ryan.the.calvinist

Here is an example of how irrational the followers of Ergan Butch Caner can be.   This is an exchange I partook in via Facebook with a student who, while claiming to be at least somewhat Reformed, attends Liberty University. I don’t know if I would believe this mess if I had not been involved in it directly… and even then I am bewildered.  You would think that, just because someone is a “Christian leader”, they get a free pass to lie and do anything they want – and NO ONE can question them when they are caught in their lies!  This is nuts and cult-like at the very least. (btw… the exchange ended because I was promptly removed from Leah’s friends list, making it impossible for me to reply.) This is nuts!

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son [Jesus Christ] has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him . 2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. I recall last summer, I prayed with Nolan about my roommates for this current school year I am in. We prayed that God's will be done and that it may mean being paired with nonChristians, so be it that I may share th...

Acts 19:15-16 But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. A lot has been going on within "charismatic evangelicalism" until recently with Todd Bentley . Supposedly, there was a revival in Lakeland, FL where the Holy Spirit was attributed for healing people and men were casting out demons in Jesus' name. Now, do I believe the Holy Spirit heals people of disease and illness? Absolutely. God is sovereign and does as he pleases. And can/does the Holy Spirit work through men to cast demons out of others? ... I refuse to limit God's ability to do such a miraculous act. Whether or not it actually happens in 21st century ... that is another story. Still, God can do this sort of stuff if he pleases and wills it. However, I think it is clear that Bentley's violent min...

I have been engaged in a "debate"/discussion on the Doctrines of Grace via Facebook mail now for the past 4 or 5 days or so with a gentleman whom I have never met... but we have some mutual friends.  And I can say... that after 4 or 5 days of this... I am drained.  Just wiped out.  SO tired from arguing these points... and we've only thoroughly looked at ONE scripture... 2 Peter 3:9 (which I did a vlog on the subject... available here )... though he's alluded to other passages (without citing their contexts) when it fits his purposes.  So many of his questions are just "why would God do ______?"  He seems unwilling to be able to accept any correction when the correction comes from the text of the Word of God... if it goes against his tradition, that is.  I am SO tired of this.  Whether these discussions are on MySpace... HisHolySpace (lol!)... Facebook... or whatever... SO SO often I go into a debate on these important issues of God's sovereignty and m...

Romans 8:28-30 (ESV) 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. This is an issue that seems to come up fairly frequently in my discussions of the Doctrines of Grace (Calvinism): What exactly does "foreknowledge" mean? The Arminian and the Calvinist have very different understandings on what this word proginosko ("to foreknow") means. The Arminian tradition sees this word as simply meaning foresight... their version of this "golden chain" is that God first looks down the tunnel of history to see what you are going to do... and if you of your own will choose HIM, then guess what-- He'l...

I actually was going to write a long lengthy blog on this ... and I may still eventually... but it basically would be this lecture I got a hold of a while ago. It is a WONDERFUL lecture on John 3:16... there is NO concept of "whosoever will believe in him" in the Greek! Nor is there a notion that God loves the world SO MUCH that he gave. Blah! America's Pop Church is pretty lame. The video is long, I know. but it is so useful for learning what the Bible says from its original language in its own context.

I thought I may try something out that I've seen on some other blog sites with regard to films... they will watch a film and make comments on that film while watching on a blog and post that. So I thought I'd try the same thing with Titus , the book I read tonight for my time with God. This may be disastrous... but it may be FUN TOO! lol. If you would like to follow along, I will list the verse I am commenting on... but it is best to have a Bible in front of you or opened in a new tab in Firefox (and I know ALL my readers use Firefox... you had better!)... I'll be using the English Standard Version (ESV) ... the favorite of Mark Driscoll and John Piper, as well as my favorite English translation. Here we a go..... 1:1 -- Oh... look at the purpose for which the book was written: for "the faith of GOD'S ELECT"! HA! Take that you Arminians / anti-Calvinists. That type of address is not unique to Titus either... check out 1 Peter, 2 John, Jude, Romans.....

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." -- Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (ESV) I would say it is a safe bet that if you are reading this note, you also read my note I posted earlier in the week entitled To the liberal "christians"... You may read it if you wish still though... but basically I expressed extreme dismay that many who wear the title of Evangelical Christian are backing a candidate who supports the slaughter of the unborn-- whether they support Hillary or Obama. I am aware some of these individuals say testify to be against abortion themselves, but back either candidate for reasons of health care or welfare (neither of which were issues that plagued the minds of the founding fathers who, umm, founded this nation thoug...

This is going to be EXTREMELY disjointed... it is 5am and I am wiped out. However something needs to be addressed, I think... and that someone (someone) is Mark Driscoll, pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Long known as "the cussing preacher," this 'emerging preacher' (more conservative than their Emergent counterparts... or rather, than their universalist counterparts) is none too shy about letting vulgar words of disgust exit his lips while at the pulpit. According to my older bro, Driscoll recognizes his own prideful sin in this and has taken steps to try and improve in the direction of holiness in this very unfortunate area of sin in his life. This is also echoed by my buddy (not personal buddy though, much to my dismay!) Todd Friel of The Way of the Master Radio, as he too recognizes that he's cleaned up his language to a large extent. Great. As possibly one of the biggest haters of vulgar speech you will ever meet (I try not to be a jerk about it when i...

"Love the sinner, hate the sin!" Does that phrase sound familiar to you? This simple phrase has been spreading like a disease among both Mainliners and Evangelicals for many many years now. I can remember hearing this and buying into it at a very young age as I had been drawn in to the Unregerate-Friendly Church some years ago. However I learned something today that startled me to be sure. You may be familiar with said quote... but you may not be aware from whom it came. "Love the sinner, hate the sin." -- Mahatma Ghandi ... wow. "Christians" are taking THEOLOGICAL ADVICE... from a HINDU??!?!!? WHAT?! We should be quoting our Lord Christ Jesus in confronting sinners about the gospel-- " Repent and believe in the gospel! " (Mark 1:15). Do we hold the words of an unregenerate Hindu above those of Holy Scripture? Actually, let's take a look at what the BIBLE says about God's relationship to unregenerate sinners: " For you are not a...

Matthew 10:20-23 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. I read this verse today as part of my Bible reading schedule I am currently going through (the NT in 6 months). I pointed this verse out because it is largely glossed over by many pillow "Christians." What do I mean by pillow Christians? I guess I could bring Snuggles back from my previous post, but I am trying to be more creative. Anyway... I digress... Osteen and other prosperity preachers like to focus on man. A very man-centered gospel is sprung from their mouths. T...

"Hence, the soul in its natural state is spiritually dead. Ephesians 2:1, 'And you hath he quickened, you were dead in trespasses and sins.' Colossians 2:13, 'And you, being dead in your sins... hath he quickened together with him.' That is, the soul is so entirely destitute of the first principles of holy and spiritual life that [it is] as much without it as he that is naturally dead is of the principles of natural life. The fires is all gone out. There is not one spark left. It signifies nothing to blow, except fire be brought from some other place. "Surely physicians are, of themselves, none of them able to raise the dead. You may apply what medicines you please to a dead man, you cannot fetch him to life. You may set what food you will before him, it will not nourish him. You may represent what objects you will, he will not see. If you charm in his ears ever so wisely, he will not hear. You can do no good at all to a dead man. Nothing...

**taken from ReformationTheology.com ** Unconditional Election God is Sovereign Exo 15:18; 1Chr 29:11-12; 2Chr 20:6; Psa 22:28 He exercises that sovereignty in actively ordaining everything Deu 32:39; 1Sam 2:6-8; Job 9:12; Job 12:6-10; Psa 33:11; Psa 115:3; Psa 135:6; Isa 14:24; Isa 45:7; Act 15:18; Eph 1:11 Including matters of “chance” Pro 16:33; 1Ki 22:20, 34, 37 The wicked actions of men Gen 45:5; Gen 50:20; Exo 4:21; Jdg 14:1-4; Psa 76:10; Pro 16:4; Isa 44:28; Amos 3:6; Act 2:22-23; Act 4:27-28 The actions of evil spirits 1Sam 16:14-16; 1Ki 22:19-23; 1Chr 21:1/2Sam 24:1 The good actions of men John 15:16; Eph 2:10; Phi 2:12-13 The actions of good angels Psa 103:20; Psa 104:4 The actions of animals Num 22:28; 1Ki 17:4; Psa 29:9; Jer 8:7; Eze 32:4; Dan 6:22 The operations of all creation Gen 8:22; Psa 104:5-10; Psa 104:13-14; Psa 104:19-20; Mark 4:39 Man is not permitted to question his sovereign acts Job 33:12-13; Isa 29:16; Isa 45:9-10; Mat 20:1-16; Rom 9:19-...

Yesterday I sat in STRONG (Hall) #204 in my REL 320: Jesus of Nazareth course a bit more than slightly frustrated with the clips our class had just watched from The Last Temptation of Christ . We were comparing this fictional re-telling of Christ's life to the gnostic Gospel of Judas . I'm not sure which notion was more difficult to stomach-- the gnostic view that YHWH is the evil creator that we need to defeat (essentially), or the notion that Jesus and Judas... cuddled... (and more?) Yuck. ANYWAY. A student in the class brought up a point that he had always struggled with growing up: If it was foreordained that Judas would have to betray Jesus, and it had to happen for Jesus to save the world, why should Judas suffer and be held to blame for his actions? I just sat there in my silence fully confidant of the answer. And yes, I too had wondered this before -- he was supposed to do this, and yet he is held to blame? But after years of maturing in the faith, I was able t...

I find it odd that I am not the normal college student. I do not speak of my decision to not smoke, get drunk, or have premarital sex. I am glad I have resisted temptation for these (though most have never really even been an issue for me), though I am not speaking specifically of m relm of belief. I may be one of a few handful of students whose beliefs, values or convictions have not crumbled 'neath the weight of the ivory walls of the University. One such example is my stance on politics. I was raised in a very conservative home where I learned of the importance of defending the lives of unborn babies from a slaughter at the hands of some who consider themselves "doctors" (more like death dealers). So conservative yes, but I was, by my own admission, truly a 2-issue voter by the time I was 18. The issues I was concerned about were biblically social issues -- abortion and the defense of the institution of marriage between man and wife (as God created it). Sure I c...

"Lord, give what thou commandest, command what thou wilst." -- Augustine of Hippo "...the Arminian view of the atonement can be compared to a wide bridge that extends most of the way across a river." --Loraine Boettner "I had rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for anybody..." --Charles Spurgeon "The nature of Christ's salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day evangelist. He announces a Savior from hell rather than a Savior from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of Fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness." --Article entitled Saving Faith: Part 1 Signs of the Times by A.W. Pink, circa 1930

Wow.... just WOW! Voddie Baucham would say, "If you can't say 'Amen,' you gotta say 'Ouch'!" There is so much conviction as a Christian in America viewing this... wow. PLEASE watch it.

I know some Reformed Christians who identify themselves as "4-Point Calvinists." The doctrine they have problem with in TULIP? The vast majority of these 4-pointers have a problem with the "L" -- the doctrine of Limited Atonement. This is, for those of you who may not know, is the doctrine of grace that states that Christ died ONLY for the elect-- NOT for the sins of the entire race of man. I have decided to post some thoughts from Sproul and the rest of the team that brought about The Reformation Study Bible. This particular study note is entitled "Definite Redemption" and located in the English Standard Version or the Reformation Study Bible , pg 1530. Definite Redemption Definite redemption, also called "particular redemption," or "limited atonement," is the historic Reformed doctrine about the intention of the triune God in the death of Jesus Christ. Without questioning the infinite word of Christ's sacrifice or the ge...

[[I'm writing basically a sermon I have spent some time thinking up. I've never actually given or even written a sermon before... maybe this would just be considered a LONG devotional. But since it's not a rant, I'll call it a sermon. It will take me a few posts to get all of this out. And I have no desire on causing people eye-strain from staring at a screen forever while trying to read this. So expect it to be divided into a few parts.]] "One Way Only" [pt 1] by Ryan Gill John 14:5-6 (ESV) Thomas said to [Jesus], "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, " I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me ." I know we cannot say any verse in scripture is more important than another one, nor should we. After all, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, th...

i had this convo today w/ this guy on Facebook that randomly found me and added me as a friend on facebook. his religious views on his profile were labeled as "opti-mystic"... turns out he was the starter of a "Christian group" on myspace that allowed a Mormon to join and saw no problem w/ this... this is our conversation... Between Mike Morrell and Ryan Gill Ryan Gill Today at 5:52pm what is an opti-mystic? is that like opti-free contact lens solution? Mike Morrell Today at 5:56pm Report Message Ha! Its like someone living by means of Jesus who then gets, to quote Brennan Manning, a "serious and incurable case of the happies." So, if by opti-free you mean someone who can see clearer, and in freedom...sure! (See John 17) Ryan Gill Today at 5:57pm ewwww... brennan manning... catholic mystic... yuck. i get who jesus is... the only way. john 14:6. any other "way" leads to destruction. Mike Morrell Today at 6:02pm Report Mes...