In the thread "Born Again" Civic and others advanced the proposition that the subjects of the kingdom of God had already come and the OT saints were in it. This of course is not true and it highlights the harm that can be done by spiritualizing the OT like most religious systems do.
I suppose this is the sentiment of all Calvinists, with the possible exception of some few dispensational Calvinists. The kingdom needs to be discussed and it is my position that Calvinists are wrong about everything they teach because they teach a system of theology that forces the words of scriptures to conform to the system. IOW, they do not believe what they read and they do not read carefully. Context means nothing at all and the promises of God concerning the kingdom is first spiritualized, and then ignored, because this doctrine does not fit the narrative. The entire OT doctrine of the kingdom is a spiritualized mess in their theological system
I would like to address this subject, by first of all just giving some statements and a limited amount of commentary, and adding more information as I go along.
First of all, John the Baptist came to Israel and fulfilled a prophecy of one who would introduce the King to Israel. He did that and his message was not that the savior was at hand, but that the kingdom of God was at hand because the promised Messiah of all those OT prophecies was among them. This nation had OT promises to them concerning a person who would be the Messiah and would sit on the throne of his father David and rule over them, and by extension, the world, in righteousness. This person would make them righteous by taking away their sins. That is what their OT scriptures promised. When Jesus came his message to Israel for the entire 3 1/2 years was "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." If it was "at hand" it means that it was not established yet. There were some things that had to be accomplished before the kingdom is established and so his ministry was preparatory to that end. When Jesus was rejected by the rulers of this nation he was crucified, not for claiming he was the savior of Israel and the world, but for claiming he is the promised King.
"This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" the inscription on the cross stated.
During the time of his ministry on earth he sent out his disciples to Israel only and instructed them to preach "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and to confirm the promises with kingdom signs. They need to repent and prepare their hearts because God would be sending the promised Spirit to indwell them soon. This would require a bended knee to Jesus Christ because, unlike the world's political leaders, the kingdom of God is not by force but by acceptance. No one will enter into the kingdom of Christ who does not choose him as King. Never!
There are some things one must believe about Jesus Christ before one can believe in him as savior. There are some preparatory doctrines to understand about him. If one does not understand and accept these things then he will not save them. This was true about Israel when Jesus came. They must believe what their scriptures said about the Messiah and they must compare those things to what Jesus said and did. If those things matched, and they did perfectly, they must accept him as their Messiah, and Savior, and King and as the Son of God.
Jesus did not teach his disciples about his death and resurrection until the last few weeks of his time on earth. He did not send his preachers out to preach about it. When he finally began to speak about it his disciples did not even understand it and in Matt 16, Peter received a strong rebuke from Jesus for resisting the idea that Jesus would die and be buried and rise from the dead. These preachers were dejected and saddened by his crucifixion and thought it was over and none of them even believed the report that Jesus had risen from the dead when it was given to them. Rising from the dead is just not something that people do every day. Especially when they have been so mutilated by the beatings from the Romans that Jesus received first. There is no internal evidence that the message they had heard from him and had preached to others is that Jesus would die for them, be buried in a tomb, and rise from the dead on the third day. They did not go to the tomb on Sunday morning to watch him rise from the dead. The women went out to anoint his dead body.
In my next post I will supply a series of scripture quotes that will prove what I am saying here if Calvinists and others will believe the words they read and be able to process information from the scriptures of God that do not agree with the information they have received from their teachers that have led them astray. I have a busy day today and it might be few hours but they are important.
Matt 10 1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
I suppose this is the sentiment of all Calvinists, with the possible exception of some few dispensational Calvinists. The kingdom needs to be discussed and it is my position that Calvinists are wrong about everything they teach because they teach a system of theology that forces the words of scriptures to conform to the system. IOW, they do not believe what they read and they do not read carefully. Context means nothing at all and the promises of God concerning the kingdom is first spiritualized, and then ignored, because this doctrine does not fit the narrative. The entire OT doctrine of the kingdom is a spiritualized mess in their theological system
I would like to address this subject, by first of all just giving some statements and a limited amount of commentary, and adding more information as I go along.
First of all, John the Baptist came to Israel and fulfilled a prophecy of one who would introduce the King to Israel. He did that and his message was not that the savior was at hand, but that the kingdom of God was at hand because the promised Messiah of all those OT prophecies was among them. This nation had OT promises to them concerning a person who would be the Messiah and would sit on the throne of his father David and rule over them, and by extension, the world, in righteousness. This person would make them righteous by taking away their sins. That is what their OT scriptures promised. When Jesus came his message to Israel for the entire 3 1/2 years was "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." If it was "at hand" it means that it was not established yet. There were some things that had to be accomplished before the kingdom is established and so his ministry was preparatory to that end. When Jesus was rejected by the rulers of this nation he was crucified, not for claiming he was the savior of Israel and the world, but for claiming he is the promised King.
"This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" the inscription on the cross stated.
During the time of his ministry on earth he sent out his disciples to Israel only and instructed them to preach "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and to confirm the promises with kingdom signs. They need to repent and prepare their hearts because God would be sending the promised Spirit to indwell them soon. This would require a bended knee to Jesus Christ because, unlike the world's political leaders, the kingdom of God is not by force but by acceptance. No one will enter into the kingdom of Christ who does not choose him as King. Never!
There are some things one must believe about Jesus Christ before one can believe in him as savior. There are some preparatory doctrines to understand about him. If one does not understand and accept these things then he will not save them. This was true about Israel when Jesus came. They must believe what their scriptures said about the Messiah and they must compare those things to what Jesus said and did. If those things matched, and they did perfectly, they must accept him as their Messiah, and Savior, and King and as the Son of God.
Jesus did not teach his disciples about his death and resurrection until the last few weeks of his time on earth. He did not send his preachers out to preach about it. When he finally began to speak about it his disciples did not even understand it and in Matt 16, Peter received a strong rebuke from Jesus for resisting the idea that Jesus would die and be buried and rise from the dead. These preachers were dejected and saddened by his crucifixion and thought it was over and none of them even believed the report that Jesus had risen from the dead when it was given to them. Rising from the dead is just not something that people do every day. Especially when they have been so mutilated by the beatings from the Romans that Jesus received first. There is no internal evidence that the message they had heard from him and had preached to others is that Jesus would die for them, be buried in a tomb, and rise from the dead on the third day. They did not go to the tomb on Sunday morning to watch him rise from the dead. The women went out to anoint his dead body.
In my next post I will supply a series of scripture quotes that will prove what I am saying here if Calvinists and others will believe the words they read and be able to process information from the scriptures of God that do not agree with the information they have received from their teachers that have led them astray. I have a busy day today and it might be few hours but they are important.
Matt 10 1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
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