Jesus Christ and Repentance

5thKingdom said:

Whenever you preach that ALL MEN are able to (really) repent...
before regeneration.... you are, in fact, preaching a "free offer"
heresy. Since ONLY the "elect" are able to repent.

Jim

Click to expand...

Correct only the Israel of God is given repentance Acts 5:31

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins

5thKingdom said:

Of course THAT is the Gospel of the Bible.

Unfortunately, because the Bible commands all men to repent,
some people ASSUME that means all men are ABLE to repent
(before regeneration). Even thought the Bible shows in so many
passages that is a false doctrine. It is just a false assumption that
leads to the heresy of a synergistic "gospel".

Jim

Click to expand...

I've heard it said that the gospel is either the best news or the worst news one will ever hear, depending on how it is received.
The fact that God commands all men to repent, leaves those who reject it without excuse. They make a concise decision to rebel against God so they can fulfill the lusts of their heart.
I hear many Christians accuse God of being unfair for not saving everyone, but they never mention the long life of sin and rebellion against God which comes before the judgement. They like to turn it back to front and make it sound as if they didn't deserve the punishment.

Brightfame52 said:

Correct only the Israel of God is given repentance Acts 5:31

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins

Click to expand...

Just for the sake of some who may not be familiar with the term "Israel of God", it is referring to Christians. Some get confused and they divide the bride of Christ into different dispensations and ethnic groups. The Church is one body of Christ from all ages and ethic groups and there's no distinction from Jew or Gentile in His body.

5thKingdom said:

All that you said above is very true.
Moreover, the Bible also teaches that some men were
NEVER MEANT to be saved, which immediately destroys
the assumption the term "whosoever" includes everyone born.

Jim

Click to expand...

Wow Jim, you must be the first person here who actually believes that God is sovereign over all things, including salvation. Most insist that it's a joint effort between man and God, because Jesus didn't do a complete job at Calvary, so they feel the need to help with with that by adding their good works to complete the job.

Dan1988 said:

Just for the sake of some who may not be familiar with the term "Israel of God", it is referring to Christians. Some get confused and they divide the bride of Christ into different dispensations and ethnic groups. The Church is one body of Christ from all ages and ethic groups and there's no distinction from Jew or Gentile in His body.

Click to expand...

Agreed Gal 6:15-16

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

All the Spiritual new creatures, from the OT to the NT make up the Israel of God, the Body of the Redeemer.

Brightfame52 said:

Agreed Gal 6:15-16

15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

All the Spiritual new creatures, from the OT to the NT make up the Israel of God, the Body of the Redeemer.

Click to expand...

It surprising how many denominations and non denominational Churches teach that the Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Jews will once again go back to the old covenant and sacrifice animals in the Temple.
Some preach that the Jews are still God's chosen people and that they will be given special privileges to help them attain salvation. There's a group called "the Jewish roots movement" who mix the old and new covenants together to form their new denomination.

Brightfame52 said:

Correct only the Israel of God is given repentance Acts 5:31

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins

Click to expand...

LOL
Why in the world would you think the Gospel of the Bible
is contained in ONE VERSE. The Gospel commands everyone
to repent (even those who are NEVER MEANT to be saved)


Mar 6:12
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.


However, the ISSUE being discussed (in my previous post)
was the subject of whether the Gospel is a "free offer" or
a proclamation of the finished work of Christ.


Since it can easily be shown that some men were
NEVER MEANT to be saved, we know absolutely the Gospel
is not a "free offer" to all men. Instead, it is simply the
proclamation of the finished work of Christ for "His sheep".
(both Jew and Gentile)


Jim

Dan1988 said:

It surprising how many denominations and non denominational Churches teach that the Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Jews will once again go back to the old covenant and sacrifice animals in the Temple.
Some preach that the Jews are still God's chosen people and that they will be given special privileges to help them attain salvation. There's a group called "the Jewish roots movement" who mix the old and new covenants together to form their new denomination.

Click to expand...

It is not surprising at all that MOST "Christians" do not understand
the meaning of the "temple" [2Thess 2] or "holy place" [Mat 24]
since God PROMISED that information would remain "closed-up"
and "sealed" to all saints until the Last Saints "shall understand"
at the "time-of-the-end" [Dan 12:8-10]


The "temple" and "holy place" are called by many other names
in both the OT and NT. Here are a few examples:


(1) The "Kingdom" which the Anti-Christ "obtains with flatteries"
[Dan 11]


(2) The "Kingdom" that is "overflown" and "broken" by the
Anti-Christ [Dan 11]


(3) The "Mighty and Holy People" who are "destroyed"
by the Anti-Christ [Dan 8]


(4) The "Sanctuary and Host" that are "trodden under foot"
by the Anti-Christ [Dan 8]


(5) The "Woman" which was hidden from the face of the
"serpent" for 3.5 "times" [Rev 12]


(6) The "Holy People" whose "power is scattered" by the
Anti-Christ for 3.5 "times" [Dan 12]


(7) The "Kings" that are "given into his hand" [the Anti-Christ's
hand] for 3.5 "times" [Dan 7]


(8) The "Witnesses" which are first "overcome" and later
"killed" by Satan for 3.5 "days" [Rev 11]


(9) The "Holy City" which the Anti-Christ "treads under foot"
for forty-two months or 3.5 "years" [Rev 11]


(10) The "Ruler of the Last Saints" as the Anti-Christ
"makes war" for forty-two months or 3.5 "years" [Rev 13]


(11) The "Arms" that "shall stand on his part"
[stand on the Anti-Christ's part] and "pollute the Sanctuary"
[Dan 11]


(12) The "Ten Virgins" who "went forth"
[preaching the gospel of the Anti-Christ]
during the Fourth Kingdom [Mat 25]


(13) The "Sanctuary" that is "polluted" by the Anti-Christ
[and his "arms"] during the Fourth "Kingdom/Beast" [Dan 11]


All of these verses (and DOZENS of others) are talking about
the SAME EVENT as the destruction of the "temple" or the
"holy place" during the Great Tribulation. However, God has
PROMISED [in Daniel 12:8-10 and Matthew 24:15,33] that
this information would only be "seen" or "understood" by
the Last Saints during the "time of the end".


And THAT is why (during both the OT and NT) previous saints
could not understand the fulfillment of the destruction of the
"temple/holy place/kingdom/sanctuary/holy people/etc."


Jim

5th kingdom

Why in the world would you think the Gospel of the Bible
is contained in ONE VERSE. The Gospel commands everyone
to repent (even those who are NEVER MEANT to be saved

Click to expand...

That is error, I'm somewhat surprised that you are saying that. Repentance is in light of and accompanies forgiveness of sins. Acts 5 31 and Lk 24 47

47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,

Dan1988 said:

Wow Jim, you must be the first person here who actually believes that God is sovereign over all things, including salvation. Most insist that it's a joint effort between man and God, because Jesus didn't do a complete job at Calvary, so they feel the need to help with with that by adding their good works to complete the job.

Click to expand...

Dan, there have always been real saints (saved "wheat/sheep")
sown by God in the church... just as there has always been
false "Christians" (unsaved "tares/goats") sown by Satan in
the churches.


And the real Saints have always understood, and preached,
the (monergistic) Gospel of a Sovereign God... while the unsaved
"tares" have always preached the synergistic heresy that MAN
initiates his own salvation. There is nothing NEW here.


The only difference is that 50 years ago you could find many
Christians preaching a Sovereign Grace Gospel... whereas today
it is very rare indeed. But that is what the Lord PROMISED would
happen - at the end of the church age. It was always a major
PART of the Gospel that unsaved "tares" would infiltrate the
churches and the "leaven" of their false gospels would corrupt
the churches and eventually the entire "Kingdom". And that
there would be little (real) faith left when the Lord Returns.


In other words, this is the fulfillment of Scripture in that the vast
majority of "Christians" follow the BROAD WAY of a synergistic
"gospel" that leads them into destruction. And relatively FEW
real Christians find the monergistic Gospel of Sovereign Grace
that is he narrow way that leads them into eternal life.


While there are much less real saints left on earth during this
"time-of-the-end" [Dan 12:8-10] which is also shown as the
"Season and Time" [Dan 7:11-12] before the Lord Returns,
there are still SOME saints left on earth... the ones who are
"changed" into our incorruptible and eternal spiritual bodies
in the "twinkling of an eye" at the resurrection. And these
real saints preach the (monergistic) Gospel of the Bible,
even while 99% of "Christians" preach a "works gospel"
of synergism... where man initiates his salvation and then
God is OBLIGATED to save them.


Jim

Brightfame52 said:

5th kingdom
That is error, I'm somewhat surprised that you are saying that. Repentance is in light of and accompanies forgiveness of sins. Acts 5 31 and Lk 24 47

47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,

Click to expand...

(1) Let me get this straight...
you are saying that Mark 6:12 is in error?


Mar 6:12
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.


(2) Or, are you saying that ALL MEN are ABLE to repent...
and the Gospel of the Bible is a "free offer" of salvation
to those who choose to accept it?


Again, I will remind you that (a) Mark 6:12 cannot be error
and (b) the ISSUE being discussed is whether (or not) the
Gospel of the Bible is a synergistic "gospel" where MEN decide
to save themselves or a monergistic Gospel of Sovereign Grace
where God has (already) "chosen" His "elect" before the very
foundation of the world, based ONLY on His Good Pleasure and
NOT on anything those people would do in their lifetime.


Moreover, the Bible is very clear (in many passages) that
some men were NEVER MEANT to be saved... so the notion
of a synergistic "free offer" to all men is already contradicted
by Scripture.


You should NEVER make the mistake of thinking that, because
the Gospel demands all men to repent - that all men are ABLE
to repent. Clearly, those who were NEVER MEANT to be saved
are NOT ABLE to (really) repent. This is a very basic and essential
element of the Bible... one which cannot be overlooked without
corrupting the Gospel of Sovereign Grace into a synergistic heresy.


I admit that I am confused by your post as I do not understand
WHAT you are disagreeing with.


Jim

Dan1988 said:

I've heard it said that the gospel is either the best news or the worst news one will ever hear, depending on how it is received.
The fact that God commands all men to repent, leaves those who reject it without excuse. They make a concise decision to rebel against God so they can fulfill the lusts of their heart.
I hear many Christians accuse God of being unfair for not saving everyone, but they never mention the long life of sin and rebellion against God which comes before the judgement. They like to turn it back to front and make it sound as if they didn't deserve the punishment.

Click to expand...

Yes, the Gospel is a two-edged sword.


Heb_4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.


I have been preaching for almost 50 years and have ALWAYS
found that real saints appreciate the fact that God is Sovereign
and has chosen them... because they realize that anything and
everything THEY DO is corrupt and ONLY God can save them
from themselves.


On the other hand I have ALWAYS found that those who reject
a Sovereign Grace Gospel do so because they cannot TRUST GOD
to be the author and finisher of their faith. They INSIST on having
some part in their salvation.


I have always found it interesting that AFTER Jesus explained
that NO MAN can come to Him unless the Father first "draws"
them and ALL MEN the Father draws "shall come" to Him...
and He would lose NONE of "His sheep", that MANY of His
disciples immediately abandoned Jesus when they realized
He was teaching salvation by election [John 6:65-66]


Now, WHY in the world would any man abandon the Son of God?
And the answer is obvious. They (like most men today) did not
want a salvation plan where they must depend ENTIRELY on the
Will of God. They (like most men today) want a salvation plan
where THEY get to decide how and when they become saved,
by doing some good work.


This "good work" could be saying a sinner's prayer or making
and altar call or receiving water baptism or "inviting" Jesus into
their hearts or repenting of some sin or DECIDING (a mental work)
to have "faith" in Christ.


Most men today preach a synergistic heresy that MEN act first
and then God SEES the good work they have done... and He is
then OBLIGATED to finish the process. But that is nothing new,
it was the same when JESUS preached salvation by election and
immediately MANY of His disciples abandoned Him.


* Note, the more sophisticated of these synergistic heretics
will claim their "work" is "non-meritorious" so to pretend that
it did not play a part in their salvation process. But, of course,
that is just them pretending because they cannot deny that the
WORK they did (to save themselves) is actually a real WORK.
And they know salvation is NOT by "works".


Jim

5thKingdom said:

(1) Let me get this straight...
you are saying that Mark 6:12 is in error?


Mar 6:12
And they went out, and preached that men should repent.


(2) Or, are you saying that ALL MEN are ABLE to repent...
and the Gospel of the Bible is a "free offer" of salvation
to those who choose to accept it?


Again, I will remind you that (a) Mark 6:12 cannot be error
and (b) the ISSUE being discussed is whether (or not) the
Gospel of the Bible is a synergistic "gospel" where MEN decide
to save themselves or a monergistic Gospel of Sovereign Grace
where God has (already) "chosen" His "elect" before the very
foundation of the world, based ONLY on His Good Pleasure and
NOT on anything those people would do in their lifetime.


Moreover, the Bible is very clear (in many passages) that
some men were NEVER MEANT to be saved... so the notion
of a synergistic "free offer" to all men is already contradicted
by Scripture.


You should NEVER make the mistake of thinking that, because
the Gospel demands all men to repent - that all men are ABLE
to repent. Clearly, those who were NEVER MEANT to be saved
are NOT ABLE to (really) repent. This is a very basic and essential
element of the Bible... one which cannot be overlooked without
corrupting the Gospel of Sovereign Grace into a synergistic heresy.


I admit that I am confused by your post as I do not understand
WHAT you are disagreeing with.


Jim

Click to expand...

Repentance is for the Sheep, those Christ died for and obtained their forgiveness of sins Lk 24 47

Brightfame52 said:

Repentance is for the Sheep, those Christ died for and obtained their forgiveness of sins Lk 24 47

Click to expand...

OK, so we are in agreement that repentance is for "His sheep".


Therefore, we agree that, while we are commanded to preach
repentance to all creatures... we know that it is ONLY possible
for "His sheep", and all others are NOT ABLE to (really) repent.
Since they are not "His sheep" they were NEVER MEANT to
either repent or be saved.


Which is WHY Jesus said some men were NEVER MEANT to
"perceive" or "understand" the Gospel, or "be converted"
or "have their sins forgiven". [Mark 4:11-12]


So, we agree that the Gospel is NOT a "free offer" of salvation
to everyone, it is simply the proclamation of the finished work
of Jesus Christ for "His sheep", and no others.


Agreed?


Jim

5thKingdom said:

OK, so we are in agreement that repentance is for "His sheep".


Therefore, we agree that, while we are commanded to preach
repentance to all creatures... we know that it is ONLY possible
for "His sheep", and all others are NOT ABLE to (really) repent.
Since they are not "His sheep" they were NEVER MEANT to
either repent or be saved.


Which is WHY Jesus said some men were NEVER MEANT to
"perceive" or "understand" the Gospel, or "be converted"
or "have their sins forgiven". [Mark 4:11-12]


So, we agree that the Gospel is NOT a "free offer" of salvation
to everyone, it is simply the proclamation of the finished work
of Jesus Christ for "His sheep", and no others.


Agreed?


Jim

Click to expand...

I would say that the Gospel is to be preached to all creatures and the elect will be given to repent and believe. I don't believe God calls the vessels of wrath whom He made to fit for destruction to repentance unto life. Jesus once told the wicked seed this Matt 23:31-33
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

The words in vs 32 are in the imperative, it's commanded for them to continue in their route to the damnation of hell. Jesus isn't commanding them to repent, to have a change of mind, no He is fitting them for destruction.

So yes the Gospel is preached to all but repentance is for the Sheep, the elect vessels of Mercy to whom repentance and forgiveness of sins are given.

Brightfame52 said:

So yes the Gospel is preached to all but repentance is for the Sheep, the elect vessels of Mercy to whom repentance and forgiveness of sins are given.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the response... but you did not answer
my last question. Here it is again:

So, we agree that the Gospel is NOT a "free offer" of salvation
to everyone, it is simply the proclamation of the finished work
of Jesus Christ for "His sheep", and no others.

Agreed?

Jim

5thKingdom said:

Thank you for the response... but you did not answer
my last question. Here it is again:

So, we agree that the Gospel is NOT a "free offer" of salvation
to everyone, it is simply the proclamation of the finished work
of Jesus Christ for "His sheep", and no others.

Agreed?

Jim

Click to expand...

Of course I agree. That should be obvious. The Gospel is preached not offered.

5thKingdom said:

It is not surprising at all that MOST "Christians" do not understand
the meaning of the "temple" [2Thess 2] or "holy place" [Mat 24]
since God PROMISED that information would remain "closed-up"
and "sealed" to all saints until the Last Saints "shall understand"
at the "time-of-the-end" [Dan 12:8-10]


The "temple" and "holy place" are called by many other names
in both the OT and NT. Here are a few examples:


(1) The "Kingdom" which the Anti-Christ "obtains with flatteries"
[Dan 11]


(2) The "Kingdom" that is "overflown" and "broken" by the
Anti-Christ [Dan 11]


(3) The "Mighty and Holy People" who are "destroyed"
by the Anti-Christ [Dan 8]


(4) The "Sanctuary and Host" that are "trodden under foot"
by the Anti-Christ [Dan 8]


(5) The "Woman" which was hidden from the face of the
"serpent" for 3.5 "times" [Rev 12]


(6) The "Holy People" whose "power is scattered" by the
Anti-Christ for 3.5 "times" [Dan 12]


(7) The "Kings" that are "given into his hand" [the Anti-Christ's
hand] for 3.5 "times" [Dan 7]


(8) The "Witnesses" which are first "overcome" and later
"killed" by Satan for 3.5 "days" [Rev 11]


(9) The "Holy City" which the Anti-Christ "treads under foot"
for forty-two months or 3.5 "years" [Rev 11]


(10) The "Ruler of the Last Saints" as the Anti-Christ
"makes war" for forty-two months or 3.5 "years" [Rev 13]


(11) The "Arms" that "shall stand on his part"
[stand on the Anti-Christ's part] and "pollute the Sanctuary"
[Dan 11]


(12) The "Ten Virgins" who "went forth"
[preaching the gospel of the Anti-Christ]
during the Fourth Kingdom [Mat 25]


(13) The "Sanctuary" that is "polluted" by the Anti-Christ
[and his "arms"] during the Fourth "Kingdom/Beast" [Dan 11]


All of these verses (and DOZENS of others) are talking about
the SAME EVENT as the destruction of the "temple" or the
"holy place" during the Great Tribulation. However, God has
PROMISED [in Daniel 12:8-10 and Matthew 24:15,33] that
this information would only be "seen" or "understood" by
the Last Saints during the "time of the end".


And THAT is why (during both the OT and NT) previous saints
could not understand the fulfillment of the destruction of the
"temple/holy place/kingdom/sanctuary/holy people/etc."


Jim

Click to expand...

Please excuse me, I'm very tired and there was a lot to take in there.
If I understand you correctly, you're saying that those Saints who didn't have the privilege of the completed cannon of scripture (as we do) weren't able to fully understand the prophecies regarding the Temple in the end times.
My understanding is that Christ is the Temple and we are a part of the Temple if we are in Him.

5thKingdom said:

Dan, there have always been real saints (saved "wheat/sheep")
sown by God in the church... just as there has always been
false "Christians" (unsaved "tares/goats") sown by Satan in
the churches.


And the real Saints have always understood, and preached,
the (monergistic) Gospel of a Sovereign God... while the unsaved
"tares" have always preached the synergistic heresy that MAN
initiates his own salvation. There is nothing NEW here.


The only difference is that 50 years ago you could find many
Christians preaching a Sovereign Grace Gospel... whereas today
it is very rare indeed. But that is what the Lord PROMISED would
happen - at the end of the church age. It was always a major
PART of the Gospel that unsaved "tares" would infiltrate the
churches and the "leaven" of their false gospels would corrupt
the churches and eventually the entire "Kingdom". And that
there would be little (real) faith left when the Lord Returns.


In other words, this is the fulfillment of Scripture in that the vast
majority of "Christians" follow the BROAD WAY of a synergistic
"gospel" that leads them into destruction. And relatively FEW
real Christians find the monergistic Gospel of Sovereign Grace
that is he narrow way that leads them into eternal life.


While there are much less real saints left on earth during this
"time-of-the-end" [Dan 12:8-10] which is also shown as the
"Season and Time" [Dan 7:11-12] before the Lord Returns,
there are still SOME saints left on earth... the ones who are
"changed" into our incorruptible and eternal spiritual bodies
in the "twinkling of an eye" at the resurrection. And these
real saints preach the (monergistic) Gospel of the Bible,
even while 99% of "Christians" preach a "works gospel"
of synergism... where man initiates his salvation and then
God is OBLIGATED to save them.


Jim

Click to expand...

God's sovereignty in predestination and election, is mysterious. I don't think God has ever explained His reason for choosing some and passing by others, in the Bible.

Most professing Christians demand that I show them where the Bible explains Gods reasoning in this seemingly unfair ordinance. When I tell them that I believe God is not obligated to explain to us why He does what He does. They just say, how can you believe in a cruel and unfair God who creates people for the sole purpose of watching them burn in hell.

The whole doctrine of election and predestination, goes against human reasoning. It sounds very cruel and unfair to the carnal/natural, fallen sinful man.

One thing I find the "free choice" people overlook, before they accuse God is the life of sin and rebellion lived by those who are judged at the end. They skip that part and look to the judgement as if it was the first thing that happens to these poor undeserving sinners.

5thKingdom said:

Yes, the Gospel is a two-edged sword.


Heb_4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.


I have been preaching for almost 50 years and have ALWAYS
found that real saints appreciate the fact that God is Sovereign
and has chosen them... because they realize that anything and
everything THEY DO is corrupt and ONLY God can save them
from themselves.


On the other hand I have ALWAYS found that those who reject
a Sovereign Grace Gospel do so because they cannot TRUST GOD
to be the author and finisher of their faith. They INSIST on having
some part in their salvation.


I have always found it interesting that AFTER Jesus explained
that NO MAN can come to Him unless the Father first "draws"
them and ALL MEN the Father draws "shall come" to Him...
and He would lose NONE of "His sheep", that MANY of His
disciples immediately abandoned Jesus when they realized
He was teaching salvation by election [John 6:65-66]


Now, WHY in the world would any man abandon the Son of God?
And the answer is obvious. They (like most men today) did not
want a salvation plan where they must depend ENTIRELY on the
Will of God. They (like most men today) want a salvation plan
where THEY get to decide how and when they become saved,
by doing some good work.


This "good work" could be saying a sinner's prayer or making
and altar call or receiving water baptism or "inviting" Jesus into
their hearts or repenting of some sin or DECIDING (a mental work)
to have "faith" in Christ.


Most men today preach a synergistic heresy that MEN act first
and then God SEES the good work they have done... and He is
then OBLIGATED to finish the process. But that is nothing new,
it was the same when JESUS preached salvation by election and
immediately MANY of His disciples abandoned Him.


* Note, the more sophisticated of these synergistic heretics
will claim their "work" is "non-meritorious" so to pretend that
it did not play a part in their salvation process. But, of course,
that is just them pretending because they cannot deny that the
WORK they did (to save themselves) is actually a real WORK.
And they know salvation is NOT by "works".


Jim

Click to expand...

I thank you for taking the time to share what the Lord has revealed to you over the years, it's very encouraging and a true blessing.
Being reminded of Gods sovereignty, love, mercy and justice is like giving water to a thirsty man.

I need to be encouraged and reminded that God is in control of all things and nothing happens outside of His Sovereign will. We experience all kinds of trials and tribulation in life, and it's easy to sink into despair if we think that God just sits back and watches everything unravel in a random way.

My neighbour recently told me that he no longer believes in God, because his nice died of cancer. His reasoning is, how could a loving God allow an innocent child to die like that. I tried to encourage him to reconsider but he would hear it for a moment. He insisted that I don't mention God to him ever again.

I pray for him and many of my family and relatives who are religious (mostly Roman Catholic), but they don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives. They try to live clean lives, but they're not prepared to sell out for the Lord, it's a deal where they add Jesus to their lives as a friend who helps and guides them.

I have been asked to stop preaching by many of my family, relatives, friends and work colleges. But I tell them that it's not an option, since the Lord commanded us to preach the gospel to every creature and yes sometimes we need to shake the dirt of our shoes as a testimony against some who resort to blasphemy ion rejecting the gospel.

Our pastor is not politically correct, he regularly preaches that there are only 2 kinds of people and only 2 religions in the world. We regularly have visitors walk out half way through a sermon, very few join our Church when they realise that we preach reformed theology.