May 22, 2017

"Small but mighty" by Gary Rose

The water buffalo is a mighty creature, which inspires fear and awe in Africa. But even this marvelous creature, with all its power can still have a small bird do its worst and not be able to do anything about it!

I remember a passage from the old testament which says:   
6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies. (emp. added vs 6b) 7 Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”   Zechariah 4:6  (WEB)

No matter who you are, no matter how big or small you are- true power resides only with God!!!

I worship with a small congregation and love it. Now, don't be fooled- even a small congregation has its problems, but mostly they involve a lack of manpower, not enthusiasm! One of our ministers, Larry Shatzer often says that we are "Small, but mighty" and he is right.

Spacious buildings, enthralling preachers, wonderful teaching programs and all sorts of fellowship activities are fine- and many people are drawn away from small churches to the "big time" of large groups. 

Worldwide, the churches of Christ has many fine buildings, but we need to remember our roots (and after all, isn't that what the restoration movement is about, anyway?) and that Jesus is our rock and WE are the spiritual stones that make up the church (whether it be large in number or small).

Consider, the following passages from the Bible...


Acts, Chapter 2 (World English Bible)
 36 Let all the house of Israel (emp. added vs 36a) therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 

1 Peter, Chapter 2 (World English Bible)
1 Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,  2 as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,  3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious: 4 coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.  5 You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (emp. added vs 3- 5) 6 Because it is contained in Scripture, 

“Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious: 
He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”
 
  7 For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, 

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”

  8 and, 

“a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.”

For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.  9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  10 In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Romans, Chapter 16 (World English Bible)
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,  4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.  5 Greet the assembly that is in their house.(emp. added vs 5) Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.

1 Corinthians, Chapter 16 (World English Bible)
 19 The assemblies of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house.(emp. added vs 19b)   20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

Colossians, Chapter 4 (World English Bible)
15 Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly that is in his house. (emp. added vs 15b)

Philemon (World English Bible)
 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker,  2 to the beloved Apphia, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house: (emp. added vs 2b)  3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Churches do not have to be big, they do not have to have buildings or large meeting places, but they do need to have love for God and each other. Humm,that "Small but mighty" thing just keeps coming back to me!!!

Bible Reading May 22 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading  May 22 (World English Bible)
May 22
Judges 1, 2
Jdg 1:1 It happened after the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, Who shall go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?
Jdg 1:2 Yahweh said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
Jdg 1:3 Judah said to Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot. So Simeon went with him.
Jdg 1:4 Judah went up; and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they struck of them in Bezek ten thousand men.
Jdg 1:5 They found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek; and they fought against him, and they struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
Jdg 1:6 But Adoni-Bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
Jdg 1:7 Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their food under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
Jdg 1:8 The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
Jdg 1:9 Afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, and in the South, and in the lowland.
Jdg 1:10 Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba); and they struck Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
Jdg 1:11 From there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (Now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.)
Jdg 1:12 Caleb said, He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.
Jdg 1:13 Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
Jdg 1:14 It happened, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her donkey; and Caleb said to her, What would you like?
Jdg 1:15 She said to him, Give me a blessing; for that you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
Jdg 1:16 The children of the Kenite, Moses' brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.
Jdg 1:17 Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.
Jdg 1:18 Also Judah took Gaza with its border, and Ashkelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.
Jdg 1:19 Yahweh was with Judah; and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
Jdg 1:20 They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out there the three sons of Anak.
Jdg 1:21 The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
Jdg 1:22 The house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel; and Yahweh was with them.
Jdg 1:23 The house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
Jdg 1:24 The watchers saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said to him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.
Jdg 1:25 He showed them the entrance into the city; and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go and all his family.
Jdg 1:26 The man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.
Jdg 1:27 Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor of Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
Jdg 1:28 It happened, when Israel had grown strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out.
Jdg 1:29 Ephraim didn't drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
Jdg 1:30 Zebulun didn't drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor.
Jdg 1:31 Asher didn't drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;
Jdg 1:32 but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.
Jdg 1:33 Naphtali didn't drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and of Beth Anath became subject to forced labor.
Jdg 1:34 The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country; for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;
Jdg 1:35 but the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to forced labor.
Jdg 1:36 The border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
Jdg 2:1 The angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you:
Jdg 2:2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars. But you have not listened to my voice: why have you done this?
Jdg 2:3 Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.
Jdg 2:4 It happened, when the angel of Yahweh spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
Jdg 2:5 They called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there to Yahweh.
Jdg 2:6 Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land.
Jdg 2:7 The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel.
Jdg 2:8 Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old.
Jdg 2:9 They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
Jdg 2:10 Also all that generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who didn't know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for Israel.
Jdg 2:11 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and served the Baals;
Jdg 2:12 and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them: and they provoked Yahweh to anger.
Jdg 2:13 They forsook Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
Jdg 2:14 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers who despoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
Jdg 2:15 Wherever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them: and they were sore distressed.
Jdg 2:16 Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who despoiled them.
Jdg 2:17 Yet they didn't listen to their judges; for they played the prostitute after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them: they turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Yahweh; but they didn't do so.
Jdg 2:18 When Yahweh raised them up judges, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.
Jdg 2:19 But it happened, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they didn't cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.
Jdg 2:20 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not listened to my voice;
Jdg 2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died;
Jdg 2:22 that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Yahweh to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
Jdg 2:23 So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
May 22, 23
John 4
Joh 4:1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
Joh 4:2 (although Jesus himself didn't baptize, but his disciples),
Joh 4:3 he left Judea, and departed into Galilee.
Joh 4:4 He needed to pass through Samaria.
Joh 4:5 So he came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph.
Joh 4:6 Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Joh 4:7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."
Joh 4:8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
Joh 4:9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, "How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Joh 4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."
Joh 4:11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From where then have you that living water?
Joh 4:12 Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?"
Joh 4:13 Jesus answered her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again,
Joh 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
Joh 4:15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I don't get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw."
Joh 4:16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
Joh 4:17 The woman answered, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You said well, 'I have no husband,'
Joh 4:18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly."
Joh 4:19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
Joh 4:20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship."
Joh 4:21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 You worship that which you don't know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers.
Joh 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
Joh 4:25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah comes," (he who is called Christ). "When he has come, he will declare to us all things."
Joh 4:26 Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who speaks to you."
Joh 4:27 At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, "What are you looking for?" or, "Why do you speak with her?"
Joh 4:28 So the woman left her water pot, and went away into the city, and said to the people,
Joh 4:29 "Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?"
Joh 4:30 They went out of the city, and were coming to him.
Joh 4:31 In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."
Joh 4:32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you don't know about."
Joh 4:33 The disciples therefore said one to another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?"
Joh 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Joh 4:35 Don't you say, 'There are yet four months until the harvest?' Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already.
Joh 4:36 He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
Joh 4:37 For in this the saying is true, 'One sows, and another reaps.'
Joh 4:38 I sent you to reap that for which you haven't labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
Joh 4:39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, "He told me everything that I did."
Joh 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days.
Joh 4:41 Many more believed because of his word.
Joh 4:42 They said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
Joh 4:43 After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee.
Joh 4:44 For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
Joh 4:45 So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast.
Joh 4:46 Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
Joh 4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him, and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
Joh 4:48 Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe."
Joh 4:49 The nobleman said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
Joh 4:50 Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.
Joh 4:51 As he was now going down, his servants met him and reported, saying "Your child lives!"
Joh 4:52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. They said therefore to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him."
Joh 4:53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." He believed, as did his whole house.
Joh 4:54 This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judea into Galilee.

LIMITED ATONEMENT by C. A. Feenstra


http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Feenstra/C/A/1931/ch05.html

LIMITED ATONEMENT
Man's words

Canons of Dordt - Second Head of Doctrine
Article 8

For this was the sovereign counsel and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of His Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation; that is, it was the will of God that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby He confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation and given to Him by the Father; that He should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, He purchased for them by His death; should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them, free from every spot and blemish, to the enjoyment of glory in His own presence forever.
* * *
"The Biblical or Calvinistic position is that Christ intended that his death should atone only for the elect and not for others. According to this position, man is totally depraved, and God, loving some with a great love, elected them, or in other words, determined that they should be saved. He sent Christ to die for them and them alone, thereby saving them. Thus the atonement of Christ is limited to some and is not intended for all. Hence, the name 'limited atonement'. That is all there is to the doctrine. It is very simple." The Five Points of Calvinism, Edwin H. Palmer, Th.D., page 35
"Historical or mainline Calvinism has consistently maintained that Christ's redeeming work was definite in design and accomplishment -- that it was intended to render complete satisfaction for certain specified sinners and that it actually secured salvation for these individuals and for no one else. The salvation which Christ earned for His people includes everything involved in bringing them into a right relationship with God, including the gifts of faith and repentance. Christ did not die simply to make it possible for God to pardon sinners. Neither does God leave it up to sinners as to whether or not Christ's work will be effective. On the contrary, all for whom Christ sacrificed Himself will be saved infallibly. Redemption, therefore, was designed to bring to pass God's purpose of election.

All Calvinists agree that Christ's obedience and suffering were of infinite value, and that if God had so willed, the satisfaction rendered by Christ would have saved every member of the human race. It would have required no more obedience nor any greater suffering for Christ to have secured salvation for every man, woman, and child who ever lived than it did for Him to secure salvation for the elect only. But He came into the world to represent and save only those given to Him by the Father. Thus Christ's saving work was limited in that it was designed to save some and not others, but it was not limited in value for it was of infinite worth and would have secured salvation for everyone if this had been God's intention." The Five Points of Calvinism, Steele and Thomas, page 39
Q. Is Calvinism's "Limited Atonement" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that God loves all men?
"For Jehovah your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the sojourner, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt." Deut. 10:17-19
"Jehovah is gracious, and merciful;
Slow to anger, and of great lovingkindness.
Jehovah is good to all;
And his tender mercies are over all his works." Ps. 145:8-9
"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. 45:22
"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Ezek. 33:11
"But I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?... Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matt. 5:44-46, 48
"But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:35-36
Q. Is Calvinism's "Limited Atonement" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that God loves all men and that He desires the salvation of all men?
"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?...For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah: wherefore turn yourselves, and live." Ezek. 18:23, 32
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
"And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." I John 4:14
"For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men" Titus 2:11
"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth." I Tim. 2:3-4
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isa. 53:6
"And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people." Luke 2:10
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." II Pet. 3:9
Q. Is Calvinism's "Limited Atonement" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that Jesus died for all men?
"Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all." I Tim. 2:5-6
"And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." I John 2:2
"But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man." Heb. 2:9
"And he (Jesus) died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again." II Cor. 5:15
"Who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he (Jesus) did once for all, when he offered up himself." Heb. 7:27
"By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb. 10:10
* * *
Q. Is Calvinism's "Limited Atonement" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that God earnestly calls all men to hear and obey the gospel of His Son that they may be saved?
"...Jesus answered and said...Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; ...and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:25, 28-29
"And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned." Mark 16:15-16
"And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:" Matt. 28:18-19
"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." Luke 24:47
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17 AV
* * *
Q. If God loves all men and Jesus died for all men, does this mean that all men will be saved?
"Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it." Matt. 7:13-14
"For many are called, but few chosen." Matt. 22:14
Q. Is Calvinism's "Limited Atonement" true, OR does GOD'S WORD teach that Jesus died for some men who will be lost?
"For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died." I Cor. 8:11
"Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died." Rom. 14:15
"Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God.... It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth." Rom. 14:20-21
"But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them" II Pet. 2:1
* * *
Q. If God loves all men and Jesus died for all men and yet only few are saved, who are these few?
"And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his (Jesus') commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his (Jesus') word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected." I John 2:2-5
"...The living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." I Tim. 4:10
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matt. 7:21
"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Matt. 17:5
"He (Jesus) became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation." Heb. 5:9
"He that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36b
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Q. Is Calvinism's "Limited Atonement" true, OR is there a great amount of teaching in GOD'S WORD which shows us that God loves all men and that He desires their salvation, and that Jesus' death made salvation possible for whosoever will obey him?
"On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!" John 1:29
"And they (the Samaritans) said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world." John 4:42
"For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world." John 6:33
"I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world." John 6:51
"Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12
"I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture." John 10:9
"And I (Jesus), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself." John 12:32
"And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John 12:47
"For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross..." Col. 1:19-20
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20
"...God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses..." II Cor. 5:18-19
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:32
"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matt. 12:50
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18:4
"Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life." John 4:13-14
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die." John 11:25-26
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness." John 12:46
"And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Acts 2:21
"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:12-13
"...Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it." Mark 8:35
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine (Jesus), and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:" Matt. 7:24 AV
"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." Matt. 10:32 AV
"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." Acts 10:43 AV
"Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my (Jesus') sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house..." Luke 6:47-48 AV
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life." John 3:14-15
"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame." Rom. 10:10-11
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." I John 5:1
"As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Rom. 9:33 AV
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
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Q. How are we to harmonize the few scriptures which teach that Christ died for "the sheep" and "the church", with the many, many scriptures which teach that he died for all men?
"And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him (Jesus), and keepeth not his (Jesus') commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his (Jesus') word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected." I John 2:2-5
"...The living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." I Tim. 4:10

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