Hopefully, this session will probably finish the thoughts upon election and predestination. And I look to the Lord that this last one will be helpful. Now, before I, I move to the PowerPoint, I just want to read a several verses from 1 Timothy 2. And starting at verse three, it says, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come on to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.

Now I am reading that, because we’re going to be thinking in a few moments, of the implications of Reformed theology, for the gospel message, and for the Godly character of the gospel, and indeed, the very character of God. But this leaves us and no doubt, the first two verses it said, says, I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications prayers and processions gave giving a thanks be made, for all men. And then he says, about God, our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and then of Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all. So, it runs right through the gospel is a message for all men, and others were a the double predestination of Reformed theology does not allow that. And they change this truth into meaning that all man means all the elect, which completely ruins the whole sense of the passage. Now, let us turn to the PowerPoint here. Yes.

So, we're going to start we, if you remember, last week, we looked at, in some detail how to five points of Calvinism. And we, we saw that each point, the tulip, the famous tulip acronym, Total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints that they were all actually a extrapolation of Scripture, they were going further than what the Bible taught. And they did it by a deduct of logic, and which we looked at. And we realized that this was using an effort of deductive logic, which goes back to Aristotle and taking two premises and coming to a conclusion, and the people who developed the five-point system, a, we're taking a little bit, some verses out of context, and then coming to a conclusion, which actually took you outside of the Bible, and went beyond what the Bible was actually teaching.

So, we had come to a point where we had made an observation on the comparison of election and understanding it. Now, the election of Calvinism, what is that? How would you define it? In a simple line? Let me just move this down here, please. Thank you. They would, and I don't think this is misrepresenting what they believe at all. They would refer to it as God's unconditional choice of individual sinners for salvation, by Divine Decree, by which they are drawn, irresistible to faith in Christ. Now, that is what a Calvinist understands by election, that it is sinners who are being elected to salvation. Now, when it comes to the election of Arminianism, they look on it as God's choice of individual sinners for salvation, conditional on the person's free choice. To believe in Christ.

So, Armenians are still making the same mistake in that their view of election is that it has to do with sinners being chosen for salvation. And in the case of the Armenian, the person makes a free choice to believe, in the case of the Calvinist, are drawn irresistibly. It has nothing to do with the sinner’s choice. It is entirely God's choice. According to Calvinism, according to Arminianism, the sinners being chosen for salvation. But I have been trying to make clear in these talks, that election is not the choice of sinners for salvation. The election is the choice of those who are in Christ, God's choice of the saints in Christ, and for blessings, which follow salvation.

So, it's not sinners to salvation. But it's God's choice of saints, in Christ, the truth is entirely to do with the redeemed, and to do with saints and Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians. And he said, chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, that you might be holy. So, it's when you look at the word election, do a little word, study on it, and do a word study on predestination, you discover, it's nothing that doesn't resemble anything that the Calvinist and reformed people have brought taken out of it. So, we shall move on. And we're going to look now at if the implications of Calvinism for the gospel, so what is the biblical gospel?


The Gospel
Now, the Gospel. Look at the verse on the left. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world, to condemn the world, but the world through Him might be saved. So that is a beautiful, little compact definition of the gospel. And, notice the word, whoever, or the old word we used to in the King James Version, whosoever, whosoever will, may come and make sure that you preach a whosoever gospel. Now, how does a loving God, express His sovereignty.

And I put it to you this way is a nice sovereignty is a word, which it's not a Bible word of search. And the Calvinists use it about sovereign choice, sovereignty. And they use to mean it a Calvinist when he uses the word sovereignly. He's thinking of God's selection of some sinners to be saved, but not all, and some can be lost. That's what they normally think of as sovereignty. But God, but the Bible, God, in His sovereignty, is reigning in grace. This is a wonderful truth. And for those of you who preach the gospel, I want you to get this please. The gospel is like a great amnesty God has made peace.

Christ is made peace by the blood of his cross. And the message goes out, be ye reconciled to God. Now, the sinner who comes to the throne of God, in repentance, and faith, will find nothing there. But mercy and grace. And that is wonderful. Now, that is not the case in Calvinism because only some people can come and find mercy and others cannot come and They're not given the faith to come. And there is no inner working for them to hear the gospel but cannot respond. Now, you can see what that's doing to the gospel. But in the biblical gospel, grace reigns through Jesus through righteousness, on to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

So, in this age, Grace reigns, and the sinner who comes to the throne of grace, will find nothing there. But mercy. It's the throne of God in heaven today is not a throne of judgment. It's a throne of grace. And maybe there's someone listening to me, and you're not saved yet. Remember, while there is opportunity, you get to the throne of grace, you get to Christ. Because with Christ, there is forgiveness, there is salvation. And that's for whosoever will come on you make sure you come God in His Grace has opened the way, Christ is the way and you come, and you put your trust in Him. So today, as I've been saying, the throne of God is not a throne of judgment, but a throne of grace. And God loves the world, and is dealing with the whole world in grace. The fact that salvation is received by faith brings it within the reach of all, the death of Christ was for all, and the gospel call is to all and God will have all men to be saved.

I think that is wonderful. And for me, that magnifies the grace of God, the Gospel magnifies the grace of God. It is a message that God wants every man, woman, boy girl in the world, to hear that Calvary's cross was for them, that they might be saved, and that he invites him to come. The gospel has three aspects to it. This might help someone, first of all, it's a proclamation. Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. So, it is a proclamation of the work of Christ. On Calvary's cross, not only is it a proclamation, but second, it is an invitation. The Lord said, come on to me. All ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Come on, to me. The gospel is an invitation.

But finally, thirdly, it is an ultimatum. In other words, it says God, now, commands all men everywhere to repent. Now, but I think of that phrase, God commands all men everywhere. How could you be any more inclusive than that? There is no one left out of that great ultimatum, God now commands all men everywhere to repent. And I say this to you, in Mumbai. You can look any fellow Indian in the eye and say to him it is God's will for him that he might be saved. Now, Calvinism does not allow a man to do that. Because he doesn't know if the sinner standing before him is among the Elect or not according to his understanding or misunderstanding of election. But when you discover that election is really to do with the saint, it has not a limitation upon who can get saved.

Then when you realize that you can tell everyone and the Gospel is the power of God, on to salvation for everyone who believes So you can tell Your family, and your neighbours, and your colleagues and fellow students. And whoever crosses your path in life, you can tell them with no hesitation, that it is God's will for them that they might be saved, that is so important.


What does Calvinism do to the Gospel?
Now, what does Calvinism do to that gospel that we've just been talking about? Now, let's think about this. And I have written a kind of a caricature of John three and 16. And it I, I do not think I am misrepresenting Calvinism here. This is what Calvinism does to John three and 16. For God so loved the world of the elect, that He gave His only begotten Son exclusively for the elect, elect, being one's chosen according to their system. That whosoever has been elected to salvation, according to their thinking, by eternal decree, drawn by irresistible grace, and given the faith to believe in Him should not perish like those predestined to reprobation but have everlasting life, provided they have been given the gift of perseverance.

Now, that is a little parody of John 3:16 But that is what Calvinist theology is doing to it. They change the meaning of the words we see in a moment they changed the word loved, they change the meaning of the word world, they turn it into the world of the elect, that and John three and 16, the world is the elect, oh that's a nonsense, He gave his only begotten son exclusively for the elect, that whoever has been elected to salvation by an eternal decree, drawn by irresistible grace, given the faith to believe, should not perish like those who have been reprobated.

And they look on predestination, as a choice and destinies mankind is divided into two groups, those who have been chosen to life and those who have been chosen to death. Now, that is what that does to John three and 16. And if you think that I am misrepresenting Calvinism, by that parody of on John 3:16, you tell me, and you point out, what is written there that they do not teach that is what they teach. Now, let us move on. What does Calvinism do to the gospel, and you'll notice there that the meaning of world was changed to mean the elect, and the meaning of whoever, whosoever is changed to mean, the elect.

And a now regarding the word love, according to D.A Carson, and Carson has written some very helpful stuff, but he unless he's Calvinistic, he says Love has three meanings. God's providential love over creation, God's salvific stance toward his fallen world, and God selecting love toward His elect. So now he's changed this, from great For God so loved the world. It's an unconditional love. But now he has divided it up. And now there's such a thing as selecting love, but that's becoming just like sheer favoritism. And according to A.W Pink, God does not love everybody. Well, I'm going to stay with John three and 16. For God, so loved the world. Now, also what Calvinism does to the Gospel, the non elect receive a general call, only the elect receive an irresistible call and they have divided the calls into an inner call and an outer call.

So, the non-elect receive this general outer call and only the elect receive this particular inner call and God has chosen who will receive the inner call. Now that gives tremendous problems for the gospel preacher. Because he cannot tell his congregation that God is calling to trust Christ. He doesn't know if God that God is calling one person in a general way and another person in a particular way. And as we thought last week, there are two kinds of calls. There is the gospel call. And there is the vocational call you're making, you're calling, your called with a holy calling. But the gospel call people calls all. And that's to everyone. And by defining the call a gospel call in two different types of calls. This means that God calls the non elect in bad faith. They hear the gospel but cannot respond, without irresistible grace and the gift of faith.

That's not, that's not the gospel of my God. That's not the Gospel of John of Paul was preached and preached in Athens preached the Judea preached in Jerusalem. Now, When the Lord stood up in the temple, on the last day of the feast, he said, if any man thirst, let them come on to me, and drink. Now, could that mean that there were people in the temple, the elect heard that and responded, and the non-elect, it wasn't true for them? He said, if any man, hear my voice. Again, and comes to me, I will save them. They hear the gospel but cannot respond without irresistible grace. And the gift of faith, if any man thirst, let them come on to me. And drink? Now, according to the Calvinist, there were people hearing that, and they couldn't come. And they were being invited in bad faith. And that's what it does to the gospel. Now, and also, and Calvinism.

Regeneration has to precede faith, because this must agree with their system. And the reason why they've changed all these things is, is to get it, they all have to fit into this master premise of double predestination. That is the rock that they are building all their doctrine on. And the five points of Calvinism are built on this rock of double predestination. God elects some to salvation, but not all. So, and they have everyone a as they teach total inability. So, they're saying in the Bible, faith, sorry, they're saying that regeneration comes before faith, so that you're born again before you believe. Now, this is ridiculous. This is not what the Bible teaches. But they teach that you must be born again. And as soon as a regenerate person can then believe the gospel. Now that's not our confusion in the Bible, faith precedes regeneration.

The gospel is what is believed the gospel is the seed that gives life after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Also, Calvinism makes God the author of sin. And some of them are very bold in saying this. Some of them a go softly on it. They are embarrassed by it. But Palmer and his book, The Five Points of Calvinism, he says, Every sin is preordained by God. That's a shocking belief. And A.W. Pink that comes out with stuff like that. It makes God the author of sin Always remember this, that sin is rebellion against God. God cannot sin. God does not lie, and he tempts no one to sin. He has allowed people their choices, and they have chosen to sin against Him. But God is not the origin of Sin and there is a, and in this the Calvinism the Calvinistic gospel is this, that there's no provision, and no salvation for the non-elect. When Christ died on the cross. He didn't die for the non-elect, he only died for the elect. And there's no provision for those who were predestined to reprobation.

So, it wreaks havoc with the gospel. And I, I would not want to be standing on the platform and preaching through the eyes and the mind of a Calvinist, because he doesn't know who is elect according to his system, and how can you tell a person that God loves them, and that God wants to save them, and it's God's will for him to be saved. And that Calvary's cross is God's provision for him Can't tell him any of those things, because he doesn't know. So now, that's the that's what Calvinism does to the Gospel. And I trust that, that little underlining of the biblical gospel will be helpful. And remember, that God will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and do not accept the argument that all men mean all the elect, all men, means all men.

Now, we have looked, we've been looking at this subject, under four headings. The very first one, we looked at the election of Scripture, we discovered that Christ is the elect of God. And then we discovered that believers are in him, and they are chosen in him. And predestination is to do with the future blessings of those who are in Christ, it's quite different. We discovered that the election of theology is saying, and part two, was saying something very different. It was saying that election was God's choosing of some sinners to salvation, but not all. And the predestination was the selection of sinners, to some of them to life, and some of them to reprobation. And we discovered, that's not what the Bible says at all. We looked at adding to the scriptures, we went through the five points of Calvinism, in some detail, how we discovered also that the election of theology goes back to Augustine

Remember that, and it was the later Augustine, who came out with this very deterministic predestinarian theology. And he was really drawing on the old Stocism and Gnosticism. That he was that he believed in, in his early days, and his unsaved days as assuming that he was saved. I'm not saying that Calvinists are heretics. I'm not saying that. And the I have no doubt that many, many are saved. I've no doubt about that. But I am saying that the theology is very faulty, very faulty. Now, we have been a last week, we looked at the five points of Calvinism and discovered that they're really adding to the Scriptures. So, this time now I want to look at keeping to the Scriptures. And I want to look at some rules of scripture study. And I hope this will be helpful to you.


Seven Principles of Bible study
I have written seven principles of Bible study. Very simple. You don't need to go to Bible school to understand them. They're not theological, and they're to do with the Bible. Number one, observe what the text actually says. Number two, consider the context. Number three, do not add to the Scriptures. Number four, do not take away from the scriptures. Number five, compare Scripture with scripture number six, be silent when the scriptures were silent. And number seven, use scriptural language and terms. So let us consider, just briefly, those seven things.


Number 1: Observe what the text actually says
Number one, observe what the text actually says. We're going to give you some examples. Not all of them are to do with election and predestination, but they give us a groundwork, some ground rules for interpreting the Bible and understanding it. In John 21. The Peter asked the Lord Jesus, what about this man? He wanted to know what the future held for John and John, the Lord said to him, to Peter, okay, if, if I will, that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? And this saying went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. Yet Jesus said not on to him, he shall not die. But if I will tarry if I will, that he tarry till I come what is that to thee and there is a that is an example of how the Lord's words are misquoted and how they are misunderstood, how they're not actually observing what he said. He said, If I will that ye tarry till I come, what is that to thee. He didn't say he wouldn't die.

So, it's important that we read the whole verse, there is another good example of a verse you would hear misquoted often, I have heard people saying that money is the root of all evil. Now, anyone who knows their Bible, will know that that's not the whole quotation. It is doesn't say, Money is the root of all evil. It says that the love of money is the root of all evil. That's very different. So, you've got to be careful that you're reading and quoting the Bible accurately. And the other example of observing what the text actually says, is from Ephesians. 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. Now notice this He hath chosen us in him. It doesn't say he has chosen us to be in him, or chosen us as sinners to salvation. It says he's chosen us in Him.

In other words, those who are in Him, are chosen, and what are they chosen to? They are chosen to be holy, and without blame before Him, in love not chosen to salvation, but chosen to be holy. So the choice or the election is of those who are in Christ. And it is to holiness and Christ's likeness. Now second word that is often, that verse is often miss quoted and assumed. It's assumed that it means chosen us to be in him or to be put into him. But that is not the case. It's chosen us in him. Now, he says here having predestinated us on to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to himself. Now, the person is not predestinated to heaven or hell, but are predestinated to the adoption of sons and the adoption of sons is the adoption means the placing of the recognition of adult sons.

When does that happen? It happens according to Romans 8 at the redemption of the body, the resurrection, the judgment seat of Christ. We are predestinated to the adoption of sons, and we're predestinated, to the likeness of Christ, that we will be conformed to the image of His Son. And it's to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. So, when you read in Scripture, if you decalvanize your mind, and say, What does the Bible mean by election and predestination, you discover that it has nothing to do with being chosen for heaven or hell, it's to do with being chosen in Christ, for blessings that follow salvation. So observe what the text actually says.


Number 2: Consider the Context
Now also, consider the context. The context may be defined as the setting of a word in relation to the thought flow of the passage. Now, an example of a verse quoted by people out of context is John 15:16, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain. Now this is often quoted, as an example, a person that Calvinist could ask you, did you choose Christ or did Christ choose you? And they're going to, they're going to quote this to say and the point, the point is, is that this choice here is not in the context of salvation, He is speaking to apostles, I have chosen you, that is to this Apostleship, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. So, notice that context is not salvation, but it is discipleship and fruit bearing.

So, make sure you consider the context of every verse, that you come on. Another one, a quoted a from First Thessalonians and Second Thessalonians, For God, hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. And then it says, In the second book, but we are bound to get thanks always to God for your brethren, Beloved of the Lord, because God half from the beginning, chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, or onto the quality of our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, when you come on the word, salvation, and appointment, you haven't appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation, you've got to ask yourself, it's quite important to us which aspect of salvation is in view, now remember that that will help you which aspect of salvation is in view.

And here, it is the future aspect of salvation, the from wrath to come. And you'll find that in the second letters, they are to do with the second coming of Christ and wrath to come. And the church will not be here for that wrath, the church will not go through the Great Tribulation, but the church will be raptured. So, the context is the future appearance of the man of sin, and the coming, tribulation of wrath. And God from the beginning chosen you to salvation, to sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. So, it is to do with the future aspect of salvation. And remember, ask yourself that question. When you have when you come on a verse, that appears to be difficult, which aspect of salvation is in view? And that is the context there is to do with the man of sin, and of the Great Tribulation wrath to come.


Number 3: Do not add to the Scriptures
Three, do not add to the Scriptures. Now, it's vital to see that the methodology used by Calvinists in the formulation of their five-point system takes their conclusion beyond the biblical text. So, what does the Bible teach? The Bible teaches that election in Scripture means God's choice of those in Christ. Predestination is God's future purposes. For those in Christ. When you grasp those two concepts, it switches on the light in your head, the sun comes out from behind the clouds. And you don't have to worry about whether your children are elect or non-elect and that kind of thing. Now, what does Reformed theology teach?

They add to the scriptures and change them. They say predestination has two components, election and reprobation but it hasn't anything of the kind. And they say election is God's choice of certain sinners to salvation, by eternal decree, unchangeable. And that reprobation is God's rejection and damnation of certain sinners by eternal decree, they have added that, and it's all on the mistaken premise of double predestination. And once you believe in double predestination, you have got to get all the verses in scripture to line up with it, or to agree with it. Sometimes it means adding to the scriptures, or changing the meaning of words, like the 'world', what becomes 'elect' and so on. Now, there are there are some other examples.

Now other examples of a adding to the Scripture. One classic one is infant baptism. There was a man here. A he was a missionary to Japan, his name was Bobby Wright. And he issued a track and published a tract and on the cover of the tract it said, what the Bible has to teach about infant baptism. And when you opened up the tract, just blank, nothing in it, nothing inside it, nothing on the back page, what the Bible has to teach about infant baptism, nothing. Now, don't add to the Scriptures. And we discover that when it comes to the subject of baptism, the Bible teaches clearly, believers’ baptism, those who will gladly receive the word were baptized.

But now, the there are people who baptize a child an infant and say that it brings it into this covenant of family salvation. That's a Presbyterian way of looking at it, if added to it. And they add to it they use an argument of analogy. They say, if, if the Hebrew family had the right to circumcise their children, then it follows that the Christian family has the right to baptize their children. That's an argument from analogy, but it is adding to it. The Bible says nothing about an infant being baptized. And then from Presbyterianism, if you go do Anglican stuff, and further, further out, still Roman Catholic doctrine on infant baptism. They're telling you that their sins are being washed away by baptism, and that they become a member of the Body of Christ, on baptism.

In other words, it's a sacramental view of baptism. The there is a covenant view the Presbyterians have a covenant view of baptism. The Anglicans have a so, and the Roman Catholics have a sacramental view of baptism, that that is washing away, Adams Original Sin from the child and that comes from Augustine the way, that idea and if the child died without being baptized, it went to hell or Hades or whatever other is place they had for it but notice that it is adding to what the Bible says limited atonement is a classic example of the five points of Calvinism are all adding to the scriptures and clericalism. And the giving of titles to man and one elder congregations have where a man wears a dog collar, and he's given a title, and all of that, that is all adding to the Scriptures. So, I say this, Do not add to the Scriptures.


Number 4: Do not take away from the Scriptures
Number four, do not take away from the scriptures. This this is happening, especially in the West. And one example is from First Corinthians 11. The truth of headship and glory, as expressed by the head covering of the woman, and the uncovered head of the man has been largely abandoned in Western mainstream Christian denominations. And the practice is explained in the way by claiming that it was only a cultural issue. And first century Corinth. But Paul expands if anyone is disposed to be contentious. We recognize no pther practice, nor do the churches of God. Now, First Corinthians 11, as you know, has to do with headship and that has to do with glory. And a teacher is at the head of the man is Christ. And that the head of the woman is the man and at the head of Christ is God.

And when a woman is uncovered, in a meeting, when the church has gathered together, she is actually a dishonouring, the man in the meeting. And when I look at a big meeting, like John MacArthur's meeting, you see it on YouTube, how not a single woman is covered her head and they're all singing praise and things, do they not realize that the women end up meeting or dishonouring all the man by refusing to wear a head covering their saying, we do not recognize the headship of the man. And also, First Corinthians 11 teaches the glory of God is the mind. The glory of man is the woman. And the glory of woman is her hair. So that's another reason why the lady covers her hair. She's hiding her glory.

The man's head is uncovered, and that a local church gathering is reflecting the principle of headship, the head of the man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man. And the head of Christ is God. Now, I've been to India six times. I've loved I love your assemblies. And there's one thing that you have not abandoned, you have not at least the assemblies I was in, you have not abandoned the the covering of the sister. Don't follow the west. It keep follow the Scripture.

And I'm glad to say in the assemblies Am I move in that is a very observed rule, very strict rule, and that the women cover their heads and the men uncover their heads But they explain it by saying that really it's only a cultural issue. First Century Corinth. Well, I say this, do not take away from the Scriptures. And Paul says if anyone's contentious on this subject, we recognize no other practice. Nor do the churches of God. And that's, that's a bit of a aside from our, our subject, but it's an example of taking away from the scriptures. Now


Number 5: Compare Scripture with Scripture
Number five, compare Scripture with Scripture. Second Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So, it's important that we understand the difference between the coming of the Lord for the church the rapture of the church. And the coming of the Son of man to earth, to deliver Israel to judge the world. And it's important to understand the difference between the Age of law, and the Age of grace, and the Age of the kingdom, the millennial reign of Christ, then, not only are we to divide accurately, but first Corinthians 2:13 tells us Which things also we speak, not in the words, which man's wisdom, teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

So, to study the Bible on any subject, look up all the references, compare Scripture with Scripture. And the Bible is a self-contained book. This is the book, and it is self-validating, and anyone who has a good, reasonably good translation of the Bible, in their own language should arrive at the truth of God. If we follow these rules. Now, Let's just give an example of a discerning between things that differ rightly dividing to divide between Israel and the church. Now, this is where there is a lot of confusion, especially among reformed people who confound Israel and the church. And they will tell you that the the promises and covenants with Israel no longer apply to Israel, but that they are spiritually fulfilled in the church, and that God has no future for Israel is that the case?

Certainly not. Israel was chosen in Abraham, the church was chosen in Christ. Israel was chosen in time, the church was chosen before time. Israel was chosen to be God's earthly people. The church was chosen to be God's heavenly people. Israel was chosen for blessings on Earth. The church is chosen for blessings in heavenly places. Israel is chosen for material blessings. The church is chosen for spiritual blessings. And Israel is chosen for temporal blessings. The church is chosen for eternal blessings. And the church is a mystery people. And mystery was that was not known in Old Testament times. And you and I were baptized into the body of Christ. And we are part of the body of Christ, and we will be with Him forever.

Now, when we are raptured, when the churches raptured out of the world, Son of man will come back. And there will be the covenants made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob concerning the land will be blessed to Israel will be fulfilled to Israel, a covenant concerning the kingdom of David on the throne of David will be fulfilled in the our Lord Jesus Christ will set on the throne of David. And the covenant of the new covenant of Jeremiah will be fulfilled to the people of the house of Israel, and the house of Judah in that day. So, the Old Testament covenants will be fulfilled to Israel, literally. And certainly, we have them spiritually. But there is a difference between Israel and the church and there is a future for Israel. Now you'll find that Reformed churches do not like this at all.


Number 6: Be Silent when the Scriptures are Silent
Now, number six, be silent when the scriptures are silent. If this is this being my last session, I hope you're okay with me going on. A few minutes over the time. Be silent when the scriptures are silent. And you could think of details like the boyhood of Christ, the details about the rapture. I've heard some strange theories, what will happen to the children of believers? And what about aeroplanes crashing and, and cars crashing on the motorways and so on.

When the Lord comes, don't add, you know, be silent, when the scriptures are silent. And there are many what if questions that we can't really answer. What if Israel had received Christ? What if pilot had received Christ, and so on, and so on. Now, God, God knew what He would do, and God knew what he would do. So the we do not need to worry about those things. We can, and sometimes it's better, to be silent. And sometimes it's better to have no explanation of something, and to have a bad one. So be silent when the scriptures are silent.


Number 7: Use Scriptural Language
And lastly, it's a good rule and a good principle use scripture language, and terms. And 2 Timothy 1: 13, Paul said to Timothy, Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus, when preaching the gospel, use Bible terms, sometimes you might have to explain them, but don't drop them out of your vocabulary. And don't try to use the slang of the street, the language of the street, and use and in worship, use the language of Scripture, from the Psalms from the offerings from Moses, from the prophets, from the Gospels, from the epistles. Make sure your language your heart is full of Scripture.

And beware of theological terms, because that is where Reformed theology goes way off the rails, in my opinion, and they talk about general calls, and outer calls and inner calls, particular calls. And they have they have this and that they have so many terms, which are borrowed, Make sure before you use a term in teaching, or in preaching, make sure the term you're using is a Bible term, and not a theological term. Now, I'm not saying all theological terms are wrong, obviously not. But be careful, because many of them are wrong. And sometimes you have to decalvanize your mind and your thinking and get back to Bible terms. So those are seven principles, and for the use of Scripture.


Calvinistic Arguments
And just be careful about being drawn into Calvinist arguments. Calvinists have a little, they have a little trap for you. And I'm saying avoid being drawn into an argument on terms from theology. As it, it will turn out to be a philosophical argument, rather than a Bible study. Now, some of these things, these things here, each presents a false dichotomy. And by a false dichotomy, I mean, a choice between two alternatives, both of which are incorrect. So, if someone asks you, Are you a Calvinist or an Armenian? Tell them I'm neither. I do not believe in the election of theology, but I believe in the election of Scripture. And I'm neither Calvinist nor Armenian. And do get into debates about what Augustine said, or debates about sovereignty versus free will, you will certainly end up there in a in a philosophical argument and it won't be a scriptural argument.

Now, you may never have seen these words before and have no idea what they mean. But these are invented by Calvinists. They actually invent their own words monarchism by that they say this is God acting purely on his own, and synergism is God acting with people. So they will tell you that the gospel are you a Monergist or a Synergist? And they will tell you that if you believe that man, salvation comes by faith, and that is before regeneration, they'll tell you then that God, God isn't, hasn't provided all of your salvation, that he's provided part of it at the cross, and you have provided the faith, and it will make it out that Faith is like a work, and you have added to what God has done. And they'll call that that is, they'll tell you that Synergism and Monergism is a God acting alone.

But remember this, that faith in the Bible, in the Epistles especially, is always presented in contrast to works. Faith is not a work, faith has not meritorious. And that is Calvinist confusion, to get it to fit in that God only gives faith to the elect. But faith, comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And it is the fact that salvation is through faith, that brings it within the reach of all, it doesn't limit it. And make it exclusive, it delimits it, and makes it inclusive, that you can tell anyone who believes in Christ, if they will believe that they will receive the forgiveness of sins.

And always remember the simplicity of the answer that Paul gave to the Philippian jailer, the jailer said, What must I do to be saved? And Paul said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Now when I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's the gospel, the gospel is the power of God to salvation at that moment, I'm saved. Now, Let me let me read to you. This is a book by John Piper, popular Calvinist in the States, and he quotes Packer in this and he is his sounding about a final appeal. How does a person be saved or come to a knowledge of Christ? And he says, I'm not going to read it all. But he says, Turn to Him. And trust him as best you can. He says, and pray for grace to turn and trust more thoroughly, that's strange. He has a an initial trust. And then you've got to prayer for grace, to have a more thorough trust. And this is what he says, Now, use the means of grace expectantly.

Well well, what are the means of grace, after telling us that we're not we can do nothing to save ourselves and have nothing. We're to use the means of grace, looking to Christ to draw near to you, as you seek to draw near to Him. Now this is this is saying how to get saved here. Watch, pray, read, and hear God's word, worship and commune with God's people. And so continue, continue till you know, in yourself beyond doubt, that you are indeed a changed being a penitent believer, and the new heart which you desired has been put within you. That sounds like a pile of works to me. Did Paul set up to the Philippian jailer? Turn to Him, trust them as best you can. And then ask for grace to trust him more, and use the means of grace. And eventually, a using the means of grace and watching and praying and reading and hearing God's word. You You've come to know whether your saved or not? You'll come to know whether you're one of the elect?

Oh dear. I would rather have Paul's answer. When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Don't forget that. preach that. That's the gospel. When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we have salvation. We don't need to agonize and agonize over whether we are among the elect. There was an Old Testament decree which you might find interesting. Artaxerxes, King of Kings, on to Ezra, the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace at such a time he says, I make a decree that all they of the people of Israel and of his priests and Levites in my realm, which are reminded of their own free will, to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. So he's issued a decree, he wants, Ezra to beautify the house of God, in Jerusalem, that will happen, that's a decree. Who can go? those who are minded of their own free will.

And the Lord Jesus said, I will build my church, that's a decree, He'll do that Who can be in the church? Those minded of their own freewill by the grace of God, and believing the Gospel. You can be saved, your neighbor can be saved, your family can be saved. And message is to the world. And the gospel invitation is this. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink, and whosoever will, this is the last invitation in the Bible. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Keep to the Bible I hope, I hope these talks have been of some use to you. I'm just going to finish, I think of just two slides to finish very quickly.


Recent Trends in Calvinism
Recent trends in Calvinism if you're interested, if you're not interested, it doesn't matter. But there was an article young, restless and reformed, it was written in an article in Time Magazine in 2008. drawing attention to the new Calvinists. And the leading names were Tim Keller, John Piper and Mark Driscoll. I have read some John Piper, heard on YouTube and so on, that I'm not so familiar with these people. The Gospel, they're seeking to create and redeem culture, and to restore creation. Just be careful about the gospel their preaching. Their theology is Calvinist, their gifts regarding the gifts of tongues and prophecy, their continuationist, in other words, they're charismatic. And you and I, and I trust your assembly, it would be described as Secessionist, it believes that tongues have ceased, and prophecies have ceased. For these people don't believe that. The worship is very charismatic, contemporary praise bands, and Christian rap and hip hop and Emerging Church ideas, including mysticism and so on. And on Genesis, they have been leaning to theistic evolution. So I just mentioned some of those things, and to be aware, to be aware of these things.


Useful Resources
And lastly, some resources for any who want to follow up subject on YouTube, there are two good sites. Kevin Thompson, beyond the fundamentals, is American Baptist, has a lot of good stuff in there. Leighton Flower in Soteriology 101. A lot of good stuff he is American Baptist as well. But they are excellent on the true biblical teaching of election and predestination. They preach a pure gospel, some books for any who are interested, Dark side of Calvinism, by George Bryson, if you can get your hands on it. Limiting Omnipotence: The consequences of Calvinism, by David Dunlap is from the American assemblies, the Faith of God's Elect: A comparison between the election of Scripture and the election of theology by John Parkinson, that's myself I wrote it in 1999. And I wanted to do two things. I wanted to present what was the biblical teaching on election and predestination. And I also wanted to draw attention to the methodology used by Calvinists in deriving the five points of Calvinism.

So, I'll maybe organize with brother Koshy Matthew may be getting some copies over there for any who are interested, Election and Predestination by Samuel Fisk. This is very worth reading, God's strategy in human history, God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Well, that was an excellent book written in 1973. So, they were very much on their own at that time, because all the books of theology were all Calvinist when it came to this subject, I thought we need to decalvinize ourselves on this Then one excellent book, the foundation of Augustinian Calvinism by Ken Wilson. You get that on Amazon. It's not expensive. But I tell you, it's excellent. He sets out to show he has read all of Augustine's works. And he sets out to prove that the ideas are predestinarian ideas and double predestination came at a later date. When he started to take it, he started to influence be influenced again, by Stoicism. He was a monarchist before he became a Christian, and it's not the guy ideas that we're all fatalistic. And really, you can say that the reformed and the Roman Catholic churches and much of Reformed theology is based on what Augustine wrote. Determined to believe by John Lennox, excellent book, I don't know what whether it's easily available in India or not. But it was written in 2017. A very good book. An So that's what's available at the moment.

A Quote to End
And I just, last slide. I want to quote this to you
So near, so very near to God,
I cannot nearer be;
For in the person of His Son
I am as near as He.
So dear, so very dear to God,
More dear I cannot be:
The love wherewith He loves the Son,
Such is His love for me.
-Catesby Paget (19th Cent.)

May God bless you all. And may. Thank you, to Brother Koshy Mathews for inviting me to do this. And may God bless His Word, and bless your assembly, and bless all who have been listening. And thank you very much. And I hand it back to you. Sorry for going so late over the time. Thank you, brother. I'm finished now.