Arminianism, Federal Vision, Slavery, Whitefield and the Worst Theological Idea Ever

The Morning Thought That Led to Federal Vision and Arminianism

Hey, I was uh thinking this morning. By the way before I continue I've got my son Noah here. We're both having trouble sleeping. Probably for different reasons. But I was thinking this morning when I woke up somehow just instantly.

I don't know if you ever had this happen. But I was thinking about a topic like as soon as I woke up and I was thinking about federal vision and Arminianism. And an article that I reviewed on my youtube channel a long long time ago.

This is an article on the for the church blog. Called was George Whitfield a Christian. Do you remember this controversy? This is an ongoing controversy and The and the question is was George Whitfield a Christian because he owns slaves.

And this is one of the worst articles I've ever read. Not because like it doesn't make some good points because it does make some good points. I've been thinking a lot about this and I think at the time I did the video I said that this article was a mixed bag, and it is a mixed bag.

I mean, there's some good points here. There's no question about it. There's some things that we ought to think about. There's no question about it's written. Well, it's got good. The guy's a good writer.

There's no question about it. But this is one of the worst Articles I've ever read it has one it contains one of the worst ideas one of the worst theological ideas I could possibly imagine and my attention is to To relate this to the the federal vision controversy and the Arminianism controversy.

The idea that I think is just so terrible here this is just Guys like like Theology really does matter and it matters in everyday life and it matters in in practical situations and how you view the world and how you view yourself because The way you view God and and what God does and how God what God is like.

It affects everything about you. You know what? I mean? This is this is this is real. I'm not I'm not just saying this to quibble with someone's theology on minor points. No the way you view God affects everything about What you are and who what you do and how you interact with people and things like that.

Because so what this author does is he doesn't take a very strong stance. He says well, I hope George Whitfield was a Christian, but I can certainly understand why you wouldn't. It's just terrible like it's a terrible idea first of all, it's a terrible idea To view God in such a way that we can't even know if one of the most brilliant Theological minds one of those brilliant pastors that we know about one of the most storied Christians of all time.

We can't even know if he's saved. It's a terrible idea. And here's this is and this is what it boils down to did it was he cheating on his wife? Was he killing people left and right? No, no, no, no he owned a slave and What this is not to say anything about how we treated this slave he owned a slave and Here's that.

This is the part that I think is just so Awful, this is this is this is terrible guys. And and I if you think I'm clutching pearls here. I am I am Clutching pearls here because this is the worst theological idea.

I could possibly imagine He says here a good tree Does not produce bad fruit after all as far as we can tell Whitfield never repudiated his sin. He never repented of it that alone brings the genuineness of his faith into question in many of our churches today.

Why should Whitfield get a pass from the same scrutiny? If he held the same views as a member of your church, would he not face discipline? I affirm the rationale of those who answer the question of Whitfield salvation.

No, and I affirm their freedom to do so. I see how you get there. I respect the conclusion. I will not argue it. What is being said here well He never Repented he never changed his mind about the sinfulness of owning a slave.

Therefore I see how you say he's not a Christian. I'm not gonna argue that I respect that conclusion. This is a this is a man who's trying to be woke, right? He's trying to please the woke crowd. He doesn't want to go all the way because he says well I want to believe that George Whitfield was a Christian, but I understand why you don't so he's like a little bit woke.

Right, but in the service of this woke church nonsense. He destroys the gospel of God. Because we need to keep in mind I told you this would be about Arminianism and federal vision, too. The other day on my on my reform Jellicle live show, which by the way guys you should watch it.

It's awesome. Me and Matt Williams. We have a good time. Please consider, you know joining and watching that. What I said was I said federal vision is in my mind. It's an error. Okay, I love a lot of people who do hold to the federal vision.

I'm not talking the people that you say hold to the federal vision. But they say they don't like Doug Wilson and and Sumter and all that kind of stuff. That's not what I'm talking about people who actually gladly call themselves federal vision black coffee federal vision, right?

I have friends like that. I love them and I think they're an error and Guess what guys I'm on that show I said federal vision in my mind is an error similar to the error of Arminianism. Not that it's the same error, but but rather it's the same level of error, right?

Arminianism if you take it to its logical conclusion. Eventually if you just keep going logically down the line eventually in my opinion if you're Arminian I'm sorry, but this is my opinion if you take Arminianism to its logical conclusion.

Eventually, you're gonna become a heretic. Okay. Eventually, you're gonna you're gonna ruin justification by faith alone. I know you disagree with me. That's fine. Here's the reality. Most Arminians don't do that.

They believe in justification by faith alone. They don't believe that their faith is is is is is what's it called meritorious and they're not being like oh god. Thank you, because I'm so great because I have my faith no one no Arminian does that some probably do but most of them don't and.

So federal vision is the same way like if you keep going with federal vision and to the logical end. You'll get to a point where eventually you're a heretic, but most of them don't do that. Most of them have an error and they're inconsistent with it now.

Don't hear me saying That that means it's no big deal it is a big deal because here's the reality guys, I'm gonna try to tie this all together. Teaching and believing wrong things about God is a sin. It's a grievous sin.

To say God is one way and he deals with us in one way and that is not the way that God deals with us. That's evil and it's a sin. So if we're gonna follow this woke logic here about Whitfield while he never repented of his sin of owning a slave.

What about people who believe wrong things about God like an Arminian? Or a federal visionist are they just totally there's no grace for them. Like I guess the power of God's of Christ's cross doesn't forgive those sins because they never repented.

They went to their bed still believing these wrong things about God. Well, if you follow the logic here, this is the worst theological idea I've ever heard. By the way, let me remind you if you follow the logic then the answer has to be yes.

What about Baptists all you Presbyterians out there who who who want to be woke too and think Whitfield might not have been a Christian. What about Baptists they believe wrong things about God's covenant one of the most important things that he told us about.

If they go to their deathbed believing that stuff that's a sin that they never repented of. Well, according to this woke logic about Whitfield, um, I guess it's too much too bad for you. What about if you're a Baptist and you're listening to this, right?

What if you're a Baptist and you're listening to this and us baby, but my son here look how cute he is. He's been baptized. Okay, I taught my son Things about God if you're a Baptist. I taught my son things about God that aren't true.

I told him he was in a covenant that he wasn't in and. And and God willing he's gonna teach the same thing. He's gonna teach what his daddy believes, right. Bubba anyway. So what does that mean for Presbyterians if you're a Baptist.

Presbyterians are teaching all kinds of things about God's covenant. That you think are sinful to teach. Is there a grace for us or where are we gonna go the way of Whitfield as well? You see this is this is a terrible theological idea.

That that thinks that you have to you have to be repented up and if you're not and you miss one thing. Well, we've got significant grounds to even question your salvation. Can Christ save you if you don't repent up?

Did Christ die for that sin if you're not fully repented and every one of your sins that you've you've it's been brought to your Remembrance and you say sorry God and you don't do it again. Like is that what we're talking about here?

That's the worst theological idea that I've ever heard a serious person make. It's not true. It's not true. So in the service of wokedom don't Undermine that gospel that you claim to love. Because that gospel the gospel of grace the gospel of Jesus Christ is so much better than well Christ can save you just so long as you write down every sin that you have and make sure to repent of each Individual one and if you oh and by the way, you have to believe all the right things, too.

We have to believe all the right things too. We're saved by grace guys through faith we're not saved by perfect doctrine and Unfortunately this article here Lynn gives gives gives quarter to that idea that well, you know George Whitfield.

He held a slave. I'm not gonna argue if you think he's not saved. Well, I am. Because my God is bigger than that my God is more gracious than that to his people. Let me tell you about my God. I'm sorry that this is getting a little emotional, but it's just important guys.

Uzzah, the Ark, and the Severity and Mercy of God

This is important story of Uzzah and the ark is the second Samuel chapter 6, you know the story about Uzzah and the ark. This is this is not the kind of story that you put on a coffee mug, right? We don't we're uncomfortable reading this story.

We really are it says this it says it's talking about. They're bringing the ark and they're doing it all wrong. They're not doing it the way they're supposed to be doing. I'm carrying the ark there with the supposed to be carrying it there.

They're carrying it in a way that's that God didn't command them to carry it, right? So they're making mistakes here. They're not doing the right thing. Okay, and so it says this it says They brought it out of the house of Adinabab which is at Gibeah accompanying the ark of God and Ehio went before the ark and David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of firwood even on harps and psalteries and timbrels and Cornets and cymbals.

When they came to Nashon's threshing floor Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it for the oxen shook it and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah and God smote him there for his error and there he died by the ark of God.

And so what happens here is they're not supposed to be carrying it on an ark on an ox, right? They're supposed to be carrying it on their shoulders the the priests are so this ox You know does what ox do and you know jostles it.

It's about to fall down and Uzzah doesn't want it to fall down. Uzzah probably it's like oh no God's ark and he grabs it so that it doesn't fall down and God kills him where he stands. Sorry He kills him for that.

Now this is the point my god, I think Uzzah Was immediately in the presence of his Lord at that point. Yes, there's severity with God, but there's grace. There is grace. Uzzah made an error. There was an error there.

They shouldn't have been doing that in the first place carrying it on an ox. They probably did it because it was far and it's too far to carry it on their shoulders and stuff like they probably did had very good reasons good sounding reasons to disobey God there and Frankly Uzzah had a very good sounding reason to prevent it from falling after all he didn't want God's ark on the floor.

But There's severity there right. God told him not to do that. Don't touch this and so there it is. But that doesn't cancel God's mercy for his people. When you make a serious error like that so serious that God smites you for it.

That doesn't cancel God's mercy for his people his love for his people. I think Uzzah met the Lord. I Don't see anything in the text that would lead me to believe he wouldn't. I Think we can meet Uzzah in the eternal state when we go to meet the Lord.

That's my God a God of mercy. Yes severity. Yes but mercy if we can't understand that a coveted member like George Whitfield who we have so much evidence of His love of his penitent heart of his of his God honoring stance.

If we can't say that that man is a Christian. It's only logical to believe that nobody can be a Christian because You ought to be the worst sinner that you know, you know, you might not own a slave. There's a lot going on up here, isn't there?

And let me tell you Contrary to this awful article this awful idea about God that I just talked about Contra to that God will keep you No matter what if you're in his covenant if you if your faith and your hope is in him alone.

Nothing can can take you away from him. Nothing can snatch you out of his hand even your stubbornness. Even you're maybe missing some of your sins and not bringing it to him in repentance and faith. Because he didn't know it was a sin.

God's bigger than that man. God's better than that God. God loves his people. God loved was uh, God loved George Whitfield. Where should I say loves because he's still there. And if you're in his covenant God loves you.

This doesn't mean you don't try to be holy as God is holy. This does not mean you don't repent you do. But this whole idea of well, I better make sure that I've I've Repented of everything and and if you don't believe the exact same things as me.

Well, then you can't possibly be a Christian because that's also a sin and things like that. That's not how it is guys. That's not how it is. Anyway, I hope this is helpful.