"It's far better to be divided by Truth than united in error."-Dr. Adrian Rogers

In our age of relativism, post-modernism, unity and peace at all costs, ecumenicalism, etc., the late Dr. Rogers' statement is much needed among Christians today..  

"It's far better to be divided by Truth than united in error."

-Dr. Adrian Rogers

I'm sure some of the young rock-star pastors (if you can even call them pastors) like Furtick and Noble, as well as older ones like Warren, Osteen, etc... would call Dr. Rogers a "hater" for speaking the Truth.

Your comment/discussion, and/or opinions are welcome.

God Predestines. Man is Responsible. Can both be true?

My answer is, ABSOLUTELY!  The Bible consistently teaches both.   Do you have trouble reconciling how these two statements can both be true?  Well, Charles H. Spurgeon believed every Word he read in Scripture, even if it "appeared" to contradict what he read elsewhere in Scripture.  Consider the following from Spurgeon:

"That God predestines, and that man is responsible, are two things that few can see. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not. It is just the fault of our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught in one place that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find in another place that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is my folly that leads me to imagine that two truths can ever contradict each other. These two truths, I do not believe, can ever be welded into one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity: they are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the mind that shall pursue them farthest, will never discover that they converge; but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring." (Charles H. Spurgeon, New Park Street Pulpit, 4:337)

Well spoken, Pastor Spurgeon!

And as Randy Alcorn (who currently holds to 4 points of Calvinism) stated:

"...our theology should be a reflection of Scripture itself, and wherever Scripture teaches apparently contradictory ideas, our theology should embrace those same ideas, rather than resort to a consistency which rejects part of God’s revealed Word."

Alcorn goes on to state:

"My Greek professor liked to say, “I would rather be comfortable with my Bible and uncomfortable with my theology, than comfortable with my theology and uncomfortable with the Bible.”

Agreed!
For Alcorn's excellent webpage where these quotes were taken from, click below.
http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Mar/22/spurgeons-theology-embracing-biblical-paradox/

The Lamb's Book of Life---Written when?

Can you remember being in church services that closed something like this?

Every head bowed, every eye closed, no one looking around, instruments playing softly, now raise your hand and look up at me if you would like to have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life tonight.  Is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life?  Would like you like it to be?  Then as soon as we start singing, if you will walk down this aisle and take me by the hand, pray this prayer, do this and that, jump through this hoop and that hoop, etc.,  your name can be written down in the Lamb's Book of Life tonight in Heaven..........Now, how does it feel to know your name has just been written down in the Book?

Is this correct?  I believe Scripture teaches the Lamb's Book of Life was written before the foundation of the world, not at a moment in time when you make your "decision for Christ".  Agree?  Disagree?  I invite you to read on if interested...

I can remember end-of-church-service invitations very similar to this growing up in a Southern Baptist Church in Louisiana. The Pastors, Preachers, Evangelists, etc. speaking like this were great men of God who loved Jesus, and they were instrumental in bringing many people into the Kingdom of God (both wheat and tares, no doubt, but didn't Jesus say they must both grow together?  see Matthew 13)

Now, is there anything wrong with that type of "invitation" or "invitations" in general?  Glad you asked, but I'm not going there on this blog.  There's much debate over invitations, and people feel strongly on both sides of the debate, but I know God is not hindered and His arm is not shortened that He cannot save, regardless of our "methodology". Countless multitudes of souls have been saved with and without invitations because it is God who does the saving by the power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel, not us or our invitational methods.

 The reason I was thinking about the Lamb's Book of Life today has to do with a facebook post by R.C. Sproul earlier today, as follows:

 Ligonier Ministries FACEBOOK post:
When God writes our names in the 'Lamb's Book of Life' He doesn't do it with an eraser handy. He does it for eternity. - R.C. Sproul

The comment thread was getting longer and longer, and I noticed no one seemed to mention what Scripture says about this, but only made comments about Revelation 3:5 and whether or not we can be blotted out of the Book.  So I put my two cents worth in (a metaphor for "my opinion", for those International readers  that may not be familiar with American English "figures of speech").  The following is my response on Ligonier's thread:

Actually, our names aren't written in the Lamb's Book of Life when we're saved, they're already there from before the foundation of the world... Rev.13:3 (NASB) speaks of "those whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb", and Rev.17:8 (ESV if you prefer) speaks of those "whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world"...so the names of the elect are already there, which coincides with Ephesians Chapter 1, Romans Chapter 8, etc., and the promise is that they will never be blotted out in Rev. 3:5, because cities in that day would blot out or purge the names of undesirables from their city register...the promise is that this will not happen to us who are secure in Christ...

Arthur W. Pink's last words before he died in 1952 were:  
"THE SCRIPTURES EXPLAIN THEMSELVES!"

So in summary, according to Scripture (and Scripture is our only Authority), the Elect's names are already written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world and will never be blotted out.  

But you might say "then what's the use for me, if I'm not elect, I don't have a chance. "
Well, I'm glad you asked!

John 1:12-13 (ESV) says

But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

and Revelation 22:17 says  The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

So if you're not sure of your salvation, or if you know you're not saved, and if you are being convicted and drawn by His Spirit, if you will humble yourself, cry out to Him and sincerely surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in repentance and faith, you will find that your name has already been written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  
But if you continue to reject the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, you will one day (perhaps judgement day) see that your sins remain on yourself, and that your name is not in the Book.  How tragic that would be...

Charles Simeon meets John Wesley (a "delightful" conversation)

According to a book I'm reading by Warren Wiersbe, "50 People Every Christian Should Know-Learning From Spiritual Giants of the Faith", Charles Simeon wrote,

"My endeavor is to bring out of scripture what is there, and not to trust in what I think might be there...Take the Word as little children without enquiring what human system it appears to favor."..."Be a Bible Christian and not a system Christian," he advised his students.

Simeon once had a "delightful personal meeting with Wesley"
Wesley recorded briefly in his journal later:

"I went to Hinxworth, where I had the satisfaction of meeting Mr. Simeon...He gave me pleasing information..."

Simeon left a more complete record of the conversation as recorded below.

the following is from:
http://www.founders.org/blog/2009/11/charles-simeon-calvinism-arminianism.html
Charles Simeon (1759-1836) was an Anglican who served Trinity Church in Cambridge, England for 54 years. The story of his life and ministry are fascinating and challenging to modern pastors who tend to be soft and too quick to retreat in the face of opposition and trial.
Simeon tells the following story from his early years of a meeting that he had with the venerable John Wesley. A young, largely unproven Calvinist engages an older, much revered Arminian.
The conversation--and heart behind it--is instructive for us today as we contemplate how brothers should relate to those with whom we disagree on important doctrinal points. Too often we allow our disagreements to eclipse completely the fundamental beliefs that we hold in common.
Now let's allow Charles Simeon join the conversation (he writes about his experience in the third person perspective). He has something to teach us. May the Lord grant us a double portion of his spirit today.

A young Minister (Charles Simeon), about three or four years after he was ordained, had an opportunity of conversing familiarly with the great and venerable leader of the Arminians(John Wesley) in this kingdom; and, wishing to improve the occasion to the uttermost, he addressed him nearly in the following words:

--"Sir, I (Simeon) understand that you (Wesley)are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions, not from impertinent curiosity, but for real instruction."
Permission being very readily and kindly granted, the young Minister proceeded to ask,
--"Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved, that you would never have thought of turning unto God, if God had not first put [it] into your heart?
--"Yes," says the veteran, "I do indeed."
--"And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by any thing that you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?"
--"Yes, solely through Christ."
--"But, Sir, supposing you were first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?"
--"No; I must be saved by Christ from first to last."
--"Allowing then that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?"
--"No."
--"What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother's arms?"
--"Yes; altogether."
--"And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto his heavenly kingdom?"
--"Yes; I have no hope, but in him."
--"Then, Sir, with your leave, I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my Calvinism; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final perseverance: it is, in substance, all that I hold, and as I hold it: and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree."

The Arminian leader was so pleased with the conversation, that he made particular mention of it in his journals; notwithstanding there never afterwards was any connexion between the parties, he retained an unfeigned regard for his young inquirer to the hour of his death.

(Charles Simeon, Expository Outlines on the Whole Bible, Vol. 1: Genesis-Leviticus Preface, pp. xvii-xviii)