Responsibility, Inability and Grace

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me..." - John 6:37

The truth of God's word is honored not in holding exclusively to one truth to the exclusion of another truth, but in believing the whole counsel of God. The Bible plainly teaches that man is responsible to repent and believe the gospel just as it plainly teaches that he is morally unwilling and unable to do so. These two seemingly contradictory assertions can be reconciled when we understand that even the very desire for faith, by which we believe in Christ who justifies sinners, belongs to us, not by nature but by a gift of grace, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit amending our will and turning it from unbelief to faith and from godlessness to godliness. The Apostle Paul says, "And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6). And again, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).

Furthermore some teach that God has mercy upon us when, apart from his regenerative grace, we believe, will and desire, but do not confess that it is by the work and inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us that we even have the faith, the will, or the desire to do all these things; If we make the assistance of grace depend on our humility or obedience but don't agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, we then contradict the Scripture which says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10).

The following chart shows that the Bible clearly teaches both man's responsibility to believe the gospel and his inability to do so. The third column helps us to understand how those whom God has set his affection on infallibly come to faith, in spite of this inability and, most of all, how this gives all glory to God in the work of salvation: Augustine once said, "God bids us do what we cannot, that we may know what we ought to seek from him."

(This chart is loosely based on a chart by Lamar McKinney)

The Responsibility of Man	The Inability of Man	Monergistic Grace of God
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28	No man can come to me, . . . John 6:44a	. . . except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44b
...whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16	...men loved the darkness rather than the Light...andwill not come into the light... John 3:20, 21	.."But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having beenwrought in God." John 3:21 Note: there are, indeed, those who come to the light -- namely those whose deeds are the work of God. "Wrought in God" means worked by God. Apart from this gracious work of God all men hate the light of God and will not come to him lest their evil be exposed.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Isa 55:6	There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Rom 3:11	. . . I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. Rom 10:20b
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ... 1 John 3:23	"...the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:7 you do not hear, because you are not of God. John 8:47	"...and these whom He called, He also justified; Rom 8:30 ...and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48
God...commandeth all men every where to repent. Acts 17:30	...the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him John 14:7	"...if perhaps God maygrant them repentanceleading to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Tim 2:25
. . . whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Rev 22:17b	So then it is not of him that willeth, . . . Rom 9:16a	Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,. . . Ps 110:3a
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Isa 45:22	. . . Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3a	. . . The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest . . . see that Just One, . . .. Acts 22:14
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: John 1:12	But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14	But as many as received him, . . . were born, not of . . the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
. . . if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, . . . ROM 10:9	. . . no man can say that Jesus is Lord . . . 1 Cor 12:3b	. . . but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor 12:3b
. . . make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, . . ? Ezek 18:31	The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: . . . Jer 17:9	A new heart also will I give you, . . . and I will take away the stony heart . . . Ezek 36:26
"If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Matt 19:21	"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Matt 19:23	"Then who can be saved?" And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matt 25b-26

God knoweth we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requireth no more than he giveth, and giveth what he requireth, and accepteth what he giveth." - Richard Sibbes

Post courtesy of Monergism.

The Shack - Book Review - Negative Rating

Someone recently posted a comment on their Face Book page stating they had given The Shack as a gift to someone.  I expressed concern. Surely they were in jest?  I had previously read reviews of the book and went searching for that, or another one to present as a balance.  While some may tout this as a 'fictional' work and somehow under the radar or accountability, it does not give an adequate representation of the Lord, nor does it build up and edify the church.  Here is another review which is presented for your consideration:

Deceived by a counterfeit "Jesus"

The twisted "truths" of The Shack & A Course in Miracles

By Berit Kjos - February 14, 2008

"Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims.... I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters."
        --The Shack's "Jesus." [1,p.182]

"The esoteric spiritual traditions -- whether Christian mystics, Hebrew Kabbalists, Zen Buddhists, Islamic Sufis, or Hindu yogis -- all have specific practices to help individuals overcome this great 'illusion of separation' and to experience the One True Self, which is in us all."[2,p.149]   
        --A Course in Miracles, as "dictated" to channeler Helen Schucman in 1977 by her spirit guide who claimed to be "Jesus."

"Jesus... said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many." Matthew 24:4-5

---

Two books (one new, one old) have suddenly grabbed public attention and captured the hearts of multitudes. One is long and instructional -- a dictation from a channeled spirit guide. The other is a fictional testimony full of tear-jerking dialogue. A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is obviously occult, while the more subtle message of The Shack by William P. Young has been widely accepted in postmodern churches.

The two books share a common message. I saw a stark preview of it back in 1992. Skimming through a magazine called Well-Being Journal, I noticed this New Age "insight" from the author's "inner guide:"

"Many people believe in evil, sin, and dark forces.  It is your purpose to teach the opposite which is theTruth: there is no devil, no hell, no sin, no guilt except in the creative mind of humankind." 

I heard similar views at Gorbachev's 1997 State of the World Forum. At the time, keynote speaker Marianne Williamson was touting the Kabbalah, not A Course in Miracles (ACIM). While those New Age "insights" would fit both, they are best expressed through ACIM, which Williamson is now popularizing through Oprah Winfrey's weekly radio program.

The Shack calls for a similar denial of reality. Yet countless pastors and church leaders are delighting in its message. By ignoring (or redefining) sin and guilt, they embrace an inclusive but counterfeit "Christianity" that draws crowds but distorts the Bible. Discounting Satan as well, they weaken God's warnings about deception. No wonder His armor for today's spiritual war became an early victim of this spreading assault on Truth.

Roger Oakland, author of Faith Undone, hinted at this transformation in his article "My Trip to the Rethink Conference:"

"For nearly two thousand years, most professing Christians have seen the Bible as the foundation for the Christian faith. The overall view at the Rethink Conference, however, is that Christianity, as we have known it, has run its course and must be replaced.... Speakers insisted that Christianity must be re-thought and re-invented if the name of Jesus Christ is going to survive here on planet earth."[3]

No room for the historical Jesus? Must we reimagine God to make Him fit the rising universal church?

That seems to be the aim of The Shack's female "God." Here she is speaking to the main character, Mackenzie (Mack for short):

"For me to appear to you as a woman and suggest that you call me Papa is simply to mix metaphors, to help you keep from falling so easily back into your religious conditioning."[1,p.93]

"Religious conditioning?" Is that how Mr. Young views Biblical Christianity?

It's easy to be persuaded by his clever arguments. The Shack is written as a personal testimony that draws readers into virtual dialogues with a playful, culturally relevant "God." In contrast to the dry, occult lessons in ACIM, The Shack leads readers into vicarious experiences in a world of revelations and sensations. The only sin-like issue here is independence -- what ACIM calls "separateness" -- a refusal to accept universal oneness with "God" and man. Unhindered by Biblical guidelines, The Shack offers no standard for right or wrong, so there's no real need for Biblical repentance. It fits right into the popular vision of a unifying, non-judgmental church.

"So how do I become part of that church?" asks Mack.

"It's simple," answers the counterfeit "Jesus." "It's all about relationships and simply sharing life... being open and available to others around us. My church is all about people, and life is all about relationships."[1,p.178]

That sounds partly true, as do most spiritual lies! For example, Jesus criticized the Pharisees who "searched the Scriptures" but refused to "come" to Him. Today's postmodern seekers are just as foolish. They ignore unwanted Scriptures, and then flock to the culturally attuned "Jesus" of their imaginations.  

In The Shack, readers meet a permissive "God" that "submits" to their human ways. They look through the veil between life and death, see the joy beyond, and communicate with loved ones -- subtle examples of "calling up the dead," which the Bible bans (Deut. 18:11).  Mack could "see" the colorful "auras" that showed spiritual maturity among the dead-but-alive. He even practiced astral travel -- or as The Shack calls it "flying" -- a word popularized by Maharishi Yogi long ago. ("Mack had learned inside his dreams to fly ... to ascend into the clouds..."[1,p.116])
"Such a powerful ability, the imagination!" said The Shack's counterfeit "Jesus." That power alone makes you so like us."[1,p.140]

Here the boundaries of the church are broadened to include almost everyone. The only exception seems to be "independent" folk who refuse to "come" to this universal "God." This isn't Christianity -- and this false "Jesus" would agree. When Mack asks him what it "means to be a Christian," he answer:

"'Who said anything about being a Christian? I'm not a Christian.' The idea struck Mack as odd and unexpected and he couldn't keep himself from grinning. 'No, I suppose you aren't.'"[1,p.182]

Of course, he's not!  The word "Christian" refers to His followers, not Jesus Himself, and it has always clashed with trendy cultures. Even when 'the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" (Acts 11:26), that word was a derogatory label used by enemies of the Church. Of course, that didn't keep faithful Christians from joyfully claiming that name and sharing God's Word.

Read more -->Here.

Pastor

Jer_17:16  As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.

Pastor - H7462 - A primitive root; to tend a flock, that is, pasture it; intransitively to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension to associate with (as a friend): -  X break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep [sheep] (-er), pastor, + shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.

Gen 4:2  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 

Gen 13:7  And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

Gen 29:7  And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

Gen 29:9  And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.

Gen 30:36  And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Gen 46:32  And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.

Num 14:33  And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

Jdg 14:20  But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend.

Job 24:21  He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.

Psa 80:13  The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

Pro 13:20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 

Pro 29:3  Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.

Jer 2:8  The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

Jer 2:16  Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

Jer 22:22  The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.

Wow...used in 142 verses 171 times...I have given a sampling of the different words translated from H7462 - râ‛âh - raw-aw'.  I fully expected the word to be about Pastors and/or Shepherds...the Word of God is always a blessing to explore, learn and grow.

That covers the Old Testament....hmmm....what about the New?

Well....search for Pastor in the NT yields - zero...tried teacher, which had several verses, but decided to start with Shepherd since that was the primary word translation in the OT.

Mat 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 

G4166 - Of uncertain affinity; a shepherd (literally or figuratively): - shepherd, pastor.

I obviously did not do a proper search for the word pastor:

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Ahhh...I get it now...no 's' *sigh* wish the search engine would not be so persnickety.

Used in 17 verses, 18 times...here is passage to reflect upon:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. ~ John 10:11-14

May the ever watchful, ever attentive Master Shepherd guard you spirit, soul and body.  May you continually feed within His pasture provided.  Being cognizant and aware of those who are but hirelings and are destined to come in and destroy.  May He bless each of us with an ever growing desire to sit at table with Him and partake of His provision.  His manifold blessings upon ye.