Reformation Man35

I was planning on posting this tomorrow, but just couldn't wait! Hope it can be of use to someone.


We need to seek out principles for restoring relationships, and remember that love always prevails.

1. Reminisce about past shared experiences.
Remember the “good old days”.
Times spent, things done together.

2. Don’t be afraid to “eat crow”.
Swallow your pride.
--Pride is destructive; it seldom, if ever, edifies.
Why not take the blame for the problem? 1 Cor. 6:7
At least make it right on your end.

3. Build dreams with them!
Talk of “better days” ahead; Instill in them a new hope.
Find something to compliment them on (Need not lie, everyone has some accomplishment we can compliment them for.)
Let them know they are useful--important to you.
Excite them toward a better relationship.
Even if they spurn your efforts, you have not lost anything!

4. Humble thyself!
Control your resentment and anger.
Ask yourself “What would Jesus do if He were in this predicament?”
Spill your heart out!
Explain that you do want to “go on” like this…a little humility goes far.

5. Keep a tear in the corner of your eye.
Pray for compassion. One man’s spirit cannot fool another mans spirit;
Learn to be sincerely compassionate. A man can often see through insincerity
If the offendee is unsaved, it is your obligation to reconcile--not his! (Romans 12:10, particularly the middle part, “as much as lieth within “you,” not “them”. It is your duty to reconcile.
Don’t wait for them to make the first move, they probably won’t.
Don’t even begin to reconcile until you have prayed for/received a compassionate heart.

Wonderful points to consider. Humility leads the way brother. Love as Christ loved the Church!

That's not the plan of salvation. Man, when will you guys stop using man's silly phrases and get your words from the Bible? Look at how the apostles preached and compare it to today's "If you say this prayer you will be saved" evangelism. It's not the magic words! It's not a prayer! It's a state of heart! You can say all the right words and never repent and you will go straight to hell! The preaching of the gospel should break the hearts of men! Then will they only ever truly repent - when they see their miserable plight and the mercy of God! This simple believeism and magic prayers disgusts me! It is a major disservice to unbelievers and those who preach it will receive the greater damnation lest they repent!



The chief aim of God is His glory and His pleasure. What can make a man want to join God in that cause? Only God Himself. Think about it. How many people want heaven? How many people think they are going to heaven? Now tell me, how many of them want God's glory above all else? Suddenly, the number shrinks perhaps tenfold or more. Why? How can one be saved and not want the glory of God? God is God-centered, not man-centered, and that is why those who are truly saved are God-centered as well. That is the message of the Bible. It is not that God wants to make things great for people, it's that He wants people to join Him in His glory!

I know the first time I thought about those thoughts, they seemed extremely strange to me. But please, read your Bible and meditate on the word; this is what you will find.

Romans 9:22-23
22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Amen, Anime! Our view of salvation is so humanistic that we try to include it in our theology. It is for HIS glory that we are saved as per the attached verse in Romans 9. He has made known the riches of HIS Glory upon us, vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. I'm not sure if you can reword afore prepared anymore than that. How merciful HE was to afore prepare us, his chosen vessels. Praise Jesus!!

Again, a baby will not have sin imputed to it unless somehow it is able to understand the law. Paul clearly said that sin is not imputed where there is no knowledge of the law. A baby cannot understand the law and cannot realize its sinful condition. Though the baby still dies, a result of the curse of Adam's transgression, it still will not have sin imputed to it. The baby, who has a soul, has to go someplace. It's either heaven or hell

While I personally hold to sovereign grace, I do not believe babies go to hell. God's grace is sufficient to allow children and babies into heaven. This is my personal speculation apart from the only scripture coming from King David and his hope in seeing his deceased child. Although, your thought on the law and sin not being imputed to babies is incorrect. God's work was evident in creation. Death & spiritual death was still imparted before the law was introduced. See Romans 2:12 (For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;). The curse from Adam is not based on what we have done, it is based on who we are. That is sons of Adam. We inherited spiritual death, hence the curse. Nice thought process though.

What about John the Baptist?

Hmm...what about him my friend? Share your insight.

The few I know who call themselves Calvinists have said this. I've also read something, I can't recall if it was Spurgeon or another, who said this and proclaimed this is why the Gospel must be preached.

There are differences among some Calvinists because while some believe preaching the Gospel is necessary and important, there are others who believe such isn't necessary because those God has chosen will come to Him anyway and it's a waste of time to preach the Gospel to everyone else.

These are called hyper calvinists. In almost all doctrine, there are those who swing the pendulum either to far to the left or right. They have no balance. Fatalist is what I believe you call it.

Who am I? I'm a sinner saved by grace, born of the Spirit, one of God's anointed and am still not afraid to say.....


Spurgeon claimed to be a Calvinist, promoted it in his writings, and (I hope ignorantly) taught the heresy of "limited atonement".


But God's word says.......Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Well as always, being unstudied in the doctrine of limited atonement makes one uneasy about it. Limited atonement is as biblical as you can get. The doctrine of limited atonement is that the blood of Christ is limited in that it only covers those that come to faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore, Christ's substitutinary death covers a limited amount of people. It does not cover the world, if it did, everyone would be saved and going to heaven. Where you get your boxers in a wad is thinking that the reformed limited atonement doctrine means that the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond is limited, when it is not.

Even a man like Spurgeon can be messed up on some of his doctrine. But I'm not basing what I believe on what Calvin, the Puritans, Spurgeon, or anyone else said; I rely on what the King James Bible says. Remember, the Berean Christians searched the scripures for themselves.

Hmm..well maybe its your that is messed up on some of your doctrines? I would be careful in calling God's man messed up. He anointed Spurgeon for a reason, and who exactly are you to make such a judgement?

I was reminded today men in my post for another brother, that sin so easily strangles the fire we need to have for our wives. Now this is from personal experience and not from sitting on the sidelines of marriage looking in. Pornography and any kind of sexual lust kills any fire we can give to our mates. This fire, is God's love through us. It is the new man that our wives need. This new man is Spirit led, and a man God loves. We sometimes get caught up in old sins or old habits that are not contrary to JESUS who is our example. We become callous, hard and even unloving. Demanding respect from our mates, when we haven't even shown the LOVE of Christ to our wives. So, I wanted to call you men out today, not out of prideful pious intentions, but as brothers in JESUS. This forum is an excellent way to reach the mind. So, if your living contrary to the Spirit today, repent and ask the LORD to live through you again. We are to be fountains of living water. Much love brothers. Vince Smith.

Dear friend, I understand your situation and do not think it is all to uncommon to be going what you are going through. I was the same way, trying to show my love by taking our daughter places so my wife could have some alone time or washing dishes for her etc. Yet, this wasn't enough. Our wives need to be held and loved. They need to "feel" loved. They need affection. To be held, hugged and kissed. Anyway, you get the picture. We as men do not necessarily need that to feel loved. So it is strange to us if they get moody about certain things. Another thing is key, if there are issues in our lives that are taking our love from our wives, then we will not truly show love to them. Sin can snuff out any emotion for our wives as well. To get right down to it, if we are not pure in our hearts and minds, our wives will not receive any of the love and affection she needs. I can tell you that from personal experience. I have seen in my own life where the love of other sins and items has stolen the love my partner needs. We know that God is not the author of confusion, either in church, but first and foremost in the home. You need to first express this fear you have inside to the Father. Share your heart with him FIRST, and the rest will fall in line. Pray earnestly to HIM, talk to HIM, and see if the Spirit would have you share your concerns with your wife. You feel the Spirit's guiding to talk to you wife, then do it. You may need to share this with her, your partner. I can understand your feelings, but remember that LOVE from the Spirit, or love from the new man you are, new creation, comes from your relationship with the Father first, then spews into other areas of your life. Well, that’s all I have for right now my brother. I hope that helps. Much love. Vince Smith

TULIP or no TULIP, the doctrine of predestination has been around forever. Not only calvin but many other founders of the faith held to a doctrine of predestination. Either you hold to election or you don't. Or, you are somewhere in the middle unsure of what you believe.

Whatever blaspemy of the Holy Spirit is, a Christian can't do it because a Christian can't lose his salvation, that we do know.

My two cents on what that sin actually is? I think it is exactly what the Pharasees did in that passage. They looked Jesus Christ in the face, and told Him he was possesed of Satan. Not that any of us would be so out of our minds crazy to do that, we can't do it because Jesus isn't here on earth to speak to.

I am in total agreement with this statement!

RefMan35,

I don't think, ultimately, it is an act of the will. I think it has to do with completely falling in love with Jesus Christ and desiring of him, AND HIM ALONE, that he would so possess your vessel, that you'd be dead indeed, and filled with his wonderful person.


Ben

Ben, I know this has bee awhile but I am posting anyway. I am in total agreement with you. As we look at Jesus's life, he was envoloped with the Father. Even in His darkest hour in the garden it was just He and His father, (our Father). He was truly filled with Him or filled with the Spirit in Pauls terms. But that requires repentance or a state of a repentant heart. That state is very interesting since our heart is always fluctuating. To have a repentant heart, is one that is submitted, humbled and ultimatly broken before a holy God. One doesn't just say to the will.."will, be submitted today, be humble and be broken". I would say it all starts with prayer. Praying for the Father to help our heart become a usable soil. This prayer isn't easy, because God uses many means that are unpleasant to break up the hard soil in our hearts. But, it is exactly what we need. What are your thoughts brothers.

I agree with you somewhat, for I don't believe people living today can commit the unpardonable sin, only those who lived while Jesus was walking on this earth.

I am in total agreement with this statement. It is the Pharisee's who were calling the work of the Holy Spirt, the work of the devil. Therefore, revealing their self righteouss hearts and causing Jesus to unveal this teaching. If Jesus would have had Moses stand before them, they still wouldn't have let loose of their seat of power.

Romans 14:1-10
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth
not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or
falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let
every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not
the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for
he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth
God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord:
whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both
of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for
we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

I would also add verse 17 in this, which is the kicker.

17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Where we get into real trouble in legalistic sanctification, is the focus on outward appearance. Satan has a wonderful way of getting Christians to focus all their attention on what another Christian is going to think of them. This is one of the largest epidemic herasies in the church today. If your focus is on how righteous or how holy someone might or might not think you are due to outward acts of religious duty, you have fallen from grace and have begun the work in the flesh. Jesus himself was accused of doing unholy things in His day. Eating with sinners, those that were considered unsaveable. Tax collectors, the unclean, those with demons. The Christian life is to be Spirit led, not guided by legalistic do's and dont's. Can God use you if drink caffeine? You bet! Can God use you if you don't? Yes indeed!! Are you less filled with the Spirit after your first sip of coffee? By no means!! Are you more filled with the Spirit of God by abstaining! By no means. The Spirit's filled life is not based on cokes or coffee, it's based on faith. I can gauntee that if we as Christians focused more on the Spirit Filled life, the issues of coffee, cokes will fade. Maybe if we practiced more of this life by the Spirit, we would know that God's Holy and righteous Spirit is not going to lead us wrong. Instead we choose to take our Christian life in our own hands, and manage it by a grocery list of things that could or could not be wrong. The Spiritual life is a life that is lived by God. He accomplishes tasks that are impossible for us. If you find that your spiritual life is easy and managable, your not living it through God. Because God doesn't get the glory, your will and management gets the glory!! Praise our God who has mercy on sinners!! Amen.

ame='Reformation Man35' date='29 March 2010 - 06:11 PM' timestamp='1269882663' post='238927']


The old nature, "the natural man", which lives in EVERY person, saved or lost, cannot receive the things of God....it has no spiritual discernment.

The context of i Corinthians 2 is speaking to carnal Christians and, like I said, Felix only had the "natural man"; Felix was a lost person. But Felix was directly confronted with the power of the Gospel and convicted by the Holy Spirit....Felix was shown light, he was so convicted that he trembled., but he chose to put it off.

1 Corinthians 3 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.


3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Ok, thank you for your opinion on that verse.

I Corinthians 2:14, in context, is speaking to carnal Christians.

Well I have to disagree with you on your context suggestion. Paul is in clear comparison with the spiritual man and the unsaved man. He gives that comparison in vs 12 stating that we have not recieved the spirit of th world, but the Spirit of God.

I felt like I wanted to post this in this forum because it all comes back to leadership in the home. There are many discussions on the education systme in America. The goverment has done all it can to attemp to produce learning students, but they will fail misserably. No matter how many mandates they put on school teachers and school districts, it is not the schools fault for the uneducation of America's children. It has come down the the breakdown of the family. The seperation of mother and father, the breakdown of the American husband. Satan is accomplishing his goal of ruining the marriage covenant through legalizing homesexuality, allowing homesexuals to adopt, etc. Also, divorce has become as rampid as ever. Yes the divorce rate has gone down, but it is just because couples are forgoing marriage and just living with one another. All the more reason for the American husband to repent and get on our knees for America. You might say, what do I have to get on my knees for? Well, if you don't have anything to pray for in your life, then please pray for the rest of us men and women walking this straight and narrow with you. Much love for the brethren. Vince.

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest OBey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to JacOB, to give them.
Deut 30:15-20 (KJV)

Amazing isn't it, God's giving them a choice, of course, God wants them to chose life, not death.

We still have that choice, we can chose life and good, or death and evil.

1 CORIN. 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So explain to me your excellency, Paul tells us that the unsaved man can not receiveth the things of the Spirit because they are foolishness to him. How is it then that he would chooseth anything godly?

Like I said before, humanistic theology always wants prideful man in control. It is clear that after the fall of adam mans will isn't "free". Paul clearly tells us that those who are not redeemed are slaves to sin. Clearly look that up in Romans. As far as the assumption that reformed theology suggests that God makes people sin is clearly due to the lack of study. Man is always going to choose sin over righteousness apart from the saving work of the Holy Spirit. That is clear as a bell in the scriptures. If God left man alone to ourselves and our "free" will, we would be nothing more than another Sodem and Gomora. It is also clear that God is restraining the will of man by not letting him be as depraved as we could be. Read 2nd Thessalonians and you can clearly see God restraining and even sending a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.

Dear eager married couples,
I hope you are finding your marriage life very prosperous today. I feel nothing is more important in today's world that the restoration of the married life. It isn't easy as we live in today's humanistic and materialistic lifestyle. I wanted to speak with you couples who still are learning each other's tendencies and personalities. Things are not always perfect in our marriages. Yes some couples tend to "get along" with one another better, but sometimes, personalities do clash. That's ok, that will happen sometimes. It's learning each other and how to handles these situations are what is key. God has put you two together for a reason, remember that. Also, remember that He knows that women are men are totally different in their mind sets. Something that has helped my marriage is knowing when to just to give up on being right. Yes, there are certain godly ideas that we must stand firm on, but I'm talking about the menial spats that usually accompany the idea of wanting to prove ourselves right on something. Just let it go! Our lives are too short to spend it arguing with our beloved partner. We spend more energy in being angry and staying angry. It is not worth it. I have said all that so say this. I made it a priority, (most of the time), if my spouse and I are spatting about something menial, to just let it go, go and give her a hug and get over it. In time, this attitude has transferred to my wife. You wouldn't believe the difference it made when I was upset at something and she just came over and gave me a hug and a rub on the shoulder. Anyway, I wanted to share that with you couples still eager to improve your marriages and get the angry monster out. Much love for the brethren. Vince

Nevermind...lol.

I just wanted to say to you chaps, that I have enjoyed the conversations. I can appreciate what everyone is doing on this website. I know you guys are genuine and that is respectable. I look forward to continue discussing matters of the faith with you.

How many admonitions have you had? And yet you seem to think it's a joke.

What I think is a joke, is the pharisaical attitude the both of you have. Who exactly do you think you are posting any kind of disciplinary scripture verse up such as this? You haven't even followed the correct protocol concerning any kind of "sinning" brother. In which I by no means am sinning. I will respect the behavioral protocol of this independent Baptist forum but will I will not stand for is the both of you appearing as if your some kind of elder of mine to rebuke me as if I am in your fold. This forum is made for discussion and disagreement at times. So I would suggest you come down off your internet theological high chair and come back down earth with the rest of the sinners saved by the blood. Now, with that said, I hope we can agree to disagree on matters of certain matters of theology.

I agree. Some verses I think about at such times as these.

Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Haha, wow. And who are you so wisely rejecting and saying is subverted, sinning and being condemned? This should be interesting.

It also says that John the Baptist came in the "Spirit of Elias" and that he was "the friend of the bridegroom" and even seems to state that he WAS Elijah so, I must admit, I haven't figured that one out yet.

Hmm..well played heartstrings. I can respect a man who can admit he hasn't gotten it all figured out yet. Very good.