I don't have a particular text
to start with this morning. As Joe was saying, me too, I
have given messages before where I've used certain terms, and
later I felt, you know, I really didn't explain what that meant.
Everybody may have not understood what I was saying. And I'm gonna
give you a for instance. I've done a message before called,
Can an Arminian Be Saved? I did not think about the fact
that maybe not everyone that heard me understood it. I think
we all here understand and know what that means, but I just want
to clarify this word. I am referring to those who have
an imagination that says man has a free will. I said imagination
because that is what it is, and it is not taught in Scripture
anywhere. That is, that man has a free
will. This, of course, seems to have first been started as
an outward teaching from Jacob Arminius, although it may have
not been taught as the hordes teach it today in its outright
perversion of the Scripture. but it was set forth as a doctrine
taught by men by him first, as far as I can tell. Although men
throughout all the ages, even before Jacob Arminius, think
they have a free will. This so-called free will, as
Walter has said before, is self-will disguised as free will, and God
condemns self-will. Scripture tells us there is nothing
new under the sun. So man is no more corrupt in
his outward rebellion against God and his word by openly professing
he has a free will than he has been throughout the ages. We
just see it more openly now. If God's word says otherwise
or disagrees with the doctrine, then Jacob, Arminius, or anyone
else coming up with the doctrine is just a perversion of God's
word. If God says in his word that
man cannot do one thing, then if there is just one thing he
cannot do, it means he does not have a free will, as purported
by thousands today. In fact, says a whole lot more
that man cannot do than more than just one thing. It tells
us he can do nothing in and of himself. Having a free will means
you can do anything you want. That's what, if you want to know
what the definition of free will is, it means you can do whatever
you want. You can be who you want, you
can be where you want. Man can do nothing. Jeremiah
13, 23 says, can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard
his spots? Then may ye also do good that
are accustomed to do evil. Free will is a lie on God and
it is a perverted doctrine for which God hates. Now the scripture
teaches us that God is in the heavens and hath done whatsoever
he hath pleased. Genesis 18, 25, the verse ends
like this. Shall not the judge of all the
earth do right? Whatever God says and does is
right because he is complete and total righteousness. He knows
all because he purposed all. So now, We know that the term
Armenian is what it's used for when I use that and say that.
Those who believe the lie of free will. There was also an
acronym which also started around the time of Jacob Arminius. That
acronym was T-U-L-I-P, TULIP. I don't know if those who opposed
certain doctrines came up with this. I tend to think that's
where it came from, or those who believe it came up with it.
But it doesn't really matter. There are those who are called
Calvinists, and they are today associated with this acronym
too. I want to give you what this
acronym stands for. T for total depravity. This is
talking about the corruption of man, or degradation of man,
or perversion of man. U, unconditional election. This
is being chosen by God just because he wanted to choose some and
not others. Not based on man in any way,
only based on the will of God. L, limited atonement. This is
an atonement that was not made for everyone, but only for those
who God chose. This atonement was for them a
complete saving atonement. I, irresistible grace. Grace
given that cannot be resisted by the recipient or refused. P, perseverance of the saints,
but it can be better said as preserved saints. God preserving
those whom he chose until he takes them home or he returns
to get them. Those who hold to these doctrines
are often called several names, depending on who is doing the
name calling. Calvinist, Calvinistic, Hyper-Calvinist, Hardshells,
or at least a few of the ones that I know of. Although I do
not specifically call myself one of these names, I will gladly
take on these names as these doctrines are taught in God's
word and are true. So let's go through these points
briefly from scripture that they are taught in his word. So I
have five points. Tulip is my five points. Total
depravity. The English word depravity is
not in the scripture. The meaning of this word is taught
all throughout scripture. The word depravity means corruption,
degradation, and perversion. Hear the psalmist speak of man
and his depravity. Psalm 51 5. Behold, I was shapen
in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Man, God
tells us, is dead. That is, dead to God in nothing
but sin before him. Romans 5 12 says, and I've read
this quite often, Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the
world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for
that all have seen Being dead man cannot see God he cannot
hear what God is telling him Why because he is dead? There
are none that are dead that can see or hear anything and You
may see or hear physically, but spiritually you have no ears
that will hear and no eyes that will see. That which is born
of the flesh is flesh, and that is all it will ever be. 1 Corinthians
2.14 says, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned. Therefore man knows
not how to please God He is in fact incapable of doing this
because he is dead That is separated from God because God is life
Romans 8 6 through 8 says for to be carnally minded is death
But to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the
carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to
the law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are
in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 4 tells us there is none
righteous, none that understandeth or seeketh after God, and none
that doeth good. We know that which is born of
the flesh is flesh, and nothing but corrupt flesh. Ephesians
4.22 says that ye put off concerning the former conversation, the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust. So the
old man is corrupt. That is how all men and women
are born, with the old man, and some always only have this old
man. John 8, 43 and verses 47 says,
why do you not understand my speech? This is Christ speaking.
Even because ye cannot hear my word. And then in 47 he says,
he that is of God heareth God's words. Ye therefore hear them
not, because ye are not of God. This old man is corrupt or that
is totally depraved. This old man will never please
God, never. But there are those whom if God
is pleased, he will create in them a new heart. That being
a new creation or a new man. This new man now having the ability
to see and hear. And if you would, turn with me
to Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians
chapter two, verses one through six, I wanna read. And you hath he quickened, who
were dead in trespasses and in sins. Wherein in time past ye
walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature
the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich
in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
are you saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5,
17 says, therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. Those
who have been created new still have this old nature, and this
old nature will never love God. So the new man is a new creation
by God. Who are those that are created
new? This leads me to the second point, unconditional election. Now let's be clear, the one that's
doing the election is God. There is nothing in man that
would even give God a reason to choose him. There is no condition
that any man could ever meet if God did condition his choosing
on that, which he did not condition his choosing on anything man
would do. The only condition that had to
be met was met by Christ when he died on that tree. This was
not a condition of the choosing, but rather a covenant made by
God himself that he would do this to secure those for whom
he chose in salvation. It was in Christ that God Almighty
chose man, and nothing of what fallen man, sinful man, would
meet as some kind of condition. Romans 9, 11 through 12. Again,
we've read this before. It's very familiar. Romans 9
11 through 13 for the children being not yet born Neither having
done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election
might stand Not of works, but of him that calleth It was said
unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written
Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated and Jacob and Esau here
represent those whom God chose and those whom God rejected.
I'm not here to debate that. Neither Jacob or Esau had done
either good or evil, but God chose Jacob to love him, and
Esau he hated. This is what it says, and that
is what it means. This was all done that God's
purpose according to election might stand. Election is choosing
and it was God's purpose for it to be this way God had a purpose
in choosing certain individuals What he based it on we are not
told we are only told what it is not based on That is it was
specifically not based on anything man would do good or evil but
we are chose in Christ for a specific reason, so that we might be blameless
before God. Ephesians 1.4 says, 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. He certainly chose us. That was
in Christ so that we might be blameless in God's sight. But
Jesus Christ was chosen and it was he that is the elect who
would come and secure that salvation, which is how we are made to be
blameless in God's sight. It is as his purpose in bringing
about that one seed, which is Jesus Christ, meaning God purposed
certainly into which individual men and women come together,
and God would bring about the birth of the elect, Jesus Christ
the Lord. him being made flesh. Speaking
of Christ, we read in 1 Peter 1.20, it says, who verily was
foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest
in these last times for you. God's word is full of the doctrine
of God choosing a people for his namesake. So God unconditionally
chose a people and he did this for that one seed, the elect.
First and foremost, it was for his glory. Salvation is of the
Lord, but he chose this people unto salvation. He certainly
accomplished this through atoning for their sins, him dying on
that tree. This atonement was limited to
those he chose. It was not limited in its efficacy,
or that is power. It got the job done, in other
words. And this brings me to my next point, limited atonement. Atonement. This word means to
cover or purge, make reconciliation, that is, bring together that
which was separated previously. It also means to cover with pitch.
The blood of Jesus Christ covered those for whom it was shed, wholly,
W-H-O-L-L-Y, and completely. Jesus Christ being the righteousness
of God, since he has covered us by his blood, God sees those
for whom he died as righteous before him. Christ reconciling
them together, or that is bringing them into union with one another.
God sees them as his son. God's people are the body of
Christ. He is the head and his people as the bride of Christ
are the body. God sees the head in which the
body is a part of or that is union with Christ. John 17, 23
reads, I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect
in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and
hast loved them as thou hast loved me. His atonement was in
no way limited in its effectiveness. It was only limited in scope. That is it was only for those
who were chosen in him from before the foundation of the world.
God did not die for everyone. Had he died for everyone, then
everyone would be saved. He totally satisfied the justice
of God. Now if you would turn with me
to Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10 verses 10 through
13. by the which will we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. and every priest standeth daily,
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. And then if you'll just turn
back to Hebrews nine, I wanna read this. If this is the only
thing that I said today, this would be worth hearing. Hebrews
9 verses 11 through 11 and 12. But Christ, being come and high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,
neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood
he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us. That is, and if you'll remember
Joe pointed this out one time and I got to looking at this
and it just brought that back to my mind, but this obtained
eternal redemption for us. That is perpetual deliverance
from the penalty of sin. That is what eternal redemption
means and Christ has obtained it. As it concerns the atonement,
we can look back at the ark. The ark was made of wood. This
wood, probably cypress, was material used for building. This is Christ
being made flesh. Had the ark went through the
flood just like that, the ark may have survived, but those
in it would not have been safe. They would have perished along
with everyone else. What else does it say that God
told Noah to do? and shalt pitch it within and
without with pitch. The pitch then preventing any
of the waters of God's judgment coming in on them. When the ark
was lifted up high on the waters of God's judgment, those in the
ark were being perpetually saved from the penalty of sin, even
though they were no different than those outside of the ark,
other than the difference God made. Having secured salvation
for his chosen people and now seated at the right hand of the
Father on high, the only thing left concerning those he chose
is to let them know about their salvation, that salvation being
Jesus Christ. This leads us to the next point,
which is God moving on an individual in grace, bringing them to know
him in love, those who are born into this world enemies of God. He at his appointed time irresistibly
draws them into the fold or in his body in love. God is the God of all grace. Grace comes from no other. John
1.14 says, and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and
we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. And then John 1.17 says, for
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ is God. If you are
to have grace, then it must be Him that gives it. He is full
of grace and it comes by Him. We being born dead to God cannot
and will not look for grace from God. Grace must be bestowed or
that is given to us before we can ever see God. Scripture says
there is none that seeketh after God So we are not looking for
grace from God because we are not seeking God at all We do
not even know that we need God We are dead Therefore we cannot
do anything toward God So in time God has purposed for those
he chose to move on them in grace They have no power to resist
this grace for they are dead and can do nothing to prevent
it Nor can they ask or get grace if he is unwilling to give it,
because they are dead. God, for his great love wherewith
he has loved us, will come to us in irresistible grace when
he is pleased giving us life. With that life, we then having
the ability and the will to seek God, he sends the gospel to those
for whom he has chosen. We then hearing that gospel in
life, we then in love bow down to him in sweet adoration. We
do not love God, then he loves us. Scripture says in 1 John
4, 19, we love him because he first loved us. This is cause
and effect. Because he sheds his irresistible
grace on us, we cannot but help and love him. God forces us to
bow down to him. This he does in love toward his
own. They all gladly and willingly do this at his appointed time.
You can mark this down. If you never bow down to this
God in this life, then you are not one of His. Hear what God
says to us in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. But we are bound
to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to what? Salvation, through And I heard
someone say something about this, that this is one thing here,
this is not one thing here. It says through sanctification
of the spirit, that's one thing, and belief of the truth, that's
another thing. But they're joined. It's a conjunction, and, and
that word and is in there, so that it is by God joined, two
things joined together. Irresistibly life and immortality
are brought to light. We being chosen of God were chosen
unto something, that is salvation. Now Jesus Christ being God satisfied
the justice of God, bringing us into union with himself, by
himself, that is salvation. That atonement wrought by Christ,
we in time come to be shown this. Our eyes being opened by God,
we are in our hearts and minds that are given by God. Now we are able to enter into
that salvation, believing God, which then leads me to preserved
saints. God then continues, and it must
be him that does so, and he promises it to his own, but he will keep
them until the day of Jesus Christ. Those to whom God chose are sinners
by nature. In that time of irresistible
grace, he, that is God, that is Jesus Christ, that is the
spirit, makes them saints. Saints are those who are holy,
made so by God, meaning he sets them apart for his use. This
sovereign almighty God has all power. He keeps those whom are
his. In fact, he keeps them that are
his always, even before he reveals himself to them. If he does not
do this, he first would not be all powerful, But it would mean
he would leave things up to someone else or something else, and they
would not last. But it is more than him just
directing his own. He controls every man or woman,
the scripture says. Proverbs 16.33 says, the lot
is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of
the Lord. For those that are his, he continues
to teach them of himself. He comforts them concerning himself,
taking them through many fold tribulations, trying their faith,
that faith which is his gift in regeneration. But he keeps
them always, causing them to continually look to him and believing
him until they lay down this body of flesh or he returns one
day. 2 Timothy 1 and verse 12 says,
for the witch calls, I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I
am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded
that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him
against that day. The same God who shed his grace
on you, giving you faith in living to God, is the same God who keeps
you in that same grace, giving you faith. That same faith he
gave you in regeneration until you die or he returns. He will,
as you go through this life, having been irresistibly drawn
to him, he will keep you in every way needed until you are in his
presence. Jude 24 says, now unto him that
is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory and exceeding joy. So with that
being said, the doctrines that I have spoken to you about all
involve one cause. The cause of all these doctrines
is one man, that man Jesus Christ our Lord. This leads me to my
conclusion. Jesus Christ is the God of all
these doctrines. The fact that men ended up totally
depraved was purposed by God. He did this to show forth his
glory in saving a people for his name. If it happened, it
was God's purpose. If it happens, it is God's purpose. If it does not happen, then it
is God's purpose. He does whatsoever he hath been
pleased to do in the armies of heavens and the inhabitants of
the earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what
are you doing? Yet man is accountable for his
actions, which he has committed in rebellion against him, that
is God. He is the Christ who chose some
unconditionally. He is the Christ who atoned for
those whom he chose. That atonement limited in scope,
but not in power. He is the Christ who irresistibly,
by grace, draws men to himself. He is the Christ who preserves
all of his until that day. I am preaching to those who are
seeking salvation, that is, seeking for the first time, or those
who are continuing to look for salvation. If you are not seeking,
then what I have to say to you is of no value to you. To those
who are seeking, I am telling you where salvation can be found.
Now I don't want you to misunderstand because of everything I just
went through. Salvation is not in TULIP. Salvation is not in
knowing TULIP. I know back a long time ago when
God first started doing something to me, I think Walter and I were
driving down the road in the car and he said, do you know
what TULIP is? And I think I paused for a minute,
and he may have answered for me, and I don't know, I said,
some kind of flower, I think it is. And we got a little chuckle
out of it. Jesus Christ, who is God, is
the only place salvation can be found. Has nothing to do with
how much you know. We may speak to individuals about
doctrine, and doctrine is important and must be taught. You will
have knowledge in knowing Christ. But Christ gives to every man
and woman the measure of faith he is pleased to give. He gives
to them the measure of love he is pleased to give them. He gives
to them the measure of knowledge he is pleased to give them. No
matter what you or anyone else does will change that. He is
in absolute sovereign control. But we follow a person, that
person being the person of the doctrine. It is that person that
gives the doctrine or makes the doctrine. So it is that person
we adore and not just the doctrine. That doctrine describes to us
who God is, but it is God we trust because we do not know
all doctrine. Doctrine cannot save you. Jesus
Christ saves you. Doctrine teaches us of that one
who does save us. Jesus Christ is the giver of
life and everything that pertains unto that life. He will sustain
it all. You may know some doctrine, but
you will not know it all. God gives to every man the measure
of everything he is pleased. This is a good reason to be quick
to hear, slow to speak, but also a good reason why we should search
the scripture daily to see if these things be so. Try the spirits. How do we do that? By his word. He gives the treasure and he
sustains the treasure. You must look to him, the one
that give us to all of his, those whom he chose, that is Jesus
Christ the Lord. Now, Paula can tell you, I tried
to come up with an analogy for explaining kind of what I was
trying to get at here. It didn't work out. So, I decided
to go to scripture and see what scripture says. So this is, I'm
gonna try to give you something that explains what I'm talking
about when it talks about the person and the doctrine, and
it's the person that matters. Hosea 2.5 says, For their mother hath played
the harlot. She that conceived them hath
done shamefully. For she said, I will go after
my lovers that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my
flax, mine oil and my drink. If you remember, it was Hosea
gave Gomer all these things and she thought it was all her lovers
that did this. Those who just hold to doctrine
It's not, they're not even getting these things. They're seeing
these things that God has given to his own. They do not see the person of
Christ. They see the doctrine only. But to those whom he loves,
he will do this just as he did with Gomer in Hosea 2 verses
6 and 7. Therefore, behold, I will hedge
up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not find
her paths. And she shall follow after her
lovers, but she shall not overtake them. And she shall seek them,
but shall not find them. Then, shall she say, I will go
and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me
than now. God will put you in a place to
where you look to that person who gives liberally to those
who are his. You will come to realize the
knowledge you have comes from him and no other. He will guide
you into all truth, 1 John 4, 2 says. Hereby know ye the spirit
of God. Every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. Confessing that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh, what does this mean? It means
God himself came down to save sinners and he accomplished what
he came to do. Knowing Christ is salvation to
a man or a woman because Christ actually secured salvation for
them. In God's eyes, we are in Christ. But he does not just leave us
there not knowing these things. It is not just knowing about
Christ. It is knowing him intimately. It is knowing Him so that you
do not want to be without Him because He is your life. This
is all because He first knew you if you're one of His. You
may not know much about Him at first. We all will be like the
Queen of Sheba when we start to learn, the half was not told
me. I do want to tell men and women
the doctrine of Christ, but I tell them these things hoping they
know the Christ of the doctrine. Amen. Dear Lord God, thank you for
allowing us to be here today. Comfort your people with your
words, dear Lord. It's only through you that the
comfort can come. Be with those who may have illness,
dear Lord. Take care of them in the way
in only which you know how to do that. Be with Walter as he comes to
speak. Open our hearts, mind, and ears that we will take in
your glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord. All these things
we ask in Christ's name, amen.