Church History

A Quote by Cyprian: The Church

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“He cannot have God as his Father who does not have the church for his Mother.”
-Cyprian

Church membership is a topic my church (Crosspoint Baptist Church) has been studying for the past few weeks. I think this quote applies well. Basically, Cyprian says, one who does not want to partake in the Church and become a member in the Church ought not to consider themselves Christians. To say “I am a Christian, yet I do not take part in the Christian Church” is an inherent contradiction. We see that in Acts 2:42 that those who were converted on the day of Pentecost ALL “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”, which are specific functions held by the Church alone. Christianity is not just a religion, it is a family. One who doesn’t want to be in the family shouldn’t be part of the religion. Instead, they should seek membership, Baptism, and profession of faith at a local church.

A Quote: St. Augustine on the Mystery of Salvation

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“Without God, man cannot. Without man, God will not.”
-St. Augustine

Augustine here affirms that the salvation process is a mystery unbeknownst to man. Augustine says that man can in no way choose God without God first initiating that choice. Yet he states that without man willingly choosing God, God by no means will initiate the salvation process. This seeming contradiction only supports the idea that the salvation process is an unfathomable meshing of human Free Will and divine Sovereign Choice.

Just a Thought

/ lucas kelly / 1 Comment

The issue of predestination and free will is not an either/or situation; it is both/and. Some way, some how, we are both chosen and free simultneously, and that is a mystery that will never be understood by man, in this life, at least.

A Quote on the Divine Plan of Salvation: St. Anselm

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“For it was appropriate that, just as death entered the human race through a man’s disobedience, so life should be restored through a man’s obedience; and that, just as the sin which was the cause of our damnation originated from a woman, similarly the originator of our justification and salvation should be born of a woman. Also that the devil, who defeated the man whom he beguiled through the taste of a tree, should himself similarly be defeated by a man through tree-induced suffering which he, the devil, inflicted. There are many other things, too, which, if carefully considered, display the indescribable beauty of the fact that our redemption was procured in this way.”
-St. Anselm of Cantebury

Satan vs. God

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Satan is in no way the equal opposite of God. Satan is the opposite, yet he is in no way equal. Satan is a creature, God is the Creator. Satan is finite, God is infinite. Satan is subordinate to, weaker than, and less knowledgeable than God. Where God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, Satan is non of these things. God will defeat Satan in the end.

The Mystery of Salvation

/ lucas kelly / 5 Comments

As some of you folks know,  I believe that God is sovereign in the salvation process: he initiates salvation, guides its progress, and carries it out to completion. This point of view, in my opinion,  is absolutely supported by Scripture. Most call this Calvinism.

Let me lay out for you the 5-point system of Calvinism, otherwise known as TULIP:

  • Total Depravity: The doctrine that man is absolutely and totally incapable of meriting salvation in any form or fashion. We can not earn our salvation: it comes by faith, and by faith alone. (Jer. 17:9, Eph. 2:1-3, Rom. 3:23)
  • Unconditional Election: The doctrine that God elects, or chooses, those who will be saved. He grants faith to those he elects.  This election is not based on what man does — man can do nothing to earn salvation, as total depravity states — but is based on God’s ultimate and supreme wisdom and knowledge. Man can not understand why God chooses who he chooses.  (John 6:44, Eph. 1:4-5, Rom. 8-9)
  • Limited Atonement:  The doctrine that Christs death and atonement  is only meant for the elect; those that aren’t elect are not capable of receiving the benefits of the atonement at all. ( Matt. 26:28, John 10:11, 15)
  • Irresistible Grace: The doctrine that the grace extended by the Holy Spirit to the elect is irresistible. No one can refuse to follow its call. ( Phil. 2:12-13,  Rom. 9:16)
  • Perseverance of the Saints: The doctrine that once a sinner is saved, he can not lose his salvation. Salvation is permanent and secure. Also, that true Christians wouldn’t, nor couldn’t, turn their backs on Christ. Those who do were never truly saved. (John 10:27-28, 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Yet, when examining Calvinism, we must ask ourselves this: if God is supremely good, merciful, loving, and kind, how then can he predestine some to Heaven, and either by passing over others, or by directly acting on the part of others, predestine some to Hell. All men deserve the same fate, yet though he is fully capable of predestining all to Heaven, he chooses to predestine most to Hell — in fact, Hell would be exponentially more full — by God’s choice — than Heaven. This seems rather impossible to reconcile with God’s abounding love and goodness. So, what many have done is stated that God does not choose who is saved and who isn’t: this is up to man: man has free will when it comes to salvation. This point of view is called Arminianism. Arminianism, like Calvinism, has a 5-point system, which seems directly contradictory to Calvinism.

  • Free Will: The doctrine that man has the ability, by God’s grace, to choose God, or to deny him. (Is. 1:19-20, John 7:17)
  • Conditional Election: The doctrine that  God elects who will be saved, yet this election is based on God’s foreknowledge of who will chose him and who will deny him. (Matt. 11:28-30, John 4:42)
  • Unlimited Atonement : The doctrine that  Christ’s death and atonement is meant for, and is available to, all men, elect or not. (John 3:16, Rom. 5:12-21)
  • Resistible Grace/Common Sufficient Grace: The doctrine that God extends a grace to all men that is sufficient enough for man to choose God or not. Without this grace, man cannot chose, but with it, he is able to chose. This grace can be resisted.   (Acts 7:51, Jer. 7:24)
  • Fall From Grace: The doctrine that a saved Christian can lose his salvation. This is based on whether man remains in Christ or not. Whoever remains in him is saved, yet whoever denies him can/will lose his salvation. (1 Cor. 15:2)

Of Calvinism, I affirm all except Limited Atonement. Of Arminianism, I affirm all but Fall From Grace. “Isn’t this a contradiction?”, you might ask. Such a question is quite reasonable, for man’s mind is too feeble and finite to understand this meshing of man’s will and God’s sovereignty. Yet, just because we aren’t capable of understanding this does not make it false. The Salvation Process is a mystery. This mystery is so vast and complex that men can try to understand, but all will fail. Calvinism by itself, it seems to me, takes away man’s responsibility, while contradicting God’s goodness with its affirmation of predestination to Hell. Arminianism, on the other hand, Reduces God’s sovereignty to be subject to man’s will. To me, both of these positions are correct in ways, yet incorrect in ways. Salvation is a mystery, and a combination of sovereignty and will. I believe that John 1:12-13 support this idea completely: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” Verse 12 says that man receives God, and can choose to believe in him or not, whereas verse 13 states that this is not based on will. This seems contradictory; it isn’t. It is a mystery.

 

That said, my theology is ever developing, and still will. This is where I am now. Let me know what you guys think, please.

 

In Christ,

Lucas.

 

A Quote: St. Anselm of Canterbury

/ lucas kelly / Leave a comment

“My heart is made bitter by its desolation; I beseech you, Lord, sweeten it by your consolation. I set out hungry to look for you; I beseech you, Lord, do not let me depart from you fasting. I came to you as one famished; do not let me go without food. Poor, I have come to one who is rich. Unfortunate, I have come to one who is merciful. Do not let me return scorned and empty handed… Lord, bowed down as I am, I can only look downwards; raise me up that I may look upwards. ‘My sins are heaped up over my head’ they cover me over and ‘like a heavy load’ crush me down [Ps.37:5]. Save me, disburdon me, ‘ lest their pit close its mouth over or from the depths’ [Ps. 68:16]. Teach me to seek You, and reveal Yourself to me as i seek, because I can neither seek You if You do not teach me how, nor find You unless You reveal Yourself. Let me seek You in desiring you; let me desire you in seeking you; let me find You in loving You; let me love You in finding You.”

-St. Anselm of Canterbury

Proslogion

A Quote: Origen

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“If we see some admirable work of human art, we are at once eager to investigate the nature, the manner, the end of its production; and the contemplation of the works of God stirs us with an incomparably greater longing to learn the principles, the method, the purpose of creation. This desire, this passion, has without doubt been implanted in us by God. As the eye seeks light, as our body craves food, so our mind is impressed with the… natural desire to know the truth of God and the causes of what we observe.”

-Origen of Alexandria