My Response to a TULIP Calvinist

 MY RESPONSE TO A CALVINIST

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

This article was written in response to a rejoinder to my previous article by a Calvinist who posted the following comment on my Facebook page:

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READER'S COMMENT

Total Depravity - As a result of Adam’s fall, the entire human race is affected; all humanity is dead in trespasses and sins. Man is unable to save himself (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18).

Unconditional Election - Because man is dead in sin, he is unable to initiate a response to God; therefore, in eternity past God elected certain people to salvation. Election and predestination are unconditional; they are not based on man’s response (Romans 8:29-30;9:11; Ephesians 1:4-6, 11-12) because man is unable to respond, nor does he want to.

Limited Atonement - Because God determined that certain ones should be saved as a result of God’s unconditional election, He determined that Christ should die for the elect alone. All whom God has elected and for whom Christ died will be saved (Matthew 1:21; John 10:11; 17:9; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:32; Ephesians 5:25).

Irresistible Grace - Those whom God elected He draws to Himself through irresistible grace. God makes man willing to come to Him. When God calls, man responds (John 6:37, 44; 10:16).

Perseverance of the Saints - The precise ones God has elected and drawn to Himself through the Holy Spirit will persevere in faith. None whom God has elected will be lost; they are eternally secure (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:3-14)

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MY RESPONSE

Here's my response to the readers comment:

TOTAL DEPRAVITY

Salvation is not and has never been about man saving himself. Your assertion is therefore unnecessary and misleading. The issue is about whether or not the sinner can hear the gospel and respond to it willingly, consciously. You left out that part. You rebuttal, if intended, therefore fails. I stand by my view that the Total Depravity doctrine, in so far as it denies the sinner's ability to respond to God's grace, is unbiblical.

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

There's no evidence from Scripture to support the Unconditional Election doctrine. According to Scripture, salvation comes through God's grace and is conditional to the sinner's response (John 3:16). God cannot forcibly save anyone. See my website article. 

You have simply cited proof texts without outlining how they support your doctrine. Your mention of Gen 6:5 ignores Gen 6:8. Noah found favor with God despite the wickedness in his generation! He was obedient to God and therefore pleased God. The concept of Unconditional Election as outlined by Calvinism is false and misleading. 

Jeremiah 17:9 should be read together with Jeremiah 17:10. You have not demonstrated how this Scripture supports the Unconditional Election doctrine. 

I can state with confidence that this doctrine is not supported by any passage of Scripture.

LIMITED ATONEMENT

I have addressed this fallacious doctrine in my website article whose link was shared on my Facebook teaching page. 

Now to respond to your citations:

Matthew 1:21 does not refer to the "Elect". Jesus is referring the Jewish people in that context. None of the rest of the Scriptures cited affirm the Limited Atonement doctrine.

Here's why...

The sheep mentioned in John 10:11 are not the "Elect" contemplated by Calvinism. Jesus was speaking about those among the Jews who had obeyed His voice as opposed to the Pharisees who resisted His message and opposed His works. 

The context of the statement in John 10:11 stretches back to the healing incident in John 9 that stirred up the discourse.

John 17:9 doesn't refer to the Calvinistic "Elect" but to all who will come to faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel. This is equally true of the flock (Acts 20:28); those who are the called (Romans 8:28-32) and the Church (Ephesians 5:25). 

IRRESISTABLE GRACE

There's no single reference to the doctrine of Irresistable Grace in Scripture! The Bible only contemplates the conviction of the sinner when the gospel is proclaimed in truth (cf. Hebrews 4:12).

John 6:37 refers to those who will come to Christ by faith. This Scripture does not support the double predestination theory advanced by Calvinism.

John 6:44 - God draws men to Himself through the preaching of the gospel and by no other means. This is true of John 10:16 as concerns the other [futuristic] sheep which are not of the immediate fold [Jewish believers] that Jesus had drawn to Himself at this point in time. 

The concept of Irresistable grace is an alien and abstract philosophical construct exclusive to Calvinism. It is a false teaching; a plain heresy intended to justify the purported election of a special group of sinners ahead of Calvary to the exclusion of others. 

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS 

Yes God preserves those He calls or draws to Himself through the preaching of the gospel and who individually respond to the gospel. However, so long as the "elected saints" contemplated in this doctrine refers to the philosophically abstract group taught by Calvinism, this doctrine is decidedly false and misleading. 

CONCLUSION

The Calvinistic/Reformed systematic premised on the TULIP is heretical. It is neither Christian or Biblical in substance. 

God has not preserved a group of sinners for eternal life to the exclusion of others! 

All sinners in all ages can hear the gospel when proclaimed and accept or reject it. Adam heard the voice of God in the Garden of Eden even after he fell! In his guilt, he hid from the presence of God but God graciously sought him. 

The gospel is sufficient to reveal to the sinner his fallen condition and to convict him of his guilt and his need for a savior.

Calvinism denies this truth because it stands in the way of their false doctrines.

In conclusion, my view is that TULIP Calvinism is a false systematic that reads philosophical suppositions into Scripture. Its authority lies outside Scripture. It cannot be embraced by a Bible believing and discerning Christian without first denying the fundamental truths taught in the word of God.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Why I Consider TULIP Calvinism Unbiblical

WHY I CONSIDER TULIP CALVINISM UNBIBLICAL

By Ezekiel Kimosop

TULIP is an acronym that stands for the five point doctrines embraced by Calvinism or Reformed Theology. 

It is spelt out under the following outlines:

Total Depravity

Unconditional Election

Limited Atonement

Irresistable Grace

Perseverance of Saints

Each of the five doctrines is independently outlined but they are closely related. The Total Depravity doctrine is the central or pivotal doctrine on which the others stand. If it is theologically demolished, the next three doctrines would accordingly collapse! This is basically what this article seeks to prove.

Five Point Calvinism teaches as follows (summarized):

1) TOTAL DEPRAVITY

1) According to Calvinism, a sinner [a person outside Christ] is so dead in sin that he is morally incapable of responding to the gospel unless God first and causatively regenerates his heart after which he is enabled to believe in Christ. 

Calvinism denies the libertarian free will of the sinner who is considered totally depraved and irretrievably lost in sin such that he is unable to make a moral decision for obedience to Christ.

My view is that this doctrine is false for a number of reasons. I will outline two below: 

First, there's no evidence in Scripture that God forcibly chooses anyone against their will. Each sinner must willingly accept or reject the gospel when proclaimed to them. The choices have clear consequences that are taught in the Bible. To deny this truth is to reject the revelation of the word of God.

Secondly, Ephesians 2:1-10 which is the bedrock of this doctrine contains several metaphors and figures of speech that cannot be literally rendered without distorting the passage context and the harmony of  the entire body of Scripture. 

Paul's reference to the sinner being dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1,5) is, in my view, a metaphorical reference to the sinner's spiritual condition in which he is alienated or separated from God by reason of the sin in Adam. It does not imply that the sinner is unable to hear the gospel preached or make a moral choice for obedience.

2) UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION

This doctrine says that God chose some among sinners and predestined them to be saved without any condition on his part or on their part. According to Calvinism, the chosen few did nothing to merit their salvation, not even exercising faith in Christ! They were passively involved in the entire process!

Calvinism teaches that God simply decided, on His own motion, to save some sinners against their will for His own glory even as He rejected others and will ultimately destroy them in hell for His glory!

Again there are a number of Biblical objections to this doctrine! God's grace revealed in the Bible conveys just one condition for the sinner to fulfill! 

The sinner must first believe in order to be saved! He must repent and willingly choose Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:25-30; Romans 10:14). Salvation is not automatically  and forcibly inputted on a sinner. It is received by grace though faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

3) LIMITED ATONEMENT

This doctrine teaches that Christ did not die for the sins of the whole world. He only died for the "Elect", a small number of sinners that, according to Calvinism, God chose from the foundation of the world to receive atonement in Christ.

The rest of the sinners who, according to Calvinism, are not on God's favored list will never come to faith in Christ no matter how the gospel is presented to them.

This doctrine agrees with the double predestination doctrine taught by sections of high Calvinism that says that God had predetermined the fate of two categories of sinners as follows: those who will be saved and will receive eternal life in Christ under a divine decree and those who will be rejected by God and will be destroyed in hell to the glory of God!

This implies that in a family, some may fall into either group and there's perfectly nothing one can do about that because God exercised His sovereignty in choosing who to save and who to reject! In short, Calvinism cannot assure the sinner of God's saving grace! 

The Bible reveals that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world! God's grace in Christ is unlimited. It can can accommodate all sinners if all were to accept the gospel. 

The Limited Atonement doctrine is decidedly a false doctrine which is not taught in the Bible. God never secretly chooses anyone outside the works of the cross! He gave all sinners a libertarian free will to accept or reject the gospel.

Those who reject the gospel will face God's judgment. This is not because God's grace was insufficient for them or that God deliberately excluded them from salvation. 

This doctrine is perhaps one of the worst in the Calvinistic perspective.

4) IRRESISTIBLE GRACE

The Irresistible Grace doctrine says that since the believer was initially dead in sin (see TULIP 1), God must have chosen him in advance and drawn him to Christ by means of a special divine, irresistible force!

While this is partly true as regards the conviction for sin, the doctrine extends further into absurdity. Here's why. Calvinism teaches that once God directs His special grace only to the sinner that He has chosen or predestined to save. This special sinner is unable to resist God's grace because his heart had been changed by God through regeneration that preceded faith. The special sinner will automatically respond to God's grace and accept Christ. This portrays God as a manipulative deity, something that Scripture does not teach!

On the converse, the sinner who, according to Calvinism, is not on God's favorite list will not receive this special grace. He will therefore not accept Christ and will perish in his sinfulness! (See Doctrines 1-3 above). 

This doctrine is false. It implies that the sinner is not responsible for his decisions or choices and that God irrationally chooses who to save and who to reject without any objective basis.

This doctrine is not supported by any passage of Scripture, not even Romans 9. 

5) PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

This final doctrine of the TULIP says that God will preserve those He has chosen for eternal life so that none is ultimately lost. 

This is perhaps the only doctrine that non Calvinists would recognize as consistent with Scripture. 

Wesleyan/Arminianism groups reject this doctrine. They believe that it is possible for a believer to fall away from the faith if they persist in rebellion against God. 

However, it is important to observe that believers do not persevere in the faith out of their own strength. God sustains them by His word and through the leading of His Spirit. 

I would therefore consider the first four doctrines of the TULIP Calvinism as inherently defective and inconsistent with Scripture. This inescapably renders the Calvinism philosophical systematic unbiblical and unreliable for authentic Christian instruction.

Where does this place the entire Calvinism systematic? Let the reader judge for himself!

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

Three Tests of a True Gospel Artist

THREE TESTS OF A TRUE GOSPEL ARTIST

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Someone requested for my theological opinion on the evaluation of a gospel song and the basis for its admissibility in a Christian congregation.

Allow me to say that there are no straight line template rules for determining the authenticity of a gospel song. I believe that each case should be handled based on its specific circumstances and the convictions of the believers or Christian community of context. 

For my case, I am keen on three pastoral tests which I will briefly outline below. These are what I consider as the three principal tests for the admissibility of a gospel song.   

THE THEOLOGY OF THE SONG(S)

First, the theology of the song is the eye-catcher for me. What is the artist singing about? Are the lyrics consistent with the teaching of Scripture? If the song fails the test of Scripture at this stage, I would flatly dismiss it. 

One popular 1960s UK Rock band called the Beatles used to sing what would easily pass for gospel music. The group leader John Lennon allegedly proclaimed in a March 1966 interview during the height of their popular hits, that the group was more popular than Jesus Christ! He later apologized after receiving a barrage of criticism but the damage was already done. Sections of American Christian communities including the Southern Baptists and leading radio stations boycotted their concerts. The Beatles finally fell never again to rise. 

The theology of the lyrics of a composition can be quite obscure to the ordinary person in the streets. However, when examined through the lenses of Scripture, it is possible to establish if the songs are consistent with the the teaching of Scripture. 

CHRISTIAN IDENTITY AND CONVICTIONS OF THE ARTIST

The second test concerns the identity of the gospel singer and his Christian convictions. This is a critical one because it describes the spiritual personality of the singer. Their relationship with Christ and with an established Christian congregation is paramount because this affirms their doctrinal orientation. It authenticates their calling in Christian gospel ministry. Does he or she truly profess Christ? Where was the artist raised in their faith? What Christian doctrines and traditions do they subscribe to? 

If someone who purports to sing gospel is not a member of any Christian congregation or the body of Christ, how can his ministry inspire God's people? Where does his conviction on God stand? I cannot and will not be inspired by his compositions, no matter how "Christian" they may sound. 

One popular Kenyan "gospel" group is known for their controversial hit songs that openly contradict Scripture. They are famed for composing a Sunday school hit song that implies that God's love is inconsistent. This Acapella group is reaping big from our contemporary Christian culture where anything with a Christian label appeals to people. 

In the insurance industry, we employ one critical concept in insurance policy underwriting practice: "Know Your Customer" or KYC. The insurers would insist on any additional details under a proposal for insurance that would more clearly reveal the nature and operations of the organization that seeks insurance protection. This includes the organization's past underwriting experience with other insurers. This will help the insurers make informed underwriting decisions that have a bearing on their financial  liability obligations. This practice is informed by the prudence of established industry practice. Insurers also share critical underwriting information among themselves and this serves as an important reference point for identifying blacklisted risks in the market. 

It is the responsibility of every child of God and, by extension, any Christian congregation or community to be discerning when dealing with strangers, including Christian gospel groups with which they are not familiar. The devil is the details. It is important to do a reference check on such groups before permitting them to perform on the church podium. 

The people of Berea engaged in godly prudence when they heard Paul and his associates preach in their city. They searched the Old Testament Scriptures at their disposal in order to verify the authenticity of Paul's gospel (Acts 17:10-15). The Bible is replete with exhortations on caution when dealing with strangers and this should apply to our evaluation of gospel artists. Paul warned Timothy not to hastily lay his hands on anyone but to keep himself pure (1 Timothy 5:22). The moral of this text is that church leaders should not hastily appoint anyone to Christian leadership positions in the church without undertaking due diligence on their moral standing. This principle is more clearly amplified by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. 

Where a gospel artist cannot demonstrate evidence of their relationship with Christ, they cannot be entitled to any benefit of doubt. 1 Corinthians 6:14-15 says "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?"

MORAL LIVING AND CHRISTIAN WITNESS 

Finally, the gospel artist should demonstrate that his ministry of song is consistent with his Christian moral living. They should possess a credible testimony of a transformed Christian life, beginning with the Damascus experience. They cannot live in two worlds at the same time. They cannot proclaim Christ on Sunday and live in the shadow of darkness during the rest of the week! 

Some popular gospel artists with several "hit songs" to their credit are known to live in the underworld despite gracing church services and concerts. Some of these artists eventually run away from the church and go fully secular when their true identity is unmasked. A number of leading secular artists started their singing ministries at the church but were eventually lured into secular platforms where they embraced the underworld and served Mammon. 

One leading local hip-hop group in the 1990s started as a praise and worship team in a leading Evangelical church in Nairobi before they got hooked with an entertainment club where they would be invited to perform to revelers during the weekdays. When their senior pastor caught wind of their misdeeds, he summoned them for a dress-down but the group left the church in defiance and went secular! They never returned to church...

Some leading gospel artists have also corrupted and sold their hit songs for commercial promotions yet the songs were originally dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ! Others have been hired by politicians to perform during political campaign rallies. The temptation to exchange the gospel for financial gain is difficult to resist unless one's convictions are anchored on Calvary. 

This is not to suggest that gospel artists should be perfect people. None of us is perfect before God (1 John 1:8-10). They, like us, fail God's standards on many occasions. However, a true child of God should appreciate that he or she is a steward of God's grace. They should be conscious of their calling by God to employ their skills and talents in advancing the kingdom of God. They should therefore endeavor to keep their garments free from the moral stains of this evil world. 

CONCLUSION 

Gospel artists are ministers of God who use their creativity and works of art to proclaim Christ and edify the church to the glory of God. They are no different from pastors, save perhaps for the collarly distinction! They preach the word of God through their songs and inspire the congregation. They should therefore focus on their calling in Christ and refrain from any activity or conduct that brings into question their commitment to the gospel mandate. 

They should also seek theological advisory on their compositions in order to avoid controversial lyrics. They should refrain from lifestyle habits that may prejudice their moral standing and bring disrepute to the body of Christ. They should stick to the narrow path irrespective of the fame or fortunes that come with the popularity of their singing ministry. They should submit to spiritual restoration where they slip by the wayside. They should demonstrate the fruits of remorse when they err. They should not persist in rebellion but should submit to pastoral counseling as appropriate. This is where a singer's moral standing and Christian witness is sharply tested. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

In Defense of Christian Orthodoxy in Contemporary Society

IN DEFENSE OF CHRISTIAN ORTHODOXY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Christian orthodoxy is perhaps understood more in the context of outlining our beliefs and practices that concern the fundamental truths of Scripture than about our defense of those truths that inform our Christian worldview. Both contexts are significant. 

Conservative Evangelicals are traditionally known for their hesitancy in accepting "new stuff" in Christian worship and practices unless they are satisfied that they are consistent with the teaching of Scripture. This prudence was first witnessed in the Berea Christian community. The Bereans demonstrated unparalleled diligence in verifying the faithfulness of Paul's preaching with the teaching of the Old Testament Scripture. Luke reports in Acts 17:11 that "...they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

The Bible commends this prudence in other sections of Scripture, notably 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-15. Nothing perhaps underscores the validity of this prudence than the concoction that consolidates Christianity and contemporary lifestyle. 

Picture this....My encounter with the popular Jerusalema rendition accorded me an opportunity to inquire into its faithfulness to the teachings of Scripture. I must admit that this was not an easy exercise. I had to juggle between playing and pausing the video song to catch the English translation before writing my commentary. Thankfully a brother sent me the full English translation. I agree with those who say that the African gospel scene is quickly getting swallowed up by secularism and may finally be lost in its muddle. 

When I finally posted my commentary on Jerusalema song on a certain social media page that hosts both believers and secular people, one guy who at one point had confessed in the same page that he was a born again Christian was apparently irked by my critical commentary. He quickly scolded me on the page, saying [verbatim quote]:

"Mtumishi....I respect your analysis above....but the cardinal duty of a clergy is to fight sins and sinners in society.....less interference with a song that causes happiness especially at these moments of sorrowness and pandemics. Pse walk up and enjoy the song with your family and congregation."

His reaction did not surprise me though. I have come across dozens others of this sort on social media. It aptly conveyed the growing influence of the secularist worldview that has invaded our church pews! 

Yes, I agree with those who rightly observe that we have lost the prudence in evaluating Christian music and have thrown our diligence to the wind! The Jerusalema song is just one among many popular lyrics that contemporary Christianity easily passes for Bible centered gospel renditions. This is not to suggest that the song is ungodly per se. I simply needed to understand its theological message. 

You will perhaps recall the Kenyan hit song that appears to suggest that God loves us more today than he did yesterday! The song sounds "gospel" in every conceivable manner until one narrows down on its lyrics with a critical eye. Why else would it be classified as a top gospel hit? It was soon adopted as a popular Sunday school rhyme in churches where little kids got to learn that Jesus' love for them grows over time...or does it....hmmm. By declaring that God's love is variable, the composers appear to openly misrepresent the nature of God's love for His covenant people that the Bible says endures forever (Psalm 136).  

But who cares?

Someone argued that we should refrain from reading too much into nothing.... really? How far are we prepared to go in watering down Biblical truths to appease the world? Gospel music is just one of the many platforms that reveal our rapidly shifting cultural worldview in contemporary Christianity. Another concept is the celebration of secular calendar events in the Christian community including 14th February, the day dedicated to St Valentino of Rome. I have addressed this issue elsewhere in this website blog. 

WORRYING TRENDS IN GLOBAL CHRISTIANITY

Away from gospel music, there are more glaring indicators that reveal that global Christianity has been shifting from its centre-pole over the centuries. One of my theological courses in seminary was dedicated to the study of World Christianity in historical and contemporary contexts. It examines the history and movement of Christianity across the globe through the ages since the Early Church period. The statistics are startling. Global Christianity has been exponentially shifting to the global South even as its original cradle in Europe is increasingly being reduced to a pale shadow of its former self!

One might perhaps be surprised to learn that Europe now accounts for less than a quarter of world Christians and this number is sharply declining as secularism and atheism takes its toll on this traditional bastion of global Christianity. European Christianity is increasingly turning into a private religion. Cathedrals have been converted to supermarkets and entertainment joints, thanks to the advance of a churchless society.   

According to the Pew Report (2010), out of the estimated 2 billion global Christians today, European Christians account for only 26%. This is a sharp decline from 70% since 1910! It is further reported that 37% of Christians are now found in the Americas [comprising North America and Latin America] while 24% live in Sub-Saharan Africa. One in eight Christians (13%) lives in Asia and the Pacific including the Oceania.

What went wrong with European Christianity? Only two words aptly describe its demise: modernism and secularism. It is estimated that African Christianity will account for a sizable proportion of global Christianity in the next few decades given its rapid growth which is one of the highest in the world.

Sadly, global Christianity is now moving into a dispensation that theologians have classified as "post-truth"  or "post-Christian" era in which the sanctity and authority of Scripture is questioned, defied and openly rejected and Christian orthodoxy or traditionalism is attacked. Individualism and relativism is now the ruling norm for large sections of contemporary Christianity. 

CONCLUSION

This secularism that was previously identified Christian societies in America and Europe is rapidly catching up in the global south. Church Cathedrals in major European towns are now being converted into bars and shopping malls, thanks to the lost Christian heritage. It may perhaps be only a matter of time before this culture overruns the global south (Third World) unless radical efforts are made to shore up Christian orthodoxy in this region.

Once a Christian society neglects the fundamentals of its faith and is less concerned about its doctrinal boundaries, it slips into secularism and its pristine religious identity is irretrievably lost. If we cannot tell the difference between a gospel song and a secular rendition, we cannot possibly distinguish between Biblical truth and error or between genuine Christian practices and secular lifestyles. 

It is the duty of every standing Christian to defend the faith that was once for all delivered to us (Jude 1:3). This comes at a cost. One will be scolded, chided, isolated and assigned pharisaical labels for championing or defending Christian orthodoxy where it matters.

Are you willing to stand out and be counted? 

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

John 6:44 Does Not Support Calvinism

JOHN 6:44 DOES NOT SUPPORT CALVINISM

By Ezekiel Kimosop

Calvinists often quote John 6:44 out of its passage context and make it a proof text [alongside a host of others] in support of their doctrine of Irresistable Grace which, in my view, is not supported by Scripture. 

Notice the two conditional phrases in John 6:47-51 which Calvinists conveniently ignore. They fall into the passage of context of John 6:41-59 in which John 6:44 lies.

Let's examine them below: 

1) Jesus says "He who believes in me has everlasting life" (John 6:47)  There's an obligation on the sinner who hears the gospel proclaimed. They MUST believe in Christ as a precondition for receiving eternal life. There are no favourites for whom God's grace is reserved! All sinners stand on equal footing, having fallen under Adam and deserving of God's condemnation. 

2) Jesus says "If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (John 6:51). Again a conditional phrase is given. The eating is a metaphoric reference to exercising faith in Christ. This is a responsibility that falls on the sinner who, having heard the gospel proclaimed and is convicted of his sinful condemnation, submits to Christ by the exercise of faith. 

There are dozens of other passages of Scripture that affirm human responsibility for responding to God's grace and which Calvinism overlooks. My view is that it is nowhere taught or implied in Scripture that God's sovereignty is diminished or His glory taken away if a sinner must accept or reject the gospel. If anything, it is God's design for salvation that the sinner must exercise his liberty and hence take responsibility for his free will choice.

John 12:32-33 says "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die."

This Scripture teaches that salvation is available to ALL who believe the gospel message and submit to Christ (cf. John 3:16; Romans 10:14). 

Christ is lifted up through the faithful proclamation of the gospel to the sinful world.

John 12:32-33 further affirms the unlimited atonement in Christ Jesus that God has made available to ALL men in all ages since Calvary without any discrimination whatsoever. 

Those who reject Christ or His message of redemption are responsible for their decisions and for this reason, God will judge them (Revelation 20:7-15). My view is that salvation involves God's grace 100% and Man's responsibility 100%. Neither contradicts the other and the two are not mutually exclusive!

Any doctrine that denies this truth violates the express teaching of Scripture and misrepresents the mind of God.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020

The Hope of Resurrection in Christ

THE HOPE OF RESURRECTION IN CHRIST

By Ezekiel Kimosop

What happens if a believer dies? Shall we ever see them again? This is one of the many questions that confront those who grieve over their loved ones who have passed on. 

The Bible has a clear answer to this question.

Yes, every believer in Christ has the hope of resurrection embedded in their life and faith. This is not merely an abstract thought but a foundational truth taught in Scripture. Christ rose from the dead as evidence that those who die in Christ shall also be raised by God in the resurrection of saints (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

Scripture further proclaims that believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). No matter what prevails in this world, none of them shall be lost, not even in death.

The Bible teaches that when Christ shall appear to take away His Church, the dead in Christ shall rise first and those who are alive at His coming and otherwise believe in Christ shall be transformed at the twinkling of an eye and all the saints shall meet the Lord in the air. They shall eternally abide in His divine presence forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

Meanwhile, those who sleep in Christ have rested from their works, having fulfilled God's purposes on earth. Their souls are preserved in the presence of God as they await the resurrection (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Those of us who have lost our loved ones who believed in Jesus Christ have every reason to be encouraged by these words of comfort found in Scripture. The dead in Christ are therefore not lost. They are simply awaiting the sound of the final trumpet of God which shall trigger the rapture.

This is essentially what separates believers from the people of this world, the children of disobedience who are under the command and control of Satan (Ephesians 2:2, 5:6; Colossians 3:6). They have no hope of resurrection because they are blinded in their rebellion against God.

Let us therefore rejoice in this hope and glorify God for what Christ has accomplished for us at Calvary through His finished works of the cross.

Let us continually proclaim His redemption hope to the dying world around us through the gospel so that God may open their eyes to this truth and save them too while the window of opportunity for God's grace remains open.

Christ alone is our hope of glory and His victory over death is our eternal guarantee that we too shall be raised to be with Him and to reign with Him forever.

Do you have this hope in you?

Shalom.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2020