Which Comes First- Regeneration or Faith?

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The question has its roots in ancient times, and seeks to answer which is the cause and which is the effect. A much more important question, though, is which came first- regeneration or faith?

We often here about someone becoming a "born again Christian". The idea of being a "born again" Christian is a bit of a redundant term. In order to be a Christian, you must first be born again. So to say one is a "born again Christian" is to say that they are a "Christian-Christian". There are no other kinds of Christians.

Becoming "born again" is synonymous for a theological term, "regenerate". When we speak about someone becoming "regenerated", or refer to someone as a "regenerate", we are essentially saying that they are born again.

But before we jump into regeneration, we should first should look at why we need to be born again. We can all agree that we are all under the power of sin and are born into this world as sinners. Adam, as our federal head, served as the representative for all human kind, and in his sin, we all became sinners. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, "in Adam all die."

Prior to regeneration, we were all dead in our sins and trespasses. We were alive phsyically, but dead spiritually. Prior to our rebirth, we walked according to "the course of the world." Our measuring stick for what we consider good is the world and we naturally attempt to blend in. The world sets the standard for the unregenerate.

One of the most explicit verses we see about our state is from Ephesians 2:1-3: "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." Other verses we find that speak of our condition are:

-"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

-"there is no one who does not sin" (2 Chronicles 6:36)

-"What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." (Romans 3:9-12)

-"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

-"Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead." (Ecclesiastes 9:3)

-"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:34)

-"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)

As you can see, Scripture paints a very bleak picture of man, and one that is in grave danger. Our condition reads worse than any horror story ever written. However, in spite of the wickedness of man, God had a plan to redeem his people by sending his son, Jesus Christ, to die for all the sins of his people. But how does this apply to us?

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.² This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” ³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8)

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. First, we know two things about Nicodemus- he was a Pharisee, and a ruler of the Jews. He was also a well educated man that had been highly trained in theology. He recognized Jesus as a rabbi and was very respectful towards Jesus. Answering Nicodemus' question in verse 2, Jesus got right to the point in verse 3, "Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Notice the emphasis that Jesus placed on regeneration as a necessary condition for believing in him. Use of the word, "must" is significant for a person to even see the kingdom of God, let alone enter it. 

"Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." When something important was being stated, Jews would often repeat themselves, and at times use slightly different wording. While Nicodemus' response was a clear humanistic response (how can he enter his mother's womb a second time?), Jesus responded that not only could you not see the kingdom of God if you weren't born again, but you couldn'r enter it either.

Jesus attempted to explain this to Nicodemus in verse six: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Jesus re-emphasized a beginning point that, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. It is noteworthy that Jesus had to start with a basic point with someone like Nicodemus who was so well educated, yet knew so little.

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” It is interesting that the Greek word for "wind" is "pneuma" and the Greek word for "Spirit" is "pnematos". So when Jesus was saying that "You have to be born of the Spirit, and it's like the wind," he is essentially saying, "the pneuma is like the pneuma."

The Holy Spirit's work is mysterious, therefore regeneration is mysterious. The Spirit is invisible and we can not see the Spirit regenerating someone. We can, however, see the effects of regeneration. In the same way we can't see the wind, we can feel and hear the effects of the wind. Wind itself is invisible, but the effect of wind is not invisible.

When the Holy Spirit regenerates our hearts, our disposition changes. We are no longer an enemy of God and are no longer at war with God. We now run to God, which could have never happened had the Spirit not changed the disposition of our souls. With a change in disposition in our souls, we now seek God and have an affection for God that wasn't previously there. Our hearts once were beating only for our own selfish desires, it is now beating for God. This is the effect of the Spirit blowing where it wishes and blowing into us.

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." (Ezekiel 36: 26-27) God promised a time in which he would give a new spiritual rebirth to his people. Instead of a heart of stone, unable to respond to God, God promised to give us a new heart that would enable us to respond in obedience.

"One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul." (Acts 16:14) This is another example of regeneration. God first opened Lydia's heart so that she was able to hear Paul's preaching and respond in faith.

Who has power over death? No one, but God. A dead man has no ability to make himself alive. This can only happen by the work of God. Just as Lazarus did not assist Jesus in bringing himself back to life, a spiritually dead person can not bring themselves back to life. They can't meet God halfway, because they are DEAD. This is a process that is by God alone. An illustration I have heard before has us at the bottom of the sea, dead and drowned. God does not throw us a life raft and hope that we grab it so he can pull us in. God goes down to the bottom of the ocean and pulls us up and breathes new life into us.

Once God has made us alive, we will then have our disposition changed to one who is no longer at war with God. We must then repent, and place our faith in Christ. But if God had not stepped in and intervened, and regenerated our heart and given us hearts of flesh, we would not have had a desire for Christ. Spiritually dead people do not develop faith which causes God to regenerate them. Their faith is the fruit of the regeneration.

Scripture is clear. Regeneration comes before faith. One does not possess the ability to have faith until God removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. Today, far too often modern evangelical teaching states that after we come to Christ in faith, we are then regenerated. But a dead man can not make himself alive. Salvation is a monergistic work. God regenerates our hearts, thus enabling us to come to him in faith and repentance. Soli deo gloria!

 

The Five Solas of the Reformation

On October 31, 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Church of Wittenberg, challenging official Roman Catholic teachings of the time including the sale of indulgences. This was the catalyst for what we know today as the Protestant Reformation. That's not to say that it began on that day. In the 1300's, John Wycliffe also attacked corruption in the Church, and held to the belief that Scripture was our sole authority, and not the Church. Following Wycliffe was John Huss, who also believed in Scripture alone as our sole authority and Christ as the sole head of the Church. Huss was excommunicated from the Church in 1410, and was later burned at the stake in 1415. Luther, however, took the Reformation to another level. He was joined by scholars and pastors such as John Calvin, John Knox, and Huldreich Zwingli.

While not an official motto of the Reformation at the time of Luther, the Five Solas came to summarize the teachings and beliefs of the Reformation. Sola is Latin for "alone". One word, "alone" was so significant. In contrast to the Roman Catholic Church who added the word, "et", Latin for "and". For example, the RCC believed in the authority of Scripture, but not Scripture alone. They believed in the authority of Scripture AND the church. Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria defined the Reformation, and are still battle cries today for the Reformed.

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) 
We believe that Scripture is divinely inspired and without error and our sole authority. While church councils or creeds are important, they are not our authority, as that is found in Scripture alone. We deny any revelation outside of Scripture. Human traditions and the Pope is not, and can not be authority. Scripture alone is our authority.

Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
We believe that we are saved by the grace of God alone. Only God can breath life into a dead person, and the dead person can add nothing. The RCC taught that in addition to the grace of God, we must also add our merits that we accumulate during our lives, as well as the merits of the Saints before us. However, grace can not be demanded or earned, and salvation comes from the grace of God alone.

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
We believe in justification by faith in Christ alone. Justification means that we are declared righteous based on the righteousness of Christ, or as Luther put it, "an alien righteousness." A huge breakthrough for Luther in his studies came from reading Romans 1:17, "For therein is the righteousness of God is revealed from faith, to faith: as it is written: 'The just shall live by faith.'" Luther found that God does not demand the sinner keep His law perfectly in order to be saved, rather, God gives righteousness to a sinner based on faith in Christ. We are justified by faith in Christ alone.

Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
We believe that salvation is found in Christ alone. Christ died for all the sins of His people, and that alone was sufficient for the salvation of His people. In addition to Christ, the RCC taught that we are saved by the merits of the Saints, and that Mary and the Saints intercede for us. There is no other mediator between God and man beside Jesus Christ, and there is no other name in which salvation is found, outside of Jesus Christ. Our salvation is in Christ alone.

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone) 
We believe that our salvation is because of the work of God alone, and that it is for the glory of God, and we therefore give glory to God alone. The RCC taught that the glory for our salvation can be given to Christ, to Mary, to the Saints, and to ourselves. The glory, however, goes to God alone, as He alone, is responsible for our salvation. We should live our lives in all we do giving glory to God, as the chief purpose of man is to glorify God. God alone is worthy of the glory.

The Reformation changed Christianity forever, and brought Christianity back to the original Christian teachings. These five Latin phrases were a rally cry then, and still are today. The Reformation is not over, and we can use the Five Solas today as we fight perversions of Christianity, such as the "Prosperity Gospel". They are a good measuring stick against today's false teachers, like Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, and Creflo Dollar.

Post Tenebras Lux... After Darkness, Light

Defending Calvinism (P= Perseverance of the Saints)

The last of the five point of Calvinism is probably the least controversial of them all, and most Protestant sects would affirm, Perseverance of the Saints. Perseverance of the Saints, or as I would prefer to call it Preservation of the Saints, states that those who are truly saved will persevere to the end and will not lose their salvation. While all Christians will backslide from time to time, those who are truly in Christ will never fully fall away.

All the five points of Calvinism work together in harmony. Because man is dead in sin (Total Depravity), he can not come to God on his own and must depend on God to draw him near (Irresistible Grace). Those that God draws near are those he chose to save (Unconditional Election) and he sent his Son to die for all the sins of those people (Limited Atonement). Because God begins the process of sanctification and it is the work of God in salvation, God will not lose those that are in him (Perseverance of the Saints).

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40) Jesus explains that it is the Father's will that he will never lose any of those given to him, so that they will not perish. Those that come to Jesus will never be cast out. Never is a very definitive to word and does not leave any room to negotiate at a later date.

"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) Here, Christ is speaking specifically of his sheep, the believers. A few verses prior, Christ identifies the sheep by those who hear his voice, and he knows them. The sheep are given an eternal promise and a guarantee that there is no one or nothing that can snatch them from God's (Father and Son) hand.

"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours." (John 17:9) In the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays specifically for those that have been given to him from the Father. By declaring those that were given to the Son, are also property of the Father is very comforting. The Creator of the world will surely never lose anything that belongs to him. "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24) Later, Jesus also asks the Father to let those given to him be with him in the glory of the Father. The idea that Christ's prayers would go unanswered seems ludicrous.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) Our persevering to the end depends upon the grace of God. When Christ returns, 'the day of Jesus Christ', he will raise his people from the dead, and they will reign with him.

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39) The Apostle Paul makes a very strong claim and assurance for the believer that nothing can separate them from God. While there may be people who are against us on Earth, those that attack us do not have the ability to attack our faith and salvation, as that is protected by God.

"...So that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,  who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:7-9) Paul gives believers assurance that God, who began the work of sanctification in them, will complete it. He uses another definitive word by saying "...Christ, who will sustain you to the end..."

It should be noted that just because someone professes to be a Christian, does not mean that they are really a Christian. You will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16-20). A true Christian does not produce bad fruit. So does this mean that someone who once professed faith, but is now out of the faith, lost their salvation? Absolutely not. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19) "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23) 

The teaching of "once saved, always saved" is not the same as Perseverance of the Saints, and is not Biblical. "Once saved, always saved" is a product of "easy believism" and many modern evangelical churches teach this. This teaching is not saving anyone, but rather is leading many today who once walked the aisle at church, and said a prayer straight into Hell. If someone continues to live in sin, has not repented and turned to Christ, and isn't producing "good fruit", then they will be among those that Jesus will declare, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." A Christian can not continue in their sins. While the Christian will still sin and may occasionally fall into deep sin, the gift of repentance will be exercised. If they leave the Church, and don't return, they were never a part of the flock to begin with.

As with all of the Doctrines of Grace, the five points of Calvinism, the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints is beautiful because it displays God's sovereignty, and with that sovereignty believers can rest assured that their salvation will be preserved. If left to man to work out his salvation by himself and to maintain his salvation, there can be no doubt that no one would be saved. Our entire being- our heart, mind soul, and body- is infected with sin. There is no way we could keep ourselves in right standing before God. Thankfully, we have an advocate who assures us that nothing can snatch us from his hands.

"Therefore, while we all labour naturally under the same disease, those only recover health to whom the Lord is pleased to put forth his healing hand. The others whom, in just judgement, he passes over, pine and rot away till they are consumed. And this is the only reason why some persevere to the end, and others, after beginning their course, fall away. Perseverance is the gift of God, which he does not lavish promiscuously on all, but imparts to whom he pleases. If it is asked how the difference arises – why some steadily persevere, and others prove deficient in steadfastness, we can give no other reason than that the Lord, by his mighty power, strengthens and sustains the former, so that they perish not, while he does not furnish the same assistance to the latter, but leaves them to be monuments of instability."- John Calvin,  "Institutes of the Christian Religion"

Defending Calvinism (I= Irresistible Grace)

If man is fallen, and every aspect of man is enslaved to sin, how can man freely choose to follow God? How can a dead man, make himself alive, and choose to follow Christ (Ephesians 2:1)? These questions are difficult to answer if we believe in the sovereignty of man in salvation and his ability to choose Christ on his own. The Doctrine of Irresistible Grace (of the five points of Calvinism) gives all glory to God in salvation. Irresistible Grace, or Efficacious Grace as it is also known, states that God's saving grace is given to the elect at the time of his choosing, and in doing so, God draws the elect to himself. Man's natural disposition is at war with God, so God overcomes the sinner's opposition to Him, and calls the sinner to repentance, thus saving the sinner. All of this is done by the work of God, and the sinner is simply the recipient of God's saving grace.

Much of modern American evangelism is more similar to Roman Catholicism than it probably realizes. Both would argue that the sinner has the ability to choose God or not. Both would say that salvation requires the cooperation of God and the sinner, (synergism). Ultimately, they would both say that God can be resisted. While it is true that God can be resisted, those that God calls will come to Christ.

Those who are saved in Christ, are not because they desired Christ, but because God saved them in spite of themselves. They are not saved because they were "smarter", or "better" than anyone else. They are saved because they were regenerated by the Holy Spirit, thus changing their disposition to one that does desire God and turns to God for salvation.

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day." (John 6:37-39) These are the very words of Jesus and his statement was very definitive- "All that the Father gives me WILL come to me..." Jesus did not leave much room for a cooperative relationship required for salvation. Those that the Father gave the Son WILL come to him, and he will lose none of them.

Jesus goes on to say in a few verses later, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.  It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—" (John 6:44-45). Jesus makes it clear that no one can come to him unless God the Father draws him. He then gives us the guarantee that those who come to him (who can't come to him unless drawn by the Father), he WILL raise up on the last day. Again, very definitive statements by Jesus about who can come to him, and what Jesus will do for those who come to him.

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8:29-30) In these two verses, the Apostle Paul writes about what is known today in theological circles as the Golden Chain of Redemption. Notice the actions God takes in the redeeming of his people- Foreknew->Predestined->Called->Justified->Glorified. It starts from before the creation of the world, God foreknew and predestined those the elect to salvation. In order to achieve this, God calls them, then justifies them, and they will be ultimately glorified. But look back at what Paul say about those God calls. He writes that they were predestined, and those called are also justified. No where can we find anything about someone who was called, but was not justified, etc.

Much of a person's view on Irresistible Grace will be based on if they believe salvation is by God alone, or does man's "free will" play a part? Can God's will be frustrated? Does God actually save sinners, or just attempt to save sinners? It is clear from Scripture that when God sets out to do something, it gets done.

                                "And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." (Deuteronomy 30:6)

 "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) 

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

We do not argue that an external call from followers of Christ to the world can be resisted. Obviously, since man is naturally at odds with God, many will resist this call. We argue that once God draws a sinner to himself, man will come to God, not kicking and screaming and against his will, but his heart will have been changed and he will suddenly love and desire that which he used to hate. A conversion so drastic must be initiated and followed through by God alone. Only God could perform such a miracle in a wretched, fallen man.

Sola Gratia!

The Christian Response to Racism

Last week in Charlottesville, Virginia, white supremacists and Antifa (far left radicals) clashed, and one person died in the carnage. While Antifa members are radical and violent, they generally do not pretend to be in Christ. However, some white supremacists would claim to be Christians. So how should Christians respond to white supremacists, and racism in general?

First, we must recognize that racism is a result of a fallen world. Racism is a sin, just as murder, lying, and cheating is a sin. The heart is not just touched by sin, it is completely infected with sin. Sin infects our mind, our thoughts, and our actions.

Racism is contrary to Christian teaching. From the very beginning, we are taught "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27). All of mankind is created in the image of God, both Christian and non-Christian, black and white are made in the image of God. To think that because of the color of the skin you are born with, makes you more valuable than someone else because of their skin, is at odds with Scripture.

All believers are one in Christ. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28). Christians find our identity in Christ, not in our race, nationality, or economics. All Christians are one in Christ.

Jesus made it clear that if you hate or anger towards another, you will be judged as those who have committed pre-meditated murder. "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." (Matthew 5:21-22) When you look at someone with hate, you have committed murder of the heart. "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15).

Scripture teaches us that there will be believers among every tongue, tribe, and nation. Jesus died for those who the Father gave him, and this would include people from all races. "And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9-10). "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands..." (Revelation 7:9)

Christians everywhere must condemn and reject racism in all instances. If you are truly in Christ, hatred for another based upon race can not be in our hearts. Jesus is the King of every tongue, tribe, and nation. All racists will face judgment unless they repent and turn to Christ. The only solution for racism, as with all sin, is found in Christ.

Defending Calvinism (L= Limited Atonement)

Previously, when defending Calvinism, I discussed Unconditional Election. Now I will argue for the next point of Calvinism, Limited Atonement. Some refer to this school of thought as Definite Atonement since the atonement was for a definite audience. The atonement is the work Christ did for us in his death to earn salvation for those who would believe, the elect. Christ died a penal substitutionary death, meaning that in his death on the cross, he paid the penalty for his people, even though he lived a sinless life. In short, his death assured that the debt had been paid for his people.

Before we dive into the controversial aspects of the atonement, lets first look at why the atonement was necessary. Could there be any other way that God could save humans without Christ dying on the cross? As I previously touched on, God would have been perfectly just to not save anyone, as all have violated his law, and sinned against a holy God. God is under no obligation to save anyone. But God decided to save some human beings. However, God is just, so there was a price that had to be paid, just as in a court room if someone is guilty, the offending party must pay a price. In this case, however, Christ paid the penalty.

Before we go any further, ask yourself these questions: Did Christ die to make salvation possible for everybody, but with the possibility that it would not be effective for anybody? Did God, from all eternity, have a specific plan and design the atonement to secure the salvation for a certain people? Was the atonement limited in its intent? Was Jesus' death a potential atonement, or an actual atonement?

The question has been, who did Christ die for? There are basically three options: Christ died for everyone, Christ died for no one, or Christ died for some people. If Christ died for everyone, we would end up in universalism, which is to say that Christ died for every single person who ever lived, regardless if they believed or not. There is nothing in Scripture to suggest this thought. They may argue that Christ died for every single person, with the hope that they would possibly come to Christ. This is probably the most common belief and teaching in modern American evangelical churches. They would say that the atonement is limited to those who believe, and salvation was only made possible by Christ. This belief says that the death of Christ only ensured the possibility that sinners may come to God, but did not guarantee the salvation of anyone. There are many holes in this argument, most notably, in theory this would leave open the possibility that no one would come to Christ and his death was for nothing. It also results in synergism, where our participation is required for salvation. They are saying that God can not complete the work of salvation on his own. Many modern evangelicals that agree with this, may be surprised to realize this belief is closer to Roman Catholicism than historical Protestantism.

I will argue that the Biblical position is that Christ died for all the sins of certain people, and his death secured the salvation of those people. The term "monergism" is derived from a Greek word that means "to work alone". Monergists would be in disagreement with synergists and say that God alone works out our salvation, and all glory goes to God. We contribute nothing to our salvation. Salvation was completed at the cross, and the atonement was sufficient to cover all the sins of certain people.

Jesus' death was a covenantal death and brought in the New Covenant. His death had a specific audience with a specific effect. "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them form the transgressions committed under the first covenant." As you can see, there is a specific purpose ("those who have been called") and those who have been "called" were the intention of the atonement. Jesus as the high priest intercedes on our behalf to the Father.

In John 6:37-39, Jesus teaches that those who are gathered to come to him, are those that the Father has determined who will come to him: "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, no to do my own will but the will of him who has sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, but raise it up on the last day." The Father does not want the Son's work on the cross to be in vain, so he guarantees that some people will come to Christ, and these are those that the atonement is for. It is the gift of the Father to the Son that we are given to him. Jesus uses the phrase "gives me" to indicate that believers are gifts to him from God. God's sovereignty gave Jesus confidence that the mission would not fail. The word, "all" does not leave any room for error of possibilities that Jesus doesn't know who will respond. "All" is a strong statement.

At the Feast of Dedication, the Jews wanted Jesus to tell them explicitly that he was the Messiah, almost as if he was put on trial. "...but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." There may not be a stronger statement in all of Scripture about the intended audience of the atonement than right here.  Jesus' response here is that they do not believe, and clearly won't believe because they are not part of his flock.  They did not believe the miracles that Jesus had performed because they were not of his sheep, and the ability to believe had not been granted to them by the Father. So, if the sheep hear his voice, and Christ knows the sheep, what does that mean for those who don't hear his voice? It is logical to say that those who don't hear Christ's voice are not his sheep and Christ doesn't know them in the salvific sense. They do not believe because they are not part of the flock.

In John 10:11, Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." We can see here Jesus' substitutionary death on the cross is for sinners, but what sinners? Jesus points to the sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd who lays down his life for a specific people, the sheep.

Even when Mary was pregnant with Jesus, the angel spoke of a limited atonement, "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) There is significance in the angel using the phrase, "his people." It is clear that the angel isn't saying that Christ will save every person or every Jew. The angel speaks of a certain people, and they clearly belong to God. Pay close attention to note that it does not say that Christ will make salvation possible for everyone. "...he will save his people from their sins."

We read in Acts 13:48, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed." Who believed? As many as were appointed to eternal life.

Jesus said in John 5:21, "For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son give life to whom he will." Not only is Jesus making a claim to his deity by saying he can do what only God can do, but he makes a distinction about who he will give life to.

Jesus makes another distinction in John 17: 9-10: "I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them." Jesus is saying that he is praying only for those who the Father has given to them. These are those who have believed or would come to believe in Christ. And if this refers to those who would later come to believe in Christ, they are already his before conversion.

A common objection to the doctrine of limited/definite atonement is that this teaching does damage to evangelism. I've heard the argument that if we believe only certain individuals will be saved, that Christ died only for certain people, this will hurt our missions effort throughout the world. After all, they say, if we are to believe this idea that only certain people will be saved, and if they will be saved no matter if we evangelize them, then we won't feel the urgency to bring the Gospel to the world. However, you won't find one person that agrees with limited/definite atonement that is consistent with their beliefs who would believe this. We have no idea who the elect are, and the elect do not possess certain external features that would tell us who they are. In fact, the belief of limited/definite atonement should give you more desire and excitement to preach the Gospel. If there are no guarantees that there are any that will be saved, you could spend your whole life preaching and never reach one conversion. However, Scripture guarantees that there will be some groups you encounter that will come to Christ. Evangelism is the means by which God brings his people to himself.

Perhaps the most commonly referenced verse when objecting to limited/definite atonement is from Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." When looking at this verse isolated from the other verses around it, you could come to the conclusion that Jesus is asking everyone to let him in. However, context, as always, is key. Jesus is not speaking to individual believers, but to the Church in Laodicea. The Church in Laodicea was "neither cold or hot". This church used his name, but had no believers. If one member of this church would respond and repent, Jesus would enter the church. Revelation 3:14-22 is also a great reminder for churches today.

If Jesus died to make it possible for everyone to be saved, but actually didn't save anyone, then it is entirely possible that his death would be in vain because of the possibility that every person in the world might reject Christ. What if every last person chose to remain dead in their trespasses and sins? Under this belief, it is possible that God's plan could be thwarted, and his sovereignty challenged because no one possibly would take advantage of it. This idea would depend on each person deciding if they wanted to be saved. In many ways, the question comes down to this: do you believe in the sovereignty of man or God?

Scripture is clear that God decided prior to the foundation of the world that he would save a certain amount of people, those referred to as the elect. To make this plan a reality, God the Father, sent the Son to die on the cross for the elect, and not a single drop of blood was shed in vain. There is no glory to man in this belief, as all glory goes to God.

Soli deo Gloria!

Defending Calvinism (U= Unconditional Election)

Election in the biblical sense was defined by Wayne Grudem as, "an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure." The "U" in TULIP is for "Unconditional Election". The Doctrine of Unconditional Election says that God chose who would believe, not based on anything they could offer, but simply out of love. God's election is not conditional upon us being worthy of God's love.

We will first start out looking at John 6:37, "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." This verse is very vocal in emphasizing God's sovereignty in election. Those who God has predestined before the creation of the world will come to Christ. There can be no doubt based on the certainty of Jesus here. If God has given some to Christ, therefore, there are some who God did not give to Christ. But we can see that those who God did give to Christ are a gift to the Son from the Father.

Continuing in John 6, in verse 65, Jesus said “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” Jesus was speaking to some of his followers, and he knew then that some were not true believers. This did not catch him by surprise. He affirms here that they would not, and could not, come to him unless the Father grants it.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 1: 4-6, "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love  he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Paul's audience here are believers, and he very specifically says that God "chose us". He also says that this took place before the foundation of the world, which indicates that his reasoning for doing this is apart from anything we could add or earn.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Paul wrote: "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,  because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake." Paul says here that the fact that the Thessalonians believed is proof that God chose them. Later, Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, "But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth."

Paul wrote in Romans 8:28-30, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." When Paul speaks about who God foreknew, he is explaining God's choice in electing believers. Those that he elected, he predestined them to be in the likeness of the Son. He goes on to say that those who are elect, are called, justified, and will be glorified.

Shortly after, Paul wrote in Romans 9:11-13: "And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,  though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—  she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”  As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Paul is clear that election is not based upon personal merit. Just as some Jews were chosen for salvation, some Gentiles were also chosen for salvation. Paul also quotes Malachi when talking about Jacob and Esau. God chose one nation to be blessed, and one nation to judgment. 

One of the clearest statements on God's sovereignty in election is found in Acts 13:48: "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed." This verse puts a limit on who would believe- those who were appointed to eternal life. There is a correlation here between election (appointed) and the response to election (believed).
 
Unconditional Election and Limited Atonement (which we will cover in the next blog post) are the two most controversial aspects of Calvinism. There are some arguments against Unconditional Election. One is that election means we do not have a choice in whether we accept Christ. Opponents would say that some who would want to choose God couldn't because they aren't elect. Similarly, they would say that there would be those who would be elect, even if they didn't want to choose God.  However, the premise is faulty. Because we are slaves to sin, and dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2:1), until something miraculous happens in us, our disposition would be to that which is at war with God. If God changes our will, and we are reconciled to God, that is because God elected us to salvation before the foundation of the world. Unless you are elect, you would not seek God (Romans 3:11).

Opponents would say that election is unfair. They would be offended at the thought that God chooses to save some, while passing over others. God is under no obligation to save anyone. He would be perfectly just if he chose to pass over everyone. God chooses to have mercy on some, and hardens others (Romans 9:18). Paul goes on to address the concerns that he anticipates some will who would say it is unfair: "You will say to me then, 'Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?'  But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?  What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,  in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—  even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?" It is clear that Paul knew that there would be objections and calls for God to be fair. But lets be clear, we don't want God to be fair or display justice. This would be catastrophic for all if we all got what we truly deserved. We want grace and mercy.

Arminians would point to 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." We must understand that there are three frequent ways that the Bible speaks to the will of God. First, the decreetive will. This is the will of God to bring to pass whatever he choosed to do in the world. If we apply this will, it would make that God does not decree that any should perish, and this would point to universalism. The second is perceptive will, which are commands that God gives to people, such as the Ten Commandments. If we apply this will, it would mean that God doesn't allow people to perish. Lastly, the will of disposition. This refers to the disposition of God and what grieves him. God takes no delight on anyone perishing, and I would argue that this is the form of "will" that Peter is referring to in the above verse. Some translations say "wishing" in place of "willing".

Election is another reason to praise God. With election, God is responsible for salvation, and it is not left to us. Instead of patting ourselves on our back for making ourselves right with God (which is not possible), we can give praise to God for choosing us as believers and knowing that the process of salvation will be completed.

We can be sure that there are people out there who will be saved, so our evangelism is not wasted. While we do not know who is elect, we can be sure that God has chosen some people for salvation. Election guarantees that there will be some who will respond to evangelism. Without election, you could theoretically evangelize your whole life without someone coming to God.

The Doctrine of Election is humbling. Why did God choose me? For some reason, God decided to grant mercy and grace on me before the foundation of the world. It is completely dependent on God, so that no man can boast. There is nothing I could have done to earn this love. It is completely unconditional.

Sola Gratia!

Defending Calvinism (T= Total Depravity)

One of the more controversial subjects in modern American evangelicalism is on the debate of Calvinism. Calvinism was simply named after a 16th century French theologian, and one of the greatest Christian theologians in history, John Calvin. Calvin's most notable work is "Institutes of the Christian Religion", published in 1536, with a final edition published in 1559. Calvinism is also known as "Augustinianism", named after St. Augustine, due to its similarity to Calvinism on the sovereignty of God, and predestination. Augustinianism, of course, finds its roots in the teachings of the Apostle Paul. So yes, Calvinism is biblical.

Calvinism is summed up in the acrostic TULIP (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints). The Five Points of Calvinism are also known as the Doctrine of Grace, and is a summary of the Canons of Dort. In this post on Calvinism, we will defend Total Depravity.

Total Depravity, or Total Inability, is found throughout Scripture. It is found as early as Genesis 6:5, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Psalms 14:2-3 says: "The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one."

All of the human race was affected by the fall. Sin would then infect all humans. Every person born would have their mind and their will affected. Our natural disposition is therefore is one that is at war with God.  Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1-5: "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved..." Prior to regeneration, we are dead, and unable to choose God. It is only after God regenerates the sinner that they would have their disposition toward God change.

Total Depravity does not mean we are as bad as we could be. Instead it means that sin has affected every part of us- mind, body, and our will. Man's will is not free, and is in bondage to sin. Martin Luther wrote in "The Bondage of the Will": “I frankly confess that even if it were possible I should not wish to have free choice given to me, or to have anything left in my own hands by which I might strive for salvation.” If left to our own free will, we would not choose God, so thank God he is sovereign over salvation. There would be no one who would voluntarily choose God. In Jeremiah 17:9, it tells us: "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Here, the heart is a metaphor for our will, so we learn that our will is deceitful and sick. Not exactly the recipe for the "free will" to make a decision and choose God.

Paul teaches us in Romans 3:23 "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." If sin is a result of the fall, and as taught here, all have sinned, then it is logical to assume that the fall had very lasting implications throughout history. We are stained with the curse of sin.

In Mark 7:21-23, Jesus said: "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Jesus was teaching his disciples that what goes into the body does not defile a person, but rather it is what comes out of the body, in particular, the heart. Jesus taught what is characteristic of a defiled heart.

In Romans 3: 9-18, Paul references several Old Testament passages when charging that the whole human race is under the curse of sin: "What then? Are we Jews  any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:

 “None is righteous, no, not one;     

   no one understands;
    no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good, not even one.” 

 “Their throat is an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”   

  “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 

     in their paths are ruin and misery, 

     and the way of peace they have not known.” 

    “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

It is clear from Scripture that man is unable to save himself and is dead in his own sin. A dead man can not make himself alive. If left to himself, man would never choose God. Man can only come to God when God removes the heart of stone, and gives them a heart of flesh (Ezekial 36:26). Man is a slave to sin, and can not come to God on his own. As Jonathan Edwards said, "You contribute nothing to your salvation, except the sin that made it necessary."

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)

Can You Defend the Trinity?

The word apologetics is derived from a Greek word which means, “speaking in defense”. It is used typically to defend religious truths through systematic argumentations. In a sense, we are all apologists. If you speak to other people about your faith, you are an apologist. Dr. R.C. Sproul once noted that everyone is a theologian. Some are better theologians than others. In the same way, we are all apologists. Some are just better at apologetics than others.

Some of the most important, yet difficult areas of the Bible and Christianity to defend is often the Doctrine of the Trinity. The Doctrine of the Trinity states that God eternally exists as three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is only one God.

The word, “trinity”, is never found in the Bible, but it is taught throughout Scripture. Trinity means, “tri-unity” or “three-in-oneness”.

 

The Trinity in the Old Testament

The Trinity is not exclusive to the New Testament. Several passage in the Old Testament suggest that God exists in more than one person.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

Notice here that God appears to be speaking in plural when he says, “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.” Some may say that God is speaking to angels, but angels did not participate in the creation of man, and man was not created in the image of angels. The best explanation would seem to be that God exists as more than one person.

“Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” (Genesis 3:22)

“Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” (Genesis 11:7)

These are just some examples in the Old Testament where it would appear that God has existed in a Trinitarian form. As the New Testament begins and Jesus comes to Earth, we would expect that there would be more teachings about the other persons of God. As we will see shortly, there is much about the Trinity in the New Testament. 

God is three persons, and all three persons are distinct from each other.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-2)

Since the “Word” is with God, it shows distinction from God the Father. 

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

 The Father will send the Spirit, showing distinction between all three persons. 

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)

 This indicates that Christ will go back to Heaven, while the Sprit will be sent for the Church. 

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24)

 In the way Jesus speaks to the Father shows a distinction, yet they still share the glory. 

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)

In order to advocate for us, the Son must be distinct from the Father.

Each person is fully God.

God the Father is clearly God. This is clear from the first verse of the Bible in Genesis in creation, and is evident throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Son is fully God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4)

Again, here it clearly shows the deity of Christ. John refers to Christ as “the Word” and states that he was “with God” and “was God”. It is significant that John 1 is so similar to Genesis 1. 

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) By declaring himself, “I AM”, Jesus was declaring himself as Yahweh. And as a result, the Jews attempted to stone Jesus, but he hid himself. “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5)

 During the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus asked to return with the Father where they co-existed before the world began. 

“So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20: 25-28)

Thomas was a devout Jew and for him to say “My God” in a way that he was surprised would have been blasphemy for a Jew. Also, Jesus, if not divine, would have rebuked him, as the angel did when John tried to worship them in Revelation.

The Holy Spirit is fully God. Since we can see that the Father and the Son are both God, we can see significance  in a verse like Matthew 28:19:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

 It shows the Holy Spirit on the same footing as the Son and the Father. 

“But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,  and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.  But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?  While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” (Acts 5:1-4)

Peter stated that if you lie to the Holy Spirit, you have lied to God. 

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” (Psalm 139:7-8)

Here David is acknowledging God’s omnipresence and the Spirit is mentioned with it. Omnipresence is not a characteristic of any of God’s other creations. David has put God and the Spirit together and acknowledges that if you flee from the Spirit, you flee from God, which is impossible because God is always there. 

“But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11)

Paul writes here and explains that the Holy Spirit has the omniscience characteristic, where it is all knowing.

There is one God.

Scripture is crystal clear that there is only one God. There are not three gods, only one God. But there are three different persons in one God. They think the same way, and their nature is the same.

-          “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

-          “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11)

-          "I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45: 5-6)

-          "Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord?  And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:21-22)

-          "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..." (1 Timothy 2:5)

-           "...yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." (1 Corinthians 8:6)

Beware of analogies

When attempting to describe the Trinity to others in a way to make it easier to understand, we must be very careful of using analogies. We’ve all heard various analogies that are good meaning, but fail to give a true understanding of the Trinity. When we use faulty analogies to teach others, we then have a generation full of people who have a faulty understanding of the Trinity.

A three leaf clover is one analogy that is often used. They say that because a clover has three leaves, but is one clover. However, each leaf is only part of the clover and each leaf is not the whole clover.

Another analogy that is popular and on the surface may seem to make sense. Steam, water, and ice are all forms of water. However, they all have different characteristics. And when we start teaching using this analogy, we are using modalism, the teaching that God has revealed himself in three different modes. This is in contrast to Trinitarian teaching and has been condemned throughout Church history. We should be very careful in using analogies to describe the Trinity. There really is not a good analogy to describe the Trinity.

Know the arguments against the Trinity

Not only should you be aware of what Scripture has to say about the Trinity, you should also be aware of some of the argument against the Doctrine of the Trinity. Arianism was created by Arius, an elder of Alexandria born in 256 AD. His views were condemned at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. Arius taught that the Son and the Spirit are created beings and not equal with the Father. 

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15)

Arius would argue that “first born” here would indicate that Christ was created. However, when properly understood, it means that Christ has the rights of a first born, which in biblical customs would mean he has leadership and authority.

Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus was not divine and that the Holy Spirit is an “active force” and not a person. Based on their belief, Jesus can not be a part of the Trinity because he was a created being. Jehovah Witnesses also point to Colossians 1:15 as Arians do. John 1:1 is a verse that their translation, the New World Translation, differs from all other translations. The NWT says, “the Word was a god.” However, to show the inconsistencies of the NWT, that is the only time is says “a god”, when other times it never prefaces god with that. 

Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. Those who adhere to this belief are called Latter-day Saints or Mormons. Mormons believe that Jesus is a created being, born to the Father and a celestial mother. Therefore, Jesus could not be part of the God-head. They also teach that the Father and Son are men with bodies of flesh and bone. They are separate people and can not be considered one.

What to expect when defending the Trinity

We have to understand that the Doctrine of the Trinity is hard for us to understand, which also means it will sound like a contradiction to non-believers. We must defend the Trinity and give a good, solid defense for it. But understand, that even though we are to give a defense for it, unbelievers will not respond to it. Christ’s sheep hear his voice, which in turn means that those who are not Christ’s sheep will not hear his voice. Only when God takes action on the sinner, will the Trinity make sense to them, and they will then respond to what the word of God says.

The Doctrine of the Trinity is a biblical teaching. If we are to be consistent in our study and belief, we must affirm these three truths: there is one true God, there are three persons revealed to be God, and they are equal but have unique natures. There is one being of God that is shared by three persons. This is an issue that there can be no compromise on. If Jesus wasn’t God, and is a created being, then how can he pay the debt for our sins? The Gospel itself is a Trinitarian act of God: the origin is in the Father, it is accomplished in the Son, and its application is in the Spirit.