By the way, The King James Bible is not a "version." Something that is a version of something else is not the same. Things that are different, are not the same. Keep that in mind when you claim you're KJ"B" only. :)
Anyway, we've actually gone over the whole Calvinist thing in SS recently, and Brother Ken RIGHTLY divided the Word of God and broke it down as to why it is wrong to believe in predestination and election.
God is an all-knowing God. Of course He knew when He created man that sin would enter into the world. This did not take Him by surprise. But He wanted love and obedience to be our choice. He did not want us to be puppets on His puppeteer stage. He wanted us to love and obey and accept Him from our hearts. He knew that there would be those that would accept Him and, sadly, those that would deny Him. We are predestined to love and obey and accept Him, because that's how He made us and what He desires from us. But it is up to us whether or not we choose to love and obey and accept Him.
He also knew that the blood shed of animals would not forever atone for man's sin so He sent His Son, the spotless Lamb of God, His only BEGOTTEN Son, for a final sacrifice.
If we were already predestined and elected the way Calvinists believe, what would be the point of Christ leaving the splendor and glory of Heaven to die on the cross for ALL men? By the way, "ALL" means "all." And what would be the purpose of the Holy Ghost convicting the heart of man to salvation?
When He died, rose again, and ascended into Heaven, He left with us, His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God moves with compassion on the lost. Anyone who has ever been born into this world enters into a state of eternal death. They are lost and on their way to Hell. This is why it is so important to train our children and to lead them in righteousness. But it is also just as important to tell others, as we are commanded to do so.
Luke 14:23 says to "...GO out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be full." Do you know what the world "compel" means? It doesn't mean to "ask nicely." It means to "force." In other words, GO out into the highways and hedges and FORCE them to come in, that my house may be full. Now, if you believe the Lord will just fall on someone and that's how it happens you've been deceived. We have to tell others about Him. They must hear the Word.
Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by HEARING and hearing by the WORD OF GOD."
We must also have a vision for the lost soul. Proverbs 29:18a, "Where there is no vision, the people perish."
Matthew 28:19 "GO ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." To teach is to impart knowledge, to instruct by precept, example, or experience. If it's just all up to God, why does He tell us to GO and to TEACH others?
Why are we to compel (force) them and why are we to teach (impart knowledge to) them?
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness: but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance. Again, "any" means "any" and "all" means "all."
"Repentance", meaning a turning away from their sin. When we are walking in darkness and turn away from the darkness to the Light, we walk straight into the arms of the Savior.
The Calvinist doctrine, in my opinion, is a very egotistical and arrogant doctrine, and one that is sending many people to Hell.
A clear presentation of the gospel is simply to follow the Roman's Road to salvation.
Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." None of us are better than anyone else. Even if we have lived a "good life" according to man's standards, we are still under the bondage of sin and fall short of God's glory.
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Sin entered the world in the garden, and for that sin, man was sentence to an eternal death. But a gift from God was given to us when Jesus Christ died on the cross. He was HOLY and SINLESS and shed His blood as a sacrifice for our sin, taking upon Himself the sin of the world so that we could escape eternal death and enter into eternal life, upon accepting Him as our Savior and King.
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When Christ died on the cross, He paid for ALL sin. When He paid for that sin, He made a way for us to be free from the bondage of sin and death.
Romans 10:13 "For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord, SHALL BE SAVED." There is not one person on the face of this earth that is worthy of salvation. However, God made us worthy and no matter who we are or where we are, if we will call upon Him, He will save us.
Romans 10:9&10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made known unto salvation." The first step is to admit you're a sinner. The second step is to know in your heart and believe that Christ is the only way to Heaven and the third step is to simply confess to Him that you believe that He is the only Christ and the only way to Heaven and ask Him to save you.
Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. If ANY man hear my voice, AND OPEN THE DOOR, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The Holy Spirit will knock on the door of our hearts. It is up to us whether or not we will open that door for Him. If we choose to keep the door shut, we will spend eternity in Hell. If we choose to open the door and allow Him entrance, we will spend time with Him in fellowship and eternity with Him in Heaven.
- Believe in Him
- Ask Him to come into your heart, by faith
- Read the gospel of John and what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again.
- Look for a local church where God's WORD is preached. When we get saved, we are like newborn babies desiring the milk of its mother. And the only way we will grow is by being fed the Word of God.
- Be baptized. Baptism does not determine salvation, but it is a public profession of your decision to follow Christ. It is an act of obedience and a symbol of commitment.
John 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
