- 00:00
- To look at a very controversial subject and I want to treat it with kit gloves in a sense And I want to make sure at the end of the night
- 00:07
- That we are not having two kind of camps in this church those that believe a certain kind of doctrine about this and those that Don't and so we're just going to study and I'm going to try to Push your conscience to find out what you really believe and I'm going to do it in two forms
- 00:20
- Number one a quiz and then number two a handout so I have a ten Question quiz for those of you that are visiting you don't have to hand these quizzes in or anything like that Thank you,
- 00:31
- Carl. They're true or false remember if anything's false the whole thing's false and just write true or false
- 00:37
- My goal is not to embarrass you. My goal is not to make fun of you My goal is to have you learn more about this issue the atonement
- 00:45
- I mean could there be a better topic or more important topic to study? the Substitutionary death of Christ and so let's
- 00:53
- Pass this out. Go ahead and just go through it quickly We don't have a lot of time But the real question is did
- 01:00
- Jesus die for the elect only did he die for every person on the earth? Or is it a mixture and this is just a subject we need to make sure that we know
- 01:09
- It's okay If we differ here at the church and nobody's going to get kicked out and we're not going to ostracize each other
- 01:14
- But you need to have some views of this Doctrine and what I love to do is in my discipleship classes with the young men at the church is to make them deal with This issue because it will force you to become biblical
- 01:27
- Whatever side you pick the master seminary from which I come and I love the school some men are four -point
- 01:33
- Calvinist They don't believe in limited atonement. Some are five and so I'm not trying to cause any fights
- 01:38
- My goal tonight is so, you know the issues and if somebody says I'm a five -point
- 01:43
- Calvinist I believe Jesus only died for the elect. You don't say to yourself that person's a heretic that person's unbiblical
- 01:51
- That person's not, you know, he's wacky on the flip side for those that believe that Christ only died for the elect
- 01:58
- I don't want you to raise your nose to those who don't have those same convictions There are other things that we can fight about but this is good to hone your theological skills
- 02:07
- Why do you believe what you believe and it's if it's as simple as For God so loved the world.
- 02:13
- He gave his only begotten son. Therefore. I believe that he died for everyone May I say you're naive and so tonight
- 02:20
- I want to help you with your naivete and just try to study the scriptures So I believe both over my life.
- 02:27
- I believe a certain one tonight and you'll hear about that, but we aren't going to cause trouble I don't want trouble to happen, but it's just good
- 02:35
- It's an issue bantered around in Christianity today, and that's why I picked it for God's issues in the church okay, so why don't you just take a minute or two and Write down true or false for each of these
- 02:50
- And if you really want to go the extra mile You can write next to each true or false What the real answer would be and where you could prove it from Scripture that might even be better open
- 03:00
- Bible, by the way Everything here is open Bible Preached in Indian Bombay at the open
- 03:05
- Bible Church. I thought that is an excellent name for a Bible Church much better than closed Bible Church Oh, we open our
- 03:13
- Bibles, it's like the Nelsons, you know you Travel to another city and you're out of town and you see if people bring in their
- 03:19
- Bibles to the church And if they don't that's probably not a good one to pick By the way, when you see the word limit atonement that means the atonement would be limited
- 04:24
- Christ death would be efficient for just the elect people. So when you see that unlimited means his death is efficient for Everyone so those are kind of the terms.
- 04:44
- I'm kind of surprised we have We don't have more people since this is such a hot topic
- 04:51
- I'm trying to pick some controversial subjects for a variety of reasons and one since I have to speak the truth and put aside all falsehood
- 04:58
- Because we're members of one another one of the reasons is I'd like to pick some topics where more people will come out and just realize the sweet fellowship and benefit of Sunday night services just great together with together with the
- 05:09
- Saints and and afterwards just Tonight, don't forget we have some extra cake and so we can go down there
- 05:15
- It's just good to be in the Lord's house with other Christians If I'm preaching through Hosea, it's probably harder if I'm preaching through women's roles people want to come out to hear what the scoop is and so I Did by the way put
- 05:32
- Hosea to the side and I thought in 20 years when I'm more mature I'll try to preach through So I confess
- 05:43
- Or me It is a great book All right about done even if you're not that's all right
- 05:52
- I'm sure we're gonna have to do this over a couple weeks And again, I don't want anybody's dander to get up.
- 05:59
- I have not changed my view since I've come here Frankly, I didn't know if I could ever get a job because the view that Christ only died for the elect is so looked down In a negative fashion that is hard to get a job if you believe that but I remember writing that on my resume
- 06:16
- If you think I'm kind of strange or wild for believing these views. These were the views of Spurgeon These are the views of the early missionaries like William Carey People like John Knox is debatable about Calvin and we won't answer that tonight
- 06:31
- John MacArthur, I mean there are others RC Sproul. This is not some kind of weird cultic thing
- 06:38
- So only just a few people believe but evangelicalism is divided and we want to talk about what did
- 06:43
- Christ accomplish on the cross? Here's what we'll do I'm gonna just ask you the question you say true or false and tell me why and then we'll get more into the bulk this is almost gonna be like an overview of what we're going to do and Then we'll work through it
- 06:56
- Now, we'll have some Q &A probably next time at the end. If you disagree with me, it's fine just hold your questions and we'll get them at the end and That's gonna be fine number one everyone limits the
- 07:09
- Atonement true or false. Okay. What do you mean Bruce by false?
- 07:28
- Okay in that sense and I didn't that was not my intention behind it But in terms of just a straight reading
- 07:34
- Bruce said that you if you're a human you can't limit the death of Christ on the cross
- 07:39
- How could you limit the Atonement and in that sense? You're right But what I meant is this you either limit it by person and Christ died for the elect
- 07:48
- Are you limited it's either quantity or quality the quality of Christ's death? He died for everyone but not everyone's going to heaven that could limit the quality
- 07:56
- Are you could limit to the quantity that Christ didn't die for everyone? He just died for the elect I'm just saying on both sides.
- 08:03
- There's a limit to it Yes, okay good Number two and you've heard me express this number two.
- 08:11
- This Atonement issue is an in -house debate True or false true.
- 08:16
- You've got Martin Luther who believed in unlimited Christ died for each and every one You've got John Bunyan.
- 08:22
- He believed Christ died for each and every one. There's some heavy hitters Got chalk.
- 08:27
- He was an unlimited. He was limited Atonement Zwingli, what do you think he believed that Christ died for the elect are for everyone any guesses?
- 08:38
- Zwingli believed in unlimited where Christ died for each and every one It's it's an in -house debate and again tonight my main purpose is not
- 08:45
- I don't even if I convince you fine But if I make you study, that's what
- 08:50
- I really want to do Number three limited Atonement Christ dying only for the elect is a sign of hyper
- 08:56
- Calvinism True or false and why? It's false, but these days if you say
- 09:03
- I'm a Calvinist and I'm a five -point Calvinist I believe in total depravity unconditional election limited Atonement irresistible grace perseverance of the
- 09:10
- Saints Then you're labeled a hyper Calvinist and I would just say to you that historically speaking.
- 09:16
- You're not speaking correctly Historically hyper Calvinism is no evangelism No prayer for the lost and no love
- 09:25
- No, no love from God towards the non -elect That is hyper
- 09:30
- Calvinism. Yes well, we'll have to get to that another time, but the doctrine of reprobation if I could just make it a little clearer is
- 09:48
- Never does never do the non -elect Come with terminology like predestined predestined is only used of the elect
- 09:55
- The non -elect according to most of the scholars are they're passed over and they don't go to hell because they're not elect
- 10:01
- They go to hell because they didn't trust the Savior. So it's different language. It's not the same kind of language Predestination is only used for election
- 10:10
- God's loving election to salvation So we won't get to reprobation on that one, but some reprobation you can be hyper
- 10:17
- Calvinistic no evangelism It's fatalism that kind of stuff Okay, number four the word world
- 10:26
- Cosmos and the Greek always means each and every person on the planet False and we'll get to some of those when you see a word just like with love in the
- 10:35
- English You need to ask yourself the question. What does that mean? Same thing next the word where the word all is always inclusive of each and every person
- 10:45
- The answer is false. There are some limited all's there's exclusive all's and limited all's and by the way the last two statements
- 10:53
- Both the limited atonement Christ died for the elect only and the unlimited atonement Christ died for each and every person would believe those two things
- 11:02
- So far if you're on either side of the debate you would agree with number one Two -three -four -five if you're
- 11:11
- Historically Orthodox number six Difficult passages should be interpreted in light of planar passages.
- 11:17
- Would you agree with that most the time? Yeah, that's exactly true And so we're that's gonna be something that we're gonna look at because there are some passages that don't fit into any one system
- 11:27
- So what are you going to do with those? number seven
- 11:33
- Limited atonement can be an encouragement in evangelism Okay, why is that?
- 11:41
- anyone Dave Okay, so in in this sense, and I would agree with what you said, it's an encouragement.
- 12:00
- It's not a discouragement Same thing with election. Some people say well if you believe in election, why would you go around and evangelize because I know
- 12:07
- That there's an E on somebody's head that I can't see but God can I mean figuratively speaking and I know when
- 12:14
- I when I Knock on the door. I have hope that maybe one of these people will be elect So I think it's a real encouragement to know there are still people out there
- 12:21
- That Christ has died for who are not regenerate and we just need to preach the gospel to everyone Number eight the
- 12:29
- Bible says the Bible tells us to say Jesus died for you when we evangelize Boy, this is getting hot in here already
- 12:40
- Can you think of a verse who could give me a verse where they say Jesus died for you? Okay, let's just go there
- 12:50
- X 1348 by the way is a great verse for the chicken and the egg theologically
- 12:57
- This verse, of course, it's in Acts and people may say well It's a transition book and it's not normative and we can't get a lot of theology we better beware of getting our theology out of acts versus the
- 13:09
- Epistles and that's true. Well, let's see what acts chapter 13 verse 48 says I don't think we'll see much about the atonement, but that's okay.
- 13:17
- It's a good verse. Anyway when the Gentiles heard this I Heard what that Gentiles get to be saved earlier in the verse 47 they began rejoicing can you imagine with there is salvation for non -jews and Glorifying the word of the
- 13:32
- Lord and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed It's not the other way around you believe and then
- 13:38
- God appoints you if you're appointed to eternal life, you will believe So in terms of this
- 13:44
- Bible tell us to say Jesus died for you when you evangelize It doesn't help us there But it does help us to realize the doctrine of kind of which comes first any other verses
- 13:54
- Jesus died for you Paul's preaching Peter's preaching Jonah will hold on to that because when we get to the all real there was there a question in the back
- 14:38
- Comment. Okay. Good. Let's go there First Corinthians chapter 15 3
- 14:47
- I'll go ahead and read that just so we can have it on the tape This is a great encapsulation of the gospel
- 14:55
- For I delivered to you as a first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the
- 15:00
- Scriptures You see those personal Discussions there our and that he was buried and he was raised on the third day according to the
- 15:08
- Scriptures and that he appeared to Seep us into the twelve So it is certainly true that Jesus died for our sins, isn't it?
- 15:18
- God demonstrates his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and I say yes and amen and yes and amen
- 15:24
- But that really is not my question in terms of can you see some place where the
- 15:30
- Bible is talking to unbelievers? Peter's preaching Paul's preaching he's talking to unbelievers and saying
- 15:37
- Jesus died for you Now certainly when he's writing to the Church of Galatia or Corinth He's writing to Christians and it's fine certainly to tell you tell
- 15:45
- Christians. Aren't you glad Jesus died for you? I mean that is the message I mean
- 15:52
- Jesus died for my sins. It is true and I affirm that and so does everybody here no matter what you're where you come from But here's what
- 16:00
- I'm getting at. You will have a hard time finding in an evangelistic setting in the
- 16:05
- Bible Someone saying Jesus died for your sins. You're gonna have a hard time
- 16:10
- You'll see them talk about Jesus died for sinners and there is free mercy for sinners
- 16:15
- But you will have a hard time having Nathan's kind of finger out there saying Jesus died for you
- 16:22
- So if you find one, of course, you can let me know and I'll go ahead and read those But I can't think of one in Scripture where it says
- 16:28
- Jesus died for you Now, let me say this if I'm right about Jesus dying only for the elect
- 16:36
- Then it would go along with that theology that how could I tell someone Jesus died for you when I don't know if he did or not on the flip side if Master seminary professor
- 16:45
- Robert Thomas who I esteem more than any other scholar that I've ever met He believes that Jesus died for everyone's sins, including the non -elect
- 16:54
- He can say with this theology Jesus died for you, true So your theology determines even how you evangelize.
- 17:03
- That's my point My point is what you believe will determine what you do and it affects this issue here on how do you evangelize?
- 17:10
- And the summary you're saying man can't believe I can't say Jesus. I didn't die for you You don't need to you can say
- 17:16
- Jesus died for sinners Here's what I would do if I were you if you're very concerned Read Acts chapter 2 and 4 and 5 and you watch
- 17:22
- Peter preach and he can still preach the gospel without saying He died for your sins, and I know it
- 17:29
- Okay, that that was basically thrown in there verse number eight is to kind of get your dander up a little bit to make you think
- 17:37
- Number nine a forgotten issue with the Atonement is that Christ died for God?
- 17:43
- That is the big one. Let's turn to Romans chapter 3 for a minute. This is forgotten. I Really have a hard time with people on both sides of the spectrum
- 17:53
- When they show no Christian love towards one another and they forget that Christ died to satisfy the wrath of God before he died for individual sinners,
- 18:03
- I Think he was dying with the father in mind Now maybe it's all together.
- 18:10
- And of course, I don't know the mind of Christ in terms of you know One thought after another and he doesn't think in progression and he knows everything and it's one decree
- 18:17
- It's not many decrees, but this is an issue we forget about the Atonement is for Not necessarily for the elect are for everyone in the world.
- 18:26
- It's for God That's the main part of the Atonement we could all agree on that too. So there's many things we can't agree on So Romans chapter 3 we have this great treatise on salvation and Paul says what talks about Can't get saved by the law verse 21.
- 18:43
- Anybody can get saved all those who believe verse 22 Why can everybody anyone get saved because all have sinned we're all in the same boat
- 18:51
- Jews and Gentiles We are declared righteous justified as a gift from grace through the redemption, which is in Christ verse 25 whom
- 18:59
- God displayed Publicly this is not some kind of little in -club. This is not some kind of us for shut the door
- 19:06
- No more God in a point of time said I'm going to this to show to the entire universe In the most historic city in the center of the world in Jerusalem He displayed him as a what?
- 19:19
- Propitiation in his blood through faith so God displayed his son not just in an
- 19:25
- X What's I'm losing the word.
- 19:32
- There's propitiation and expiation. So expiation means removal of sin He did that but he not only did that he not only removed sin
- 19:40
- He also was satisfied as he poured out his wrath on his son, right? He poured out his wrath on the
- 19:47
- Sun God's wrath was propitiated are satisfied and we now get our sins forgiven
- 19:52
- And so that's what the passage says. This was to demonstrate verse 25 his righteousness
- 19:59
- And so certainly God was righteous when you talk about the Atonement, would you please especially those who love to kind of debate?
- 20:07
- Include this not just Christ died for the elect or Christ died for the non -elect or Christ died for both
- 20:13
- But Christ died for God the great Steve camp song called and it has in there Christ died for God He was the one that really that he really died for.
- 20:22
- Yes in terms of satisfaction That's right for the father and we're glad that we're included in that but he was really it was the
- 20:43
- Trinitarian love of The Sun doing that for the father. Yes, good Good.
- 20:49
- All right Number ten if your position on the Atonement is correct It was only grace that lets you see it true or false
- 20:58
- True, isn't that right? We have to be very careful and you know, I like to debate and have doctrine and you know all that stuff
- 21:05
- But if I'm right on anything, it's only got by God's grace if you're right in your position It's only by God's grace and we are to act humble.
- 21:13
- Can you talk about it? Yes, can you defend it? Can you can you sharpen one another? You know what happens when iron sharpens iron, don't you?
- 21:21
- Sparks fly That's good but at the end of the day when you say all those guys are four pointers and we're five pointers and I can't believe that And kind of start creating the clubs that is wrong
- 21:32
- We should be the most humble people if we say I've studied the issue I've come to some conclusions and I think
- 21:38
- Christ died for the fill -in -the -blank. You should say I'm just humble. I God gave me my mind.
- 21:44
- God gave me wisdom God gave me professors God gave me pastors and teachers and and I couldn't figure out any of this if it wasn't for God in His illuminating spirit, right?
- 21:53
- So we want to you know, get along is basically want to do. Okay. How'd you do?
- 21:59
- You don't have to tell me the exact Is that right? I think usually when I do these everyone's true
- 22:06
- Was that the case here almost? All right. All right.
- 22:14
- Let's keep going Next thing I want to talk about I have a handout, but if I hand this out to you, you're just gonna read it
- 22:20
- It's kind of like the directories this morning. What those great directories by the way, they are great.
- 22:25
- Thank you Carol I saw some people reading the directories and I thought I hope they don't read those directories while I'm preaching
- 22:31
- Because then I'm gonna ask him afterwards Did you read the directories while directly while he's preaching and they're gonna have to say I can't tell a lie.
- 22:36
- Yes When the whole sermons on telling the truth But great directories and you know, that's
- 22:44
- I kind of think that's the bar has been set Think about the ministries that the Lord has given you at the church
- 22:50
- I say we do them with excellence or we ask ourselves Should we even do them at all some things have to be done even if it's kind of schlocky
- 22:58
- But that is just a great thing where we want to excel for the Lord Excellence are let's do it next year kind of thing.
- 23:06
- All right. Let me just keep asking questions No, I better turn it from question mode
- 23:12
- I believe that Jesus Christ and I'm gonna try to prove it to you next tonight and in a few weeks that Jesus died for the
- 23:20
- Sins of his people or the elect and for the elect alone now You don't hear that talked about very much and when
- 23:27
- I first got here I don't really have an agenda to try to Split the church and cause big trouble or anything else and the
- 23:33
- Bible doesn't talk about it that much in terms of the argument But it's just good to talk about tonight And so I want to make sure that we all understand that there are blessings short of salvation
- 23:43
- That the non -elect receive from Christ's death There are blessings short of salvation that the non -elect receive
- 23:51
- So in a sense Jesus dies only for the for the elect unto salvation
- 23:57
- But when he dies for the elect there are spillover benefits that everyone receives. Can you name me some?
- 24:06
- What are some spillover benefits of the atonement? Delayed judgment excellent good
- 24:15
- Yes Okay.
- 24:29
- Well to have anyone be godly in a society They have to have the atoning work of Christ upon them and then there's a spillover because you've got a remnant.
- 24:37
- Okay, that's good How about something else? It's happening last night in this morning And it fell on people who were
- 24:44
- Christians and who are not Christians rain How about children?
- 24:50
- How about anything else? How about taste buds? There are things that Christ's death certainly
- 24:57
- Spilled over with benefits. Let me read you a few Scholars Jonathan Edwards from these things it will inevitably follow that However, Christ in some sense may be said to die for all to redeem all visible
- 25:09
- Christian Yes The whole world by his death yet There must be something particular in the design of his death with respect to such as he intended should actually be saved thereby
- 25:21
- Hard to read Jonathan Edwards, but basically he says there are Effects for the elect and then there's spillover as well the
- 25:30
- Scottish Historian Cunningham said it is not denied by the advocates of particular redemption limited atonement that mankind in general
- 25:38
- Even those who ultimately perish do derive some advantages are benefits from Christ's death
- 25:45
- John Murray He said there are universal benefits which accrue to the non elect from the redemptive work of Christ hardly anyone
- 25:52
- Denies that Jesus in some sense denied have died for all in terms of these common grace spillover
- 26:00
- Benefits, let me ask you another question is Jesus death Sufficient to save a million billion people on planets here and beyond No one is arguing that Christ's death was somehow
- 26:15
- Not very good, and that's why I hate the word limited and unlimited atonement because if someone says oh you're you're limiting the atonement
- 26:23
- I don't want to limit the atonement because I think Jesus death could provide salvation for a million billion people
- 26:28
- I don't think there are people on any other planet by the way I think this is it. I think this is the center of the universe by God's Designed someone once told me when
- 26:37
- I first got to this church. They said Jesus said something about I come to take care of my sheep and for those who aren't in my flock and that means people like in Mars and other
- 26:46
- I Think I'm from Mars moving to Massachusetts with the congregation
- 26:54
- And I tried to explain the person said no, I really think that can mean people on other planets If there are people on other planets
- 27:00
- They are tainted by sin right all creation groans and has been affected by sin
- 27:06
- Dogs die why because they've been affected by sin and anything else out there dies the universe is dying
- 27:12
- Why because it's been corrupted by sin and creation personified is screaming out. We want redemption as it were
- 27:20
- And so I do know that if there are people on Planetoid X way out there that they have sin and for them to be redeemed
- 27:29
- It'll take the God -man on earth Jesus Christ death to pay for their sins Right.
- 27:34
- Yeah Okay, that's a good question. Thank you.
- 27:40
- Give you one dollar afterwards a limited atonement What would be a better term? There are two other ones that are used very historically and those are particular redemption
- 27:50
- He died for a particular group of people just like he died That he rescued or ransomed a particular group of people out of Egypt called the
- 27:58
- Israelites Particular redemption is better and there's another one is called definite atonement
- 28:04
- Very long writes a good book on definite atonement that he atoned for the sins of a definite group of people
- 28:12
- But I believe Jesus's death would be sufficient for you know Angels if he intended it
- 28:19
- Creatures anyone we're not limiting how great his death is neither camp is tell me about this statement
- 28:27
- Christ's death was sufficient for all And both camps will believe that maybe next week.
- 28:33
- We could have the camp set up by by row Christ's death was sufficient for all wasn't it?
- 28:40
- Sufficient for a billion million planets and more Christ's death was efficient only for the elect
- 28:47
- Only for those who would believe and both camps believe that his death was sufficient for all but Efficient for only those who would believe in both camps believe that what we're arguing about is and I use argue in the sense
- 29:00
- Of not fighting but argue in logic and persuasion and an oratory kind of that kind of arguing what we're arguing about is
- 29:07
- What was the intention of the atonement? What was the design of the atonement? What did
- 29:12
- God purpose in eternity past that's the real issue that we're talking about now, you've got three options
- 29:21
- You know what Carl? I think we're just gonna have to do this Let me give you those notes
- 29:28
- When you get the notes turn to the very last page and let me give you the three different options And of course, we're you know, the bad news is we're half an hour into it and we've hardly opened our
- 29:37
- Bibles But that's okay. You can listen to this morning's message again if you want on tape It's just an important issue and so we'll get there and you can read this on your own
- 29:46
- These are some notes I put together about eight years ago. I was going to revise them. I Couldn't find the the software file if anyone could scan these notes in and send me the that I would really appreciate it
- 30:00
- Maybe you're a super fast typer and you can type them in ten minutes. I need this on hardcopy and I'd like to Do that, but these are my notes from about eight years ago
- 30:09
- And if you why don't you just turn to the very end and then we'll jump right in but the very end Gives us the three options and I I'm almost positive and Carl I better have one more too
- 30:21
- I'm almost positive that no one in this room believes that Jesus died for everyone Therefore everyone's going to heaven and you believe in universalism.
- 30:29
- I'm almost positive Thank you that there aren't universalist here. But if you turn to the very last page, it's got
- 30:36
- John Owens little snippet there It's very famous in the annals of church history The father imposed his wrath do unto the son underwent punishment for these are your three options
- 30:47
- Orthodox not all Orthodox all the sins of all men all the sins of some men are some of the sins of all men
- 30:56
- In which case it may be said that if the last be true all men have sons some sins to answer for and so none are saved
- 31:03
- Be that if the second be true then Christ and their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world
- 31:08
- And this is the truth See, but if the first were the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due to their sins?
- 31:15
- Now I'm jumping ahead, but I wanted you to just read this because it's very provocative You answer because of unbelief if Jesus died for each and every person.
- 31:23
- Why is anyone in hell today the answer unbelief? Owen asks by the way, he was the chaplain to Oliver Cromwell pretty neat Is this unbelief a sin or is it not?
- 31:38
- If it be then Christ suffered the punishment do undo it or he did not If he did not why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which he died
- 31:48
- If he did not he did not die for all their sins So what
- 31:54
- I'm trying to get at is the three views the three main views that aren't necessarily Reflected here you none of us are saying that Jesus died for everyone's sins therefore everyone's going to heaven even people like Judas and Hitler and who's somebody that we know is not in heaven
- 32:13
- Judas I know is not in heaven. Who else King Uzziah? Goliath good for you
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- Goliath Who else died in their sins? Maybe Saul, you know, we're not sure
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- So those are kind of the issues so no one here is saying Jesus has died for everyone Why evangelize we don't believe in universalism and if you look at the notes, let's go back to the first page
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- You look at the notes Page one and by the way, this is kind of just a compilation of everybody's work
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- I mean, it's just like a digest of everybody else some have quotes given, you know,
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- I pretty much Can't think of anything original in my life and by the way congregation you don't want me to You want me to give you the same old story?
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- They said to Spurgeon You know Spurgeon that his critics were saying to him you preach the same message
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- Ten years twenty years thirty years and we want novel we want new and you just preach the old cross
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- Spurgeon said if I preach anything different you throw me in a lunatic bin because you'll know I'm crazy if you look at page one
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- Down to the issue Whose punishment did Christ bear which is
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- Roman numeral two Christ died to save all men without distinction. That's universalism Be Christ died to save no one in particular
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- It's Arminian, which is four points procure potential or possible salvation And then people must believe or decide or three
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- Christ died to save a certain number that the father had given him So you've got a wide bridge that goes all the way
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- Halfway across which is like Be there or you've got a narrow bridge that goes all the way across.
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- That's another way to look at I'll just read my own notes here. Number two the purpose of the
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- Atonement. This is what we just talked about Did God intend to save all or did he not? Seton said if he did not intend to save all men without exception
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- But only elect then the work of Christ on the cross is a glorious success While we're right there. Let's look up that verse because John chapter 6 is essential in this in -house debate
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- John chapter 6 verse 37 We need to remember and both camps agree.
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- Certainly. I think it's more Logical for one camp to agree, but we need to remember that Jesus's mission was accomplished mission accomplished
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- And that's very crucial that Jesus did exactly what he was supposed to do
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- John chapter 6 verse 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me
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- I will certainly not cast out. They'll all come right They'll all make it all those that he wants to make it will in fact make it and that makes the cross
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- Successful if I keep reading Seton if on the other hand it was God's intention to save the entire world
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- Meaning each and every person world Then the Atonement of Christ has been a great failure for vast numbers of mankind have been not been saved
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- While we're on John chapter 6 verse 37, let's read verse 38
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- For I have come down from my head for come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent
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- Me this is the will of him who sent me that of all that he has given me. I will lose nothing
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- Point if Jesus died for someone and he was trying to save them How could in fact they not make it you may say belief and we'll get to that again later
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- Verse 39. I will lose and I lose nothing but raise it up on that last day
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- Let's go further skip ahead to John chapter 10 if you will By the way, there's all kinds of books on this to read you can read
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- Lightner's book on the Atonement Which he believes Jesus died for everyone you can believe you can read
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- James Montgomery Boyce's doctrine of grace and it's the other view It's just good to try to sharpen your mind to see what you believe and why it is one thing to believe something
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- It is another thing to know why you believe it, right? That's what we want to do chapter 10 verse 10
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- The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy I came that they may have life and have it abundantly
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- I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep and that's what
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- Jesus did He wasn't laying down his life for the wolves. He wasn't laying down his life for the goats
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- He laid down his life for the sheep because those are the ones that the father had given him
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- Furthermore, let's go to John chapter 17 while we're still in John and we want to make sure
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- Riveted into your mind that Jesus's death Accomplished what God the Father wanted it to accomplish and I know everyone in this room would believe it again
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- I think it's more logical for those who believe that Christ died just for the elect when it comes to this
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- But you're gonna have to hang in there with me this week and in three weeks John chapter 17 verse 2
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- Let's just read verse 1 as well. Jesus spoke these things and lifting up his eyes to heaven He said father the hour has come glorify your son that the
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- Son may glorify you by the way This is the Lord's prayer. This is the high priestly prayer how did
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- John know what Jesus was saying if John just got done having Passover and a little wine and got super tired and wasn't even around when
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- Jesus said this because God can the Holy Spirit can illumine the mind of John John I mean some people are like well, he kind of woke up and he was speaking listening
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- He he maybe he did. I don't know I think the text says they were sleeping and Jesus is saying this and the
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- Holy Spirit is using John To say these things I have another question for those people that try to explain everything in a natural way instead of supernatural
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- Was Moses speaking at the origin of the universe? Was he around to write
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- Genesis chapters 1 2 3 was he in the garden? No, we do believe it. Anyway, of course because God has inspired him
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- John chapter 17 verse 1 it says he spoke these things Lifting up his eyes to heaven father of the hours come glorify your son that the
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- Son may glorify you Even as you gave him authority over all flesh that to all whom you have given him.
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- He may give eternal life interpretive translation To all whom you have given him.
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- He may give them eternal life, right? That what he's talking about giving those people that the father had given him eternal life
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- And your notes that I gave you say The purpose of the atonement
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- I believe is for his people Now, let's go to number three proof for particular redemption slash definite atonement
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- Why do I think that and again it is in -house debate? We don't want to try to cause any problems.
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- We're trying to study to see what the text says I'm going to give you several proofs for the next seven minutes till we run out of time and then we'll stop
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- Proof number one now there are proofs on the other side and we'll look at some of those arguments as well And the people who believe that are not stupid
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- Number one scripture shows the limitation of Christ's death There are explicit statements that both would agree that Jesus died only for his people
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- Let's go to Hebrews chapter 2 to get a good overview and that will be found down at number 6 in your notes
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- Well, let's just look at some Jesus came to die and save his people from their sins
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- I won't use that one anymore number two because that could be Jews So I don't want to try to load up verses that I don't think have anything to do with the atonement
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- So I would probably cross off number two well, let's go to Hebrews and you're just going to see the the limit the discussion the biblical vocabulary for his people
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- His friends and you're gonna say well, it doesn't say his sheep and not the non sheep, but indirectly that's what he's saying
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- Look at Hebrews chapter 2 verse 10 It was fitting for him and you you may say if you're if you're smart
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- You'll say well, what about verse 9 and we'll get there some other time probably in three weeks
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- But verse 10 certainly says for it was fitting for him for whom are all things and through whom are all things in bringing
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- Many sons to glory to perfect the author of their salvation through suffering
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- So there is there are scriptural verses that just give you many of course There are ones for all and we'll talk about that too
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- But there for many look at verse 11 for both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one father
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- For which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren verse 13
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- Excuse me, verse 12 saying I will proclaim your name to my brethren in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise and again
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- I will put my trust in him and behold I have I and the children whom God has given me
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- Implying some kind of limits look down at verse 16 for surely
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- He does not give help to angels, but he gives help to the descendants of a the descendant of Abraham verse 17
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- Therefore he had to be made like his brethren and all things so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people
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- Finally verse 18 for he himself, of course, you know This great verse was tempted and that which he has suffered he is able to come to aid of those who are tempted
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- There's not too many in there, but there are a few let's go to another one. Let's go to Isaiah no, we're in Hebrews.
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- Let's go to Matthew. Let's go to Matthew chapter 20 Get the WD -40 out and put him on the spines of your
- 42:10
- Bible and we're gonna do Bible drill here Just I want to just show you the point both sides will believe it that there are some limits to Christ's death in terms of Terminology now, there are other universal passages, but I'm just trying to establish that there are passages that show explicitly that there's a limitation
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- Matthew chapter 20 verse 28 I'll just go ahead and read that Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for what?
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- Many so there are limits and everyone would agree if you look back in my notes that I gave out to you
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- We've got the many we've got the children of God Those given to him by the Father that we've looked out looked at his church
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- Matter of fact, let's look up that one before we go to number two his church acts chapter 20 verse 28 that Jesus Uses terminology or the
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- Holy Spirit rather uses terminology through his apostolic messenger Luke In Acts to record this passage
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- Acts 20 28 and by the way, you can look up a lot of these verses on your own He says verse 28 be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among whom the
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- Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd The Church of God which he purchased with his own blood tying in a purchase a direct purchase to the church
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- Not everyone but the church we could use Ephesians 5 terminology and we'll get there in just a second But the bride right he died for the bride
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- So you see all those verses and you can see his friends John 15 Sheep, we already looked up by the way that sheep verse in John chapter 10
- 43:46
- Let me read you what Kurt Daniel said, which is just excellent now someone will say
- 43:55
- Let's see, where is that? You know what? Let's go to Ephesians chapter 5 Let's go to number 2 and then
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- I'll read from Kurt the close tie number 2 between sanctification and cleansing
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- In other words, why do I believe there is a particular redemption number one? there are many verses that say it number two is we have a close tie between the purchase of salvation and The cleansing in other words when you see a people that are bought from bought by God through Christ blood
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- You'll see them sanctified Well, the flip side is you'll see people who are not saved not sanctified.
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- So I'm trying to show a correlation between Salvation and sanctification which you'll only see the elect in both parties will agree
- 44:39
- So look at chapter 5 of Ephesians. I think I've already said that let me flip over there and let's take a look at this
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- Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25 Husbands love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for here's some more limited language her
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- So that he might sanctify here's more limit her Having cleansed her by the washing of the water with the word and he might present to himself the church in all her glory
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- Now listen to what Kurt Daniel says about the Hebrew concept of marriage and this text starts exploding with meaning
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- He said first the man and the woman were betrothed to each other this may have occurred even before either
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- Of them were born their parents may have arranged the betrothal from the moment of the betrothal
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- They were in a sense married that sense is that nothing except death or divorce could legally prevent the marriage itself
- 45:39
- But before the actual marriage could occur there had to be an exchange as it were the father of the bride provided a what?
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- dowry good girl and the Marriage price in that sense the groom bought his bride
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- Even though he was already legally obliged to marry her then at the appointed time. They came together as man and wife
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- He says notice that the text goes on to say that he might sanctify her and cleanse her the order here is crucial
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- Listen, this is so good Christ loved the church. This is election verse 25
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- Next he pays the marriage price This is the atonement verse 25, then he prepares her for the wedding.
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- This is salvation applied verse 26 Lastly, he presents her to himself in marriage.
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- This is the final consummation of our union and glorification verse 27 Endquote He is saying that there's a special love that this man has for his bride
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- And therefore there's a special love that Christ has for his bride the church. I Love all you
- 46:47
- But I love my wife in a special way, right it's just normal So that's the point now if you look back at number two the close tie between sanctification and cleansing
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- When Christ dies for you, he will sanctify you you can find that in John chapter 17 and other verses and my point here is this
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- Where is the sanctification for those that Christ died for if you believe he died for each and every person because it's not around There's no sanctification for those who aren't
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- Christians Let's go check that out John chapter 17 verse 19
- 47:22
- John 17 19 and We're pretty much out of time. So let's just do this one and close here
- 47:28
- John 17, of course You're if you're a kid, we've got 18 reasons why I believe in unlimited Toma We've went through two tonight that will give us a nine -part series.
- 47:36
- That's how I would calculate it if I was sitting out there It's always true You listen to Alistair Begg.
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- He's got a three -point sermon point one 60 % of the time point to 20 % of the time point three 15 % of the time and 5 % for clothes.
- 47:52
- I mean, that's just the way it goes John chapter 17 verse 19 and 24
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- Very interesting if you didn't go for it on the Ephesians 5, you didn't think I had much evidence. This is devastating
- 48:10
- John 17 19 for their sakes I sanctify myself that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth
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- And when you read the context, you will see it's not talking about each and every person It's talking about those that the father has given him.
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- He is going to sanctify them in truth Let's read verse 24 as well father.
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- I desire that they also who Whom you have given me
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- Beware, excuse me be with me where I am so that they may see my glory Which you have been which you have given me for you.
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- Love me before the foundation of the world sanctified even under glorification There is a sense that you see the death of Christ tied in ex in extreme
- 48:56
- I Had home group on Friday night and I did the
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- Evangelism thing last night with the Hindus who came and this morning Sunday school I had a meeting Sunday school
- 49:08
- Sunday morning Sunday night And since we have to speak the truth and putting aside all falsehood because I just so long
- 49:17
- I just like Lord just help me make it through tonight. I just want to go home and just go So there had to be some kind of word
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- Inextricable it's gonna come out. It's linked in a fashion that you can't get around That these two concepts of if Christ died for you won't he sanctify you?
- 49:35
- It's true Last one. I think I can make it Romans chapter 8 verse 32.
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- This isn't in your notes, but it is so classic For those that believe that Christ died for each and every person it is hard work to get around this verse
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- It is hard because it just doesn't make sense The tie -in between salvation and then every other good gift including sanctification
- 50:04
- Verse 32 he who did not spare his own son, but delivered him over for us all
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- Now you could say well, it says all there and I could tell you it's us all and we won't debate about that How will he not also with him freely give us all things?
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- What is Paul trying to say? Jesus died for you Do you think he's gonna withhold any other blessings from you?
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- The greater to the lesser if he gave you the greatest gift the father gave you his son won't he give you everything else
- 50:38
- If I say, you know, I'm going out of town for a few weeks and I want you to come over and babysit my four kids
- 50:44
- But I lock the safe because I don't trust you. I Mean if I'm gonna let you babysit my kids
- 50:52
- You're getting the run of the house I trust you with my life and my kids lives and here from the greater to the lesser if Christ died for you won't he give you everything else and I defy you to try to find a place in the
- 51:04
- Bible where he gives the everything else to the people who aren't his children Right.
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- He doesn't give all those other things to his non children An argument wouldn't make sense if you believe he died for each and every person
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- Undecided, you know Without discrimination he who did not spare his own son delivered him up over for us all
- 51:24
- How will he not also with him freely give us all things? so there is a definite tie whichever side you're on between sanctification and Salvation of the atonement so we're gonna have to get into the other ones in a few weeks
- 51:38
- You can get on the internet and study this and I hope you do matter of fact I'll say this in closing if you study this issue and you disagree with me
- 51:46
- Amen We'll be brothers in arms preaching the gospel together here and serving if you don't study the issue and disagree with me
- 51:54
- We'll be brothers in arms as well But it's not going to be as good because I want you to study.
- 51:59
- That's my point I know there are some people here tonight saying I can't believe Jesus just died for the elect.
- 52:04
- I can't believe it I don't want to believe it. It's okay Study to find out if it's true
- 52:16
- Well, I think what we'll do We'll have some cake and it's already 728
- 52:21
- Brian Bartlett Would you just come up and close us in prayer Brian is moving on Tuesday And I know