Making Your Calling and Election Sure

http://www.heatandlight.org/slj/new_testament/2peter/tape1b.htm ^ | S. Lewis Johnson, Jr.

[american colleen]

Does that clarify?

Yes it does, thank you! I'd just not heard of anyone breaking faith down like that. Your words are wise!

[RnMomof7]

You will not get in with that codie..

[Codie]

Let's face it, Luther thought justification was not a real cleansing - it was just that
the merits of Christ, like a white cloak, would be thrown over the sins of
the sinner. God would not look under the rug. But the man himself would
remain totally corrupt.So,there must be some purification after death,no?

[RnMomof7]

Cursed Dave..the 'Modern' Catholic Church lacks the backbone to kick out preverted priest or to preach to the Jews , it kisses the Koran....and now the PC "feel good" RC church has decided it is not nice to curse folks..but that is what they did Dave They were pretty mad at the reformers:>)

So it has been "softened " but is is a curse on the reformers and the former RC's .

CANON I.-If any one saith, that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the teaching of human nature, or that of the law, without the grace of God through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema.

anathema
a·nath·e·ma   Pronunciation Key  (-nth-m)
n. pl. a·nath·e·mas
1. A formal ecclesiastical ban, curse, or excommunication.
2. A vehement denunciation; a curse: “the sound of a witch's anathemas in some unknown tongue” (Nathaniel Hawthorne)
. 3. One that is cursed or damned. 4. One that is greatly reviled, loathed, or shunned: “Essentialisma belief in natural, immutable sex differencesis anathema to postmodernists, for whom sexuality itself, along with gender, is a ‘social construct’” (Wendy Kaminer).

------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Late Latin anathema, doomed offering, accursed thing, from Greek, from anatithenai, anathe-, to dedicate  : ana-, ana- + tithenai, to put; see dh- in Indo-European Roots.]

anathema \A*nath"e*ma\, n.; pl. Anathemas. [L. anath?ma, fr. Gr. ? anything devoted, esp. to evil, a curse; also L. anath?ma, fr. Gr. ? a votive offering; all fr. ? to set up as a votive gift, dedicate; ? up + ? to set. See Thesis.]
1. A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, and accompanied by excommunication. Hence: Denunciation of anything as accursed. [They] denounce anathemas against unbelievers. --Priestley.
2. An imprecation; a curse; a malediction. Finally she fled to London followed by the anathemas of both [families]. --Thackeray.
3. Any person or thing anathematized, or cursed by ecclesiastical authority.
The Jewish nation were an anathema destined to destruction. St. Paul . .

[RnMomof7]

Codie what if the blood of Christ really does clean you? IF that is true and you stand before Gods in your own works do you think it can compare?

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hbr 1:3 Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hbr 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

[Codie]

Codie what if the blood of Christ really does clean you?

Luther wrote (Weimar ed.vol 2, p. 371; Letters I, "Luther's Works," American ed. vol 48, p. 282: "Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly.... No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day."

(1 Cor 6:19) we are the temples of the Holy Spirit! Will the Holy Spirit dwell in total corruption? Or will absolute Holiness join Himself to total corruption after death?

[RnMomof7]

Or will absolute Holiness join Himself to total corruption after death?

We are cleansed continually by the blood of Christ codie..

Hbr 10:12   But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Hbr 7:25   Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them

Tts 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

He has purged our sin..codie IN Him we are Justified and righteous

[Codie]

We are cleansed continually by the blood of Christ codie..

So Luther was correct?

[RnMomof7]

It is not our sin that keeps us out of heaven Codie ..it is not being righteous..Jesus is our righteousness..

All of this seems to beg the question..but it is actually the answer

We are saved by the righteousness of Christ not our own .But when we are regenerated we get a new heart and a re engineered will that hates sin and loves God.We desire God..and desire NOT to sin. But as Paul said we often do what we do not want to do..and yes that is covered by the blood of Christ

[Biblical Calvinist]

Wonderful article ! I became a Calvinist while sitting under the teaching of Dr. Johnson in Dallas, around 25 years ago. Dr. Johnson was, at the time; the head of the Systematic Theology Department at Dallas Theological Seminary; he also taught Advanced Greek ..(he came to the Lord in the '30s through the ministry of Donald Grey Barnhouse, a Presbyterian.)

Dr. Johnson is now approximately 86 years old, but still participates in conferences. By the way, Dr. Johnson was also one of the contributors who participated in the translation of the New American Standard Bible, also participated to a limited degree in the translation of the New International Version.

I'm sure all this is more than anyone wants to know about Dr. Johnson.. however..he was, and is still a great influence in my own spiritual life, for which I will always thank God. Dr. Johnson is one of the finest teachers that I've ever had the priviledge of hearing.

In fact, Dr. Johnson's series on Basic Bible Doctrine is available in MP3 format on line, you can either listen to it by clicking the link, OR download the mp3 files. These classroom lectures are FREE (and this is the SAME material that he taught at Seminary level) - no charge.. this series is a wonderful introduction to Reformed Theology. (He's a Calvinistic Baptist, but we can forgive him that much. :>)

Here's the webpage = http://www.believers-chapel.org/tapes/bibledoctrine/index.htm

[drstevej]

Believer's Chapel is a great resource. In addition to the online tapes they have a tape catalogue of hundreds of hour of great teaching and they send their tapes at little or no charge. I have listened to many of them including the 63 tape series by SL Johnson on Systematic Theology (awesome).

I was a classmate at DTS with Dan Duncan who is the current teaching pastor. Great guy and solid Bible teacher.

Thanks for the bio material on SLJ.

[RnMomof7]

Believers chapel has a weekly teaching program that airs on some Chrisitan radio stations . I listen Saturdays on WDCX in Western NY ...great teachers

[Biblical Calvinist]

Yes, Dr. Johnson's Systematic Theology series is among the finest resources available - I was in this class as these lectures were being given(some 25 or more years ago). I STILL listen to these tapes.. I don't know where this type of comprehensive, in depth material can be found other than in this series. This is the SAME material that Dr. Johnson taught to the students at Dallas Theological Seminary; (even though these lectures were presented at Believers Chapel) I sure wish that the Chapel would upload these lectures in mp3 format as well.

My next big project is to convert this series to Mp3 format, and burn 'em to cd. It's gonna take forever to do.. but.. it'll be worth getting these lectures in a permanent format, rather than relying on 25 year old cassette tapes.

For those who are interested; simply write to the chapel, at Believers Chapel Tape Ministry
6420 Churchill Way
Dallas, Texas 75230

They'll send you 2 cassette tapes at a time; at no charge- which can be kept or sent back. Dr. Johnson is an Expositional teacher, he has entire series where he goes though the book verse by verse. I'd recommend his series on Romans; and - of course; his Systematic Theology series.

Yes,I agree; Dan Duncan is a superb teacher..but I've heard few better teachers than than Dr. Johnson. I don't agree with his Baptistic, Dispensationalism; but the man is to be credited with awakening an interest in Biblical Theology for a great number of Christians. For that, I thank God.

[CCWoody]

What is the difficulty in understanding the question that made you ask it again, though I had clearly answered it? ~ SoothingDave

It's just that little part after you answered where you then asked: "Am I right?" Therefore, just to make absolutely sure, let me ask the question this way:

• Does God justify those who are destitute of reverential awe towards God, condemning God, impious? Does God justify any of these people?

[CCWoody]

Probably because you don't teach that the cheesecake is freely available for anyone who wants it. Rather your god refuses service to certain people, arbitrarily. ~ SoothingDave

No, I just said "The cheesecake is freely available for anybody who wants it." Why would you want to accuse me of not believing exactly what I just said I do believe?

The cheesecake is freely available for anybody who wants it. Unfortunately:

• And no one, having feasted on rib eyes desires cheesecake; for he says, "I'm stuffed from the rib eyes."

Therefore, why should you complain if you are not offered cheesecake?

[CCWoody]

You never answered this question:

Sure you are [saving yourself when you use the tools that the Physician has graciously provided]! Who gets to boast, the paddles or the one who shocks the heart back to life? ~ theAmbassador

[CCWoody]

You never answered this question:

Sure you are [saving yourself when you use the tools that the Physician has graciously provided]! Who gets to boast, the paddles or the one who shocks the heart back to life? ~ theAmbassador

[CCWoody]

There are a few preceeding posts to SoothingDave which you may want to address.

[CCWoody]

Salvation is a free gift. You say some do not want it... doesn't "want" denote free will? ~ american colleen

No, it doesn't. It only denotes a will which is bound to the desire not to have "cheesecake [salvation].

[CCWoody]

I don't believe that I can save anybody, God does the saving, He also calls us all, some accept, some don't, pretty simple to me. ~ BigMack

God may only act with permission from man in your scheme. Sovereignty in salvation belongs to man, not God. God cannot save anybody without man. At the very best, your scheme of salvation is not a salvation by the grace of God, but a salvation by man in his use of God's grace. You reduce God to a Mr. Goodwrench who only hands out tools for a man to then use to save himself.