TheosGuy

There is the “age old” question about whether, or not, man has a free will. Most people misunderstand the issue regarding free will. Most think it means does man have choice. That isn’t really the issue. The issue is more correctly asked, is man’s choice totally free of influence that would cause his decision to go one way or the other. A libertarian free will is defined as one where man is absolutely free in making choices, where nothing causes his decision apart from the decision making choice. A free will of inclination says that man’s choice is influenced in some manner that will cause him to choose one way or another. Most who hold to the free will of inclination will put it that man’s choice is subject to his nature. A common illustration is that if a man jumps from the top of a building, no matter how hard he chooses to, he will not be able to fly. He cannot choose to fly because flying is not within man’s nature.

There is disagreement about this issue amongst both philosophers and theologians. All I wanted to do here is list a number of Scriptures that I believe pertain to the subject. And as you read them, ask yourself, do these Scriptures describe man as a libertarian free person, or a person who chooses subject to their human nature. Remember, the issue is NOT whether or not a person chooses. But just how free is their choice from causal influences.

[Romans 3:23 NKJV] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

[Job 14:4 NKJV] Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean? No one!

[Job 15:14, 16 NKJV] What [is] man, that he could be pure? And [he who is] born of a woman, that he could be righteous? … How much less man, [who is] abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!

[Job 25:4 NKJV] How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure [who is] born of a woman?

[Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV] The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

[Jeremiah 16:12 NKJV] And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.

[Psalms 53:1-3 NKJV] The fool has said in his heart, “[There is] no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; [There is] none who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are [any] who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; [There is] none who does good, No, not one.”

[Proverbs 28:26 NKJV] He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

[Ecclesiastes 9:3 NKJV] This [is] an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing [happens] to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness [is] in their hearts while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

[Matthew 15:19 NKJV] For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

[Mark 7:21-22 NKJV] For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

[Mark 10:18 NKJV] So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one [is] good but One, [that is], God.”

[1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NKJV] Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

[Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV] Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

[Ephesians 2:1-3 NKJV] And you [He made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

[Ephesians 5:3-6 NKJV] But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

[Colossians 3:5-9 NKJV] Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

[1 Timothy 1:9-10 NKJV] knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for [the] lawless and insubordinate, for [the] ungodly and for sinners, for [the] unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

[2 Timothy 3:2-5 NKJV] For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

[Titus 3:3 NKJV] For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

[Galatians 4:7-9 NKJV] Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how [is it that] you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

It sure seems to me that above verses show man as one in bondage to sin and their own sinful nature! I would vote that yes man has free will, but it is free will of inclination. Man chooses what he most desires subject to his sinful nature.

Tags: Free Will, Living, Man

J. C. Ryle has an excellent exhortation on the subject of the Justification of the believer.

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JUSTIFICATION!
An Exposition By Bishop J. C. Ryle

“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

There is a word in the text which heads this page which ought to be very precious in the eyes of Englishmen. That word is “peace.”

Even in “merry England” we have known something of the horrors of war in the last thirty years. The Crimean war, the Indian mutiny, the Chinese, Abyssinian, and Ashantee wars have left deep marks on the history of our country.

We have tasted some of the tremendous evils which war, however just and necessary, brings in its train. Battle and disease have done their deadly work among our gallant soldiers and sailors. Gentle and simple blood has been shed like water in far distant lands. Many of the best and bravest of our countrymen are lying cold in untimely graves. Hearts in England have been broken by sudden, stunning, crushing bereavements. Mourning has been put on in many a palace, and many a cottage. The light of hundreds of happy firesides has been quenched. The mirth of thousands of homes is gone. Alas, we have learned by bitter experience, what a blessed thing is peace!

I desire, however, to call the attention of all who read this paper to the best of all peace—even peace with God. I would gladly speak to you of a peace which this world can neither give nor take away—a peace which depends on no earthly governments, and needs no carnal weapons, either to win it or preserve it—a peace which is freely offered by the King of kings, and is within the reach of all who are willing to receive it.

There is such a thing as “peace with God.” It may be felt and known. My heart’s desire and prayer is that you may be able to say with the Apostle Paul, “Being justified by faith, I have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1.)

There is more to read!

Tags: Justification, Living, Salvation, Theology

1 Timothy 5:23 NKJV – No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.

2 Timothy 4:20 NKJV – Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

2 Corinthians 12:7 NKJV – And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

Tags: Living

I have been reading Pastor Chuck Smith’s biography, Chuck Smith: A Memoir of Grace. Here is a quote that I particularly liked and one that I bear witness to from my own life.

It pleases God to guide our lives by continuously giving us directions rather than giving us a map. He is with us always and wants us to be listening always.

Tags: Living, Quotes

With respect to the Greek words agape and phileo, which are translated love in the English, note the following:

• Phileo doesn’t denote a lesser love except contextually
• Agape doesn’t denote divine love except contextually

I have heard many sermons stating that the word agape means God’s divine love and phileo is human brotherly love. But that is not true, as stated. It is only if the context requires it. Here are some examples that show where it is NOT true.

• God the Father phileo the Son—John 5:20. Thus phileo can be used to denote God’s divine love. I wouldn’t think that the Father loves the Son with a human brotherly love.
• Father phileo us and the Son—John 16:27
• Jesus phileo John—John 20:2. God the Son, loved the Apostle John, and it uses the term phileo. I am sure that God the Son loved with a divine love.
• God phileo, human agape—Pro 8:17 “I (God) phileo those who (humans) love agapeo me…”
• The adulteress in Hosea 3 is committing a physical act of adultery, and it is described in the LXX as using a form of agapeo.
  

  “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Go again, love [1] a woman who is loved by a lover [1] and is committing adultery, just like the love [1] of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love [2] the raisin cakes of the pagans.'”—Hosea 3:1

  [1] root=agapeo [2] root=phileo

• Agape as sexual—2 Sam 13:4; Songs 2:5-7:6
• Phileo as sexual — Prov 7:18

Thayers lexicon makes the following disctinction between the two Greek words:

• Agape – love based in choice; admiration, esteem, veneration; commanded in Mat 5:44;
• Phileo – love based in emotion

Tags: Christ, God, Living, Theology

Some Scriptures regarding the human tongue and its use.

(Proverbs 10:18-22 NKJV) Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool. In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom. The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.

(Proverbs 15:1 NKJV) A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

(Proverbs 17:27-28 NKJV) He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

(James 1:19 NKJV) So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

(James 3:2, 6 NKJV) ²For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ⁶And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

(Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 NKJV) The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?

(Colossians 3:16 NKJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Tags: Living

I have heard people say quite a bit that they just wish they knew what the will of God was for their life. Well here are some Scripture references that will tell us!

(Col 1:9 NKJV) For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

(Heb 11:6 NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

(Rom 12:1-2 NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

(Pro 3:5-6 NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

(1 Chr 28:9 NKJV) As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

(Mat 6:33 NKJV) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

(Gal 1:4 NKJV) who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

(1Th 4:3 NKJV) For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

(1Pe 2:15-16 NKJV) For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men–as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.

Tags: God, Living

Scripture tell us that the laborer is worth a reasonable wage.

And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (Luke 10:7 KJV)

Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; (Jeremiah 22:13 KJV)

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:5 KJV)

For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. (Philippians 4:16 NKJV)

Tags: Living

Here are some Scriptures that deal with a believer and debt. Let’s review them first and then I will give some thoughts on how to interpret.

Do Not Borrow:

(Romans 13:8 NKJV) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

(Proverbs 22:7 NKJV) The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

(Deuteronomy 15:6 NKJV) For the LORD your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.

(Deuteronomy 28:12 NKJV) The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

Do Not Be a Surety:

(Proverbs 6:1 NKJV) My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

(Proverbs 17:18 NKJV) A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend.

(Proverbs 22:26-27 NKJV) Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

When looking at these Scripture, what is the definition of debt? If this is a strict admonition against borrowing money, then why are there rules (e.g., Exodus 22:25) for lending money to God’s people? In addition, in Psalm 37:21 it tells us that the wicked are those who borrow and do not repay. So what about those who borrow and do repay? It would seem that they are not categorized in with the wicked. Also, Psalm 37:26 it says that the merciful lend. But would we be merciful to lend if borrowing were strictly prohibited? So I believe we must be careful in our interpretation and application of these Scriptures.

Let’s take a quick look at the Hebrew word, lavah, which is translated borrow and lend. It appears to have a connotation of one who is joined with another. In fact that is one of the translated English words of lavah. In Gesenius’s Lexicon it also gives a sense of a debt where repayment would result in being put into slavery. Indentured slavery was a common practice in that time. Where a creditor took a debtor on as a slave until the account was paid.

It would be easy to say that since that isn’t a practice today then it doesn’t apply. But I would not go that far. I know many people who are so much in debt that they are not free. Their debtors are ever present on their mind. They are not free to spend time with their families because they have to work two or three jobs to pay the bills. Now I commend them for being honorable and repaying the debt (c.f., Psalm 37:21). However, it does seem that their creditors reign over them (c.f., Proverbs 22:7 and Deuteronomy 15:6.

I believe the admonition to not borrow is a good one. In the context that I see in the Scriptures, I would make a distinction between borrowing and financing. What does that mean? Well I would say that you have borrowed when there is no asset of sufficient quick sale value to pay the debt. And you have financed something when the underlying quick sale value of the asset is greater than the loan. So if I go buy a new $20,000 automobile and borrow $20,000 for the purchase, then that is borrowing. Why? Because as soon as I drive it off the lot, it becomes a used car and is now worth several thousand dollars less (let’s say $17,000). So if for some reason I lose my job and cannot pay the monthly payments and they come and repossess the car, I will still owe several thousand dollars.

However, if I only took out a loan of $10,000 to buy the car and put $10,000 down, then in the above circumstances, I will probably be able to make a quick sale of the car more than the underlying loan. This is the theory behind the down payment on the purchase of a house. You put 20% down, as your investment into the house. In a stable economy, you would think you could sell the house for more than your underlying mortgage. Of course, at the time I write this (June 2009) in Orange County, California, there are a lot of people who are upside down on their houses, due to the poor economy and the crash in real estate value.

So to summarize, I think we can see the great wisdom in the Scriptures telling us to not borrow money.

Tags: Living

At least three books are maintained before God. Revelation 20:12 says “books” which is plural (i.e., at least two) plus the Book of Life. What are the books?

• The Book of Life and the book of deeds. The name “Book of Life” is given in Scripture and is used herin as the title of the book. The “books” that are not the “Book of Life” are not given a specific title or name. However, the dead are judged out of things written in the books, and it is implied from the text that their works are contained therein (at least one or some of them).

(Revelation 20:12 KJV) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

• This could be another reference to the book(s) of deeds. Matthew Henry also brings forth the idea that these books may also include a book of standards (laws) by which the people are judged.

(Daniel 7:10 KJV) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

• Book of Remembrance seems to be a book listing the occurrences of when God’s people spoke about the LORD.

(Malachi 3:16 NKJV) Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.

Tags: Bibliology, Living