James, I appreciate that in oh so many ways! lol

Perhaps you missed English grammar, but when someone puts (?) at the end of a sentence it is called a Question, not a Comment.

As you freely admit you where looking to PROVOKE people; Hardly a Christian attitude of edivication, and one which seeks to promote a sinful attitude (Shame be upon yourself, not us).

And Finally, YES, this is a Blog concerning serious matters, as we are dying men proclaiming the ONLY Gospel Way of life to spiritually dead people; and speaking about the deep mysteries of YAHWEH, entreating His Spirit to soften the hearts of stone that He may ead them to Repentant Faith in Messiah.

If you where looking for worldly conversaton or comedy, I would suggest you seek elsewhere. If you are looking for lighthearted chatting, I am sure there are plenty of Social Networks that would accommodate that, without making you ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Jesus which is the power of God unto salvation.

Please do not come to Pulpit Magazine to seek to disturb us, we are engaged in serious matters that may lead to eternal life (IF our time is wasted with futile arguments, for instance); OR the ETERNAL Spiritual & Physical damnation in Hell of those whom we love and persue with the Truth of Christ.

NATE, I think we may need some moderation: If my comments are out of place, then I ask you remove them and please notify me.

Your servant with the Gospel of grace and reconciliation with our Almighty Judge through Christ Alone,
W

“Or are you saying that Phil’s comments are a lie?”

See? Way too tense. Way too tense.

I figured the only way to test my theory was to make a provocative statement and see what happened. So far one comment has affirmed my theory, the other refuted it.

Speaking of which, point well taken David M.

Are you implying that we are inconsistent with our speech and lives?

If so; you have judged unrighteously what you do not know (According with your own personal judgement; and NOT with the Righteouss judgement of Scriptural authority) and trust me you do not know us, if that is what you are implying.

Or are you saying that Phil’s comments are a lie?

Please do clarify as your statement is without specific meaning, taken in isolation without qualification, not directing itself against a specific individual or grouping.

On a more Biblical point David M made a good observation in this series concerning the HIDDEN WISDOM and MYSTERY of the Gospel which is REVEALED by the Spirit Alone and not found to be with every human being (Which 1 Corinthians 1 -2, especially elaborates further in regards to Ezekiel 36:25-27)

Here is some Scriptures which addresses Jesus teaching on the exclusivism of the Gospel and salvation thereby:

Matthew 13:3-30; Matthew 13:34-43

“3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell BY THE WAYSIDE; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell ON STONEY PLACES, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some FELL AMONG THORNS, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others FELL ON GOOD GROUND and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He WHO HAS EARS TO EAR, let him hear!”

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU TO KNOW THE MYSTERIES of the kingdom of heaven, but to them IT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because SEEING THEY DO NOT SEE, and HEARING THEY DO NOT HEAR, NOR DO THEY UNDERSTAND. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘ Hearing you WILL HEAR and SHALL NOT UNDERSTAND,
And seeing you WILL SEE and NOT PERCEIVE;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are HARD OF HEARING,
And their eyes THEY HAVE CLOSED,
LEST they SHOULD SEE with their eyes and hear with their ears,
LEST THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND [Trust by Faith] WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN [Repent],
So that I should[a]heal them.’[b]

16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that MANY PROPHETS and RIGHTEOUS MEN DESIRED TO SEE what you see, and DID NOT SEE IT, and to hear what you hear, and DID NOT HEAR IT.

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When ANYONEHEARS THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM, and DOES NOT UNDERSTAND IT, then THE WICKED ONE COMES and SNACTHES AWAY what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he WHO HEARS the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has NO ROOT IN HIMself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he WHO HEARS THE WORD, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches CHOKE THE WORD, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he WHO HEARS THE WORD and UNDERSTANDS it, who indeed BEARS FRUIT AND PRODUCES: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, HIS ENEMY CAME AND SOWED TARES AMONG THE WHEAT and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? HOW THEN DOES IT HAVE TARES?’ 28 He said to them, ‘AN ENEMY HAS DONE THIS.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, LEST WHILE YOU GATHER up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and BIND THEM IN BUNDLES TO BURN them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“ I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter THINGS KEPT SECERET FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”[a]

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who SOWS THE GOOD SEED is the Son of Man. 38 THE FIELD is the world, the GOOD SEEDS ARE THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM, but the TARES ARE THE SONS OF THE WICKED ONE. 39 The ENEMY WHO SOWED THEM IS THE DEVIL, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the TARES ARE GATHERED and BURNED IN THE FIRE, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom ALL THINGS THAT OFFEND, and THOSE WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS, 42 and will cast them INTO THE FURNACE OF FIRE. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, let him hear!”

I am still waiting for a Biblical response to the CLEAR Salvific doctrine taught in

John 1:6-13

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and THE WORLD DID NOT KNOW Him. He came to His own, and His own DID NOT RECEIVE Him. BUT as many AS RECEIVED Him, to them He GAVE the right to become children of God, to those WHO BELIEVE in His name: WHO WERE BORN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, but of God.” (The last part being the most clear and fundemental Doctrine of Effectual Grace and Responsibility by Faith Alone).

Still waiting for a decent Scriptural support that REFUTES PREDESTINATION and ELECTION as Biblical Doctrines (Which face it, ARE definately and at least clearly mentioned in Scripture); as seperate to God’s eternal foreknowledge in opposition to His Election, and as seperate to the CHARGE of the LAW’s first and second Commands which tie in with teh summary of the COMPLETE LAW, to love from a pure and unfailing heart the LORD continually. We make no such distinction, but I contend that my Armenian brothers do contend these doctrines as opposite exclusives.

We affirm that foreknowledge and love are intertwined and co-dependant doctrines to Predesitination, Election, Effectual grace, The limited capacity of Free will (As allowed by the working of the Spirit into the secrect and hiddenn mysteries of the Gospel. As clearly taught by Scripture); and that the LAW is not void by our inability, but that our inability to keep it simply points to our Depravity and Nature of wrath and sin and our Spiitual death – Which by the working of the Spirit Alone through the teaching of the truths of Scripture Alone calls and MAKES ALIVE the Regenerated to need and willing conform their hearts’ inclination to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness by the merciful grace of Christ Alone as the Way, Truth and LIFE.

We contend that WITHOUT THE SPIRIT’s Making us Alive, we continue to remain in the love of the darkness:

John 3:18-20
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, that the light has come into the world, and MEN LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT, BECAUSE their deeds were evil. For EVERYONE PRACTICING evil HATES the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”

Or for that matter the benedictions at the close of the epistles?

That rule would never fly in the music world, so why here?

Can you picture anyone uttering this line from Help! (The Beatles)

“..and now my life has changed in oh so many ways…”

Does Phil publish any of his OWN writings?

HE SHOULD.

I look foward to seeing my brothers in Christ in the Kingdom of our Father and perhaps (If the LORD wills) one day at GraceLife or GCC?

Thank you brothers for your sacrifices of family time and of your lives for the Gospel of merciful grace to us who where Once also children of WRATH.

I am so thankful that my stony heart had been transformed by the Spirit of grace and truth, through the proclamation of the Law & the Gospel of grace; to be made a heart of compassion, truth and love (Both general and particular).

To our Father and Triune God be all due fear, reverance, awe and love forever!