WesleyGospel Ministries

I just had a dream that Paul Washer (Calvinist) and me (Arminian) were talking about theology and were trying to organize a friendly debate about Calvinism and Arminianism, but we couldn’t find a venue to do it. The dream had several other details in it, which are not really necessary to mention, but it led me to believe that God wants me to focus on putting together an anti-TULIP and pro-Arminian book. As I do this though, to avoid intellectual pride, and all the while to consider Paul Washer as a dear brother in Christ. It may very well mean that God wants me to handle certain Calvinistic parts of Paul’s books carefully and graciously, and then point readers in the Arminian direction…

Arminian Books

David Anderson’s Conditional Security (wesleyanbooks.com) (holiness)

Robert Shank’s Life in the Son (Church of Christ)

—. Elect in the Son

Dan Corner’s The Believer’s Conditional Security (holiness)

—. The Myth of Eternal Security (holiness)

Thomas Oden’s The Transforming Power of Grace (conservative evangelical UMC)

Randloph Foster’s Objections to Calvinism As It Is (wesleyanbooks.com) (MEC)

John Fletcher’s “Bible-Arminianism and Bible-Calvinism” (Anglican, Methodist)

“Wesleyan Arminianism” and “Reformed Arminianism” in Four Views on Eternal Sec.

John Wesley’s Calvinism Calmly Considered (2 vols.) (wesleyanbooks.com) (Anglican)

Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology – Open Bible Churches (Pentecostal)

—. Against Calvinism – Open Bible Churches (Pentecostal)

Jerry Walls’ Why I Am Not a Calvinist – UMC

Calvinist Books; or Pro-TULIP Books to Handle Calmly and Graciously

Michael Horton’s For Calvinism – United Reformed Churches

Robert Peterson’s Why I Am Not an Arminian – PCA

John Girardeau‘s Calvinism and Evangelical Arminianism – PCUS (pre-PCA)

“Classical Calvinism” and “Moderate Calvinism” in Four Views on Eternal Security

Paul Washer’s The Gospel’s Power and Message – SBC – I’m sure Paul’s books are very godly and I would agree with a whole lot of what he says. But since he’s probably the most popular Calvinist in the Millennial generation right now, I’m going to focus on his books for any TULIP-like statements, and handle them kindly, calmly, and Arminianly. This is what the dream I had suggested I should do. There is nothing in the Table of Contents of these books that suggests anything blatantly Calvinistic. His focus is more on lordship and holiness. Paul and I would have a common agreement on lordship salvation, openness to the supernatural, and agreement against modern day antinomianism (easy-believism).

—. The Gospel Call and True Conversion

—. Gospel Assurance and Warnings

The people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
–Genesis 13:13

Historical Timeline of Homosexuals Invading the Church

1968 – The Metropolitan Community Church, a predominantly LGBT church, has ordained LGBT candidates for ministry since its founding in 1968.

1972 – In 1972, the United Church of Christ became the first mainline Protestant denomination in the United States to ordain an openly gay clergy.

2000 – In the United Kingdom, the Church of England has permitted transgender priests to serve since 2000.^[15] The Church of England has also allowed gay and lesbian priests in civil partnerships since 2005.^[16] In 2013, the church allowed bishops to enter into same-sex civil partnerships.^[17]

2008 – The United Methodist Church Judicial Council ruled that openly transgender pastor Drew Phoenix could keep his position.^[31]

2009 – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) starts ordaining gay pastors. In August 2009 they decided to accept gay, lesbian, and bisexual clergy in sexually active monogamous relationships. In 2014, Megan Rohrer became the first openly transgender leader of an ELCA congregation (specifically, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco.)

2012 – The Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA) starts ordaining gay pastors. In 2012, Katie Ricks became the first open lesbian to be ordained in the church.^[25]

This is some pretty bad heresy, folks. When heretics are leading the mainstream churches, should we not ask if the falling away of the last days is underway? (2 Thess. 2:1-4). I am a Christian homophobe, just like Abraham was. I am afraid of Sodom. I am afraid of AIDS and God’s judgment, fire and brimstone appointed to burn the wicked. This is just for your information: God might love what He has created, but He has laws and standards. Homosexuality–no matter what form it comes in–is a flagrant violation of what God thinks about human sexuality.

Source is from here.

Originally from The Crown and Glory of Christianity.

My Lords and Gentlemen—You know that the wisest prince that ever sat upon a throne has told us that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people,” Proverbs 14:34. (“Where justice is, God is; and where God is, there is no lack of men or fortitude,” said Herod at the head of his army, the better to encourage his soldiers.) It is not valor in war—but righteousness; it is not policy in government—but righteousness; it is not wittiness of invention—but righteousness; it is not civility in behavior—but righteousness; it is not antiquity of laws—but righteousness; it is not largeness of dominion—but righteousness; nor is it greatness of command—but righteousness, which is the honor and the safety, which is the renown and the security of a nation. That nation which exalts righteousness, that nation shall be certainly exalted by righteousness, Amos 5:24.

It is not Ahithophel’s policy, it is not Jeroboam’s calves in Dan and Bethel, it is not Jehu’s pompous zeal, it is not Goliath’s sword, it is not rich mines of gold and silver, nor storehouses, nor armies, nor councils, nor fleets, nor forts—but justice and righteousness which exalts a nation, and which will make a lowly people to become a great, a glorious, and a famous people in the world. The world is a ring, and righteousness is the diamond in that ring: the world is a body, and righteousness and justice is the soul of that body.

Ah! England, England! so long as judgment runs down (The Hebrew word which is here rendered “run down,” signifies to roll down freely, plentifully, plainly, vigorously, constantly: Where justice thus rolls down, all the world shall never make that nation miserable,) as waters in the midst of you, and righteousness as a mighty stream, you shall not die—but live and bear up bravely against all gainsayers and opposers. But if injustice shall grow rampant, and you shall brandish the sword of justice in the behalf of the friends of Baal, Balaam, and Bacchus, and turn the wheel upon the righteous; if the sword of justice shall be a sword of protection to the desperate swearer, and to the cruel oppressor, and to the roaring drunkard, and to the cursing monster, and to the Gospel despiser, and to the Christ despiser, etc., and shall be a devouring sword to the upright and peaceable in the land—divine vengeance will dig your grave, and divine justice will tumble you into it, though all the nations of the earth should labor to prevent it.

It is a base and ignoble spirit, to pity Cataline more than to pity Rome; to pity any particular sort of men, more than to pity the whole. It is cruelty to the good, to justify the bad: it is wrong to the sheep, to animate the wolves: it is danger if not death to the lambs, not to restrain or chain up the lions. But from all these vanities the Lord deliver all your souls! And oh that you would forever remember this, that as the constitution of a man’s body is best known by his pulse: if it beats not at all, then we know he is dead; if it beats violently, then we know him to be in a fever; if it keeps an equal stroke, then we know he is sound, well, and whole: so the state of a kingdom or commonweal is best known by the manner of executing justice therein; for justice is the pulse of a kingdom. If justice be violent, then the kingdom is in a fever, in a very bad state; if it stirs not at all, then the kingdom is dead; but if it has an equal stroke, if it be justly and duly administered, then the kingdom is in a good, a safe, and sound condition. When Vespasian asked Apollonius what was the cause of Nero’s ruin, he answered, that Nero could tune the harps well—but in government he did always wind up the strings too high, or let them down too low. The application is easy.

Verse 1:
Em            C          G                   D   C
Jesus I´ve forgotten the words that You have spoken
Em            C                G                    D   D4
Promises that burned within my heart have now grown dim
Em              C                  G               D  C
With a doubting heart I follow the paths of earthly wisdom
Em                C          G             D   D4
Forgive me for my unbelief renew the fire again

Chorus:
Am                      G      D                    C     C
Lord have mercy,   Christ have mercy
Am                      G        D 
Lord have mercy,   o-n  me
Am                      G      D                    C       C
Lord have mercy,   Christ have mercy
Am                      G     D  G
Lord have mercy,   o-n  me

Verse 2:
Em              C             G                 D C
I have built an altar where I worship things of man
Em           C                  G                      D D4
I have taken journeys that have drawn me far from You
Em         C               G            D   C
Now I am returning to Your mercies ever flowing
Em             C                 G          D  D4
Pardon my transgressions help me love You again

Chorus

Verse 3:
Em                C                G      D  C
I have longed to know You and all Your tender mercies
Em           C                   G               D D4
Like a river of forgiveness ever flowing without end
Em       C                       G                D  C
So I bow my heart before You in the goodness of Your presence
Em            C                   G             D   D4
Your grace forever shining like a beacon in the night

Chorus

I’ve been fascinated with St. Malachy’s “Prophecy of the Popes” since 2005. I think its got a lot to say to end-time believers. For a summary of the prophecies and their fulfillments, click here. According to Malachy’s prophetic timeline, Pope Francis (the current pope), mystically called Petrus Romanus, will have a personal confrontation with the Antichrist, Rome will be destroyed, and Christ will return. Pope Francis is about 80 years old. So, that gives us about 10 years until the Antichrist appears! So it seems…

see also “St. Malachy’s Prophecy” – this is a traditional Catholic video and goes through several popes and fulfilled prophecies.

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Originally from here.

The Anglican Church in North America was founded by Anglicans who had left the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church in the United States over concerns that the teaching of those churches had grown more liberal.^[11][12][13] The new body charged that the two existing churches “have increasingly accommodated and incorporated un-Biblical, un-Anglican practices and teaching”.^[14] Two major events which contributed to ACNA’s formation both involved human sexuality. The first was the 2002 decision of the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada to authorize a rite of blessing for same-sex unions; the second was the General Convention‘s ratification of the election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay non-celibate man,^[15][16] as Bishop of New Hampshire the following year.

The new Anglican group also charged that the existing churches had abandoned the traditional Christian belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.^[13] In particular, Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 2006 to 2015, was strongly criticised for her comments to that effect.^[17]

…

Headquartered in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, the church reports that it has 30 dioceses and 983 congregations serving an estimated membership of 112,504.^[1] The first archbishop of the ACNA was Robert Duncan, who was succeeded by Foley Beach in 2014.

…

The ACNA has attempted to incorporate the full spectrum of conservative Anglicanism within Canada and the United States. As a result, it accommodates Anglo-Catholic, charismatic, and evangelical theological orientations. It also includes those who oppose and those who support women’s ordination. Women can serve as clergy members in some dioceses, while other dioceses maintain an exclusively male clergy. Women are ineligible to serve as bishops. The ACNA defines Christian marriage exclusively as a lifelong union between a man and a woman and consequently condemns homosexual relationships that are non-celibate as sinful.^[9][10] The church holds a pro-life position on abortion and euthanasia.

…

In its Fundamental Declarations, the Anglican Church in North America declares itself part of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, confessing Jesus Christ to be the only way to God the Father.^[41] Consistent with this, it identifies the following seven elements as characteristic of the “Anglican Way” and essential for membership:

• The Bible is the inspired word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation, and is the final authority and unchangeable standard for Christian faith and life.
• Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacraments ordained by Christ and are to be ministered with unfailing use of his words of institution and the elements ordained by him.
• The historic episcopate is an inherent part of the apostolic faith and practice, and therefore integral to the fullness and unity of the Body of Christ.
• The church affirms the historic faith of the undivided church as declared in the three ecumenical (catholic) creeds: the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian.
• Concerning the seven Councils of the undivided church, it affirms the teaching of the first four Ecumenical Councils and the Christological clarifications of the fifth, sixth and seventh councils, in so far as they are agreeable to the Bible.
• The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the ordinal attached to it, is a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline and, with the Books which preceded it, is the standard for the Anglican tradition of worship.
• The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of 1571, taken in their literal and grammatical sense, express the Anglican response to certain doctrinal issues controverted at that time, and express fundamental principles of authentic Anglican belief.^[41]

…

Todd Hunter, who was the leader of the Association of Vineyard Churches, actually left the Vineyard and came over to the ACNA, at the suggestion of J. I. Packer, something he writes about in The Accidental Anglican. I believe this church provides a safe place for evangelical charismatics who are concerned about institutional corruption in a lot of places. Personally, I believe there has been a deterioration of revival in the Vineyard, and it goes without saying with Assemblies of God and the other Pentecostal denominations. It couldn’t be more Wesleyan than to join the ACNA. I think John Wesley would strongly approve of what they are up to.

The church’s website: www.anglicanchurch.net

2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 20.

For a post-tribulation view of the end times, see Robert Gundry’s The Church and the Tribulation and First the Antichrist.

This is a cover of the Vineyard song by David Ruis “Yahweh.” Because of all the B chords, this sounds better if played with a classical guitar.

E       B
Yahweh, Yahweh
F#m7                   Em      B
Ancient One yet you’re here today
E              B
Ageless One, Changeless One
F#m7            E   D        B
Showing love to all generations

(bridge)
F#m7         Em       B
  Show us your glory, oh Lord
F#m7                Em
Let your goodness pass before us
A                 B
Right before our eyes

(chorus)
A                E       A                E
And we will wor – ship,   and we will bow  down
A                E        B
And we will call you Lord
A                E                A              E
And we will kneel before the Mak – er of the un – iverse
A                E        B
And we will call you Lord

Yahweh, Yahweh
Faithful One, you have shown us the way
Through the years, through all our lives
You have shown you are faithful to the end

Originally from here.

Having an “Anything Goes” viewpoint is dangerous. Why? Because it allows people to live with the illusion that they can do whatever they want without consequences. That they solely determine what is right and wrong…good or evil. In short, that they have the power to create spiritual and moral reality.

According to philosopher John Ladd, the idea of “I’ll do what’s right for me and you do what’s right for you “is the doctrine that the moral rightness and wrongness of actions varies from society to society and that there are no absolute moral standards binding on all men at all times. Accordingly, it holds that whether or not it’s right for an individual to act in a certain way, depends on or is relative to, the society to which he belongs.”

Everyday People On Morality

When we asked everyday people their views on morality for our new Explore Truth study, here’s just a few of the responses we received:

• “We choose what’s right and wrong.”

• “I feel like the rights and the wrongs kind of come from society.”
• “What’s right or wrong depends on a person to person basis really.”
• “Everyone creates their own standard for themselves.”
• “I’d say if you have ten people and nine out of ten agree that something was wrong, that’s going to be wrong, even if that one person doesn’t agree.”

While believing that everything should be fair and we should decide what’s right and wrong has the appearance of sounding sophisticated and tolerant, the reality on the ground is that it is hurting a lot of people and we need to have the courage to say so.

If someone thinks they create what is right and wrong based on what they believe—then they have a rude awakening coming. Why? Because the reality is what we run into when we are wrong.

And contrary to the sound bites and slogans we constantly hear in pop culture, there is a moral and spiritual reality out there whether we believe it or not. Either it’s wrong to be cruel to another human being or it is not. Either it’s a virtue to be kind or it is not.

If our moral map tells us that we can do whatever we want as long as it feels good then that will lead us into a dead end. If the bridge is out on that road and we keep running full speed ahead along that path—that is a very painful lesson to learn.

Exposing the Lie

So how do you expose the lie of this “Anything Goes” viewpoint? You “reality test” it with people. In other words when you try to live this idea out, what does that look like? If you get it out of the laboratory of your mind and into real life situations that affect real people, does it still seem like a good idea?

To take just one of many examples, approaching life this way removes our ability to praise good and condemn evil. It leaves us in the frustrating position of not being able to say that there’s a moral difference between Adolf Hitler and Mother Teresa. The only way to do so would be to appeal to an external and objective standard of morality.

Yet this is precisely what it denies. But surely such a conclusion is absurd. Mother Teresa lived to serve and save lives, Hitler lived to destroy them. If ”Anything Goes” were true, then we would not be able to universally condemn the holocaust, rape or genocide as evil and we would not be able to universally say that self-sacrifice is superior to self-centeredness.

The Prophet Isaiah put it this way, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (5:20)

If individuals and cultures come to praise what is evil and ridicule what is good that has devastating consequences for all of us.

As Long As You Don’t Hurt Anyone….

Another myth about morality that needs to be exposed is that “People should be free to believe and live however they want as long as they don’t hurt anybody.” There is a lot going on here, but the main issue is that this slogan assumes that someone can’t hurt himself or herself by living according to these beliefs. This slogan is also naïve because other people are almost always impacted in some way by the beliefs we hold and the choices we make.

So while the idea of ”Anything Goes” sounds inclusive and tolerant, don’t believe that for a second. When people embrace the idea that they create their own morality that ends up hurting everyone because truth itself is lost.