A Touchstone for God-centered Salvation vs. Man-centered Salvation

10/29/2010 - Alan Kurschner

The "Calvinist vs. Arminian" debate is substantially a debate between what is called "synergism" and "monergism." There is no third option (unless one is willing to affirm Pelagianism). For those who are new to the Calvinist-Arminian debate, the following is a primer on the two perennial branches of theological systems in Christianity. Or to put it another way, there are two very different ways for believers to view their salvation.

In general, the first type (the Arminian-Synergist) affirms what is called "synergism." Synergists believe that two forces in the universe are necessary to bring about regeneration in the life of the sinner. In specifics, the two forces at work (cooperation) that are necessary to bring about regeneration, or spiritual life, is the will of man and the Holy Spirit (grace).

To put it another way, the work of the Holy Spirit is dependent on the creature’s will, hence, “synergism” (working together). These individuals will sincerely say, “I believe in grace alone.” But in reality, they believe that grace is not alone (sufficient), but that man’s will is necessary for regeneration to be effective.

It could be said that these individuals are “functional” Arminians because even though some will deny the label, their theology functions synergistically (thus, how they identify themselves is inconsistent with what they teach and believe).

The second group of believers (the Calvinist-Monergist) affirm what is called “monergism.” Monergists believe that there is only one force in the universe (grace alone) that brings about regeneration in the life of the sinner. In specifics, because of the deadness of man’s spiritual state, his moral inability, the Holy Spirit performs the miracle of spiritual resurrection (regeneration) in that person, hence, “monergism” (one work). Grace is sufficient to be effective, and does not depend on some action of man.

In other words, the Holy Spirit does not merely whisper in the hardened sinner’s ear, hoping that the rebel sinner will “cooperate”; rather, while the sinner is in a state of hardness and rebellion, the Holy Spirit penetrates in the will of man and performs the miracle of spiritual life (regeneration). That is grace alone. Faith does not precede regeneration, regeneration precedes faith.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions– it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13

He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” John 8:47

Arminians cannot affirm monergism (grace alone); they must always have the creature’s will as the final determiner of their destiny, not God. Inconsistently, Arminians pray (without knowingly) Calvinisticly, “God, change my unbelieving relative’s heart.” I have never heard them pray, “God, only whisper in my relative’s ear, but don’t change their heart unless you’ve been given permission.” But the Calvinist prays and affirms biblical truth consistently.

James White comments on Rick Warren

http://nocompromiseradio.com/podcastupload/?p=episode&name=2010-10-07_nc10-07-10.mp3

RC Dogma and the Biblical response

Council of Trent
on justification
CANON IX.-If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that itis not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.

CANON XI.-If any one saith, that men are justified, either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ, or by the sole remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and is inherent in them; or even that the grace, whereby we are justified, is only the favour of God; let him be anathema.

CANON XII.-If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ's sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.

CANON XIV.-If any one saith, that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified, because that he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified; or, that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified; and that, by this faith alone, absolution and justification are effected; let him be anathema.

CANON XXIV.-If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.

in response:
Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

On the Eucharist
CANON I.--If any one saith, that in the mass a true and proper sacriflce is not offered to God; or, that to be offered is nothing else but that Christ is given us to eat; let him be anathema.

CANON III.--If any one saith, that the sacrifice of the mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or, that it is a [Page 159] bare commemoration of the sacrifice consummated on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or, that it profits him only who receives; and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains, satisfactions, and other necessities; let him be anathema.

CANON IV.--If any one saith, that, by the sacrifice of the mass, a blasphemy is cast upon the most holy sacrifice of Christ consummated on the cross; or, that it is thereby derogated from; let him be anathema.

in response
Hebrews 10:1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,



but a body you prepared for me;
6with burnt offerings and sin offerings



you were not pleased.
7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—



I have come to do your will, O God.' "[a] 8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

I will remember no more."[c] 18And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

The rottenness of the Roman Catholic confirmation

So my littlest brother David is getting confirmed in May to be a Catholic. He let me know this today by saying he knew what saint name he was going to pick. Obviously I said that none would be the best. Mainly i say that because of what the Roman Catholic church does to keep their pews filled and their followers ignorant of the faith. They just send them through a production line like a check box of things they gotta do to be saved (which is the essence of their religion of doing things, Faith + Works). Sometimes I think it is not even faith anymore and that it is just works. Reason being is this very thing of confirmation. They were baptized... check, they went through first communion...check, they are confirmed... check... ok they are in only after they go through purgatory! I can't stand it. I am not bashing my brother in his ignorance. But that he is ignorant because of the deception given to him. Like I know they kind of teach the Roman Catholic doctrine, but comon do you think they are all listening. My experience is that they taught very little doctrine and more about service and this and that, I barely even knew I had to believe in anything. And so they say well you did all the requirements to get confirmed, lets confirm you. Instead of saying you know this this and this about the faith... do you believe it or not? and the this this and this are the important things like how are you saved and how one is made righteous. They might even tell you that and yet not back it up with scripture and say here believe this instead of this is what the Church believes and why do you believe it too?

So I asked my brother, who the pope is and what does he represent? and he had no reply. NONE! not his fault, its the Roman Catholic Church who has either left it out, or forgot to mention its importance. They dont even display the other sides view to say this is what other believe that is different to even give a choice, they just present it and that is the only choice. I also told him about works based salvation like I mentioned above and he didn't know that either. That the Roman Catholic Church says you can lose your faith if you don't do enough works, ultimately needing to go take the Eucharist to be given the perfect sacrifice and to tarnish it week after week and needing it over and over again...what blasphemy to downplay the perfect work of Christ! But David does not know these things and he is going to confirm himself into that faith? what faith? he doesnt know. He is just going through the process like all the others, just like I did.

Just to be honest though about what I am saying and what I am not. I am not saying my brother will not be saved because he will be a Roman Catholic, because I know no one is perfect and it is the perfect work of Christ imputed to you by faith that justifies you. And there are those who probably do have a saving faith regardless of the blasphemies taught to them or believed. But, because of the incorrect doctrine of what is being taught, the possibility is a lot higher that that faith cannot even be known and received and believed because it is not the belief of the RC church or taught to its members. I say this because I know my mom slung a emotional mud ball at me one time while talking to her saying "Does that mean my mother (my grandmother) is not in heaven because she was Catholic?" All I would say is I don't know if she is or not and that is up to God to know her faith whether it was a saving one or not, and mine and my moms and everyone else's as well. But I can say scripturally what a saving faith is and what it means for those who have it. Which unfortunately is unscriptural by the standard of the Ecclesiastical hierarchy who has no way to prove their power to determine the meaning of scripture except for saying "because we say so".

Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Christus, Soli Deo Gloria!

Gettin Back...

So this is my first post in a couple of months. I stopped posting this summer because I was at camp and basically was confined to the world i was in and not the outside world.

I am getting back into running. After 6 months off from having IT Band syndrome, I am finally getting back into running. Wow I am out of shape! I believe though that I got a lot out of taking that time off. I found myself in a different world with different people and learning to live without running. But, now that school has started back up, I find myself alone and nothing else to do but work class and try to get fit again. I really miss running and I know it will be a long slow process to get back to where I was, I will enjoy it because I have nothing to get ready for soon!

I am not going to be running Track this year even though I have eligibility. I may not be in shape or healthy by then so I don't want to stress out over it. I want to just relax and just train for a while and see where I am in a few months and go from there.

I am planning on moving to Virginia to move closer to my girlfriend Jen. So I figure it would be a great opportunity to establish some relationships and contacts with Liberty University's team down there and other runners and coaches. the weather down there is gorgeous and so training will be amazing! I cannot wait to see how things work out.

I will have hopefully updates on what is going on while I get ready to make that move.

Ithaca Evangelism

Yesterday I went to Ithaca with Jen to go to a doctors appointment for my IT band syndrome that I have been having problem with for about 12 weeks to the day. Afterwards we went around downtown to go to the Ithaca commons which I had never been there and then to see the water falls.

While we were down in the commons we went to a place that Jen and her family love to go called the Matte Factor. It is this little restaurant with this tea called Matte and Jen loves the place because she loves tea and she loves that the place makes everything with natural ingredients including honey to sweeten their tea because she can have honey and not sugar.

We first went in their to get some tea then walked around the commons for a little bit. After walking around and seeing the other stores and such, it was about lunch time and we needed to get something to eat. Jen wanted a wrap from the Matte Factor and I wanted a waffle from this waffle place. Which, my waffle was amazing, it was a cornbread waffle with real maple syrup and chocolate chips on top!!! I got my food and headed over to the Matte place to sit with Jen where she was talking to the guy who works there.

Now, to add a little background, the people who own, run, and work the Matte place are people who are apart of this group called the Twelve Tribes, which we think are like this Jewish cult. They have a website that you can check out called www.twelvetribes.com .

This guy gave her this pamphlet and I walked in on them talking about it. Later after sitting down and eating the guy came back because he saw I was reading it trying to get an idea of what it was saying. They quoted the bible a lot in the pamphlet and asked him why that was. So, we had a nice discussion on what he believes. Basically the man is a Pelagian who thinks men are going to heaven based on their good works and that Christ only came to save those who are just too deep in the whole to get themselves out. I had gone through the Ten Commandments trick with him to show him he is a sinner in need of Christ and he stopped me and said, "have you ever nailed a piece of wood together to something? does that make you a Carpenter? so if no why is it that if I lied once or twice or a few times but not a lot or badly does that make me a lier?"

I must answer this because this was a new thing I had never heard but I think I responded nicely to it. The difference between these two things being a lier and being a Carpenter by profession is that the standard by which the action is measured by. Let me explain, the Law of God says that you break my law you deserve punishment. It does not say how many time you have to break the Law before you finally deserve the justice. Even so was it not by one action of one bite of the fruit of the forbidden tree that sent the whole world into a fallen nature? By one man sin entered the world, is it not right to say that by one sin, justice is to be accounted for? The Carpenter is merely a profession and simply doing things as a Carpenter does does not make you a Carpenter. It is like saying if you ever ran in your life it makes you a runner, or if you ever wrote a poem for class it now makes you a writer. No! I am a horrible writer and by no means it it something that I am. yes I can write, yes I have written but I am by no means A WRITER. The title is stating that it is who I am by what I either enjoy to do often or do professionally. To walk into a room full of writers and say I am one and tell them i wrote a short story for 11th grade English once, they would laugh. The standard is set by society as to what it means to be a writer or a Carpenter or a runner, but not so with being a lier, a murderer, or a thief. The standard is an objective one in which crossing the line now makes your deserving of the penalty. In a court of law it would not stand if you broke it once or a thousand time. Point being you broke the law. In human Law you can break it a bunch of times and not get caught, untrue for God's Law because God knows the hearts and minds of everyone, knowing exactly what Law you broke and how many times whether it be few or many. So, to use that analogy is to compare two different things that do not apply to each other.

Anyways, after talking for a long time with the man who continued to go in circles confusing Law and Gospel, We kindly left the man shaking his hand. I praise God for the opportunity to have spread His Gospel and that by that His purpose will be edified in that man's life. May God's calling be effective always to those whom He chooses to make known to.

Jen then took me to the music store there in Ithaca and that was fun. I got to play a twelve string acoustic guitar which sounded amazing! We then left and kind of got lost trying to find Taughannock Falls, which was a first time for me going there and had to be one of the most beautiful falls in Ithaca by far! It started to rain and so we headed home. What an amazing day with such an amazing girl!

Jerry Greenlaw

So I thought of Jerry the other day as I was driving my car to go to the park to chill with friends. I heard the song Born to Run by Springsteen and I couldn't help but think of Jerry. He has been a pretty good friend to me in the past two years at Cortland, just always making me feel welcome. I miss him and my other buddies I have met throughout my college days. I feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth to them. I will definitely have to make trips to see them in the future to enjoy their company as I have done so many times in the past!

Days...

As I am getting older now, the days seem to be getting shorter. The months and years are just moving by faster and faster. But God in my life has been growing me more and more in these days. He has given me graces beyond measure and ultimately the greatest Grace of them all! Living in that I am slowly dying to myself and finding my life becoming different. As stages in my life begin to change I am forced to place everything into His hands, knowing that I am to live my life in the comfort and knowledge of God to help guide me but ultimately He will put me where I am to be. Where I was, where I am, and where I will be is exactly where I am supposed to be. And so, each day I take to that comfort to act in ways that are against my old nature, becoming even more each day, a Child of God.

A long weekend with the Vermaat's

This past weekend, I was invited to come to Jen's Uncle's wedding that was Renaissance themed. It was a very interesting wedding! very low key and close family. I was very honored to have been invited to the ceremony. The bride rode a horse with Jen's Uncle David lead her in. Jen looked amazingly gorgeous in her dress. I wore a pretty neat outfit myself. It was neat because walking around with the horses in our outfits, I really felt like we were actually in the 1600's!

The next day I got to spend more time with Jen's family as they all came over her house for the evening. She keeps tellin me her family is crazy but I think she is too self concious about alot of things because I think her family is pretty neat and pretty funny.

Jen also came with me on Sunday to Church at the Redeemer in Cortland. She said it has been almost half a year since she has been to church. She loved it there. She is always being discerning and so she asked me to clarify somethings she thought she herd like when we had communion she had thought by what the pastor said, she thought that he meant the the bread and juice became the literal body and blood of Christ which she misunderstood just a little.
She also kind of doesnt like how people pray as unworthy when we are now children of God, loved by Him. but i simply explained its not always the case. Granted I find that alot of her concerns come from her dislike of her previous Church within the Dutch Reformed tradition. Granted alot of the things within her specific Chruch are not always the case everywhere and the same goes vice versa. But it is a shame that she is so hesitant to many things within the Reformed tradition because how much it had been skewed within her previous Church.

Jen is one of those believers who stresses the relationship with God while I am the kind that enjoys the relationship with God but it flows from the knowledge of what God has given me in His word through doctrine. She says Christianity is not religion but relationship while I say Christianity is Gospel and not Law. She stresses the heart in which comes the knowledge and I stress the Head where knowledge is proccessed and finds its path to the heart to become exhalted.

Sort of a small dilema but it does not make me love her anyless! She understands many of the same things I do but from a different source and so I praise God for that! I care about her alot and she cares about me and feels comfortable with me, and I see us growing more and more together in Christ. Jen is an amazing girl and I find it crazy that she had been right infront of me for about a decade. Praise God for putting her in my life!

Assateague Island

For summer vacation my friends and I have been plannin a trip to go to Assateague Island down near Ocean City, MD to get away for a few days and go camping and enjoy the beach. As we were driving down there, the weather was warm and cloudy. But, about 15 mins before we arrived, the sun came out and the weather was gorgeous the rest of the week. Jen and I went shopping for food the first day down there while everyone else stayed at the campsite and put the tents and stuff up. When we got back we ate hot dogs over the campfire and then went over to the boardwalk in Ocean City.

After going to the boardwalk we came back to the campsite and walked around the beach in the dense fog and then hung around the fire till we went to bed. In the morning, we all got up really early before 6am to enjoy the runrise. Then we went around over to Ocean City again to play beach volleyball and walk the board walk the other direction. When we got back to the campsite, it was not even noon yet, so we all got in our suites and went swimming and played in the sand digging holes. Afterwards, we got changed, played a long game of apples to apples, some took naps while I made my own kite out of the broken tent materials. When the nappers woke up we went to a Crab Shack just on the mainland from Ocean City for dinner where the meal was really expensive but really good. I had huge bucket of clams and shells and crab which was delicious. Then as we got back we had some ice cream sandwitches around the fire and went for a moonlite walk on the beach then headed to bed.

On the thiird day we spent our morning packing everything up and then headed back home. we dropped off Joy in Philly where we picked her up from, and stopped at the Country Junction, the worlds largest general store, to eat dinner and look around.

This trip was an amazing trip. For how inexpensive it was to go and do what we did for a few days, I could not have asked for anything more! By the way Batman stayed up the whole trip!

Jwits at my door

This mornin, a little after I had woken up, I heard the door bell ring. I was two women evangelising for the Jehovahs Witnesses and the Watchtower Tracts Society. I almost invited them in but it has been a long time since I have studied up on Jwits and This was my first ever encounnter with them coming to my home.

They first asked me what I thought about the current world crisises and natural disasters proceeding to hand me a Watchtower magazine that has an article talking about it. I simply told them I dont believe in their god and that I did not want to take the magazine. I realized because I had not studied up on their beliefs recently enough to remember, we simply exchanged some questions starting with theirs first.

They first asked me what I believe God's purpose is, which I answered them that it has always been a history of redemption through the Lord and God Jesus Christ. Then I asked them whether they believe in the Trinity, whether Jesus was fully God and fully man, and they answered no. Come to find out I had asked one of the important questions that is disputed between Jwits and the Church of Jesus Christ, as I had afterwards read up on. They also asked me if I believed if we are currently living in the last days, and I said yes explaining that in this age of grace by the Gospel we are currently waiting for the return of our Lord and God Jesus Christ.

After our friendly exchange they said good bye and they left. I wish I had known more about them to get a better understanding of how to have exchanged with them a little better. Granted that falls mostly on my ignorance and I know to leave it to God to change the hearts of those who are unbelieving. But I noticed something about how they evangelized me. They simply went straight to some abstract concept where God is being questioned and handing me not a bible or bible verses but the Watchtower magazine. I know they need to do this because they are tryinng to "win" converts and are doing all the things necessary to do so and that even means changing the message. But not just that they didnt give me the Gospel but they did not even expound on what their gospel was. I heard no purpose to why I should read except that I could get a better understanding of why bad things are happening. I was left with an emptyness of not truly understanding their views and beliefs with an exception of when I had asked them my question on the trinity. I felt like in order to have truly delt with the situation, not only do you have to know what you believe and why you believe it but know what they believe and why they believe it. I know i should do this but at the same time it upsets me to thing how many people dont know what they believe and why they believe it or have not completely understood everything they believe in order to go out and evangelize. Evangelism should be an act of portraying your beliefs to another and why so that they may either accept or deny that claim, not to vaugely give a brief idea or concept in attempts to possibly decieve the unbeliever.

So again other then from the question I asked them, it sounded to me like they believe basically in the same things I believe, but when you go in and research further it really is not the case. I pray for those two women that by God's grace they will be given a heart of flesh and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their righteousness and rest in that Gospel. May our conversation we had been to further that Gospel and to glorify God! Amen

Soli Deo Gloria, Sola Christus, Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia!

AGAPE Bonfire and more

On Wednesday night I spent the whole afternoon and evening and part of the early, early morning with Jen and my firends from Agape at Cortland. We had a bonfire up at Otisco Lake. It was huge. I think the wood pile was about 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide at the base. It started out as crummy weather almost about to rain, but then it cleared up and boy was it beautiful. A couple of us went swimming in the lake where it was as cold or colder than some ice baths I have taken previously. I played 16 games of Kan Jam with Sean and we went 15-1, with our last loss because it was practically dark. so we went 15 and 0 for almost the whole day. Me and Brian Keefe went out on the lake with the canoe, and a couple of us walked out on this fallen tree over the lake. Before we started the fire I was given an opprotunity to speak some words to the bunch of people who were at the bonfire about Christ and His Gospel and How it defines us and to keep learning more and more about it. I was blessed with that opprotunity. I love when I am given opprotunities to speak like that because I feel it always necessary to proclaim the truth and the Gospel, even if it is to some believers to build them up in Christ.

I finally drove with Jen home but before we got home we stopped in Cortland to have a Midnight breakfast with some of my teammates, so Jen got to meet them. I was blessed with another opprotunity to share more of the Gospel where a teammate of mine had asked the question to me whether God can become a man, where I simply responded, "I believe he has already!" I explained the doctrine of the trinity and the purpose of Christ becoming man. It was an out of no where question but I was obliged to respond. After that, we finally headed home and just as we got into the Forks, Jen didn't want to go home so we drove around a little while as I attempted to bring her to a cool place but I couldnt see a thing in the fog, so she fell asleep and I brought her home fighting my own urges to do the same.

Reality Check!

Well, reality is catching up with me and im feeling pretty sad about it. I feel like I have spent so many hours and many hard times and crapy days in the rain, snow, and wind to not even be able to compete a single outdoor season in a Cortland uniform. I only competed for a gran total of 3 seasons in a cortland uniform. thats only enough to cover 1 year of running. Now I am possibly looking at my college career being over before it was suposed to. I feel kind of empty. Only because I really would have enjoyed trying to run some good times on the outdoor track. So many great expectations that just never even start to happen. I am gunna miss running for Cortland. I really regret nothing but it is just a pity to have the same thing happen to me in college as what happened to me in high school, not getting to finish my last season. I have an extra indoor and outdoor eligability but I really want to get the Grad assistant job to help build my resume and to pay for grad school. I am kind tired of waiting and at the same time being over run by the current workload of school. I feel like I cannot fit anything more into my brain. I feel like I have a bad case of ADD where I just cant pay attention any longer. I cant seem to finish things that I start because I am too easily distracted. I am out of money and I dont have my running to go to as an outlet. I trust God that he has this situation for me for a purpose but I still sometimes His purpose is hard. I completely expected this but the reality of it didnt hit me until I got deep enough in. I just pray that what ever happens is to God's good purpose and if I suffer for it, may god comfort me through it.

10k American Record!!!!

So the last couple years in track and field has been amazing. A resurgence of the sport has been shown with the trampling of barriers that American distance runners has not yet been able to accomplish yet. Not only that but stronger fields within the sport. Stronger front packs, especially lead by the Oregon Track Club Elite. First 2 americans go under 13 mins for the first time since Bob Kennedy in the 90's and one of them being the new american record, happening within 2 weeks of each other. Then almost a year later the first non-african to go under 27 mins in the 10k! Just amazing performances and in our life time. This is just amazing all around to see this happen. This is definately up there with Billy Mills being the only American to win an olympic 10k. Here is the video, the excitement in the last lap is just amazing:

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

The Folly of Men

Mainly my own folly. I am still amazed that God uses us to carry on His Word. I feel sometimes I am so passionate about the doctrines of Grace that I fail to see the works of another being a hearty message that flows from the Word. I failed to see someones attempt today to try and promote Christianity because I was so focused on doctrine and what I thought the passage was actually speaking. I myself am not an expert with this passage the guy was speaking from and so for some reason I had to act like I was. God forgive me and please continue in your grace for me because I cannot live without it. For without it you should have already struck me down years ago! Humble me Lord!

Pretty good weekend I'de say!

I helped out with my churches youth group with a lock in at the church where we went to the mall and played a scavenger hunt then came back to the church had a devotional time and then did a talent show and had a gutter of ice cream literally, then watched the blind side played a random board game called quelf and then watched avatar. Afterward in the mornin, I drove home then met up with a long time friend and we had a huge talk while we walked around Binghamton University, drinkin bubble tea. And so the next day we basically had a DTR moment and so i asked her dad if I could court her and so thats what im doin now. I have a girlfriend! who has been a long time friend. which is odd because I never thought something like that would happen.

Been Pretty Busy

I havent been on here as much as I have in the past. I think it has been like 2 weeks almost since I have posted anything. I am really busy now with trying to finish up school and get gradiated (spelt that way on purpose) and just trying to move on in my life. I am hurt and havent ran in 3 weeks, and so I luckily have that time now to devote to my work and other things so I am glad that it works out like that bc I would be tanking in everything now if I was running. Anyways I will let everyone know more about my plans when they are more finite and what I have been up to! until then, Praise God, my rock and my deliverer!

My heart would still refuse thee...

Causeless Choice

By John W. Hendryx

Libertarians, of course, like to claim that we also base our compatiblism in philosophical assumptions but this assertion simply doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. There are an endless number of Scriptures that affirm that our choice to believe or reject the gospel is done so of necessity because of our innermost affections and inclinations. For example, in John 3:19 it says that those who reject the gospel do so because the love darkness and hate the light. A libertarian, on the other hand, to be consistent, must assert that one rejected Christ, not necessarily because he hated him, or on the other hand did not chose Him because he had affection for Him, but rather only because he chose to, which is contrary to everything we know of Scripture. We all know that the will ultimately chooses from the desires and affections of the person. Quoting the Old Testment prophet Isaiah, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for the error of choosing without intent by saying, “THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.” This reveals that it is impossible to honor Jesus with a faith that does not also honor Him from the heart. This is not very different from the kind of faith libertarians are describing. Later to another group of those who refused to believe, Jesus shows us what the cause of our choices are when he replied,



"I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin...If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does...You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (John 8:34-47)



Jesus continually points to reasons or motives as the determining factor for believing and rejecting the gospel: they are “determined to kill me”, “their heart is far from me”, they “want to carry out their father’s desire” and they reject me because they “do not belong to God.” Libertarian causeless choice is, therefore, an idea foreign to Scripture and basically goes against all sound logic. If our choice to receive Christ is causeless, not arising of necessity from our affections or desire when we see God’s beauty and excellence, then it is made, as it were, out of thin air, for no other reason but that we chose, as if the person wills to choose something he doesn’t want. To give you a real life example of libertarian causeless choice, read the following excerpt from a recent conversation I had with a libertarian where I asked a simple question about why we believe the gospel. I asked,



“If the gospel is preached to two persons and they both receive equal (prevenient) grace, why is it that one man ultimately believes the gospel and not the other? What makes the two people to differ? Was it Jesus Christ that makes them to differ or something else? If both had the same prevenient grace it wasn’t Jesus that made the to differ, so obviously one had a natural advantage over the other.



He answered in classic libertarian fashion, “One heard and understood, one did not. One believed and one did not. That's the nature of free will. Our decisions are not DETERMINED by forces outside of our will. And that's why one man accepts and another rejects Christ.”



Lets take a closer look at his answer. He said that ‘one understood and one did not’ … but where did such understanding come from to begin with? Was this understanding itself derived from nature or from grace? In the libertarian scheme did God grant this understanding so that one believed? We are forced to conclude that He did not, for if He did this for everyone, then both persons would have the same understanding. So we must conclude that, to the libertarian, such spiritual understanding is entirely self-generated, apart from any work of God’s grace in us. Whatever differences there were between the two men, these differences were not derived from grace. Ultimately, it is a reliance on some innate ability in one man, which the other did not have. So we must ask, then, according to libertarianism, was it chance that generated this difference in natural wisdom between the two? Was it random? Or was one man naturally just smarter or wiser than the other? The only two alternatives left to us here are either that one person just happened to understand (‘just because’) by chance, or that one was already better equipped than the other (in his natural self) to respond positively to the gospel command. Neither of these possibilities is aligned with the teaching or intent of the gospel, which is by grace through and through.



Now, in his second answer to why one believed and not the other, He answered, “one believed and the other did not” But I did not ask him what he did, because we all know what he did already from my question, but I asked ‘why’ he believed. Our libertarian friend didn’t really answer the question as I asked it, but he did answer it according to his libertarian philosophy, since he believes that it was not his desires (or anything else) that caused him to choose one way or the other. The will itself is sovereign, in the libertarian view, and has an ability of its own which can ultimately choose apart from any gracious affections of the heart. To a libertarian, he can choose Christ even if he does not desire Him. While the affections may influence the choice, in their view, still the will can chose what it doesn’t want ultimately, which, of course, destroys the unity of the person.



But the answer faces the same difficult question as the first --- did one just happen to believe? My gospel says that only the humble, who recognize that they have no hope in themselves, will embrace Christ and, in like manner, the proud will despise and reject Him. Either sin and virtue, of necessity, precede our choice when Christ is put before us. It is the grace of God that makes us humble, not innate ability or chance. But the libertarian is unwilling to say it was only by God’s grace in Christ because he then would admit to God’s sovereign choice. Nor will he provide an answer that reveals a moral virtue in one person (humility) that the other (who was proud), did not naturally have. This would expose his belief in salvation by merit. But these two answers are the only possible conclusions. So if there is not of necessity any moral reasonor motive that ultimately compels one to believe or not then how could God blame someone for rejecting Him? To believe the gospel is a moral choice, from the heart. If not then God could not call the rejection of the gospel a sin. If our affections do not cause us to believe then belief and unbelief is ultimately non-affectional, not from the heart and rejection could not be considered a sin. But if faith is a moral choice then how did one person get a more moral disposition than the other? One remained proud and the other humble? Was this by nature or by grace? If by grace then why don’t all men have it? If by nature then some people are more virtuous than others apart from grace. This dilemma is really fatal to libertarian free will and none of them have been able to answer these basic questions. The answer ‘just because’ is ludicrous.

Monergism = Christ Alone

-John W. Hendryx



Recently a visitor seemed deeply troubled that we would equate our belief in Monergism with "Christ alone" -- that by doing so we were being tribal, because this communicates the idea that synergists do not affirm "Christ alone" and to make this claim is to stir up animosity between brothers. But our purpose is not to create bitter feuds, but to be faithful to Scripture on a foundational subject. For those of us who are persuaded of monergism didn't we all come to embrace monergistic regeneration because it best expresses the Biblical data regarding the extent of Christ's work in our salvation?

Doesn't he word "monergism" itself help us understand this concept? The word consists of two main parts: The prefix "mono" means "one", "single", or "alone" while "ergon" means "to work". Taken together it means "the work of one". That is, regeneration is the work of Jesus Christ alone (as applied by the Holy Spirit), not the cooperation of man and God and not the result of unregenerate man meeting a condition (like faith) before regeneration takes place. THE main difference between Monergism & Synergism, then, is that while synergistic theology affirms the necessity of Christ, yet they do not affirm the sufficiency of Christ. That is, synergists do not affirm that Christ provides everything we need for salvation, including a new heart to believe and understand the gospel. (1 Cor 2, John 6:63-65, 37, 44). Christ does most of what we need, but we still need to meet God's condition to be saved. If, as synergists may say, God grants grace to all men, then we must ask, why do some believe and not others? Did some make better use of Christ's grace than others? Does Christ make them to differ or something else (like our decision)? That 'something else' means that Christ may be necessary to them but not sufficient to provide all they need to be saved (including a renewed heart to believe). Thus 'Christ alone', as it was understood in the Reformation, is a monergistic distinctive. His cross is sufficient to provide all we need including the very faith required of us.

Is our faith, therefore, something we can thank God for, or is it the one thing we contribute to the price of our salvation? Is God's love for us conditioned upon whether we believe or not or does His love meet the condition for us in Christ, according to scripture? We affirm that God gives us this condition but Christ does for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. We are not, therefore, partly dependent on Christ for salvation but wholly dependent.

Example: Is God's love like a parent who sees his child run out into traffic and who merely calls out to him to get out of the way or is God's love like the parent who, at the risk of their life, runs out and scoops up the child to MAKE CERTAIN that his child is safe. We all know that true love gets the job done ... it doesn't merely sit on the sidelines when something so critical as ones life is at stake. God's love is unconditional for His people and He sends his Son to make certain His sheep are not lost.

Note: a large percentage of synergists who are Protestants would openly confess that there is no hope save in Christ alone - and for this we embrace them as our beloved brothers in Christ, but the debates come about when their theology blatantly contradicts this good confession, when they believe in Christ PLUS a condition we meet, apart from grace. When we deny the sufficiency of Christ to provide anything (for apart from Christ we can do nothing) then we are not faithfully giving witness to the Scriptural understanding of "Christ alone" .

Michael Haykin rightly said, "It is wrong to suppose that the doctrine of justification by faith alone, that storm center of the Reformation, was the crucial question in the minds of such theologians as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Bucer, and John Calvin. This doctrine was important to the Reformers because it helped to express and to safeguard their answer to another, more vital, question, namely, whether sinners are wholly helpless in their sin, and whether God is to be thought of as saving them by free, unconditional, invincible grace, not only justifying them for Christ's sake when they come to faith, but also raising them from the death of sin by His quickening Spirit in order to bring them to faith."



!!!!Also see John's "Eleven(11) resons to reject Libertarian Free Will" !!!!