¹⁸ knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. ²⁰ He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you ²¹ who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.  

I guess we must decide which is more curious – the search term itself, or why it directed the searcher here?!?!?!  Assuming the searcher was directed due to the Ravi Zacharias info on our FAQ page doesn’t quite answer it – “ooty?”

It’s not like we’re posting links to KC & The Sunshine Band songs or anything along with Ravi’s material…..

Philemon’s Love and Faith

⁴ I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, ⁶ and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. ⁷ For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

From his book, No One Like Him: The Doctrine Of God, cited at Monergism.com:

If I [believe in libertarian freedom and] plead with God to remove my friend’s illness, that is not absurd, for God can answer that prayer without negating anyone’s freedom. But what about the request that God change the attitudes and actions of my friend’s tyrannical boss? What about petitions that ask God to move those processing applications for graduate school to accept my friend? Or what about prayers that ask God to keep my enemies at work from bothering me? And what about pleading with God to save a dear relative or friend? In all of these cases, what am I asking God to do, if libertarian free will obtains? I am either asking God to override others’ freedom, or I am asking him to move them to do something freely in spite of the fact that my belief in libertarian free will means that I believe Gold cannot get anybody to do anything freely. If I truly value libertarian free will as much as libertarians say they do, why would I ask God to override it just because of my petition? . . . Libertarians may be asking God to try to persuade their friends, but I repeat that God can only guarantee their persuasion by casual determinism, and that abridges libertarian free will.

On the other hand, if I am not asking God to override someone else’s freedom, then I’m asking him to do something which I believe he cannot do (make it the case that someone else does something freely). I may ask him to try to persuade the person, but I know that without God overriding their freedom, he cannot guarantee that they will change. In fact, since at the moment of free decision making nothing decisively inclines their will, regardless of what God or anyone else does or says, the matter may be hopeless. In light of such problems with interceding with God to change someone’s incompatibilistically free actions or attitudes, there is good reason for anyone committed to libertarian free will who understands the implications of the position to think twice before offering intercessory prayers of the kind mentioned. In fact, prayer to change either our or others’ actions seems problematic.

 Acts 1:6–11 (ESV)

The Ascension

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹ and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”  

Below we show the parts of our constitution discussed by Pastor Gwilt during the class.

Clause 3 — Covenantal Responsibilities of Members:

It is our expectation that members of the Church fulfill the mission of the Church in their personal lives. As such, all members of Indian River Baptist Church agree to the following covenant standards:

As members of Indian River Baptist Church, we commit to and affirm the following:

1. A Thirst for God
We believe a distinguishing characteristic of a person who is a follower of Christ is that they have a deep desire to know, love and obey God. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37). We commit ourselves to know Him by reading and studying His word, seeking to commune with Him through prayer, and living a life that is obedient to His commands and to His
Spirit’s leading.

2. Personal Purity
We believe the greatest evidence that a person is a follower of Jesus is not only the words they express, but also the life they live. We commit ourselves to living in manner that shuns evil and follows Jesus‟ path of holiness and righteousness. Furthermore, we commit ourselves to abstaining from all things which may hinder our spiritual walk, or cause the spiritual walk of another believer to stumble. In all things we subject ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and will strive to continually demonstrates the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

3. Relational Integrity
We believe that God intends for His people to walk the Christian life together, in spiritual community. We promise to encourage and comfort one another in word and deed, and to radically refuse to engage in gossip, slander, anger, and any malicious talk. We commit ourselves to overlook offenses, offer forgiveness when offense occurs, and seek reconciliation where a relational breech has occurred. We recognize we are one Body in Christ, held together by the divine unity of the Holy Spirit, and therefore commit ourselves to self-sacrificing love toward one another.

4. Involvement in Ministry
We believe in the continued Work and Mission of Christ, which is the Gospel that has been entrusted to His Body. We pledge to be actively engaged in the ministries of this local assembly, to participate regularly in its gatherings, to actively share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to freely give of our time, talents, and treasures to help fulfill this mission.

5. Submission to godly leadership
We submit ourselves willingly to one another, recognizing that Christ has placed spiritual brothers and sisters into our lives as an aid to our spiritual growth. We submit ourselves to the authority, guidance, and teachings of the spiritual leadership within this congregation, who are committed to our spiritual growth, and will actively seek to encourage spiritual growth in others.

6. A Servant’s Heart
We believe that God has called us to demonstrate Christ-like love toward one another.  We recognize that we are to view others as more valuable than ourselves, and to place their needs and desires above our own. We renounce the spirit of pride and selfishness which causes division and strife among God‟s people, and commit ourselves to being active in love-permeated service to each other and to the unbelieving community around us.

7. Regular, Cheerful Giving
We believe that supporting the local church through our tithes and offerings is the privilege and positive command given to God‟s people. We therefore pledge ourselves to contribute systematically and sacrificially to the financial support of the church, willingly forgoing material comforts, as God leads, in order to promote ministry of eternal value.

————

Article 13 – Baptistic Distinctives

Both as individual Christians and as a corporate Church body, our identity is found ultimately only in Jesus Christ, our risen King, Redeemer, and Lord. As such, we stand in unity with all faithful followers of Christ from every tribe, language, and nation. However, we also stand firmly within the Baptist tradition, adhering to the following distinctives:

1. The authority of Scriptures for faith and practice. (We are to organize and operate our churches according to the Word of God and not man-made traditions) 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

2. The priesthood of the believer — (Each believer can draw near to God in full assurance of faith in our tasks for God, prayer, in worship and in confession of sins) — 1 Peter 2:5.

3. A regenerate, baptized membership — (The Word of God clearly indicates that only followers of Jesus Christ, who have obeyed His command of baptism after conversion, should be received into the local church) — Acts 2:41, Acts 8:36-38.

4. The autonomy of the local church — (Each church is independent, governed by pastors/elder, deacons, and the congregation as a whole; it is not subject to any higher ecclesiastical control.) — Acts 2:42.

5. Individual Soul Liberty — (Each believer is directly accountable to God and is subject to the Word of God. Since it is the Holy Spirit that convicts the conscience, no person or group may force their beliefs upon another) — Acts 5:29; Romans 15:5).

6. The Two Ordinances — (Baptism is the immersion of the Believer into water after conversion, symbolic of our new life in Christ. The Lord‘s Supper is the remembrance of Christ‘s atoning death on the Cross) — Matthew 28:19a, Luke 22:19

7. The separation of Church and State — (The Church and State are distinct, with each fulfilling its duties to God free from control by the other) — Matthew 18:15-17, Romans 13:1.

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

Oh that you were like a brother to me

who nursed at my mother’s breasts!

If I found you outside, I would kiss you,

and none would despise me.

I would lead you and bring you

into the house of my mother—

she who used to teach me.

I would give you spiced wine to drink,

the juice of my pomegranate.

His left hand is under my head,

and his right hand embraces me!

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

that you not stir up or awaken love

until it pleases.

Who is that coming up from the wilderness,

leaning on her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you.

There your mother was in labor with you;

there she who bore you was in labor.

Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal upon your arm,

for love is strong as death,

jealousy is fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

the very flame of the Lord.

Many waters cannot quench love,

neither can floods drown it.

If a man offered for love

all the wealth of his house,

he would be utterly despised.

Others

We have a little sister,

and she has no breasts.

What shall we do for our sister

on the day when she is spoken for?

If she is a wall,

we will build on her a battlement of silver,

but if she is a door,

we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

She

I was a wall,

and my breasts were like towers;

then I was in his eyes

as one who finds peace.

Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;

he let out the vineyard to keepers;

each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

My vineyard, my very own, is before me;

you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,

and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

He

O you who dwell in the gardens,

with companions listening for your voice;

let me hear it.

She

Make haste, my beloved,

and be like a gazelle

or a young stag

on the mountains of spices.

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

How beautiful are your feet in sandals,

O noble daughter!

Your rounded thighs are like jewels,

the work of a master hand.

Your navel is a rounded bowl

that never lacks mixed wine.

Your belly is a heap of wheat,

encircled with lilies.

Your two breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle.

Your neck is like an ivory tower.

Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,

by the gate of Bath-rabbim.

Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon,

which looks toward Damascus.

Your head crowns you like Carmel,

and your flowing locks are like purple;

a king is held captive in the tresses.

How beautiful and pleasant you are,

O loved one, with all your delights!

Your stature is like a palm tree,

and your breasts are like its clusters.

I say I will climb the palm tree

and lay hold of its fruit.

Oh may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,

and the scent of your breath like apples,

and your mouth like the best wine.

She

It goes down smoothly for my beloved,

gliding over lips and teeth.

I am my beloved’s,

and his desire is for me.

Come, my beloved,

let us go out into the fields

and lodge in the villages;

let us go out early to the vineyards

and see whether the vines have budded,

whether the grape blossoms have opened

and the pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give you my love.

The mandrakes give forth fragrance,

and beside our doors are all choice fruits,

new as well as old,

which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

From the sermon, “A Jealous God,” based upon a portion of Exodus 34:14:

for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God

Spurgeon said this:

Let me add, dear friends, I feel persuaded that false doctrine, inasmuch as it touches God’s sovereignty, is always an object of divine jealousy. Let me indicate especially the doctrines of free-will. I know there are some good men who hold and preach them, but I am persuaded that the Lord must be grieved with their doctrine though he forgives them their sin of ignorance. Free-will doctrine—what does it? It magnifies man into God; it declares God’s purposes a nullity, since they cannot be carried out unless men are willing. It makes God’s will a waiting servant to the will of man, and the whole covenant of grace dependent upon human action.

Thanks to Facebook friend AWS for the tip.

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

Others

Where has your beloved gone,

O most beautiful among women?

Where has your beloved turned,

that we may seek him with you?

She

My beloved has gone down to his garden

to the beds of spices,

to graze in the gardens

and to gather lilies.

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;

he grazes among the lilies.

He

You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love,

lovely as Jerusalem,

awesome as an army with banners.

Turn away your eyes from me,

for they overwhelm me—

Your hair is like a flock of goats

leaping down the slopes of Gilead.

Your teeth are like a flock of ewes

that have come up from the washing;

all of them bear twins;

not one among them has lost its young.

Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate

behind your veil.

There are sixty queens and eightyconcubines,

and virgins without number.

My dove, my perfect one, is the only one,

the only one of her mother,

pure to her who bore her.

The young women saw her and called her blessed;

the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.

“Who is this who looks down like the dawn,

beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun,

awesome as an army with banners?”

She

I went down to the nut orchard

to look at the blossoms of the valley,

to see whether the vines had budded,

whether the pomegranates were in bloom.

Before I was aware, my desire set me

among the chariots of my kinsman, a prince.

Others

Return, return, O Shulammite,

return, return, that we may look upon you.

He

Why should you look upon the Shulammite,

as upon a dance before two armies?

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

He

I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,

I gathered my myrrh with my spice,

I ate my honeycomb with my honey,

I drank my wine with my milk.

Others

Eat, friends, drink,

and be drunk with love!

She

I slept, but my heart was awake.

A sound! My beloved is knocking.

“Open to me, my sister, my love,

my dove, my perfect one,

for my head is wet with dew,

my locks with the drops of the night.”

I had put off my garment;

how could I put it on?

I had bathed my feet;

how could I soil them?

My beloved put his hand to the latch,

and my heart was thrilled within me.

I arose to open to my beloved,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh,

on the handles of the bolt.

I opened to my beloved,

but my beloved had turned and gone.

My soul failed me when he spoke.

I sought him, but found him not;

I called him, but he gave no answer.

The watchmen found me

as they went about in the city;

they beat me, they bruised me,

they took away my veil,

those watchmen of the walls.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

if you find my beloved,

that you tell him

I am sick with love.

Others

What is your beloved more than another beloved,

O most beautiful among women?

What is your beloved more than another beloved,

that you thus adjure us?

She

My beloved is radiant and ruddy,

distinguished among ten thousand.

His head is the finest gold;

his locks are wavy,

black as a raven.

His eyes are like doves

beside streams of water,

bathed in milk,

sitting beside a full pool.

His cheeks are like beds of spices,

mounds of sweet-smelling herbs.

His lips are lilies,

dripping liquid myrrh.

His arms are rods of gold,

set with jewels.

His body is polished ivory,

bedecked with sapphires.

His legs are alabaster columns,

set on bases of gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,

choice as the cedars.

His mouth is most sweet,

and he is altogether desirable.

This is my beloved and this is my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem.

Salvation belongs to the Lord (Ps. 3:8; Jonah 2:9; Rev. 7:10)

Reading what many people are writing – Christian people, to be specific – concerning yesterday’s Presidential election is quite interesting.  Many, many Christians, especially those who did not vote for President Obama, have been declaring the sovereignty of God in this election.  We read much about how this is part of God’s eternal plan and about how God sovereignly orchestrated the events of yesterday in order to fulfill that plan.  Let’s examine the statements a little closer.

How could God sovereignly orchestrate the electoral results?  Didn’t people walk into polling places, complete their ballots, choosing based upon their own preferences and desires – and didn’t they do so willingly, volitionally – “freely?”  If their decisions were willing, volitional ones based on their own conscience – how could God sovereignly orchestrate the events of yesterday?  As of this moment, the results show 59,631,249 people voted for President Obama.  That means that many people made decisions of their own will do vote for him.  Now, is this the way God sovereignly oversees His Creation – where He allows events to happen and then “responds” and makes it part of His eternal plan? (which is what many people really mean by stating God’s sovereignty concerning the election) No, the Bible says God has determined the end from the beginning and no one can frustrate His plan (e.g. Isaiah 46:9-10, Daniel 4:34-35).  Therefore, if the election yesterday was God’s plan – how did it happen?  Over 59 million people made decisions – choices – yesterday.  How does that fit into this plan?  If this were God’s eternal plan, how did over 59 million people become participants?

Because God is sovereign.

That may seem basic, but one must think about the implications – how and why did 59 million people choose President Obama instead of one of the other candidates?  Was God just  gnashing his proverbial teeth, hoping that 59,00,000 people would do what he desired them to do?  No.  One must think carefully – and biblically – about this issue? How did all those people – 59 million of them – make willing, volitional, “free” decisions that would fulfill God’s eternal plan?  The biblical answer is because God decreed those decisions in eternity and caused them to occur in time and space.  This is how God providentially governs His Creation – the God of the Bible is not the God of the Deists (think Thomas Jefferson), a God who created all things, set Creation in motion and has stepped back and just watches.

We must go back further.  Why was President Obama up for re-election in the first place?  Over 69 million people voted for Mr. Obama.  If they had not done that, he would not have been on the ballot yesterday and his re-election would not have been part of God’s eternal, sovereign plan.

We must go back even further.  How did he get on the ballot in 2008?  Through the means of the willing choices made by voters in the primary process.

We must go back further.  How did he get involved in the primary process?  Because he was a Senator from Illinois, voted into office by the people of Illinois through all their willing choices.

We must go back further.  How did Mr. Obama become known on a national level?  Through his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.  Why was he chosen to give that speech?  Why not someone else?  That speech catapulted Mr. Obama to national visibility.  Willing, volitional choices had to be made by certain powers-that-be in order for Mr. Obama to have given that speech.

We could engage in nearly infinite regress here but hopefully the point has been made.  An untold number of  ”free” choices had to be made for the events of yesterday to come to pass.  They could only have come to pass – a number of decisions which we cannot imagine – in order for the voters of the United States to have re-elected Mr. Obama yesterday.  Those decisions, however, were not outside the will of God – and God did not merely “permit” or “allow” these decisions.  All the decisions through history that people have made were pointing to the events of yesterday.  God is not just a deity who throws all the events and choices of history into a cosmic vat, stirring them with the ultimate spoon, hoping they mix together to accomplish His will.  God actually decrees and controls man’s decisions.  Yes, He does.

One need not object, saying that man is thus not held responsible as a moral agent (a “robot,” or a “puppet,” to use common objections) if God decrees his choices.  One need only read one Old Testament passage (Isaiah 10:5-19) and one New Testament passage (Romans 9:6-24) as a primer, because there are many more concerning the issue of God’s control of man’s decisions and man’s moral responsibility for those decisions.

To sum up our first point- yes, God was sovereign yesterday and His sovereignty could only have been manifest because He had ordained not only the outcome of the election, but the means to that outcome – a nearly infinite number of choices made by people over many years and many different circumstances.

It is not uncommon to see such statements made by Christians, especially in light of events that occur which are what people consider less than favorable.  Events such as Presidential elections (whether or not one objects to or affirms yesterday’s results), natural disasters, illness, unexpected death and so on are taken under the heading of the sovereignty of God in order for those affected to receive some degree of comfort – and biblically, they should.

It is quite interesting to see Christians proclaiming God’s sovereign authority and His ordination of events occurring in history – events that include “free” choices made by men – with regard to all arenas of life and society except one, which is the most important one of all: the salvation of sinners.

What is the most important “choice’ a person will make in his or her life?  The decision as to trust or not trust Christ.  To follow or not follow Christ.  To believe or not believe. To come to Christ or leave one’s back turned to Him.  Those are all entailed in the same choice, by the way.  Many, many who are now affirming God’s exhaustive sovereignty over history – said history necessarily including man’s willing, volitional choices – will affirm it in all areas of history except (except!) the salvation of sinners.

We are told by these people that God has opened the door to salvation for all but that whether or not a man walks through that door is completely up to him – up to his own “free will.”  We are told God woos, entices, beckons but does not – indeed cannot, because man’s “free will”  has to be preserved at all costs – do anything to actually effect or ensure anyone – no one, not even one person – comes to Christ.  We are told that God cannot intervene in a person’s life and change their nature so that instead of hating God, they would love Him.  We are told that God cannot intervene and give a person sufficient faith in order that they not only believe, they willingly believe.  We are told that God cannot intervene in a person’s life and create sufficient faith and repentance such that a person cannot do anything other than come to Christ.  We are told that no matter how much God may desire to save a person, He will not, cannot, indeed must not intervene in the life of an unwilling person to save him from the horrors of Hell.  We are told that God has sovereignly decided to not be absolutely sovereign in the saving of sinners.  Why?  Because that would interfere with man’s “free will.”  ”Free will” must be preserved at all costs – even at the cost of “God’s unconditional love” for every single human being such that He expresses that love by not intervening to prevent a person’s condemnation -is that the biblical teaching?

Is the inconsistency clear here?  If one is willing to ascribe God’s superintending of “free” human choices and actions, such as those of the men who wrote down revelation from God that we know as “the Bible,” if one is willing to affirm God’s exhaustive sovereignty over yesterday’s Presidential election and all the events and decisions in human history that brought us to this point, why are people not willing to say the same about God’s exhaustive sovereignty in the salvation of sinners?  If every other decision or choice a person makes in his life falls under the sovereign decree of God – where is the biblical exemption with regard to a person’s choice to follow Christ?

The Bible states that every person is conceived in sin and is a rebel against God.  The Bible states that every person by nature is a child of wrath, is a hater of God, has a heart that is wicked beyond comprehension and does not obey God because he cannot obey God.  The Bible says that faith that saves is a gift from God.  The Bible says repentance is granted by God.  The Bible says God brings people from death to life as an act of His sovereign grace.  The Bible says these people who are brought from death to life truly, truly believe because that belief is their own belief, given to them as a gift and they believe because they want to believe and are not compelled against their will to believe.  The Bible says that this saving work begin in a sinner’s life as a gift from God will be carried through to completion.

It is wonderful, to be sure, seeing all the proclamations of the absolute sovereignty of God popping up all over cyberspace last night and today.  In the big picture, though, the Presidential Election and God’s sovereignty over it are not the most important issues we must address.  The most important issue is a man’s salvation or damnation.  God is absolutely sovereign over that area, as well.  Let us all be consistent in applying the clear biblical teaching with regard to salvation belonging to our Lord.  Praise God He is sovereign in the salvation of sinners.

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

He

Behold, you are beautiful, my love,

behold, you are beautiful!

Your eyes are doves

behind your veil.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

leaping down the slopes of Gilead.

Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes

that have come up from the washing,

all of which bear twins,

and not one among them has lost its young.

Your lips are like a scarlet thread,

and your mouth is lovely.

Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate

behind your veil.

Your neck is like the tower of David,

built in rows of stone;

on it hang a thousand shields,

all of them shields of warriors.

Your two breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle,

that graze among the lilies.

Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

I will go away to the mountain of myrrh

and the hill of frankincense.

You are altogether beautiful, my love;

there is no flaw in you.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;

come with me from Lebanon.

Depart from the peak of Amana,

from the peak of Senir and Hermon,

from the dens of lions,

from the mountains of leopards.

You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;

you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace.

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!

How much better is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!

Your lips drip nectar, my bride;

honey and milk are under your tongue;

the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

A garden locked is my sister, my bride,

a spring locked, a fountain sealed.

Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates

with all choicest fruits,

henna with nard,

nard and saffron, calamus andcinnamon,

with all trees of frankincense,

myrrh and aloes,

with all choice spices—

a garden fountain, a well of living water,

and flowing streams from Lebanon.

Awake, O north wind,

and come, O south wind!

Blow upon my garden,

let its spices flow.

She

Let my beloved come to his garden,

and eat its choicest fruits.

God elects [i.e. chooses, predestines, foreordains 

A)     His angels

1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

B)     His peculiar people, Israel

Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

Deu 7:6-8  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Deu 10:14-15 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.

Psa 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Isa 43:20-21 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

C)    Individuals to salvation

Psa 65:4  Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Joh 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Rom 8:28-30  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Rom 9:10-24  And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Rom 11:5-7  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Eph 1:3-6  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:11-12  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

2Th 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

D)    Individuals to condemnation

Exo 4:21  And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Rom 9:17-18  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Rom 9:21-22  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

3.      His motivation in election

A)     His own good pleasure

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

B)     The display of his glory

Isa 43:6-7  I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Rom 9:22-24 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Eph 2:4-7  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

1Co 1:27-31  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

C)    His special love

Deu 7:6-8  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

2Th 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

D)    His foreknowledge

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

1Pe 1:2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

• Which means his special love

Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Amo 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Mat 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

1Co 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained [Greek, “foreknown”] before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

E)     But not:

• Any good [nobility, wisdom, power, choice, seeking] he foresees in anyone

Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Rom 9:11-13 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Rom 10:20  But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

1Cor 1:27-29 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1Cor 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

On my bed by night

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not.

I will rise now and go about the city,

in the streets and in the squares;

I will seek him whom my soul loves.

I sought him, but found him not.

The watchmen found me

as they went about in the city.

“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

Scarcely had I passed them

when I found him whom my soul loves.

I held him, and would not let him go

until I had brought him into my mother’s house,

and into the chamber of her who conceived me.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the does of the field,

that you not stir up or awaken love

until it pleases.

What is that coming up from the wilderness

like columns of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,

with all the fragrant powders of a merchant?

Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!

Around it are sixty mighty men,

some of the mighty men of Israel,

all of them wearing swords

and expert in war,

each with his sword at his thigh,

against terror by night.

King Solomon made himself a carriage

from the wood of Lebanon.

He made its posts of silver,

its back of gold, its seat of purple;

its interior was inlaid with love

by the daughters of Jerusalem.

Go out, O daughters of Zion,

and look upon King Solomon,

with the crown with which his mother crowned him

on the day of his wedding,

on the day of the gladness of his heart.

 Acts 1:1–5 (ESV)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ² until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³ He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

⁴ And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

I am a rose of Sharon,

a lily of the valleys.

He

As a lily among brambles,

so is my love among the young women.

She

As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,

so is my beloved among the young men.

With great delight I sat in his shadow,

and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

He brought me to the banqueting house,

and his banner over me was love.

Sustain me with raisins;

refresh me with apples,

for I am sick with love.

His left hand is under my head,

and his right hand embraces me!

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the does of the field,

that you not stir up or awaken love

until it pleases.

The voice of my beloved!

Behold, he comes,

leaping over the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Behold, there he stands

behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

looking through the lattice.

My beloved speaks and says to me:

“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,

and come away,

for behold, the winter is past;

the rain is over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of singing has come,

and the voice of the turtledove

is heard in our land.

The fig tree ripens its figs,

and the vines are in blossom;

they give forth fragrance.

Arise, my love, my beautiful one,

and come away.

O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,

in the crannies of the cliff,

let me see your face,

let me hear your voice,

for your voice is sweet,

and your face is lovely.

Catch the foxes for us,

the little foxes

that spoil the vineyards,

for our vineyards are in blossom.”

My beloved is mine, and I am his;

he grazes among the lilies.

Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle

or a young stag on cleft mountains.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This passage is one of those which provides great comfort – or at least should do so – for the Christian.  It appears to be a rather clear, definitive statement on the assurance of salvation for the child of God.  However, quite often, there is a disclaimer attached to this passage by the one expounding/exegeting it – which is what?  This statement, in one form or another, is made:

Nothing can separate us from the love of God – except ourselves!

Huh?  ”Nothing” doesn’t mean “nothing?”  Evidently not, to some.  ”Nothing” being a universal negative, does “nothing” mean “nothing?”  Or is Paul speaking in hyperbole?  Let’s take a look, beginning with a little logic.

A simple syllogism show one problem with the “except ourselves!” exposition:

Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

We can separate ourselves from the love of God.

Therefore, we are nothing.

Preposterous?  Well, yes, but consistent with the “except ourselves’ thought, right?  Let’s dig deeper.

What is the context of Paul’s statement stating that nothing can separate us from the love of God?  Romans 8, where Paul has spoken on the sovereignty of God in in v. 28, where he says,

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  

If we were to back up further, we would see where Paul says the Romans have “received the Spirit of adoption as sons” in v. 15.  The receipt of the Spirit – was this a gift?  Yes, it was.  What does the Bible say about gifts given by God?  They are….irrevocable (Rom. 11:29).  If this Spirit of adoption is given as a gift, is this giving irrevocable?  Yes, it is.    Those who receive the Spirit of adoption as sons are sons – irrevocably.

In Romans 8 Paul also, after saying what he says concerning adoption and the sovereignty of God, he then says this in vv. 29-30:

 ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.  

Who are these people?  This group of people in 29-30 are the elect.  Is there anyone ‘saved’ who exists outside this group?  No.  Reading backward helps here – every single person who is to be glorified (Paul uses the prophetic perfect here – past prediction of future events, speaking of these events as if they have already been accomplished) has been justified.  Every single person who is justified has been called.  Every single person who has been called has been predestined and every single person who has been predestined was foreknown by ‘he’ – God, from v. 28.

The Romans whom Paul describes in v. 15 as having received the Spirit of adoption as sons are included in this group – the elect – of vv. 29-30.  Is every single person who is foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified in vv. 29-30 actually called, justified and glorified in time and space, having been foreknown and predestined in eternity (cf. Eph. 1:3-14)?  Yes, they are.  If one wishes to object here – think about it – who is saved outside of this group?  Can one be saved who was never foreknown, never predestined, never called, never justified and never glorified?  Is there anyone who receives the Spirit of adoption who is not foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified? As Paul might say, “By no means!”

Earlier, we cited Romans 11:29 and the irrevocable gifts of God – however, that’s not the entirety of the thought.  There is something else that is irrevocable in addition to the gifts of God – His calling.  This is the “call” of v. 30.  This is the “calling” which Peter tells the elect to confirm diligently in his second Epistle, chapter one, verse ten.   Being an irrevocable gift, this call of Romans 11, expressed here in 8:30, assures the one who is called that he may know he is saved (1 John 5:13).

So far we have a people who have been adopted, who also fall into the group which is foreknown, predestined, called, justified and glorified.  Is anyone ever removed from this group?  No.   No.  They cannot be or the passage as plainly stated – and the irrevocability of God’s gifts – must be called into question, which we dare not.  What else is said about these people?

Paul poses several questions beginning in verse 31 and he answers them as well for the reader.  We will post these in question and answer format.

Q:  What then shall we say to these things?  What ‘things?”  The ‘things Paul has just stated concerning adoption, the Spirit interceding (which we did not cover), foreknowledge, predestination, call, justification and glorification.

A:   If God is for us, who can be against us?  He answers the question with a question and the assumed answer to this question is “No one,” which he explains in the following questions and answers.

Q:    He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  The assumed answer?  ”Yes.”

Q:   Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  Paul uses courtroom imagery here – who dares to bring accusations of guilt against God’s elect people?

A:  It is God who justifies.  No one.  Why?  Who can overturn God’s declaration that the elect, upon faith, are just and no longer condemned to a death sentence?

Q:   Who is to condemn?  Who can pronounce a sentence of guilty upon the elect?  No one.  Why?

A:  Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.  There has already been One who has incurred the full punishment for the guilt of the elect – the “us” Paul refers to here.  Christ bore the full weight of the punishment due the elect – there is no more penalty to be paid.

Paul now asks the questions that result in his statement in vv. 38-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

So far Paul has asked three questions with an answer of “No one.”  He continues the train here and we will see the answer is still the same: “No one.”  Paul will actually expand the answer here from “No one,” to “No one and nothing.”

The question Paul asks concerns a person or people – “Who shall separate us…”  Then he expands the question to include issues other than people – to nature, to life circumstances, to the spiritual realm and makes it all inclusive.  The answer?  Not yet.  Paul cites Psalm 44, where the Psalmist writes of the people of God being made like sheep for the slaughter – but what is the context of Psalm 44?  God’s people have rebelled and they are being rebuked by God – see 44:9, which says God has rejected them and 44:14, where they are said to be a laughingstock.  Paul gives new meaning to this in applying the verse not to rebellious people but to the obedient children of God.  He is saying the same fate awaits the obedient now as did the rebellious in Psalm 44.  The elect here will suffer for their obedience at the hands of the pagans in the same way the rebellious children of Israel suffered at the hands of the pagans in Psalm 44.

Even knowing this, Paul’s answer to his own question is once again the same: “No one.”  He says that in “all these things” the elect will conquer – and in fact will more than conquer.  But how?  Through him who loved us – “us” again being the elect).  ”All these things” – what are they?  They are the tribulations, the distresses, the persecutions, the famines, the nakedness, the dangers and the sword of verse 35, which will result in the sheep being slaughtered.

Because of this – Paul begins verse 38 with “For” – Paul is certain, sure that nothing – nothing – nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Paul knew the society and culture in which these people lived.  He knew that being a Christian brought  with it hostility from pagans, which would manifest itself in many different ways.  He knew there would be spiritual battles.  He also knew he had to provide some pastoral advice in the form of a theological construct.  Good theology and good doctrine is at its root “practical.”  This was very practical to the Roman Christians and is also practical to us today and has been practical for  almost 2,000 years since God breathed out these words through His Apostle.

If God has set His love on you and saved you, He will love you for eternity because he has loved you in eternity past.  The assurance of our salvation is not based upon our love for God – it is based upon His love for us.  As the Scripture says, we love Him because He first loved us.  Paul wants to make it irrefutable here – those upon whom God has set His love cannot be separated from that love.

Can we separate ourselves from the love of God?  No.  Why not?  because His love for His elect is such that He will take the necessary measures to ensure that His elect persevere in faith until the end.  Praise God.  Praise God he is a God of promises – the God of fulfilled promises.  He loves me.  He loves His children.  And nothing can separate His children from that love – not even ourselves.

Therefore, our series this week – plus one, since there are eight chapters in our current Bibles (none in the original, of course) – will post one chapter a day, without comment.  This is the word of God just as much as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and it is therefore, good, lovely, true, breathed-out by God and beneficial for the people of God.  Perhaps you’ve never read it and most likely you’ve never heard a sermon or been taught this section of Scripture.  Here it is, without comment, editorializing or verse numbers (thanks to ESVBible.org‘s swell Settings feature, which allows you to read the Bible without chapter heading and verse numbers).

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

She

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For your love is better than wine;

your anointing oils are fragrant;

your name is oil poured out;

therefore virgins love you.

Draw me after you; let us run.

The king has brought me into his chambers.

Others

We will exult and rejoice in you;

we will extol your love more than wine;

rightly do they love you.

She

I am very dark, but lovely,

O daughters of Jerusalem,

like the tents of Kedar,

like the curtains of Solomon.

Do not gaze at me because I am dark,

because the sun has looked upon me.

My mother’s sons were angry with me;

they made me keeper of the vineyards,

but my own vineyard I have not kept!

Tell me, you whom my soul loves,

where you pasture your flock,

where you make it lie down at noon;

for why should I be like one who veils herself

beside the flocks of your companions?

He

If you do not know,

O most beautiful among women,

follow in the tracks of the flock,

and pasture your young goats

beside the shepherds’ tents.

I compare you, my love,

to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.

Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,

your neck with strings of jewels.

Others

We will make for you ornaments of gold,

studded with silver.

She

While the king was on his couch,

my nard gave forth its fragrance.

My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh

that lies between my breasts.

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms

in the vineyards of Engedi.

He

Behold, you are beautiful, my love;

behold, you are beautiful;

your eyes are doves.

She

Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful.

Our couch is green;

the beams of our house are cedar;

our rafters are pine.

From Jim McClarty, pastor of Grace Christian Assembly.  See the bottom for a link to Jim’s free book, “By Grace Alone.”

—————-

Hello Pastor Jim,

Recently I have been watching your videos on YouTube of your messages and sermons about the Sovereignty of God, Calvinism, predestination, and Reformed Theology.

I am greatly encouraged by the messages but still confused because of how I was raised. People in the church I attended said Calvinists do not evangelize and they [Calvinists] think people are robots with no free will to love God.

So here are my questions:

1. Are all events on earth already preordained by God?
2. Do we have a “free will?”
3. Are we robots already programmed?
4. How does the aspect of love play into this if we are just puppets?

Reply:

I understand your perplexity.  It takes time to sort through the things you’ve been taught and separate traditions from valid doctrines. One of the most difficult aspects of learning and embracing what the Bible actually says is un-learning our traditions, assumptions, and presuppositions.

The things that you’ve written here are typical responses to Calvinism.  For instance, people who do not know their church history will often claim that Calvinism inhibits evangelism.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is, some of the greatest revivals in history were led by Calvinists.  The first universities planted on U.S. soil were established by Calvinists.  Some of the most enduring missionary societies were established by Calvinists.  So, the claim that Calvinists do not evangelize is mere folly.

The following bit of history is from my book By Grace Alone (which is available as a free pdf download on the GCA website), including a pericope from David Steinmetz’s bookCalvin in Context.

Calvinism, as it is commonly called, has a rich European history, but it finds its most striking influence during the foundation of these United States. Owing to Martin Luther’s commitment to reform, the church that bears his name was founded on the teaching of God’s election and determinate predestination. John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church, held these doctrines. Early American history reveals that the vast majority of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock were Calvinistic Presbyterians. The Congregationalist Churches of early America were once bound by these doctrines. And the original Baptists were avid predestinarians, which is why their modern counterparts advertise themselves as “Free-Will Baptists” to distinguish themselves from their ancestors.

This English Calvinist strain was strengthened by the Dutch Calvinists of New York and New Jersey, the German Reformed of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and the Scots-Irish Presbyterians who settled in the mid-Atlantic and southern colonies.While not all settlers in the New World were Protestant and not all Protestants were Calvinist, nevertheless there was from the very beginning a strongly Calvinist influence on American thought and institutions. Calvinists founded universities, pioneered the New England town meeting, insisted on the separation of powers in the federal government, played a prominent role in the movement for the abolition of slavery, and even promoted such characteristic institutions of frontier revivalism as ‘the anxious bench’ and the ‘camp-meeting’… In short, although Calvinism is not the only ingredient in American intellectual and religious history, it is such an important ingredient that no one can claim to understand American history and culture without some appreciation of its Calvinist heritage.

Or, let’s look at it this way:  Calvinistic theology is drawn directly from biblical, Pauline doctrine.  Of all the New Testament writers, Paul wrote the most complete arguments in favor of God’s absolute predestination and electing grace.  Yet, Paul devoted his life, his wealth, his health, and everything in him to the work of evangelism.  Calvinists follow Paul’s example.  We teach everything that the Bible says and we do everything that the Bible instructs.  We evangelize vigorously because we do not know who God’s elect are.  And in reality, Calvinism inspires evangelism because we know that God’s word will not return to Him void; it will accomplish what God intends for it to accomplish.

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. (Isa. 55:11)

So we preach the good news full of hope and expectation.  By contrast, a person who believes in man’s autonomous free will has to fight the uphill battle of trying to convince someone to make a decision that is completely contrary to their nature and self-interest.  The Calvinist is convinced that only the power of God changing a person from the inside will result in salvation.  Therefore, the only tool we need is the truth of God’s word.  And we know His word will be successful; His people are out there and they will respond.  That takes a tremendous weight of pressure off of our shoulders and places responsibility for salvation exactly where it belongs — in God’s hands.

As for the robot argument, this YouTube sermon may help: http://youtu.be/ZJTjBg-QJ78

Basically, when someone poses the “robot” argument (also known as the “that would make us puppets” argument), it’s evidence that they have a sub-biblical anthropology.  They think human beings are essentially good, capable, and willing to follow God if you just give them sufficient inducement.  But, the Bible says just the opposite.  Psalm 53 and Romans 3 come to mind.

God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God.  Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalm 53:2-3)

As it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,     THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE. THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING, THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS; WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS; THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN. THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” (Romans 3:10-18)

In the YouTube video, I reviewed the various New Testament passages that describe the human condition from God’s point of view.  You mentioned previously that you have been taught that Calvinism eliminates man’s “free will to love God.”  The truth is, the Bibleeliminates man’s free will to love God. Nowhere in the Bible are human beings spoken of as being willing and capable of loving God unless God Himself awakens and quickens them.  Calvinism simply places the emphasis where it belongs — on God’s will instead of man’s.

Now, with that bit of introduction out of the way, let’s address each of your questions individually.

Are all events on earth already preordained by God?

The short answer is: Yes.

All Christians agree, in essence, that God is in charge of the really large events.  But the Bible also declares that God feeds the animals, hangs the stars, determines the days of every man’s life, and settles “the whole disposing” of things as minute as casting lots.  In other words, anyone who says that God is not in charge of everything in His universe must be able to tell us exactly where the line of demarcation is. What things is God in charge of and what things are beyond His scope?  Based on clear Scripture, I would inquire, what part of God’s creation does He restrict Himself from?  And where is He absent?

The Bible declares that He is everywhere, has all knowledge, and even gives Himself the proper name “God Almighty.”  So, if He has all the power, knows everything, and is everywhere, then there is nothing in His universe that escapes His grasp, is hidden from Him, or which He does not empower.  Otherwise, we would have to argue that He is limited in His knowledge and presence, or that there is another power in His creation that is separate and distinct from Him.  And that, biblically-speaking, is an impossible argument to win.

 Do we have a “free will?”

The term “freewill” has been utilized in Christian circles for so long that the concept is simply assumed to be true, despite the lack of clear biblical evidence. For instance, the only place in the entire Bible where the actual terminology “freewill” exists is as a type of Old Testament offering. But importantly, that word never shows up in the New Testament. Now that fact, in and of itself, does not automatically undermine the concept of free will. The word “Trinity” is also not in the New Testament, but the concept is plainly and repeatedly displayed. So, what we really have to determine is whether the concept of “free will choice,” as a part of the salvation process, is ever mentioned, implied, or stated in the New Testament.

Here are the facts: wherever the will of man is referred to in the Bible it is always in the negative. In other words, because human beings are sinful, their will is equally depraved and is therefore limited. To say it more simply, human beings cannot act outside of the confines of their nature.

My YouTube teaching video “Thinking About Free Will” may prove helpful in this regard. http://youtu.be/j3oSqbLDGxc

According to the Bible, our wills are limited by our inability –

Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil.  (Jeremiah 13:23)

So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.  (Matthew 7:17)

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.  (John 8:43)

…the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8)

And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?  (Luke 12:25-26)

There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. (Romans 3:11)

Given our inability to do good, choose God, or enable our will against its nature, salvation must be the result of grace on God’s part and never the result of the “free will” decisions of any human. And the Bible states that repeatedly and emphatically.

For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. (Romans 9:15-16)

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, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  (John 1:12-13)

But, here’s the really essential point — if free will (as the modern church defines it) were indeed an essential element in salvation, then the passages that deal with salvation should actually mention it. But, they don’t. You can read through every portion of Scripture that deals with eternal salvation and you will find words like: predestination, election, and “according to His will.”

But never — never once, not a single time — will you read the word “freewill.”

That really ought to tell us something. The language and concept of freewill in salvation is glaring in its absence.  So, why is it so popular among confessing evangelicals?  Despite the textual evidence, human beings love the idea that they contribute something to their salvation. It just seems more “fair” that way.  And, our egos being what they are, we want to insert ourselves into the process in some significant way so that we can assure ourselves on the basis of our own actions and behavior.  It is, for lack of a better term, human nature.  Corrupt, fallen, prideful, arrogant, rebellious human nature.

Now let me be clear. I am not denying that human beings have a will or that they make decisions. What I am saying is that the human will is not truly free in any libertarian sense. The human will is limited by our incapabilities, resulting from our sinfulness. The fact that we make choices does not prove that we can choose anything we would like. As Romans 3:11 says, we cannot simply choose to understand, nor can we choose to seek God. And that is a very serious limitation.

Also, whenever man’s “will” is referenced in the Bible, it is always in the negative.  “You were not willing…”   “You do always resist the Holy Spirit…”  “You will not come…” etc.   That is completely consistent with what the Bible teaches concerning man’s natural state.  Sinful humans are free to sin.  But no sinful human is free to do what is righteous, what is just, or what is holy.  In fact, there is no man who does anything that is good.  And there is no one who ever sought God.

And that leads us right back to the topic of Biblical Anthropology.  The first tenet of Reformed Theology (the “T” in the tulip acrostic) is Total Depravity.  If you start there, then the entire rest of the five points fall perfectly in line.  But if you deny that humans are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), then you will end up advocating for human capability and wind up in direct opposition to the clear declarations of Scripture.  It’s really just that simple.

Are we robots already programmed?

I offered a brief reply to this statement earlier, but let me also offer a bit of audio wherein I addressed this very question:

Puppet Argument

 How does the aspect of love play into this if we are just puppets?

The question of love is used as a “red herring” by those who oppose Calvinism.  They assume that human beings are free to love God or not love God according to their own “free will.”  But, as I wrote above, if the biblical description of mankind is accurate then no natural human being has the capacity to love God.  In fact, they hate Him with a vengeance.  They are referred to as His enemies:

 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)

The biblical reality is that only after God quickens and enlightens a person can they truly love God.  I get weary of hearing preachers say, “Only love that is freely given his genuine love!  Calvinism says that God forces His love on us.  Forced love is not real love.”  Norman Geisler went so far as to say that Calvinism posits a form of “divine rape.”

“Irresistible force used by God on his free creatures would be a violation of both the charity of God and the dignity of humans. God is love. True love never forces itself on anyone. Forced love is rape, and God is not a divine rapist!” (Norman Geisler, “God knows all Things,” Predestination and Free Will, (ed.) David Basinger and Randall Basinger (IVP, 1986), p. 69 ).

What sad rhetoric such men have to stoop to in order to avoid what the Bible says.  Again, the fact is that humans will never “freely” love God until God removes their hatred and enmity and puts His divine spirit within them.  And, as I have argued openly and often, God is indeed irresistible in every aspect of His character and dealings with mankind. http://youtu.be/e9SiY4HAgNg

So, how does the aspect of love play into this?  It is God’s divine and eternal love that resulted in the grace that saved fallen sinners like you and me. In response to that reality, and as a result of His quickening power, we loved Him.  But, as in all things, God is the “first cause.”  He does not love us in response to our love.  We love Him because He first loved us.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1John 4:7-11)

Don’t allow people to mischaracterize Calvinism and tell you that it limits evangelism, does damage to man’s free will, makes us robots and puppets, or reduces divine love to forced rape.  I think you can see that those are all emotion-based arguments, not Biblical arguments.  People are naturally suspicious and afraid of things they do not understand.  I wish more of Calvinism’s critics would take the time to understand it before they begin criticizing it.

Grace and peace,

Jim Mc.

By Grace Alone is available via this link:http://www.salvationbygrace.org/uc/sub/docs/bygracealone.pdf

Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying, “Repent ye, etc.,” intended that the whole life of his believers on earth should be a constant penance.

2. And the word “penance” neither can, nor may, be understood as referring to the Sacrament of Penance, that is, to confession and atonement as exercised under the priest’s ministry.

3. Nevertheless He does not think of inward penance only: rather is inward penance worthless unless it produces various outward mortifications of the flesh.

4. Therefore mortification continues as long as hatred of oneself continues, that is to say, true inward penance lasts until entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

5. The Pope will not, and cannot, remit other punishments than those which he has imposed by his own decree or according to the canons.

6. The Pope can forgive sins only in the sense, that he declares and confirms what may be forgiven of God; or that he doth it in those cases which he hath reserved to himself; be this contemned, the sin remains unremitted.

7. God forgives none his sin without at the same time casting him penitent and humbled before the priest His vicar.

8. The canons concerning penance are imposed only on the living; they ought not by any means, following the same canons, to be imposed on the dying.

9. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, acting in the Pope, does well for us, when the latter in his decrees entirely removes the article of death and extreme necessity.

10. Those priests act unreasonably and ill who reserve for Purgatory the penance imposed on the dying.

11. This abuse of changing canonical penalty into the penalty of Purgatory seems to have arisen when the bishops were asleep.

12. In times of yore, canonical penalties were imposed, not after, but before, absolution, as tests of true repentance and affliction.

13. The dying pay all penalties by their death, are already dead to the canons, and rightly have exemption from them.

14. Imperfect spiritual health or love in the dying person necessarily brings with it great fear; and the less this love is, the greater the fear it brings.

15. This fear and horror – to say nothing of other things – are sufficient in themselves to produce the punishment of Purgatory, because they approximate to the horror of despair.

16. Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven seem to differ as perfect despair, imperfect despair, and security of salvation differ.

17. It seems as must in Purgatory love in the souls increase, as fear diminishes in them.

18. It does not seem to be proved either by arguments or by the Holy Writ that they are outside the state of merit and demerit, or increase of love.

19. This, too, seems not to be proved, that they are all sure and confident of their salvation, though we may be quite sure of it.

20. Therefore the Pope, in speaking of the perfect remission of all punishments, does not mean that all penalties in general be forgiven, but only those imposed by himself.

21. Therefore, those preachers of indulgences err who say that, by the Pope’s indulgence, a man may be exempt from all punishments, and be saved.

22. Yea, the Pope remits the souls in Purgatory no penalty which they, according to the canons, would have had to pay in this life.

23. If to anybody complete remission of all penalties may be granted, it is certain that it is granted only to those most approaching perfection, that is, to very few.

24. Therefore the multitude is mislead by the boastful promise of the paid penalty, whereby no manner of distinction is made.

25. The same power that the Pope has over Purgatory, such has also every bishop in his diocese, and every curate in his parish.

26. The Pope acts most rightly in granting remission to souls, not by the power of the keys – which in Purgatory he does not possess – but by way of intercession.

27. They preach vanity who say that the soul flies out of Purgatory as soon as the money thrown into the chest rattles.

28. What is sure, is, that as soon as the penny rattles in the chest, gain and avarice are on the way of increase; but the intercession of the church depends only on the will of God Himself.

29. And who knows, too, whether all those souls in Purgatory wish to be redeemed, as it is said to have happened with St. Severinus and St. Paschalis.

30. Nobody is sure of having repented sincerely enough; much less can he be sure of having received perfect remission of sins.

31. Seldom even as he who has sincere repentance, is he who really gains indulgence; that is to say, most seldom to be found.

32. On the way to eternal damnation are they and their teachers, who believe that they are sure of their salvation through indulgences.

33. Beware well of those who say, the Pope’s pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to God.

34. For the forgiveness contained in these pardons has reference only to the penalties of sacramental atonement which were appointed by men.

35. He preaches like a heathen who teaches that those who will deliver souls out of Purgatory or buy indulgences do not need repentance and contrition.

36. Every Christian who feels sincere repentance and woe on account of his sins, has perfect remission of pain and guilt even without letters of indulgence.

37. Every true Christian, be he still alive or already dead, partaketh in all benefits of Christ and of the Church given him by God, even without letters of indulgence.

38. Yet is the Pope’s absolution and dispensation by no means to be contemned, since it is, as I have said, a declaration of the Divine Absolution.

39. It is exceedingly difficult, even for the most subtle theologists, to praise at the same time before the people the great wealth of indulgence and the truth of utter contrition.

40. True repentance and contrition seek and love punishment; while rich indulgence absolves from it, and causes men to hate it, or at least gives them occasion to do so.

41. The Pope’s indulgence ought to be proclaimed with all precaution, lest the people should mistakenly believe it of more value than all other works of charity.

42. Christians should be taught, it is not the Pope’s opinion that the buying of indulgence is in any way comparable to works of charity.

43. Christians should be taught, he who gives to the poor, or lends to a needy man, does better than buying indulgence.

44. For, by the exercise of charity, charity increases and man grows better, while by means of indulgence, he does not become better, but only freer from punishment.

45. Christians should be taught, he who sees his neighbor in distress, and, nevertheless, buys indulgence, is not partaking in the Pope’s pardons, but in the anger of God.

46. Christians should be taught, unless they are rich enough, it is their duty to keep what is necessary for the use of their households, and by no means to throw it away on indulgences.

47. Christians should be taught, the buying of indulgences is optional and not commanded.

48. Christians should be taught, the Pope, in selling pardons, has more want and more desire of a devout prayer for himself than of the money.

49. Christians should be taught, the Pope’s pardons are useful as far as one does not put confidence in them, but on the contrary most dangerous, if through them one loses the fear of God.

50. Christians should be taught, if the Pope knew the ways and doings of the preachers of indulgences, he would prefer that St. Peter’s Minster should be burnt to ashes, rather than that it should be built up of the skin, flesh, and bones of his lambs.

51. Christians should be taught, the Pope, as it is his bounden duty to do, is indeed also willing to give of his own money – and should St. Peter’s be sold thereto – to those from whom the preachers of indulgences do most extort money.

52. It is a vain and false thing to hope to be saved through indulgences, though the commissary – nay, the Pope himself – was to pledge his own soul therefore.

53. Those who, on account of a sermon concerning indulgences in one church, condemn the word of God to silence in the others, are enemies of Christ and of the Pope.

54. Wrong is done to the word of God if one in the same sermon spends as much or more time on indulgences as on the word of the Gospel.

55. The opinion of the Pope cannot be otherwise than this:- If an indulgence – which is the lowest thing – be celebrated with one bell, one procession and ceremonies, then the Gospel – which is the highest thing – must be celebrated with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, and a hundred ceremonies.

56. The treasures of the Church, whence the Pope grants his dispensation are neither sufficiently named nor known among the community of Christ.

57. It is manifest that they are not temporal treasures, for the latter are not lightly spent, but rather gathered by many of the preachers.

58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and of the saints, for these, without the Pope’s aid, work always grace to the inner man, cross, death, and hell to the other man.

59. St. Lawrence called the poor of the community the treasures of the community and of the Church, but he understood the word according to the use in his time.

60. We affirm without pertness that the keys of the Church, bestowed through the merit of Christ, are this treasure.

61. For it is clear that the Pope’s power is sufficient for the remission of penalties and forgiveness in the reserved cases.

62. The right and true treasure of the Church is the most Holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God.

63. This treasure, however, is deservedly most hateful, for it makes the first to be last.

64. While the treasure of indulgence is deservedly most agreeable, for it makes the last to be first.

65. Therefore, the treasures of the Gospel are nets, with which, in times of yore, one fished for the men of Mammon.

66. But the treasures of indulgence are nets, with which now-a-days one fishes for the Mammon of men.

67. Those indulgences, which the preachers proclaim to be great mercies, are indeed great mercies, forasmuch as they promote gain.

68. And yet they are of the smallest compared to the grace of God and to the devotion of the Cross.

69. Bishops and curates ought to mark with eyes and ears, that the commissaries of apostolical (that is, Popish) pardons are received with all reverence.

70. But they ought still more to mark with eyes and ears, that theses commissaries do not preach their own fancies instead of what the Pope has commanded.

71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolical pardons, be anathema and cursed.

72. But blessed be he who is on his guard against the preacher’s of pardons naughty and impudent words.

73. As the Pope justly disgraces and excommunicates those who use any kind of contrivance to do damage to the traffic in indulgences.

74. Much more it is his intention to disgrace and excommunicate those who, under the pretext of indulgences, use contrivance to do damage to holy love and truth.

75. To think that the Popish pardons have power to absolve a man even if – to utter an impossibility – he had violated the Mother of God, is madness.

76. We assert on the contrary that the Popish pardon cannot take away the least of daily sins, as regards the guilt of it.

77. To say that St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could show no greater mercies, is blasphemy against St. Peter and the Pope.

78. We assert on the contrary that both this and every other Pope has greater mercies to show: namely, the Gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc. (1.Cor.XII).

79. He who says that the cross with the Pope’s arms, solemnly set on high, has as much power as the Cross of Christ, blasphemes God.

80. Those bishops, curates, and theologists, who allow such speeches to be uttered among the people, will have one day to answer for it.

81. Such impudent sermons concerning indulgences make it difficult even for learned men to protect the Pope’s honor and dignity against the calumnies, or at all events against the searching questions, of the laymen.

82. As for instance: – Why does not the Pope deliver all souls at the same time out of Purgatory for the sake of most holy love and on account of the bitterest distress of those souls – this being the most imperative of all motives, – while he saves an infinite number of souls for the sake of that most miserable thing money, to be spent on St. Peter’s Minster: – this being the very slightest of motives?

83. Or again: – Why do masses for the dead continue, and why does not the Pope return or permit to be withdrawn the funds which were established for the sake of the dead, since it is now wrong to pray for those who are already saved?

84. Again: – What is this new holiness of God and the Pope that, for money’s sake, they permit the wicked and the enemy of God to save a pious soul, faithful to God, and yet will not save that pious and beloved soul without payment, out of love, and on account of its great distress?

85. Again: – Why is it that the canons of penance, long abrogated and dead in themselves, because they are not used, are yet still paid for with money through the granting of pardons, as if they were still in force and alive?

86. Again: – Why does not the Pope build St. Peter’s Minster with his own money – since his riches are now more ample than those of Crassus, – rather than with the money of poor Christians?

87. Again: -Why does the Pope remit or give to those who, through perfect penitence, have already a right to plenary remission and pardon?

88. Again: – What greater good could the Church receive, than if the Pope presented this remission and pardon a hundred times a day to every believer, instead of but once, as he does now?

89. If the Pope seeks by his pardon the salvation of souls, rather than money, why does he annul letters of indulgence granted long ago, and declare them out of force, though they are still in force?

90. To repress these very telling questions of the laymen by force, and not to solve them by telling the truth, is to expose the Church and the Pope to the enemy’s ridicule and to make Christian people unhappy.

91. Therefore, if pardons were preached according to the Pope’s intention and opinion, all these objections would be easily answered, nay, they never had occurred.

92. Away then with all those prophets who say to the community of Christ, “Peace, peace”, and there is no peace.

93. But blessed be all those prophets who say to the community of Christ, “The cross, the cross,” and there is no cross.

94. Christians should be exhorted to endeavor to follow Christ their Head through Cross, Death, and Hell,

95. And thus hope with confidence to enter Heaven through many miseries, rather than in false security.