Calvinism vs Free Will
During a recent sermon I mentioned that I am not a Calvinist. Lest anyone misunderstand, let me add that I am vehemently not a Calvinist. In recent years that doctrine has been popping up in many Christian churches, including Southern Baptist churches (if you hear the word “reformed” it indicates Calvinistic beliefs, so run). Now, I could quote you a lot of scripture to support my beliefs. But I’m not going to do that because a Calvinist will then quote scripture to support his/her belief and we come to a draw. So, what I am going to do is tell you what the doctrine of Calvinism does to the character of God. When you throw out the flowery language and religious sounding rhetoric, what picture of God does Calvinism paint, and does it line up with the character of God as presented in the Bible? I believe not and here is why.
Calvinism does away with free will. You and I do not really make any choices in life. It teaches that God has pre-ordained every facet of our lives: He programmed us pre-birth to think and act as we do. Our choices are actually His choices made for us. Every incident, every accident, and every occurrence is predestined by God and there is nothing we could have done or can do to change any of it. In the Bible we are presented with choices on many occasions and told which ones would be wise to choose because otherwise we would be disobedient. Is God just toying with us? Is He giving us a false sense of hope or do we really have a choice? That lack of choice presents itself as contrary to the character in two very important ways.
First of all, it presents God as the author of all sin and the cause of all pain. Isn’t Satan the cause of all that? Evidently not. Calvinism says God created the devil to deceive people into sin and cause the pain and heartache of those God has already chosen. Did God really say to stay away from strong drink then create alcoholics who can’t do it? Did He say for us to love our neighbor and then create hateful people with no chance of change? Is every adulterer, every drug addict, every rapist, every thief, every murderer, and every homosexual purposefully created by God to be and do those things without an opportunity to resist? I don’t see that in any scripture.
Perhaps the most heinous thing Calvinism teaches is that God created some to be saved and some to be lost and there is nothing anyone can do about that. That’s right. If you are pre-chosen by God to spend an eternity in hell you will do that; you have absolutely no choice in the matter. If you do not see the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is because God has His hand over your eyes. He chose you, before He formed you, to spend eternity in torment. If anything, anything, does injury to the character and person of God as presented in the Bible…that teaching does.
I reject the doctrine known as Calvinism so that I can stand in the pulpit and proclaim that God loves every single person He created and want them with Him for eternity. I can tell all people that God is their help and their hope; their rock and their strength. I can preach a God of incomprehensible love and unbounded grace for all people. If I can’t preach those things, why preach at all?
Bro. Tony
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Peace – Jesus’ Peace
Peace. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we lived in a world of peace? If we define peace as the absence of conflict that will never happen, especially in a time of instant communication. A building explodes in Lebanon and we see it almost immediately. People are murdered at a church and we see it within minutes. A man is shot by police officers and we view the actual event. Riots and looting, vicious attacks on peaceful people trying to protect what is theirs…it staggers the imagination. Can there ever be peace? The answer to that question is a resounding “Yes”!
Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27 NIV). Did you catch that? The peace that Jesus gives is different than that which the world gives. The apostle Paul expounds on that when he said: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV). The world can only offer peace with the absence of conflict and that will never happen. Jesus offers us peace in the midst of conflict. He said “in every situation”! Yes, even in riots and violence God offers us a peace that will guard our hearts and minds.
But we need to make it even more personal. While the anger and hatred does, indeed, swirl around us there are many personal conflicts that attack us. Many parents experience an unruly child, some wives a doubting and stubborn husband, etc. There will be conflicts in the workplace and conflicts in friendships. Many will encounter financial difficulties, sicknesses, or personal demons of behavior. Even in these things, no, especially in these things we can experience a peace that passes the understanding of the human mind.
I heard a story about a man who was an extreme “worrier”. His friends and family were all troubled by how worried he was about almost every facet of life. Then, he seemed to change overnight. This, too, was noticeable and one of his friends asked him about his obvious change. He told him that he had hired a man to worry for him! His friend found that interesting and asked him how much he paid that person. “I pay him a million dollars a year,” The man replied. “A million dollars?” exclaimed his friend. “You can’t afford to pay anyone a million dollars!” “Well,” said the man with a smile, “That’s for him to worry about”.
Seriously, Jesus says we are to cast our cares on Him. We are to turn things over to Him. That results in a “peace that passes understanding”. The peace that Jesus alone can give.
Bro. Tony
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Jesus Took Naps – Be Like Jesus
I recently saw a shirt for sale that proclaimed: “Jesus took naps. Be like Jesus. Mark 4:38”. Some may decry that as irreverent; I don’t think so. In fact, I believe it is a humorously pointing out that Jesus was human. Jesus got tired and He got hungry. I’m sure He also got frustrated, agitated, and angry. And why not? He dealt with the same people we deal with. He dealt with pompous religious leaders and power-hungry politicians. And he also dealt with everyday folks…people who were selfish and self-centered, people who lied and stole. He dealt with people who were unruly and hard to get along with, and He dealt with people who didn’t like Him and thought they were better and smarter.
I believe we don’t dwell on that because we never see Him reacting in anything other than compassion and care for the people with whom He spoke (with the rare exception of the money changers in the Temple who were taking advantage of God’s people who came to worship. There are some “televangelists” out there who need to go back and read certain passages!). But otherwise we don’t think He faced the people we face because He didn’t react the way we react. Not true. Human nature hasn’t changed. Jesus experienced the people and situations we face daily and thus instructs us how we are to react.
I know it’s difficult to show compassion on certain people. And I know it’s difficult to empathize with people when we don’t understand them…and even more so when we do understand them and disagree with them; their morals and ideals. But the old WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets are just as applicable today as when they were a fashion statement. As we face discrimination because we are Christians, when we face rioters and anarchists, when we engage with an increasingly immoral world…indeed, what would Jesus do?
Now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to be like Jesus and go take a nap.
Bro. Tony
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Presidential Election – Vote According to The Word of God
The Presidential election campaigns are officially underway. Let the name-calling, lies, half-truths, biased “newscasts”, and un-informed opinions begin! Wait….that’s been going on for quite a while, hasn’t it? I’m afraid it’s going to get worse, though. Never have I seen such division, anger, and hatred in our great nation, and it pains me to say that all of that is fueled by the media.
Prior to the French Revolution there was said to be three “estates”: First, the clergy, then the nobility, followed by the common man. In 1878 a man named Thomas Burke said this: “there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more important far than they all”. He rightly observed the power of the press 144 years ago. But Oscar Wilde, noted poet and playwright in the late 1800’s made a statement that still rings true today and it bothered me. He said that the fourth estate “…has eaten up the other three. The Lords Temporal say nothing, the Lords Spiritual have nothing to say, and the House of Commons has nothing to say and says it. We are dominated by Journalism”.
I hope you caught that. The “Lords Spiritual” (the clergy) have nothing to say. I think it is an insult to God’s people that we stay silent…the clergy and the laity as well. Why is the voice of God carrying less weight than a bunch of people reading their version of current events? The first reason, I believe is that a majority of Christians live a lifestyle that nullifies their witness and makes them out to be hypocrites when espousing God’s Word. The other reason is that we are afraid to be called out, ridiculed, and demeaned for our Christian beliefs. We are “chicken”.
When it comes to politics I usually err on the side of caution. I don’t want to say something that is purely political and possibly prevent me from sharing the Gospel with someone whom I have offended. With the political climate quickly becoming more and more “Christophobic” I think that must change somewhat. So…let me tell you why I vote how I vote. I vote by the Word of God. That is Why I vote for the candidate/party that I believe most closely follows what I will call the 4 basics of God:
- It is no cosmic accident. God created life. He alone should be the arbitrator of life. When we allow humans to determine who should be born and who should die in the womb, we violate the purpose and character of God.
2..God has a purpose for family and His reasoning shows that purpose. Marriage is to be between opposite sexes so that life continues; humans are to propagate the human species.
3.This is almost a subset of family but does encompass more. God created two sexes, male and female. He gave them different characteristics so that they completed each other in ways that greatly enhance the afore mentioned propagation.
4.God created all races and He created them in His image, and they all have equal value and dignity. Racism is abhorrent to God.
So, there you have it. I, as a Christian, could never vote for any political party that promotes and advocates for abortion, same-sex marriage, the LBGT movement, or racial divide. A leader may go off “half-cocked” sometimes and say dumb stuff occasionally. He may be a braggart and vindictive to his political opponents. He may not be very likable. But as long as his party doesn’t kill babies in the womb, try to destroy the Godly and historic and purpose of marriage, and use race as a means to hold power while destroying true brotherhood I will vote for him. Every time.
It’s really quite simple.
Bro. Tony
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Only The Bible Teaches True Love
I have said in this column previously that I cannot support the official Black Lives Matter organization because of their desire to do away with the “western-described nuclear family” and their approval of the LGBTQ lifestyle. I would think (and hope) that a very large percentage of black Americans feel the same way I do. If that isn’t enough to question that organization, then how about this: A Black Lives Matter protest burned Bibles in Portland recently. Burned Bibles!
The only hope for true social justice for all races is to be found in that book. Nelson Mandela said “No one is born hating another person because of the color of their skin….people must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love”. Jesus is the only teacher of the process that must take place for a person to be taught pure love. You see, only when one’s hate is seen as a sin, an abomination to God, will it ever be eradicated. Only when one truly repents of that sin and turns away from it can life-changing love for all people take place.
The Bible is the only place a person will find that. It will not be found in a communist manifesto or a socialist handbook. It will not be found in BLM pamphlet. It will not even be found in codified civil law. It can only be found between the covers of God’s word to us; His commandments, directives, and precepts. And make no mistake about it, a person can only live according to the word of God when that person is saved by the grace of God through the blood of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit.\
So why then, Black Lives Matter, do you burn the only book that is the ultimate solution to all of your problems? I’ve always said, and it is especially relevant in this era, that Jesus is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem.
Say good things about your Savior and Church on The Bluff!
Bro. Tony
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Law Enforcement and Christianity
The City of Minneapolis has had a lot of protesting and rioting after the killing of George Floyd by a police officer and there is an outcry to defund the city police force in Minneapolis. Is there a need for a police force? As of July 22nd, there have been 37 chargeable homicides in that city this year, 19 in the two months since Mr. Floyd’s death. Those were not people killed by the police, rather they were all killed by fellow citizens. In our own Birmingham, there have been 55 chargeable homicides…citizens murdered by other citizens. On top of that, according to the latest numbers available Birmingham had 4,056 violent crimes last year including murder, rape, robbery, and assault (that’s an average of over 11 violent crimes every day). So, the question I think we should be asking is “will those crimes increase or decrease if we defund the police?”. The bottom line for the purpose of a police force is to prevent crime and apprehend criminals.
In the 13th chapter of Romans Paul explains that a system of government is ordained by no less than God, Himself. He states that one of the purposes of government is to prevent and punish crime. He also says that criminals should fear the consequences of crime….as well as being guided by their conscience. As a Christian who strives to live by the Bible, I support law enforcement officers as necessary to keep order in this world. I see no other alternative.
Are there “bad” law enforcement officers? Ofcourse there are….and we should do our best to ensure that they receive punishment for wrongdoing as any other citizen would. Not everyone is cut out to do that job, but I have had the honor of knowing several law enforcement officers over the years of pastoring churches. Each and every one was kind-hearted, diligent, and truly wanted to help others by doing their job and doing it well. Theirs is a dangerous profession (as seen by the murder of one of our own, Nic O’Rear). The few un-fit officers shouldn’t reflect on the thousands of good, honest, and brave men and women who protect all of us on a regular basis. They are deserving of honor and respect. Thank God for those who serve and pray for their safety daily.
Bro. Tony
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Loving the Unlovable
Is it possible to love “unlovable” people? Admittedly, it is tough, but I believe we can do it. It is important, though, to understand what I mean by “love”. In 1 John 4, verses 8 and 16, we are told explicitly that “God is love”. Simple enough right? Well, not exactly. What we are apt to do is read those words backwards. Let me explain.
We choose the wrong word to define the other. God is love? Well, let’s define love and see what God is. Right? We then come up with a very “worldly” definition of love and that then describes and characterizes God. If love means we affirm perverse lifestyles and mental issues because that means we “love” that person then we have defined God as One who would do that. If our definition of love is that we “live and let live” so that someone can feel good about themselves, we have designed a God who would do that. But we shouldn’t understand God by a ‘humanistic’ definition of love. Quite the opposite.
Do you want to know what “love” truly is? Then you have to know whom God truly is. You have to read and study the Bible to learn and understand the character of God. You have to know the heart of God. You have to understand the purpose of God. When God becomes your definition of love then you can understand that sometimes love calls out sin; that love doesn’t affirm unhealthy relationships or behaviors.
Then…and this is important…you understand that the reason God (love) calls out sin is because God loves the sinner. He knows what is best and wants what is best for the sinner. In short, He loves the unlovable. Just as we are called to love them because we want what is best for them. Just remember that love isn’t God. God is love!
Say good things about your Savior and Church on The Bluff!
Bro. Tony
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Corporate Worship and Covid
What a joy to be back in cooperate worship once again! I honestly don’t know when we can invite the full church body back together but, believe me, after having the COVID virus, I will err on the side of caution before opening the church back up with no social distancing and masks. In fact, I believe that one of the reasons God allowed me and Angie to get the virus (or for my Calvinist friends out there…made us get the virus) was to show us the reality of the sickness. It is, indeed, serious business. Some of you still hesitate to get out of your homes and I honor that. Stay safe.
But there is still something special about meeting together. In a way I feel sorry for the churches that have the technology to do everything over the internet. The production is great, and the children still have access to Bible stories and teaching (and that is wonderful) but the “togetherness”, the “fellowship” for the adults can be lacking. Don’t get me wrong….I applaud the churches that have the capabilities to do that. But, I don’t want people to get used to a church “online”. Church is more than preaching and church is more than teaching. Those are things the church does. The church also meets; the church gathers together. We need each other. We need to feel the comfort, the love, the care for each other. We need to talk and laugh together. We need to eat together.
A friend of mine, and a fellow pastor from Geneva County, Chris Adams, said this: “normal has packed its bag and walked out the door and is not coming back”. In many ways I fear he is right, but I want him to be wrong. Yes, we will find new ways to minister, to get our message across. We will learn that “love your neighbor” will get tougher. We will learn that the church is no longer the “apple of her eye” concerning our nation. All the more, I hope that our body of believers can gather together with no constraints. We need that more than ever. In the meantime, I will continue to post something online as well as preach and teach in person on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.
Say good things about your Savior and about His church. Stay safe, buckle your seatbelts, don’t take candy from strangers. Wear a face mask
.
Bro. Tony
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Slow Return to “Normal” – Covid Impact
It is with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that we will not have Vacation Bible School at Church on the Bluff this year. I cannot see there being a time this summer when parents would be willing to allow their children to mingle with other children in a closed building and rooms for a couple of hours each night. Even more so now that there is a slight rise in COVID-19 cases.
I suppose that the biggest disappointment concerning the virus pandemic is the loss of Bible teaching time. Our Sunday morning Bible study classes have been temporarily halted and now VBS. There is just something special and productive about getting together and reading, studying, and discussing the Bible. I’ll not consider the church completely “open” until we get back to Bible study times again. Please make that a matter of prayer.
On a much brighter note, we have decided to begin our Wednesday night services again! I know the attendance won’t be as before, but the Bible study we do and the fellowship we have will be another small step toward “back to normal”. And I do believe we will not only get back to normal, but perhaps we have learned to love that normal we had. Didn’t we kind of take it for granted? I will continue to do videos for Wednesdays and Sundays, but for those who are able to get out, the times we have together are precious. Let us not take our time together for granted any longer.
As I close, I want to mention one more thing. Last week I chastised the city of Birmingham for their foolish decision to cut ties with the Church of the Highlands. I stand by what I said but let me explain how that decision adversely impacts Christian churches and hurts their ability to spread the Gospel. By their move the city of Birmingham has literally branded conservative churches as “hate groups”. They have officially said to the world that Christians are haters, are racist, and are uncaring. Despite the unbelievable track record of love and care that churches espouse and produce, we are now being falsely chastised and maligned.
We may be tempted to say “well, it’s their loss”, and it certainly is, but it goes deeper than that. Think about it: The government of Birmingham has made the church no more than a political opponent. Now, viewed through the lens of politics, churches can be publicly chastised and hindered in their mission….by the government. I’m not much on conspiracy theories but I see the devil’s fingerprints on all of this, and it demands our attention. If we can be censured because of conservative political leanings the true wall of separation between church and state has been breached.
Say good things about COTB!
Bro. Tony
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Satan and His Lies – Stand Firm Church!
As I write, I’m sitting on a patio looking at the mountains of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Angie and I will leave shortly and head back home, but it has been a wonderful time of rest and time with family. Yet my spirit groans. I hurt for our nation and the division that is ever growing. Just when I thought it had hit its peak and that perhaps things would begin to settle down…boom! It gets even worse. I honestly believe that Satan has begun to finally make strides in his fight against the church here in the United States.
When churches were shut down during the Covid-19 crises I kept quiet and urged caution in calling it a plot to quieten the voice of the church. When the protests started I could understand the pain and outrage of watching a man of color being killed slowly by a white man who had sworn to protect citizens of his city and I agreed with their desire to make their voices heard. I thought I was listening.
Then the looting, destruction, and burning started. I saw piles of bricks strategically placed so that “protesters” would have handy means of destruction and I wondered how anyone could miss the obvious signs of outside interference with a dark agenda. But honestly, I thought it would die down. Then the unbelievable. A kind-hearted, loving man who worked tirelessly to grow a church that could minister to the health and physical needs of all people as it ministered to their spiritual needs was cruelly and hatefully vilified for the sin of being a conservative voter. The church that ministered to the needs of any and all people no matter their race, ethnic origin, political beliefs, or sexuality was unceremoniously kicked out of the neighborhoods that truly needed all the services they offered.
Really….was anyone surprised that evangelical Christians overwhelmingly vote conservatively? Does it surprise you that a minister of God would agree with someone who stands against abortion, discusses the reality of two sexes, believes that marriage is intended to be between a man and a woman, espouses equality between races, and disavows white supremacy? What is wrong with that line of thought?
I don’t know how it came to this. I don’t understand how people who hold conservative values have somehow been turned into the “monster under the bed”. I know, without a doubt, that a liberal, one-sided, biased news media has certainly abetted that line of thought, but I don’t understand how they have been so successful in convincing people that anyone who disagrees with the groupthink of liberalism is automatically hateful, xenophobic and racist.
We evangelical Christians are called haters. You want to know what hate looks like? Who spits on someone who wears a certain hat? Who assaults someone because they are wearing a particular t-shirt? Who refuses to serve someone in a restaurant because they dare have on the wrong apparel? It ain’t conservative Christians!
So shame on you Birmingham, Alabama, for demeaning and vilifying a ministry that has been so good to you, who reaches out to you, who ministers to your needs, and who has your best interest at heart. Shame on you for putting political ideology ahead of the well being of your own people. There are a couple of old sayings that I believe are relevant to this situation: “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water ” and “don’t cut off your nose to spite your face”.
I am a pastor. I believe the Bible and believe that it teaches values that line up with conservative beliefs. And that means I love all people regardless of their race and want the best for them in every way. Please…please…stop listening to the lies of those who tell you otherwise.
Say good things about COTB!
Bro. Tony
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