Father didnt mean that at all. After all, my mind is full of all these unanswered questions, and if God doesnt fill in the blanks, who will? Surely God doesnt expect us to live our lives based purely upon faith and the guidance of His Spirit during every waking moment of our life. Surely no person can be THAT dependent upon God. After all, Christianity would then just become a crutch for people who cannot help themselves.
But, on the other hand, after Calvin will come, I predict, some gut named Armin who will show how too presumptuous Calvin was, and straighten it all out for the church. He will explain how its all in our hands, and even though God says nobody seeks Him on their own, you will know that God draws all men to seek Him, but somehow theres something extra special about those of us who actually do and go on to become saved. We must somehow be a little more smarter or a little less sinful or a little more or less of something in order for us to accept the truth of Jesus, since, after all, we all have the same chance.
But, you know what guys, this is all getting a bit confusing. I would tell you whether Calvin was right, or whether Armin was, but, you know what Im going to do . . .
Oh, that reminds me, I almost forgot that other thing thats tantamount to your understanding.
Some are going to try and tell you, that once you get saved you will remain saved for eternity. Now never mind that when you will shortly be born-again, that God will only place upon you "the seal of His PROMISE." Never mind that He will tell you to continue on in the HOPE of your someday obtaining eternal life. He really didnt mean to say hope. That was a mistake by the writer, I guess. He meant to say faith, for surely eternal life is an absolute guarantee to all who get saved. Isnt that what it means to get saved, after all?
Now that Paul guy is again going to try and trip you eternally secure ones up, by warning, in what will someday be termed Romans 11:21-22, that the entire New Testament church will be cut off from Gods mercy if they dont get their act together. But thats not really what God meant. After all, if it was, where would be the need for an individually, eternally secure doctrine? And to believe such a doctrine is vital if we are going to really exercise "OUR" faith for salvation. Besides, God is ONLY love. And a loving God would not go back on His word and not give His children eternal life. Never mind that they may be poor stewards and do little with salvation beyond bicker among themselves. You miss the point.
God must have meant something else. But we will have to leave it up the intellectual theologians of the future to tell us how we get out from under that one. And this they will be more than willing to share.
Besides, theres also many places in the Bible which imply that, even as individuals, once we get saved, if we dont produce the fruitful life expected of us, then God is no longer able to--
Oh guys, do you know what? Again this is beginning to get confusing. Perhaps I wasnt exactly correct to put all of this on you now. I tell you what. Lets divide up into two groups. All of you that think God will save the Christian regardless of how they live their lives, line up over here on my right. You guys we will name the First Church of Jerusalem. And all of you that believe if you slip up and fall out of fellowship, will then burn in hell for all eternity, line up here on my left. You shall be called The Second Church of Jerusalem. Actually, you know what? Thats not exactly fair, as it could be construed as one being more likely correct then the other. Lets draw straws, just like we did for an apostle to replace Judas, because we were too impatient to wait for that Paul guy. Hey, I just realized something. I think this Paul guy is going to be a trouble maker. We better look out for him, and not take him too seriously or literally.
Okay, great. I guess were almost ready to get you guys saved.
Actually, though, Im still not sure all of you are yet knowledgeable in the necessary doctrines of God. I tell you what. Lets hold off on this a little while. Im going to get together with the other apostles, and we will try and figure out everything someone needs to know before they can have a genuine and lasting conversion. We dont want to take a chance and leave all this up to the Holy Ghost. I think He was a little premature to cause your hearts to seek the Father, seeing as how you didnt even have all that you needed to know yet. After all, the Bible was not yet written, and all the facts are not yet in. So lets all hold off until we can obtain a fuller understanding of the things of God. (And Im still not sure why I said Jesus in the flesh was only a man, when I should have been more complete in my explanation - I was almost certain I was speaking by the voice of God, and would some day write the same words by His hand. Oh well, I guess thats one more thing God forgot would some day be a problem, and therefor need men to correct Him and expound upon His much too terse and ambiguous explanations. Perhaps we will even have to wait hundreds of years until universities and advanced schools of theology are built.
In the meantime, everyone, just do the best you can. After all, were not perfect!
brotherjim@mail.com
Copyright 2002 by brother jim. May be freely shared if this notice is included.
Too be continued: Parts Two and Part Three (Maybe.)
