(Originally written February 15, 2007 in Book 14)
Christianity and Religious Pluralism
The key in religion is the question, "But is it true?"
I could accept Christianity as true if...
- God were to appear to me
- Christians weren't such hypocrites
- There wasn't so much evil in the world
- There was some way of my being able to figure out if Christianity as truer than all other religions
Christian Assumption
1) Authority of Scripture
- The meaning of inspiration
- 2 Timothy 3:15 "And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ"
- 2 Peter 1:20-21 "He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God"
- The locus of inspiration
- not the reader
- to some extent the writers
- most importantly the text
- (plenary verbal)
2) Historicity of Christ
- Grounded in and tied to history
- 2 Peter 1:16-18, "For it is written: 'Be Holy, because I am holy'. Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors.
- Cannot separate Jesus Christ the person from the teachings of Christ.
3) Mediation by Christ
- The utter inability of human beings to restore themselves to a relationship with God
- Original sin, fallenness and total depravity
- I John 1:5, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all".
- The completed work of Christ
-Displaying the righteousness of God
-Atonement
4) Salvation
A) Salvation: the necessary condition
- intellectual faith (belief that)
- Trusting faith (belief in)
- Reliance on Christ alone
B) Salvation: the necessary consequence
- Good works are the necessary consequences of true faith
Righteousness of Christ Necessary condition (faith alone) -> Human Person -> Changed life (necessary consequence of faith)
Showing posts with label 1 John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 John. Show all posts
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Notes on 1 John and Revelation
(Originally written January 25, 2006)
Roles of God in Salvation
Father = Election
Son = Redemption/forgiveness of sins
Holy Spirit = Secures the believers' future inheritance, blessings = glorified bodies
What can we learn from I John 1:1-4
- we can have fellowship with believers and with God and Jesus
- letter is about the word of life eternal
-note emphasis on sensory perception of the word
1 John 1:5-10 Belief and Practice must be wedded
vv. 5-10 concern what will be true orthodox beliefs
vv. 6, 8, & 10 are directed against the teaching of the heretics
Confession steps
1) call it sin
2) call it forgiven
3) call on God for help
Heretics
- claimed to walk with God but did not
- claimed they had no sin to be cleansed
Why was I John written?
- To expose false teachers who are leading true believers astray (2:26)
- To give true Christians assurance of their salvation
Non-Biblical Gnostic dualism led to five errors:
1) human body is evil, soul is good
2) salvation is escape from body
3) Denied Christ's true humanity in two ways:
-Docetism: Christ only appeared to have a body
-Cerenthianism: the divine Christ joined the man Jesus at baptism and left before he died
4) Asceticism
5) Licentiousness
What is the sin that leads to Death in 1 John 5:16
1) Either referring to physical death that is caused by sin (Old Testament and I Corinthians 11). God ending a life so as the man is brought home rather than damned to hell.
2) A person who stayed in the community but then were heretics and left the community of believers.
Introduction to Revelation
Apokalypsis (Greek) means the uncovering, laying bare, Metaphorically it means a revealing
Revelation = Prophetic Apocalyptic Literature
-Apocalyptic Literature - starts in post-exilic Jewish writing
-Contains dreams, spiritual realm, savior from despair
Prophetic Apocalyptic - incorporates Apocalyptic literature with prophecy of Israel
Symbolic language has real implication
Revelation is a prophetic red book.
Unholy Trinity
Satan - Red Dragon
Antichrist - The Beast
False Prophet - The other beast
Four Interpretive Approaches to the Book of Revelation (or Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21)
1) Idealist approach (NIV Study Bible likes this)
-Theological poem depicting between good and evil
-No events will actually happen
-Expressions of basic principles of how God acts
Weaknesses of Idealist approach
-Continues the allegorical approach
-No historical fulfillment
2) Preterist Approach
-Contents are factual/historical
-Everything in it except visions in Chapters 21 and 22 was fulfilled by the time John wrote
Weaknesses of Preterist approach
-the decisive victory never happened
-view cannot fit all the events of Revelation chapters 2-19 into the year AD 64-70 or AD 64-96.
3) Historicist Approach
- Revelation chapters 2-19/20 is a forecast of the course of history down to present day
- Revelation sketches the history of Western Europe from the Popes to Charlemagne to Napoleon to Hitler
Problems with the historicist approach
-Totally subjective
-No significance to first century readers
4) The Futurist Approach
-Major emphasis is on the future final victory of God over evil
-Many believe that from 4:1 on is future
-Letter to 7 churches are something held to represent the predominant types of churches in successive stages of church history
-John being taken up into heaven is symbolic of rapture
Major Weakness
- Most of the book was irrelevant for those whom it was addressed
- Little comfort to the original readers who would have to wait for 7 ages of the Church for Christ to return
Revelation 3:14-22
Church at Laodicea: Self-Satisfied Church
Hot/Cold/Lukewarm: Popular view vs. Correct view
Hot: Believer (popular) Medicinal (correct)
Cold: Unbeliever (popular) Refreshing (correct)
Lukewarm: Indifferent (popular) Miserable (correct)
Laodicea had to import water from other places:
1) was a hot spring that by the time the water got there it was lukewarm
2) was a cold water source [Colosse] but by the time it got to Laodicea it was lukewarm.
The water was no longer medicinal or refreshing, it was miserable.
(John knew his readers!)
Perceived Anti-Christs: George III, Napoleon, Reagan, Roman Popes, Mussolini, Hussein, Hitler, Gorbachev
Central passage for the Millennium: Revelation 20:4-6
Christ speaks of two ages
1) Present age
2) Age to come
Views on Millennialism:
1) Amillennialism: there will be no millennium
- The saints are reigning with Christ now in heaven
- Eternity begins at the second coming
- Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled spiritually in the Church
2) Postmillennialism: Jesus returns after the millennium to reign with the saints
- Satan is bound now
- World won to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel and will experience a "wonderful" period of peace
- Church prepares the world for the second coming of Christ
3) Premillennialism: Christ returns to earth before the millennium
-Millenium is a time when God fulfills the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants with Israel
-Church shares in new covenant promises, but God is not finished with Israel yet.
Premillennialists debate the Rapture
Pre-tribulation Rapture/Seven Year Tribulation (Chapters 6-19)/Post-tribulation rapture
Roles of God in Salvation
Father = Election
Son = Redemption/forgiveness of sins
Holy Spirit = Secures the believers' future inheritance, blessings = glorified bodies
What can we learn from I John 1:1-4
- we can have fellowship with believers and with God and Jesus
- letter is about the word of life eternal
-note emphasis on sensory perception of the word
1 John 1:5-10 Belief and Practice must be wedded
vv. 5-10 concern what will be true orthodox beliefs
vv. 6, 8, & 10 are directed against the teaching of the heretics
Confession steps
1) call it sin
2) call it forgiven
3) call on God for help
Heretics
- claimed to walk with God but did not
- claimed they had no sin to be cleansed
Why was I John written?
- To expose false teachers who are leading true believers astray (2:26)
- To give true Christians assurance of their salvation
Non-Biblical Gnostic dualism led to five errors:
1) human body is evil, soul is good
2) salvation is escape from body
3) Denied Christ's true humanity in two ways:
-Docetism: Christ only appeared to have a body
-Cerenthianism: the divine Christ joined the man Jesus at baptism and left before he died
4) Asceticism
5) Licentiousness
What is the sin that leads to Death in 1 John 5:16
1) Either referring to physical death that is caused by sin (Old Testament and I Corinthians 11). God ending a life so as the man is brought home rather than damned to hell.
2) A person who stayed in the community but then were heretics and left the community of believers.
Introduction to Revelation
Apokalypsis (Greek) means the uncovering, laying bare, Metaphorically it means a revealing
Revelation = Prophetic Apocalyptic Literature
-Apocalyptic Literature - starts in post-exilic Jewish writing
-Contains dreams, spiritual realm, savior from despair
Prophetic Apocalyptic - incorporates Apocalyptic literature with prophecy of Israel
Symbolic language has real implication
Revelation is a prophetic red book.
Unholy Trinity
Satan - Red Dragon
Antichrist - The Beast
False Prophet - The other beast
Four Interpretive Approaches to the Book of Revelation (or Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21)
1) Idealist approach (NIV Study Bible likes this)
-Theological poem depicting between good and evil
-No events will actually happen
-Expressions of basic principles of how God acts
Weaknesses of Idealist approach
-Continues the allegorical approach
-No historical fulfillment
2) Preterist Approach
-Contents are factual/historical
-Everything in it except visions in Chapters 21 and 22 was fulfilled by the time John wrote
Weaknesses of Preterist approach
-the decisive victory never happened
-view cannot fit all the events of Revelation chapters 2-19 into the year AD 64-70 or AD 64-96.
3) Historicist Approach
- Revelation chapters 2-19/20 is a forecast of the course of history down to present day
- Revelation sketches the history of Western Europe from the Popes to Charlemagne to Napoleon to Hitler
Problems with the historicist approach
-Totally subjective
-No significance to first century readers
4) The Futurist Approach
-Major emphasis is on the future final victory of God over evil
-Many believe that from 4:1 on is future
-Letter to 7 churches are something held to represent the predominant types of churches in successive stages of church history
-John being taken up into heaven is symbolic of rapture
Major Weakness
- Most of the book was irrelevant for those whom it was addressed
- Little comfort to the original readers who would have to wait for 7 ages of the Church for Christ to return
Revelation 3:14-22
Church at Laodicea: Self-Satisfied Church
Hot/Cold/Lukewarm: Popular view vs. Correct view
Hot: Believer (popular) Medicinal (correct)
Cold: Unbeliever (popular) Refreshing (correct)
Lukewarm: Indifferent (popular) Miserable (correct)
Laodicea had to import water from other places:
1) was a hot spring that by the time the water got there it was lukewarm
2) was a cold water source [Colosse] but by the time it got to Laodicea it was lukewarm.
The water was no longer medicinal or refreshing, it was miserable.
(John knew his readers!)
Perceived Anti-Christs: George III, Napoleon, Reagan, Roman Popes, Mussolini, Hussein, Hitler, Gorbachev
Central passage for the Millennium: Revelation 20:4-6
Christ speaks of two ages
1) Present age
2) Age to come
Views on Millennialism:
1) Amillennialism: there will be no millennium
- The saints are reigning with Christ now in heaven
- Eternity begins at the second coming
- Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled spiritually in the Church
2) Postmillennialism: Jesus returns after the millennium to reign with the saints
- Satan is bound now
- World won to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel and will experience a "wonderful" period of peace
- Church prepares the world for the second coming of Christ
3) Premillennialism: Christ returns to earth before the millennium
-Millenium is a time when God fulfills the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants with Israel
-Church shares in new covenant promises, but God is not finished with Israel yet.
Premillennialists debate the Rapture
Pre-tribulation Rapture/Seven Year Tribulation (Chapters 6-19)/Post-tribulation rapture
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Catholic Epistles, Pastoral Epistles, The Epistles of John
(Originally written January 24, 2006 in Book 20)
The first three Catholic Epistles:
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude
1 Peter: Salvation & Suffering
What it means to live for God in a world without God.
"For Western Christians at the close of the 20th Century this brief tract written within a culture not yet Christian becomes a relevant textbook on Christian living in a culture no longer Christian".
1 Peter
I. Problem of Authorship
-What difference does it make whether the Apostle Peter wrote this letter or someone else wrote it and ascribed it to Peter?
-Peter is a highly esteemed apostle
-Peter was an eye witness
-Peter's words in 1 Peter & Acts
II. Who was I Peter written to?
-Gentiles
III. Setting of Peter's Readers
-ridicule for their beliefs
-honor and shame
-walking in Jesus' steps
2. II Peter
-Parallels Jude
-II Peter 1:20-21 Source of Scripture
- A response to rationalistic and hedonistic denials of God
-Paul's letter as Scripture
3. Jude: Danger! False Teachers!
-Parallels 2 Peter
-Jude was probably written after II Peter
Pastoral Epistles
Called Pastoral because they were written to young pastors
Contents: Introduction to Timothy and Titus about:
1) Errors of false teachers
2) Conduct and teaching as pastors/teachers
3) Church order and behavior in worship
4) Pastor's relationship to other groups in the Church
5) Qualifications for Church leaders
Authorship: critical scholarship considered non-Pauline
-a pseudonymous writer in the second century
-used Paul's authority
-to combat a rising Gnostic influence
-or could think of them as pious forgeries
Paul's authorship attacked on four grounds
1) Historical arguments
-don't fit into chronology in Acts (written after Paul was released in the end of Acts)
2) Stylistic arguments
-Author uses different style and words than Paul's (Paul was older, could have given secretaries more freedom)
3) Ecclesiastical arguments
-Church structure and church order is too developed for first century church (ignores fact that church in Acts is already highly developed)
4) Theological arguments:
-Heresy is a developed Gnosticism of the second century so it is therefore, post-Paul (Gnostic heresy existed very early on)
1st Timothy Highlights
1:18-20 Timothy's character and Paul's admonition
1 Corinthians 11:29-30
- New covenant stipulation
- Will Hymenaeus and Philters be in heaven?
2 Timothy is written 5 years after and it seems unlikely.
2:11-15
- Role of women in the church is one of the hottest topics in evangelicalism today
Authorship of Hebrews
-Philip?
-Apollos?
-Priscilla?
-Barnabas?
Hebrews was the oldest complete early Christian sermon that has been preserved.
Written to professing Jewish Christians in danger of apostasy (going back to Judaism)
The Epistles of John
Intro to I John
Test of fellowship
-Am I a carnal or a spirit directed believer?
-Assumes all John's readers are believers
Tests of Life View
-Am I spiritually alive or spiritually dead?
-Assumes some readers are not Christian
The first three Catholic Epistles:
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude
1 Peter: Salvation & Suffering
What it means to live for God in a world without God.
"For Western Christians at the close of the 20th Century this brief tract written within a culture not yet Christian becomes a relevant textbook on Christian living in a culture no longer Christian".
1 Peter
I. Problem of Authorship
-What difference does it make whether the Apostle Peter wrote this letter or someone else wrote it and ascribed it to Peter?
-Peter is a highly esteemed apostle
-Peter was an eye witness
-Peter's words in 1 Peter & Acts
II. Who was I Peter written to?
-Gentiles
III. Setting of Peter's Readers
-ridicule for their beliefs
-honor and shame
-walking in Jesus' steps
2. II Peter
-Parallels Jude
-II Peter 1:20-21 Source of Scripture
- A response to rationalistic and hedonistic denials of God
-Paul's letter as Scripture
3. Jude: Danger! False Teachers!
-Parallels 2 Peter
-Jude was probably written after II Peter
Pastoral Epistles
Called Pastoral because they were written to young pastors
Contents: Introduction to Timothy and Titus about:
1) Errors of false teachers
2) Conduct and teaching as pastors/teachers
3) Church order and behavior in worship
4) Pastor's relationship to other groups in the Church
5) Qualifications for Church leaders
Authorship: critical scholarship considered non-Pauline
-a pseudonymous writer in the second century
-used Paul's authority
-to combat a rising Gnostic influence
-or could think of them as pious forgeries
Paul's authorship attacked on four grounds
1) Historical arguments
-don't fit into chronology in Acts (written after Paul was released in the end of Acts)
2) Stylistic arguments
-Author uses different style and words than Paul's (Paul was older, could have given secretaries more freedom)
3) Ecclesiastical arguments
-Church structure and church order is too developed for first century church (ignores fact that church in Acts is already highly developed)
4) Theological arguments:
-Heresy is a developed Gnosticism of the second century so it is therefore, post-Paul (Gnostic heresy existed very early on)
1st Timothy Highlights
1:18-20 Timothy's character and Paul's admonition
1 Corinthians 11:29-30
- New covenant stipulation
- Will Hymenaeus and Philters be in heaven?
2 Timothy is written 5 years after and it seems unlikely.
2:11-15
- Role of women in the church is one of the hottest topics in evangelicalism today
Authorship of Hebrews
-Philip?
-Apollos?
-Priscilla?
-Barnabas?
Hebrews was the oldest complete early Christian sermon that has been preserved.
Written to professing Jewish Christians in danger of apostasy (going back to Judaism)
The Epistles of John
Intro to I John
Test of fellowship
-Am I a carnal or a spirit directed believer?
-Assumes all John's readers are believers
Tests of Life View
-Am I spiritually alive or spiritually dead?
-Assumes some readers are not Christian
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Highlights of Acts, James, Calvinism vs. Arminianism & Galatians
(Originally written on January 17, 2006 in Book 20)
Highlights in the Book of Acts
Acts 2 - Birth of the Church
Church = New Testament People of God
Israel = Old Testament People of God
Acts 6 - Prototypes of Deacons/Elders
The 12 - Prototypes of elders/bishops
Functions of the Elders/Bishops
1) Teaching the word
2) Prayer
The Seven = The prototypes of deacons/deaconesses
Acts 8 - Persecuted church scatters
Acts 9 - Paul's conversion
Acts 10 - Gospel to the Gentiles
Acts 12 - James is Martyred
Acts 14 - 1st Missionary Journey
Acts 15 - The Jerusalem Council
-Must Gentile Christians keep the Law in order to be saved as the Judaizers insist?
Acts 15:39-18:22 - 2nd Missionary Journey
Acts 18:23-21:27 - 3rd Missionary Journey
Acts 21:27-23:32 - Imprisoned in Jerusalem
Acts 23:33-26:32 - Imprisoned in Caesera
Acts 27-28 - Voyage to Rome
Acts 28:16-30 - Roman imprisonment
The Book of James:
Author: James, brother of Jesus (oldest)
- Did not believe in Jesus
- Jesus appeared to him post resurrection
- Very religious Jew
Galatians 2:12/Acts 21:17-26
Recipients:
-Jewish believers who scattered after Stephen's death
-Only epistle strictly written to a Jewish audience
Date:
- Earliest Christian document
- Josephus records James' martyrdom in AD 62
- Makes no reference to Judaizing controversy (AD 49)
- Approximately written AD 46-47
Focus of James: The practical outworking of Christianity in a righteous lifestyle
Emphases
1) Patience in the face of suffering
2) How the rich treat the poor
3) Judgment and judging
James & Paul on role of works in salvation:
- Both James & Paul affirm good deeds and are against bad deeds
- Both use the Greek word "erga" (works) but use it differently
James 2:14-26 has a particular kind of works in view
- Good deeds like acts of charity, generosity, impartiality, control of tongue, etc
- His opponents were claiming orthodoxy without action
Paul opposes "works" as in works of the Law
- Stops people from attempting to obtain salvation through the Law, which is impossible
Calvinism vs. Arminianism
Total Depravity vs. Free will/human ability
Unconditional Election vs. Conditional election
Limited Atonement vs. Unlimited Atonement
Irresistible Grace vs. Resistible grace
Perseverance of the Saints vs. Can fall from grace
Calvinism justifies Unconditional Depravity by Romans 3:10, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 4:18 and Ecclesiastes 7:20. We are unable to save ourselves and will never choose Christ on our own.
Arminianism justifies free will/human ability by John 1:9 and Titus 2:11
Calvinism justifies unconditional election by Romans 8:29-30, Romans 9:11-18, Acts 13:48. Foreknew = Forechosen. God chooses man, man does not choose God.
Arminianism justifies conditional election via Romans 8:29. Foreknew = Foresaw. God foresaw who would choose Him.
Calvinism justifies limited atonement with John 10:10, John 10:15, John 17:2, John 17:6, John 17:9. Christ only died for the elect.
Arminianism justifies unlimited atonement with 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10, 2 Peter 2:1 and 2 Corinthians 5:19. Christ died for all men.
Calvinism justifies irresistible grace with Romans 9:19-21. Nobody can resist God's will.
Arminianism justifies resistible grace with 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 Corinthians 5:19. God can be resisted.
Calvinism justifies Perseverance of the saints with Philippians 2:12-13, John 10:27-30, Romans 8:38-39. Salvation is secure.
Arminianism justifies can fall from grace with Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26-31, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Romans 8:38-39, Romans 11:22. Salvation can be lost.
Introduction to Galatians
Dualism: Body doesn't matter, do whatever. Soul is what counts.
Two Extremes of dualism:
Antinomianism - over indulgence
Asceticism - no pleasure at all, minimalism
If Paul was concerned about distortions of the gospel, we should too.
Problem behind letter to Galatians.
Jewish Christian teachers infiltrated the Galatian churches with a message that endangered the Gospel message. They were Judaizers.
Judaizers sought to complete Paul's gospel in two ways.
1) by requiring circumcision
2) by enforcing Jewish food laws
Highlights in the Book of Acts
Acts 2 - Birth of the Church
Church = New Testament People of God
Israel = Old Testament People of God
Acts 6 - Prototypes of Deacons/Elders
The 12 - Prototypes of elders/bishops
Functions of the Elders/Bishops
1) Teaching the word
2) Prayer
The Seven = The prototypes of deacons/deaconesses
Acts 8 - Persecuted church scatters
Acts 9 - Paul's conversion
Acts 10 - Gospel to the Gentiles
Acts 12 - James is Martyred
Acts 14 - 1st Missionary Journey
Acts 15 - The Jerusalem Council
-Must Gentile Christians keep the Law in order to be saved as the Judaizers insist?
Acts 15:39-18:22 - 2nd Missionary Journey
Acts 18:23-21:27 - 3rd Missionary Journey
Acts 21:27-23:32 - Imprisoned in Jerusalem
Acts 23:33-26:32 - Imprisoned in Caesera
Acts 27-28 - Voyage to Rome
Acts 28:16-30 - Roman imprisonment
The Book of James:
Author: James, brother of Jesus (oldest)
- Did not believe in Jesus
- Jesus appeared to him post resurrection
- Very religious Jew
Galatians 2:12/Acts 21:17-26
Recipients:
-Jewish believers who scattered after Stephen's death
-Only epistle strictly written to a Jewish audience
Date:
- Earliest Christian document
- Josephus records James' martyrdom in AD 62
- Makes no reference to Judaizing controversy (AD 49)
- Approximately written AD 46-47
Focus of James: The practical outworking of Christianity in a righteous lifestyle
Emphases
1) Patience in the face of suffering
2) How the rich treat the poor
3) Judgment and judging
James & Paul on role of works in salvation:
- Both James & Paul affirm good deeds and are against bad deeds
- Both use the Greek word "erga" (works) but use it differently
James 2:14-26 has a particular kind of works in view
- Good deeds like acts of charity, generosity, impartiality, control of tongue, etc
- His opponents were claiming orthodoxy without action
Paul opposes "works" as in works of the Law
- Stops people from attempting to obtain salvation through the Law, which is impossible
Calvinism vs. Arminianism
Total Depravity vs. Free will/human ability
Unconditional Election vs. Conditional election
Limited Atonement vs. Unlimited Atonement
Irresistible Grace vs. Resistible grace
Perseverance of the Saints vs. Can fall from grace
Calvinism justifies Unconditional Depravity by Romans 3:10, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 4:18 and Ecclesiastes 7:20. We are unable to save ourselves and will never choose Christ on our own.
Arminianism justifies free will/human ability by John 1:9 and Titus 2:11
Calvinism justifies unconditional election by Romans 8:29-30, Romans 9:11-18, Acts 13:48. Foreknew = Forechosen. God chooses man, man does not choose God.
Arminianism justifies conditional election via Romans 8:29. Foreknew = Foresaw. God foresaw who would choose Him.
Calvinism justifies limited atonement with John 10:10, John 10:15, John 17:2, John 17:6, John 17:9. Christ only died for the elect.
Arminianism justifies unlimited atonement with 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10, 2 Peter 2:1 and 2 Corinthians 5:19. Christ died for all men.
Calvinism justifies irresistible grace with Romans 9:19-21. Nobody can resist God's will.
Arminianism justifies resistible grace with 1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10, 2 Peter 2:1, 2 Corinthians 5:19. God can be resisted.
Calvinism justifies Perseverance of the saints with Philippians 2:12-13, John 10:27-30, Romans 8:38-39. Salvation is secure.
Arminianism justifies can fall from grace with Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26-31, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Romans 8:38-39, Romans 11:22. Salvation can be lost.
Introduction to Galatians
Dualism: Body doesn't matter, do whatever. Soul is what counts.
Two Extremes of dualism:
Antinomianism - over indulgence
Asceticism - no pleasure at all, minimalism
If Paul was concerned about distortions of the gospel, we should too.
Problem behind letter to Galatians.
Jewish Christian teachers infiltrated the Galatian churches with a message that endangered the Gospel message. They were Judaizers.
Judaizers sought to complete Paul's gospel in two ways.
1) by requiring circumcision
2) by enforcing Jewish food laws
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