The Bible vs Calvinism - Part 2
Category: Salvation & Gospel
Key Passage: 1 Timothy 2:3-4
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: February 25, 2023
Timothy tonight, 1 Timothy tonight. And we’re having a second part on the Bible versus Calvinism. It’s part two. And if you weren’t here last week, you can go back and get it on YouTube. Or if you’re here last week and you’re sleeping, you can get it on YouTube.
We’re going to have part two of the Bible versus Calvinism. I didn’t look at any certain person when I said that now. I didn’t do that. I wouldn’t mention any names. Well, maybe. I’m going to be good. I’m going to try to be good. But 1 Timothy chapter number two, how many have ever heard anyone defend or talk about Calvinism? How many have heard, you’ve met.
All right, so it looks like the vast majority of us. I mentioned last week how since 2007 it’s really been kind of re-raked and brought back out by the Gospel Coalition and others. John Piper, MacArthur, he’s big on it. Some of these guys just really promoting it. And sometimes they’ll call it new terms: new Calvinism, doctrines of grace, reformed theology, reformed church.
And really, I’ve listened to their videos when they talk about the difference, what they were and what they used to be. And they all kind of agree against some of our methods are different. Our music’s different, things like that. Of course, different, unfortunately. But you get down to the heart of it, the truths are beliefs. I wouldn’t say truth; the beliefs are still the same. And some want to shy away from the TULIP. Oh, we don’t want any man-made system. But they are making man-made systems. But anyway, they don’t want to use it, but there are still the same beliefs.
So we’re just following those beliefs and really going through those tonight. We’ll kind of rehash a little bit of what we covered last Sunday night, and then we’ll get to the L-I-P. I hope you’re ready to talk about lips. Some are a little bit more pale than others. Some are fatter than others. Some hang down a little bit more than others. We’re going to talk for an hour about lips. How about that tonight? I tell you what. Of course, I’m joking about that. The lip.
We covered the T-U, but we’ve got to cover the L-I-P tonight. But we’re in First Timothy chapter number two of God’s word. And we’re going to read just two verses, verse number three and verse number four. First Timothy two and verse number three and four. Would you please stand just to show God’s word respect? And…
Man, I just don’t seem right without that clock back there. I mean, it’s a good thing in some ways, but I, you know, got something to go by. I don’t have that back there anymore. And so anyway, we’ll make it, though.
First Timothy two, looking at verse number three: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Now, just to kind of lump it off, maybe oversimplify it for a minute, but they teach that everything is predestined. It’s already predetermined by God. Some are predetermined to go to hell, and some are predetermined or chosen by God to go to heaven. Some are chosen by God to go to hell. Really, all we need to do is just read that one verse, that verse number four: “Who will have all men to be saved.” We’re going to pray to be dismissed and go home, amen.
We will talk about more detail of their points. There are so many verses like that in the Bible. And they’ll try to knock them out and share the verses, but there are so many, they can’t knock them all out. In fact, they can’t knock one of them out. But who will have all men, all men, to be saved? That’s what’s desired. It says “will,” according to First Peter, Second Peter 3:9. You’re not one of the needish prayers, but all of your pen. But let’s pray, and let’s get going just a little bit more tonight on this saying of the Bible versus Calvinism.
You may be seated. I want to try to just use some of the verses here and there tonight. I meant to mention this last Sunday night. I’ve got to do it, but I was reminded of several years ago a lady who visited her church many times, a kind lady. I like her and her husband. I know them pretty detailed; a lot of issues in their life. Met with him and so on.
But I remember her leaving one time, and she’s been mixed up in this reformed church and all that. And she’s listening to some of those guys on the internet. And she said, “Well, pastor, doesn’t the Bible say, doesn’t the Bible say, ‘We have not chosen him, but he has chosen us’?” I said, “Yes, ma’am, the Bible does say that.” It’s actually in John 15:16.
But, Miss So-and-so, if you read that verse and finish the verse, it is not talking about salvation. It says, “You have not chosen me, but I’ve chosen you, and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Right here in the doorway, it’s always interesting what happens at the doorway there, you know. Some of that I don’t mind everybody else to hear. Sometimes I don’t want anybody else to hear. You know what’s going on there, but she said, “You know, it does say that.” And I said, “Ms. Olson’s not talking about salvation there. It’s talking about you producing fruit and that your fruit remains.” And she said, “Well, all right, that’s what the Bible says.” But, friend, they’ll take these verses and they’ll twist those verses. That’s not what the Bible is. It’s not talking about salvation there. He’s talking about he’s chosen you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit." Very clear, John 15:16, and it’s there. So you must be aware of the thing.
Now, last week we talked about that first, the T, where we used the term total inability, many, or those say total depravity sometimes. We believe in depravity as far as the Bible teaches. We’re all born into sin. We’re all sinners. But they’ll say to the point that you have not the ability to choose Christ or to receive Christ. You don’t have that ability—total inability.
Remember, they’ll use that verse over there, “You can’t, Father draw you.” Remember that? John 6:44. Now, anybody remember the verse we used a little bit later on there in John 12? Everybody remember that verse? Just say a little bit. Yeah, and I, Jesus says, John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up”—he’s talking about on the cross—“I will draw what? All men unto me.”
Now that’s such a key verse when they use that. “Oh, you can’t come to Christ unless you’re drawn,” and you’re exactly right. But according to Jesus, he’s lifted up, he’ll draw all men, and all men have been drawn to him. That aligns with the rest of the Bible, and the Bible talks about the Holy Spirit. He’ll reprove the world of sin because I believe not on Christ.
By the way, it’s so important, and I’m praying, I don’t want to be too long. I want to just keep it where God wants it, but I want to cover everything he wants us to. But it talks about no prophecy of the scripture is in any place private interpretation. You can’t take that one verse. And remember I just mentioned that, and I talked about another verse that proves that point. Remember the Old Testament they said, “Don’t establish about by one, but you need two or three.” So be careful when they just pull one verse so you don’t have a supportive verse of that. I need two or three witnesses there.
But I would draw all men. The Holy Spirit proves the world of sin. I did not get to cover this last week, and I wanted to just cover it. Sometimes it’s brought up under this total inability. But they’ll say this and they’ll use, well, I’ll go to Ephesians chapter 2 if you would. I’ll show you one of the verses they’ll use. Ephesians chapter number 2 and verse number 1. Ephesians 2 and verse number 1.
If you would please, I’m going to come down here and steal one of these Pew Bibles because I’ve got my Bible closed up a lot tonight, just a lot of notes in there. And I might want to go to a different passage. So I’m going to steal a Bible for a minute here. Ephesians 2. And would you look at verse number one? This is a verse they like to use. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
And here’s what they’ll say: They’ll say, “Look, brother Caleb, if there’s a dead body, that dead body can’t make a decision. If I come down here and there’s a body in a casket, that dead body cannot make a decision.” See, so you’ve got total inability. You understand the angle they’re using? Here’s a problem: they do not understand biblically what dead or death is. Their comparison is the wrong way.
Help me out here a little bit. I’ll tell you what. Would you look over to Luke chapter number 15? Luke chapter number 15. And over there, it’s talking about the prodigal son that left and lived a sinful life. A very wicked life, and he spent all his dad’s money, the inheritance. Members in the pig pen, and he wanted to eat the pig’s food, but he couldn’t even do that. So finally he said, “I’m going to go back home to my dad. My dad’s servants are treated better than I’m getting treated.” I want you to notice a couple of things about that story biblically here.
Would you look down, Luke 15? Would you look in verse number 24? This is after he’s come back; his dad’s rejoicing about it. By the way, the dad represents the Father, God the Father. Look at what he says, verse number 24: “For this my son was what’s the next word? Dead.” Dead. And there’s a lie of you. We look down in verse number 32, please.
Verse number 32: “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead.” Help me, help me for a while. Well, that boy was living out in sin there; he was dead, according to the representation of the Father, the product of the Bible there. Could the boy make a decision out there? Could the boy talk and walk? Yeah. Yeah, in fact, the boy while he was out there dead, he made the decision to go back to his father.
You never understand biblical death. Remember what God said over there in that garden of Eden? He said, “The day that you shall eat of it, you shall surely what? Die.” Well, Adam, did he physically die at that moment? No. Was God lying? Did God make a mistake? No. In fact, the Bible tells us later on that Adam lived 500 years after he begot Seth. Could Adam make decisions? Sure he could. Death is simply a separation. It’s when that soul—remember God breathed into it life and man became a living soul—and that body takes its last breath, that soul leaves that body. And that soul either goes to heaven or to hell.
See, the mistake is, they’re talking about that, can that body make a decision? No, but that’s not the real them. Friend, that person—I try to remind families a lot of times at a funeral right here because sometimes especially if the little or someone’s about to lose—and say, “Hey, friend, remember they’re in heaven.” And I’ll say things that try to be at key times the best of can. And that’s the truth. That’s not them. No, no. That person, if they’re in heaven, they’re more alive than they ever were. And if they’re in hell, they’re dying eternal death, like a fire, sake of death forever. But listen, that’s just their shell, and they don’t understand death. You can still make a decision. That person, they rejoice in heaven over one sin of their penitent? No. Don’t fall for that. You still have the ability to make a decision.
Just like Adam and Eve and the prodigal son, you go over to Luke chapter number 16. And the rich man in hell, remember he died. He died, but the rich man in hell lifted up his eyes being in torment and began to talk and read, say, “Hey, would you go tell my brothers? Say Lazarus, they may dip the tip of the finger and cold my tongue and all that.” No, no, they won’t listen to that. “Well, send somebody,” and “Send somebody,” and “Send a prophet or something.” No, they won’t listen to the scriptures. They won’t listen to anybody. But he was dead. See? So when they say, “Well, you’re dead in trespasses and sin, you have total inability.” No, friend, they don’t understand biblical death. See? And they need to go back to the Bible and talk about what does the Bible talk about death? What does the Bible mean with death?
Just quickly, I wanted to cover that. One more thing here before moving. Sometimes they’ll say, “Well, here’s another mistaken comparison.” They’ll say, “Well, Jesus talks about being born again. And when you’re born, it was not your choice. It was your parent’s choice.” Same mistake that Nicodemus made. “Nicodemus, can I can I go back in my mom’s belly and be born?” And Jesus said, remember what they said over John 3:6? He said, “Hey, that which was born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Nicodemus, I’m talking about two different things here: born from above, or the spiritual birth you receive that.
So don’t fall for those when they bring those arguments up. So, no, I know better than that. It’s not a matter of you cannot receive him; it’s a matter of you will not. We started off last Sunday night with that verse, John 5:40: “And ye will not come to me that ye might have life.” See? Now we spent a little bit, a little bit of time on the T again. We covered it last week, but I wanted to kind of tie up its loose ends, if you will, on that.
The unconditional election is the U, the T, total inability. The U, unconditional election, and really we’ll just briefly talk about that again. Remember, we tried to give a commercial for the Sunday school class. We’ve been studying First Peter, 1:1-2. Remember, “You’re elect according to the what? Foreknowledge of God.” Right. We looked at several places in the Bible when it talks about that.
Now let’s get to L. We’ve got to get to the lip sometime, all right? We’ve got to get to the lip. If you want further instruction about that, listen to last week’s sermon about unconditional election. We covered it for a good while there. But lip, L, what does L stand for? L stands for limited atonement. By that, that means Christ died only for the elect. For those he planned and ordained to go to heaven, for those that he planned and ordained to go to hell, Jesus didn’t die for them. He didn’t shed his blood for them.
Would you look over in 1 John chapter number two? Probably the clearest. There are so many verses for this subject right here. So many verses. And I’m really trying to pray about how many the Lord wants us to go to because the Bible’s full of them. But 1 John chapter number two, and would you look in verse number two? 1 John 2:2. Does this thing line up with the Bible, the Bible versus Calvinism? Limited atonement, what does the Bible say about that? 1 John 2, verse number 2. What does the Bible say right there? “And he”—Jesus—“is the propitiation. He’s the atoning sacrifice. He’s the payment, if you will. And he is a propitiation for our sins, what? For ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Wow, that’s pretty clear. For the whole world.
I understand how they can’t see that. Look over a couple, look over in chapter number four, First John four. First John 4:14: “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the what? World.” Not a select group of the world, for the world.
Look over in 1 Timothy chapter number 2. First Timothy chapter 2. We’re doing Bible drill tonight, amen! First Timothy chapter 2. Look at verse number 5 right there. First Timothy 2 and verse number 5. Very familiar passage of verse number 5. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” By the way, that shows me I don’t need to go to someone that has her collar on backwards to get my sins forgiven. I’ll go right. There’s one mediator. That’s Jesus Christ. He’s the only one. One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Watch this. “Who gave himself a ransom for what? All.” That’s very clear in God’s word. “To be testified in due time.” He gave himself a ransom for all. Everyone. Everyone.
John 4:42: “And said unto the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.’”
John 3:17 is a very familiar passage right after 16. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” The world.
Sins of the whole world, a ransom for all. You see, no one will be able to say, “Well, you didn’t want to save me. You didn’t shed your blood for me.” No, Christ shed his blood for every man. Amen. No one will have an excuse. His shed blood is available for all. He laid down; he laid on him the iniquity of us all, Isaiah says.
Now I’m getting ahead of myself, but there are so many verses. So many verses. I think you’re fairly close. Would you look over in 1 Timothy 4? 1 Timothy 4 and verse number 10: “For therefore we both labor and suffer because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe.” You think, “Wait a second, everybody says, then nobody says ‘especially of those that believe.’” It’s so clear. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.
Look over in Hebrews chapter number two. We’ll just get a little bit more here. Hebrews chapter number two. I just quoted Isaiah 53:6: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Look at Hebrews chapter number two, verse number nine. Hebrews 2:9: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every, every, every, every man.” Pretty so clear. I just read it for you.
Romans 8:32: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Now here’s what someone said, “Well, I don’t believe that point right there. I’m just a four-point or a three-point. I’m not a five-point. I’m just a two or three-point.” Friend, if somebody taught me something so directly against the Bible, I wouldn’t have anything to do with them. And it’s in the same thing you’re talking about. I don’t get that. Man, I’m a zero-point. I’m a Bible-point, friend. Forget all that. Oh, it’s against God’s word. He died for the sins of everyone that ever has been or ever will be born.
Every little baby. Someone mentioned in Sunday school about a child that passed away recently. They had taught them in school, Ms. Angela, Kevin Angeley Hicks. And the girl was just a girl, I can’t remember how old she was. I don’t know if she reached that age of accountability or not. But Jesus shed his blood for that girl. Now, maybe she’s accepted it, maybe she’s to that point where she gets it and she understood and she accepted it, but maybe she’s not even to that point. And she’s covered by that shed blood, by the grace of God. He has shed his blood for every person.
Now, once they reach that age where they have an understanding, they understand the gospel, they have a choice to make. If they believe not, they’re condemned. But he shed his blood for all, and they have a chance to receive it. It is not limited atonement; it is unlimited, but they’re limiting the Holy One of God by their unbelief.
Now, so we got the T, total inability. No, no, no. They can make a choice. It’s not “whosoever can”; it’s “whosoever will.” Unconditional election. No, no, no. They’re elected according to the foreknowledge of God. Romans 8 talks about that. First Peter talks about that.
And then there’s limited atonement. He died for the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. Try to get you a passage for each one, maybe just a key passage. So many key passages. John 12:32: “And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men.” That’s a great way to get you a couple passages here.
And then let’s talk about the I. We’re trying to get L-I-P. We’re trying to carry the lip, all right? Now we’ve got the I. I stands for irresistible grace, irresistible grace. God forces them to be saved. They cannot resist. It’s irresistible. They have no choice in the matter. It’s not up to them; it’s up to God. And they cannot resist the grace of God. Irresistible.
Can I just say this right off the bat? The word “irresistible” is not found in the Bible. You won’t find it. You can read it from Genesis to Revelation. You read it backwards. It’s just… And this false doctrine of irresistible grace is not taught in the Bible.
Would you look over in Acts chapter number seven? Acts chapter number seven. Now how does this thing line up? Calvinism versus the Bible. Acts chapter number seven. One of the first deacons, he was a great man, an awesome man of God, Stephen, was preaching. And he was filled with the Spirit of God. The Bible tells us that in this passage, too. In fact, they killed him, and when they killed him, he just died—just an incredible man of God. Father, lay not this sin to their charge. He died very much like Jesus, maybe more than anybody in all the Bible, just like Jesus. Amazing. I’m not saying he was sinlessly perfect; he wasn’t, but it’s so amazing. Stephen’s a great man. He’s preaching. He’s full of the Holy Ghost. He’s preaching a message of love while they’re killing him. And I want you to see what the Bible says happens with this thing here. Acts chapter 7. Look at verse number 51. Acts 7 and verse number 51: “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye.”
So they’re always resisting. So you can resist when the Holy Spirit is working. He says, “As your fathers”—that’s what happened over there in Genesis chapter number six when the Holy Spirit was convicting them, and he said, “My Spirit will not always strive with man.” God’s going to come upon—“I’m tired of your rejection, you’re resisting, and it’s going to be too late.” It is not irresistible grace. It’s your choice. You have a choice. I have a choice in that matter.
Look over in Proverbs chapter 1 very quickly. Proverbs chapter 1. We’ll just get a couple passages here. First of chapter 1, would you look at verse number 24? Proverbs 1:24. Is it truly irresistible grace? Proverbs later on talks about he that is often reproved, often reproof, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. What does it say over here? Proverbs 1, look at verse number 24: “Because I have called and ye what’s the next word? Refuse.” He said, “I’ve been trying to reach out there, and you keep resisting and refusing. You refuse. I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded.” He’s not the foolish and simple here, “But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.” He kept resisting so long, finally he says, “I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.” He said, “My hand was…”
What an illustration God gives. It’s almost like you see someone and say, “I want to make up, I want to become friends. Would you forgive me?” And they put their hand out, and they won’t shake their hand out. And he said, “I’ve had my hand out for so long, so long.” And he kept refusing time and time and time. Finally, I guess it’s all right. But once my offer is taken back, it’s over. There is an unpardonable sin. The Holy Spirit says, “I’m done.” And then that John 6:44, they can’t come unless he’s drawn them. He won’t draw them anymore. But he has drawn them. He’s drawn all men, but they had a choice to make. They refused it.
One more passage. Look over Matthew chapter 23. Matthew 23, just under this point. One more passage. I think we’ve got more; we’ll see what all yet. Matthew 23, I believe we read this one last week. It’s also a parallel scripture, I believe, in Luke. But we’ll just stick here. Matthew 23, verse number 37. Matthew 23:37. Is it irresistible? You had no choice? If the grace of God wants to get you, it’s going to overwhelm you? Well, just look and see what Jesus says here. Matthew 23:37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye”—watch that—“and ye, not he, and ye would not.” Sure, you have a choice. Sure you do.
It’s not irresistible. If it was irresistible, friend, it would make you and I robots. God made you like a… and he wound you up and he decided everything you’re going to do. And there would be no free will. We’re talking about John Wesley. You’re saying, “Hey, that makes God worse than the devil because God predetermined every wrong thing you would do.” Oh no, friend. It’s not irresistible. Not to make you a robot. That’s not love. By the way, it’s not love on your part. You’re made to love him, then. So it’s not love on your part, and it’s not love on his part, because love gives him a choice. God gave you an eye, and every man kind of choice. Oh, no, so unbiblical. It’s not irresistible grace. It’s your choice. You have a choice in the matter.
Can y’all turn to one more under this passage here, under this thing? Just look over in Titus chapter 2 real quickly here, and I’m trying not to wear you out with too many verses, but there are so many verses. Only saying, by the way, I’m trying not to give you just my opinion; I’m trying to give you the Bible. By the way, I’m not trying to give you what some theologian somewhere said, or even John Calvin or some Martin Luther or Spurgeon or all these people say. I’m trying to give what the Bible says. Now, I love some of those men, but friend, compared to them and the Bible, I don’t care what they said. I care what the Bible said.
Titus, Titus chapter 2. That was a great man, many of them, but I want what God says. Titus chapter 2, look at verse number 11. Titus 2:11. Titus 2:11 was a wonderful verse about this subject. That’s why I had to get it covered. Titus 2:11: “For the grace”—irresistible grace? Let’s see—“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Has ever been accepted it? No. So, friend, you mark it down: it is not irresistible grace.
And here’s the sad thing: these crazy doctrines will warp your mind to the point one preacher was talking about. It’s such a sad thing. I want you just kind of say how it could warp your thinking. The preacher said, “I fear lest I preach the gospel so strong that some of the unelect will accept it.” You understand how warped you can get? The honest truth is it’s available for every person. He wants everyone to come to the knowledge of salvation. Very, very clear in the Bible.
Now we got the L, we got the I, limited atonement, irresistible grace. Let’s get the P. P stands for perseverance of the saints. Perseverance of the saint. A saint will always—it is very important—always persevere. So they cannot lose their salvation because they will always persevere.
I agree with a will not lose their salvation. That’s why many of them talked about you last week. Don’t let them put you in two camps. Either you’re a Calvinist or an Arminian. No, I’m neither one of them. The reason why I’m not an Arminian is because I believe in eternal security; you cannot lose your salvation. But I’m not a Calvinist because I don’t believe he made the decision where he let me make the choice to accept him. But we are the same as far as Calvinism, as they don’t believe you can lose your salvation, but they believe because of the preservation of the saints. By the way, that starts the borderline into works salvation, understand that.
Friend, I cannot lose my salvation. Well, look over in John, probably the clearest place in the Bible that I like to use as far as we deal with eternal security. Look over in John chapter number 10. John chapter number 10. And look in verse number 28. John 10 and verse number 28 of God’s word.
And I want you to notice the emphasis is on the Shepherd. He’s the Good Shepherd in John chapter 10, laid down his life for his sheep. Notice the emphasis is not on you being all that; it’s on him. John 10:28: “And I”—that’s Jesus, the Good Shepherd—“I give”—notice you don’t learn to give under them—“eternal life, and they shall never perish.” Because they persevere to the end? No, because the Good Shepherd. “Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” It’s not a matter of how strong your hands are or what you’re doing; it’s a matter of his hands. Matter, he’s the one that gave it to you. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
You see the emphasis is not on how good you are; it’s the emphasis on how good he is. I am eternally secure, not because I persevere; I’m eternally secure because Christ persevered on the cross. I owe all to him, not in how good I am. By the way, you take this saying of the saints persevere and they always will persevere. Friend, that’s not biblical. Take Lot.
Now, think with me, we’ve just a minute about Lot. Lot, remember he moved over there to the well-watered plains of Sodom and Gomorrah, and he’s living in this wicked city. These two angels come, and they’re going to see if it really is as bad as you know it’s supposed to be, and they come. And remember they’re out there in the streets, they’re coming to Lot’s door. Lot is bringing them over there, and remember what happens? The wicked Sodomites, the homosexuals, the vile—Romans talks about the vile—and I don’t… You say, “You hate them?” No, I want them to get saved. But that sin is wicked and vile. God hates the sin, but he hates the sin. They wanted to commit adultery or wickedness, immorality with the angels. This is how low Lot had became. Lot said, “I have two daughters. They have never known a man. Let me bring them out to you.” You talk about wicked. You talk about sorry, lower than the belly of a snake in a wagon rut, you know. That’s just low, friend. That’s Lot.
Remember what happens finally? The angels, you know, Lot goes out and says, “Let me pacify these guys.” Something you don’t pacify. And they’re about to… about to knock the door down, and finally the angels reach out and they grab Lot, pull him inside, and they strike them blind. Just remember all that? He said, “You better get yourself with your family out of there.” Destruction, judgment was about to come. And Lot… it’s amazing if Lot could have just reached his family, he’d have ten. End up time to go into that, but he had ten. He just reached his family. Study it out, because I think when you compromise, you live in a sinful lifestyle like that, you don’t reach your family. The devil said, “We need to compromise or reach your family.” You don’t reach a family like that.
Anyway, so Lot took off, remember that? And his wife and his two daughters. Remember what happens? His wife looks back. The New Testament tells us why: because you’re looking about her old house and all that, all the belongings. She turned a pillar of salt. And then he goes over there and he commits incest; those two girls started those two wicked nations. I’m talking about a guy that’s pretty bad. Do you think he was persevering? Man, I can’t get that anywhere out of there.
Well, would you look over in Peter, please? Peter, 2 Peter. Second Peter chapter number 2. Surely, surely, Lot couldn’t be saved. He’s not persevered, that’s for sure. Well, let’s look and see what the Bible says about it. Second Peter chapter number 2. Look at verse number 7. Second Peter 2:7: “And delivered just Lot.” My goodness, is this God’s word? Just Lot. “That righteous man.” Why is that? Because your righteousness? No, my righteousness is not of our service of Christ. That’s why the Bible still calls him that righteous man. “For that righteous man, dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” I was a bachelor’s of days long, but his righteousness wasn’t of self, as of Jesus Christ.
Friend, there are a whole lot of saints that don’t persevere. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. He didn’t persevere. No, it’s a sad thing when you hear about someone who’s lived for the Lord for years and years, years, years, and the backside it happens. I heard about a preacher not too long ago. I lived for the Lord. I know him personally, and he went to sin. Now, he’s a born-again Christian. He’s still a born-again Christian. He’s going to have a lot to answer for.
What about 1 Corinthians 3? You want to go over to 1 Corinthians 3 real quickly here? This is talking about when the saved people go before the Lord Jesus Christ at the judgment seat of Christ. These are all saved people. And he’s going to give out rewards. We just did this here Sunday morning on crowns. And he describes this thing here. First Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. He’s talking about these people you’re going to stand before the Lord. Everybody, either lost at the great white throne, if you’re saved, the judgment seat of Christ. These are all saved people.
Verse number 11 kind of establishes it. Look at verse number 11 right there. He says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” He said, “It is finished.” He laid the foundation. Now if any man build upon this foundation, they should save people. They’re building them on top of the foundation of Jesus Christ—their salvation. Gold, silver, precious stone. Praise the Lord, they did good. What’s the next category? Wood, hay, and stubble. They didn’t live for the Lord. They lived for their life for this world, for their lust, for their flesh, for their desire, for the green daughter can’t serve God and man, and they lived their life for everything else that’s not the Lord Jesus Christ. What happens to those people? They didn’t press them here, that’s for sure. Well, they were none of his. Those say, “Well, that’s not according to the Bible.” Look down what happens to those type people. Their works are burned up. Look at verse number 15. “If any man’s work”—that’s wood, hay, and stubble—“they were saved; they had the foundation, but they weren’t living for the Lord. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.”
So there it is. Arminians: they lost their salvation? All but finish it up. What’s the last part of it? “But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.” He missed the fires of hell; he goes to heaven. But he suffers loss. Hitting of the rulers. Why? Because he didn’t persevere. So many of them. But he’s still saved? Yeah.
So it’s not a matter of mine or you’re persevering; it’s a matter of Jesus persevering. And I put my faith in his preservation. Making sure verses in 1st Peter, I will preserve who this power is mine. Granny Lee. How many of you know Granny Lee? Amen? No, I’m joking with my Granny Lee. My mom’s mom, Granny Lee. She, she, she had a little closet off, a little room off to the kitchen. Many of you remember pretty much most old homes about it back in there. And you open that door and you see all kind of jars in there, mason jars. And, you know, out of the garden, they got cucumbers and they made pickles out of that. And they got green beans. You go to the U-Pick Farm, you know, or sometimes we have a garden back there. And you get a hamper full of green beans. Man, it takes so long to pick a hamper full of green beans. Anybody won’t complain with me about that right there? Man, yeah. And then she’d come home and she’d have jarring days. She was jarring. Remember they used to have those pressure cookers in there? Or they get peaches, and they would put them in there, and they would get it to certain temperatures. You ladies know better about it, and I’m not good at all that. And then they had to do it all just right. And it had to be in those mason jars. You had to have it sealed just right. And you go in that closet, and there is some preserved peaches. And sometimes remember they have a date on it? Anybody remember they’d have a date wrote on top of the can, the lid there, you know? And you see on that date, man, this thing is… it’s years old. Those peaches are going to stink. They’re rotten. This is three years old, man.
Now it’s very important, you know, you take… you take… you take the part off, but the lids just stuck on there, it’s sealed on there. That’s important. You take a butter knife or something or something, and it’s very important that you hear that little thing, you know, because that means it was sealed, it was preserved. And it may be years old, but man, it tasted like it just yesterday. They’re delicious. I mean, I’m ready to go get some peaches somewhere. Come on now. Amen. Man, you get… we need to get some pancakes and put some syrup and then some peaches over top of it. Come on now. And some Cool Whip. Let’s pray and be this mess. We’ll eat. Come on now. Hey, those peaches didn’t do it. They just sat in that jar, that jar and that seal. By the way, you’re sealed to the Day of Redemption by the Holy Spirit. And Christ is the one that preserves you. You don’t preserve yourself. We can’t save ourselves. We can never keep ourselves saved. It’s a joke for him. We all sin every day. Nah, nobody preserves besides Christ. I’m secure in him, but because of his preservation.
You know, a sad thing, one of our men, not too long ago, had a chance to witness to one of his relatives. And we were trying to pray about it and God would work. And I haven’t got to cover the whole conversation, but he said someone got to his relative first and got his head spun by Calvinism. So he said, “At first I kind of had to untwist his head, and then I could share the gospel with him.” The Bible, Corinthians, talks about the simplicity in Christ. Man muddies the water and confuses it so much. There’s simplicity in Christ. “Whosoever will”—that’s pretty clear.
I’ll use the illustration I used it last week, and I’m done. D.L. Moody. He’s preaching to a crowd. They say a crowd, it looks like, it seemed like a lot of lost people. And he preached just, you know, but it’s just very simple. And he preached: Believe, Receive, and Take. That was his main points. And at the end of the message, he said, “Now, who will come and take Christ as your Savior?” And one man belligerently said, “I can’t.”
And I love the fact that D.L. Moody, they say he just paused for a minute and he started crying. He had a burden. He wasn’t mean and all that; he just cried. And they said D.L. Moody said, “Don’t say I can’t; say I won’t.” And that man belligerently said, “Well, I won’t.” And yet the men that were there started thinking about it. And one man finally said, “I will.” And another man said, “I will.” And another man said, “I will.” “I will.” And a great host of people got saved. When he clarified, it’s not “I can”; it’s “I won’t.” It’s available. Our job is just to get it to them.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes tonight? I’m going to ask a pointed question tonight. Would you say, “Pastor, in the next month…” This is so easy to do. “…but in the next month, I will get the gospel to someone.” In some form, some fashion, whether it be with your tongue or with the gospel tract, but in some way—I’m not just talking about inviting them to church—more than that, in the next month, I will get the gospel to someone. Faster? By God’s grace, I want to do it. I’m going to get the gospel at least to one person the next month. If that’s you tonight, you slip up your hand. I’ll get the gospel at least to one person. I’ll go out of my way; I’m going to make it happen. Somebody’s… some way, some form, I’m going to get the gospel at least to one more. God bless you. God bless you. That’s our job. We can’t make them get saved. It’s not irresistible. But our job is just to get the gospel to them.
Maybe you’re here tonight, you say, “Preacher, I’m going to pray. I’m burdened about my neighbor, my coworker, my aunt and my uncle, whoever. I’m burdened about it. Now I’m going to be praying, ‘Lord, let him get saved.’” This is a good thing to pray sometimes. “Lord, give them more opportunities. Have mercy. Continue to work. Don’t give up on them.” Would you continue to draw? But I’m going to be praying. Yes, they’ll make the final decision, but oh, when God’s people pray, God, God in his mercy continues to draw and pull. Preacher, there’s someone I’m going to be praying. I’m going to be praying for them to get saved. God spoke to my heart, and I’m burdened about someone. I’m going to be praying for them to get saved. I’m going to keep praying about that thing. That’s you tonight, slip up your hand. I pray that you’re going to be praying for someone, somebody. God bless you. God bless you. God, let’s keep praying about those. Let’s keep praying. But God bless you. Thank you so very much.
Original File: The Bible vs Calvinism - Part 2 - Pastor Paul Chisgar - Sunday PM 07172022