Jul 30, 2009 | Articles
The clarity of Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:34-36 has convinced many people that women must not speak in the church (assembly), but some of these same people are not convinced that women are forbidden to speak publicly. What about it? May women teach in a public capacity, so long as it is not a church service or a service called by the church? If so, may women teach on the radio, on television, or a street corner somewhere before hundreds of people? I maintain that when a woman teaches publicly, she violates the Scriptures by usurping the authority God gave to men. The apostle Paul wrote:
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (I Timothy 2:11,12).
Women are not allowed to teach publicly. The word “teach” is from the Greek word “didasko,” defined by Thayer “to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses.” Women are not allowed to usurp authority over the man. Women are to be in silence. So says the apostle Paul. Those who want to limit 1st Timothy 2:11-12 to church services have no scripture to keep women from teaching on the air or the street corner.
Some want 1 Timothy 2:12 to mean, “I suffer not a woman to teach over the man,” and they, accordingly, allow women to teach publicly in classrooms, but do not allow her to “teach over the man,” whatever that means. But that is not what Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:12! The apostle says,
“But I suffer not (permit not, ASV), a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
The word, “nor” is from “oude” in the original Greek and Thayer describes it as a negative disjunctive conjunction and states that it “places side by side things that are equal and mutually exclude each other” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 461). Everett Ferguson, professor emeritus of Bible at Abilene Christian University, admitted in the September, 2001 issue of The Christian Chronicle:
“Where the full construction with alia (‘but’) occurs, both of the first two items are negated and the following positive statement carries the weight of the meaning. An example is Galatians 1:1-apostleship came neither ‘from man’ nor ‘through man’ but through Christ and God. According to this parallel, the command in 1 Timothy 2:12 is for women not to be in positions of teaching or domination of a man but to be quiet learners” (p. 32).
Usurping Authority
What does it mean to “usurp authority”? Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament defines it “to act of oneself” (p. 17). Vine’s Expository Dictionary states: “Later it came to denote one who acts on his own authority; hence, to exercise authority, dominion” (p. 90). Some might argue that husbands, elders, young boys or other women granted them the authority, but since it puts the woman in an authority role, a role God has reserved for men, it usurps authority from God’s viewpoint. A reading of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 should convince us that God placed leadership and authority in the hands of men. All of the apostles Jesus chose were men, and later all of those chosen to be evangelists and teachers were men. All of the elders and deacons were men. There are no examples of women teaching or praying in public. God clearly placed men rather than women in leadership roles.
What Is Public Teaching?
Many churches feel that it is private teaching when women do their teaching in classrooms. However, when the church calls a group together, that group constitutes a “called” church assembly; therefore, Bible classes are “called” assemblies of the church. They then advertise these classes and invite the public. Everyone in each age group is invited to attend. This is clearly public teaching.
The apostle Paul told the Ephesians that he had taught them “publicly, and from house to house” (Acts 20:20). Since Bible class teaching is not “house to house” teaching, it must be public teaching. Publicly means “in public places, in view of all,” according to Thayer (p. 132). If Bible class teaching were truly private, women would be allowed to teach men, as Priscilla did in Acts 18:26, but that is strictly forbidden by Bible class advocates. We ask, “Why?” Private Teaching
There are others who feel that so long as the church does not arrange biblical instruction and only one particular age or mental group has been invited, it is private teaching. Suppose a woman takes it upon herself to rent a room and invite only women of a certain age to hear her biblical lectures-would that be private?
Look at the example of Joseph and Mary when Joseph erroneously thought Mary guilty of immorality. Matthew records:
‘Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily” (Matthew 1:19).
Would it have been a private affair if Joseph had invited all the women Mary’s age to attend the putting away? And look at the case of Herod and the wise men. Matthew records:
‘Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared” (Matthew 2:7).
Question: Would it have been private if Herod had called all the men in their age bracket? Question: How many women could be invited to such “private teaching? If eighty could be invited, could eight hundred be invited? If eight hundred could be invited, could eight thousand be invited? And if it is truly private teaching, could a man sit in on it? To answer these questions is to see the folly of calling such “private” teaching.
Women Are To Teach
I am aware of the passage in Titus 2:3 in which aged women are instructed to be “teachers of good things.” I am aware also that the phrase in the original text contains a form of the word “didasko.” However, in verses 4 and 5, we see the nature of the “good things” that the aged women are to teach. The apostle says:
“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
The word “teach” in verse 4 is rendered in the Revised Version “to train.” Both Vincent and Robertson say that the word means “to discipline.” This type of teaching cannot be done in thirty minutes a week. It is the kind of teaching done by word, example, and influence from day to day. This command to teach is not fulfilled by a lecture in a classroom, but even if it were, it is something that is demanded of all aged women in a congregation and not just one aged woman.
Charles John Ellicott, in The Layman’s Handy Commentary, brings out the sense of the phrase, “teachers of good things,” when he comments:
“This does not mean that these aged women should occupy the place of public instructresses, but that they should, by here and there speaking a kind warning word, and, better still, by the golden silence of a useful honoured life, teach their younger sisters lessons of truth and faith and love” (Titus, p. 19).
About the kind of teaching anticipated, he says,
“Such a reformation, not only in the discipline of the church, but also in the individual life and conversation, as St. Paul desired to see in Crete, would never be brought about by a sermon, or even by many sermons, however eloquent and earnest, from Titus. It would be a matter requiring long time and patience, and would, as observed above, rather follow as the result of patient individual effort and holy example” (p. 20).
Also, in Ellicott’s Commentaries, Critical and Grammatical, he quotes the venerable Beza as saying on “teachers of good things”: “Not by public teaching, but as the context implies by its specifications, in domestic privacy” (p. 200).
Women may teach anyone privately, informally, or in an individual capacity. Where women are allowed to teach, they may teach other women (Titus 2:3,4), children (2 Timothy 1 -5; 3-15), or men (Acts 18:26), but where they are not allowed to teach, and that is publicly, they may teach no one. I have love and admiration for women who zealously serve God without stepping out of their God-given roles. May God bless them and may the church have more of them.
– Johnny Elmore
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Jul 24, 2009 | Articles
Calvinism says: Because of being born in sin, all of us are spiritually dead, so dead we are unable to even have faith (Total Depravity). Therefore, in order for us to be saved, God alone had to save us. We know that everyone doesn’t “get saved,” so, God had to choose those to whom He would give grace (Unconditional Election). Jesus couldn’t have died for everyone or everyone would be saved. So, because some are lost, we know Jesus didn’t die for everyone (Limited Atonement). If you’re one of the ones God picked, you can’t change it (Irresistible Grace). And since God picked you to be saved and you can’t do anything about it, there is no sin that you could ever commit that would cause you to lose your salvation (Perseverance of the Saints).
However, as we have shown, the Bible says: We all are born spiritually alive to God and innocent to sin. But there comes a point of accountability, a time when we are responsible for understanding and doing the will of God. There comes a time when we lust, commit sin (Romans 3:23), and, therefore, lose our fellowship with a holy God (spiritual death). As sinners we then need to hear (Acts 15:7), believe (Mark 1:15; 16:16), and obey the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8). [This includes repentance (Acts 17:30), and confessing Christ (Matthew 10:32).] When we obey the gospel, we are “redeemed” (1 Peter 1:18-19) and placed “into Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). Once “in Christ,” we are responsible to grow in “knowledge” (2 Peter 3:18), all the while keeping our body and mind obedient to what we have learned (1 Corinthians 9:27). We are aware that we can lose our salvation through careless sin (2 John 1:8; Matthew 12:36-37; Hebrews 10:26-29). If we sin, as a child of God we have the privilege of penitently calling upon our Father for forgiveness (1 John 2:1-2; 1:9; Hebrews 4:15-16). If we abandon our Father, we must find repentance, come back to our Father in prayer and confess our unfaithfulness; like the penitent prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24). If our sin has caused a breach in our fellowship with our brethren, we must let them know of our change of heart (James 5:16).
We are not born “Totally Depraved” but have a free will, an ability to choose right from wrong, that we will give an account for in the judgment; the election is not an “Unconditional Election” but conditioned upon our abiding in the body of Christ; the atonement of Christ is not a “Limited Atonement” but is offered to all; we can insult the Spirit of grace, therefore, it cannot be an “Irresistible Grace”; and we can lose our salvation through sin, therefore, the concept of “once saved, always saved” or “Perseverance of the Saints” is not Biblical. The reasoning of Calvinism is not of God.
The Scriptures teach that salvation is of grace:
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11). The Scriptures also say, speaking of Jesus, “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9).
We can correctly conclude that: Jesus, through grace, offers salvation to all, but only those who choose to obey Him will receive God’s grace and eternal salvation.
Will you obey Him?
– Glen Osburn
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Jul 24, 2009 | Articles
P – Perseverance of the Saints:
Defined:
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1648):
Chapter XVII, I. They, whom God has accepted in His Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved (Palmer, p. 130; Steele & Thomas, p. 56).
This doctrine is also known as; “Once saved, always saved…Perseverance of God…Preservation of the saints…(and)…Eternal security” (Palmer, pp. 68-69).
Here’s an excerpt from a Calvinist tract presenting some unavoidable inferences:
We take the position that a Christian’s sins do not damn his soul! The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul…All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; AND ALL THE SINS HE MAY COMMIT FROM IDOLATRY TO MURDER WILL NOT MAKE HIS SOUL IN ANY MORE DANGER…THE WAY A MAN LIVES HAS NOTHING WHATEVER TO DO WITH THE SALVATION OF HIS SOUL” [A Discussion Which Involves a Subject Pertinent to All Men, Rev. Sam Morris, pp. 1-2: (Calvinism, Samuel G. Dawson, p. 13)].
Scriptural Considerations:
Let’s recap one more time. Calvinism says: Because of being born in sin, all of us are spiritually dead, so dead we are unable to even have faith (Total Depravity). Therefore, in order for us to be saved, God alone had to save us. We know that everyone doesn’t “get saved,” so, God had to choose those to whom He would give grace (Unconditional Election). Jesus couldn’t have died for everyone or everyone would be saved. So, because some are lost, we know Jesus didn’t die for everyone (Limited Atonement). If you’re one of the ones God picked, you can’t change it (Irresistible Grace). And since God picked you to be saved and you can’t do anything about it, there is no sin that you could ever commit that would cause you to lose your salvation (Perseverance of the Saints).
Calvinists, speaking of salvation, say:
If you ain’t got it, you can’t get it.
If you get it, you can’t lose it.
If you lose it, you never had it.
To verify that they approve of this little aphorism:
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints does not maintain that all who profess the Christian faith are certain of heaven. It is saints–those who are set apart by the Spirit–who persevere to the end. It is believers–those who are given true, living faith in Christ–who are secure and safe in Him. Many who profess to believe fall away, but they do not fall from grace for they were never in grace. True believers do fall into temptations, and they do commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or separate them from Christ (Steele & Thomas, p. 56).
Because of this, when discussing the “possibility of apostasy,” a Calvinist will often try to escape the force of a passage by insisting that the person being discussed was not really a Christian. They say that he might have professed to be, or even thought he was, but in reality had never been redeemed by the blood of Christ. We want to look at some passages which cannot possibly be speaking of anyone but those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, those who are unquestionably Christians:
For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame (Hebrews 6:4‑6).
Someone has “fallen away” [“if” (v:6 KJ, NIV) is not in the greek text]. This is someone who has “once been enlightened,” has “tasted of the heavenly gift,” and has “been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,” etc. This cannot possibly be speaking of anyone but a once true Christian. This passage is contending that it is possible for a Christian to fall away to such an extent that they find it impossible to repent. (Contextually it is speaking of ex-Jewish Christians who would leave Christianity altogether, and probably return to the Old Law: Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:12; 4:1, 11; 6:11-12; 10:23, 32-39; 12:3, 12-13.)
As a Christian we are instructed to “repent…and pray,” if we sin (Acts 8:22, note Simon was a true believer: Acts 8:13). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves (2 Peter 2:1).
These fallen, now false, teachers were “even denying the Master who bought them,” consequently “bringing swift destruction upon themselves.” The phrase “who bought them” is speaking of the redemption of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). These false teachers were going to deny Christ, the very one who had redeemed them. Would this cause them to lose their salvation? Jesus says, “whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32‑33).
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace ? (Hebrews 10:26‑29)
This passage is speaking of one who had been “sanctified” by “the blood of the covenant,” something he now regards as “unclean.” This is someone who “after receiving the knowledge of the truth” has “insulted the Spirit of grace.” This was a true “sanctified” Christian who, without repentance, will suffer a “severer punishment” than death.
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:5‑6).
This is addressed to those who do “abide in” Christ, a Christian. Jesus warns those who would not continue to “abide in” Him that they would be “cast…into the fire.” Abiding “in” Christ means to continue being in fellowship with Christ through obeying His word (2 John 1:8-9).
Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:2‑4).
Paul is addressing Christians in the churches of Galatia. Paul is warning those who had benefited from the grace of God found in Christ, that if they went back to seek justification in the Old Law (represented by receiving circumcision), they would be “severed from Christ.” They would find that Christ would “be of no benefit” to them for they would have “fallen from grace.” “Certainly no one can be severed from something to which he has not been joined, and one cannot ‘fall out of’ something he has not been in” (Calvinism, Samuel G. Dawson, p. 17).
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree ? (Romans 11:17‑24)
The Jews are represented as natural olive branches, and Gentile Christians are represented as wild olive branches. The thing that is said to connect the branches to the tree of fellowship with God is belief. The warning is that the Jews were “broken off” because of “their unbelief” in Christ, and the Gentile Christians would “also be cut off” if they failed to continue in “faith.” Some, “believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away” (Luke 8:13). “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in anyone of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12 NAS). If, however, the Jews “do not continue in their unbelief,” they “will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.”
For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died (Romans 14:15). Also, “For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died” (1 Corinthians 8:11).
Both of these passages are warning us to recognize we may inadvertently contribute to a brother’s sin against his own conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12; Romans 14:14, 23). If we are not sensitive to the conscience of young “weak” Christians, we may encourage them to do something against what their conscience says is pleasing to God. When our “weak” brother “doubts” but goes ahead and does what he doubts is right, “he is condemned…because…whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). The believing “brother for whose sake Christ died” did not act “from faith,” he sinned, and is now “hurt,” “ruined,” and “destroy(ed).” This is a sanctified Christian, one “for whom Christ died,” who has been spiritually destroyed through sin. The word “destroy” in Romans 14:23 means “…to lose eternal salvation” [ Thayer’s, p. 64 (Strong’s #622)] The Bible goes on to say to those who are not sensitive of another brother’s conscience, “And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ” (1 Corinthians 8:12).
– Glen Osburn
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Jul 23, 2009 | Articles
I – Irresistible Grace:
Defined:
Although the general outward call of the gospel can be, and often is, rejected, the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made. This special call is not made to all sinners but is issued to the elect only! The Spirit is in no way dependent upon their help or cooperation for success in His work of bringing them to Christ. It is for this reason that Calvinists speak of the Spirit’s call and of God’s grace in saving sinners as being “efficacious,” “invincible,” or “irresistible.” For the grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect cannot be thwarted or refused, it never fails to bring them to true faith in Christ (Steele & Thomas, p. 49)!
Scriptural Considerations:
Let’s recap again. Calvinism says: Because of being born in sin, all of us are spiritually dead, so dead we are unable to even have faith (Total Depravity). Therefore, in order for us to be saved, God alone had to save us. We know that everyone doesn’t “get saved,” so, God had to choose those to whom He would give grace (Unconditional Election). Jesus couldn’t have died for everyone or everyone would be saved. So, because some are lost, we know Jesus didn’t die for everyone (Limited Atonement). If you’re one of the ones God picked, you can’t change it (Irresistible Grace).
Stephen said of the disobedient Jews who had deceitfully brought him to trial:
“You men who are stiff‑necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it” (Acts 7:51‑53).
Stephen said this rowdy assembly was “resisting the Holy Spirit.” Evidently the work of the Spirit can be resisted. Their fathers had resisted the Spirit by persecuting the prophets and killing the ones who announced Christ. But the sons were “resisting the Holy Spirit” through betraying and murdering Christ, and even though they had the law, they “did not keep it.” When people today refuse to obey the word of God, they also are resisting the Spirit. [We can also “grieve” (Ephesians 4:30) and insult “the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29)].
The Spirit’s call is to all:
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost (Revelation 22:17).
Jesus said to some, “you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life” (John 5:40). The Spirit’s call is not “irresistible” for man has often resisted yielding to the Spirit’s invitation and instruction. Therefore, the grace which God offers can be resisted by the insolent will of man.
– Glen Osburn
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Jul 21, 2009 | Articles
L – Limited Atonement:
Defined:
Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ’s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation (Steele & Thomas, p. 17).
This tenet is known negatively as “Limited Atonement,” but put positively as “Particular Redemption.”
Scriptural Considerations:
Let’s recap. Calvinism says: Because of being born in sin, all of us are spiritually dead, so dead we are unable to even have faith (Total Depravity). Therefore, in order for us to be saved, God alone has to save us. We know that everyone doesn’t “get saved,” so, God had to choose those to whom He would give grace (Unconditional Election). Jesus couldn’t have died for everyone or everyone would be saved. So, because some are lost, we know Jesus didn’t die for everyone (Limited Atonement).
Did Jesus die for everyone? Let’s see what the Scriptures say:
“And He Himself is the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf ” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
“But we do see Him… Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).
(See also: 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 3:20.)
Can we tell anyone we will ever meet that God loves them, and Jesus died for them? Absolutely! But, what about the Calvinist?
“As a Reformed (ie. Calvinist) Christian, the writer believes that counselors must not tell any unsaved counselee that Christ died for him, for they cannot say that. No man knows except Christ himself who are his elect for whom he died.” (Competent to Counsel, Jay Adams, Presbyterian & Reformed Pub. Co., 1975, p. 70).
We do not need to worry (unlike the Calvinist) that we may have inadvertently lied to someone about Jesus dying for them just because we were unaware if they were one of “the elect.”
– Glen Osburn
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Jul 17, 2009 | Articles
U – Unconditional election:
Defined:
The Westminster Confession of Faith (1648):
Chapter III, I. God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass…III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto life, and others foreordained to everlasting death. IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished (Palmer, p. 124).
And:
The doctrine of election declares that God, before the foundation of the world, chose certain individuals from among the fallen members of Adam’s race to be the objects of His undeserved favor. These, and these only, He purposed to save. God could have chosen to save all men (for He had the power and authority to do so) or He could have chosen to save none (for He was under no obligation to show mercy to any) – but He did neither. Instead He chose to save some and to exclude others. His eternal choice of particular sinners unto salvation was not based upon any foreseen act or response on the part of those selected, but was based solely on His own good pleasure and sovereign will. Thus election was not determined by, or conditioned upon, anything that men would do, but resulted entirely from God’s self-determined purpose (Steele & Thomas, p. 30).
Scriptural Considerations:
Calvinism says: Because of being born in sin (Hereditary Depravity), all of us are spiritually dead, so dead we are unable to even have faith. Therefore, in order for us to be saved, God alone had to save us. We know that everyone doesn’t “get saved” so, God had to choose those to whom He would give grace (Unconditional Election).
The first glaring contradiction between Calvinism and Scripture is the Bible’s teaching on the impartiality of God. Paul, in discussing the justice of God, emphatically states “…there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11). Peter, after preaching Christ for the first time to the Gentiles, says:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34-35).
God “desires all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4) but only those who fear and obey Him will be “welcome to Him.” The problem keeping all men from being saved is not the sovereign will of God, but the arbitrary will of men.
The Bible does teach “election” and “predestination”:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will (Ephesians 1:3-5 NAS).
The phrase “He chose us” is from a word which originally meant “to lay out together.” It carried the idea of making a selection or choosing from among different objects or things. Those, therefore, who were chosen by God were chosen from what consisted of many varied groups or persons. Rather than an arbitrary choice of particular individuals, God chose to receive all those who are “in Christ.” He chose a class of people: those who in faith would obey Jesus (Hebrews 5:9).
This relationship called “in Him” or “in Christ” and is where “all” or “every spiritual blessing” is found (Ephesians 1:3). Ephesians the first chapter lists seven spiritual blessings that are found only “in Him”: 1. We are chosen (1:4), 2. We are predestined to be adopted (1:5), 3. We are given grace (1:6), 4. We are redeemed and forgiven (1:7), 5. We are allowed to know the mystery of His will (1:9), 6. We are to obtain an inheritance (1:11), 7. We are sealed with the Spirit (1:13). [See also Ephesians (Commentary), Glen Osburn, Contending For The Faith Pub.]
God’s decision or choice pertaining to whom He would save, was made before the world was built, that is, before its “foundation” was laid (Ephesians 1:4). Because of God’s impartiality this choice consists of individuals within a particular group. He chose to save those who had the quality of being “holy and blameless” (Ephesians 1:4; 5:27; Colossians 1:22). This separation from sin and guilt is attained only “in Christ,” and maintained by us (2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Peter 1:10).
The word “predestine” means literally “to set out boundaries in advance.” God staked out the boundaries for the group he would adopt. The concept of this word is described in John’s gospel:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:1-9 NAS).
Ancient Sheep Fold
The imagery here suggests that the “sheep” represent people. God set out a boundary in advance that those in the “fold of the sheep” were to be the “saved.” The “fold of the sheep” represents the church where salvation is (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23). The way to get into that “fold” is through “the door,” which is Christ Jesus. God predestined, or “set out boundaries in advance,” that the “fold of the sheep” or the church be where salvation is and that “anyone” who wanted to be saved enter “through” Christ. Anyone? Yes, anyone: “If anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). Jesus also said “you are unwilling to come to Me , that you may have life” (John 5:40). (See also John 10:16 & Ephesians 2:14-16.)
By His sovereign decree, all those “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3) are in that group called the church (Ephesians 1:22-23) of which Christ is the Savior (Ephesians 5:23). Whether a person is or is not in God’s church is dependent on whether that person has in faith chosen to obey Jesus (Hebrews 5:9; Romans 8:29-30). God’s call to come and be saved “in Christ” is offered to all through or by the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). You get “into” Christ when in faith you respond to the gospel and are “baptized into Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). This is a general election, as opposed to the unconditional, particular election of the Calvinist.
– Glen Osburn
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I am aware of the passage in Titus 2:3 in which aged women are instructed to be “teachers of good things.” I am aware also that the phrase in the original text contains a form of the word “didasko.” However, in verses 4 and 5, we see the nature of the “good things” that the aged women are to teach. The apostle says:
