Tag Archives: Bible Study

Books Read in 2012: No. 5 – A Defense of Calvinism

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Clark Goble| Leave a comment
By Clark Goble | January 22, 2012

Title: A Defense of Calvinism
Author: Charles Spurgeon
Completed on January 20, 2012

The Calvinism verses Armenian debate is one that has been waged for quite awhile and seems to be heating up lately. For the record, I lean towards Calvinism in my theology. If you are unfamiliar with the term, the five points of Calvinism can be summed up with the acronym TULIP:

T: Total Depravity of Mankind – Sin has infected man to his very core. Our hearts, minds, and bodies are all affected by the disease of sin. Because of this, no effort of our own will can achieve salvation.

U: Unconditional Election – God elects the saved through an act of His own gracious will. Some are elected while some are not.

L: Limited Atonement – Jesus died for the elect. While His sacrifice was sufficient for all, it is not efficacious for all.

I: Irresistible Grace – Those who are elected by God are unable to resist His calling.

P: Perseverance of the Saints – Because election is an act of God, those who are so called are eternally secure in their salvation. Once saved, they are always saved.

As I mentioned earlier, I lean towards Calvinism. This isn’t to suggest that I am entirely comfortable with the manner in which it is often expressed. For instance, while the concept of Unconditional Election may be true, I don’t feel the discourse that surrounds it is always beneficial. I also have trouble with the concept of Limited Atonement as defined by Spurgeon. The Bible teaches that while it is easy to love those who love you in return, it is more rewarding to love those who are your enemies (Read Luke, Chapter 6). It is for this reason that I reject the notion that Christ only died for the elect. The notion  that Christ only died for those who would ultimately love Him seems to suggest that He acted in a particularly “un-Christ-like” fashion. I’m not suggesting that His sacrifice achieved salvation for everyone, but merely suggesting that His sacrifice affords everyone the opportunity of salvation.  That Christ died for everyone is the beauty of the Gospel. It is for this reason that I often say I believe in Unlimited Limited Atonement (a phrase borrowed from Mark Driscoll). Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient for all, but not efficacious for all.

Spurgeon vehemently disagrees with me. In this short essay, he makes an impassioned plea for Calvinism and argues that “to think [Christ] died for men who were or are in hell, seems a supposition too horrible for me to entertain.”

In my opinion, my quibble with Spurgeon seems to be one that is mostly semantic. Spurgeon, however, seems to find it a critical point of contention, “That Christ should offer an atonement and satisfaction for the sins of all men, and that afterwards some of those men should be punished for the sins for which Christ had already atoned, appears to me to be the most monstrous iniquity that could ever have been imputed to Saturn, to Janus, to the goddess of the Thugs, or to the most diabolical heathen deities.”

Certainly, Spurgeon and I would both agree there is a hell and that some will unfortunately spend eternity in it. Likewise we would agree that the elect have a responsibility to respond to that irresistible call of God. Where we deviate from one another is in my suggestion that Christ loves humanity enough to die for everyone – even those who choose to ultimately reject Him. It is because of this conviction that I can look any person in the eye and tell them that Christ died for them.

Spurgeon’s essay is beneficial for those who are struggling to define their own doctrinal beliefs. It can easily be read in one sitting and is available on the Kindle for less than a dollar.

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What is the Proper Bible Translation for Study Purposes?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Clark Goble| 2 Comments
By Clark Goble | January 18, 2012

If you are beginning a Bible study you may be wondering what translation you should use. If you ask your Christian friends you will probably get a wide range of responses. Most Christians place a high value on the Bible and are incredible loyal to their preferred translation. In truth, you should probably aim to find a reliable translation that will inspire you to read it more often; however, if your goal is to select the translation(s) that will best help you in your studies, I offer the following advice:

When choosing a translation it helps to be familiar with the methods translators use; basically, there are two methods – formal equivalence (word for word) and functional equivalence (thought for thought). Formal translations are accurate in that they translate word for word from the original, but they are difficult to read because they follow the sentence structure of the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Functional translations increase reader comprehension because they translate the thoughts of the original text into a form that can be easily read.

Here is a list prominent (and reliable) translations:

Formal Translations: King James, New American Standard, English Standard.

Functional Translations: The Message, Contemporary English Version, New International Version and the New Living Translation.

The best advice I can offer is to have several translations at hand. For my studies I like to have one of each type. I prefer using the New American Standard along with the New International. While I listed the NIV as a functional translation, its editors made an attempt to strike a balance between formal and functional. Having access to both types will help with your comprehension. I frequently consult various translations and you may find that you prefer to read from different translations than your friends – that’s okay. The important thing is that you are reading the Bible.

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Creation as a Performance

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Clark Goble| Leave a comment
By Clark Goble | November 1, 2011

3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. – John 1:3 (HCSB)

How did the world we live in come to be? We live in a world where many suggest it was merely a cosmic accident. The right chemicals mingled at the right time and the end result was the planet earth with its myriad of life. On the other hand, the Book of John clearly articulates that all things were created through Jesus Christ. What does the Bible mean when it speaks of creation? The word the HCSB translates as “create” is the Greek “ginomai” (ghin’-om-ahee). Strong’s Greek Dictionary defines ginomai as “to cause to be.” Thayer’s Dictionary adds that it is akin to a man who “come(s) upon the stage” and appears in public with the intention of performing. Unlike an actor, however, Thayer’s continues on to say that there is an element of “ginomai” that is miraculous.

When John writes that all things were created through Him (Christ), he is asserting that there was a point in time when God appeared on the stage of history and miraculously caused everything, as we know it, to come into existence. When we consider the word “ginomai” on this level, we begin to understand how Christ fit into Creation. Colossians 1:15 teaches that Christ is the image of the invisible God. In the context of our study it becomes evident that it was Christ, the image of the invisible God, who appeared on the stage of creation. God the Father was the director and Christ Himself was the actor providing His personal touches to the performance. And what a performance it was! Paul writes in the first chapter of Romans, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made …” (Romans 1:20 NASB). Christ’s performance was one that has provided witness to God’s existence since the beginning of time.

There is an artistry and beauty in creation. So much so that every time we act, write, or perform we are merely imitating that First Great Performance!

We may quibble over the means of Creation, but there should be no debate over the identity of that First Great Performer. Looking at the word “ginomai” at greater depth helps to clarify this important Biblical assertion.

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How Christians Ruin the Gospel

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Clark Goble| Leave a comment
By Clark Goble | September 26, 2011

As I study the Bible I am impressed by how mysterious and beautiful the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. It is amazing to me that Jesus Christ died for all mankind, while we were sinners, and that all we have to do is respond in faith to step into a relationship with God that is abundant with grace (Romans 5:1-11). I don’t understand it all and I expect that on this side of eternity I will never completely understand the glory of Christ, but I appreciate it … and I believe in it.

Paul used the example of Abraham to illustrate how we are saved by faith rather than deeds.

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness (Romans 4:3)

Notice what Paul doesn’t say. He doesn’t claim that Abraham understood it all. He never claims that Abraham understood how God was going to give him and his wife children as such an advanced age. The how was a mystery to Abraham; yet he believed God anyway.

In the same way, the Christian doesn’t have to understand how Christ’s act on the cross allows access to God … rather, the Christian need only to respond in faith. On my day of conversion I understood little about God, the Bible, or the debates within theological circles. I knew only one thing … Christ was beautiful and died for me. I understood that my acknowledgement of Christ’s sacrifice somehow allowed me to approach a God whom I had never believed in and ask for forgiveness. More than anything, I felt the overwhelming affirmation that God loved me and expressed that love through Jesus Christ.

As Christians, we often ruin the Gospel.

We make the Gospel message about so much more than the mystery of Christ. We add rules and superfluous beliefs to the mix. Here’s a top ten list of things we Christians love to add to the gospel of Christ:

  1. You must be a republican.
  2. You must be a democrat.
  3. You must be against abortion.
  4. Marriage is between one man and one woman. Homosexuals need not apply.
  5. The Bible is infallible in every sense of the word.
  6. All drinking, swearing, smoking, and any other visible sins must cease immediately.
  7. Divorced people are one step above sewer scum.
  8. Hell is a real tangible place and you’re in danger of being sent there every waking minute of your life.
  9. Let’s not even mention evolution.
  10. Prayer belongs in schools!

Make no mistake, Christ will shape how a person views every item on that list, but that’s not the point … here’s the point – it’s often not enough for Christians that an unbeliever would come to Christ … sure, we want them to come to Christ, but more than anything we want them to come to Christ while agreeing with us on every single issue. Isn’t it overwhelming enough for a nonbeliever to entertain the thought of Christ as Savior without being forced to make up their minds on every facet of life?

The Bible just tells the unbeliever to come to Christ in faith.

Without a doubt, salvation will eventually shape the way a believer sees everything in his or her life. My views on nearly every subject have done a 180 since Christ entered the equation; however, none of it happened on day one. Christ has slowly worked me. My views have slowly changed and I have become more graceful in my daily walk. I thank Christ for changing me and pray that He will continue to chip away at my person until I look more like Him.

I pray for those I love to have that same experience.

Just come to Christ in faith.

Beautiful.

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Walking With God

Posted on August 13, 2011 by Clark Goble| 2 Comments
By Clark Goble | August 13, 2011

Approximately ten years ago I finally heard Jesus Christ calling out to me. I suspect He had been doing it for awhile but my own arrogance and pride prevented me from hearing His voice. When I finally heard Him, His voice was loud and clear.

Just days after my conversion I dropped to my knees and asked God a very specific question, “You’ve got me, now what do you want me to do?”

I asked the question without really expecting an answer, but the response I received is, to this day, the clearest expression of God’s voice I have ever heard. God responded to my question with a simple command – Walk.

You see, at the time of my conversion I was in pretty bad shape. At thirty years old I couldn’t walk very far without getting extremely fatigued. God’s command to me made sense in light of my condition. He clearly expressed to me that He couldn’t use me in this fallen world if I died prematurely; thus, he directed me to walk. I became vigilant about my task. For a solid year I walked diligently. I walked through snow, rain, hail, and extreme heat every morning for a year without fail. When I first started I couldn’t walk a block without my left leg going numb. When I arrive back at the house I was always dragging a stump of a foot along with me. Before long, however, I was walking greater distances and even jogging up a few hills. I began to use my walking time as my prayer time and looked forward to opening up to God about the things going on in my life. As a result, my health improved dramatically. I lost weight and began to look and feel much better.

However, my conviction to walk lasted only a year. I had a problem that I didn’t understand at the time. I had accepted Christ in my head in an intellectual way. There was no doubt that the claims made by Him and His apostles were accurate. However, I had failed to allow Christ to change my heart. My heart was still living in a fallen world in a fallen state. I was only half-cooked so to speak.

It took just a year before I forgot my walking was commanded by God. I grew tired of it and began to branch out. My new found fitness allowed me to begin a serious pursuit of cycling where I racked up hundreds of miles. I began weight-lifting and playing racquet ball; all endeavors worth pursuing. The problem was that I forgot where I started. When people asked me about the sudden change in my life I was far too ready to take the credit for myself. My response for my lifestyle change should have been that God had commanded me to walk and I had obeyed. He should have gotten the credit.

In the time since I have fallen off the health band wagon. I find myself needing to lose some weight. I’m a border-line diabetic. My cholesterol and triglyceride numbers could stand to be improved. I’m in bad enough shape that I don’t really enjoy those old hobbies. I’d like to someday … and that brings me right back to where I started.

Walking.

I feel like God’s chosen people who disobeyed His commands until they found themselves in exile as a result of their of own stupidity. They forgot where they came from. They forgot it was God Almighty who led them out of slavery. I forgot it was God Almighty who told me to walk.

When the people of Judah found themselves exiled in Babylon, they discovered that God immediately began making plans for their return to the promised lands. God remained faithful despite their disobedience. God has remained faithful to me despite my disobedience and my wasted opportunity to be His witness.

So today I walked. Sure, it was a short walk accompanied by two poorly trained dogs who kept trying to defecate in the middle of the street, but it was still a walk. The point is that today I obeyed a God who has remained faithful to me despite my flaws and disobedience.

How will you obey God today?

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