The teachings of men, part 22....The Lord knows who are His.

I almost hesitate to write this. I've learned a great deal in the study of the teachings of men. One of the main things I have learned along the way is that we should not turn to men for any learning on our Lord. Ever.

Yes, I know it's edifying to read another believers writings. I know that sometimes someone can give us insight into Scripture that we seem to be unable to grasp. BUT...what insight do we gain? Do we gain Truth from Scripture or do we gain someone else's understanding of what the Truth in Scripture is?

I have a relative that is deep into the 'church' system. This relative is teaching classes and devoting a great deal of time to their 'church', so much so that they have told me they have little time for anything else.

That does not come as a surprise to me. From experience, it seems to be the nature of 'churches' in general. If someone gives them an inch, in time or money, they demand ten miles. They aren't happy to have you work in the nursery once a month, they want you in there every Sunday and Wednesday night. Oh, and by the way, we're having Bible studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we need you in the nursery then too. And there's the Fall Festival coming up and we will need you in there that night so others can work the festival. And then there's the Thanksgiving banquet and the kitchen people need nursery care, could you possibly work then? How about every Saturday in December so those in the Christmas pageant can practice? Oh, and one more thing? Would you work the nursery on the night of the pageant?

And on, and on, it goes. I do realize that may possibly be a slight exageration and that not everyone works in the nursery but the way the 'church' uses those willing to 'help' is astonishing.

That is what my relative has happily found themselves in the midst of. They started out teaching one class. One class. The next thing they knew they are visiting the sick and elderly in their homes, studying for the two classes they now teach, mentoring others in the Bible and having to study books on the Bible to do so.

When does it end?

And when do men's opinions on Scripture end and Truth reign?

Which is why I hesitate to write this. I have even wondered if my very own blog is not part of the problem and not the solution. I have had to do some deep praying and thinking on this one. Should I keep writing these blog posts? Should I stop? Am I just one more rattling person giving my opinions on Scripture and causing more harm than good?

The conclusion I have finally come to is that I did not start this blog with the intention of teaching anyone anything. I started it with the intention of recording my own learnings and observations where Scripture is concerned so that my husband can share in all my Scripture studies that may take place without him being present.  I still write it for that very purpose.


And so I have decided to continue just as I have been but it is with those thoughts in my head that I sit down to write this post.

As I have stated before I am not against Arminians. I firmly believe we should thank the Lord for them. They keep Christ in the limelight, so to speak, spreading Him far and wide. They have ensured that it is impossible to grow up in America without hearing the name of Jesus. They have taken Christianity from a hated, and death sentence enducing belief, to an accepted and nearly embraced one. The elect are allowed to live out their faith in peace because the professing believers are many and have taken Christianity to the level where no one is out to kill the person that claims Christ.

And in that Arminian system are many evil reprobates that are restrained through the Lord's hand. And what system is it likely He is using. The Arminian Church system.

Thank you, Lord, for this kind favor. For this deeply embraced and held belief system that gives us some restraint in an otherwise viciously evil world.

Those learning false Scripture in a false system may one day find themselves in hell, sent there by a holy God, but they will not find themselves there because they went to a 'church' or because they were Armenian. They will find themselves there because in that time, before the earth was formed, when God picked out His chosen ones, those poor souls were not chosen. They were passed over for some reason known only to the Lord.

We cannot share Jesus and save them as the Arminians believe we can. Nor can we share the Truth of Scripture and save them as some that believe themselves to be the elect think we can. Every soul that will ever be will either be elect or not. There is nothing we can do about it. Arminianism will not send them to hell. Truth will not save them.

They are God's people. Romans 9 says:

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,[a] my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
    and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel[c] be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted,

“If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
    we would have been like Sodom
    and become like Gomorrah.”

Israel's Unbelief

30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness[d] did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

The Lord has made some vessels for glory and some for destruction. We cannot snatch those fit for destruction out of hell simply because we share Scripture with them. We cannot wipe Arminianism out of the world and have the only Gospel given be that of the pure Truth straight from Scripture Gospel. The Lord has allowed the 'come as you are, Jesus loves you' gospel to spread and to convert many to it's beliefs. 

And you know what? 

They are professing a belief in Christ. That's enough for me. I will leave them to their faith and their deeply emotional beliefs. I will embrace them and appreciate them for what they are because they are not responsible for the condition of their soul. The Lord placed them on this earth and He placed them in their beliefs. Maybe they are His. Maybe they are not. I do not know and I do not want to be the one to make that call. 

I can say that if I were picking and choosing who goes to heaven and who does not, I would choose the loving Arminian over the hard hearted 'elect' any day. I would usher those lovingly sharing Jesus into heaven long before I would allow the hateful 'elect' in. But that's just me and I am not the Lord. Thankfully, so.

All I know is that we can't both be right. Either we have free will or it's all God's will. Either we are in control or He is. There is no middle ground for that although I know there are those that believe their is, something about God being all powerful and all controlling using His control to give us the free will to choose Him or to turn away. I do not see it that way. I see free will as being God having no control. He has chosen His people, Ephesians 1, and they are His whether they chose Him or not. 

And somewhere in all that come all the differing belief systems, including the Armenian Christian belief, and all I know to say is...

The Lord knows who are His.