Absolutely incredible. God bless you. A man of Christ; not of Calvin, not of Arminius, not of Luther, not of Francis, *but of Christ.*

I'm so glad you have approached this subject Pastor Gary all my life and I am 83yrs now I never understood what the Word meant in this scripture. I just always hoped and prayed that I was loved by God. Thanks for explaining it so we'll. 🙏🙏

God bless all who see this comment, and may you all have a great day/night. :) (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Scripture says that God chooses for salvation and that he draws and that whom he draws they will come to Christ, and the Father gives to the son and that all he has given to the son he is going to lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day

Saved for 64 years I'm 84 thank you Pastor with this message I get it explained so well by you I'm so grateful. Blessings to you, I listen to your Bible studies and learn a lot.

It seems strange that people who know the Scripture, that before conversion, we are dead spiritually without hope - that a person who is DEAD can make any positive movement towards God. I believe that our greatest hope lies with the sovereign Lord who does all things well, rather than hope in a dead man’s ability to make a choice that he is unable and unwilling to make.

@toolegittoquit_001

18 күн бұрын

Either God is sovereign Or he is not …🤷🏻‍♂️

Every time this topic comes up, I think of the 1 Cor. verse "I am of Paul" and "I am of Apollos." I was THRILLED to hear you use that passage in application to this topic. The Armenians say, "The other choice is Calvinism" and the Calvinists say, "The other choice is Arminianism" and I want to scream "NO!" Since when does anyone have a choice of 2 mere men to align their beliefs with? I'm not buying it. I am of JESUS!

@paulbrown9415

Ай бұрын

Q

@TheRomans9Guy

Ай бұрын

And both of those theological systems are wrong, partly because they share the same foundational error, the doctrine of election. Both Arminians and Calvinists believe God elects some people and not others, they just differ on how he chooses. But Jesus and Paul were explicitly teaching that all people were chosen. It’s horrendous how bad Calvin and Arminians got it wrong.

@claudiafarley2501

Ай бұрын

Amen

@johannesbotha6443

28 күн бұрын

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

@jtfike

24 күн бұрын

It’s all a trap discussion. God is the beginning and the end so he knows what choices we will make before we make them. Lamentations 3:37 is the written word and it is not refutable. And he also gives us free will. He does both. So both Calvin and Armenian are true at the same time.

Thank you Pastor Gary for SOUND teaching of the Word! This is why I Watch you every Sunday, as well as Pastors Jack Hibbs and Brandon Holthaus- preachers who preach the Truth and rightly divide the Word of truth 🙌🏻

That was a wonderful explanation of God's love for everyone. Everyone has the "free will" to come to God through His Son, Jesus. But the Father already knows who will accept His salvation and who won't. My prayer is that everyone who hears His Word, will humble themselves, repent, and trust in Jesus. 🙏

Thank you Pastor Gary for teaching me not to be divided. I know Jesus does not want this division in our church.🙏🙏🙏❤️

Such Excellent teaching, Pastor Gary!

Thank god for pastor Gary he teaches very well so i could understand the bible. Thank God he loves me and forgave me of my sin. Pastor Gary bring to serving the ture and living God. Thanks for the word of God.

i have battled with Calvinist, OSAS, Catholic, JW and it's fascinating to understand how people can be soo proud of their religion. Very much appreciate the sermon today, I choose Jesus, and understand free will of man but also the foreordained sovereignty of God.

@dannyjones4044

Ай бұрын

Amen. I'm right with Gary. I was raised Southern Baptist and this is more like what I have always believed. I prayed and asked God to forgive me as I had been asking my mother , The pastor came and explained to me how Jesus loves everyone, but if you want Jesus to come into your heart you have to let people know. I walked down that long isle in 4th grade. Too bad they didn't follow up with classes for children and adults about savation to explain more deeply. I accepted Christ because in my youth I wanted to believe and Jesus has changed my life. Not perfect person, but loved by Jesus. Maybe will meet in heaven, Blessings, Shelley(my husbaand didn't set me up with my name on computer as it says D for Danny and I am Shelley.

@creechclann

29 күн бұрын

“I have battled”. “Other people are proud of their religion”. Hmmm

@jamesda86

28 күн бұрын

@@creechclann I've battled with every type of friction. Mostly lost but through it i found knowledge and wisdom. I believe this is how the Lord teaches me. My stubborn, ego, pride, he shatteres it and gives me hope to rise. Many more i expect and give thanks to him who loves me soo dearly. Expects much more from me. Such a blessing. Hallelujah

@jamesda86

28 күн бұрын

@@dannyjones4044 im glad you are on your journey with the Lord. What i honor is what lord teaches about prayers and good deeds. To do in secret. Pray in your room etc. Don't let other people pressure you into doing anything. Make sure you align with the Lord and do everything else around it. Go far and explore but always come back to the Lord in your heart. Protect it from external forces. Amen

Great sermon! It’s one of those you need to listen to a couple of times because it’s that good! 🙏

Thank you, Pastor Gary, for explaining the sovereignty/choice issue. After I became a Christian, I went to a Calvinist church, but couldn't buy the predestination "theory" because it didn't fit in with John 3:16...."whosoever believith in me shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life." Then I read about Armeniansm, and God giving us choice, and got to the middle like you preached, and came to the belief that because our sovereign God had no desire that we would be like a "Chatty Cathy Doll" saying "I love you, God" every time He pulled the string on our neck, or pushed our buttons, but would love Him by choosing to love Him with our heart, soul and mind and strength, that He gave us the amazing ability to make our own choices. All of us who go to heaven go there because we chose to believe that Jesus died for our sins and we choose repent for our sins, to follow Him, and love Him and seek to live for Him. Those who have chosen to refuse to believe that they are sinners, and they don't need Jesus, choose their own eternal destiny, which is the place of total separation from God and all that He is: there is no light, no love, no mercy, no joy, no happiness, no good, no fellowship, no comfort, no peace, no beauty, no refreshing, no rest. All the wonderful things we enjoy, often without realizing they are gifts from God, will be gone forever. Thank you, Lord, for sending Your beloved Son to suffer the punishment we deserve, and to shed His blood and die on the cross for our sins. He died and then rose again to make the way for us to come back to You, God, after being separated from You because of the ugliness and awfullness of our sin. Thank you!

I’ve struggled with this for some time so it is refreshing and helpful how you reconcile it. So true that there’s always this tension between sovereignty of God and man’s responsibility like tension between mercy and judgement, grace and truth. Yes, let’s just be humble followers of Christ who heed His prayer to be one in Him. Thank you for your sermon!

Sovereignty of God ❤

@toolegittoquit_001

18 күн бұрын

💯

Praise God ..for your expository preaching on the book of Romans ,viewing from Cebu Philippine

One of the very best explanation I’ve heard on that subject. Love when he said, it’s Both sides, attempting to explain an infinite God in a finite way. I’m paraphrasing, but you get the point.

Thank you for excellent teaching on Predestination and Election. To God be the glory. ❤

I always find this man of God mature and balanced. Praise the Lord!

Best I have heard on this at just the perfect time as I am surrounded by people who believe the opposite. Thank you Pastor Gary! Thank you God!

Was at a gathering yesterday when a fellow asked a Methodist pastor there, “ What’s the difference between Presbyterians and Methodists.” Her reply was, “ Presbyterians are Calvinists and Methodists are Armenians.” This subject is new to me, not having studied the Reformation period but has come to my attention during Bible study like this one and others that teach on Romans. Would have never expected this subject to be brought up when it did! That was a question I would not have known to ask. God is so awesome!! Thank you Pastor Gary for explaining this passage of scripture.

Thank you so much for this sermon. I am 65 and years ago I heard about Calvinism and Armenianism. Being someone that studies the word and considering myself a Berean who likes to know truth, this subject really confused me. I would read a book about Calvinism and it would make sense, but John 3:16 kept coming back to show me that Calvinism just couldn’t be completely correct. Your sermon just confirmed exactly what I believe and I love the way that you say I don’t follow Calvin or Armenia but Jesus Christ only. Thank you so very much again.

@DaviGouveadosSantos

22 күн бұрын

I’m exactly like you. I grew up and was raised in an Armenian community. However, I noticed that I could be perfect, but it would be impossible to be saved by my acts. At some point, predestination made me feel forgiven, and that made me love the gospel even more. My desire to respond to this love was by living in a way that testified to His grace. But, even understanding His sovereignty, I felt bad about being elected while others were not but I can't see to be saved by my own merit anymore as well. I've just decided not to thing about it and keeping spread His love believing that everyone could reach him as they heard his voice.

I always tell people I am neither a Calvinist nor an Arminian. I don’t align myself to a man made system of understanding God. His ways are not our ways, and the total of Him is past finding out, at least on this side of eternity. It’s an injustice to God and His perfect character to align at all with any man made system that boxes a finite God into a man made mold. That’s not who God is! It falls so short that it’s not even remotely plausible for me to consider myself any of those, either in part or in whole. So when someone asks me which one, I say neither; and that I am a Biblicist. Only the Bible has it right.

*AMEN!* *May God Bless you Pastor*

Thank you! I asked God to direct me when I hit play because this subject conflicted with me. I thank God for his Word! I have heard many doctrines on total depravity. I now can listen again with a different perspective knowing the I'm of Christ and eat from his plate. I don't know this guy here , never heard him before but I identify with him in Christ only.

Watching from Madrid Spain.God bless everyone.

Awesome message, I needed to hear this message, very well explained ❤

I always enjoy me some pastor G!!!! God bless Pastor G, we love him!!

I appreciate the way this topic was Handled

God is either fully sovereign, or he isn't. We'll never fully understand this subject on this side of eternity.

@tinadehart3526

28 күн бұрын

Exactly. So my conclusion of this is that he is also sovereign over who is saved. I had to research this myself. If you look up predestined, chosen, foreknown it is very clear to me that God make the choice not us. Jesus also says he will not lose or reject those who THE FATHER SENDS ME. There’s not really any way to interpret that except God is the one who chooses. We can’t be saved without the Holy Spirit. Who does everyone think the Holy Spirit is sent by. I also think that people can reject it and are still responsible for that choice. As with many things in God’s word why do we think we have the right to question who God chooses? We don’t know everything and we never will until we go home. God chose the Jews then why is it so difficult to think he chooses believers. God is sovereign over EVERYTHING salvation included. I listen to John MacArthur almost every day and he is better at explaining this than I can but I totally agree with his biblical explanation.

@oldsoul8429

28 күн бұрын

@@tinadehart3526 to some God extends grace and mercy, to others he extends justice. God is righteous and holy in both cases. God's sovereignty is on every page of his Holy scripture; it's undeniable. Like Nicodemus, we struggle with the concept of salvation through regeneration (the new birth), and we do not know where the wind (Holy Spirit) blows. If my salvation hinged on my ability to overcome my own depravity and choose a holy God without God's help, I would never be saved. Jesus told his disciples directly: "you did not choose me; I chose you." It's not our burden to understand it fully, but to proclaim salvation in King Jesus for the repentance of sins to every creature and leave the rest to God. Amen, and God bless, sister!!!

@JuliaNeubauer

24 күн бұрын

John 6:44. God draws NOT; Jesus saves NOT. Unless Jesus sees the work of God, the Father, in us when God draws us to Him, Jesus will not save us.

Great teaching! Very clear explanation. Will forward to others. ❤

Pray for all- Have faith- God will do what is needed. Believe in the Lord Almighty.

We don't have free will in terms of salvation,left on our own we will not choose God.

Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out (Romans 11:33) The Bible says WHOM He foreknew He also did predestinate (not WHAT He foreknew, i.e that they would believe in Jesus). In Jeremiah 1:5 God says: I knew you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart for me before you were born. In my thirty years as a believer in Jesus I have hardly seen anyone show an interest in salvation. That tells me that God has to instill it by His grace and mercy. I am hoping for that for all those I am praying for. I heard a true story of a Christian pastor in Wales who prayed for all his six children to be saved and watched them grow up into adults. He died without seeing any of them come to faith. But now every one of them is a believer, along with all their children and grandchildren - thirty-six in number.

@joanmavima5423

26 күн бұрын

That is an encouraging word ! For every believing parent, that is a burden on their heart.

Chapter and Verse neighbor chapter and verse!

We all need to work out our own salvation; which means following the Lord and His Word and not Calvinism or whomever else. Get in the Word and the Lord will reward you with the truth and assurance of salvation!

@micheletisdale7467

Ай бұрын

Amen!!!!

05-28-2024 thank You HEAVENLY FATHER, bless the ministry @ CORNERSTONE. LEESBURG VIRGINIA.

I’m glad you did sermon on this subject! I have heard the negative from a couple of people that say “ you don’t choose… study that!” Mainly, I want to share this with them because it really adds stress and doubts. May He bless you with peace always. In Jesus name Amen 🙏🏼

as always, I am grateful for the education and illumination of the Word

THANK YOU PASTOR GARY,,IT'S SOMETHING I 🙏 THAT I WAS "FIGHTING" IN MY MIND,,,,NOW I HAVE CLARITY ON THIS,,,GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR MINISTRY

Pastor Gary - Thank you for sharing your gift of teaching to us all. I have been thinking about this for a while now and appreciate your viewpoint. 🙏

Thank you for this easy-to-understand lesson on predestination and election. It made it so much easier to understand than anything else I have heard or read.

Thank you for this❤

I have family members that won' t come to Christ because, they don't feel this irresistible call to accept Him, so how far do we allow this damnable heresy of Calvinism to deceive, lie to the world? 20 min later.....LOVE Chuck Smiths quote that I'll certainly use.. .Thanks again!

@tinadehart3526

28 күн бұрын

Because they haven’t been called or chosen.

@JuliaNeubauer

24 күн бұрын

Because they haven’t been called or chosen YET. God beckons us - according to His preordained plan and TIME.

Thank you, Pastor Gary , for tackling is divisive issue. God is holy, He is just...He gives everyone the opportunity to be saved. But they have to choose to believe. ❤❤

This is one of the best sermons I've heard on this.

Excellent!!! In Jesus I trust it all!!!

In Wiersbe's commentary he says "A seminary professor once said to me, Try to explain election, and you may lose your mind; but explain it away and you will lose your soul!" I was also gonna quote Spurgeon but you beat me to it 😉

Praise the LORD FOR HE IS ALWAYS GOOD! I watched your baptism video❤ it made me cry tears of JOY❤❤❤

Thank you sir for the bible that was sent to me .

God says whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified

Your teaching is invaluable. Thank you.

I enjoy your Bible study God bless you

When we come to Christ it’s because the Holy Spirit draws us to him. Only way we are saved is when the Holy Spirit draws us..John 6:44

Thank you for sharing this message. Watching from Florida.

Thanks for clarifying. I’ve been baffled about this.

AMEN HALELUYAH, GLORY TOO GOD, ALELUYAH 🙏 ALELUYAH, thanks you my lord, ALELUYAH AMEN God bless you all, shlom everyone ❤❤❤❤❤

Mercy🙏💙 Thank you for this interpretation. It was a timely message for me.

Fantastic teaching! This explained much and made clear many verses about this topic.

Listening from Canada Mississauga

So comforting, thank you❤❤❤

Always an excellent word. I wish we had a church of this caliber in our city

Do not love the world or anyone anything in it before GOD. Predestined to GLORIFY GOD , against all Odds.

Awesome ❤🙏🙏✝️

Thanks for that elucidation, this had always confused me but the Holy Spirit at the right time has answered my prayer! Praise God I ❤❤ it

Thank you, pastor, for this beautiful preaching

Thank you for preaching this so clearly!

Amen. Great teaching.

I’m glad that was cleared up as it’s very easy to take things literally. 🙏

Great Job with the subject!

Thank you for having the courage to take this chapter on really appreciate it just for clarity I think the Armenians came up with their Five Points first which was followed at the Council of Dort which are known as the Five Points of Calvinism

I believe he's got it reversed... Arminius put forth their 5 points to counter the followers of Calvin... it was then that they put forth their "5 Points of Calvinism"...

Every Christian should read Chosen by God by RC Sproul. There's also a video series by the same title on KZread.

Clearly, God said what he chooses to do. He isnt checking in with us. Even is Psalms...think 115:3. In any event, he is soverign...he has mercy on whom he chooses and not on whom he chooses.

@tinadehart3526

28 күн бұрын

Amen!

Amen

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Excellent revelation Pastor,thank you

Thank you pastor you have explained this so well.

your part 1 video was just as informal as this being part 2. awesome videos God bless you and your church in Christ Jesus :)

Let’s talk about the error of Dispensationalism and the damage it has wrought upon the Church

I love this message

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:4, ESV)

Provisionism can only end with a slide into Pelagianism with the ultimate destination of Open Theism. 😢

Paul's letter to the Ephesians clarifies this in relation to personal salvation: "God’s Sovereign Election … he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will ." (Eph. 1:4-5 NKJV). So, election is about Israel. But it is also about the predestined plan of God for the salvation of those who are in Christ.

I am reformed. Not because I am Calvanist. Because I am biblical. John Calvin happen to just agree. Pastor Gary, a dead man cannot will anytning. Ephesians 2. It is God who made us alive. His will. His initiative. Show me a dead man who can decide. Only then I will agree with you. The problem why many dont like the idea of God having predetermined who He will save is because it is offensive and painful. We cannot simply swallow that. If a rich man walks in a store and said I chose to buy 50 of the people here lunch. The others cannot protest and accuse him unjust. No. He has the willful right to choose who he will buy lunch and those he will not. Its mercy or justice but never injustice. Jesus saw the lame man near the pool. He looked at him and asked “do you want to be well”. We know what takes place after that the lame man gets up and walks home. But wait, the bible said there were MANY there who were just as crippled and disabled. Why did Jesus heal only this man and not the persons beside him. Is He being unfair. No God forbid. He showed mercy to that one man. And justice to others. He is being God. You and I do not call the shots. Lazarus has not power whatsoever to put his body parts together to make him whole. Jesus had to call him. The Father gives to the Son whom He wills (John 6:37). We were dead in our sin. How can I bring myself to Jesus. No person has the ability to accept Jesus. No person has the ability to choose Him. He makes the choosing. He accepts not man. We have reversed this truth. You can all disagree to this, but I stand with what the Bible teaches not the opinion of men.

Why does he need to elect us? If in his foreknowledge he know that some by their own power can come to Christ and believe in him why did he need to elect us what does his electing do?

My choices fall short if GODS PLAN .

I don't think responsIbility is what determine salvation Jesus saves only the ones the Father bring to him, where is our responsIbility here ? It's all about GOD WILL AND GOD CHOICE.

Well stated Sir

Foreknowledge is another word used when Paul speaks of our salvation in 1 Peter 1:2. The sovereign God knows the end from the beginning. It seems reasonable to me that God in his foreknowledge, knew before the foundation of the earth who would believe the gospel message and who would not. Either way, God knows everything, and I don’t….Sending my love from Australia to Calvary Chapel. Wish we had some Calvary Chapels here.❤

@Christ-is-King-

26 күн бұрын

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Ephesians 1:4, ESV) These verses shoot down the idea of foreknowledge.

If man has ANY choice in the manner of salvation then God is not sovereign… It is that simple

READ , STUDY and PRAY ! GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT will TEACH and SAVE !!! ✝️🙏💕✝️💕💕✝️

Amen!

I had a friend on Facebook that believed so strongly that God picks winners and losers that she unfriended me a few weeks ago. If God picks those he wants and those he doesn't want, then John 3:16 couldn't possibly be true.

@micheletisdale7467

Ай бұрын

Funny you say that, when I read comments of people debating this topic the Calvinists seem to always be the ones who get so angry and start name calling and belittling anyone who doesn't agree. 😮

@tinadehart3526

28 күн бұрын

@@micheletisdale7467I believe we are chosen because God is sovereign over everything. I don’t get angry if you disagree. If you are a true believer God chose you whether you believe that or not. I never thought this way until I looked up all of the scriptures that say we are predestined, chosen, foreknown and researched it for myself. There are just way too many of them to say they don’t actually mean exactly this! Jesus also says I will not lose or reject any the FATHER GIVES ME! Gee I think that’s pretty clear! You can search MacArthurs sermons on this and he can explain it way better than I do.

@joanmavima5423

26 күн бұрын

Send your friend a link to this sermon ! It will bless them.

WOW. This man gets his doctrine from reading the whole Bible. What a novel concept. Do you think it might spread? I sure hope so.

@toolegittoquit_001

18 күн бұрын

Many faithful men have done this for centuries…

I loved that sermon! I wish I had that booklet by Chuck Smith!

What is the will of man naturally bent towards? In what condition does the will exist? Starting at the point before salvation, how do spiritually dead individuals “choose” God ? Or are we not all born in Adam? If not, then I guess we can just freely choose whatever we want without any outside influence or predetermined push. Do lions choose meat or is that in their nature?

@tinadehart3526

28 күн бұрын

Exactly. We will NEVER willfully choose to walk away from our sin. It’s Gods work and he chooses. Sorry but it’s pretty clear and I know that makes many people angry. This is called pride because it allows you to think you were responsible for making this choice. Sorry but you’re not!

If foreknew means God knows already who is going to believe in him and who's not or who is going to choose him and who is not then what's the point of him Choosing