Grace-God’s Sovereignty or Man’s Free Will–Part 11 of the Grace and the Law Series–Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 41

by | Jan 1, 2016 | Podcasts

Grace–God’s Sovereignty or Man’s Free Will

Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections 41–Part 11 in the Grace and the Law Series

 

  1. Opening Scripture– 12 ¶ And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;  13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.  14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 1  15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.  16 Rejoice evermore.  17 Pray without ceasing.  18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  19 Quench not the Spirit.  20 Despise not prophesyings.  21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.  23 ¶ And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.  (1Th 5:12-24 KJV)
  2. Greetings and welcome–so much going on in the world that is bringing to this world a sense of uneasiness that has not been known in times past. Yahovah is still on the throne and we are His chosen ones. It’s up to us to adhere to our unique calling to be His representatives in this dark and evil world

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  1. Calendar
    1. 18th day of the 10th Biblical Month
    2. Christmas has passed and New Years day is here
  2. Commentary–Tough Week in 2015
  3. Teachings and DVD Review
    1. “Exploring Arabia’s Sinai”–A Multi-Media Presentation by Jim and Penny Caldwell–http://splitrockresearch.org
      1. Dr. Sung Hak Kim–physician to the Saudi Throne and avid explorer and Christian believer
      2. Dr. Miles Jones–PhD and founder of Jones’ Geniuses–linguist–expert in ancient language writings
      3. Dr. Lennart Moller–Professor of Medical Sciences in Stockholm Sweden and author of the book The Exodus Case
      4. The real Mount Sinai is in modern Saudi Arabia
      5. Thousands of artifacts litter the desert floor (e.g., arrow heads, sling rocks, grinding stones)
      6. The Rock at Rephidim; Mount Sinai, the altar of the Golden Calf, the 12-pillars, evidence of a mass grave site
      7. The Bedouins acknowledge that Mountain and the region was likely inhabited by Hebrews
      8. Must consult ancient maps of the region to get a full understanding and disclosure of the wandering sites
      9. The Bible account of the Exodus and our wanderings in the wilderness appear to be fully supported by the Caldwell’s and other’s findings
      10. Jim Caldwell, worked for a Saudi Oil Company as an engineer and in the 90’s was led by inspiration and a vision to locate the real Mount Sinai. The Caldwell’s story is nothing short of miraculous as time and time again, their journey takes unimagined turns and their findings are nothing short of astounding
      11. They present countless proofs to support their assertions
      12. Split Rock Research Foundation–P.O. Box 6586, Diamondhead, MS (www.splitrockresearch.org)
    2. “When the Brimstone Hits the Fan–a Few Last Minute Instructions”–by Michael Rood
      1. Retells our story at Mount Sinai where Yahovah asked us: “Will you be my people and obey my commandments? Without knowing the fine-print of the contract? Before we know the fine-print will you follow me?”
      2. Y’shua tells us the bottom line–pick up your cross and follow Him. The details of the contract are found, however, in our journey
      3. We were told to purify ourselves and prepare to receive Yahovah for 3-days
      4. The 10-commandments were/are an outline. It is condensed by Y’shua by the 2-commandments of Love Yahovah and Love neighbor
      5. Yom Teruah is the day Yahovah shouted down to us from Mount Sinai His commandments
        1. the rabbis changed Day of Trumpets into Rosh haShanah
      6. Anyone that adds to or takes away from the commandments of Yahovah is a false prophet
      7. Religion is the broad path that leads to destruction
      8. “The Safest Place for us to be is in the will of Yahovah.” Michael Rood
  4. World News
    1. CNN Republican Presidential Debate
      1. confusion as to the correct course this country should take related to Syria, ISIS, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Russia
        1. One wants an isolationist approach
        2. One wants to confront Russia
        3. One wants full out war with ISIS
      2. Constant bickering and backstabbing
      3. No substantive discussion on the issues facing our nation
      4. Yahovah and His way of life for mankind is left out of the discussion–the reason why no one has the true answer to how this country can come out of the darkness and into the light
    2. More information is emerging that our government may have been funding and supporting the radical Islamic Terrorist Group ISIS
    3. Exhausts from aircraft leaving chem-trails may be complicit in destroying our environment
  5. Main Content–Grace–God’s Sovereignty or Man’s Free Will?
  • Pelagius versus St. Augustine of Hippo debate
    • Pelagius (360-418 CE)—a British ascetic moralist—held that men had free will and were able to choose good from evil—man had within him that power to do good—to convert themselves from sin by their own power; and work out their salvation. He held that men have the ability to achieve moral perfection
      • Asceticism has to do with the abstinence from worldly pleasures for purposes of pursuing spiritual goals. Frugality/denial of physical pleasures/fasting are common to ascetics
      • Free will comes into the equation when we debate whether man has the ability to reject evil and live righteous lives
    • St. Augustine (11/13/354-8/28/430 CE—theologian, philosopher, Bishop of Hippo which is modern Algeria) believed the burden suggested by Pelagius of man is a burden too great to bear. He believed that man is incapable of redeeming himself via his/her own efforts. The original sin extinguished God’s grace in men’s souls and no matter how righteous men conduct themselves, their virtue could never make them holy before God. Man is a “massa peccati” or mass of sin and thus are incapable of endowing themselves with grace as a glass is incapable of filling itself with liquid. St. Augustine would not dismiss the concept of men’s free will, but felt man lacked true freedom to avoid sin; for sin is inherit in man. It is God’s sovereign choice to extend His grace to us that salvation is possible
  • Pelagianism was rejected by the Catholic Church after the Council of Carthage (417 CE) condemned it as a result of Augustine’s insistence
  • The debate did not die at the Council of Carthage however. The debate between free will and God’s absolute sovereignty reared its head as a result of the protestant reformation (aka the Reformation). Recall that the Reformation was a schism from the Roman Catholic Church initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and other early Protestant Reformers in the 16th century CE
    • In response to Protestant objections aimed at Roman Catholicism, the Church Triumphant felt compelled to establish orthodoxy in many of her positions. Included in this discussion was establishing a position on grace and justification that would be distinguished from the Protestant view on grace and justification
    • Justification and sanctification are seen as elements of the same process according to the Catholic Church
        • The establishing of orthodoxy as it related to grace and justification took place at the Council of Trent in 1547
      • The council determined that Christ’s Passion bestows upon the Catholic “the grace of justification—this comes without any merits on the part of the person being justified—it is only through the grace of God that man is able to cooperate. But when one commits a mortal sin, that grace of justification is lost. That grace, however, can/may be restored by the sacrament of Penance”
  • What was the Protestant’s position on grace? We now turn towards Calvinism—the foundation of much of the Protestant Reformation
        • The 5-Points of Calvinism stood in stark contrast to the doctrine of Grace and Justification that the Roman Catholic Church developed and made orthodox at the Council of Trent. The 5-points spell out an acrostic and are as follows:
  • Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin)–Total depravity declares that man is dead in sin—that (1) man is cursed because of sin; (2) that he is actuated (controlled) by wrong principles; (3) that he is wholly unable to love God or do anything meriting salvation. Consequently, “there is a moral inability which paralyzes him”
  • Unconditional Election–Unconditional Election holds that God predetermined everything that would ever happen long beforehand. “Without anything commendable in themselves, some people have been chosen by God to come to Christ and be saved—done before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) and certainly before they were born or had done anything good or bad (Rom. 9:11)—the elect were known to God and were chosen by His free and sovereign grace.” The reformed affirm that God elects some to salvation “unconditionally”—this falls within the realm of God’s sovereignty (Rom. 9:20, 21)  God prepared certain people “for destruction” (Rom. 9:22) Thus God “ordains the condemnation of the reprobate not only to show forth His justice and wrath but also to display His mercy and grace to us who equally deserve hell but receive salvation instead” Those who are elect can not boast when he/she realizes that their salvation is in spite of their utter unworthiness and solely because of God’s sovereign grace? Thus he or she must lay their pride and self-reliance low. Thus we must possess a humble heart. Unconditional election promotes holiness and not license. Holiness is the believer’s ultimate goal and point of our salvation—Eph. 1:4. Holiness is the distinct mark of the elect (1 The. 4:3). Holiness must be our priority
  • Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement)–Limited Atonement holds that Messiah’s atoning sacrifice was intended for the elect only.  “Calvinist believe the atonement is limited in scope but unlimited in effect: it effectually saves the elect.”
  • Irresistible Grace–Irresistible Grace holds that the atoning work of Y’shua is applied to the elect by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Reformists see 2 different distinct kinds of calls: (1) the general call of Messiah offered to the world and all peoples (Mat. 11:28; Joh. 7:37) which because of man’s depraved state, no one answers this call by his or her own volition for no one can (Joh. 6:44; Mat. 19:26); (2) the effectual call is an inward call of regeneration of those who respond in faith and grace enables the individual to answer the call and embrace Messiah. Some would contend that the only way to explain Matthew’s automatic/instant response to the call of Y’shua is Irresistible Grace—thus Matthew was able to respond to the call in faith and underwent a change of heart so that he was compelled to do so.  Act 13:48—as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Joh 10:27—My sheep hear my voice…and they follow me—”it is by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit in irresistible grace that the elect hear Messiah’s voice and follow”
  • Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)–Perseverance of the Saints (Phil. 1:6) holds that “Those who are saved by grace must continue in faith until the end. Save once and for all when persevering in the faith and in obedience to Christ. God’s preserving grace ensures the perseverance of His own—God always finishes what He starts, especially the salvation of His people
  • Today, Churchianity owes much of her understanding of Grace to these 5-points of Calvin, although rarely if ever does one actually hear the term Calvinism used to explain Christianity’s view on Grace. The simple fact that a believer in Christ has no skin in the game of “salvation” and “eternal life” and “holiness” and “sanctification” clearly shows a biased towards Calvinism. Thus, there is no need for the believer to adhere to the tenets of Torah because everything is in the hands of Jesus Christ who sends the 3rd Person of the Trinity to form us into the image of Christ. And it is because of our sinful nature and totally depraved state, we are unable to keep the Laws of God. It is for this reason, in great part, that Christ came to redeem us—He kept the Law perfectly so that we don’t have to
  • So the line was set between Catholicism and the Reformed Church or Protestantism—at least it would seem that it had. But for the Catholic Church, the issue had not been fully settled and sectors of the Catholic Church adopted Calvinistic principles as it related to their views on grace and justification and how they lived out their lives.
  • The Jansenists—that Wikipedia defines as a Catholic French theological movement of the 1600’s—focused upon the issue of original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace and predestination. The movement was founded upon the works of a Dutch Theologian by the name of Cornelius Jansen
    • The Catholic Church hierarchy and the Jesuits opposed the Jansenist movement, asserting the group had an affinity towards “Calvinism.” In fact, Pope Innocent X condemned Jansenism as heresy in 1653 CE
      • The Jansenists counterparts were the Puritans
    • The Jansenists believed themselves to be members of a separated or gathered church called out of society and tasked with leading lives of greater spiritual intensity. Jansenism was seen as a style common to ascetic circles. Like their counterparts, the Puritans, the Jansenists saw themselves as the “gathered church called out of worldly society.” They were banded together into institutions such as the Port-Royal convents with the distinct purpose of leading lives of greater spiritual intensity
  • Interestingly enough, the Catholic Church back in the day and even today is not united on the issue of grace and sanctification.
  • The Orthodox Church, also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church or the Orthodox Catholic Church or simply Eastern Orthodoxy—sees grace as the uncreated “Energies of God.” The so-called Holy Mysteries or more commonly referred to as the sacraments of the Church, are viewed as a means of partaking of the divine grace as God works through His Church
  • The Roman Catholic Church came up with 7-sacraments at the Council of Trent. The Eastern Churches in contrast have never defined the sacraments or Mysteries in such precise terms. The Eastern Church defines the sacraments as: “those holy acts through which the Holy Spirit mysteriously and invisibly confers Grace (the saving power of God) upon man.” (Archpriest Serephim Slobodskoy)
  • Instead of listing just 7-sacraments, as does Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Church list 7 sacred mysteries, but asserts that the mysteries are not limited to just these 7. These 7 are:
  • Eucharist (the Lord’s supper)
  • Baptism
  • Confirmation
  • Confession (Penance, reconciliation)
  • Marriage
  • Ordination
  • Unction (anointing the sick)
  • Note: the Eastern Catholic Church is the 2nd largest Christian Church in the world according to Wikipedia
  • It has some 225 to 300 million adherents around the world
  • It is one of the oldest religious institutions in the world
  • She believes it is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that was established by Jesus Christ, practicing what she believes to be the original faith that was passed down from the Apostles
  • As it relates to grace, Eastern Orthodoxy believes it’s not about following specific legalistic rules; that grace is the working of God Himself; that grace is not a created substance nor a commodity
  • There is no distinction between mortal and venial sins
  • There is no doctrine of purgatory
    • There is a tradition of purification after death and prayers offered for the dead however. This one issue resulted in the so-called Great Schism between that occurred between Orthodox and Rome
  • There is no Treasury of Merit (such that righteousness may be transferred from a sanctified person to a sinful person)
  • There is an emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian
  • She maintains ascetic disciplines such as fasting and prayer (2-days weekly minimum and before receiving communion) as a means of spiritual discipline to help reduce one’s susceptibility to temptation and to exercise self-control; to avoid being enslaved to one’s passions and desires

Music by DanO Music

Resources:

Wikipedia

What’s so Great About Grace by Richard D. Phillips