Acts 28:24 "And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves."Just as Isaiah prophesied, the Hebrew people rejected Christ. Although their Holy Scripture was all about the Messiah, when he came and died for them, they were calloused in their thinking. They rejected Jesus even though they were God's chosen people! Whereas in times past, the Jews needed miracles to believe and the Gentiles reason, now it was the Jews who needed reason.
God didn't give up on the Jews! They can still become Christians, but because they have distorted the Law of God, it's just harder for them. Throughout history they murmured against God and his prophets rather than just accepting. We have seen that they were whiners. Well, this chapter is "The Last of the Summer Whine"! The focus of the Great Commission is forthwith on the Gentiles. The Jews, as little children do, blocked their minds to what they saw and heard, and finally their hearts became hardened. Rather than accepting the miracles of Jesus and Paul, they reasoned among themselves!
I thank God that whereas the Jews failed him, that the church grew through the unclean people and I am a Christian because my predecessors believed in him!
"Reason" is the power of the mind to gather information, evaluate it and then make decisions. That process is called "logic". The Jews' problem was that it didn't seem logical to get the gift of salvation for free and that it is because of God's GRACE. It did seem logical that they must DO things for salvation. In effect their reliance wasn't on God, but on their own selves to be saved.
Likewise, it wasn't logical that one man could shed his blood for the sins of all for all time, when they assured themselves it took many animals continually sacrificed to appease God.
They assured themselves, through faulty logic, that God must be appeased rather than accepted. Centuries had ingrained faulty reasoning into their spiritual makeup! They were so molded in their thinking that remolding, even with miracles, was essentially impossible with them, although not with God. At any time God could have forced his chosen people to accept him, but love cannot be forced.
Now, let's apply this to modern times. During my lifetime I have attended the following denominations: Christian, Methodist, Missionary Baptist, Independent Baptist, United Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Southern Baptist, General Baptist, Wesleyan, Nazarene, Lutheran, Free Methodist, Pentecostal, Christian Alliance, Church of Christ, Mennonite and the non-denominational Bible Church,
You can see from the list that I worshiped with other Christians who ranged from five-point Calvinists to Armenian-Wesleyan. I have worshiped with the most primitive and with the most contemporary. I have worshiped with the most obedient to those who depend entirely on grace. I have worshiped with those who were ritualistic and formal to those who were without ritual. I have worshiped with those who baptized infants to those who baptized only adult believers. I have worshiped with those who believed baptism is an ordinance to those who believe baptism is saving. I believe all those with whom I have worshiped are sincere Christians with different theology. I believe all but the most formal seek to glorify God.
The common element of each of these divergent denominations is that they all sincerely believed in the deity and sacrifice of Jesus Christ to be saved or I would never ever have went there!
Many people are born into denominations. They are what they are because that's what is modeled for them and is what they are taught. Those who attend Primitive Baptist churches their entire life are going to be Calvinists. When exposed to Armenian doctrine they are going to block it out because it's contrary to all they know! That is a defense mechanism of pride! That's the notion that "After all these years I can't admit that my doctrine is wrong!" The same goes for Wesleyan churches on the other end of the spectrum!
Because I have been exposed to the doctrines of divergent belief systems I don't block out doctrine which threatens my pride. Although I'm Armenian, I have sat for years in churches which had one to five points of Calvinism. It's essential that I (and you) put aside our pride long enough to consider what may be truth. As such, I have weighed the two "isms" and concluded that it must not be either one way or the other. I won't put God in a box. He can work with different people in different ways!
For instance Paul's conversion was predestined from time immemorial. What he got was irresistible grace and he was totally depraved being a murderer. God's plan for him was to persevere to the end and make the church grow. Paul's life was the epitome of Calvinism.
On the other hand Judas was truly a Christian or Christ would not have accepted him as an apostle. However, Judas committed apostasy because of the promise of gain. God with his foreknowledge was quite aware of that, but Judas was a traitor to Jesus Christ. He was in apostasy and since you can't be made safe twice, he gave up his salvation. Judas was the epitome of what is possible in Armenian-Wesleyan doctrine.
Of the two extremes God can do whatever he wants to do from one end to the other. However, if I had attended only one denomination I could have stopped my ears and closed my eyes to truth.
Paul's conversion was not the norm. Few people were struck blind when they were led to salvation.On the other hand, although many have been traitors to Jesus few have hung themselves as Judas did! What needs to be examined is the usual born-again experience. It is all by grace and because of thankfulness a Christian is instilled with a desire to obey Jesus. Because we are weak in the flesh, the Holy Ghost remains right here to aid and protect us, but we must be willing.
My beliefs are from scripture. They are tempered by exposure to different doctrines. I never closed my eyes and ears to any of them, but what I believe is the truths from each which agree with Holy Scripture according to my understanding. I must put away my pride and admit that what I believe is not the "final word" and that I too can misunderstand.
On the other hand I must cling to my beliefs unless scripture convinces me that I am wrong. That has happened many times! If the Holy Spirit inspires me through the word, a sermon or reason, to cling to or change; that's what I do. We must not be malleable to any thought which passes men's lips, but open to truth.
I'm a member of the General Baptist Denomination although this has come late in life. When I was growing up in my geographical area, I had never even heard of General Baptists. I attend that specific denomination, not because their doctrine is perfect, but because it's closest to what I believe from scripture. If I said that "They are it!" I would be wrong. There are some remnants of Catholicism still extant o which I disagree from my understanding of scripture. For instance a "suit and tie" to preach would make John the Baptist cringe. That divorce precludes a person from serving makes it an unpardonable sin. That's very Catholic, but they are the church's parents.
What we all must do is consider scripture, pray for understanding and adapt to what the Lord shows us. If we read scripture with open eyes and listening ears, we WILL change because we are all wrong in different areas. It's not that truth is dynamic, but that maturity is considering and understanding!
I don't want anyone to ever belong to "The Church of Larry Herrin" because if you did, you would share the same mistaken beliefs which I may have. I'm not proud since I'm not Paul! It would be instructive though if one considered what I understand, even correcting me when I'm wrong... as long as you're not clinging to your own biased learning.
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