Inter-Trinitarian Harmony and Particular Redemption

Okay - I know that the title of this blog sounds a bit mushy; but believe me, it is not. I was reading through Ephesians the other day and doing some research on chapter 1 when I came across the term "Trinitarian Harmony." The term is used to describe the truth and teaching that no one member of the Godhead works in a manner contrary to the expressly revealed will and actions of the other members of the Godhead.

I have modified the phrase to "Inter-Trinitarian Harmony" (borrowing from a concept I learned from John MacArthur) because the purpose and will of God is in perfect balance or harmony "within" (inter) the Godhead. This concept can be used to help understand or illuminate a number of passages and issues found in Scripture. The issue that I find it most illuminating however is in supporting the doctrine of "Limited Atonement" or "Particular Redemption" - the doctrine that teaches that the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross did not merely make salvation possible for every and all men, but that the "atonement" actually secured salvation for a specific or particular number of people.

Let me point out how this works as seen in Ephesians 1:3-14. The first thing to notice in a reading of this text is that there is a repeated refrain. The first time this refrain is used, it is in its fullest or broadest scope followed by two shortened uses. This refrain of praise to God is found in 1:6, 12, 14 respectively:

Ephesians 1:6 - "to the praise of the glory of His grace."

Ephesians 1:12 - "to the praise of His glory."

Ephesians 1:14 - "to the praise of His glory."

Each of these refrains serves to praise God at the conclusion of some aspect of the salvific work of a member of the Godhead. In verses 3-6a, God the Father is praised for His work in election, in choosing a people for salvation. In verses 6b-12, God the Son is praised for His work in redemption, in shedding His blood for His people. And, in verses 13-14, God the Spirit is at work in sealing God's people for the final day of full redemption.

What must be noticed is that God the Father did not choose "all" people or every person, but a specific number of people to be holy and blameless (1:4). In other words, not everyone was chosen. Considering the Spirit's work of sealing believers, it is obvious that He does not seal everyone, but only those who have chosen and reveal their being chosen by having believed (1:13).

Now, if the concept of Inter-Trinitarian Harmony stands true, then it could not be that the purpose and will of Jesus would stand in contrast to the other members of the Trinity. How could it be rightly said that Jesus' blood paid for a people not chosen by the Father and not sealed by the Spirit. Rather, from the context of these verses and specifically verse 7, redemption is not for "all" but for the "we" who are in Him and "us" upon whom He lavished the riches of His grace. This is consistent with the whole testimony of Scripture, but particularly Matthew 1:21 which specifically states that Jesus "will save His people from their sins" - the qualifier being "His" people.

So, we find that for there to be consistency in the Trinity, all the members of the Godhead must have had the same purpose in salvation - to actually save a specific group of people "from every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9). The essence here is of "all" men; that is, all kinds and subsets of men - not "all" as in every single individual). This group of people was particularly chosen by the Father (Ephesians 1:3-6a); particularly redeemed by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:6b-12); and was particularly sealed with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Hence we have another clearly revealed picture of particular redemption in this concept of Inter-Trinitarian Harmony.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

George Whitefield on Faith

Consider this simple thought:

"For where reason ends, faith begins. And, however infidels may stile themselves reasoners, of all men they are the most unreasonable: For, is it not contrary to all reason, to measure the Infinite by a finite understanding, or think to find out the mysteries of godliness to perfection?"

From "Abraham's Offering Up His Son Isaac" by George Whitefield.

Isaiah 55:8-9
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

More Thoughts on the Da Vinci Code

The Apostle Paul makes a startling statement in the opening verses of his letter to the Galatians:

Galatians 1:6-9
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

These verses remind us that the church has a grave and solemn duty to know and preach the true gospel as well as knowing what is a false gospel and accursing it. The word for "to be accursed" is "anathema" - which, according to the United Bible Society Handbook "can refer either to a thing or a person under the curse or the wrath of God and therefore set apart for destruction." It goes on to say,

"The whole expression is a petition to God that the person referred to may be deprived of God's favor and be the object instead of his condemnation. Precisely what Paul has in mind is hard to determine, but may he be condemned to hell! captures the intensity of the original phrase. In some languages the phrase may he be condemned to hell! is rendered as "he will surely suffer in hell," "God will certainly destroy him," or "I ask God to make him suffer."

The Da Vinci Code, whether intentional or not (I believe intentional), attacks the very gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It does not matter whether it is intended only for entertainment or not, to "entertain" the thoughts contained in the Da Vinci Code is nothing short of blasphemous. I am not saying that it would be blasphemous to read or even see the movie. I leave that decision to each individual conscience. However, believers, as they have opportunity to talk with others concerning the true person of Jesus and the true authority of Scripture are to have an answer for the "accursed" lies propagated in the Da Vinci Code. As noted in my previous blog, 1 Peter 3:15 is appropos:

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Dr. Al Mohler, has a well-written response or expose on the Da Vinci Code that I recommend you read. May the Lord open up doors of opportunity to spread the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

http://www.albertmohler.com/commentary_read.php?cdate=2006-05-19

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Bill O'Reilly, Da Vinci and Martin Luther

As I was driving to a meeting yesterday I thought I would listen in on what Mr. Bill O’Reilly had to say. The topic of the day was the Da Vinci Code and specifically the idea propagated in it that says Jesus was married and had children. Several callers were making the point that some people might draw their theology from such a movie. Now here is where things got interesting. Mr. O’Reilly was correct in the assessment that anyone who gets his theology from a movie is a “moron” (his terminology). Many callers still expressed their concerns about how the movie might impact people’s ideas concerning Christianity. So, in typical, provocative O’Reilly fashion, Bill made the following statement (this is my best paraphrase):

“Look, Dan Brown (author of the Da Vinci Code) wrote a theory, his opinion about what might have happened with Jesus – but it is just a theory and anyone who believes this theory is a moron. It’s like a man named Martin Luther. He had a theory about Christianity and thus broke away from the church (the Catholic Church).

In one fell swoop, Mr. O’Reilly linked those who would draw their theology from Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” with those who draw their theology from Martin Luther (i.e. Calvinism; Sovereignty of God in salvation, etc). In other words, just as those who believe in the Da Vinci Code theory are “morons”, so are all those of the Protestant Church, who believe in the Martin Luther “theory.” The only problem is that Luther’s “theory” was not a “theory” or opinion at all. With regard to the salvation of man, Luther sought not the contrivings of men, but the very Word of God. Read Luther’s statement when called upon to recant his position in order to follow the traditions and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, teachings that stood against God’s revealed Word:

“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by clear reason (for I trust neither pope nor council alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have cited, for my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since to act against one’s conscience is neither safe nor right. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand, may God help me.”

I find O’Reilly’s statement to be “moronic.” While I understand that he, being Catholic, does not agree with Luther’s apologetics, Luther’s apologetics concerning the nature of salvation and justification by faith alone are nonetheless based upon the Scriptures and sound Biblical interpretation. This is not something that Dan Brown can claim for his book.

If I had been in a position to call in to O’Reilly’s program, I would have in order to “set the record straight” and so that I might fulfill the Scripture saying:

“but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…” (1 Peter 3:15)

I might have to refrain from using the word “moron” (for that might be without gentleness and reverence) but the truth of salvation by faith alone, by grace alone and by Christ alone, a teaching that adheres to the clear teaching of Scriptures and is opposed the Catholic doctrine, must be declared. So, “what say you?”

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Sin Follows

I was reading through some of William Cowper's Olney Hymns when I came across one that reminded me of the deceitfulness of sin as well as sin's ability to follow us into the most noble and sacred of our activities. Before I share the hymn, consider this statement from Proverbs 4:23

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

What a call and duty of the Christian, to watch, or guard our hearts from all that would rob of life, of joy and of peace. The great and cruel enemy of the heart is sin, which, as I noted above, is always present and always seeking and opportunity to bring us to ruin. In our most precious of prayers, sin is there. In our highest worship, sin is there. In our most sincere labors and efforts in the Lord, sin is there. This is why we are called to "watch over" our hearts with "all diligence."

Let us pray that we may "lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us" (Hebrews 12:1).

Consider then the hymn of William Cowper entitled "Jehovah Our Righteousness"

My God, how perfect are Thy ways!
But mine polluted are:
Sin twines itself about my praise,
And slides into my pray'r.

When I would speak what Thou hast done
To save me from my sin,
I cannot make Thy mercies known
But self-applause creeps in.

Divine desire, that holy flame
Thy grace creates in me:
Alas! Impatience is its name,
When it returns to Thee.

This heart a fountain of vile thoughts,
How does it overflow?
While self upon the surface floats
Still bubbling from below.

Let others in the gaudy dress
Of fancied merit shine;
The LORD shall be my righteousness;
The LORD for ever mine.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

A Paradox

A paradox is a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true. Life is full of paradoxes. I was speaking with one of the men in the church about the Christian life and we spoke of the need to be humble and broken before the LORD and how this leads to great joy. As it is written,

Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

And yet, this humility, brokenness and repentance is not seen in this text, or in the rest of Scripture, as “a downer.” Notice, “O God, You will not despise.” There is a joy, a fullness; an overflowing of grace and life that comes from such brokenness and contriteness – a realization that God does not despise such an attitude. Rather, such an attitude is received and blessed by the LORD. As it is written,

Psalm 32:1-5
1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, " I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

The paradox is that genuine brokenness and contriteness of heart is the true path to a joyous, God-exulting life. You might recall a time in Israel’s history when the people were broken and contrite, yet we read the command:

Nehemiah 8:9-10
9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, " This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

O LORD, teach us the delicate balance of manifesting a broken spirit and contrite heart and yet may it result in an exuberant joy that draws attention to You – not to self; that magnifies Your goodness and not our wickedness.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

Some months back someone in the church asked me about a story I gave concerning the author of the hymn, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” As the story was told to me, Robert Robinson (1735-1790), once a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and who penned the words, “prone to wander, Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love…” did, in fact forsake the Lord. This would certainly be a tragic happening, for a professing believer to fall away from the Lord.

But, as I mentioned, this is how the story was told to me. So recently, I thought I should seek to verify the story one way or the other, and this is what I found:

Robert Robinson (1735-1790), the author of "Come, Thou Fount," knew what it was to be "prone to wander." As a teenager, Robinson went to a George Whitefield meeting with the purpose of ridiculing him. Instead, Robinson was converted and later entered the ministry. The text of this great hymn was written when he was only twenty-three years of age while he ministered at the Calvinistic Methodist Church in Norfolk, England. Read the text of this hymn as follows (I particularly like the last verse which is absent from most hymnals):

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer*;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.


*In 1 Samuel 7:12, Saul erected a stone as a memorial to God which he named “Ebenezer” because, he said, “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” (KJV)


As the story goes, some years later, Robinson did begin to “wander” and he eventually left the ministry. After some time, he found himself sitting by a lady in a stagecoach who was humming the hymn, “Come, Thou Fount.” When asked by her what he thought of it, he said, “Madam, I am the unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds to enjoy the feelings I had then.”

Now some of the accounts have Mr. Robinson coming back to the Lord while others leave the question hanging. But may all this serve to remind us to heed th words of the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 10:12,

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

We must be ready to raise our "Ebenezer" in recognition that it’s only by God’s doing that we have come this far. May we also long for “that day when freed from sinning,” we shall see His lovely face and sing of His sovereign grace!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Free Will

Okay, so it has been a while since I have posted anything of significance. I do have one excuse, well, actually two. First, I have been unable to connect to the internet at work for four days (what a mess)! Second, I have had a head cold (do you all feel sorry for me?).

Anyway, I thought I would get back into the groove as it were by simply offering a quote that I recently read by Augustus Toplady (who penned the hymn, "Rock of Ages"). He said,

"A man's free will cannot cure him even of a toothache or a sore finger, and yet he madly thinks it is in his power to cure his soul of sin. Actually, the greatest judgment which God Himself can in this present life inflict upon a man is to leave that man in the hand of HIS OWN BOASTING FREE-WILL!"

I leave this post with the words of another Toplady hymn that speaks to the praise we ought to have to our God who has graciously redeemed us from own sinful natures and is making us like unto our Savior!

A DEBTOR TO MERCY ALONE

A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on, my person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God with me can have nothing to do;
My Savior’s obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began,
The arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen, and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now, nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo, or sever my soul from His love.

My name from the palms of His hands eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains, in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is giv’n;
More happy, but not more secure, the glorified spirits in Heav’n.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed

Busy, busy, busy!

It dawned on me that it has been a while since I last blogged. So, here goes:

I have been busy and have nothing to say! - Tell me what you think!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Ed