God’s Standards Are Too High
Summary: A response to the people who don't agree with the Faith Book. “Please don't reject the true standards of God just because their uncomfortable for you.”
They cringe at the fact that Faith in Jesus requires some effort on their part. They begin to realize the uncomfortable requirements of obedience, humility and love of one’s neighbor; according to God’s terms and not theirs. They realize: if they don’t enlist the help of the Spirit and Jesus, and strive for holiness, it’s impossible to keep the commandments of God; and therefore, they’re in big trouble. The life of the believer is hard, and some don’t want to endure hardship – From the Faith Book, chapter 6: Accepting The Truth
I broke fellowship with most Christians in my community because they didn’t want to obey God, according to his standards. Scriptures like: be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2 NIV); be holy because I am holy (1 Pt 1:16 NIV), examine yourselves to see whether you are in the Faith (2 Cor 13:5 NIV) – they didn’t want to follow.
Real Faith in God is a high standard most Christians don’t want to strive for because it’s something they can’t do on their own – it’s impossible. But in order to meet his standard, they must put forth the effort to live humbly and submissively under the power of the Holy Spirit in order to have the proper Faith God wants – and they don’t want to submit to the Holy Spirit.
Yours and my “effort” is making the decision to deny ourselves and following God daily. This is hard and its up to us to make that decision – the Holy Spirit takes care of the rest of the work. The effort is submitting to God’s power to work in our life and following his leading. We don’t like to submit and we don’t naturally want to be led by anyone – these are the things we must overcome. Jesus said:
If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:23-25)
People are scared to deny themselves and take up the cross. They’d rather get to Heaven by way of their own rules and works, or believe that God has already predestined them to Heaven – regardless of their sinful lifestyles. So, when they read the Faith Book, they respond with all kinds of off-topic comments that try to denounce the hard truth of God’s word.
Obedience is NOT optional!
Responses to the book vary, but so far they agree that God wants obedience. But when the Faith Book speaks of obedience being tied to Faith – and without obedience they have no Faith (therefore, they’re in danger of going to Hell) they don’t agree – they hate that part. It’s because these people still hold on to their doctrines of demons that claim eternal security, or predestination – both of which make obedience optional. Why should a person strive be holy, or renew their minds, or even examine themselves to see if they are faithful, when, no matter what they do, they still go to Heaven? Their doctrine renders obedience optional.
The Bible teaches that no one is automatically going to Heaven, or eternally secure, or are “predestined“, or persevering to the end, unless they continually obey God’s commandments (have faith) through the power of the Spirit. Continual obedience through the power of the Spirit is the main ingredient (the condition for salvation) which these false doctrines leave out. Therefore, obedience is not optional.
Freewill
Unconditional Election is defined in this manner:
God did, by His most wise and holy counsel, of His own, freely and un-changeably ordain some men to heaven and some men to hell by the nature of His good pleasure.
Unconditional Election is false because God continually tells us all to make the right decision (Matthew 7:13-14). Why tell us to do the right thing when we are already pre-elected? God wants all of us to go to Heaven, although he knows some won’t continue to the end. We are not predestined or elected before-hand. This is against his Word. We all have the choice to follow God or the devil and receive the consequences.
Anyone of us could fall into a misfortune so bad that we abandon God and say, “the hell with all the Christian stuff“. The devil’s job is to kill our faith in God. The devil is deceptive and this Christian walk isn’t easy. How will we stand against people try to kill us for preaching the gospel? Will we deny Christ? Persecution has come to America. The Bible says that in the last days, some will fall away from the faith (1 Tim 4:1). Persecution and false doctrine is why – and many have already fallen. This is totally different from people who hang in church and were never converted. Real believers and real followers can walk away from God.
We have choices – we have free will, God doesn’t make us do anything. God wants us to love him in our freewill. Would you want your spouse to love you because you make them or because they choose to? Robot love isn’t real love – it’s not freewill and neither is the doctrines of “election” and “predestination”. God is not partial (Romans 2:11). So why would he chose to have some go to Heaven and some to Hell. Anyone can disobey and receive judgment and anyone can obey God and receive eternal life – it up to that person.
But there are those who have been shut off from God. Not because God didn’t “elect” them but because, when the truth (an opportunity for them to be saved) was presented, they rejected it; and so God put them under a strong delusion so that they would believe lies (2 Thess 2:9-12). This was done to the arrogant Pharisees and the same is being done to those who continue to believe false doctrines like Calvinism and other beliefs contrary to the word of God.
The truth & agreement with God
My flesh doesn’t want to believe any of this “continual obedience through the power of God” stuff. I actually used to defend some of the five points of Calvinism until the Lord showed me my error. So I submitted to the truth. You must love the truth, even if it hurts. If you reject it, God may put you under a delusion and you’ll find yourself writing long responses (anonymously) defending John Calvin’s teachings rather than the teachings of Jesus Christ.
It’s all about how a person understands Faith. If they think of it one way, then they’ll look at the entire Bible through that filter. When people read the Faith Book and say they don’t agree with the parts against TULIP, it doesn’t make sense to me because real faith is against TULIP.
There’s no harm in believing that faith is continual and you must obey according to his standards, or else. Even if I’m wrong, I’ll still go to Heaven like those who believe these other doctrines. But there is harm in believing Calvinism:
- A Christian won’t try his/her best to avoid sin through the power of God
- If the doctrine is false, (which it is) the person will end up in Hell because they didn’t obey God according to his standards.
That damn flower
Every time I discuss the book with those who disagree, they continuous bring up John and his little flower. They are quick to defend his teachings as if he died and rose again – what about Jesus? As far as John Calvin (J.C.) is concerned, stop associating yourselves with this dead man and associate yourself with this living God/Man, the other J.C.: Jesus Christ. Be a disciple of Christ, not a Calvinist. This scripture comes to mind:
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:11-13)
Just replace Paul, Apollos and Cephas with John Calvin and you’ll see the point. We need to stop lifting up men and lift up God and his Word – regardless if we like it or not. If we reject his teachings because we don’t agree with his standards, he may just put us under a strong delusion:
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess 2:9-12)
The point of the book is simple: Christians have misunderstood Faith. But real Faith is continually believing and obeying the one true God according to his standards through the power of his Spirit - that’s it. Believe the the truth or die.
Please read ‘The Institutes of Religion.’ If you actually read it you might have a better understanding of what Calvin is actually stating rather than what you have heard as a summary of what Calvin is stating. If you read it, you just might realize that even Calvin would think that you were describing something other that Calvinism.
It is terribly irresponsible to refute something without having adequate knowledge about what you are attempting to repute. Have you actually read The Institutes? Is would be like saying the Bible is wrong without having actually read the Bible.
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I’m not reading ‘The Institutes of Religion.’ Whether these false doctrines come from Calvin or not – the bottom line is: these doctrines are out here and deceiving many. And so its my job to refute them with the Bible.
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Yes, but understand that you are not refuting John Calvin. You are refuting people’s understanding of John Calvin. They are different things. I’d encourage anyone to read the Institutes because most ‘Calvinists’ have no idea what they are talking about.
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It’s not that deep – who cares where they come from – they’re false! If you do a Google search for John Calvin or the TULIP, apologetic sites and other Christians sites, you’ll get the same false doctrines I refute in the book. So what you’re saying is: these didn’t come from John Calvin. OK, whoopee! Who cares, these false doctrines are out there and they have his name on them, people know these doctrines as coming from him – therefore, these are the best way I can label them as. Whether the origin of these false doctrines are from him or not – I’m not about to get caught up on semantics. John Calvin, John Carter – or whoever – they’re wrong and the bible exposes them.
Also
“They cringe at the fact that Faith in Jesus requires some effort on their part.”
“Faith is continually believing and obeying the one true God according to his standards through the power of his Spirit.”
Is faith through ‘some effort on their part”, or “through the power of the spirit?”
So is it through my effort/power or through the Holy Spirit’s power that faith is possible?
Do you see your contradiction?
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There is no contradiction. Yours and my “effort” is making the decision to denying ourselves and following God. This is hard and its up to us to make that decision – the Holy Spirit takes care of the rest of the work. The effort is submitting to God’s power to work in our life and following his leading. We don’t like to submit and we don’t naturally want to be lead by anyone – these are the things we must overcome. Jesus said, “23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:23-25) – This is the effort for which I speak of. I mentioned this in the book as well.
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also consider Romans 8.29-30, Eph 1.3-6, Acts 13:48, Ephesians 1.7-8, 2 Thess. 2.13-14, 2 Tim. 1.9, Matthew 24.31, Mark 13.22, Luke 18.7, Romans 8.33, 11.7, Colossians 3.12, 2 Timothy 2.10, Titus 1.1, I Peter 1.2, 1 Peter 5.13; 2 John 1.1, 13.
Wouldn’t it be possible that God know’s the truth of our salvation prior to any action that we have ever done? But then what about free-will? Clearly free-will of man and God’s foreknowledge are Biblical truths.
…as it turns out you are not a Calvinist, you’re a dispensationalist. Basically their is the covenant movement and the dispensationalist movement. Outside of your lower view of Christ’s resurrection, neither side agrees with the other completely, but generally speaking, neither side considers the other side heresy.
This finally all makes sense. For your purposes you should read ryrie and macarthur. Ryrie takes the side of salvation by faith alone and macarthur takes your side of the argument. Both are dispensationalists, but I’ll be honest (And this isn’t an opinion formed by myself), Macarthur’s book has generally been accepted as heresy. But it definitely way way way in agreement with what you have been saying.
Blessings Nealreal.
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The hell with these labels – don’t label me. I’m not with any movement and haven’t even heard of such dudes you speak of (Ryrie and Macarthur). I’m not considering anymore scripture from you because, obviously, you disagree with the Word of God. And then you say “blessings” after implying that my book is heresy.
I said in this article:
“Real Faith in God is a high standard most Christians don’t want to strive for because it’s something they can’t do on their own – it’s impossible. But in order to meet his standard, they must live humbly and submissively under the power of the Holy Spirit in order to have the proper Faith God wants – and they don’t want to submit to the Holy Spirit.”
You are one of these people who doesn’t want to submit to God. And if you’re so correct, then why continually try to convince me? If I’m wrong, I’ll go to Heaven like you anyway. See, you’re trying to convince yourself, you struggle with the truth and don’t want to accept it.
And you do it anonymously. Why not use your real name and email? I’m assuming you’ve watched the video from the Good News Talk Show and followed me here. The fact that you keep posting anonymously says that you may be some religious leader of some kind, or you know me and don’t want me to know you. Quit hiding and use a real email address and name. This is God were talking about, there’s no need to hide ourselves.
Submit to the word of God and accept the hard truth. It is pointless to continue this “chat”. And I will no longer have a conversation with someone in hiding. If you post again under anonymous – it will be removed. Next time, be open and use a real email address.
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I not worried about myself because my savior loves me and keeps His promises. I’m trying to convince you because you are not the perfect will of God, you need a savior.
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Oh, so now I need a savior? Anonymous, you insult me with that comment. I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. If you think I need a savior you should be praying for me and sharing the gospel, not arguing with me on this site. Actually your comments, even though they may display for you, they only appear live, once I approve them. I see what you’re trying to do and from this point on – if you don’t have any legitimate questions or comments, don’t say anything. Your comments will not be approved, no matter what kind of name you use. I allowed this last comment to display because I want people to see how deceived you are. I’m sorry you’ve denied the truth.
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