Contemplation of the week

Is it possible for a person go to heaven without hearing the Gospel?

Quote of the day

"Grace is but Glory begun, and Glory is but Grace perfected."

Jonathan Edwards

Quote of the day

"A mouse was caught by its tail in a trap the other day, and the poor creature went on eating the cheese. Many men are doing the same. They know that they are guilty, and they dread their punishment, but they go on nibbling at their beloved sins."

C.H. Spurgeon

Quote of the day

"If thou art not a praying person, thou art not a Christian."

John Bunyan

T.U.L.I.P.

Before you track my down and tie me to a stake. The reason that I am writing is that I have seen so many people call themselves Calvinist and not know the acronym of T.U.L.I.P. Or they say that they are not Calvinist and do not know what the five points of Calvinism. I know that today many are busy with the “hustle and bustle” of life and have a hard time fitting in the essentials to their hectic life. Today I want to look to see the difference in Calvinist and Arminianist.

The Five Points of Calvinist

Total Depravity – Man is unable in and of himself to believe the Gospel. His heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. Humanity is completely captivated by his sin and is unable to resist evil.

Unconditional Election – God chose, before the foundation of the world, the elect on the basis of His grace. God picked those who would be saved.

Limited Atonement – Christ paid only for the sins of the elect. Jesus Christ sacrifice was sufficient for the whole world but only efficient for the elect.

Irresistible Grace – The grace of God can not be refused by anyone to whom God has offered the gift of salvation.

Perseverance of the Saints – God preserves the elect by continuing in their salvation to the end.

The Five Points of Arminism

Free Will – Sin does not control man’s will. He is sick and near- sighted, but still able to obey, believe and repent. He does not continually sin, for his nature is not completely evil.

Conditional Election – God chose the elect on the basis of their foreseen faith. He loves all men equally. God passed over no one, but gives everyone an equal chance to be saved.

Universal Atonement – Christ died for all men, and paid a provisional price that made salvation possible for all but guaranteed it for none.

Resistible Grace – Saving grace is resistible, for God does not overrule man’s free will. Man is born again after he believes, for faith and repentance are not gifts of God.

Falling from Grace – Only a few Christians continue in faith and obedience to the end (Arminians are divided over whether one can actually lose his salvation).

Quote of the day

"Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God's majesty."

John Calvin

Quote of the day.

A man preacheth that sermon only well unto others which preacheth itself in his own soul. And he that doth not feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food which he provides for others will scarce make it savoury unto them; yea, he knows not but the food he hath provided may be poison, unless he have really tasted of it himself. If the word do not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.

John Owen