Tag: Philippians

Grace Be unto You – Part 4

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Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you…

Not one scripture teaches unconditional grace, or that God gives grace to men who disobey the gospel. There are thirty things that grace cannot do (continued): Make any man a child of God in the sense Jesus was (John 1:14, 18; 3:16). Force God to continue blessing any man who sins (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 5:19-21; Jas. 5:19-20). Make the sins of the saved different from the sins of the unsaved (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 2Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 1:5-10; 2Pet. 2:20-22). Condemn sinners and excuse saints who commit the same sins (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 14:10-12; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Ezek. 18:4, 24-28; 33:12-16; Rev. 2:5, 16, 22; 3:2). Operate in the life of a free moral agent without his consent (John 3:16-20; 7:17; 8:34; 2Pet. 3:9; Rev. 22:17). Impart eternal life to men who serve sin and satan (Mat. 6:24; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; 1Jn. 3:8). Keep man from moral falls if they wilfully sin (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:26-29; Ezek. 33:12-20). Force God to go contrary to His own program of grace (Rom. 1:16; 1Jn. 1:7; Heb. 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-29). Cancel the law of sowing and reaping (Gal. 6:7-8; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; Ezek. 18:4, 24-28; 33:12-16; Rev. 2:5-22). Guarantee unconditional favour to anyone (2Cor. 6:1; Gal. 1:6-8; 2:21; 5:4; Heb. 12:15; Jas. 5:19-20). Guarantee unforfeitable life without conditions being met (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Jas. 5:19-20; Heb. 10:26-29). Guarantee sinlessness to men unless conditions are met (1Cor. 3:16-17; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:16-26; 6:7-8; Heb. 6:1-9; 10:26-29; 12:14-15). Encourage anarchy in God’s government (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8). Force God to be lenient with rebels (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:23; 8:12-13; Gal. 6:7-8). Give any man a pardon that guarantees him salvation and eternal life regardless of how he lives in sin and rebellion (Ex. 32:32-33; Ezek. 18:4; 33:10-20; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8).

Grace Be unto You – Part 3

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Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you…

Continued… Not one scripture teaches unconditional grace, or that God gives grace to men who disobey the gospel. There are thirty things that grace cannot do: Set aside forever all condemnation for future sins (John 5:14; 8:34; Rom. 6:1-23; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:21; 2Cor. 5:10). Set aside failure of saved men to meet the many conditions of salvation (1Jn. 1:7; Rom. 6:1-23; 8:1-13; Jas. 5:19-20; Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 1:23; 2:6-7). Cancel free moral agency (Col. 1:23; 1Jn. 1:7; Rom. 6:16-23; Rev. 22:17). Keep men saved when they sin (Rom. 8:12-13; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Jas. 5:19-20; Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26-29; 2Pet. 2:20-21). Cancel the death penalty when saved men break the law (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; Heb. 10:26-29; Jas. 5:19-20; Ezek. 18:4, 20-24; 33:12-13, 18). Make God a liar who said every man that sins must die (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Rev. 21:8). Cancel the law of confession of sins before they are forgiven (1Jn. 1:7, 1:9; Rev. 2:5, 16; 3:19; Luke 13:1-5; Acts 2:38). Forgive future sins, for transgression and confession are necessary before forgiveness (1Jn. 1:9; Rev. 2:5, 16, 22; 3:19; Luke 13:1-5; Acts 2:38; Mark 6:12; Rom. 2:4-6; 2Cor. 7:10). Cancel responsibility of saved men concerning sin (Rom. 14:10; 2Cor. 5:10; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:7-8; Rom. 14:12). Be responsible should saved men backslide (1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; Rev. 2:5; 3:2; Jas. 5:19-20; Gal. 5:19-21). Free saved men from condemnation for future sins unless confessed (1Jn. 1:7, 9; Rev. 2:5, 22; 3:2; Jas. 5:19-20). Permit God to forgive unconfessed sin (2Chron. 7:14; 2Cor. 7:9-10; 1Jn. 1:9; 2Tim. 2:25; Rev. 2:5; 3:2). Bind men so that they cannot sin if they choose to do so (Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; 1Jn. 1:7; Heb. 6:4-9; 10:26-29). Guarantee any man eternal life if he refuses to obey (Jas. 5:19-20; 2Cor. 3:16-17; 6:1-18; 2Cor. 9:1-15; Ezek. 33:12-20). Force obedience (Rev. 22:17; John 3:16-20; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 1:6-8; 5:4; 6:7-8; 1Jn. 1:7).

Grace Be unto You Part 1

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Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you…

It is one of the greatest blessings that we can greet one another with, as we see Paul uses to bless his fellow believers from Philippi, but it is also the most misunderstood and overused part of the gospel blessings. Indeed, grace cannot be withheld from man because of demerit, lessened by demerit, or mixed with the law of works; but this does not prove that there are no conditions men must meet to get the benefits of grace. Not one scripture teaches unconditional grace, or that God gives grace to men who disobey the gospel. If so, then God is under obligation to save all, even sinners who disobey if He saves even one (Rom. 2:11). God is under obligation to saints only when they walk in the light and remain true to the gospel (1Jn. 1:7). He is not under obligation to sinners until they come to full obedience to the gospel. Grace teaches men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly here and now (Tit. 2:11-12). If people do not obey its teaching grace can go no further. Anyone may: Receive grace in vain (2Cor. 6:1). Frustrate it in his life (Gal. 2:21). Fall from it (Gal. 1:6-8; 5:4). Fail of the grace of God (Heb. 12:15). Turn it into lasciviousness (Jude 1:4). Sin despite it (Rom. 6:1). Continue or discontinue in it (Acts 13:43). Minister it to others (1Pet. 4:10). Grow or not grow in it (2Pet. 3:18). Receive or reject it (John 3:16; Rev. 22:17; Heb. 12:15; Jas. 4:6).

To be continued…

To All the Saints

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Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons

The letter to the Philippians was written from Rome about 64 A.D. by Paul. The immediate occasion for writing is disclosed in Philippians 4:10-18. Its theme is the joy of Christian grace and experience in all of life and death. Paul himself demonstrated the greatest joy in the greatest suffering and humiliation, starting the congregations (Acts 16:1-40). He mentions “joy” 14 times in the epistle. The keyword is “rejoice” (3:1). Christians are to rejoice in fellowship with one another (1:3-11), in afflictions of the gospel (1:12-30); in the ministry for saints (2:1-18), in the faithfulness of their teachers (2:19-3:1); in the Lord and not in Judaism or the flesh (3:1-21); in unity (4:1-3), and always in all things (4:4-23).

‘To all the saints in Christ’ – Those who are living as Christians (1Pet. 2:21-23), not just proclaiming it (Mat. 7:21-23) are always addressed as saints. We have the Old Testament saints (many listed in Hebrews 11), the New Testament saints will be those who are in Christ from His ministry on earth and lastly, the tribulation saints refer to those that will be saved during the tribulation (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 15:2-4; 20:4-6). To say that all saints are sinners is unscriptural, for even if we were born into sin and lived in it, the moment we are born again, we are no longer identified by God’s Word as sinners – a man cannot be a saint and a sinner at the same time (Mat. 7:24; Rom. 6:16-23; 8:13). One cannot be holy and sinful and serve God and satan, or be a servant of sin and righteousness at the same time (Mat. 6:24).

‘Timotheus’ Timothy is associated with Paul in the address of the epistles to the Philippians and Colossians, and with Paul and Silas in the two epistles to the Thessalonians. Timothy was at this time with Paul in Rome (2:19).

‘Servants of Jesus Christ’ [Greek: doulos] one giving himself wholly to another’s will.

‘Saints in Christ Jesus’ All saved people are saints, so there are no grounds for making people saints after death (1:1; Acts 9:13, 32, 41; 26:10; Rom. 1:7; 1Cor. 1:2; 6:1-2; 2Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2; 2Thess. 1:10; Jude 1:3; Rev. 5:8; 13:7, 13:10; 17:6).