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Category Archives: Sanctification

Islam and Christianity in the West

16 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by Hans Koenraad I.H.S.V. in Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Doctrine, Ethics, Heresies, Islam is False, Justification, Morality, Sanctification, Theology

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Introduction: Opening Recitals

We know that Sharia is not an optional “module” under the umbrella of Islam.  Sharia law is the law of Islam. The Sharia (also spelled Shariah or Shari’a) law is cast from the actions and words of Muhammad, which are called “Sunnah,” and the Quran, which he dictated. Sharia law itself cannot be altered.  In the West, we act as if moderate Muslims have a choice whether or not to practice Sharia–which is false.  Any honest evaluation concludes that the precepts of Sharia are antithetical to our governance in the West–and more specifically, the libertarian principles set forth in our United States Constitution and so inspired by Judeo-Christian heritage.  How, then, can the West absorb massive numbers of Sharia-practicing immigrants and not expect a philosophical shift to occur?

This article examines the inherent dilemma that exists between two of  the “world’s great religions,” Islam and Christianity.  In their highest, distilled forms–which is where most people approach the subject—Islam and Christianity appear strikingly similar and  merely nuanced in their particulars.  In a 6th-grade humanities class, they could be made to appear almost indistinguishable at the topical levels of divinity, prophethood, prophecy, prayers, traditions, moral sensibilities and rituals.

And, to be sure, secularists in academia  prefer to juxtapose and assimilate Islam with Christianity, in order to cast them in the same light—as merely cultural “divergences” from the same arcane and  “illogical” theistic premise.  We hear this continually in the media too, often accompanied by assertions that Christian and Islamic morality/ ethics are both outcroppings of (equally) retributive legal systems derived from ancient creeds and notions, penned by unenlightened men who were inclined to mythology and the comfort of divine providence.

The academic elite—mostly agnostic—standard bearers of the secular culture seek to minimize disagreement and summarily, trivialize points of contention as unsubstantial, fundamentalist (sectarian) excuses for bigotry and strife.  In other words, if presented with recent atrocities committed by ISIS against Christians (for instance), we would now expect to see any secular progressive-type invoke talking points about an 11th-century crusade in an attempt to draw moral equivalence, and so as to paint the latter with the same homicidal absurdities as the former.  They seem to believe that mediation between the “crazies” may tamp down some of the conflict, sectarian violence and terror.


Unitarian Universalists and other liberal branches of theology are not much different from the secular and agnostic voices, in that they believe that our respective theological and doctrinal differences bear little—if any—eternal consequence.  As we will posit herein, this kind of crude oversimplification and generalization are unequivocally fallacious and  actually serve to frustrate more than they attenuate tensions.  Scholars inclined to harmonize the world religions (i.e., Perennialists and “John Hicks” Religious Pluralists[1]) would also have us believe that these religious and ethical frameworks are, indeed, nearly interchangeable and that  only “outbursts of  pugnacious particularism” driven by political agendas and “backed by forces of arms” can threaten the, otherwise, compatible systems.[2]

So, what about dispassionate peacemaking?  Even in progressive Christian and Islamic circles, we find attempts to minimize differences and promote an ecumenical affirmation of (most of) each other’s foundational beliefs.  Some would say if this ecumenism were to successfully “blur” the lines between the religions, then there could be dialogue and peace.  Religious pluralism has invaded the collective conscience to the extent that secularists would be satisfied to lump all religions into a singular rubbish bin—where no theological chauvinism or favoritism is shown toward other equally valid (or invalid) belief systems.

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Devout Muslims and Christians can agree on one thing, however: these folks are all wrong.  This is the most essential point of agreement that will drive the thesis herein:  devout Muslims and Christians aspire to know GOD’s singular truth.  Both camps find it wholly unacceptable and apostate to delineate some muddy middle that we call half-truth or compromise.  Compromise is impossible to the truly devout.  Only one faith can be true.  So, if there is to be peace, we will have to come at it from this premise—and not from the presupposition that dogmatic “dilution” and universalism is ever in the cards.

Another point of agreement is that the secular culture is hostile to any form of theistic morality and would prefer to discredit all with the same broad brush and cohere the token absurdity of any one of them with the collective whole.  In social media, I see this incessantly.  If Islam is ever cast as illogical, radical, barbaric or extreme, then, ipso facto, Christianity is as well.   Well, why not, they are basically the same!  If a Christian (i.e., apologist) embarks to decouple and disintermediate one from the other, you can rest assured that any antitheist in the vicinity will oblige to again conflate and homogenize all as “religious nonsense.”

To be fair, there are distinct similarities that need to first be acknowledged… Islam and Christianity share similar beliefs in: 1) monotheism; 2) absolute truth; 3) final judgment; 4) heaven/ paradise; 5) Old Testament figures, such as prophets, kings and Jewish patriarchs; and 6) Jesus, the prophet born of a virgin, messiah and teacher of GOD’s truth.

However, there are consequential differences that we will briefly touch on herein, as we take a look at the dilemma created with regard to culture clash and the question of feasibility surrounding mutual coexistence and peace.. Accordingly, the goals of this exposition are as follows:

  1. Dilemma: The collision of two disparate “divine” messages and religious ideologies;
  2. Culture Clash: Understand how we got to this point;
  3. Implications: Strife, Coexistence or Engagement ; and
  4. Conclusion: Begin to speculate about the basis for possible solutions.

The central goal in this essay will be to look critically at the Christian—Islamic dilemma and the side effects created by increasing cultural convergence when Muslims migrate Westward.  The paper will outline some basic reasons for disharmony en route to a proposed solution on the grounds of resoluteness—not concession.

Obviously, this is a much larger topic than the essay format can hold, so it will also serve as an abstract for the volume set to follow.  However, we can surely begin the analysis of the systematic ethical differences between Islam and Christianity and seek to posit why the resultant behavior of Islamists and Christian fundamentalists, respectively, manifests in alarmingly disparate ways.

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Islam is the second largest religion on the planet, with some 1.3—1.6 billion adherents, by some recent estimates.  If present birthrate and migration trends persist, Europe’s religious majority will be Muslim by the middle of this century.  Not only is Islam the fastest-growing religion in the history of the world, but it is further aided by higher-than-average birth rates, a vision of Caliphate-rule, a core doctrine of conquest,  a current global diaspora, state-sponsors of terrorism,  and an increasing numbers of country-states that sanction Sharia Law and institute religious intolerance and apostasy laws.  It is a perfect storm, and it is heading West.

  1. The Dilemma

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Why is only Islam and its adherents mired in seemingly continuous war and in the commission of unspeakable atrocities upon non-combatants?  How can another so-called “Abrahamic” faith, Islam, generate the types of radicals and the horrendous acts of savagery that we see almost daily on the global newswires—when Judaism and Christianity do not?  Every day, there is some atrocity du jour that makes us rethink what is truly impossible horror for GOD-fearing men to commit. On October 31. 2016, global newswires reported: “ISIS targets children in Mosul with teddy bear bombs.” [3] What kind of religion inspires this type of unspeakable evil?

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Now that Muslims are pouring into the West, must we accommodate their cultural demands, and is Sharia even compatible with civil liberties and democratic freedoms?  Are Westerners simply xenophobic, Islamophobic or generally uncaring, inhospitable or, for some, unchristian if they say “enough is enough?”  This is, no doubt, a timely topic now, as refugees are fleeing utter chaos, decimation and despair in Syria into Europe and North America, while the democratic systems of the “welcoming” countries are strained, peace is threatened and public services sectors are pushed to the brink.

What are the implications of a culture clash of civilizations that are so dissimilar in terms of styles of governance, ethics, jurisprudence,  and religious, geopolitical, and tribal customs?  Will superficial “similarities,” aspirational harmony, mutual goodwill, solidarity and common goals carry the day, or will the intrinsic differences threaten the very fabric of Western Civilization?  These questions will not all be answered in this essay, but we can begin to develop  a strategy to attenuate conflict–before a tipping point is reached.

In case you are approaching this essay with a presupposition that both Islam and Christianity are equally “true” to their respective adherents and that peaceful ecumenism and coexistence should be “attainable,” then I invite you to consider the examples provided by Pastor Justin Imel in his article called the “Damnable Lie of Islam”:

The Qur’an completely retells the story of Jesus Christ. “O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one GOD. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” (Surah 4:171).

Mohammad believed the Christian Trinity consisted of the Father, Christ, and Mary. “And when Allah will say: O Isa Jesus son of Marium! Did you say to men, ‘Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah” (Surah 5:116). The text goes on to say that Jesus will tell Allah that he said no such thing. Mohammad taught that Christians believed in three gods. The Qur’an clearly says that Jesus was not the Son of GOD. “He [Jesus] was naught but a servant on whom We bestowed favor” (Surah 43:59). “The Christians say: the Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!” (Surah 9:30). “It beseems not Allah that he should take to Himself a son, glory be to Him, when he has decreed matter He only says to it ‘Be,’ and it is” (Surah 19:35).[4]

So, why is the Islamic world always embroiled in strife, war, instability, and death?  Is it merely tribal disagreements with each other and philosophical conflicts with other religions that drives this inexplicable homicidal obsession?  To be sure, the modus operandi of Muslim terror operators is indiscriminate bloodshed of innocents–NOT warfare. Muslim leaders attempt to portray this behavior as aberrant and non-Islamic. However, these leaders also do little to condemn their own, while secretly funding their jihadist activity.

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Further, are Christianity and Judaism simply natural rivals over the rightful disposition of Palestine–as the mainstream media and academia have suggested for years?  No.  If Islam’s conflict were only with Christians and Jews, it might be dismissed accordingly, however, Islam’s conflict is with everyone—fellow Muslims, Buddhists, secularists, and otherwise.  The carnage has been inconceivable.  According to TROP, a jihadist watch group, there have been 29,879 deadly terror attacks since 9/11.[5]


According to its own holy texts—so, by definition—Islam disfavors Jews and Christians (“Dhimmis”) far less than it detests every other apostate, pagan or pantheistic religion. Jews and Christians have the provisional status as “People of the Book,” hence,  merely second-class citizens.  But,  non-Zionists—i.e., the rest of the world—are “kaafir”  and treated as idolaters and polytheists called “mushrikiyn.”  This constitutes apostasy, where infidels are commonly punished by death.  How is it that we can live peaceably with people who hold to these beliefs?  Can we find common ground?  Can we appease them, or attempt to accommodate them?  Herein lies the dilemma.


  1. How Did We Get Here: Culture Clash?

Christianity and Islam are similar, if not virtually the same, according to many secular, non-theologians.  It should, then, come as little surprise that the architects of these two religious systems–Jesus and Muhammad–are regularly juxtaposed and compared to make one socially motivated point or the other.  Competing and sometimes diametrically opposed narratives are heard, either attempting to promote peace and coexistence between the two or accepting outright the interminable and somewhat historically evidenced incompatibility thereof.

Christianity and Islam have been at odds, literally since the beginning of the initial spread of Islam after the death of Muhammad in the 7th Century and taken to a new level with the decree by Pope Urban II to launch the First Crusade to retake Jerusalem (1095-1099) .  Muslim hostility toward Christians and Jews is not a recent phenomenon.  Despite CAIR talking points to the contrary, Islam has been at war with us in the Christian faith for most of the millennium that preceded  the modern State of Israel and American foreign policy. Muslims have warred with Christians and Jews as minorities and persecuted them as majorities.[6] From the Barbary corsairs to the Ottomans, the facts are the facts, despite continued attempts at systematic historical revisionism.

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Academic apologists claim that Muslim hostility toward Christians derived  recently (i.e., 20th Century) from the ongoing Palestine conflict, but at no time during the history of Islam until the twentieth century did the Jews have a functioning state, yet, there have only been brief interludes of peace.  Israel has conveniently become the scapegoat for contemporary Muslim hostilities, but that fails to explain over a thousand years of Muslim atrocities, religious hatred, persecution and genocide.

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Why did Muslims persecute and kill Jews as far back as Muhammad, when he slaughtered adolescent male Jews of the tribe, Banu Qurayza? For the same reason that they killed Christians then an now.  Islam hated Judaism and Christianity from the start, where adherents of the preceding faiths were called “Dhimmis.”  The Qur’an urges Muslims not to befriend Jews or Christians (Qur’an 5:51) speaks of “enmity and hatred” with Christians (Qur’an 5:15) and the Jews (Qur’an 5:65) who are also to be cursed. The Jews are accused of “creating disorder” (Qur’an 5:65) and Christians are accused of worshiping their priests (Qur’an 9:31). The Jews and Christians believe in evil things (Qur’an 4:52) and Allah’s curse will be upon them (Qur’an 9:30).

Muslims don’t hate and kill Jews because of (the State of) Israel. They hate Israel because it is Jewish..  Christians have been systematically eradicated from the Middle East in the last hundred years, going from one fourth of the population to only a tenth.[7] The Christian demographic now comprises a mere .04% of the population of Turkey–vestiges of which are Ephesus (First-Century mission) and Constantinople, Christianity’s capitol in Asia Minor during the Roman Empire!

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Not coincidentally, the clash of these cultures dominates current news in the wake of numerous terrorist attacks in Europe and North America–as well as amid a diaspora of displaced peoples from war-torn regions of the Middle East.  Subsequently, the admission and assimilation of (mostly) Syrian refugees migrating to Western, traditionally Christian nations is one of the hottest, most divisive debates in the public square and on social media today.  In the mostly secular camp—that recognizes no substantive difference between Christians and Muslims—there is simply no reason everyone cannot assimilate through diversity training, tolerance and multicultural awareness.  Conversely, anyone who studies either  religious system with any serious degree of critical thinking, understands the incredible challenge facing society when the balance is shifted—either at the local level or a more societal or national level.[8]

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In theory—as well as in accepted scholarship—the ethical/ moral bases for Judaism, Christianity and Islam are purported to derive from the same GOD, care of the same patriarch, Abraham, and the prophet, Moses.  It is widely accepted by historians and Christian apologists that Jesus, a Jew, studied and taught from the Holy Scriptures of Judaism (i.e., Torah).  Islam, conversely, has only arbitrary ties to the former faiths, and given by nebulous, questionable angelic revelation with surprising, if not fantastical, notions of Abraham’s arrival in a pre-extant Meccan civilization around 1500 BC.

Not only was Muhammed said to be illiterate, the circumstances under which this revelation came to him were dubious at best.  In addition, the chain of custody of this “perfect” and “final”(Qur’anic) set of decrees was by word-of-mouth only, and  it was only from a myriad of latter-written Qur’anic versions did an authoritative version arise—from dozens, if not hundreds of candidates—which is now regarded by Muslims as the sacrosanct, unchanged and identical words that were decreed by Allah, himself.  If Islam were to apply the same level of scrutiny to the obtainment of the Qur’an as they do the Bible and its authors, the Qur’an would be questioned for its veracity, and the Hadith would be written off entirely as an unsubstantiated and uncorroborated collection of stories written 250+ years after Muhammad died.

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Whereas, defenders of Islam routinely undermine the integrity of authors and the timeliness of source materials in the Bible, the Qur’an and Hadith cannot be substantiated until centuries after the alleged life and time of Muhammad.  The earliest Qur’anic complete manuscript was from 800 AD, which is approximately 200 years after Muhammad would have received his “revelation.”  If Christians are not prepared to question alternative versions of history, then Muslims go unchallenged when they float myths, such as the assertion that there are complete copies of the Qur’an dating from the year Muhammad died.  It is not true.  Even the earliest fragmentary manuscripts of the Qur’an are all dated no earlier than 100 years after Muhammad died.   In 2015, however, it should be noted that fragments containing portions of Surah 18-20 found in a Birmingham, England museum were said to actually predate the years scholars believed Muhammad to have “received” them (which creates even greater problems to the modern Islamic historical narrative).[9]  Could some of the tenets of Islamic faith have preceded the revelations Muhammad claimed to have received from the Angel Gabriel?

Most academicians find it far easier (and safer) to just allow the Muslim scholars to believe what they wish, instead of risk life and limb to challenge them.  But, to be sure, egregious scientific errors exist in the Qur’an, and the following is one such example:

“When he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring and found a people thereabout. We said: ‘O Dhul-Qumeyn! Either punish or show them kindness’” (Surah 18:86).

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There are many self-refuting contradictions in the Qur’an as well: The Qur’an states that the earth was created in six days (Surah 7:54; 25:59), but it also states that the world was created in eight days (Surah 41:9-12). In Surah 51:57 we find that Jinn (angelic-type beings) were created to worship Allah, yet in Surah 7:17 we find that the Jinn were created for Hell. In Surah 17:103 we are told that Pharaoh was drowned with his army, yet in Surah 10:90-92, upon admitting to the power of GOD, he is rescued as a sign to others. In Surah 4:157 we read that Jesus did not die, yet in Surah 19:33 we read that not only did he die, but he arose again! The interesting point in all of this is the reading of Surah 4:82 which reads, “Do they not consider the Qur’an? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancies.”[10]


We have strong evidence to refute a number of other claims in the Qur’an (such as Abraham’s link to Mecca or the Kaaba shrine), Muhammad’s apparent confusion over the Jewish Patriarchal lineage, as well as his fundamental misunderstanding of the Trinity as a polytheistic form of human worship).  We simply will not have time to delve into all Islamic divergences from the true and living Word of GOD, however,  in order to understand the nature of the dilemma, we also need to have an appreciation for the depth of the textual disagreement and subsequent ideological diversions.

Similar to the narrative about the Muslim and Christian religious systems being similar, so too do we hear comparisons made between their central figures: Muhammad, the messenger of Allah (hence, Islam); and Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD, Messiah, and foundation of the Christian faith.  To say that Jesus and Muhammad are diametrically opposed is a colossal understatement.  In Muhammad’s sacred text, that he claims is from Allah himself, he commands death or dismemberment to unbelievers in no fewer than 109 Surah (verses).  Islam, like Christianity, is not widely studied or well understood by its (~1.6 billion) followers.[11]  This might come as a shock to some, since Islam is heavily legalistic and focused on regimented prayer and recitation.  Most Muslims, however, get their “instructive” information from Imams and Clerics—who can mold the “truth” into any number of fashions that meet with their objectives.

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While most Muslims are required to recite surah (scriptures) from the Qur’an and litanies of prayers called “Salah[12],” few are either able or permitted to exegete the holy texts themselves.  If they did, they might be surprised with what they find.  And, like other cultic systems (i.e., Jehovah’s Witnesses), adherents of Islam are admonished to study the texts on their own, without “expert” assistance, lest they become “confused” and back-peddle in their faith.  Cultic religious movements rarely withstand thorough academic scrutiny, and Islam is case-in-point.  As a way for cults to attempt to thwart unwanted inquiry, they routinely engage in acts of intimidation or threats of retribution.  In the West, we now see any intellectually honest critique of Islam attacked by groups like CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) as “hate speech,” “racism” or the new catch-all epithet, “Islamophobia.”[13]

According to Nabeel Qureshi, in his book, “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus,”[14]  the devout Muslim-turned-Christian convert makes compelling cases for believing the Biblical New Testament record, which was written by eyewitness accounts to the ministry of Jesus within 70 years of his death and resurrection—as opposed to Islam, where no corroborating account of Muhammad’s life would be written until more than two centuries after his death.
Additionally,  he forcefully lays out what he refers to as the “Islamic dilemma.”  Muslims who look at their faith honestly, with the same academic rigors with which they scrutinize Christianity, will find the following dilemma:  1) There is no historical foundation in Muhammad for a “real faith” commitment.  Intellectually honest scholars must either concede that the sources of their beliefs in Muhammad were written by people who did not witness the events,  hundreds of years following the events for any of it to be historically reliable; or  2) The historical foundation is accurate.  If they accept the Hadith’s account and  insist that the writings were reliable in depicting the life of Muhammad, then they are left accepting the unconscionable accounts of violence, sex slavery, and dehumanizing brutality—thereby, rejecting the notion that he was a prophet of GOD.[15]

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Although the maximally all-powerful deity, Allah, bears some isolated similarities to the GOD of Moses, the aggregate picture is not of the same being.  This will be covered in some detail in a future installment, exposing the inexplicable disparity between GOD of the Bible and Allah.

One of the greatest challenges that Christians have is to sift through the warring factions of  rhetorical flourishing to get to the truth about the prophet of Islam.  Non-believers are attacked for even attempting a dialogue about Muhammad, and the majority of Westerners are contented knowing nothing—for fear of saying the wrong thing.  The truth is, we must know the truth, because Islam is here on our soil and in our classrooms, and we collectively don’t have the will as a society to say that it is harmful and antithetical to our way of life.  Allah is acknowledged by most Muslim scholars to simply be a variant of “Elohim,” which was a name for GOD, commonly used in the Hebrew Bible.  The etymological differences in modern parlance aside, the two names—Yahweh & Allah—are intended to refer to the same maximal deity, the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent originator of space and time.  However, the character and nature of GOD is depicted in highly disparate manners in the Christian Bible and Qur’an, respectively.

First, we must acknowledge that all three so-called “Abrahamic” faiths share the common adherence to a monotheistic philosophy that drives their respective ethics.  Certainly, the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament is acknowledged by all three faiths.  Similarly, Hellenistic influences and Zoroastrianism were later infusions into the development of the societies that evolved with the foundational underpinnings of these respective religious systems.  But, is Allah really Yaweh?  We may start where we have unanimous agreement and undoubtedly, common ground: monotheism and resultant ethical systems.

Monotheism and ethics require each other, neither can be reduced to the other, nor is the one hostile to the other.  Their relationship is best characterized by the Platonic concept of the unity of virtues—the virtues reinforce each other, but each remains distinct and rests on the idea of GOD as paramount value concept.  Monotheism is not just the belief in a single GOD, but rather the decision to see “in GOD’s unity the unity of all that is affirmative—beauty and truth, life and creativity.”[16] The ethical imperative of monotheism is thus the boundless command to pursue GOD’s perfection, to bring out in ourselves all the good, and all the holiness, that we can.[17]

So, monotheism provides us a strong common thread between Islam, Christianity and Judaism.  But, where the aforementioned diverge is where significant problems occur, lest we as Christians do a better job at proclaiming the only objective truth—the exclusive “Sola Christa” path to salvation.  Accordingly, we have to be willing to avow that the nature and characteristics ascribed to Allah in Islamic teachings bear little resemblance to GOD of the Bible.  The following is excerpted from Daniel Janosik, Adjunct Faculty (Apologetics), Columbia International University, who perfectly states the dilemma:

“Some scholars want to emphasize the similarities between Yahweh and Allah, and point to a common belief in a monotheistic God who is Creator of all things, omnipotent and merciful. Both religions also claim that God has sent prophets to reveal His will and produce scriptures to guide our lives. However, Allah and Yahweh cannot refer to the same person for the following reasons. First of all, their attributes are different. In Allah’s monadic oneness his attributes stem from his powerful Will which, because it provides no basis for relationship, often promotes capriciousness. Also, since his power is more important than his other attributes, there is an unequal emphasis on power over his other attributes. In the end, a follower cannot know God or even be sure of the consistency of his attributes. On the other hand, because Yahweh is by nature a triune unity his attributes stem from his nature. The eternal relationship within the Trinity promotes love within the Godhead and extends to his creation. Also, since his attributes are based on his unchanging nature rather than his powerful will, all his attributes are equal and promote trustworthiness rather than capriciousness. This means that believers can know God and be sure of his attributes. Second, Christians understand the nature of God to be triune (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), which is the only way that Jesus Christ, as the second person of the Trinity, could die on the cross to pay for our sins. If Jesus were not God himself, then his death on the cross would be meaningless. However, Muslims deny that Jesus died on the cross and they reject the belief in his resurrection from the dead. Only a triune God, defined as one essence and three persons, could become incarnate and still remain God of the universe, and yet this is the God that Muslims reject. For them, Jesus cannot be God nor can God be a Father, for he cannot have a son. Therefore, if Muslims reject God as the Father of Jesus, then Allah cannot be the same as the God of the Bible.”[18]

  1. Implications: Strife, Coexistence or Engagement

In his book, “Seeking Allah; Finding Jesus,” Nabeel Quereshi outlines an interesting, if not surprising dichotomy of ethical interpretations and learning styles across Eastern and Western cultures.  He sums it up as cultural challenges between East (honor-shame cultures) and West (innocence-guilt cultures).[19]

Clearly, there are significant ethical, sociological and behavioral paradigms that widen the chasm between the faiths.  Quereshi does lend some credence to the popular notion that “if we allow these foreign cultures to assimilate into Western societies, they will conform to our traditions, system of laws and generalized sensibilities.  This, of course, remains up for debate, as we see continuously the hardliner Muslims who refuse assimilation and insist on maintaining rigid observance of Sharia law, for example.  Whether we are a melting pot, a stew or a salad, depends upon whom you ask.  So, even if the cultural “honor/shame” vs “guilt/innocence” differences can be resolved or summarily “smoothed out,” we would still be left with the dichotomous religious underpinnings that do not dissolve away so easily.

Others completely reject this affront to their sacred teachings, in light of the bold and pronounced contradictions in Islam’s biblical revisionism and their wholesale rejection of the gospel message (sola fide, sola gratia, sola scriptura, etc.).   In short, Islam contains just enough grains of veracity so that it appears to many as true.  The author(s) and scribes of the Qur’an coopted shreds of knowledge from the Torah, Talmud and reputable 7th-century sources, passing it off as their own.  Platonic and Hebrew thought, i.e., in the form of manuscripts, were now in wide circulation and regarded by the learned in Meccan culture as laudable, if not authoritative.  Similarly, Christianity was already 600+ years along by the time Muhammad was born, so the missionary message of the gospel was gaining in popularity and would have been accessible for easy plagiarism.

Muhammad sought ecumenism with Christians and Jews before his message was rejected.  Then, he was bent on subjugation and conquest (despite insistence by CAIR and others that it was peace he sought), we see evidence throughout the Hadith of his attempt to gain adherents by conforming aspects of his ideological treatise to those of local conventions (i.e., number of wives one could take), thereby, eliminating any credible claim that these decrees were given by divine revelation[20].  Further undermining the Qur’an, countless contradictory passages in the Qur’an are abrogated and replaced by “later” proclamations.  However, the Qur’an is NOT in chronological order, so these claims are not easily substantiated by those without a degree in Islamic Studies and a mastery of cross-references to the Hadiths.   If nothing else, these complexities provide Islamic apologists “cover” when challenged on contradictions:  they can simply obfuscate inconsistencies with artful sophistry and diversion.

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Islam isn’t just a “little bit” different from Christianity; it is inexorably incompatible—especially on a soteriological level—which is essentially the “sine quo non,” if you will, for most practicing Christians and Muslims.  If one takes the time to get beneath the topical, generalized similarities and down to salvific precepts, there is no denying the consequential ramifications of presuming there to be defensible agreement between the divine gospel message of biblical scripture with the Qur’an’s ideological and soteriological departures.

In short, salvation in Christianity requires redemptive grace by faith and denies works-righteousness to be sufficient on the presupposition that “ no one is holy, no, not one (Romans 3:10).”  Islam, conversely, believes that good Muslims are sufficiently holy.  Sharia is purely based upon works-righteousness and keeping the Sufi, by observing ritualistic cleansing and prayers  in a rigorous litany of atoning work.  In Islam judgment will be subject to  the “scales of justice” (i.e., as in, simply do more “good” deeds than “evil” deeds).  There is no concept of original sin, and each  person can please Allah through his own atonement, and if a (capricious) Allah feels like admitting one to paradise, then he is good-to-go.  Similarly, another way of tipping the “scales” under Islam would be to martyr oneself in an act of jihad.   There is no grace, no substitutionary atonement, no imputed righteousness; Each will stand before GOD in judgment, hoping that his works are sufficient..

With these stark differences that exist between Islam and Christianity, it becomes close to inconceivable to find a version of Christianity that is acceptable to Muslim ears or a version of Islam that Christians can accept.  By the very nature of the dilemma, the two faiths are mutually exclusive.  Both can be wrong, but only one can be right.  So, where do we go from here?

  1. Conclusion: What to Do About It?

Christians and Muslims can agree on this:  there is only one truth.  Both can be wrong, but only one can be right.  If interfaith prayer breakfasts and invocations were going to mend fences, they would have had some effect by now toward better relations.

Further, there is no Islamic reformation on the horizon.  As surely as Christianity has its share of tepid humanists and gospel-diluting ear-ticklers among its ranks, it is less likely that enough such “progressive” Muslims will have any effect on reforming oppressive aspects of Sharia justice or softening positions on women’s rights—such that we may find ecumenical common ground.  You simply cannot dilute either faith to a point where there is mutual satisfaction, while still preserving the integrity of the respective orthodoxies.  Islam still denies the deity of Christ, and Christianity still asserts a triune Godhead.  Islam will always proclaim the Holy Trinity as polytheistic and Christians as idolaters who worship a man.  Islam denies the singular tenet of the Christian faith that we hold dear and on which, we shall never compromise—the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior!

Christians should, therefore, NOT look to resolve differences through polite ecumenism and appeasement; but rather, by respectful and resolute rejection of the Qur’an and Islam through engaged dialogue, apologetic debate and ministry.  Christians have to be resolutely convinced: Islam is not true.  The Qur’an is a syncretic stew of incomplete thoughts and randomly assembled religious concepts and statutes.  It ignores the entire ministry of Jesus and salvation by grace, yet claims to uphold Jesus as a prophet?  There is no mention of grace in the Qur’an, and there is no concept of man’s fallen nature, nor faith in Christ’s atonement for our sins and his righteousness imputed to us for our justification and redemption.  Yet, Jesus is a principal prophet of Islam?  It would be nonsensical if it weren’t so serious an error.


Islam is a dangerous religion; it is a damnable lie. It is dangerous because it teaches that hate comes from a capricious and unpredictable GOD.  It is disrespectful to the Lord, our savior, as it withholds deserved praise and glory to Him, thus, depriving humanity the Light of the World.  These “nuances” that secularists would choose to minimize actually amount to an eternal consequence, lest  anyone should speak to the contrary.  Christianity teaches that love comes from GOD, and we can have a relationship with him.  The Bible glorifies the Son of GOD, as we are commanded to do.  Christianity gives mankind the assurance of eternal life—not some vague notion of paradise if we are able to satisfy the creator through legalism and works.[21]

Neither side is ever going to be satisfied with the secularist and universalist line that all Abrahamic lineages share a path to salvation and  GOD’s pleasure and satisfaction.  This is the good news, as it applies to Islamic-Christian relations, if we are willing to start there.  But, we haven’t yet, as Christians fulfilling the Great Commission.  We must not merely agree to disagree.  That is simply not acceptable to either camp, and it is surely NOT acceptable to GOD Almighty.  There is only one truth, and we are both in search of that truth.

Pursuit of a singular truth is a starting point for dialogue—if apologists in both schools can participate in a highly visible forum and accept the consequences when received by the masses.  Through intellectual inquiry and by acknowledging a singular truth, alone, we share far more in common with intellectual Muslims, than either secularists or universalists, who push for dilution in order to achieve a mutual acceptance of each other’s salvific path.  Their Pollyanna view of the simplicity of our mutual or “shared” theology is a non-starter for any serious theologically minded Muslim or Christian.

As a Christian, I can state unequivocally that I have virtually no shared theology of any serious consequence with the  Muslim faith—outside of the “one GOD” presupposition.  We agree on monotheism, but other than that, their version of Christology is not only flawed, it is damnable, in no uncertain terms.  Therefore, it is incumbent upon me as a disciple of Christ to confront Islam head-on with a rebuttal and alternative.  The gospel’s message of freedom through Christ alone—instead of in the law and legalistic ritual—is one of hope for the lost.  The message of mercy instead of retribution is one that converts skeptics.  The message of hope instead of fear can change the world.

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As we know, love and tolerance are not the same.  If we are “tolerant” of Islam, then we are to consign the lost to damnation.  That kind of apathy is antithetical to love.  Muslims want to please GOD; they are just on the wrong path.   They have been led astray, and their entire culture is built around perpetuating the myth of Islam.  It is an oppressive and dysfunctional industrial and military complex that does not permit intellectual inquiry or discussion beyond its self-imposed boundaries.  If there is one benefit to having Muslims here in the West, it is that we can reach them.

The answer is given by the testimony of Paul, in Galatians 2:20:

“The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of GOD, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”[22]

Muslims know absolutely nothing of the good news—unless we are to tell them.  We must say to our Muslim brothers and sisters that this is what the apostle and the Lord himself are calling you to do: to see the depths of the love of Christ for you. To believe the love that he has for you. And to send the roots of your life down, down, down into this bottomless love.

Remember, Muslims revere Jesus; they are just loathe to what they perceive as a blasphemous, weak and tepid version of Christianity in the apostate Western culture.  And, despite, perhaps, a general sense that they are hostile to Christians, they generally enter an encounter with us with the exact same enthusiastic mindset—to convert and save the lost.  The ethical imperative is, therefore, not to get lost in frustrating or futile interfaith efforts to find common ground.  We must trust in the inerrant, infallible Word of GOD and share the full, unadulterated truth of the gospel with the lost followers of Islam.

“6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!  10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”  (Galatians 1:6-8, NIV)[23]


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“Anscombe, G. E. M. | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.” Accessed October 30, 2016. http://www.iep.utm.edu/anscombe/#H6.

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Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Ethics. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2015. http://public.eblib.com/choice/PublicFullRecord.aspx?p=4396247.

“Comparing the Best Arguments for Islam and Christanity.” Accessed November 1, 2016. http://answeringislam.org/Authors/Wood/best_argument.htm.

“Cynthia Cohen | Brandeis University.” Accessed November 1, 2016. https://www.brandeis.edu/ethics/about/bios/ccohen.html.

“Deceptive God, Incompetent Messiah: What Islam Really Teaches About Allah and Jesus.” Accessed November 1, 2016. http://answeringislam.org/Authors/Wood/deceptive_god.htm.

“Divine Command Theory | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.” Accessed October 30, 2016. http://www.iep.utm.edu/divine-c/.

Duderija, Adis. “Progressive Muslims,” n.d.

———. “Progressive Muslims—Defining and Delineating Identities and Ways of Being a Muslim.” Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs 30, no. 1 (March 2010): 127–36.

———. “The Imperatives of Progressive Islam (Synopsis),” n.d.

Ehrman, Bart D. Did Jesus Exist? : The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. New York: HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2013.

Garrison, V. David. A Wind in the House of Islam : How God Is Drawing Muslims around the World to Faith in Jesus Christ. Monument, CO: WIGTake Resources, 2014.

Geisler, Norman L. Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1989.

Goldman, Elizabeth. Believers : Spiritual Leaders of the World. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

Groothuis, Douglas R. Christian Apologetics : A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. Downers Grove, Ill.; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic ; Apollos, 2011.

Koenraad, Hans. “THE QUR’AN DISQUALIFIES MUHAMMAD AS A PROPHET OF THE TRUE GOD.” THE DAWN AWAITS, June 16, 2016. https://thedawnawaits.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/the-quran-disqualifies-muhammad-as-a-prophet-of-the-true-god/.

———. “Hubal: The Pagan Progenitor of Muhammad’s Allah.” THE DAWN AWAITS, August 24, 2016. https://thedawnawaits.wordpress.com/2016/08/24/hubal-the-pagan-progenitor-of-muhammads-allah/.

———. “Islam Is False.” THE DAWN AWAITS, March 22, 2016. https://thedawnawaits.wordpress.com/2016/03/22/islam-is-false/.

———. “Islamic Revisionism: Neither Abraham nor Ishmael Ever Went to Mecca.” THE DAWN AWAITS, June 16, 2016. https://thedawnawaits.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/did-abraham-or-ishmael-ever-go-to-mecca-2/.

———. “THE QUR’AN DISQUALIFIES MUHAMMAD AS A PROPHET OF THE TRUE GOD.” THE DAWN AWAITS, June 16, 2016. https://thedawnawaits.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/the-quran-disqualifies-muhammad-as-a-prophet-of-the-true-god/.

“ISIS Targets Children in Mosul with Teddy Bear Bombs.” Text.Article. The Sun, October 31, 2016. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/10/31/isis-targets-children-in-mosul-with-teddy-bear-bombs.html.

“Islam | Dr. Justin Imel, Sr.” Accessed October 31, 2016. http://drjustinimelsr.com/category/islam/.

“Islam: The Politically Incorrect Truth.” Accessed December 8, 2016. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/.

“Islam’s Religious War with Everyone.” Frontpage Mag, April 21, 2014. http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/223841/islams-religious-war-everyone-daniel-greenfield.

“Islam’s Religious War with Everyone.” Frontpage Mag, April 21, 2014. http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/223841/islams-religious-war-everyone-daniel-greenfield.

Janosik, Daniel. “Is Allah of Islam the same as Yahweh of Christianity?” Text. Columbia International University, December 13, 2010. http://www.ciu.edu/content/allah-islam-same-yahweh-christianity.

“Khan Academy.” Khan Academy. Accessed November 1, 2016. http://www.khanacademy.org.

Langermann, Y. Tzvi. “Introduction to Monotheism and Ethics,” 2008.

MailOnline, By Jennifer Newton for. “Koran Thought to Be the Oldest in the World Could Predate Muhammad.” Mail Online, August 31, 2015. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3216627/Koran-Birmingham-thought-oldest-world-predate-Prophet-Muhammad-scholars-say.html.

Maranville, Cecil. “The Kingdom of God: The Heart of Christ’s Message.” Text. United Church of God, December 6, 1997. https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/the-kingdom-of-god-the-heart-of-christs-message.

“Muhammad.” Wikipedia, October 29, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Muhammad&oldid=746808440.

“Muhammad | Define Muhammad at Dictionary.com.” Accessed October 29, 2016. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/muhammad.

Nye, Catrin. “Islamophobic Tweets ‘Peaked in July.’” BBC News, August 18, 2016, sec. Europe. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37098643.

Philpott, Kent. “ISLAM–THE WORLD’S LARGEST CULT.” Accessed October 31, 2016. http://www.w3church.org/ISLAM1.html.

“Preview of Ethics [Steelman Library].” Accessed October 29, 2016. https://seu.worldcat.org/title/ethics/oclc/925497168/viewport.

Prosor, Ron. “The Middle East War on Christians.” Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2014, sec. Opinion. http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303630904579417482632439814.

Quereshi, Nabeel. A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity : A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity. Zondervan, 2014.

———. Answering Jihad. Zondervan Pub. House, 2016.

———. No God but One : Allah or Jesus? Zondervan Pub. House, 2016.

“Questioning Islam.” Goodreads. Accessed October 31, 2016. http://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/42190025-questioning-islam-tough-questions-honest-answers-about-the-muslim-rel.

Rae, Scott B. Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House, 2000.

Right, A. View from the. “Insight into Eastern vs. Western Thinking.” A View from the Right, January 12, 2015. http://aviewfromtheright.com/2015/01/11/insight-into-eastern-vs-western-thinking/.

Silas. “Jesus or Muhammad.” Accessed October 29, 2016. http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/founders.htm.

Smith, Jane. “Muslim-Christian Relations: Historical and Contemporary Realities,” April 2, 2015. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.013.11.

Spencer, Robert. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades). Washington, DC; Lanham, MD: Regnery Pub. ; Distributed to the Book trade by National Book Network, 2005.

Street, 1615 L., NW, Suite 800 Washington, and DC 20036 202 419 4300 | Main 202 419 4349 | Fax 202 419 4372 | Media Inquiries. “Appendix A: U.S. Muslims: Beliefs and Practices in a Global Context.” Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project, August 9, 2012. http://www.pewforum.org/2012/08/09/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-appendix-a/.

“Surah Al-Ma’idah [5:75].” Surah Al-Ma’idah [5:75]. Accessed October 29, 2016. https://quran.com.

Swindoll, Charles R. Jesus : The Greatest Life of All. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008.

“The Articles of Faith.” Islamweb. Accessed November 1, 2016. http://www.islamweb.net/en/article/134429/the-articles-of-faith.

“The Damnable Lie of Islam | Dr. Justin Imel, Sr.” Accessed October 31, 2016. http://drjustinimelsr.com/2016/07/13/the-damnable-lie-of-islam/.

“The Depth of Christ’s Love: Its Cost.” Desiring God, March 26, 1995. http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-depth-of-christs-love-its-cost.

“The Earliest Complete Koran Manuscript in Existence in Museums Today Are Hundreds of Years after Muhammad Died:” Accessed November 14, 2016. http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-myths-koran-manuscripts.htm.

Wainwright, William J. Philosophy of Religion. Routledge, 2009.

Wells, Samuel, and Ben Quash. Introducing Christian Ethics. John Wiley & Sons, 2010.

White, James R. What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Qur’an, 2013.

Wood, David. Jesus Owns Muhammad. YouTube. Acts17 Apologetics. Accessed October 31, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFo1JesYylQ.

“World’s Muslim Population Will Surpass Christians This Century, Pew Says.” NPR.org. Accessed October 30, 2016. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/04/02/397042004/muslim-population-will-surpass-christians-this-century-pew-says.

[1] Douglas R. Groothuis, Christian Apologetics : A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (Downers Grove, Ill.; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic ; Apollos, 2011).  Pgs. 577-578

[2] Y. Tzvi Langermann, “Introduction to Monotheism and Ethics,” 2008.

[3] “ISIS Targets Children in Mosul with Teddy Bear Bombs,” Text.Article, The Sun, (October 31, 2016), http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/10/31/isis-targets-children-in-mosul-with-teddy-bear-bombs.html.

[4] “The Damnable Lie of Islam | Dr. Justin Imel, Sr.,” accessed October 31, 2016, http://drjustinimelsr.com/2016/07/13/the-damnable-lie-of-islam/.

[5] “Islam: The Politically Incorrect Truth,” accessed December 8, 2016, http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/.

[6] “Islam’s Religious War with Everyone,” Frontpage Mag, April 21, 2014, http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/223841/islams-religious-war-everyone-daniel-greenfield.

[7] Ron Prosor, “The Middle East War on Christians,” Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2014, sec. Opinion, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303630904579417482632439814.

[8] Footnote: See refugee problem in Sweden: http://bit.ly/1Pn93r9

[9] By Jennifer Newton for MailOnline, “Qur’an Thought to Be the Oldest in the World Could Predate Muhammad,” Mail Online, August 31, 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3216627/Qur’an-Birmingham-thought-oldest-world-predate-Prophet-Muhammad-scholars-say.html.

[10]“The Damnable Lie of Islam | Dr. Justin Imel, Sr.”

[11] Ibid.

[12] Footnote: Salaat (also: “Salah”)  is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.  It is an Islamic ritual prayer.  There are five daily calls to prayer at which Salah are recited.

[13] Catrin Nye, “Islamophobic Tweets ‘Peaked in July,’” BBC News, August 18, 2016, sec. Europe, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37098643.

[14] Nabeel. Quereshi, A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity : A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity. (Zondervan, 2014).  Pgs.  280-284

[15] Ibid.

[16] Langermann, “Introduction to Monotheism and Ethics.”

[17] Ibid.

[18] Daniel Janosik, “Is Allah of Islam the same as Yahweh of Christianity?,” Text, Columbia International University, (December 13, 2010), http://www.ciu.edu/content/allah-islam-same-yahweh-christianity.

[19] Quereshi, A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity : A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity.  Pg. 238

[20] Footnote:  In the Hadith, Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 5, Number 268, Muhammed was reputed to have as many as 11 wives, despite teaching in the Qur’an that four was the limit—and only when taking in orphans. Narrated by Qatada: Anas bin Malik said, “The Prophet used to have sexual intercourse with all his wives one after the other during the day and night and they were eleven in number.” I asked Anas, “Had the Prophet the strength for it?” Anas replied, “We used to say that the Prophet was given the strength of thirty (men).” And Sa’id said on the authority of Qatada that Anas had told him about nine wives only (not eleven).

[21] “The Damnable Lie of Islam | Dr. Justin Imel, Sr.”

[22] “Bible Gateway Passage: Galatians 2 – New International Version,” Bible Gateway, accessed December 7, 2016, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+2&version=NIV.

[23] “Bible Gateway Passage: Galatians 1 – New International Version,” Bible Gateway, accessed December 7, 2016, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+1&version=NIV.

Perpetual Quietness of Heart

07 Wednesday Oct 2015

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Christ is King, Sanctification

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Thank you, Astro, for framing this up. Andrew Murray’s quote sits in a case next to my desk—beckoning me to heed its wisdom.

On Jan 2, 2008, Astro wrote:

I’ve been sharing this with some friends in the program, some of you have probably read this. I keep this taped up next to my bathroom mirror, it’s become my mission to start each day in complete peace. Yesterday my pink cloud turned black (yep, the good times shall pass too!) but I’m working through it with the help of God and AA.  Enjoy……. On his desk, Dr. Bob had a plaque defining humility:

“Perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble.  It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore;  to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing  done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises  me, and when I am blamed or despised, it is to have a  blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the  door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace,  as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about  is seeming trouble.” 

From: “Dr. Bob and the Good Old timers”, page 222, first written  by Andrew Murray, a So. African religious leader, ca. 1828-1917.

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty, and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, *WOW, What a ride*!”

What is the Gospel? Part 2

07 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Every Knee Shall Bow, Justification, Morality, Sanctification

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Continuation of Father Reid’s series…

Veritas

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ultimately solved the problem of man’s separation and alienation with God because of sin by removing it (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:10-12, 23; 5:12). Man is guilty before a holy God for breaking his divine law and justly deserves death (James 2:10; I Peter 1:16). Additionally, man’s heart and the world in which he lives are corrupted and infiltrated by sin (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; I John 2:16). Man tries to find happiness, meaning, and purpose in life apart from God, but this is impossible for those who sin shall die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). Since man cannot save himself (Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:1-3), God must do so through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior (Romans 6:23). The gospel is the good news that the sinless and perfect man Jesus
Christ sacrificed himself for us, taking upon himself our sins, “so that in him we…

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My Portion and My Cup

07 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Morality, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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“Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’ I say of the holy people who are in the land, ‘They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.’ Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭16:1-11‬ ‭NIVUK‬‬

http://bible.com/113/psa.16.1-11.nivuk

Statement of Faith

25 Saturday Apr 2015

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Asceticism, Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Every Knee Shall Bow, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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imageI absolutely love to find a well thought out and defensible statement of faith (SOF), with scriptural citations. It shows that a church is biblical, and that essential points of our faith have been thoroughly vetted, understood and assembled into a coherent summary or proclamation that can be referenced easily. Exegesis of GOD’s holy word is no small task; no short order. I admire a church that upholds the sovereignty of GOD, the supremacy of his revelation to us, and the inerrancy of the scripture that we have inherited. Moreover, congregants should be able and willing to read it or shout it out loud from the rooftops!

What follows is the most thorough SOF I have found to date. In fact, the Bethlehem Bible Church should be credited with a more apt descriptor than the word, “statement,” for it is a book. The council at Nicaea would have been well advised to structure their resulting creed in such a manner.

I am delighted at the level of detail here (and I look forward to checking out their radio programming too). Too many of us pick a church as if we are throwing darts or drawing straws. Maybe a church is convenient. Perhaps, it is socially acceptable or politically expedient. How about relentlessly and uncompromisingly founded in scripture? I believe in the sufficiency of scripture and the complete and unequivocal reliance upon Christ alone in the development of my faith–not political correctness, humanism and modernism, syncretism or moral relativism that has diluted modern “versions” of–dare I say–Christianity.

Another aspect of the following SOF that works especially well is the way the topics are broken out into clearly entitled contents and chapters:

Edited and Abridged by Bethlehem Bible Church
West Boylston, Massachusetts
February, 2005

CONTENTS

  1. The Holy Scripture
  2. God and the Holy Trinity
  3. God’s Decree
  4. Creation
  5. Divine Providence
  6. The Fall of Man: Sin and its Punishment
  7. Christ the Mediator
  8. The Will
  9. Effectual Calling
  10. Justification
  11. Adoption
  12. Sanctification
  13. Saving Faith
  14. Repentance unto Life and Salvation
  15. Good Works
  16. The Perseverance of the Saints
  17. The Assurance of Grace and Salvation
  18. The Law of God
  19. The Gospel and its Gracious Extent
  20. Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
  21. Religious Worship, and the Lord’s Day
  22. Civil Government
  23. Marriage
  24. The Church
  25. The Fellowship of Saints
  26. The Meaning and Significance of Baptism & the Lord’s Table
  27. The State of Man after Death and The Resurrection of the Dead
  28. Eschatology
  29. Angels
CHAPTER 1 – THE HOLY SCRIPTURE

1. THE Holy Scripture is the all-sufficient, certain and infallible rule or standard of the knowledge, faith and obedience that constitute salvation. Although the light of nature, and God’s works of creation and providence, give such clear testimony to His goodness, wisdom and power that men who spurn them are left inexcusable, yet they are not sufficient of themselves to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary for salvation. In consequence the merciful Lord from time to time and in a variety of ways has revealed Himself, and made known His will to His people. And furthermore, in order to ensure the preservation and propagation of the truth, and the establishment and comfort of His people against the corrupt nature of man and the malice of Satan and the world, He caused this revelation of Himself and His will to be written down in all its fullness. And as the manner in which God formerly revealed His will has long ceased, the Holy Scripture becomes absolutely essential to men.

Pss 19:1-3; Prov 22:19-21; Isa 8:20; Luke 16:29,31; Rom 1:19-21, 2:14-15, 15:4; Eph 2:20; 2Tim 3:15-17; Heb 1:1; 2Pet 1:19-20.

2. THE Holy Scripture, or the written Word of God, consists of the following books which together make up the Old and New Testaments:

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis 1 Kings Ecclesiastes Obadiah
Exodus 2 Kings Song of Solomon Jonah
Leviticus 1 Chronicles Isaiah Micah
Numbers 2 Chronicles Jeremiah Nahum
Deuteronomy Ezra Lamentations Habakkuk
Joshua Nehemiah Ezekiel Zephaniah
Judges Esther Daniel Haggai
Ruth Job Hosea Zechariah
1 Samuel Psalms Joel Malachi
2 Samuel Proverbs Amos

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew 2 Corinthians 1 Timothy 2 Peter
Mark Galatians 2 Timothy 1 John
Luke Ephesians Titus 2 John
John Philippians Philemon 3 John
Acts Colossians Hebrews Jude
Romans 1 Thessalonians James Revelation
1 Corinthians 2 Thessalonians 1 Peter

All these books are given by the inspiration of God to be the rule or standard of faith and life.

2 Tim 3:16;Luke 24:27, 44; Rom 3:2.

3. THE Scripture is self-authenticating. Its authority does not depend upon the testimony of any man or church, but entirely upon God, its author, who is truth itself. It is to be received because it is the Word of God.

1 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:19-21; 1 John 5:9.

4. THE testimony of the church of God may influence and persuade us to hold the Scripture in the highest esteem. The heavenliness of its contents, the efficacy of its doctrine, the majesty of its style, the agreement between all its parts from first to last, the fact that throughout it gives all glory to God, the full revelation it gives of the only way of salvation-these, together with many other incomparably high qualities and full perfections, supply abundant evidence that it is the Word of God. At the same time, however, we recognize that our full persuasion and assurance of its infallible truth and divine authority is the outcome of the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

John 16:13-14; 1 Cor 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20, 27.

5. THE sum total of God’s revelation concerning all things essential to His own glory, and to the salvation and faith and life of men, is either explicitly set down or implicitly contained in the Holy Scripture. Nothing, whether a supposed revelation of the Spirit or man’s traditions, is ever to be added to Scripture. At the same time, however, we acknowledge that inward enlightenment from the Spirit of God is necessary for the right understanding of what Scripture reveals. We also accept that certain aspects of the worship of God and of church government, which are matters of common usage, are to be determined by the light of nature and Christian common sense, in line with the general rules of God’s Word from which there must be no departure.

John 6:45; 1 Cor 2:9-12, 11:13-14, 14:26, 40; Gal 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:15-17.

6. THE contents of the Scripture vary in their degree of clarity, and some men have a better understanding of them than others. Yet those things which are essential to man’s salvation and which must be known, believed and obeyed, are so clearly propounded and explained in one place or another, that men educated or uneducated may attain to a sufficient understanding of them if they but use the ordinary means and are illumined by the Holy Spirit.

Ps. 19:7, 119:130; 2 Pet 3:16.

7. THE Old Testament in Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament in Greek (that is to say, in their original languages before translation) were inspired by God at first hand, and ever since, by His particular care and providence, they have been kept pure. They are therefore authentic and, for the church, constitute the final court of appeal in all matters of religious controversies. All God’s people have a right to, and an interest in, the Scripture, and they are commanded in the fear of God to read and search it. But as the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek are not known to all such readers, Scripture is to be translated into every human language, so that as men thus acquire knowledge of God they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and ‘through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope’.

Isa 8:20; John 5:39; Acts 15:15; Rom 3:2, 15:4; 1 Cor 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28; Col 3:16.

8. IT is an infallible rule that Scripture is to be interpreted by Scripture, that is to say, one part by another. Hence any dispute as to the true, full and evident meaning of a particular passage must be determined in the light of clearer, comparable passages.

Acts 15:15-16; 2 Pet 1:20-21.

9. ALL religious controversies are to be settled by Scripture, and by Scripture alone. All decrees of Councils, opinions of ancient writers, and doctrines of men collectively or individually, are similarly to be accepted or rejected according to the verdict of the Scripture given to us by the Holy Spirit. In that verdict faith finds its final rest.

Mat 22:29, 31-32; Acts 28:23; Eph 2:20.

CHAPTER 2 – GOD AND THE HOLY TRINITY

1. THERE is but one, and only one, living and true God. He is fully self-existent and infinite in His being and His perfections. None but He can comprehend or understand His essence. He is pure spirit, invisible, and without body, parts, or the changeable feelings of men. He alone possesses immortality, and dwells amid the light insufferably bright to mortal men. He never changes. He is great beyond all our conceptions, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty and infinite. He is most holy, wise, free and absolute. All that He does is the out-working of His changeless, righteous will, and for His own glory. He is most loving, gracious, merciful and compassionate. He abounds in goodness and truth. He forgives iniquity, transgression and sin. He rewards those who seek Him diligently. But He hates sin. He will not overlook guilt or spare the guilty, and He is perfectly just in executing judgment.

Gen. 17:1; Exod. 3:14; 34:6, 7; Deut. 4:15,16; 6:4; 1 Kings 8:27; Neh. 9:32, 33; Ps. 5:5, 6; 90:2; 115:3; Prov. 16:4; Isa. 6:3; 46:10; 48:12; Jer. 10:10; 23:23, 24; Nah. 1:2, 3; Mal. 3:6; John 4:24; Rom.11:36; 1 Cor. 8:4, 6; 1 Tim.1:17; Heb. 11:6.

2. GOD is all-sufficient, and all life, glory, goodness and blessedness are found in Him and in Him alone. He does not stand in need of any of the creatures that He has made, nor does He derive any part of His glory from them. On the contrary, He manifests His own glory in and by them. He is the fountain-head of all being, and the origin, channel and end of all things. Over all His creatures He is sovereign. He uses them as He pleases, and does for them or to them all that He wills. His sight penetrates to the heart of all things. His knowledge is infinite and infallible. No single thing is to Him at risk or uncertain, for He is not dependent upon created things. In all His decisions, doings and demands He is most holy. Angels and men owe to Him as their creator all worship, service and obedience, and whatever else He may require at their hands.

Job 22:2, 3; Ps. 119:68; 145:17; 148:13; Ezek.11:5; Dan. 4:25, 34, 35; John 5:26; Acts 15:18; Rom. 11:34-36; Heb. 4:13; Rev. 5:12-14.

3. THREE divine Persons constitute the Godhead-the Father, the Son (or the Word), and the Holy Spirit. They are one in substance, in power, and in eternity. Each is fully God, and yet the Godhead is one and indivisible. The Father owes His being to none. He is Father to the Son who is eternally begotten of Him. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. These Persons, one infinite and eternal God not to be divided in being, are distinguished in Scripture by their personal nature or in relations within the Godhead, and by the variety of works which they undertake. Their tri-unity (that is, the doctrine of the Trinity) is the essential basis of all our fellowship with God, and of the comfort we derive from our dependence upon Him.

Exod. 3:14; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14, 18; 14:11; 15:26; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:6; 1 John 5:7.

CHAPTER 3 – GOD’S DECREE

1. FROM all eternity God decreed all that should happen in time, and this He did freely and unalterably, consulting only His own wise and holy will. Yet in so doing He does not become in any sense the author of sin, nor does He share responsibility for sin with sinners. Neither, by reason of His decree, is the will of any creature whom He has made violated; nor is the free working of second causes put aside; rather is it established. In all these matters the divine wisdom appears, as also does God’s power and faithfulness in effecting that which He has purposed.

Num. 23:19; Isa. 46:10; John 19:11; Acts 4:27, 28; Rom. 9:15, 18; Eph. 1:3-5, 11; Heb. 6:17; Jas. 1:13; 1 John 1:5.

2. GOD”S decree is not based upon His foreknowledge that, under certain conditions, certain happenings will take place, but is independent of all such foreknowledge.

Acts 15:18; Rom. 9:11, 13, 16, 18.

3. BY His decree, and for the manifestation of His glory, God has predestinated (or foreordained) certain men and angels to eternal life through Jesus Christ, thus revealing His grace. Others, whom He has left to perish in their sins, show the terrors of His justice.

Mat.25:34; Rom.9:22,23; Eph.1:5,6; 1 Tim.5:21; Jude 4.

4. THE angels and men who are the subjects of God’s predestination are clearly and irreversibly designated, and their number is unalterably fixed.

John 13:18; 2 Tim. 2:19.

5. BEFORE the world was made, God’s eternal, immutable purpose, which originated in the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, moved Him to choose (or to elect), in Christ, a number of mankind to everlasting glory. Out of His mere free grace and love He predestinated these chosen ones to life, although there was nothing in them to cause Him to choose them.

Rom. 8:30; 9:13, 16; Eph. 1:4, 9, 11; 2:5, 12; 1 Thess. 5:9; 2 Tim. 1:9.

6. NOT only has God appointed the elect to glory in accordance with the eternal and free purpose of His will, but He has also foreordained the means by which His purpose will be effected. Since His elect are children of Adam and therefore among those ruined by Adam’s fall into sin, He willed that they should be redeemed by Christ, and effectually called to faith in Christ. Furthermore, by the working of His Spirit in due season they are justified, adopted, sanctified, and ‘kept by His power through faith unto salvation’. None but the elect partake of any of these great benefits.

John 6:64; 10:26; 17:9; Rom. 8:30; 1 Thess. 5:9, 10; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2, 5.

7. THE high mystery of predestination needs to be handled with special prudence and caution, so that men, being directed to the will of God revealed in His Word and obeying the same, may become assured of their eternal election through the certainty of their effectual calling. By this means predestination will promote the praise of God, and reverential awe and wonder. It will encourage humility and diligence, and bring much comfort to all who sincerely obey the gospel.

Luke 10:20; Rom.11:5, 6, 20, 33; Eph. 1:6; 1 Thess.1:4, 5; 2 Pet. 1:10.

CHAPTER 4 – CREATION

1. IN the beginning it pleased the Triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-to create the world and all things in it in six days. All was very good. In this way God glorified His eternal power, wisdom and goodness.

Gen. 1:31; Job 26:13; John 1:2,3; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2.

2. ALL creatures were made by God, the last to be fashioned being man and woman who received dominion over all other creatures on the earth. God gave man and woman rational and immortal souls, and in all respects fitted them for a life in harmony with Himself. They were created in His image, possessing knowledge, righteousness and true holiness. The divine law was written in their hearts and they had power to obey it fully. Yet, being left to the liberty of their own mutable wills, transgression of the law was within their abilities.

Gen. 1:26, 27; 2:7; 3:6; Eccles. 7:29; Rom. 2:14, 15.

3. THE law of God in general was written in the hearts of the first human pair, but at the same time they were placed under a special prohibition not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Their happiness and fellowship with God depended upon their yielding obedience to His will, as also did the continuance of their dominion over the creatures.

Gen. 1:26, 28; Gen. 2:17.

CHAPTER 5 – DIVINE PROVIDENCE

1. GOD who, in infinite power and wisdom, has created all things, upholds, directs, controls and governs them, both animate and inanimate, great and small, by a providence supremely wise and holy, and in accordance with His infallible foreknowledge and the free and immutable decisions of His will. He fulfills the purposes for which He created them, so that His wisdom, power and justice, together with His infinite goodness and mercy, might be praised and glorified.

Job 38:11; Ps. 135:6; Isa. 46:10, 11; Matt. 10:29-31; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 1:3.

2. NOTHING happens by chance or outside the sphere of God’s providence. As God is the First Cause of all events, they happen immutably and infallibly according to His foreknowledge and decree, to which they stand related. Yet by His providence God so controls them, that second causes, operating either as fixed laws, or freely, or in dependence upon other causes, play their part in bringing them about.

Gen. 8:22; Prov. 16:33; Acts 2:23.

3. ORDINARILY, in His providence, God makes use of means; yet He is free to work without them, to give them efficacy above what they normally possess, and even to work contrary to them, at His pleasure.

Isa. 55:10, 11; Dan. 3:27; Hos. 1:7; Acts 27:31, 44; Rom. 4:19-21.

4. GOD’S almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness are so far-reaching and all-pervading, that both the fall of the first man into sin, and all other sinful actions of angels and men, proceed according to His sovereign purposes. It is not that He gives His bare permission, for in a variety of ways He wisely and powerfully limits, orders and governs sinful actions, so that they effect His holy designs. Yet the sinfulness involved in the actions proceeds only from angels and men and not from God who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.

Gen. 50:20; 2 Sam. 24:1; 2 Kings 19:28; 1 Chron. 21:1; Ps. 50:21; 76:10; Isa. 10:6,7,12; Rom. 11:32-34; 1 John 2:16.

5. GOD, who is most wise, righteous and gracious, frequently allows His own people to fall for a time into a variety of temptations, and to experience the sinfulness of their own hearts. This He does in order to chastise them for sins which they have committed, or to teach them humility by revealing to them the hidden strength of evil and deceitfulness remaining in their hearts. His purpose is also to cause them to realize their need to depend fully and at all times upon Himself, and to help them to guard against sin in the future. In these and other ways His just and holy purposes are worked out, so that all that happens to His elect ones is by His appointment, for His glory, and for their good.

2 Chron. 32:25, 26, 31; Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 12:7-9.

6. GOD, as a righteous judge, deals otherwise with wicked and ungodly men. He awards them blindness and hardness of heart for their sins. He withholds from them the grace which might have enlightened their minds and exercised their hearts. Also, He sets them in situations which their evil hearts seize upon as opportunities for sin. In other words, He abandons them to their own innate corruptions, to the temptations of the world, and to, the power of Satan, with the consequence that they harden themselves by the use of the very means which God employs for softening the hearts of others.

Exod. 8:15, 32; Deut. 2:30; 29:4; 2 Kings 8:12, 13; Ps. 81:11, 12; Isa. 6:9, 10; Matt. 13:12; Rom. 1:24-26, 28; 11:7, 8; 2 Thess. 2:10-12; 1 Pet. 2:7, 8.

7. GOD’S general providence reaches out to all creatures, but in a very special way it is directed to the care of His people. All things are controlled providentially for the good of God’s people.

Isa. 43:3-5; Amos 9:8, 9; 1 Tim. 4:10.

CHAPTER 6 – THE FALL OF MAN: SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT

1. MAN, as he came from the hand of God, his Creator, was upright and perfect. The righteous law which God gave him spoke of life as conditional upon his obedience, and threatened death upon his disobedience. Adam’s obedience was short-lived. Satan, the subtle serpent, drew Eve into sin. Thereupon she seduced Adam who, willfully broke the law under which they had been created, and also God’s command not to eat of the forbidden fruit. To fulfill His own wise and holy purposes God permitted this to happen, for He was directing all to His own glory.

Gen. 2:16, 17; Gen. 3:12,13; 2 Cor.11:3.

2. BY this sin our first parents lost their former righteousness, and their happy communion with God was severed. Their sin involved us all, and by it death appertained to all. All men became dead in sin, and totally polluted in all parts and faculties of both soul and body.

Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-19,23; 5:12-21; Titus 1:15.

3. THE family of man is rooted in the first human pair. As Adam and Eve stood in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of their sin was reckoned by God’s appointment to the account of all their posterity, who also from birth derived from them a polluted nature. Conceived in sin and by nature children subject to God’s anger, the servants of sin and the subjects of death, all men are now given up to unspeakable miseries (spiritual, temporal and eternal) unless the Lord Jesus Christ sets them free.

Job 14:4; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-19; Rom. 6:20; 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 15:45, 15:49; Eph. 2:3; 1 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 2:14-15.

4. THE actual sins that men commit are the fruit of the corrupt nature transmitted to them by our first parents. By reason of this corruption, all men become wholly inclined to all evil; sin disables them. They are utterly indisposed to, and, indeed, rendered opposite to, all that is good, particularly when contrasted with God’s holy law.

Matt. 15:19; Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21; Jas. 1:14.

5. DURING this earthly life sinful flesh still remains in those who are born of God, that is to say, regenerated. Through Christ it is pardoned and mortified, yet both the corruption itself, and all that issues from it, are truly and properly sin.

Eccles. 7:20; Rom. 7:18, 23-25; Gal. 5:17; 1 John 1:8.

CHAPTER 7 – CHRIST THE MEDIATOR

1. TO give effect to His eternal purpose God chose and ordained the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the mediator between God and man; also to be prophet, priest, king, head and savior of His church; also to be the heir of all things and judge of the world. From all eternity God had given to His Son those who were to be His progeny, and the Son engaged in time (as distinct from eternity) to redeem, call, justify, sanctify, and glorify them.

Ps. 2:6; Isa. 42:1, 53:10; Luke 1:33; John 17:6; Acts 3:22, 17:31; Rom. 8:30; Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 1:2, 5:5-6; 1Pet. 1:19-20.

2. THE divine Person who made the world, and upholds and governs all things that He has made, is the Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is true and eternal God, the ‘brightness of the Father’s glory’, of the same substance (or essence) as the Father, and equal with Him. It is He who, at the appointed time, took upon Himself the nature of man, with all its essential characteristics and its common infirmities, sin excepted. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, a woman who belonged to the tribe of Judah, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her and the power of God most High overshadowing her. And so, as the Scripture tells us, He was made of a woman, a descendant of Abraham and David. In this way it came about that the two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the divine and the human, were inseparably joined together in one Person, without the conversion of the one nature into the other, and without the mixing, as it were, of one nature with the other; in other words, without confusion. Thus the Son of God is now both true God and true man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.

Matt. 1:22,23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35; John 1:14; Rom. 8:3; 9:5; Gal. 4:4; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:14,16, 17; 4:15.

3. THE two natures, divine and human, being thus united in the person of God’s Son, He was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit to an unlimited extent, and in Him are found all treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He is replete with all that is pleasing to the Father, being holy, harmless, untouched by sin, and full of grace and truth. Thus He has become thoroughly qualified to execute the work of a mediator and surety. He did not take this work upon Himself uncalled, but was commissioned by His Father so to act. His Father also conferred upon Him full powers of jurisdiction and commanded Him to pass judgment on all.

Ps. 45:7; Matt. 28:18; John 1:14; 3:34; 5:22, 27; Acts 2:36; 10:38; Col. 1:19; 2:3; Heb. 5:5; 7:22, 26.

4. THE Lord Jesus most willingly undertook the office of mediator, and in order that He might discharge it He became subject to God’s law, which He perfectly fulfilled. He also underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, for He bore our sins and was accursed for our sakes. He endured sorrows in His soul severe beyond our conception, and most painful sufferings in His body. His death was by crucifixion. While He remained in the state of the dead His body sustained no decay. The third day saw His resurrection in the same body in which He had suffered. In the same body also He ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of His Father, interceding for His own. At the end of the world He will return to judge men and angels.

Ps. 40:7-8; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 3:15, 26:37-38, 27:46; Mark 16:19; Luke 22:44; John 10:18, 20:25, 20:27; Acts 1:9-11; 10:42; 13:37; Rom. 8:34; 14:9-10; 1 Cor. 15:3,4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 4:4; Heb. 9:24; 10:5-10; 1 Pet. 3:18; 2 Pet. 2:4.

5. BY His perfect obedience to God’s law, and by a once-for-all offering up of Himself to God as a sacrifice through the eternal Spirit, the Lord Jesus has fully satisfied all the claims of divine justice. He has brought about reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those given to Him by His Father.

John 17:2; Rom. 3:25, 26; Heb. 9:14, 15.

6. THE price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ until after His birth in this world, but the value, efficacy and benefits of His redemptive work availed for His elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world. This was accomplished by the promises, the types and the sacrifices in which He was revealed, and which signified Him to be the woman’s ‘seed’ (offspring) who should bruise the head of the serpent (the devil), also ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’.

1 Cor. 4:10; Heb. 4:2; 13:8; 1 Pet. 1:10, 11; Rev. 13:8.

7. IN His work as mediator between God and men, Christ acts according to His two natures, one divine, one human, in each nature doing that which is appropriate to it. Yet by reason of the unity of His Person, that which is appropriate to one nature is, in Scripture, sometimes attributed to the Person denominated by the other nature.

John 3:13; Acts 20:28.

8. CHRIST certainly and effectually applies and communicates eternal redemption to all those for whom He has obtained it. His work of intercession is on their behalf. He unites them to Himself by His Spirit; He reveals to them, in and by the Word, the mystery of salvation; He persuades them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit; He overcomes all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, using those methods and ways which are most agreeable to the wonderful and unsearchable appointments of His providence. All these things are carried out in His free and sovereign grace, and unconditionally, nothing of merit being foreseen by Him in the elect.

Ps. 110:1; John 3:8; 6:37; 10:15,16; 17:6,9; Rom. 5:10; 8:9, 14; 1 Cor. 15:25,26; Eph. 1:8,9; 1 John 5:20.

9. CHRIST, and Christ alone, is fitted to be mediator between God and man. He is the prophet, priest and king of the church of God. His office as mediator cannot be transferred from Him to any other, either in whole or in part.

1 Tim. 2:5.

10. CHRIST’S threefold offices are necessary for us. Because of our ignorance we stand in need of His prophetical office; because of our estrangement from God and the imperfection of our services at their best, we need His priestly office to reconcile us to God and render us acceptable to Him; because we have turned away from God and are utterly unable to return to Him, and also because we need to be rescued and rendered secure from our spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, sustain, deliver and preserve us, until we finally enter His heavenly kingdom.

Ps. 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75; John 1:18; 16:8; Gal. 5:17; Col. 1:21.

CHAPTER 8 – THE WILL

1. IN the natural order God has endued man’s will with liberty and the power to act upon choice, so that it is neither forced from without, nor by any necessity arising from within itself, compelled to do good or evil.

Deut. 30:19; Mat. 17:12; Jas. 1:14.

2. IN his state of innocence man had freedom and power to will and to do what was good and acceptable to God. Yet, being unstable, it was possible for him to fall from his uprightness.

Gen. 3:6; Eccles. 7:29.

3. AS the consequence of his fall into a state of sin, man has lost all ability to will the performance of any of those works, spiritually good, that accompany salvation. As a natural (unspiritual) man he is dead in sin and altogether opposed to that which is good. Hence he is not able, by any strength of his own, to turn himself to God, or even to prepare himself to turn to God.

John 6:44; Rom. 5:6; 8:7; Eph. 2:1, 5; Titus 3:3-5.

4. WHEN God converts a sinner, and brings him out of sin into the state of grace, He frees him from his natural bondage to sin and, by His grace alone, He enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good. Nevertheless certain corruptions remain in the sinner, so that his will is never completely and perfectly held in captivity to that which is good, but it also entertains evil.

John 8:36; Rom. 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23; Phil. 2:13; Col.1:13.

5. IT is not until man enters the state of glory that he is made perfectly and immutably free to will that which is good, and that alone.

Eph. 4:13.

CHAPTER 9 – EFFECTUAL CALLING

1. AT a time appointed by and acceptable to God, those whom God has predestinated to life are effectually called by His Word and Spirit out of the state of death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. Their minds are given spiritual enlightenment and, as those who are CONVERTED, they begin to understand the things of God. God takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh. He renews their will, and by His almighty power He sets them to seek and follow that which is good, at the same time effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ. And to all these changes they come most freely, for they are made willing by divine grace.

Deut. 30:6; Ps. 110:3; Song 1:4; Ezek. 36:26,27; Acts 26:18; Rom. 8:30; 11:7; Eph. 1:10,11,17,19; 2:1-6; 2 Thess. 2:13,14.

2. GOD’S effectual call is the outcome of His free and special grace alone. Until a man is given life, and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is dead in sins and trespasses, so is entirely passive in this work of salvation, a work that does not proceed from anything good foreseen in him, nor from any power or agency resident in him. The power that enables him to answer God’s call and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, is no less than that which effected the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

John 5:25; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 1:19-20; 2:5, 8; 2 Tim. 1:9.

3. MEN who are not elected, even though they may be called upon to embrace salvation by the preachers of the gospel, and may be the subjects of some common operations of the Spirit, cannot be saved, because they are not effectually drawn to Christ by the Father, for which reason they neither can, nor will, truly come to Him. Much less can men who do not receive the Christian religion be saved, no matter how diligent they are to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the teachings of the religion which they follow.

Matt. 13:20, 21; 22:14; John 4:22; 6:44, 45, 65; 17:3; Acts 4:12; Heb. 6:4-6; 1 John 2:24, 25.

CHAPTER 10 – JUSTIFICATION

1. GOD freely justifies the persons whom He effectually calls. He does this, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins and by accounting them, and accepting them, as righteous. This He does for Christ’s sake alone, and not for anything wrought in them or done by them. The righteousness which is imputed to them, that is, reckoned to their account, is neither their faith nor the act of believing nor any other obedience to the gospel which they have rendered, but Christ’s obedience alone. Christ’s obedience is twofold-His active obedience rendered to the entire divine law, and His passive obedience rendered in His death. Those thus justified receive and rest by faith upon Christ’s righteousness; and this faith they have, not of themselves, but as the gift of God.

John 1:12; Rom. 3:24; 4:5-8; 5:17-19; 8:30; 1Cor. 1:30-31; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; Phil. 3:8, 9.

2. THE faith which receives and rests on Christ and His righteousness is the sole means of justification. Yet it is never alone in the person justified, but is invariably accompanied by all other saving graces. Nor is it a dead faith, for it works by love.

Rom. 3:28; Gal. 5:6; Jas. 2:17, 22, 26.

3. BY His obedience and death Christ paid in full the debt of all those who are justified. By the sacrifice of Himself in His blood-shedding on Calvary, and His suffering on their behalf of the penalty they had incurred, He fully and absolutely satisfied all the claims which God’s justice had upon them. Yet their justification is altogether of free grace, firstly because Christ was the free gift of the Father to act on their behalf; secondly because Christ’s obedience and His satisfying the demands of the law was freely accepted on their behalf; and thirdly because nothing in them merited these mercies. Hence God’s exact justice and His rich grace are alike rendered glorious in the justification of sinners.

Isa. 53:5,6; Rom. 3:26; 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:6,7; 2:7; Heb. 10:14; 1 Pet.1:18,19.

4. FROM all eternity God decreed to justify all the elect, and in the fullness of time Christ died for their sins and rose again for their justification. Nevertheless they are not justified personally until, in due time, the Holy Spirit actually applies to them the benefits of Christ’s Person and work.

Rom. 4:25; Gal. 3:8; Col. 1:21,22; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Pet. 1:2.

5. GOD continues to forgive the sins of all the justified. They can never lose their justification; but they may, by reason of sin, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure; in which case, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg God’s pardon, and renew their faith and repentance, God will not usually restore to them ‘the light of His countenance’.

Ps. 32:5; Ps. 51; Ps. 89:31-33; Matt. 6:12; 26:75; John 10:28; 1 John 1:7, 9.

6. BELIEVERS in Old Testament times were justified in precisely the same way as New Testament believers, that is by faith alone.

Rom. 4:22-24; Gal. 3:9; Heb. 11:1-6.

CHAPTER 11 – ADOPTION

1. FOR the sake of His only Son, Jesus Christ, God has been pleased to make all justified persons sharers in the grace of adoption, by means of which they are numbered with, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of children of God. Furthermore, God’s name is put upon them, they receive the spirit of adoption, and they are enabled to come boldly to the throne of grace and to cry ‘Abba, Father’. They are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by God as by a Father. He never casts them off, but, as they remain sealed to the day of redemption, they inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.

Ps. 103:13; Prov. 14:26; Isa. 54:8,9; Lam. 3:31; John 1:12; Rom. 8:15,17; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 4:4-6; Eph. 1:5; 2:18; 4:30; Heb. 1:14; 6:12; 12:6; 1 Pet. 5:7; Rev. 3:12.

CHAPTER 12 – SANCTIFICATION

1. THOSE who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, have a new heart and a new spirit created in them; and by His Word and Spirit dwelling within them, this personal work of sanctification is indeed carried further. All these blessings are theirs by reason of the merits of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Sin’s mastery over them is completely broken; the evil desires to which it gives birth are increasingly weakened and dealt their death-blow; and saving graces in them are increasingly enlivened and strengthened. The practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, is thus promoted.

John 17:17; Acts 20:32; Rom. 6:5, 6, 14; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal. 5:24; Eph. 3:16-19; Col. 1:11; 1 Thess. 5:21-23; Heb. 12:14.

2. SANCTIFICATION, as defined in this way, extends to every part of man, yet remains incomplete in this life. Sin’s corrupt remnants continue to defile all parts of man, causing within him a continual warfare that does not admit of reconciliation; the flesh rises up against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.

Rom. 7:18, 23; Gal. 5:17; 1 Thess. 5:23; 1 Pet. 2:11.

3. IN the war of flesh versus Spirit, sin’s corrupt remnants may for a time gain the upper hand, yet the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ enables man as a new creature to gain the victory. And so the saints grow in grace, moving on towards a fullness of holiness in the fear of God. They earnestly endeavor to live according to heaven’s laws, and to render gospel obedience to all the commands which Christ, as their Head and King, has laid down for them in His Word.

Rom. 6:14; 7:23; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:15, 16.

CHAPTER 13 – SAVING FAITH

1. THE grace of faith by which the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls is the work of the Spirit in their hearts. Normally it is brought into being through the preaching of the Word. By the Word and its ministry, by prayer, and also by other means appointed by God, faith is increased and strengthened.

Luke 17:5; Acts 20:32; Rom. 10:14, 17; 2 Cor. 4:13; Eph. 2:8; 1 Pet. 2:2.

2. BY faith a Christian believes everything to be true that is made known in the Word, in which God speaks authoritatively. He also perceives in the Word a degree of excellence superior to all other writings, indeed to all things that the world contains. The Word shows the glory of God as seen in His various attributes, the excellence of Christ in His nature and in the offices He bears, and the power and perfection of the Holy Spirit in all the works in which He is engaged. In this way the Christian is enabled to trust himself implicitly to the truth thus believed, and to render service according to the different requirements of the various parts of Scripture. To the commands he yields obedience; when he hears threatenings he trembles; as for the divine promises concerning this life and that which is to come, he embraces them. But the principal acts of saving faith relate in the first instance to Christ as the believer accepts, receives and rests upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life; and all by virtue of grace.

Ps. 19:7-10; 119:72; Isa. 66:2; John 1:12; 15:14; Acts 15:11; 16:31; 24:14; Gal. 2:20; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 11:13.

3. SAVING faith has its gradations. It may be weak or strong. Yet, like all other kinds of saving grace, even at its lowest ebb it is quite different in its nature from the faith and common grace of unbelievers. In consequence, though it may be frequently attacked and weakened, it wins through to victory, developing in many Christians until they attain to full assurance through Christ, who is both the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Matt. 6:30; Rom. 4:19,20; Eph. 6:16; Col. 2:2; Heb. 5:13, 14; 6:11,12; 12:2; 2 Pet. 1:1; 1 John 5:4, 5.

CHAPTER 14 – REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE AND SALVATION

1. SOME of the elect are not converted until well on in life, having continued in the state in which they were born, and having followed after all kinds of evil cravings and pleasures. Then God’s effectual call reaches them and He gives them repentance leading to life eternal.

Titus 3:2-5.

2. THERE is not a man on earth who does good and is without sin; and the best of men, through the power and deceitfulness of their indwelling corruptions and the strength of temptation, may commit great sins hateful to God. Because of this, God has mercifully made provision that believers who so sin and fall shall be restored, through repentance and confession.

Eccles. 7:20; Luke 22:31, 32; 1 John 1:9.

3. THE repentance that leads on to salvation is a gospel grace by means of which a person who is caused by the Holy Spirit to feel the manifold evils of sin is also caused by faith in Christ to humble himself on account of sin. This humiliation is characterized by godly sorrow, a detestation of the sin, and self-loathing. It is accompanied by prayer for pardon and strength of grace, and also by a purpose and endeavor, in the power supplied by the Spirit, to conduct himself in the sight of God with the consistency of life that pleases Him.

Ps. 119:6,128; Ezek. 36:31; Zech. 12:10; Acts 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:11.

4. BECAUSE we carry about with us (as Scripture tells us) a ‘body of death’ biased towards evil, repentance is to continue through the whole course of our lives. Hence it is every man’s duty to repent of each particular sin of which he is conscious, and to do so with particular care.

Luke 19:8; 1 Tim 1:13, 15.

CHAPTER 15 – GOOD WORKS

1. ONLY the works that God has commanded in His holy Word are to be accounted good works. Such works, as men have invented out of blind zeal or upon the mere pretense of good intentions, are not good, for they lack the sanction of Holy Scripture.

Isa. 29:13; Mic. 6:8; Matt. 15:9; Heb. 13:21.

2. WORKS that are truly good, and which are done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and living faith. By means of them believers make known their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance of salvation, edify their brethren, adorn their Christian witness, and deprive their opponents of arguments against the gospel. In sum, they glorify God who has made them what they are, namely, new creatures in Christ; and as such they yield fruit that evidences holiness, eternal life being the outcome of all.

Ps. 116:12, 13; Matt. 5:16; Rom. 6:22; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 1:11; 1 Tim. 6:1; Jas. 2:18, 22; 1 Pet. 2:15; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; 1 John 2:3, 5.

3. THE ability of believers to do good works does not spring in any way from themselves, but is derived from the Spirit of Christ alone. But besides the graces which they receive from Him in the first instance, they need His further actual influence to give them the will and ability to perform the works that please Him. Yet this does not mean that, without that special influence, they are at liberty to grow careless of duty, for they must be diligent in stirring into activity the grace of God that is in them.

Isa. 64:7; John 15:4, 5; 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil. 2:12, 13; Heb. 6:11, 12.

4. IN rendering obedience to God, those believers who attain to the greatest height possible in this life are so far from performing works of supererogation (that is, beyond what God actually requires) that they fall short of much which, as their duty, they are bound to do.

Job 9:2, 3; Gal. 5:17.

5. WE cannot, even by our best works, merit either the pardon of sin or the granting of eternal life at the hand of God, for those works are out of all proportion to the glory to come. And furthermore, there is infinite distance between us and God, and no works of ours can yield Him profit or act as payment for the debt of our former sins. Indeed, when we have done all that we can, we have done but our duty and remain unprofitable servants. We are also to remember that, so far as our works are good, they are produced by His Spirit. As far as they are our work they are marred, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they fall utterly to meet the searching requirements of God’s standards.

Ps. 143:2; Isa. 64:6; Luke 17:10; Rom. 3:20; 4:6; Gal. 5:22, 23; Eph. 2:8, 9.

6. NEVERTHELESS, since believers as to their persons are accepted by God through Christ, their works also are accepted as being wrought in Christ. Not as though they were, during this life, beyond reproach and unreprovable in the sight of God, but that, as He looks upon them in His Son, He is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, even though it is accompanied by many weaknesses and imperfections.

Matt. 25:21, 23; Eph. 1:6; Heb. 6:10; 1 Pet. 2:5.

7. AS for works done by unregenerate men, even though God may have commanded them, and they may be highly useful both to themselves and to others, yet they remain sinful works for the following reasons: they do not originate in a heart purified by faith; they are not done in the right manner prescribed in Scripture; and they are not directed to the glory of God as the only right end. Hence they cannot please God, nor can they make a man fit for the reception of grace. Yet the neglect of such works is more sinful and more displeasing to God than is the performance of them.

Gen. 4:5; 1 Kings 21:27, 29; 2 Kings 10:30; Job 21:14, 15; Amos 5:21, 22; Matt. 6:2, 5; 25:41-43; Rom. 9:16; 1 Cor. 13:1; Titus 3:5; Heb. 11:4, 6.

CHAPTER 16 – THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

1. THE saints are those whom God has accepted in Christ the Beloved, and effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit. To them He has given the precious faith that pertains to all His elect. The persons to whom such blessings have been imparted can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but they shall certainly persevere in grace to the end and be eternally saved, for God will never repent of having called them and made gifts to them. Consequently He continues to beget and to nourish in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit that issue in immortality. Many storms and floods may arise and beat upon them, yet they can never be moved from the foundation and rock on which by faith they are firmly established. Even if unbelief and Satan’s temptations cause them for a time to lose the sight and comfort of the light and love of God, yet the unchanging God remains their God, and He will certainly keep and save them by His power until they come to the enjoyment of their purchased possession; for they are engraven on the palms of His hands, and their names have been written in the book of life from all eternity.

Ps. 89:31, 32; Mal. 3:6; John 10:28, 29; 1 Cor. 11:32; Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim. 2:19; 1 John 2:19.

2. IT is on no free will of their own that the saints’ perseverance depends, but on the immutability of the decree of election, which in its turn depends upon the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, the efficacious merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and the saints’ union with Him, the oath of God, the abiding character of the Spirit’s indwelling of the saints, and the divine nature of which they are partakers. All these factors guarantee the certainty and infallibility of the saints’ perseverance.

Jer. 32:40; John 14:19; Rom. 5:9, 10; 8:30; 9:11, 16; Heb. 6:17, 18; 1 John 3:9.

3. IN various ways-the temptations of Satan and of the world, the striving of indwelling sin to get the upper hand, the neglect of the means appointed for their preservation-saints may fall into fearful sins, and may even continue in them for a time. In this way they incur God’s displeasure, grieve His Holy Spirit, diminish their comforts, experience hardness of heart and accusations of conscience, hurt and scandalize others, and bring God’s chastisements on themselves. Yet being saints their repentance will be renewed, and through faith they will be preserved in Christ Jesus to the end.

2 Sam. 12:14; Ps. 32:3, 4; 51:10,12; Isa. 64:5,9; Matt. 26:70, 72, 74; Luke 22:32, 61, 62; Eph. 4:30.

CHAPTER 17 – THE ASSURANCE OF GRACE AND SALVATION

1. ALTHOUGH unregenerate persons may be deceived by erroneous, self-engendered notions into thinking that they are in God’s favor and in a state of salvation-false and perishable hopes indeed!-yet all who truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and love Him in sincerity, endeavoring to conduct themselves in all good conscience according to His will, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace. They may rejoice in hope of the glory of God, knowing that such a hope will never put them to shame.

Job 8:13, 14; Matt. 7:22, 23; Rom. 5:2, 5; 1 John 2:3; 3:14,18,19,21,24; 5:13.

2. THE certainty of salvation enjoyed by the saints of God is not mere conjecture and probability based upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith based upon the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the gospel. It also results from the inward evidences of the graces of the Holy Spirit, for to those graces God speaks promises. Then again, it is based upon the testimony of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of adoption, for He bears His witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. Such witness results in the keeping of our hearts both humble and holy.

Rom. 8:15, 16; Heb. 6:11,17-19; 2 Pet. 1:4, 5, 10, 11; 1 John 3:1-3.

3. THE infallible assurance of salvation is not an essential part of salvation, for a true believer may wait for a long time, and struggle with many difficulties, before he attains to it. It is not a matter of extraordinary revelation, for if he makes a right use of the means of grace, and is enabled by the Spirit to know the things that believers receive freely from God, he may well attain to it. It therefore becomes the duty of every one to be as diligent as possible in making his calling and election sure. By doing this he will experience greater peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, greater love and thankfulness to God, and an increased strength and cheerfulness in dutiful obedience. These things are the natural outcome of the assurance of salvation, and they constitute strong evidence that assurance does not lead men into loose living.

Ps. 77:1-12; Ps. 88; 119:32; Isa. 50:10; Rom. 5:1,2,5; 6:1,2; 14:17; Titus 2:11,12,14; Heb. 6:11,12; 1 John 4:13.

4. TRUE believers may find that their assurance of salvation fluctuates; sometimes more, sometimes less. They may prove neglectful in preserving it, as for example, if they give way to some particular sin that wounds their conscience and grieves the Spirit; or a strong temptation may suddenly spring upon them; or God may see fit to withdraw ‘the light of His countenance’ and cause darkness to envelop them, a course He sometimes takes even with those who fear His name. Yet, whatever happens, certain things inevitably remain with them-the new nature which is born of God, the life of faith, the love of Christ and the brethren, sincerity of heart and conscience of duty-and by reason of these and through the work carried on by the Spirit within them, the assurance of salvation may in due time be revived. In the meantime the same influences preserve them from utter despair.

Ps. 30:7; 31:22; 42:5,11; 51:8,12,14; 77:7,8; 116:11; Song 5:2,3,6; Lam. 3:26-31; Luke 22:32; 1 John 3:9.

CHAPTER 18 – THE LAW OF GOD

1. GOD gave Adam a law, written in his heart, that required his full obedience; He also gave Adam one command in particular, namely, that he must not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. By this command, Adam and all his posterity were bound to personal, complete, exact and perpetual obedience. God promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of the law, and endued Adam with power and ability to keep His law.

Gen. 2:16, 17; Eccles. 7:29; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:10, 12.

2. AS a result of Adam’s failure to obey God’s command, all men were plunged into sin, such that they are all sinners by natural inclination and in deed, with the result that no man is naturally capable of obeying the two commandments the LORD Jesus Christ described as foundational for the “the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Matt. 22:36-40; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1.

3. NEVERTHELESS, all men will be judged by Christ for their obedience to these two commandments. As each man falls short of the perfect standard of God, he must rest in the work of Jesus Christ at Calvary, which He Himself described as “finished.” As the only Substitute for the elect, Jesus obeyed the law perfectly, resulting in the judgment due the elect being visited upon Him on the cross, and the perfect righteousness and obedience of Christ being credited to those who believe.

Rom. 3:23; Acts 17:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; John 19:30.

CHAPTER 19 – THE GOSPEL AND ITS GRACIOUS EXTENT

1. GOD in His mercy promised to send Christ, who would be woman-born; and by means of the promise the elect would be called, and faith and repentance wrought in their hearts. In this promise the very substance of the gospel was revealed as the effectual means for the conversion and salvation of sinners.

Gen. 3:15; Rev. 7:9.

2. THIS promise of Christ and of salvation by Him is revealed to men by the Word of God alone. Neither the works of creation and providence, nor the light of nature, reveal Christ and His grace to men, not even in a general or obscure way; much less is it possible by their means for men who lack the revelation of Christ by the promise of the gospel to attain to saving faith or repentance.

Prov. 29:18; Isa. 25:7; 60:2, 3; Rom. 1:17; 10:14, 15, 17.

3. THE revelation of the gospel to sinners, both to nations and to certain persons, together with the promises and precepts which belong to gospel obedience, has been made at various times and in a variety of places, according to the sovereign will and good pleasure of God. The promise of the making known of the gospel has not been made contingent upon any good use made by men of their native abilities developed by means of light common to all, for such a development has never taken place, nor can it do so. Hence in all ages the extent to which the gospel has been proclaimed, whether to wider or more confined areas, has been granted to persons and nations in greatly varying measures according to the all-wise will of God.

Ps. 147:20; Acts 16:7; Rom. 1:18-32.

4. THE gospel is the only external means of making Christ and saving grace known to men, and it is completely adequate for this purpose. But that men who are dead in their sins may be born again-that is to say, made alive, or regenerated-something further is essential, namely, an effectual, invincible work of the Holy Spirit upon every part of the soul of man, whereby a new spiritual life is produced. Nothing less than such a work will bring about conversion to God.

Ps. 110:3; John 6:44; 1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4, 6; Eph. 1:19, 20.

CHAPTER 20 – CHRISTIAN LIBERTY & LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

1. CHRIST has purchased for all believers a liberty inherent in the gospel. It comprises freedom from the guilt of sin, from the condemnation that follows upon guilt, from the wrath of God, and from the severity and curse of God’s law. It also includes deliverance from this present evil world, and from all such things as bondage to Satan, sin’s domination, the hurtfulness of afflictions, the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave, and eternal damnation. Furthermore, it includes free access to God and the yielding of obedience to Him, not as it were with the fear of a slave for his master, but with a childlike love and readiness. All these blessings were more or less enjoyed by believers in Old Testament days, but under New Testament conditions Christian liberty becomes more extensive. It includes freedom from the burdens imposed by the Mosaic Law, greater boldness in approaching to the throne of grace, and a larger measure of the free Spirit of God than was normally granted to saints in the pre-Christian era.

Luke 1:73-75; John 7:38, 39; Acts 26:18; Rom. 8:3, 15, 28; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; Gal. 1:4; 3:9, 13, 14; 2 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 10:19-21; 1 John 4:18.

2. GOD alone is Lord of the conscience. He has set it free from all obligation to receive or obey any such doctrines or demands of men as are in any respect in opposition to His Word or not contained in it. Indeed, to believe and obey such doctrines and demands is tantamount to a betrayal of true liberty of conscience. It is against all reason, and nothing less than the destruction of liberty of conscience, when men demand of their fellows an implicit faith, in other words, an absolute and blind obedience.

Matt. 15:9; Acts 4:19,29; Rom. 14:4; 1 Cor. 3:5; 7:23; 2 Cor. 1:24; Col. 2:20, 22, 23; Jas. 4:12.

3. TO practice any sin, or harbor sin’s evil desires, on a pretense of enjoying Christian liberty, perverts the main purpose of gospel grace, and imperils those guilty of such an offense, for thereby they destroy the very purpose of Christian liberty, namely, that the Lord’s people, ‘being delivered out of the hand of their enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all their days’.

Luke 1:74, 75; Rom. 6:1, 2; Gal. 5:13; 2 Pet. 2:18, 21.

CHAPTER 21 – RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE LORD’S DAY

1. THE light of nature shows that there is a God who has dominion and sovereignty over all. He is just and good, and He does good to all. He is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, invoked, trusted and served by men with all their heart and soul and strength. But the only acceptable way of worshipping the true God is appointed by Himself, in accordance with His own will. Consequently He may not be worshipped in ways of mere human contrivance, or proceeding from Satan’s suggestions. Visible symbols of God, and all other forms of worship not prescribed in the Holy Scripture, are expressly forbidden.

Exod. 20:4-6; Deut. 12:32; Jer. 10:7; Mark 12:33.

2. RELIGIOUS worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone. It is not to be given to angels, saints, or any other creatures. Since man’s fall into sin, worship cannot be rendered to God without a mediator; and the only accepted mediation is that of Christ.

Matt. 4:9, 10; 28:19; John 5:23; 14:6; Rom. 1:25; Col. 2:18; 1 Tim. 2:5; Rev. 19:10.

3. GOD requires all men to pray to Him, and to give thanks, this being one part of natural worship. But to render such prayer acceptable, several things are requisite: it must be made in the name of God’s Son, it must be Spirit-aided, and it must accord with the will of God. It must also be reverent, humble, fervent and persevering, and linked with faith, love and understanding. United prayer, when offered, must always be in a known language.

Ps. 65:2; 95:1-7; John 14:13, 14; Rom. 8:26; 1 Cor. 14:16, 17; 1 John 5:14.

4. PRAYER is to be made for things lawful, and for men of all sorts now living or as yet unborn. But prayer is not to be made for the dead.

2 Sam. 7:29; 12:21-23; 1 Tim. 2:1, 2.

5. THE reading of the Scripture, the preaching and hearing of the Word of God, the instructing and admonishing of one another by means of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with heartfelt thankfulness to the Lord, the observance of baptism and the Lord’s Table-these are all parts of divine worship to be performed obediently, intelligently, faithfully, reverently, and with godly fear.

Exod. 15:1-19; Ps. 107; Matt. 28:19, 20; Luke 8:18; 1 Cor. 11:26; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2.

6. IN present gospel days neither prayer nor any other aspect of religious worship depends for its efficacy on the place where it is performed or towards which it is directed, for God is everywhere to be worshipped in spirit and in truth; as, for instance, in the daily worship carried on in private families, in the worship in which individual Christians engage in secret, and in the worship of the public assemblies. Such assemblies are convened in accordance with God’s Word and providence, and believers must neither carelessly neglect them nor willfully forsake them.

Ps. 55:17; Mal. 1:11; Matt. 6:6; John 4:21; Acts 2:42; 10:2; 1 Tim. 2:8; Heb. 10:25.

7. AS it is a law of nature, applicable to all, that a proportion of time, determined by God, should be allocated for the worship of God, so, by His Word, He has particularly appointed one day in seven to be called the Lord’s day. It is to be continued to the world’s end as the day for Christian Churches to gather, the observance of the seventh day being abolished.

Exod. 20:8; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1,2; Rev. 1:10.

CHAPTER 22 – CIVIL GOVERNMENT

1. AS the world’s supreme Lord and King, God has instituted civil government and has set up civil authorities, subject to Himself, to rule over communities for His own glory and the public good. For these purposes to be achieved He has given them the powers of life and death, both for the safety and encouragement of all men of good behavior, and for the punishment of the wicked.

Rom. 13:1-4.

2. IT is lawful for Christians to accept and carry out the duties of public office when called upon to do so, in which case it becomes their responsibility to maintain justice and peace in accordance with the sound laws of the kingdoms and states which they serve. New Testament teaching authorizes them to wage war when this is found to be just and necessary.

2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 82:3, 4; Luke 3:14.

3. AS civil rulers are set up by God for the aforementioned purposes, Christians are to be subject to them in respect of all their lawful requirements, and that, for the Lord’s sake and for the sake of the Christian’s conscience, and not merely to avoid punishment. They should offer supplications and prayers for kings and all that are in authority, that under their rule they may live a ‘quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty’.

Rom. 13:5-7; 1 Tim. 2:1, 2; 1 Pet. 2:17.

CHAPTER 23 – MARRIAGE

1. MARRIAGE is to be between one man and one woman. It is not lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband, at one and the same time.

Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15; Matt. 19:5, 6.

2. GOD instituted marriage for the mutual help, benefit, and pleasure of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind in accordance with His laws, and for the prevention of immorality.

Gen. 1:28; 2:18; 1 Cor. 7:2, 9; Song of Solomon.

3. IT is biblical for all sorts of people to marry, provided that they are able to give their rational consent. But it is the duty of Christians to marry only ‘in the Lord’. In consequence, those who profess the Christian faith should not contract marriages with infidels or idolaters. It is also quite unfitting for godly persons to become partners in marriage with persons who lead wicked lives or who maintain damnable heresies.

Neh. 13:25-27; 1 Cor. 7:39; 1 Tim. 4:3; Heb. 13:4.

4. MARRIAGE must not be contracted within the degrees of blood relationship or kinship forbidden in God’s Word. Nor when such incestuous unions occur can they ever be made right in the sight of God, either by any law of man or by the consenting parties, and the persons concerned can never rightly live together as man and wife.

Lev. 18; Mark 6:18; 1 Cor. 5: 1.

CHAPTER 24 – THE CHURCH

1. THE catholic or universal church is invisible in respect of the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace, and had her beginnings with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. It consists of the whole number of the elect who, since the church began, have been, are being, or yet shall be gathered into one body under Christ who is the church’s head. The church is the wife, the body, the fullness of Christ, who ‘fills all in all’.

Eph. 1:10, 22, 23; 5:23, 27, 32; Col. 1:18; Heb. 12:23.

2. ALL persons throughout the world who believe the gospel and render gospel obedience unto God by Christ are, and may be called, Christians; and of such persons all local churches should be composed.

Acts 11:26; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:20-22.

3. THE purest churches under heaven are liable to be troubled by mixture and error, and some have so far degenerated as no longer to be churches of Christ at all, but ‘synagogues of Satan’. Nevertheless, Christ always has had a remnant in this world of such as believe in Him and profess His name, and He ever will have such a church to the world’s end.

Ps. 72:17; 102:28; Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 5; 2 Thess. 2:11, 12; Rev. 2; 3; 12:17; 18:2.

4. THE Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church. By the appointment of the Father, all authority requisite for the calling, establishment, ordering and governing of the church is supremely and sovereignly invested in Him.

Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 4:11, 12; Col. 1:18; 2 Thess. 2:2-9.

5. IN the exercise of the authority which has been entrusted to Him, the Lord Jesus, through the ministry of the Word and by His Spirit, calls to Himself out of the world those who are given to Him by His Father, that they may live in His sight, rendering Him obedience prescribed in the Scripture. He commands those thus called to form churches to promote their common welfare, and to engage in the public worship which He requires them to carry on while they continue in the world.

Matt. 18:15-20; 28:20; John 10:16; 12:32.

6. THE members of these churches are saints by reason of the divine call, and in a visible manner they demonstrate and declare, both by their confession of Christ and their manner of life, that they obey Christ’s call. They willingly consent to hold fellowship together according to Christ’s instructions, giving themselves to the Lord and to one another as God wills, and yielding full assent to the requirements of the gospel.

Acts 2:41, 42; 5:13, 14; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 9:13.

7. TO each of these churches thus gathered according to the divine will made known in His Word, the Lord has given all the power and authority requisite for the carrying on of the form of worship and discipline which He has appointed for their observance. This extends to the provision of such commands and rules as are needful for the rightful and proper use of the power conferred on the churches.

Matt. 18:17, 18; 1 Cor. 5:4, 5; 5:13; 2 Cor. 2:6-8.

8. A local church, gathered and fully organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members. By Christ’s appointment the officers to be chosen and set apart by the church as called and gathered, are elders and deacons. It is their special responsibility to arrange for the carrying out of what the Lord has ordained, and to use the powers entrusted to them for the execution of their duties.

Acts 20:17, 28; Phil. 1:1.

9. BY Christ’s appointment, any man who has been qualified and given the necessary gifts by the Holy Spirit for the work of an elder in a church, must be chosen and called to that office by the unanimous consent of the local church elder board itself.

Acts 6:3, 5, 6; 14:23.

10. PASTORS are required to give constant attention to the service of Christ in His churches; they are to be engaged in the ministry of the Word and in prayer, and to seek the welfare of men’s souls as those that must give account to the Lord. It is therefore imperative that the churches to which they minister should give them, according to the churches’ ability, not only all due honor, but such abundance of this world’s material good as will enable them to live in comfort, without the need to entangle themselves in secular employment, and which will also suffice to enable them to exercise hospitality towards others. Such an arrangement is required by the law of nature itself, and by the express command of our Lord Jesus, who has decreed that ‘they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel’.

Acts 6:4; 1 Cor. 9:6-14; Gal. 6:6,7; 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17,18; 2 Tim. 2:4; Heb. 13:17.

11. ALTHOUGH it is the duty of the elders or pastors of the churches, according to their office, to be constantly active in preaching the Word, yet such a work is not to be regarded as confined wholly to them, for the Holy Spirit may qualify others for the same work by giving them the necessary gifts. In this case, when such men are approved and called to the work by the church, they may and ought to perform it.

Acts 11:19-21; 1 Pet. 4:10, 11.

12. ALL believers are under obligation to join themselves to local churches when and where they have opportunity to do so. It follows that all who are admitted to the privileges of church fellowship also become subject to the discipline and government of the church in accordance with the rule of Christ.

1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15.

13. ANY church members who have taken offense at the behavior towards them of other church members, and who have obeyed the instructions laid down in Scripture for dealing with such cases, must refrain from disturbing the peace of the church, nor should they absent themselves from church assemblies or the administration of church ordinances on account of their being offended by certain of their fellow-members; but they must wait upon Christ in the further proceedings of the church.

Matt. 18:15-17; Eph. 4:2, 3.

14. ALL members of each local church are engaged to pray continually for the good and the prosperity of all churches of Christ, wherever located, and upon all occasions to assist all other believers, within the limits of their own areas and callings, in the exercise of their gifts and graces. It follows, therefore, that churches should seek fellowship one with another, so far as the providence of God provides opportunity for the enjoyment of such benefits.

Ps. 122:6; Rom. 16:1, 2; Eph. 6:18; 3 John 8-10.

CHAPTER 25 – THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SAINTS

1. ALL saints are united to Jesus Christ their head by His Spirit and by faith. But this does not mean that they become one person with Him. Yet they have fellowship in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory. Also, as they are united to one another in love, they enjoy fellowship in the gifts and graces one of another, and are under obligation to render such services, public and private, as promote their mutual well-being, in both spiritual and temporal matters.

John 1:16; Rom. 1:12; 6:5,6; 1 Cor. 3:21-23; 12:7; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 4:15, 16; Phil. 3:10; 1 Thess. 5:11,14; 1 John 1:3; 3:17,18.

2. BY their profession of faith, Christians are committed to the maintenance of a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God and in the performance of such other special services as promote their mutual well-being. They are also bound to relieve one another in their temporal concerns according to their various needs and abilities. According to the rule of the gospel, this type of fellowship, while it particularly applies to the family and church relationships of saints, is to be extended, as God gives opportunity, to the whole household of faith, that is to say, to all who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. At the same time, however, it must be understood that such a sharing one with another as saints, does not deprive any man of the title and proprietorship which he has in his own goods and possessions, nor does it infringe such title.

Acts 5:4; 11:29, 30; 1 Cor. 12:14-27; Eph. 4:28; 6:4; Heb. 3:12, 13; 10:24, 25.

CHAPTER 26 -THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S TABLE

1. BAPTISM and the Lord’s Table are ordinances which have been explicitly and sovereignly instituted by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, who has appointed that they are to be continued in his church.

Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Cor. 11:26.

2. BAPTISM is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ. It is intended to be, to the person baptized and to those who witness the baptism, a sign of his fellowship with Christ in His death and resurrection, and of his being engrafted into Christ, and of the remission of sins. It also indicates that the baptized person has given himself up to God, through Jesus Christ, so that he may live and conduct himself in newness of life.

Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12.

3. THE only persons who can rightly submit themselves to this ordinance are those who actually profess repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, being willing to yield obedience to Him.

Mark 16:16; Acts 2:41; 8:12, 36, 37; 18:8.

4. THE outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, in which the believer is to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 8:38.

5. THE immersion of the believer in water is essential for the due administration of this ordinance.

Matt. 3:16; John 3:23.

6. THE Lord’s Table was instituted by the Lord on the same night in which He was betrayed. It is to be observed in His churches to the world’s end, for a perpetual remembrance of Him and to show forth the sacrifice of Himself in His death. The Lord’s Table is also a bond and pledge of the fellowship which believers have with Christ and with one another.

1 Cor. 10:16, 17, 21; 1 Cor. 11:23-26.

7. IN this ordinance Christ is not offered up to His Father, nor is any real sacrifice made in any sense of that term for remission of sin of the living or the dead. The supper is only a memorial of the one offering up of Christ, by Himself, upon the cross, once for all. It is also a spiritual offering up of all possible praise to God for the once-for-all work of Calvary.

Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:24; Heb. 9:25, 26, 28.

8. IN this ordinance the Lord Jesus has directed his ministers to pray, take the bread, then to take the cup, and to give both to the communicants, they themselves at the same time participating in the communion.

1 Cor. 11:23-26.

9. THE outward elements in the Lord’s Table remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before being set apart for their special use.

1 Cor. 11:26-28.

10. ALL persons who participate at the Lord’s Table unworthily sin against the body and blood of the Lord, and their eating and drinking brings them under divine judgment. It follows, therefore, that all ignorant and ungodly persons, being unfit to enjoy fellowship with Christ, are similarly unworthy to be communicants at the Lord’s Table; and while they remain as they are they cannot rightly be admitted to partake of Christ’s holy ordinance, for thereby great sin against Christ would be committed.

Matt. 7:6; 1 Cor. 11:29; 2 Cor. 6:14, 15.

CHAPTER 27 – THE STATE OF MAN AFTER DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION

1. THE bodies of men after death return to dust and suffer decay, but their souls which neither die nor sink into a state of unconsciousness. Their souls are inherently immortal and immediately return to God who gave them to men. The souls of the DEAD righteous, whose holiness is at death perfected, are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, looking upon the face of God in light and glory, and waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. The souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Souls separated from their bodies are in either paradise or hell, for the Scripture speaks of no other abodes of the departed.

Gen. 3:19; Eccles. 12:7; Luke 16:23, 24; 23:43; Acts 13:36; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23; Heb. 12:23; 1 Pet. 3:19; Jude 6, 7.

2. WHEN the fullness of the Gentiles is complete, saints then alive on the earth will not die, but be changed. All the dead will be raised up with their selfsame bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, and shall be united again to their souls forever.

Job 19:26, 27; 1 Cor. 15:42, 43, 51, 52; 1 Thess. 4:17.

3. BY the power of Christ, the bodies of the unrighteous will be raised to dishonor. By His Spirit, Christ will raise the bodies of the righteous to honor, for they will be refashioned after the pattern of His own glorious body.

John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Phil. 3:21.

CHAPTER 28 – ESCHATOLOGY

1. PHYSICAL death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness. The soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ. There is a separation of soul and body and, for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture , which initiates the first resurrection, when our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord. Until that time, the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in joyful fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev. 6:9-11, 20:4-6; Luke 23:43; Phil. 1:21-24, 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:35, 44, 50, 54; 2 Cor. 5:8.

2. ALL men will be resurrected bodily, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.

John 5:29, 6:39; Rom. 8:10 11, 19-23; 2 Cor. 4:14; Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:13 15).

3. THE souls of the unsaved at death are kept under punishment until the second resurrection, when the soul and the resurrection body will be united. They shall then appear at the Great White Throne judgment and shall be cast into hell, the lake of fire, cut off from the life of God forever.

Luke 16:19-26; Rev. 20:11-15; John 5:28, 29; Matt. 25:41-46; Dan. 12:2; 2 Thess. 1:7-9.

4. THE Lord Jesus Christ will return bodily before the seven year tribulation to translate His church from this earth and, between this event and His glorious return with His saints, to reward believers according to their works.

1 Thess. 4:15-5:11; Titus 2:13; John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 3:11-15, 15:51-53; 2 Cor. 5:10.

5. IMMEDIATELY following the removal of the church from the earth, the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world, and that these judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth. At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged. This period includes the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy.

John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 9:24-27, 12:2, 3; 2 Thess: 2:7-12; Rev. 16, 20:4-6; Matt. 24:15-31, 25:31-46.

6. AFTER the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David and establish His messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth. During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world.

Matt. 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 1:10, 11; 2:29, 30 Ezek. 37:21-28; Dan. 7:17-22; Rev. 19:11 16, 20:1-7.

7. THE kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel to restore them to the land which they forfeited through their disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15 68). The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:1 26) but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing.

Isa. 65:17 25; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-32, 37:21-28; Zechariah 8:1-17; Rom. 11:25-29.

8. THIS time of our Lord’s reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long life, and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan.

Isa. 11; 65, 17 25; Ezekiel 36:33 38; Rev. 20:7.

9. FOLLOWING the release of Satan, after the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven. Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone whereupon Christ, who is the Judge of all men, will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne judgment.

Rev. 20:7-10; Matt. 25:41; John 5:22.

10. THIS resurrection of the unsaved dead to judgment will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgment, they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire.

Rom. 14:10-13; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:11-15.

11. AFTER the end of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgment of unbelievers, the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells. Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will enjoy forever fellowship with God and one another. Our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father that in all spheres the triune God may reign forever and ever.

2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 20:7-15, chapters 21 and 22; 2 Peter 3:10; Eph. 5:5; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 15:24-28.

CHAPTER 29 – ANGELS

1. ANGELS are created beings and are therefore not to be worshiped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they are created to serve God and to worship Him.

Luke 2:9 14; Hebrews 1:6 7, 14; 2:6 7; Revelation 5:11 14; 19:10; 22:9.

2. SATAN is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator, by taking numerous angels with him in his fall, and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve.

Ezek. 28:11 19; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:1, 14; Gen. 3:1, 15.

3. SATAN is the open and declared enemy of God and man; the prince of this world, who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire.

Matt. 4:1, 11; Rev. 12:9, 10; Rom.16:20; Ezek. 28:11 19; Matt. 25:41; Rev.20:10

 2012 Copyright Bethlehem Bible Church

The Truth

02 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Apologetics, Biblical Truth, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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Sometimes Father Reid says it best… *Okay, more often than sometimes. When one is filled with the Truth, the Truth has a way of asserting itself…

Veritas

“The Bible boldly, uncompromisingly, and clearly states that truth is located in God’s Word (John 17:17) and in a person, Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 17). God’s Word is absolutely certain, and is beyond alteration and correction. Evangelical Christianity claims that God has divinely spoken and revealed his truth into our lives and we can know him and his will through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and encounter with his holy Word. “I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right” (Isaiah 45:19). God must be known, worshipped, and loved through his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God who is God’s final word to mankind (John 1:1-18). The personification of truth is found in Jesus Christ who is the truth (John 14:6) and who has come to bear witness to the truth (John 1:17; 18:37). Jesus says himself he is the only way…

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Read the Bible

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Asceticism, Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Morality, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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Words to live by… Offered by my spiritual mentor, pastor and friend, Father Reid Hensarling:

Veritas

“The divinely inspired Scriptures are Christianity’s final and supreme authority and the only inerrant and ultimately sufficient and necessary rule and guide for faith and practice. Because God has graciously taken the initiative and revealed himself by clearly speaking to us in Holy Scripture, biblical truths can be learned and incorporated into daily living. Additionally, the Scriptures are unsurpassed in their clarity and witness to the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ. The Old and New Testaments are dynamic and eternal written records of the words and actions of God and man’s corresponding reaction to God’s revealed word, displayed in myriad and varied acts of obedience and disobedience. Examination of the biblical accounts in the Old and New Testaments point to the significance and impact of the gospel to bring spiritual renewal to their people. God addressed his people through his words in concrete situations and historical events” (My doctoral dissertation)…

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Rebuttal: “Hyper-Grace is Freedom to Sin?”

26 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Apologetics, Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Justification, Morality, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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A common misconception of Calvinism is the notion that “grace” is a ticket to sin…a free pass, essentially. This is utter nonsense. The regenerate soul craves release from the bondage of sin–not the fleshly, worldly desires to continue onward in a state of total depravity. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.… (Romans 1:18-19).

The point is that we have a gift that we did not deserve, nor earned by any acts of our own volition. GOD’s grace was freely given and not merited. Romans 6 says that I am “a slave to sin,” that I cannot help myself, yet, the paradox exists: I am also responsible for my own salvation.

Freewill is the ability to make decisions that are consistent with our nature and without coercion. In our depraved nature, we cannot choose righteousness, nor choose to forsake sin and freely choose him. GOD must first change our heart so that we can believe. *”In a light bulb, electricity must be first present in order for the light to be present.”

“Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor. 5:17). The old things were the sinful passions and desires. Our enslavement to them is broken when we are born again. Furthermore, once we are born again, we are no longer our own; and we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sins: “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;” (John 16:8). This conviction of sins occurs in the believer and is a method that the Lord uses to help us stop sinning. We are not saved so that we are free to go out and do that which is wrong. We are saved so that we might bring glory to God and demonstrate the work of regeneration in us as we turned from our sinful ways.

Matt Slick lays out this narrative–that we are all sinners, but through the atoning work through Jesus Christ and faith alone, we can become born again. To be born again means that something new has happened in us. This “something” is the change in us that is the result of regeneration. “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor. 5:17). The old things were the sinful passions and desires. Our enslavement to them is broken when we are born again. Furthermore, once we are born again, we are no longer our own; and we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sins: “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;” (John 16:8). This conviction of sins occurs in the believer and is a method that the Lord uses to help us stop sinning.

The following is the complete article from CARM.org:

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If we accept Jesus as Savior, can we then sin all we want?

by Matt Slick

Being saved is not accomplished by reciting a few special words. We do not say a magic phrase and become saved. We do not merely say, “Jesus please forgive me”; and suddenly all of our sins are automatically wiped away simply because we uttered a special sentence. It isn’t a formula for salvation or an incantation that somehow cleanses us and then permits us to go out and sin. The Bible says, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2).[fn]All scriptures quotations are from the NASB.[/fn] Unfortunately, there are those who accuse Christians of having a license to sin. To this, the Bible says, “And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say), ‘Let us do evil that good may come?’ Their condemnation is just.” (Rom. 3:8). Notice that Paul says that those who accuse the Christians of doing evil are being slanderous.

On the contrary, salvation is an appeal to God for cleansing from sin, forgiveness, and repentance, so that we might not sin. This appeal is a heartfelt confession of our hopelessness before God and an acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. It is simultaneous with sincere repentance which is a turning from sin–not to it.

To receive Jesus in our hearts means we have first acknowledged that we are sinners and that we are incapable of saving ourselves or of appeasing God in any way. We acknowledge before God that we are helpless and worthy of damnation. But with this, we also acknowledge that Jesus is the one who paid the penalty for our sins. We realize that there is no possible way that we can make things right with God by our own works. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are accepting the call to repentance from sin. God then calls us His children: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,” (John 1:12).

New Creatures

Furthermore, when we receive Christ, we are regenerated; we are changed; we are born again. This means that there is something different about us. Something has happened to us. This is why Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). To be born again means that something new has happened in us. This “something” is the change in us that is the result of regeneration. “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Cor. 5:17). The old things were the sinful passions and desires. Our enslavement to them is broken when we are born again. Furthermore, once we are born again, we are no longer our own; and we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who convicts us of our sins: “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;” (John 16:8). This conviction of sins occurs in the believer and is a method that the Lord uses to help us stop sinning. We are not saved so that we are free to go out and do that which is wrong. We are saved so that we might bring glory to God and demonstrate the work of regeneration in us as we turned from our sinful ways. This is why it says in Rom. 6:1-2, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” And also, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!” (Rom. 6:15). And again, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31). How can we bring glory to God by going out and sinning? We cannot. In fact, anyone who says that he is a Christian and then continues in his sins without seeking repentance and without conviction is a liar. The Bible clearly states, “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 John 2:4-6).

The Bible says that Jesus bore our sins in his body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24) and that salvation is a free gift we receive by faith (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9). When we accept Jesus, we are accepting the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins–by faith. We are trusting Jesus alone for salvation. When we do this, the Holy Spirit lives in us. Since the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8), we then seek to please God and avoid sin. It is a natural result of being saved.

No, accepting Jesus does not mean that we can then go out and sin. It means we have turned from sin, and we are new creatures who desire to bring glory to God and not use the grace of God to sin.

Scriptures Quoted

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2). “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Cor. 7:10). “With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,” (2 Tim. 2:25). “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,” (John 1:12). “And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Pet. 2:24). “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23). “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9). “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;” (John 16:8).

Hyper-grace??? A “Shroud Out” to Calvinism??? sic

02 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Apologetics, Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Every Knee Shall Bow, Justification, Morality, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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What is this? This term is as offensive as it is oxymoronic. Apparently, none of you tossing around this very pejorative term, “hyper-grace” is familiar with the supernatural power of “saving grace,” nor the Book of Romans in the New Testament (that explains the basis of this extraordinary gift from GOD). It seems to undermine GOD by discrediting those who might apply an overstated understanding of grace–as if to suggest, “GOD cannot do this.” How do you know?

Since when did preachers of “salvation by grace” say that holiness and righteousness is not commanded? I haven’t heard many preachers say that holiness was not important and necessary to live in this life at peace and in communion with the Father. But, then again, I have never heard a “hyper-grace” offender. Who are they? Is this a new epithet aimed at Calvinism? Proffered by the same folks who coined “Hyper-Calvinism?”

Dr. Michael L. Brown (American Messianic Jew, Arminian) must have invented this word, for he is writing books and posting furiously about it on social media. Essentially, it is a highly offensive label not-so-subtly intended for Reformed teachers and preachers. What do I mean? Well, examples of this “hyper-grace” (at the bottom) by those alleging it are simply so egregious–that none of it cannot be taken seriously. And, it surely does not apply to any preachers of any integrity or stature in the reformed community. No, it is just the latest ruse by which opponents seek to discredit Reformed or Calvinist interpretations of scripture, specifically “salvation by grace” messages, by conflating it with truly heretical and false teachings about sin and repentance.

It is terminology like “hyper-grace” which sows dissension among fellow Christians. Attacks allege that “hyper-grace” is the notion that grace is a “get out of Hell free card” or that “sin has no consequence,” because we can sin freely and “get a pass” with grace alone. Nonsense. Sure, I have heard this kind of heresy before, but not by any serious theologians–and certainly none of any stature.

“Hyper-grace” ascribed to intellectually honest reformers is no more accurate than calling Arminians keepers and “heapers” of Old Testament “fire and brimstone” judgment upon others. However, people using this new term to tear down each other are exhibiting arrogance and boastfulness–as if to suggest one’s “works” can keep him saved. It is even Pharisaical, as if to say, “we can do this on our merits.” Wrong. Our works are simply not sufficient. We sin continuously and must confess those sins constantly. Even still, we cannot work our way into heaven. Only by the blood of Christ and by his grace are we saved!

Man is utterly depraved. Regeneration is not a cure-all for sin, and it is a daily struggle to remain holy. But, that does not mean we stop trying, nor does it mean we are damned. We cannot do enough to save ourselves. We cannot be sufficiently holy. Without the saving grace of our Lord and Savior, we cannot stand before the judgment seat of the Lord. Seriously, are you “good enough?” To suggest that your narrow path and wondrous works lead to salvation is works-righteousness, and that is a false doctrine.

So, how do these guys characterize this, “hyper-grace”?

Joseph G. Mattera had the following to say about “hyper-grace” in a piece on CharismaNews.com. This is completely absurd, for starters. What he describes below is not hyper-grace; it is non-Biblical. It is non-doctrinal. The new trick by Anti-Calvinists is to conflate reformed preachers of sound doctrine with antinomian apostates and heretics…

……………………..

The following are signs of a hyper-grace church (according to Anti-Calvinist, Mattera):

1. The preachers never speak against sin.

If you are in a church like this, you will notice that the word sin is usually only mentioned in the context of forgiveness of sins in Christ but hardly ever in the context of taking a stand against sin, except of course when they condemn the sin of “legalists” and “Pharisees” who are the ministers they denigrate for preaching against sin.

2. The lead pastor never takes a cultural stand for righteousness.

When issues like abortion come up, these pastors will shy away from mentioning it because they are afraid of offending new people. I can understand this to a point. But I counter that we as ministers of Christ are obligated to at least mention our positions publicly so that we use it as a teaching moment for the sheep following us. Not saying anything about an issue like abortion is another way of condoning it!

3. The Old Testament is almost totally ignored.

In these churches, the Old Testament is treated as only types and shadows for sermon illustrations but has no real value regarding our standard of living today. As I show in this article, my position is that the New Testament and Old Testament are organically connected, with the New building upon the Old, not eradicating it altogether!

4. People who live immoral lives are allowed to teach and lead ministries.

One pastor was telling me that sexual immorality and drunkenness is rampant in many evangelical churches—even amongst small group leaders and other leaders in local churches! This is because there is very little accountability.

5. The lead pastor speaks often against the institutional church.

Many hypergrace pastors constantly denounce churches that are conservative in their values because they believe those churches represent the “old school” that is no longer relevant to today’s culture.

6. The lead pastor preaches against tithing.

Although I believe tithing carried over into the New Testament, I believe it is more of a biblical principle that preceded the Law of Moses (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all tithed before Moses gave the Law), was taught by Jesus (Matt. 23) and was mentioned in other passages, like Hebrews 7.

These pastors denounce tithing as a law that was done away with in Christ. (For more on this, read my position paper entitled “Is Tithing in the New Testament?”)

7. The lead pastor only preaches positive motivational messages.

Those attending hypergrace churches only hear positive messages on health, wealth, prosperity, God’s love, God’s forgiveness and how to succeed in life. Although I also agree with and teach on these topics, we have to be careful to include in our preaching the whole counsel of God so that we feed the flock a balanced diet instead of just the sweetness of feel-good messages. We must do this so we are free from the blood of all men (Acts 20:26-27).

8. Key members of the church are regularly living sinful lives with impunity.

Those attending a hypergrace church will most likely find that, because of the strong emphasis on grace—with no teaching against sin or on repentance, judgment or hell—there is an atmosphere of loose living, with many involved in sexual immorality and drunkenness as well as other physical vices.

The reason for this is “the law is our schoolmaster that leads us to Christ” (Gal. 3:24) because through the (moral) law comes the knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20). If the moral law of the Ten Commandments is not preached or alluded to, then in ignorance the people will live foolish lives and will be like the blind leading to blind because “where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law” (Prov. 28:18).

In conclusion, there are many other things I could mention regarding hypergrace churches and their preaching, like how it is one step away from universalism (the belief that all people will eventually be saved, whether they believe the gospel or not, e.g. Love Wins by Rob Bell) and liberalism, because an increasing amount of Scripture is eviscerated because it is culturally offensive (like husbands being the head of the house, views on homosexuality, etc.).

I believe antinomianism is a dangerous trend in evangelicalism and is something we need to lovingly take a stand against with our brothers and sisters who espouse it.

Joseph G. Mattera is overseeing bishop of Resurrection Church, Christ Covenant Coalition, in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can read more on josephmattera.org or connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.

……………………..

Modern-day Pharisees and anti-Calvinists are out there claiming that reformed theologians and preachers espouse “sinning for free” or “Get out of Hell Free.” It is ridiculous and a gross mischaracterization of Paul’s message to the Romans. It is also ridiculous to be promoting works-righteousness as a way to heaven. But, that is precisely the soteriological message folks like Brown and Mattera are selling.

Life at Peace

12 Wednesday Nov 2014

Posted by Koenraad Strom Schildknecht in Asceticism, Biblical Truth, Christ is King, Morality, Sanctification, Sovereignty of GOD

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“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:9-18, NIV)

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