Scriptures Calvinists Misinterpret:
Calvinists Quote Ephesians 1:4 And 2 Timothy 1:9
But Let's Look At Them More Closely And In Context:
Notice What I Emphasize.
"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: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein
he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in
one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose
of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also
after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:4ff)
It Is Better To Look At The Surrounding Verses Of The Scriptures In Question.
Some Key Phrases Need To Be Looked At Here.
'the mystery of his will' And 'Good Pleasure Of His Will'
What Is The 'Mystery Of His Will'?
"As we have pointed out, the mystery of God's will is the gathering together
of all in heaven and earth in Christ. This, however, is His ultimate purpose. All God's own were not gathered
together in Christ at once. Thus the mystery of God's will involved the unfolding of a new program, a new dispensation.
In brief, the mystery as it relates to the present, is the glorious truth that God
has concluded both Jew and Gentile in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all (Rom. 11:32) and that He might reconcile
both unto God in one body by the Cross (Eph. 2:16)."
This Unfolded In The Book Of Acts And the First Three Chapters Of Romans.
Romans Goes From 'Jew First' (Romans 1:16) To 'All Have Sinned....There Is No Difference...
' (Romans 3)
The Sin And Unbelief Of The Jew Put Them On Equal Par With The Gentile, Thus Making
Way For Them.
This Is Confirmed In Acts:
"45 When
the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak
the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and
do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded
us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 13:45ff)
So We See Gods Plan Revealed And It Is To Include The Gentiles And We See It Unfolding
From The Cross And Through Acts. (Ephesians 2:14-17)
The Ultimate Mystery Is Christ Himself (1 Timothy 3:16), Preaching To The Gentiles
And The Mystery Of His Will Is That Christ Would be Revealed To The Gentiles As Well, Not Revealed To Some Hidden From Others.
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from
among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in
your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, (Ephesians 2:14-17) without blemish and free from accusation-- 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in
the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to EVERY CREATURE under
heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill
up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God
in its fullness-- 26 the mystery that has been kept
hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among
the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling
with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." (Colossians 1)
Here The Mystery Which Was Hidden In Ages Past And Has Been Revealed To 'every creature'
Through Paul And It Is 'Christ In You, The Hope Of Glory'.
Two (Jew And Gentile) Becoming One, Is Through Christ Who Was Two (God And Flesh) Become
One.
The One Makes The Other Possible 'through His Blood, By The Cross', And 'by Christ's
physical body through death'
There Is Nothing Calvinist About These Passages. Rather Than Speaking Of Individuals
Elected, It Is Speaking Of The Gentiles Being Included.
The Next Phrase In Ephesians One, That We Should Look At Is,
"the fulness of times"
Since The Bible Interprets The bible, That Is Where We Will Go.
Our Foundational Scriptures Are:
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness
in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel
shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take
away their sins.28 As concerning the gospel, they are
enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their
unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed,
that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." (Romans 11:24-32)
The Fulness Of The Gentiles In Romans Eleven Here Is The Same As 'the dispensation
of the fulness of times' Mentioned In Ephesians One, And It Involves The Inclusion Of The Gentiles.
This Is Also Confirmed In:
"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the
desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are
in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries
enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance,
that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the
land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall
fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of
the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
(Luke 21)
So the Gathering Together In Christ, Is The Inclusion Of the Gentiles.
It Has Nothing To Do With Irresistably Saving Some While Daming The Rest.
The Next Verse Calvinists Love To Use Is:
"who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we
have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle
and a teacher." (2 Timothy 1)
Notice what Is Underlined And Bolded.
The First Scripture is Clear 'Not Because Of Anything We Have Done.'
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works,
so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)
Here Faith Is Contrasted To Works Not Equated With Works. So Faith Is Not Works.
He Also Goes On In This Chapter To Speak To Gentiles As Being Included And That Is
The Gift.
The Next Phrase Of 2 Tim. 1 Says, "his own purpose and grace". We Have Already Established
That His Purpose And Grace Is To Have Mercy On All, Including the Gentiles. (Acts 13:45ff; Romans 11:32; Colossians 1:26,27)
The Next Phrase Is, 'This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning
of time'
My Next Question Is How So?
Notice That This Grace Was Given 'Us'.
Well, Ephesians Was Written To Gentile Christians.
This Is Speaking Of The Mystery Which, 'has been kept hidden for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the saints' (Colossians 1:26,27), 'which was not made known to men in other generations as it has
now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets...and to make plain to everyone the administration of
this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the
rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms' (Ephesians 3:5,9) , 'a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for
our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this
age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.... 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things
of God.' (1 Cor. 2:7)
And It Was Revealed To Include Gentiles Not Certain Individuals While Damning The Rest.
It Wasn't 'Hidden' Because He Predestined Who Was Going To Be Saved Or Damned Before
the Foundation Of the World But Because, It Was The Plan That Was To Go Into Effect If And When The Jews Rejected Messiah
Not Before.
'Who Hath Believed Our Report....And The Lord Hath Laid On Him the Iniquity Of Us All.'
(Isaiah 53)
The Gentiles Were To Be Blessed Through The Acceptance Of Messiah By Israel, Since
Israel Rejected Messiah All Are On the Same Level, And The Mystery Was Revealed. (Acts 13:46)
This Has Nothing To Do With The Predestination Of Individuals But The Plan To Include
the Gentiles Before The World Began.
Next Phrase In 2 Timothy 1 Is: 'has now been revealed through the appearing of our
Savior'
Bible Interprets The Bible, So Where Have I Heard That Term, 'appearing Of Our Saviour'
Before?
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared
to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright
and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait
for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that
are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2)
First, The Granville Sharpe Rule Tells Us that 'great God' And Saviour Are The Same
Person, that is Jesus.
This Establishes The Deity Of The God Made Flesh Who By His Grace Has Made The Two
One (Jew And Gentile), Who 'APPEARED TO ALL MEN' The First Time.
Notice This Grace Hasn't Appeared To Some Men But To All.
That Is the Plan That Was Hidden And Predetermined.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works,
so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
11 Therefore, remember that
formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that
done in the body by the hands of men)-- 12 remember that
at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of
the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace,
who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15
by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new
man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one
body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." (Ephesians 2)
Notice, He Is Primarily Speaking to Gentiles As Being Included And Given A Gift.
Bj Maxwell
04/10/2007
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