The foolishness of Calvinism is in its denial of scriptures that support Arminianism and the foolishness of Arminianism is in its denial of scriptures that support Calvinism. There is a need to harmonize Calvinism and Arminianism.
Andrew Wommack’s Hyper Arminianism
For quite some time, I was perplexed by Mr. Andrew Wommack’s gospel on LTV in Uganda(Andrew Wommack has even opened up a shop in Kampala, where his materials are sold) . He some times begins his TV programme in truth, but as he sinks deeper and deeper into his programme, his gospel get more and more confused. I started to ask my self a question; what are the theological foundations of this teacher. Well, Mr. Andrew Wommack is a hyper Arminian. Now in order to understand Arminianism, one needs to understand Calvinism because Arminianism is a reaction to Calvinism. This Calvinism Versus Arminianism debate is one of the most controversial debates in the church today.
The foolishness of Calvinism versus The foolishness of Arminianism
The foolishness of Calvinism is in its denial of scriptures that support Arminianism and the foolishness of Arminianism is in its denial of scriptures that support Calvinism. There is a need to harmonize Calvinism and Arminianism. God sovereignty does not negate human freedom and human freedom does not negate God’s sovereignty. In his absolute sovereignty, God has chosen to give man freedom to even rebel against him even after being given the grace to be saved. God does not control human beings like robots. If human beings were simply cogs in a machine, then God would be unjust to punish them in hell. How can God condemn some body for disobedience, yet he/she was simply determined by God to disobey. This is a serious dilemma for Calvinists.
It is fallacious for Word faith prosperity Gospel Armenians like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Price to hiss that we should never go before God and say, ‘Let your will be done’’. According to Hinn these are faith destroying words(compare with (Matthew 26:39- where the Lord Jesus Christ prayed that God’s will should be done). It is blasphemous for the likes of Kenneth Copeland to hiss that when Adam and Eve sinned, God was kicked out of the earth on a legal technicality, and therefore he needed men of faith like Abraham to reinforce his sovereignty back to the universe. What nonsense!!! If God was kicked out on technicality, how comes he destroyed people with a flood in Genesis Chapter 7 ??? I urge you, to read Hank Hanegraaf’s expose titled, ‘’ Christianity in Crisis, Harvest House Publishers, 1997, especially chapter 24 on Sovereignty and sickness.
MUST READ: BRO.DAVID CLOUD’S ANALYSIS OF THE CALVINIST DEBATE PART ONE
http://wayoflife.org/files/bb9ae697167e8970a8d6cb0d5ce6d54e-133.html
MUST READ: BRO.DAVID CLOUD’S ANALYSIS OF THE CALVINIST DEBATE PART TWO
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/11d400dee0763c17337019e9c7c217f6-186.html
BE WARE: CALVINISM IS TRYING TO MAKE A COME BACK
http://www.wayoflife.org/files/category-calvinism.html
Dave Hunt Refutes Calvinism. Calvinists Refute Dave Hunt
http://procinwarn.com/DHCal.htm
http://www.cephasministry.com/calvanism_what_love_is.html
Calvinist attacks hyper Calvinism
http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/articles/hypercal.htm
Calvinism Critically Examined
http://www.heavensfamily.org/ss/calvinism
Hyper Calvinism’s attack of the gospel of free will
http://www.antichristconspiracy.com/PDFDocs/Antigospel.pdf
Calvinism Versus Arminianism
http://examiningcalvinism.com
The Five Points of Calvinism(T.U.L.I.P)
Calvinists argue that if Christ takes the punishment in the place of a particular sinner, that person must be saved since it would be unjust for him then to be condemned for the same sins…. Calvinists view the atonement as a penal substitution (that is, Jesus was punished in the place of sinners), and since, Calvinists argue, it would be unjust for God to pay the penalty for some people's sins and then still condemn them for those sins, all those whose sins were atoned for must necessarily be saved.
http://www.heavensfamily.org/ss/calvinism/calvin_intro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism
The Five Points of Arminiainsm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arminianism
Andrew Wommack and TBN word Faith phantoms
I understand Andrew Wommack is a great fun of Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin who teach that faith is a force with a negative and positive side or pole. When you speak negative words like; I want to die, I’m broke, I’m sick, then the negative pole will be activated and therefore you will die, be poor and get sick. The negative pole or side represents satan and the positive pole represents God. So, when you speak negative words you activate satan and when you speak positive words you activate God. In other words God is a being governed by laws. No wonder they hate the sovereignty of God. This theology is from the world of the occult. Andrew Womack believes that if five people pray for a person, and 3 of them have unbelief, that person will not be healed. Therefore he advises people to avoid being prayed for by people who lack faith.
Andrew is implicitly invoking Copeland’s ‘force of faith’ theology. The likes of Copeland and Andrew Wommack believe that God is governed by LAWS such as; the law of faith. The more you discover the laws the more you will manipulate things in your favour after all, God can not act out side his LAWS. They actually believe that God has faith. According to Copeland God can not do anything outside faith. Precisely , Faith is God’s source of power.I once again urge, African saints to read Hank Hanegraaf’s expose titled, ‘’ Christianity in Crisis, Harvest House Publishers, 1997,especially chapter five on the force of faith, you life will never be the same
Compare Andrew Wommack’s amazing heresies below with the following scriptures
11And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? (Exodus 4:11)
71It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes…. 75I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. (Psalm 119:71& 75)
5And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.(2 Kings 15:5)
19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. (Luke 1:19-20)
21And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.(Acts 12:21-23)
These word faith parrots have come up with their own bibles which defend their heresies. For example in Kenneth Copeland’s version of the bible, Mark 11:22, reads ‘’have the faith of God’’ instead of ‘’have faith in God’’. According to Copeland, God has faith. See, Kenneth Copeland, Holy bible: Kenneth Copeland reference edition, Fort Worth, TX, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1991. If you carefully examine Luke 23:43 in Joyce Meyer’s version of the bible it reads, ‘’I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise’’. So, putting the comma after the word TODAY implies that after dying on the cross Jesus went to hell to pay for our sins. Many born Christians like to ‘enjoy every day life’(foolery) with Joyce Meyer but they are un aware of the fact that she believes that Jesus did not pay for our sins on the cross, but rather in hell.
Faith teachers read Mark 11:22( have faith in God) as have the faith of God
Faith use Hebrews 11:3 (Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by God) to defend the heresy that God has faith. However scripture say, ‘’We throught faith..’’ who? WE
Andrew Wommack’s ridiculous heresies
The more you know about faith and how it works, the better it will work for you. If all you knew was that you have the same faith Jesus has, then that would remove hopelessness and motivate you. People would eventually see results if they just kept trying, but they give up easily because they believe they don't have what it takes. That is not true. The Lord has given us everything we need, including all the faith we need. We just need to acknowledge what we have and begin to learn the LAWS that govern the operation of GOD'S FAITH.
SEE, The Faith Of God
http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/faith_god
believe this is the worst doctrine in the church today. I know that this is a shocking statement and is near blasphemy to some people, but the way sovereignty" is taught today is a real faith killer. The belief that God controls everything that happens to us is one of the devil's biggest inroads into our lives. If this belief is true, then our actions are irrelevant, and our efforts are meaningless. What will be will be.
If we believe that God wills everything, good or bad, to happen to us, it gives us some temporary relief from confusion and condemnation, but in the long-term, it slanders God, hinders our trust in God, and leads to passiveness.
SEE, The Sovereignty Of God
http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/sovereignty_god
God has already placed His healing power within us, and it is now under our authority. It isn’t up to God to determine who receives healing; it’s up to us! What a powerful statement! It’s our failure to understand and use the authority we have that is keeping God's healing power from flowing as it should. It's imperative that we discover what we have and learn how to release it. If you don't have my album entitled The Believer's Authority, you need to get it. The message will not only affect the way you receive and minister healing, but it will change the entire way you relate to God. It's a powerful teaching.
Here's another indispensable basic truth you must know and understand about healing: It's never God's will for us to be sick; He wants every person healed every time. That's nearly-too-good-to-be-true news, but that's the Gospel. Most Christians don't know or believe that. They think the Lord makes them sick, or at the very least, He allows Satan to make them sick to either punish or correct them. That kind of thinking will get you killed; it's not what the Bible teaches.
One of the most elementary principles in God's Word is given in James 4:7. It says,
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
This verse clearly teaches that some things are of God, and some things are of the devil. Notice it doesn't present a third category: from God through the devil. No! Sickness has nothing to do with God! Submit to the things of God, and resist the things of the devil. It's that simple. To believe that God allows or approves of Satan's actions defies the logic of James 4:7. It eliminates our responsibility to resist and places ultimate responsibility for everything back on God.
The widely-accepted doctrine that God controls everything is a deception. If Satan can confuse and deceive you on that issue, he's got you! Why? Because you'll stop resisting. No one wants to resist God's will, and if you think that God is behind your sickness, you'll submit to it. That violates the instruction of James 4:7, it won't get you healed, and it lets Satan have his way in your life.
SEE, Faith For Healing Is Based On Knowledge
http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/healing_knowledge
‘’Did you know a Christian can actually die from sickness or disease while the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lies dormant within them?...’’
‘’Your soul wasn’t saved either. You may have the same thoughts and emotions you had before you were saved. And because of that, some people seriously doubt whether or not they are saved. They don’t understand that the change took place in their spirits. Typically, your body and soul are both impacted by what happens at salvation, but that’s not where the complete change took place.’’
SEE, Understanding Spirit, Soul, And Body
http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/spirit_soul
We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We believe He can save, heal, and deliver but that He is waiting on us to shape up and earn it. The truth is, we don’t deserve it, and we will never be good enough. Because of Jesus, all that God has is ours. That’s good news. We no longer need to beg or plead; we need to exercise the authority He as given us and receive His blessings.
First, we need to recognize that God isn’t angry at mankind anymore. He is no longer imputing or holding our sins against us.
“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19).
We are NOW reconciled to God through Jesus. That means we are in harmony and are friendly with God right now. He isn’t mad; He’s not even in a bad mood. The war between God and man is over. That’s what the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:14 says,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
These angels weren’t saying that peace would reign on earth and wars between people would cease. That certainly hasn’t happened. They were proclaiming the end of the war between God and man. Jesus paid a price that was infinitely greater than the sins of the whole human race.
God’s wrath and justice have been satisfied. Jesus changed everything. God isn’t angry. His mercy extends to all men. He loves the world, not only the church, but the whole world. He paid for all sin.
The Scriptures say in 1 John 2:2,
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
SEE, A Better Way To Pray
http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/better_pray
In verse 7, right after the thorn in the flesh is mentioned, there is a phrase set off by commas which says, "The messenger of Satan to buffet me." This is an explanation of what the thorn was. It was not a thing but rather a demonic messenger. The word used as "messenger" here is always translated as angel or messenger and refers to a created being. So, Paul's thorn was literally a demon sent from Satan to buffet him. The word "buffet" means to strike repeatedly as waves would buffet the shore.
How did this demonic force continually strike Paul? Traditionally it has been taught that it was with sickness, and the thing that made many accept that is the use of the words "weakness" and "infirmity" in verses 9 and 10. Infirmity definitely does mean sickness and is used that way in 1 Timothy 5:23, but that is not the only meaning of the word. The number two definition is any lack or inadequacy. For instance, Romans 8:26 says, "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities." In this case, the context makes it clear that it is not speaking of sicknesses but rather not knowing what to pray for. Our finite minds are an infirmity, or an inadequacy.
If we look at the context of Paul's thorn in the flesh, we find that infirmity does not mean sickness in 2 Corinthians 12:9 and 10. In 2 Corinthians 11:30, Paul uses the exact terminology of "glorying in infirmities" that is used just a few verses later in speaking about this thorn. In the eleventh chapter he had just finished listing what those infirmities were. In verses 23-29, he lists such things as imprisonment, stripes, shipwrecks, and stonings; none of these speak of sickness. Verse 27 mentions weakness and painfulness, which some have tried to make mean sickness, but it is just as possible he could have been weary and suffered painfulness from such things as being stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). All these things listed in 2 Corinthians 11 refer to persecutions as infirmities. So, in context, Paul's thorn was a demonic angel or messenger sent by Satan which continually stirred up persecution against him. This is also verified by three Old Testament references (Num. 33:55; Josh. 23:13 and Judg. 2:3), where people are spoken of as being "thorns in your sides" and "thorns in your eyes."
Paul asked the Lord to remove persecution from him, not sickness, and the Lord told him His grace was sufficient. We are not redeemed from persecution, and Paul later stated that when he said in 2 Timothy 3:12, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Most gladly, therefore, he gloried in persecutions, reproaches, necessities, and distresses that the power of Christ might rest upon him (2 Cor. 12:9). The word "glory" is an old English word which means to have dominion over or command. It is used in Exodus 8:9 where Moses told Pharaoh to glory over him, or command him, when to destroy the frogs. So when Paul spoke of glorying in these infirmities or persecutions, he was speaking of victory even in the midst of continual harassment.
SEE, Paul's Thorn In The Flesh
http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/pauls_thorn
MORE EXPOSITIONS OF ANDREW WOMMACK
Andrew Wommack's Gosple of error
http://www.calvaryauroramedia.org/resources/documents/word/AndrewW.doc
Andrew Wommack is a radio teacher who advocates the “prosperity gospel” (God wants every person to be wealthy and never to be sick). He is a man who no doubt has sincere motives and who works hard to minister the Word of God to people. In my judgment, however, his errors are so severe that his ministry does a great deal of harm, and I strongly recommend against ever listening to or reading any of his material.
In Wommack’s article titled “The Sovereignty of God” he begins by relating the story of a friend who had been bitter and angry at God because of some suffering. The friend had humbled himself, however, and was back to loving God because the friend had discovered the doctrine of the sovereignty of God and had resigned himself to God’s full control. Wommack’s next statement is this: “I believe this is the worst doctrine in the church today” because it is “a faith killer.” He continues: “The belief that God controls everything that happens to us is one of the devil's biggest inroads into our lives.” In the same article Wommack states that God does not damn people to hell. It is only their free will that does so.
Wommack goes on to say that even worse that living independently from God is “religion teaching us that all our problems are actually blessings from God. That is a faith killer.” He states that the only time affliction ever comes from God is as a curse, never a blessing. But the psalmist doesn’t agree.
Psalm 119:71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. This false doctrine leads Wommack into a system of self-reliance. Since God cannot help we are left to help ourselves. This explains why Wommack makes such statements as, “You have a tumor? Don’t pray to God about the tumor. Talk to the tumor itself!” Wommack believes in the “Word of Faith” theology that conceives of faith as a force conveyed by words that bring about reality.
If you say, “I think I’m going to get a cold” you will actually create the cold (unless someone else counters your negative words by saying something positive). All of this takes place independently of God.
In his series titled “The Believer’s Authority” he tells the story of when his infant son kept waking up all through the night with symptoms of croup so severe that he could hardly breathe. This happened every half hour all night long. Finally his mother said, “Admit it Andy, he’s sick.” Wommack said, “Man I got right down in her face and stuck my finger in her face and I said, ‘Satan in the name of Jesus I command you to shut up. … And for two days she never said a word. We were on vacation.
It was an awesome vacation – you can imagine.” Wommack teaches that God gave man all authority on earth, so that God Himself had no authority. The reason Jesus had to come in human flesh was to gain that human authority. He teaches that God had limited His own authority by giving it to man such that God was unable to speak Jesus’ body into existence.
And so God had to find men to do it on their authority. It took God 4000 years to find enough men with enough combined authority to create Jesus’ body. Apart from the help of men God was unable to create a body for Jesus. In part 3 of “The Believer’s Authority” Wommack utters this blaspheme: “When (people) see that some sickness, disease, tragedy comes into their life, instead of taking their authority and rebuking the devil and commanding him to leave, instead they go to God … and they beg God, ‘Oh God please change this situation.
Oh God please get the devil off my back.’ And it’s not within God’s power and authority. He gave us that power and authority.” He teaches that it is wrong to pray for revival, because that is to usurp Christ’s role as intercessor. The responsibility is completely ours, and so it is wrong to ask God for revival or for Him to have mercy on sinners.
Scripture is very clear that trials are indeed from God, and that God does indeed control all things.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Job 1:21-22 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. Job 2:1 9-10 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" 10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. Lamentations 3:38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Daniel 4:35 He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" Psalm 135:6 The LORD does all that he pleases, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will Isaiah 46:10-11 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.
The total control of God over all things is one of the most comforting and wonderful doctrines in Scripture. If God is not in control of the calamities and sufferings in your life, then those calamities are meaningless. And if God has no ability to prevent them, then how can we take comfort in His promises to protect and care for us? It is the denial, not the affirmation of God’s sovereignty that is a faith killer.
ANDREW WOMMACK'S THEOLOGY EXAMINED
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/651-andrew-wommack
•Teaches Trichotomy
Andrew Wommack believes that man is made up of three parts: the body (material), the soul (immaterial), and the spirit (immaterial). This view is known as trichotomy; however, Wommack doesn’t stop there. He claims that when a person is saved, his spirit is made completely perfect. However, his soul and body are not. His soul is described as “a valve on a faucet” which “controls the rate and volume of the flow of the spirit into your body,” leading to sanctification, joy, health, wealth, and prosperity. In terms of sanctification, this is a sort of Keswick trichotomy-seeing faith as giving us access to the hidden “blessings” locked up in our spirit. (This is a viewpoint which, according to J. I. Packer in his book Keep in Step with the Spirit, “sounds more like an adaptation of yoga than like biblical Christianity” [p. 26].)
In response, I will question whether trichotomy is a doctrine that is clearly taught in the Bible. Then, I will argue that even if trichotomy is true, Wommack’s view of our “spirit” is false. Much of this response comes from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, pp. 472-482.
A Response to “Spirit, Soul, and Body” by Andrew Wommack by Dave Bananerry
See: Monism, Dichotomy, or Trichotomy?
•Teaches Word of Faith theology.
Example: “God has already placed His healing power within us, and it is now under our authority. It isn’t up to God to determine who receives healing; it’s up to us!” - Andrew Wommack, Faith For Healing Is Based On Knowledge.
Wommack believes in the “Word of Faith” theology that conceives of faith as a force conveyed by words that bring about reality. If you say, “I think I’m going to get a cold” you will actually create the cold (unless someone else counters your negative words by saying something positive). All of this takes place independently of God.
In his series titled “The Believer’s Authority” he tells the story of when his infant son kept waking up all through the night with symptoms of croup so severe that he could hardly breathe. This happened every half hour all night long. Finally his mother said, “Admit it Andy, he’s sick.” Wommack said, “Man I got right down in her face and stuck my finger in her face and I said, ‘Satan in the name of Jesus I command you to shut up. … And for two days she never said a word. We were on vacation. It was an awesome vacation – you can imagine.”
Wommack teaches that God gave man all authority on earth, so that God Himself had no authority. The reason Jesus had to come in human flesh was to gain that human authority. He teaches that God had limited His own authority by giving it to man such that God was unable to speak Jesus’ body into existence. And so God had to find men to do it on their authority. It took God 4000 years to find enough men with enough combined authority to create Jesus’ body. Apart from the help of men God was unable to create a body for Jesus.
In part 3 of “The Believer’s Authority” Wommack utters this blaspheme: “When (people) see that some sickness, disease, tragedy comes into their life, instead of taking their authority and rebuking the devil and commanding him to leave, instead they go to God … and they beg God, ‘Oh God please change this situation. Oh God please get the devil off my back.’ And it’s not within God’s power and authority. He gave us that power and authority.”
He teaches that it is wrong to pray for revival, because that is to usurp Christ’s role as intercessor. The responsibility is completely ours, and so it is wrong to ask God for revival or for Him to have mercy on sinners.
- Source: Andrew Wommack (doc), Calvary Chapel, Aurora, Colorado
Andrew Wommack's teaching exposed by calvinist
http://falseteachersexposed.blogspot.com/2006/04/andrew-wommack.html
Andrew Wommack says:
"You need a healing? You have a tumor? Don't pray to God about the tumor Talk to the tumor itself!’’
But the bible says:
James 5:14
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let him pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Why is Andrew Wommack a false teacher?
1) Andrew Wommack is a 5 point arminian who despises the true sovereignty of God and preaches against the doctrines of grace.
2) Andrew Wommack says the biggest false teaching in the body of Christ is 'The sovereignty of God'
3) Andrew believes if you are sick it is all your fault and you are not to pray to God to heal you, but speak to the sickness and cast it away, and if you dont get healed it is because of your unbelief which does not please the Lord.
4) Andrew is a word faith teacher and a huge fan of Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland and Charles Capps etc, 90% of his teachings come directly from these men.
5) Andrew believes that in order to get more money you should actually speak to your wallet and command more money to come your way - this is where the nickname 'name it claim it' - 'blab it grab it' comes from.
6) Andrew teaches decisional regeneration.
Andrew Wrote: "It is assumed that since God is paramount or supreme that nothing can happen without His approval. That is not what the Scriptures teach. In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter said, "The Lord is...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." This clearly states that it is not the Lord's will for anyone to perish, but people are perishing."..Relatively few people are saved compared to the number that are lost. God's will for people concerning salvation is not being accomplished. (Andrew Wommack - The Sovereignty Of God)
Well, This is nothing more and nothing less than blasphemy.
You will see below that Andrew has butchered this verse as he does to so much of God's word in order to make the word of God conform to his heretical teachings.
Let's see what the scripture really says:
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
In Job we read the following:
Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Who is the usward? - obviously it's the elect, because Peter is writing to:
2 peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Reading such heresy does make me wonder what Andrew Wommack does with this verse:
Psalms 65:4 “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”
It says above that God causes the one he has chosen to approach him and recieve mercy.
what about this verse?
Psalms 110:3 “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.”
and this one?
John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
Jesus said that they SHALL come to him, not maybe but SHALL. You will also see that it is all that the Father gives to him.
John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
for more verses and a biblical defence of God's irresistible grace towards his elect children please watch the following video:
Below is a link to more articles in defence of the biblical doctrine of God's sovereign irresistible grace.
http://testallthings.wordpress.com/category/irresistible-grace/
It get's even worse:
"This is because the Lord gave us the freedom to choose. He doesn't will anyone into hell. He paid for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2; 1 Tim. 4:10), but we must choose to put our faith in Christ and receive His salvation. People are the ones choosing hell by not choosing Jesus as their Savior. It is the free will of man that damns them, not God.
People virtually have to climb over the roadblocks that God puts in their way to continue on their course to hell. The cross of Christ and the drawing power of the Holy Spirit are obstacles that every sinner encounters. No one will ever stand before God and be able to fault Him for withholding the opportunity to be saved. The Lord woos every person to Him, but we have to cooperate. Ultimately, the Lord simply enforces the consequences of people's own choices.
God has a perfect plan for every person's life (Jer. 29:11), but He doesn't make us walk that path. We are free moral agents with the ability to choose. He has told us what the right choices are (Deut. 30:19), but He doesn't make those choices for us. God gave us the power to control our destinies." (Andrew Wommack - The Sovereignty Of God)
This people, is more blasphemous nonsense.
Here are just a few scriptures on UNCONDITIONAL election. the reason it is called unconditional is because man didn't have to meet a condition in order to be elected, it is by the sovereign good pleasure of God that one was elected from before the foundation of the world.
When 2 mormons knocked on my door last year after first telling them that i didn't want to hear their false gospel or allow them into my home (politely as possible ofcourse) I preached by God's mercy the true gospel to them and one of them said like a typical mormon trying to earn his salvation "what can i do to be elected?" the answer is there is nothing one can do to get themselves elected or saved. those who believe the gospel have full assurance that they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
(Psalms 65:4) “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”
(John 6:37) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
(John 6:65) “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”
(John 13:18) “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.”
(John 15:16) “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
(John 17:9) “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”
(Acts 13:48) “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”
(Romans 9:11-13) “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
{12} It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
{13} As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
(Romans 11:5) “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
(Romans 11:7) “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded”
(Ephesians 1:3-6) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
{4} 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:
(2 Timothy 1:9-10) “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
{10} But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”
For more verses on election please read the following:
http://testallthings.wordpress.com/category/unconditional-election/
And here is a wonderful video in defence of the biblical doctrone of unconditional election.
The reprobate/non elect perish BECAUSE of their sin - the below is from the Lambeth article of faith and is fully in line with the word of God:
God from eternity has predestined some men to life, and reprobated some to death.
The moving or efficient cause of predestination to life is not the foreseeing of faith, or of perseverance, or of good works, or of anything in the person of the predestinated, but only the will of the good pleasure of God.
There is a determined and certain number of predestined, which cannot be increased or diminished.
Those not predestinated to salvation are inevitably condemned on account of their sins.
My friend asked me about reprobation in response to a question his friend asked him - this was my answer - you will read much scripture.
Romans 11:22 "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God"
Men seem to have the idea that they're innocent or deserve some kind of mercy.
this is not the case.
God tells us in Romans 3:8 - that the damnation of the wicked/reprobate is just
2 thessalonians 2:11-12
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should all believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Acts 14:16
"Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways"
Amos 3:2
"You only (Israel) have I known of all the families of the earth"
Joshua 11:18-20
"Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that He might destroy them as the LORD commanded Moses".
Proverbs 16:4
"The LORD hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil".
Romans 9:17
"For the Scripture saith unto Pharoah, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show My power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth."
Exodus 9:15,16
"For now I will stretch out My hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. And in every deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee My power; and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth".
Proverbs 16:1
"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD"
Proverbs 21:1
"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water, He turneth it withersoever He will"
Romans 9:18
"Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth."
John 12:37-40
"But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him: that the saying of Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
Romans 9:19
"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault? For who hath resisted His will?"
Romans 9:20
"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?"
Romans 9:21-23
"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory."
Romans 11:7
"What then? That which Israel seeketh for, that he obtained not, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened"
1 Thessalonians 5:9
"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
what of the reprobate?
1 Peter 2:8
"A Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, even to them who stumble at the Word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed"
2 Peter 2:12
"But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption"
Jude 4
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ"
Revelation 13:8
"And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb that hath been slain"
It's important to remember also that:
Ecclesiastes 7:29
"God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions"
the below is from A.W Pink's book 'the sovereignty of God' - The unedited edition that Iain Murray and co from the banner of (so called) truth didn't butcher:
God's decree of Reprobation contemplated Adam's race as fallen, sinful, corrupt, guilty. From it God purposed to save a few as the monuments of His Sovereign grace; the others He determined to destroy as the exemplification of His justice and severity. In determining to destroy these others, God did them no wrong. They had already fallen in Adam, their legal representative; they are therefore born with a sinful nature, and in their sins He leaves them. Nor can they complain. This is as they wish; they have no desire for holiness; they love darkness rather than light. Where, then, is there any injustice if God "gives them up to their own heart's lusts" (Psa. 81:12).
Second, the doctrine of Reprobation does not mean that God refuses to save those who earnestly seek salvation. The fact is that the reprobate have no longing for the Saviour: they see in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. They will not come to Christ-why then should God force them to? He turns away none who do come-where then is the injustice of God foredetermining their just doom? None will be punished but for their iniquities; where then is the supposed tyrannical cruelty of the Divine procedure? Remember that God is the Creator of the wicked, not of their wickedness; He is the Author of their being, but not the Infuser of their sin.
Dont confuse the above with arminians seeking God.
Jesus said many will seek to enter but shall not be able.
God does not (as we have been slanderously reported to affirm) compel the wicked to sin, as the rider spurs on an unwilling horse. God only says in effect that awful word, "Let them alone" (Matt. 15:14). He needs only to slacken the reins of providential restraint, and withhold the influence of saving grace, and apostate man will only too soon and too surely, of his own accord, fall by his iniquities. Thus the decree of reprobation neither interferes with the bent of man's own fallen nature, nor serves to render him the less inexcusable.
Third, the decree of Reprobation in nowise conflicts with God's goodness. Though the non-elect are not the objects of His goodness in the same way or to the same extent as the elect are, yet are they not wholly excluded from a participation of it. They enjoy the good things of Providence (temporal blessings) in common with God's own children, and very often to a higher degree. But how do they improve them? Does the (temporal) goodness of God lead them to repent? Nay, verily, they do but despise "His goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering," and "after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath" (Rom. 2:4, 5). On what righteous ground, then, can they murmur against not being the objects of His benevolence in the endless ages yet to come? Moreover, if it did not clash with God's mercy and kindness to leave the entire body of the fallen angels (2 Peter 2:4) under the guilt of their apostasy still less can it clash with the Divine perfections to leave some of fallen mankind in their sins and punish them for them.
Finally, let us interpose this necessary caution: It is utterly impossible for any of us, during the present life, to ascertain who are among the reprobate.
We must not now so judge any man, no matter how wicked he may be. The vilest sinner, may, for all we know, be included in the election of grace and be one day quickened by the Spirit of grace. Our marching orders are plain, and woe unto us if we disregard them-"Preach the Gospel to every creature." When we have done so our skirts are clear. If men refuse to heed, their blood is on their own heads; nevertheless "we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are a savor of death unto death; and to the other we are a savor of life unto life" (2 Cor. 2:15, 16).
We must now consider a number of passages which are often quoted with the purpose of showing that God has not fitted certain vessels to destruction or ordained certain ones to condemnation. First, we cite Ezekiel 18:31-"Why will ye die, O house of Israel?" On this passage we cannot do better than quote from the comments of Augustus Toplady:-"This is a passage very frequently, but very idly, insisted upon by Arminians, as if it were a hammer which would at one stroke crush the whole fabric to powder. But it so happens that the 'death' here alluded to is neither spiritual nor eternal death: as is abundantly evident from the whole tenor of the chapter.
The death intended by the prophet is a political death; a death of national prosperity, tranquillity, and security. The sense of the question is precisely this: What is it that makes you in love with captivity, banishment, and civil ruin. Abstinence from the worship of images might, as a people, exempt you from these calamities, and once more render you a respectable nation. Are the miseries of public devastation so alluring as to attract your determined pursuit? Why will ye die? die as the house of Israel, and considered as a political body? Thus did the prophet argue the case, at the same time adding-'For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God, wherefore, turn yourselves, and live ye.' This imports: First, the national captivity of the Jews added nothing to the happiness of God. Second, if the Jews turned from idolatry, and flung away their images, they should not die in a foreign, hostile country, but live peaceably in their own land and enjoy their liberties as an independent people." To the above we may add: political death must be what is in view in Ezekiel 18:31, 32 for the simple but sufficient reason that they were already spiritually dead!
Matthew 25:41 is often quoted to show that God has not fitted certain vessels to destruction- "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels." This is, in fact, one of the principal verses relied upon to disprove the doctrine of Reprobation. But we submit that the emphatic word here is not "for" but "Devil." This verse (see context) sets forth the severity of the judgment which awaits the lost. In other words, the above Scripture expresses the awfulness of the everlasting fire rather than the subjects of it-if the fire be "prepared for the Devil and his angels" then how intolerable it will be! If the place of eternal torment into which the damned shall be cast is the same as that in which God's arch-enemy will suffer, how dreadful must that place be!
Again: if God has chosen only certain ones to salvation, why are we told that God "now commandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30)? That God commandeth "all men" to repent is but the enforcing of His righteous claims as the moral Governor of the world. How could He do less, seeing that all men everywhere have sinned against Him? Furthermore, that God commandeth all men everywhere to repent argues the universality of creature responsibility. But this Scripture does not declare that it is God's pleasure to "give repentance" (Acts 5:31) everywhere. That the Apostle Paul did not believe God gave repentance to every soul is clear from his words in 2 Timothy 2:25--"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."
Again, we are asked, if God has "ordained" only certain ones unto eternal life then why do we read that He "will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:4)? The reply is, that the words "all" and "all men," like the term "world," are often used in a general and relative sense. Let the reader carefully examine the following passages: Mark 1:5; John 6:45; 8:2; Acts 21:28; 22:15; 2 Corinthians 3:2, etc., and he will find full proof of our assertion. 1 Timothy 2:4 cannot teach that God wills the salvation of all mankind or otherwise all mankind would be saved-"What His soul desireth even that He doeth" (Job 23:13)!
Again; we are asked, Does not Scripture declare, again and again, that God is no "respecter of persons"? We answer, it certainly does, and God's electing grace proves it. The seven sons of Jesse, though older and physically superior to David, are passed by, while the young shepherd-boy is exalted to Israel's throne. The scribes and lawyers pass unnoticed, and ignorant fishermen are chosen to be the Apostles of the Lamb. Divine truth is hidden from the wise and prudent and is revealed to babes instead. The great majority of the wise and noble are ignored, while the weak, the base, the despised, are called and saved. Harlots and publicans are sweetly compelled to come in to the Gospel feast while self-righteous Pharisees are suffered to perish in their immaculate morality. Truly, God is "no respecter" of persons or He would not have saved me.
That the Doctrine of Reprobation is a "hard saying" to the carnal mind is readily acknowledged-yet, is it any "harder" than that of eternal punishment? That it is clearly taught in Scripture we have sought to demonstrate, and it is not for us to pick and choose from the truths revealed in God's Word. Let those who are inclined to receive those doctrines which commend themselves to their judgment, and who reject those which they cannot fully understand, remember those scathing words of our Lord's, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken" (Luke 24:25): fools because slow of heart; slow of heart, not dull of head!
this doctrine which is so bitterly hated in these last days, when men will no longer "endure sound doctrine"; hated by men of lofty pretentions, but who, notwithstanding their boasted orthodoxy and much advertised piety, are not worthy to unfasten the shoes of the faithful and fearless servants of God of other days.
"O the depth of the riches both of wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For what hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever, Amen" (Rom. 11:33-36).*
* "Of Him"-His will is the origin of all existence; "through" or "by Him"-He is the Creator and Controller of all; "to Him"-all things promote His glory in their final end.
PLEASE ALSO SEE:
http://testallthings.wordpress.com/2007/03/19/predestination-vs-free-will/
Many of you reading this article now are appealing with a "what about John 3:16 - it says God loves everyone and wants to save everyone!!!!!!!"
this verse doesn't say that AT ALL.
in light of the rest of the bible we know it is talking about God's elect, and also it says that one ones believing in Jesus will not perish, we know that only the elect believe the true gospel. 2 verses later, Jesus said this:
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
please also see:
http://testallthings.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/for-god-so-loved-the-world/
http://testallthings.wordpress.com/2007/09/09/free-willism-preaches-another-jesus/
http://testallthings.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/the-gospel-vs-arminianism/
By Chris - Author of Test All Things
