The law of the LORD is
perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD
is sure
making wise the simple:
Psalm 19:7
Our study on the Sovereignty of God is of the most importance because if we do not allow God and His Word to be imbedded into our lives then the door is swung open for all kinds of false teaching even to the point of heresy. I have noticed that many in the Church today abhor that word heresy and even fault those whose love for God drives them to examine and expose heretical and false teachings. As we have been exposing the awful fact of tradition when tradition overrides the very word of God and becomes as important as the Word of God, we find that so many of the children of those so engrained in false teaching and believe that it is true, that the children also accept it as true and promulgate it further. Even mainstream Christians have this battle and often the doctrines and teaching of their Church are raised to the level of inspiration. What occurs is that there natural tendency due to sin, causes them to forget that God is Sovereign and He determines what is His will and purpose. Some Churches teach that a person can call down the kingdom of God to earth and practice all sorts of neo-Montanist theology. Montanism is alive and well and growing very rapidly today. For the most part it wears a mask of orthodoxy, however, it has taken the worst elements of the original Montanism and expanded them to new depths of error. Remember that error always compounds itself unless it is checked and denounced by the plain teaching of the Scriptures. Heresy thrives when people are asleep and have a shallow in their devotion to God and the study of His Word. By allowing traditions to be the method or way to the knowledge of God is to allow Satan to misuse God's Scripture and to turn honest seeking people away from the truth and to accept a theology not based upon Scripture.
There has been over the last 200 years and especially in the mid-1800's a resurgence of so-called spiritual gifts; i.e., healing, speaking in tongues, visions, prophecy, etc. This theology breeds upon the need to have a new understanding and revelation of God. Yet, they forget that God is Sovereign and has spoken, therefore there is nothing new to be added to our worship and understanding of God. We have intuitively within us the knowledge of God, we have the Holy Spirit that will enlighten us as we allow Him to open and illuminate our minds. It is taught and believed that the revelation of God given to the first pair in the Garden of Eden died out and needed to be re-revealed to such as Abraham and Jacob, etc. and that the further man was removed from the Jews, His people, then this knowledge died out and man needed to be reunited with this revelation of God. Furthermore, if one was to become closely related to the Jewish people to whom the oracles of God were committed then the more correct were their theologies and knowledge.
This is an extreme view that often arises out of a reverence for the Word of God. Yes if we go back in time, in history, we will find that it is true that the first pair had a wonderful knowledge of God. It is also true that if a person were brought under the influence of truth the more enlightened they became. But, we have now an invasion of a theology that is speculative in nature, and turns the truth of God's Word into a lie. Those heretical and false teachers have divided the Church as did the false teachers living in the early days of the Church and were exposed and spoken against by the Apostles and writers of God's Word. Under inspiration they wrote to Christians to avoid such persons and their teaching and to remain in the truth as taught by Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Yes, unfortunately that this law written upon the hearts of men, their very nature and constitution while being present by means of God's created power and purpose has been obliterated upon the souls of men and has been perverted and misinterpreted, and in some cases disregarded altogether and this in every age, and in every part of the world.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) the theologian wrote these words and even then was was facing the onslaught of false teaching, such as to lead to Mormonism, Disciples of Christ, Jehovah Witnesses, United Pentecostals, etc. His words are applicable for his today:
There has been over the last 200 years and especially in the mid-1800's a resurgence of so-called spiritual gifts; i.e., healing, speaking in tongues, visions, prophecy, etc. This theology breeds upon the need to have a new understanding and revelation of God. Yet, they forget that God is Sovereign and has spoken, therefore there is nothing new to be added to our worship and understanding of God. We have intuitively within us the knowledge of God, we have the Holy Spirit that will enlighten us as we allow Him to open and illuminate our minds. It is taught and believed that the revelation of God given to the first pair in the Garden of Eden died out and needed to be re-revealed to such as Abraham and Jacob, etc. and that the further man was removed from the Jews, His people, then this knowledge died out and man needed to be reunited with this revelation of God. Furthermore, if one was to become closely related to the Jewish people to whom the oracles of God were committed then the more correct were their theologies and knowledge.
This is an extreme view that often arises out of a reverence for the Word of God. Yes if we go back in time, in history, we will find that it is true that the first pair had a wonderful knowledge of God. It is also true that if a person were brought under the influence of truth the more enlightened they became. But, we have now an invasion of a theology that is speculative in nature, and turns the truth of God's Word into a lie. Those heretical and false teachers have divided the Church as did the false teachers living in the early days of the Church and were exposed and spoken against by the Apostles and writers of God's Word. Under inspiration they wrote to Christians to avoid such persons and their teaching and to remain in the truth as taught by Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Yes, unfortunately that this law written upon the hearts of men, their very nature and constitution while being present by means of God's created power and purpose has been obliterated upon the souls of men and has been perverted and misinterpreted, and in some cases disregarded altogether and this in every age, and in every part of the world.
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) the theologian wrote these words and even then was was facing the onslaught of false teaching, such as to lead to Mormonism, Disciples of Christ, Jehovah Witnesses, United Pentecostals, etc. His words are applicable for his today:
"And yet some people actually imagine that the revelation in God’s Word is not enough to meet our needs. They think that God from time to time carries on an actual conversation with them, chatting with them, satisfying their doubts, testifying to His love for them, promising them support and blessings. As a result, their emotions soar; they are full of bubbling joy that is mixed with self-confidence and a high opinion of themselves. The foundation for these feelings, however, does not lie within the Bible itself, but instead rests on the sudden creations of their imaginations. These people are clearly deluded. God’s Word is for all of us and each of us; He does not need to give particular messages to particular people."
— Jonathan Edwards
Allow God to be Sovereign in your life and stay in His Word, pray, take time, study to show yourself approved making sure your election. Examine all that is being taught, not just to find fault, but so to grow in faith and God's Word is sounded down into your heart and the Holy Spirit enabling you to walk and live as a Christian, an ambassador with the message of reconcilliation. Start at home, impress the truth from God's Word to your children, grandchildren, help to see that their knowledge of God is in them because God created so that that knowledge in their very nature and God will return to all who He has chosen to be His and how do you know that you are chosen? Because God has enabled you and drawn you to Him. This is a great mystery of God, that He would love us even in our sinfulness.
You are my portion; O LORD;
I have said that I would keep
Your Words.
I entreated Your favor with
my whole heart;
Be merciful to me accourding
to Your Word.
Psalm 119:57-58
May His Word Be Settled In Your Heart
Richard L. Crumb
— Jonathan Edwards
Allow God to be Sovereign in your life and stay in His Word, pray, take time, study to show yourself approved making sure your election. Examine all that is being taught, not just to find fault, but so to grow in faith and God's Word is sounded down into your heart and the Holy Spirit enabling you to walk and live as a Christian, an ambassador with the message of reconcilliation. Start at home, impress the truth from God's Word to your children, grandchildren, help to see that their knowledge of God is in them because God created so that that knowledge in their very nature and God will return to all who He has chosen to be His and how do you know that you are chosen? Because God has enabled you and drawn you to Him. This is a great mystery of God, that He would love us even in our sinfulness.
You are my portion; O LORD;
I have said that I would keep
Your Words.
I entreated Your favor with
my whole heart;
Be merciful to me accourding
to Your Word.
Psalm 119:57-58
May His Word Be Settled In Your Heart
Richard L. Crumb
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