The thing about Ephesians 1 that is overlooked by calvinism is the fact that nowhere in this passage is salvation mentioned until verse 13, which is when Paul explains when all the previously listed blessings became available to those who are in Christ, which is after trusting in Him after hearing the truth, the gospel of your salvation. The calvinist doctrine is forced to insert salvation into the text where it doesn't exist. Calvinists try to claim that adoption, inheritance, holy and without blame, etc are the same thing as salvation. They're not. They are different words with totally different meanings. They are all a result of salvation. Are adoption and salvation the same thing? Absolutely not! The word salvation is used quite often throughout the New Testament... it's used by Paul in other passages. So why would Paul (or any other author of the Bible) suddenly replace the word salvation with another word that has a different meaning if he really means salvation? Why not just say Chosen for salvation from before the foundation of the world? The majority of calvinists replace/remove the phrase "that we should be holy and without blame" with the word salvation, making Ephesians 1:4 say "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world for salvation". This is not what Ephesians 1:4 says in any way, shape, form or fashion. Verse 3 literally says, "Who has blessed us with every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ". Then Paul proceeds to list those blessings. It's no wonder calvinism starts at verse 4 as a proof text and proceeds to claim that the listed blessings really mean salvation. Again.... Not one time is salvation mentioned either as a spiritual blessing or implied that only some are chosen for salvation from before the foundation of the world. Only the blessings are mentioned as predestined for those who are chosen IN HIM. Not those who are chosen "TO BE IN HIM". With the doctrine of calvinism claiming that Ephesians 1 blessings really means salvation, they are then forced to create other doctrinal beliefs that takes the doctrine even further down an unbiblical rabbit hole, such as regeneration comes before faith, irresistible grace, limited atonement, etc which not one of these beliefs are remotely biblical. Even one who claims to believe in elected for salvation but doesn't believe in limited atonement is hogwash because one is meaningless without the other. It's the same with the entire TULIP acronym... one piggybacks off the other and if one is removed or "not accepted as true" the rest die a slow, miserable death.

The question is not, according to calvinists, how does a sovereign God show His love, but rather how does a Loving God demonstrate His sovereignty? Before God was sovereign over His creation, He was in a loving relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit. Accepting a gift is no credit to the receiver; it is not a "work" of salvation. Accepting a gift does not involve creating the gift nor offering the gift. That lies within the Sovereignty of God. Not allowing choice in a relationship is NOT love.

Very well done! Also, your comment to one of the posts concerning Galatians 2:20 validates “scripture with scripture”. Just as the spiritual blessings of being “crucified with Christ”, or “raised and seated with Him in heavenly places”, did not take place for us in 33 AD, as we were not yet born nor had right relations to Christ been established in space and time, likewise the same applies to the spiritual blessing of being “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world”. It all comes down to a proper understanding of the “in Him”, “in Christ”, “with Christ”, verbiage that Paul uses over and over. Thank you! ✝️📖🙏🏼😇

@GreatLightStudios

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Glad it was helpful!

Thank you very much! I can answer now my calvinist Bro.about the chosen before the foundation of the world

Thank you for taking your valuable time in giving me your exposition of your above sermon which I totally agree with your concept.

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the encouragement! Also feel free to subscribe to our channel as it helps us out in making more content in the future :)

Amen brother! I've been trying to point this out to my reformed brother's and sisters for years. Election in the Calvinistic system is outside of Christ and makes Christ secondary. it gives the "elect" some inexplainable connection to the father that is outside of Christ and muddies the water. Scripture is clear that we are chosen IN HIM and anything beyond that is false. Great job on the video, keep it up!

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot for watching and the encouragement :) -- It is honestly a bit baffling how Calvinists seem to step right over the all important condition of "IN HIM." It's as if this concept has no importance in their mind in determining what this passage is saying. May we continue to lovingly challenge our Calvinist brothers and may the Lord cleanse the body of Christ from this distorted view of who he is!

Love the video! What do you use for the notation on the screen?

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! For this video I used Adobe illustrator along with Quicktime’s screen recording function.

amen

Roman's 16:7 King James Bible Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, WHO ALSO WERE IN CHRIST BEFORE ME. Ephesiens 2 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time YE WERE WITHOUT CHRIST, being ALIENS from the commonwealth of Israel, and STRANGERS from the COVENANTS of promise, HAVING NO HOPE, AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD 13 BUT NOW IN CHRIST JESUS ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

living water - wow thanks for pointing out the passage in Romans. I’ve never noticed that in connection to Ephesians 1 - but wow, that is very reconfirming.

@livingwater7580

4 жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios also as a former calvinist and what they believe is that election is to salvation and not service. Roman's 9 says about Essau and Jacob is one was chosen to serve and the other chosen to be served no one was chosen to be saved , its talking about nations, Jacob my servant, Israel mine elect. ISAIAH 42 King James Bible Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Roman's 8 is all about the guaranteed future of believers not unbelievers . adoption(redemption of the body) INHERITANCE and to be comformed to the body of christ. believers have a destination pre determined by God that will happen to all who are in christ. The bible is pretty simple what makes it confusing is the calvinistic presuppositions that they have when addressing scripture. it's really no different then CATHOLICISM, CATHOLICISM goes to the early church fathers and calvinism go to the reformer neither one goes to the scripture because they already have their doctrinal presuppositions and only need a proof text which in context disproves calvinism. we have to let the bible tell us what predestination, chosen, election mean. Nothing can take effect until you get in him. what calvinist believe is not CHRISTIANITY it's something else. Be blessed and may the lord bless your ministry, in loving spirit and in Jesus name bless you

This is simply the traditional view of these passages but because Calvinist discovered u tube they've caused great confusion in THE BODY OF CHRIST as they cramm they're false paradigm into these passages as well as the rest of scripture ..

This is so well put together! Thank you!

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Feel free to share it with others!

Since we don't need to believe Calvinism and follow it to be SAVE (only born again Christians from ALL denominations will be saved) then I guess we NON CALVINISTS were predestined (if God has DECREED ALL THINGS, according to Calvinism, then God has DECREED our rejection of Calvinism AS WELL) by Jehovah God to reject both Calvinism and Arminianism and YET BE SAVED.I am a 1-saved by the blood of the Lamb and His resurrection by Grace through Faith 2- bible believing Christian 3-NON_CALVINIST AND NON ARMINIAN AND PROUD OF IT.

@nathanaellingerfelt6314

4 жыл бұрын

Amen brother! Both sides of this "argument" will be present in Heaven, no denying that.

This is pretty good. I think scripture is pretty clear. God reconciled the world back to himself, he did so by Jesus shed blood, Jesus sends out the ambassadors of reconciliation (the apostles), and we are urged to be reconciled, by the reconciliation that is now available to us by Jesus accomplished work on the cross, if we have faith in Jesus. No Calvinistic, reformed, regeneration before faith needed. Calvinism just isn’t biblical. Colossians 1:20-23 KJV [20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. [21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled [22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: [23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 KJV [18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

@TheBrownsberg

2 жыл бұрын

Realy then what happend to Judas was he reconciled, or Herod or Pilate. Or those that drowned in the Red Sea or perished in the flood, Or the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrorah all forgiven...No I dont think...Faith is not a freewill choice....

@TheBrownsberg

2 жыл бұрын

God predestines reprobates aswell who he redeems. His people does not mean everyone without distinction.

@craigjoyner9857

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheBrownsberg the Bible doesn’t say that god predestined reprobates. You can’t just make stuff up.

@TheBrownsberg

2 жыл бұрын

@@craigjoyner9857 Oh realy, Then where is Judas or Pharaoh or Nabal now residing or the Rich men vs Lazarus. God hated Esau and loved Jakob before they were even born. Romans 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

What exactly was "answered?"

@GreatLightStudios

2 жыл бұрын

Depends on who you ask I suppose :)

Good explanation but the issue your having if from perspective. From our perspective we are saved in time, but from Gods perspective who is eternal and outside of time we are saved in eternity. A similar example would be the crucifixion. Jesus was crucified in around 33ad, but scripture also says Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13). So yes, in time we are saved from our perspective but from Gods perspective we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

I get what you are saying here and I don't necessarily disagree with you. But, I also don't think what you are saying negates anything I said or argued for in this video either. Neither does it really solve the dilemmas I pointed out concerning the significance of "every spiritual blessing" being "in Christ."

@Joe881

4 жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios from Gods perspective when were we when were we chosen in him? In eternity. From ours it Is in time. 2 different truth perspectives but yet both are true. Have you been saved? Yes. Are you saved? Yes. Are you being saved? Yes The same action in 3 separate realities.

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

@@Joe881 - When do believers get "in Christ" and what does "in Christ" mean to you?

@Joe881

4 жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios Being "in Christ" means to be a saint, a Christian. From man's perspective when they repent and trust in Christ, because we are in time. From God's perspective in eternity because God is not subject to time. Do you agree?

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

@@Joe881 - I agree to an extent... but definitely not fully. God obviously knows all things and has an eternal perspective, but before the actual point in time that we came to be included "in Christ," I don't think that God thought of us or related to us in any sense as being "in Christ." Before we were in Christ, God did not see us and think of us as being "in Christ,"even if he has foreknowledge that we will be included in Christ one day in the future. In other words, I don't think we were individually "chosen" by God before the point of being included in Christ. I don't think it is possible for us to have possessed in any sense the identification of being "chosen" or "elect" without FIRST being in a living union with Christ. This to me would be equivalent to receiving elements of mediation with God apart from or "outside" of Christ. Ephesians 1 says were were chosen IN HIM before the foundation of the world. Does this mean that in eternity past God literally and individually selected me to become saved and disregarded others? I don't think so. The NT also tells us that we were "crucified" with Christ. Does this mean that I was literally and individually crucified with Christ 2000 years ago? Of course not. What it means is that when I came to be identified with Christ through union with him, I became identified with his death on the cross. God applied the resume of Jesus to me because I was "in Christ." In the same way, I don't believe I was individually and literally chosen before the foundation of the world, anymore than I believe I was literally crucified with Christ. Rather, I believe that when I came to be included "in Christ," I became identified with Jesus' identity as being God's "chosen" and "elect." I became chosen and elect not on the basis of any special and mysterious favor and privilege I somehow attained personally with the Father in eternity past. Rather, I became chosen and elect on the basis of becoming connected to Jesus Christ - God's "chosen" and "elect" one.

So where does faith come from?

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Chris! Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). So I think that faith in God is a gift in the sense that no human being can simply choose to have faith at any time by sheer will power. Having faith in God is dependent on God graciously acting first to send out his word, which enables a response of faith. Hopefully that makes sense.

@supremeantsandanimalfriend1892

3 жыл бұрын

That was a Reformed response lol. Love you bro!

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

Chris - It kind of sounded like a reformed response huh? 🤣

@billyr9162

3 жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios The hearing ear and the seeing eye God had made them both. That's in proverb somewhere.

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

@@billyr9162 - Yes, it is God who gives the ability to spiritually see and hear.

foreknown is an INTIMATE foreknowledge that only the SON has with the father, Jesus is FOREKNOWN before the FOUNDATION of the world. to be FOREKNOWN by the father is to be in christ, no one was in christ before the FOUNDATION of the world and no one can be FOREKNOWN until you believe and the holy spirit puts you in christ.

@Joe881

4 жыл бұрын

Whom he foreknew He also predestined to be confirmed into the image of Christ. So God predestined for Christ to be conformed into the image of Christ? You can easily see that doesnt make any sense.

@livingwater7580

4 жыл бұрын

@@Joe881 your not understanding, you believe that Roman's 8 is about lost people PREDESTINED to salvation and that's not what Roman's 8 is about. Roman's 8 is about saved people those in Christ not outside christ, those in christ are FOREKNOWN and are PREDESTINED to be comformed to his image ( we will be like him), INHERITANCE and the adoption, since we now have the spirit of adoption, but the actual adoption is the redemption of the body. Roman's 8:23 (THE ADOPTION WHICH IS THE REDEMPTION OF THE BODY) 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, to wit, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY. Roman's 8:19 King James Bible For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the MANIFESTATION of the sons of God. 1 John 3:2 (TO BE COMFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST) King James Version Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it DOETH NOT YET APPEAR WHAT WE SHALL BE: but we know that, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is. Ephesiens 1:11 ( INHERITANCE) also we have obtained an INHERITANCE, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, My friend let go of calvinism and all its GNOSTICISM and you will be able to see clearly. no unbelievers were PREDESTINED to future Glory, adoption, INHERITANCE, and to be comformed to the image of christ. You were not known by the father till the holy spirit placed you in Christ the day you believed. if you believe you were in christ before the foundation of the world you dont know your bible. Ephesiens 1:14( INHERITANCE ) who is given as a pledge of our INHERITANCE, with a view to the REDEMPTION of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory Here is proof you were not known by God nor were you PREDESTINED to salvation. Ephesiens 2 12 That at that time YE WERE WITHOUT CHRIST, being ALIENS from the commonwealth of Israel, and STRANGERS from the covenants of promise, HAVING NO HOPE, AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD: 13 BUT NOW "IN CHRIST JESUS" ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Galatians 4:9 King James Bible BUT NOW, after that ye have known God, OR RATHER ARE KNOWN OF GOD, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? You need to read the text because you are reading your calvinism into the text, Roman's 8 is the guaranteed future of BELIEVERS not unbelievers. the father only knows the son not you, when you get in christ you become FOREKNOWN , very simple when you get rid of Calvinism. Your calvinism is stunting your spiritual growth my friend I'm a former calvinist and calvinism is a lie from the PIT of hell. In loving spirit be blessed

@destroyingtheworksofthedev9349

Жыл бұрын

@@livingwater7580 Ephesians 2:12 just proves God didn't give all a chance at salvation, you're simply making the case for limited atonement. Which is true ofc. Adoption is not about us choosing God, an adoption never works this way. The believers that are predestinated are also called, not all are called right? So that is why it is only believers who have God's love, why are you a believer, bc God gave the increase. No one chooses God when unregenerate and dead in sin, no man can come to him unless the father draws him and he will be raised up.

@destroyingtheworksofthedev9349

Жыл бұрын

@@livingwater7580 "Here is proof you were not known by God nor were you PREDESTINED to salvation." So when God called Paul from his mother's womb by his grace - he didn't know Paul? The antecedent cause of every believer is the regeneration of the holy Spirit, no one can believe without him who began a good work in you. Paul is referring to these people getting saved in the time and space that we see and correlate with. Other scriptures like Psalms, Isaiah and many many others speak to God intimately knowing his before the ages began.

I am a little late to this video but I just read through the comments to see both sides. I met with a older pastor friend of mine earlier this week and explained the non Calvinist interpretation of this text, he chuckled little bit and said this is not new. I will link 2 videos by James White and one by Alistair Begg . I think the only way to see this is that God choose us-personally to create us for the purpose of giving Him glory. kzread.info/dash/bejne/mXVsmc6poMTUXco.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/eqyLx8yPpauYips.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/lYqDus-gj5SohKg.html

@GreatLightStudios

Жыл бұрын

I’ll check them out

@GreatLightStudios

Жыл бұрын

I haven't watched the second two, but I'm watching through James White's video. I've actually watched this one before, and I'd say it really demonstrates my issue with how Calvinists often deal with this passage - which is the issue that I'm raising in this video. What exactly is James Whites understanding of how "in him" correlates to our being chosen? What does "in him" mean? How do we get in him? When do we get in him? Have the elect ALWAYS been in him? These are questions that are not even remotely addressed and that is why I believe that after everything White says about it, the passage is left in utter and complete confusion. Related to verse 4 he really makes only two statements about it.... 1. He said that "the realm of the election is only in Christ." I would wholeheartedly agree with that statement, however, the issue is that he does nothing to expound on this and explain what he means. The realm of the election is only in Christ??? How does that actually work? What does that mean? Is he saying that the elect have ALWAYS existed in the "realm of Christ" from before the foundation of the world? His concept of what "in Christ" means is simply left to mystery here. 2. He then says that God chose us in him... "never separate from Christ." In what way is Calvinistic election not "separate" from Christ? Does this mean that before the foundation of the world when God chose us that we were already in Christ? Did God "connect" us to Christ in eternity past in order to choose us? Wouldn't this mean then that we entered into this world already being "in him" and therefore not ever being in need of salvation and never being separated from him? I'd argue that the "in him" references of this chapter are the absolute key to understanding what Paul is saying, and unfortunately James White merely brushes past it and does nothing to clarify what it means or how it fits into what Paul is saying. I'd love to talk with him personally about this and perhaps he would be able to give a more in depth explanation of these things. However, I just honestly feel like this video demonstrates the very problem that I am trying to communicate about Calvinism in my videos... that is that "IN HIM" seems to be an afterthought in this passage. In him seems to be nothing more than a fancy, spiritual tag on that sounds nice, but has no ultimate bearing on how we understand the passage. If I could talk with James White, these are the questions I'd ask... What does in him mean? How do we come to be in him? When do we come to be in him? Have the elect ALWAYS been in him? If one does not approach Ephesians 1 with any sort of clarity or answers to these questions, then I hardly see how they can come away with a legitimate impression of God's election and predestination referenced in this chapter. Sorry for the length here, but maybe this will help to clarify a bit more where I'm coming from concerning this specific passage.

@davevandervelde4799

Жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios I have always seen "in Him" to mean that the only way to eternal life is in him. Like Christ said " I am the door" then only through Him is the only way. Thank you for the long response because I am trying to see how you are wrestling with this. For the last couple weeks I have wanted to go through the Bible to find all the references of "in Him" I have thought of the same questions. I do think the reformed view is being the most consistent with what is said in other places. This will be something to talk about for sure. I do wonder if your method to interpret the text is rooted in first thinking that God is how you want to view Him and therefore the text cant mean that. I know that argument can be simply turned around and applied to me. I just see so many places in scripture that God is acting on HIs creation and causing both good and allowing bad to occur. The Alistair Begg sermon is very pastoral not like James White who is just explaining things.

@GreatLightStudios

Жыл бұрын

@@davevandervelde4799 My views on Ephesians 1 and what it means to be in Christ are views I can to independently from thinking about Calvinism. In other words I didn’t construct my idea of “in him” as a result of trying to think of how to refute Calvinism or explain it away. Of course we all have biases, but the way I think about these things is based simply on what I understand them to mean from the text and weren’t influenced by attempting to formulate a specific idea of God.

@davevandervelde4799

Жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios kzread.info/dash/bejne/rKd9w8WQoMbdnbA.html

Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The Elect are His before the foundation of the world. The Father gives The Elect to the Son. Christ died for His Sheep/The Elect, which is The Bride, that Christ paid for with His blood.

Great exposition on salvation/soteriology from a non-calvinist /non-arminian perspective.The bible is very clear, we are saved when we trust Jesus Christ (exercise FAITH in Christ) and after that we are put INTO Christ by the Holy Spirit to be sealed as Jehovah God's chosen people.We CAN NOT be chosen OUTSIDE of Christ.To be IN Christ is exactly the condition that Jehovah God has placed that you MUST meet to be chosen for salvation, outside of Christ there is NO salvation!!!!.

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

Right on!

amen amen brother. excellent exegesis of scripture, calvinism just shows that something other then scripture is their authority. God Bless you. 1,000,000 LIKES FOR YOUR CLEAR EXPLANATION REFUTING THIS FALSE GNOSTIC BELIEF.

@GreatLightStudios

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot for watching!

@nathanaellingerfelt6314

4 жыл бұрын

Okay, wow. This statement is extreme, you should be careful before you make such a claim. All notable Biblical scholars will agree this debate between predestination and arminianism is NOT a salvation issue (no pun intended). There most certainly will be believers in heaven who adhere to both sides of argument. Also, you mustn't put words in our mouths (I believe the Bible teaches predestination). Scripture most certainly is my authority for life.

@opindras.bangerh129

3 жыл бұрын

@@nathanaellingerfelt6314 hello yes bible does teach predestination. But not to salvation or reprobation but unto the "adoption of children", "unto an inheritance" and to be "conformed to the image of his son." Stick with what the word says and not your preconceived ideas of the Bible. To help you further on Predestination, please go to Kevin Thompson teaching on Predestination. It's only around 45mins and it won't do you any harm.

With all due respect, this is a very unconvincing argument against Reformed theology. Your whole premise seems to be that because there was a time when current believers were not in Christ and weren't reaping the spiritual blessings of that, they therefore could not have been chosen before the foundation of the world. No Calvinist would argue that believers were somehow "always" in Christ. There is an entire doctrine called Regeneration where God changes the sinners heart at a specific point in time and grants them faith and repentance. Of course course the elect weren't always in Christ in terms of temporal experience, nobody is arguing that. If that was the case there would be nothing to save people from because from your view they were just always saved or something. This is a straw man of Calvinism and I would submit to you that if this is your big objection to it you haven't meaningfully researched what Reformed theology teaches. Furthermore, when you say those spiritual blessings only come to a person at the point of faith and repentance, Calvinists don't have a problem with that, but let me ask you, where does that faith and repentance come from? Is it just your autonomous choice one day to decide to believe in Christ? That's clearly not what scripture teaches. Faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9) and people must be granted repentance (2 Timothy 2:25). Nobody can come to the Son unless they are drawn by the Father (John 6:44) and all that are drawn to the Son WILL be raised up on the last day (John 6:39). My friend, the truth of God's sovereignty in salvation is all over the Scriptures. You doing eisegesis on one passage out of Ephesians is not the big checkmate you think it is.

@GreatLightStudios

2 жыл бұрын

Zach, is being "chosen" by God rightly defined as a "spiritual blessing?"

@ZachMetzger1377

2 жыл бұрын

@@GreatLightStudios You didn't answer my questions first. Don't try to change the subject. Where does a man's faith and repentance come from?

@GreatLightStudios

2 жыл бұрын

@@ZachMetzger1377 - as I see it… Faith comes from hearing the word of God. God provides his word/light which enables a person to respond in faith while also being able to respond in unbelief. John 12:35-36 displays this I believe - ““The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you…. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

@ZachMetzger1377

2 жыл бұрын

Great Light Studios Yes hearing the word of God is the means God uses to work in people’s hearts and draw them to himself. However, people aren’t just merely able to respond in unbelief, but they always will respond in unbelief unless God changes their heart of stone to a heart of flesh. No one can come to Christ unless they are drawn by the Father (John 6:44) But notice that all that are drawn by the Father WILL be raised up on the last day (John 6:37-39) They aren’t merely drawn and then at that point have an autonomous choice to walk away, because ALL that are drawn are raised up like Christ says, the will of the Father is that Jesus loses none of them that were given to him (John 6:39).

@GreatLightStudios

2 жыл бұрын

@@ZachMetzger1377 - I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the verses I mentioned above. They seem to contradict most of what you just said. Jesus explained that these people were being given light and an opportunity to believe in that light and so become children of light. He also recognized the possibility that they would reject the light they were being given. Everything about what Jesus is saying seems to assume that there is a REAL opportunity for both faith or unbelief but the burden is on them to believe or not. As far as John 6, I understand the Calvinist way of handling these verses, but I simply disagree with the way they interpret them. John 6:45 goes on to say "Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me-" -- HEARING and LEARNING from the Father are the conditions being met by those who are then subsequently "drawn." Who are the ones drawn by the Father? The unconditionally elect? No. The ones drawn are those who have been hearing and learning from the Father ALREADY. Who are these people then and what does it mean that they were hearing and learning from the Father? Well, this is an often repeated theme in the gospel of John... John 5:46 - "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me." John 8:39 - "“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did." John 8:42 - "Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God." Those who are drawn are those Jews who, like Abraham, were already walking with God in some form. They were Jews who had already been responding rightly to the scriptures and the law of God so that now when God showed up in the flesh, their hearts were already in a position so that they recognized him, his voice and the truthfulness of who he was, i.e. - they were "drawn" to him. John 6 has nothing to do with unconditional election in my opinion. To interpret it in that fashion is to entirely misunderstand the often repeated theme that is conveyed in the many verses I listed above. God draws to Jesus those people who were already "hearing" and "learning" from him. Biblically, "hearing" is often synonymous with "faith" or "believing." So in my mind, when Jesus says these people were "hearing" from the Father, it communicates that these people being drawn to Jesus were ALREADY "believers." When you grasp this concept it also bring a ton of clarity to what Jesus means in John 10 when he references the sheep.

Election is the Gospel to a Calvinist.

God job explaining these truths that are written in Ephesians chapter 1 and 2. We must defend the faith which is in Jesus Christ, not calvinism.

You have Calvinism all wrong, without Christ we are not chosen! We are spiritually dead without Christ. This scripture actually helps Calvinism and the reformed view. Without Christ, no one is chosen ,

@GreatLightStudios

Жыл бұрын

So when are we "with" Christ? Are we "with" him before or after we believe in him?

I am sorry I am not a Calvinist but what you did there by completely ignoring the time given by Paul of when that choice happened is really terrible distortion. "before the foundation of the world" why didn't you address that? also the word world there means literally everything even the heavens.

@GreatLightStudios

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This video wasn't meant to be an exhaustive explanation of the passage, it was simply meant to show the significant contradiction it poses for Calvinistic theology. -- Being "chosen" by God is a "spiritual blessing" which can only be possessed by those who are presently "in Christ." As far as being chosen "before the foundation of the world..." That is something I should cover more in another video. There are two scriptures that I think help bring clarity to what Paul is trying to say here... Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Romans 6:4 "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death..." Colossians 3:3 "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." These verses, and many others like them, tell us that "we" personally "died" with Christ, were "crucified" with him and were "buried" with him. Have you ever personally died, been crucified or buried in a tomb? Me either. But, Paul speaks about us as if we HAVE experienced these things 2,000 years ago. But, neither of us were alive 2,000 years ago, so how could we possibly have been crucified with Christ? Obviously, we make sense of this by understanding the context of our identification with Christ. For those who are "in Christ," they are identified by Jesus' resume and no longer identified by their own resume. Who Jesus is and what he did are "credited" to our account so that in the sight of God we stand with the merits of Christ. When I come to be "in Christ," his death is attributed to me, since I am "in him." To be in Christ means that ALL that is HIS becomes MINE. You and I were not crucified 2,000 ago, Christ was. But since we have come to be "in Christ" his crucifixion is attributed to us as if WE personally were crucified 2,0000 years ago... Although we obviously were not in any literal sense. So, with this understanding, let's look back at Ephesians 1. Paul says that we were chosen "in him before the foundation of the world." Were you alive before the foundation of the world? Neither was I. Neither of us even existed yet. So, how then could we be "chosen before the foundation of the world?" I believe this is explained the same way as I explained how we were crucified with Christ 2,000 years ago. Just as we were not literally crucified 2,000 years ago, I do not believe we were literally chosen before the foundation of the world. Jesus was the one who was crucified 2,000 years ago and Jesus was the one who was chosen before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 2:6) -- By means of our connection to Christ, we become "chosen" since he has chosen... just as we became "crucified" since he was crucified. Notice that in Ephesians 1:4 being "chosen" is conditioned on being "in Christ." So who are those that are "chosen" by God? Those who are presently "in Christ." Were we always in Christ? Of course not. There was a time when all of us were "outside" of Christ, at which point we were not "chosen" by God being that we did not yet have Jesus. Could God have given us the identity of being his "chosen ones" BEFORE we were in relationship with Jesus? That would mean that we were, in some form, reconciled to God APART from Jesus. Calvinism teaches that before we had a relationship with the Son we were somehow the chosen and elect of the Father. That is impossible. We could not have possibly possessed the identity of being "chosen" by the Father while we were still "children of wrath" and "separate from Christ" (Ephesians chapter 2). No. We are only chosen by God inasmuch as we are connected to Christ by faith. When we believe we are placed "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:13) and then we receive the same "ID" as Jesus -- including being chosen. We are identified by God as "crucified" only on account of who Jesus is FOR US. In the same way we are identified by God as "chosen" only on account of who Jesus is for us. There is much more that could be and should be said about all of this, but I'll leave it there for now. Hopefully that was helpful in some way. Feel free to ask clarifying questions if needed.

In Christ means based on what he did fulfilled the law the shedding of his blood , atoment

@GreatLightStudios

5 жыл бұрын

albusai - “in Christ” is also a spiritual “location” or “condition.” Colossians 1 says we were transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s Son. To be “in Him” means there is a living, relational connection to him by faith.

@ipaporod

4 жыл бұрын

:We are placed IN him by the Holy Ghost when we believe (FAITH) Christ Gospel of salvation, that is what Paul and John teaches.We are NOT placed IN Christ by the Atonement (the Atonement=righteousness to those who believe the Gospel) , we are placed IN Christ by 1st FAITH and through the atonement and Christ resurrection.1st you MUST hear the Gospel (which explains the atonement and the resurrection) then 2nd you MUST believe the Gospel you just heard and finally 3rd if you believe you are placed INTO Christ body (his Church and believers) by the Holy Ghost.Hope this helps clarify things for you.