Jesus Wept - support of unlimited atonement

   One of my dear friends in this world is a woman who is like a sister, even though she is not physically my sister.  We were having lunch together sometime in 2001 or such, and the conversation went to a book she was reading by R.C. Sproul, a minister, author, and scholar.  R.C. Sproul advocates what is popularly called the "Calvinist" position which involves a doctrine which advocates God being in complete control of the eternal destiny of people, since that is a role of being "sovereign."  So concerning soteriology, he teaches "double predestination," which claims that God determined, even before creating the heavens and the earth, the eternal fate of each individual human being.  Thus He elected some people to be saved and have the destiny of heaven, whereas He elected some people to not be saved and have the destiny of h-ll.  I completely disagree with this doctrine.

   When it comes to soteriology, I do not fit strictly in the Calvinist or Arminian camp.  I agree with the Calvinist points of penal substitution and eternal security!  And I agree with the Arminian point that salvation is available for everyone, and that people have free will in accepting or rejecting Christ!  {My 5/28/13 blog entry on I Peter 3:18-22 examines this.}

   So there at lunch with my dear friend, I quickly brought the conversation to the topic of predestination.  I was adamant in my unique argument that the Biblical context for predestination concerns sanctification, not justification, and that people have "free will," namely they have the option of choosing the mercy and grace offered by Christ.  Likewise people have the option to also dismiss that gift.

   Indeed people are marred and on a path to spiritual death due to "original sin," yet even though God had Adam and Eve depart from the Garden of Eden, which caused a separation between God and people, God has not abandoned people, rather He keeps reaching out to all people, offering the Gospel.  And people, created in the image of God, though sinners, are still capable of receiving or rejecting Him.

   I was real focused and intense in the conversation on the subject with my dear sister-in-Christ.  A brilliant woman with a law degree from UVA, we debated, in a loving manner.  After we concluded that topic, I noticed that all of the people who were sitting in the close quarters of the booths and tables around us in the restaurant had cleared out.  No one was near us!  They probably were not expecting such a theological discussion within earshot during their lunch hour that day, and they headed back to the office early.  There were probably some surprised bosses that day in Broomfield.

   Yet it was not until I started studying at Colorado Christian University that I learned how much strife there has been in Christian history between "Calvinists," "Arminians," and thirdly, folks like me who do not fit completely into either of those theological camps.

   (I add I recall reading a commentary by a very popular 20th century Bible teacher who said that both Calvinists and Arminians were correct.  Regarding this fourth position, I can hear Leonard Nimoy say: "That is illogical, Captain.")

   The primary battle ground of this controversy is Christian universities and seminaries, and I have been told by more than one person that there are Christian colleges where some professors prohibit dialog on this subject.  Instead, a student must simply go with the conviction of the professor.  That is not the case at CCU where I am a student, since all students are allowed to professionally state their convictions, though some professors give more such opportunities than others.  (And I add this statement at a later time: At CCU there was more of a "TULIP Calvinist" influence for a number of years after a new president presided at the university.)

   And all churches with their various positions on atonement impact the members of their specific congregations.

   May we allow Jesus to speak to us on this critical subject.  Considering R.C. Sproul's doctrinal basis for "double predestination," which is God's sovereignty, we can better understand that reality by viewing the action of Jesus which has rung out for the past two thousand years: "Jesus wept" (John 11:35 NIV).  That is the ultimate illustration of the fact that God chose to sacrifice some sovereignty.

   A scholarly book, which was a textbook for my "Evangelical Theology" class at CCU, which presents both sides of various debates, states concerning the "Calvinist" view: "The absolute sovereignty of God is implied in the very concept of God.  If anything can thwart God's will, then that thing is more powerful than God" (1).  However, God chose to sacrifice within His sovereignty.  Yet He is still all powerful, because such a sacrifice was His will!  Also, the sacrifice did not change His nature.

   This sacrifice is shown by the fact that Jesus cried after His friend Lazarus had died.  Jesus had the power to keep His friend from dying.  And we find out as we continue on with the story that Jesus had the power to resurrect His friend.  Yet Jesus allowed Lazarus to die, not because He wanted to show off His resurrecting power, which is what many people think He was doing.  Rather Jesus sacrificed sovereignty so we can continue to know that even when terrible things happen in this world, even when people die, there is hope from Jesus, who is Sovereign in His kingdom.  Jesus had complete sovereignty in the universe when He created it!  Yet He has allowed others to have power in this world.  Jesus even said, "...My kingdom is not of this world..." (John 18:36 NIV).  Yet I add that we know from Revelation that one day Jesus is going to return to earth and regain His complete sovereignty!!

   If Jesus had never relinquished any control, He would never need to cry!  In fact, how many psychologists would diagnose Jesus, who was fully human and also fully God, as having a psychological problem if He was completely in control of every detail in the universe, and yet He cried over the death of a friend.

   John Calvin, who was correct regarding the penal substitution nature of the atonement, was tragically wrong as he limited that atonement.  His conviction that Jesus' atonement was limited goes against the clear teaching of Scripture, teachings such as: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God..." (I Peter 3:18 NIV).  Calvin's tragic doctrine of limited atonement falsifies the fact that Jesus loves everyone, and that He died on a cross to offer salvation to anyone.

   Now a person must still receive the gift, and the manner is by faith in Jesus.  The Reformation principle of salvation being "by grace through faith alone" is correct.  Yet there has never been a human being who was deprived by God of the opportunity to be saved, because Jesus loves everyone.  "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).  He leaves the decision to us; that is His ultimate will.

   So I will conclude this piece by applying my convictions.  Please know, whoever you happen to be, that Jesus died for you, the substitution atonement for any wrongs you have ever done, the results of which would have been spiritual death, because Jesus loves you!

Hunter

(1) Gregory Boyd & Paul Eddy, Across the Spectrum: 

Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology

(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002), 38.

Why in the world should anyone be a Christian?

   Soon after being hired as the youth director at a church in Grand Junction, Colorado, in 1997, my first youth pastor position, there was a physical death in the church family.  The man who passed away was the grandfather of two students who were active in the youth group.  The one student was a young gentleman in high school, and the other student was a young lady who was in the 6th grade.  I had been told by the Pastor in conversation about students of the youth group of that wonderful 6th grade girl, and how she had a growth deficiency.  She was subject to medical treatment to increase her hormone activity.  Yet even though she was "short" for her age, it was speculated that she might not grow much more in her entire teen years.  Not being one who has ever cared much about people's height, I simply listened with care about the dilemma of the young girl and her family.

   So when the day of the funeral came, I attended to show my care to the two students in the youth group.  After a blessed memorial service, everyone lined up to give their remarks to the family of the man who had passed away.  Since I was so new to the church, I let other people jump in line, and I ended up near the back of the line.  While standing in line, I observed the people expressing their condolences to the family.  I soon made a keen observation: as everyone went by to shake hands, the 6th grade girl was being towered over.  A few gave her a greeting of a handshake or a pat on the head, which is patronizing to a sixth grader, and many were even bypassing her in the greeting line as if she was not there.  The more I watched, the more apparent this became.  Yet then a young man came to her in line.  He fell to his knees, he said, "I am sorry that you lost your grandpa," and he hugged her.  Her mother, standing next to her, got tears in her eyes.

   I have been following Jesus for 21 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how much bad stuff goes on in Christian communities.  Sometimes it seems no different than any other community.  Yet I can give you a reason for being a "Christian:" Jesus is good.  Jesus, God the Son, came into this world in the flesh.  That young man knelt down to hug the young lady; Jesus came from the throne of God to be a human being in this world with a mission of dying as the substitute for sins.  The gist of sins is that God does not want us to do anything which hurts us and/or it other people.  Have you ever hurt someone?  Have you ever done anything that hurt yourself?  I have.  Would God have approved of what we did?  I was a Christian for a few years, understanding that Jesus forgives sins, yet not fully understanding the reason Jesus died on a cross was that He was the Atonement for sins.  The consequence of sin is spiritual death!  It states this in the Bible in Romans 6:23.  Jesus died as a substitute for all people, taking the punishment for sins.  He could do that since He had become a human being, yet He was still fully God.  Jesus was the substitute for sins, and any person who believes in Jesus, since believing is receiving, receives the forgiveness of Jesus.  The punishment of sins has been transferred to Jesus.  Now each person has a choice to make if he or she will receive that gift.  Eternal life is available for those who are willing to believe in Jesus.

   I think it would be really cool to be in a relationship with God that included being able to see God.  It is interesting that more people do not think we Christians are wacky, considering we talk to someone who cannot even be seen.  Sometimes when I am praying out loud on a walk, I will notice someone giving me a look.  Why shouldn't they?  It looks like I am talking to myself.  Yet faith in Jesus results in "knowing" God, knowing Him in your spiritual heart, which likewise cannot be seen.  It is a spiritual relationship.  And the great promise of Jesus is that one day, those who believe in Him will see Him face to face.  It is going to be awesome!

Hunter Irvine

Revelation application

Regarding Revelation, how do I apply this to my community?: (I flipped the questions this one time.)

Once, maybe two years after college, I was on a trip to Assateague Island and Chincoteague, where the wild horses are.  I had been invited by my Aunt Connie, Uncle Tom, and cousin Jason.  Driving along in the area one day, I notice a billboard which had a picture of Jesus.  His eyes were red and kind of glowing. He looked pretty mad.  I chuckled, because it seemed to be the opposite of the common depiction of Jesus, portrayed as soft and gentle.  I have learned that Jesus is Loving, and Jesus is also just, which is a part of His nature of caring about all of His creation.  When people do wrong, they hurt others.  Punishment is called for.  For those who do not receive Jesus, their sins have not been atoned for, and on Judgment Day, they will be sentenced.

   Love is offered by Jesus right now.  Failing to receiving Jesus is to reject the punishment which Jesus took on the cross as the substitute for anyone.  I am willing to tell that to my community right here and now.

Regarding Revelation, how do I apply this to myself?:

Years ago I played a game with a Sunday school, which we entitled "Stump Hunter."  The students could ask me any question about the Bible in order to get a tough question answered, or to even just try to stump me for fun.  It was great.

   After over three months of hard work on this assignment, it is easier for me to say that they are plenty of things I do not know about the Bible.

   I get personal and say I do not know how there can be no crying in heaven, as stated in Revelation 21:4.

   Now that statement starts by saying: "[God] will wipe every tear from their eyes."

   John does go on to say in the second part of Revelation 21:4 -  "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain...."

   Thus there is the suggested that there will be tears at first, and then crying will be no more.

   I am an emotional person, and I cried after I completed the Appalachian Trail many years ago.  After so much suffering in this world, due to my sins and due to hurts from many others, I consider that I will cry when I get to heaven.

   Knowing the perfection process has been completed for me so that I can be completely loving, someone who was not loving before giving my heart to Jesus, I think I will be overwhelmed.  I consider I will cry when delivered in full into the arms of Jesus.

   Yet Scripture reveals that the future of heaven involves the conclusion of crying and pain.

   I thank God for that this very day.

+ Thank You Holy Father for enabling me to write this entire New Testament Introduction Overview.  What a challenge.  What a special opportunity.  It is through Your Awesome name Lord Jesus that I pray.  Amen.

Hunter Irvine

Revelation background

Revelation

Author: John

Revelation 1:1-2

And see Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius - Book 6, Chapter 25, Verse 10.

Date: Around 95 A.D. is quite a popular date.

Language: Greek

Place: Island of Patmos, 

stated in Revelation 1:9.

Purpose: There is a clear threefold purpose:  First, to give compliments and corrections to churches at the time which John wrote this.  Such continues to be encouragement and advice for us Christians today to heed, since we are likewise in these "last days."  And following these "last days," the "end times" is next.

Second, to present a vision of God's majesty and just wrath during the 'last call' of the end times.

Thirdly, to close Scripture with a prophecy of Judgement Day, and a prophecy revealing heaven, which will be the destiny for all who have, or who will, give their heart to Jesus, the One who died to forgive sins.

What kind of book?: A genre called Apocalyptic.

The Greek word used at the start, recorded in Revelation 1:1, is apokalypsis, which means unveiling or uncovering.  The English word used in translation is "revelation."

Revealed in this book, after the huge address to the seven churches, is prophecy of what will take place in the "end times," through a vision given to John the apostle, by God.  The book of Revelation is full of metaphors, and full of truths.

Reflection: After a downright intense semester, yet a blessed semester for me, at Colorado Christian University, how nice to go from a mode of academics, to a personal story of a very personal experience.

   A little more than one year after I turned to Jesus, I decided to read the entire New Testament.  That was in 1991.  I would usually do the reading on the way home from work on the subway.  One particular early evening I was reading the book of Revelation on the subway.  The chapters involved some "far out" stuff, which all seemed rather foreign to me.  In the midst of my reading, I was overwhelmed, and I wondered how this all could be "the word God."

   After the subway ride, I always had to take a bus from the station to the closest bus stop near my house.  And then I still had a decent walk from the bus stop to my parent's house.  While on the bus, I was kind of out of it, thinking about what I had read.  Then during the walk I was thinking even more about what I had read, still overwhelmed.

   The first section of the walk home was a narrow asphalt path which went from the bus stop area through woods, and then connected with my housing subdivision.  Coming out of the woods into my neighborhood, I looked up to see a grand rainbow.

   A rainbow had been something God had used to reach out to me in the past before I was a Christian.  (Even all these years later, I often say the Lord's Prayer if I am walking and I see a rainbow.)

   The cool thing was that it was a rather sunny day.  There were some storm clouds off in the distance, yet I was not even expecting a rainbow.  I knew that God gave that rainbow for me that evening to comfort me.  And comforted I was.

   And now, all these years later, praise be to God, I have often found comfort for my soul in times of despair or disaster, and further encouragement in times of rejoicing, in the messages of the book of Revelation.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Jude application

Regarding Jude, how do I apply this to myself?:

"Be merciful to those who doubt..." (Jude 1:22 NIV).

   It always helps me to be more merciful to people who are struggling with biblical truths by remembering what was going on with me before I was a follower of Jesus.  Even after Jesus was reaching out to me, and even after I developed a private belief in the existence of God and the existence of the "Son," Jesus, I was not trusting Him.

   Praise be to God I started trusting Him after I gave my heart to Jesus!

Regarding Jude, how do I apply this to my community?:

   As I near the end of this huge New Testament Survey Overview, I acknowledge that this personal introduction of the New Testament has been successful thanks to God's help.  Though my enthusiasm was incredible fuel, I needed God's help to accomplish all my class assignments during this epic semester.  God had me prepared for this semester, or I would not have had such unprecedented success.

   Regarding showing mercy to those struggling with their faith, I reflect now that I cannot show people my friend Jesus in a direct manner.  When I tell of my best friend, I am talking about someone that no one, not even me, can physically see.  I have never physically seen Him.

   Once I spoke at a chapel service for a Christian high school.  I told them how we can not physically see Jesus, yet if a person believes in Him, a person can know Jesus in her or his heart.

   And to grow in the love and knowledge of Jesus requires trusting the witness of Jesus in the Scripture, relying on the encouragement of the unseen Holy Spirit in your unseen heart.

   That is why we need faith.

   Yet it is not blind faith:

+ We have the Scripture, the witness of disciples.

+ We have a long history of God working in the lives of Christians, the witness of true believers.

+ And for those of us in this very day and age who have trusted Jesus, we have our personal testimonies of what our loving God has done in our life.

   The fact is I would never dare to do a speaking engagement where I told the Gospel if I did not have Jesus with me.  Jesus is always with me, in Spirit.  Now there have been brief times when I wondered if He left me to go be with somebody else.

   The unseen spirit nature is a challenge for us all.  Yet for me, being someone who is a truly "spiritual" person, I must remember that there are doubters who need my compassion, yet who also need to be told the truth about Jesus the Messiah, who is for real.

Hunter Irvine

Jude background

Jude

Author: Jude

See reflection below, and also see Eusebius in Book 3, Chapter 25, Verse 3, of Ecclesiastical History.

Date: Possibly 65 A.D. (1)

Language: Greek

Place: Unknown

Purpose: An urging to "contend for the faith" in the midst of people who are working to deceive people about the true identity of Jesus, and to deceive people about the grace of God.

What kind of book?: A general Epistle with a specific lesson.

Reflection: (This is nearly the same "reflection" as the one I wrote for James, because the argument is tied together.)

   The popular assumption is that the authors of the Scripture books of James and Jude respectively, were the "brothers," (though not genetic brothers obviously), of Jesus, however this is not documented.  People assume such because Jude states he is the brother of James at the start of his letter.

   We definitely know the names of the earthly brothers of Jesus:

"Isn't this the carpenter's son?  Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?  Aren't all his sisters with us?..." (Matthew 13:55-56 NIV).

   Yet both could have been apostles.  The apostle Thaddaeus, whose nickname was Judas, and who was probably called Jude to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot, was the son of a James (Luke 6:16), thus it is more likely that he would have a brother named James.

   I saw a commentary once which asked the question: Why would Jude make special mention of his brother if he himself was an apostle?  Good question.  But if instead, Jude was the "brother" of Jesus, why did he not mention Jesus instead of his earthly brother?

   I lean toward apostolic authorship for these two books, my reasoning being that had the authors been the "brothers" of Jesus, it is more likely that early Christian historians would have made specific mention of that.

   But the early Christian historians had doubts about both of these books being Scripture in the first place, so maybe that is because they did not come from one of the twelve apostles.

   Professor Tafoya said there still is a loose apostolic connection.  That makes sense since the converted "brothers" of Jesus were eyewitness of Jesus.

Hunter Irvine

(1) Samuel A. Cartledge, A Conservative Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1938).

{The definition of "conservative" in this context means giving the biblical text the upmost of authority, working to interpret the writing as the author intended, seeking his original intent.}

3 John application

Regarding 3 John, how do I apply this to myself?:

   I have been following Jesus for eighteen years, and the easy thing to do is contemplate how crummy churches are and how few people seem to really take the teachings of Jesus seriously.  The easy thing to do continued is get upset when some ministers even distort the teachings of Jesus.

   The hard thing to do is to do good yourself.  I praise Jesus, the One who has enabled me to do good.  Just today, I got to do three things that were good.  Two of the three things may have really helped someone!  God is good.  I rely on Him to do good.

Regarding 3 John, how do I apply this to my community?:

   Plenty in the community may think that "Christians" are fools, but most people notice when someone does something good.  And goodness might be even more appreciated by certain people if they are willing to get to know you better.

Hunter Irvine