The Gospel Of Repentance

Podcast originally recorded April 13th, 2018 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wpu8Jz0DfFacDTk5iSPaut28gGT3UElV/view?usp=sharing

The word unfair is an adjective. It means: not based on or behaving according to the principles of equality and justice.  Also means to be unkind, inconsiderate, or unreasonable. I would add that being disrespectful is also unfair - we can not expect to receive respect if we are unwilling to give it.  The writer would be fair in saying many in this world believe God is unfair in His dealings with man. Why is that so? Because in man's perception, when things go wrong in our lives or in the lives of others that we know and love, and even sometimes those we do not know, we make a judgment. In our minds, that person or that group of people did not deserve to have their house burn down. Or for the young child to die of cancer who never harmed anyone, or that family to end up homeless on the street - that honest hardworking man to lose his job, etc.  So based on the definitions I mentioned above, is God, any one of those things: unkind, inconsiderate, unreasona...

This is a most critical question. If Jesus died for the sins of those who die in unbelief, then Jesus' death for them was ineffective. Why? Because in the final analysis to die in unbelief is to perish, forever separated from God. If Jesus died for your sins, that means he paid your sin debt on the cross - He was punished for your sins. That means your sins can never be counted against you, ever! That is wonderful news. The common belief is Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, without exception ( I John 2:2). Even those who go to hell. I have mentioned this before, what good is an atonement that does not save the sinner? It is only a potential or virtual atonement where the person is potentially savable if he or she has the willingness to believe. God is not going to leave it up to us to determine if His plan of salvation is effective or not. In other words, He did not send Jesus to the earth to die the most horrible and tragic death ever and leave the final decisi...

Another way to phrase the title question is The preservation of the Saints . It should be obvious that God secures our salvation. Since that is true, then why do so many people believe and teach that man has to secure it?  I have said this before in previous articles, but it bears repeating if God leaves it up to us to secure the salvation that he provided to us as a gift, then He might as well have thrown it in the trash. Why such harsh language? Because man cannot secure what God has already secured. The moment man was adopted into the family of God, that was a permanent adoption. We do not get in, and then get out when we choose to.  Why? Remember the Bible says we (the elect), were chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesian 1:4). Meaning that God pre-determined that some of fallen mankind would be recipients of His saving grace. Why? Because it pleased the Lord to do so (Ephesians 1:5).  Those that know the wonders of God's grace in saving ...