Anchored in Truth™ Striving Not to Build 'Great' Churches, but 'True' Churches

2/20/2010

Posted By Ken Askew

Text:  Luke 19:41-44 [Please don’t neglect the reading these verses ahead of this commentary.]

The subject of hyper-Calvinism had been somewhat foreign [to Brother Conrad] until a pastor took exception to participation in a conference whose topic was evangelism.  This incident confirms that there are individuals who hold to the doctrines of grace to the extent that they neglect the responsibility of man.  This is against the clear teaching of scripture, which affirms both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.  It is an error to get so involved in seeking the mysterious, secret counsel of God that it causes you to neglect evangelism and thus robs you of an opportunity to become more Christ like.

[From the text] When Christ looked towards Jerusalem, he saw a city on the brink of destruction and Jesus was moved to tears; he wept for the city.  The people of that city were completely oblivious to the saving grace of God.  They were unaware that grace was passing them by.

William Carey is said to have wept in similar fashion over a globe as he looked to areas that were unreached by the gospel.  If we truly love people, will our hearts not be broken in the same way?  Will we not desire to bring the lost out of ignorance?  As we look around at our own kinsman do we not see them chasing after things; more and more things that have nothing to do with the eternal welfare of their souls?  And yet we are still filling out the pews of our churches with the religion of works being taught.  So many are interested in going to church only to go through the rituals as if their salvation lies in those things; even when their hearts are unchanged.

For the Lord Jesus Christ, this ignorance provoked him to teach every day (Luke 19:47).  Yet, ironically (from the text), the religious were offended that Jesus would spend his time with sinners.

The love of religious leaders is best illustrated by the Prodigal’s elder brother.  He was content coveting the farm and family possessions instead of reaching out to his lost brother.  We do the same with our church budgets.  We do the same with our personal budgets too; just look in the parking lot at the cars we drive.  But if you have Christ’s love, it should drive you to tears and compassion.  It should drive you to see to it that the gospel is being proclaimed.  It should be a compassion that drives us to put our money to work spreading the gospel.

If you truly loves sinners as God expects you to, it ought to drive you to pray for them because only God can open their eyes to the salvation that is at hand.  Unless he speaks life into us, we remain dead.  Jesus knew this well, but it did not stop him from weeping.

Romans 9-10 is a grand section of scripture that affirms doctrines that Calvinist hold dear yet Paul begins this section by saying I’m heart-broken about what I see (Romans 9:1-3).  In Romans 10:1 we see that Paul’s heart’s desire was to see people saved.

We must understand that God moves his “train of providence” on two rails; his sovereignty and man’s responsibility.  God works through servants willing to sacrifice all for the sake of the gospel.

If you truly love sinners as God calls you to, it provokes you to pray and witness to them because you know they will otherwise perish.  Hell is real.  The bible speaks about a lake of fire; of torment; of judgment.  You ought to be moved in light of these realities to action and prayer.

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man experienced the fiery of judgment and his mind immediately went back to his brothers at home.  If no relief was possible for him, he desired still for his brothers to avoid the same fate.

When a ship is sinking we throw all our available resources at saving lives.  Why do we not employ our resources to rescue souls from eternal death?  We should show the world the importance of spiritual salvation with our lives; our actions.  Our love for sinners for sinners must be abundant to all.

Is hell real?  Do we believe the bible? When the bible says that God so loved the world that he gave he his Son so that none perish, what does the word perish mean?  Do you think of the lake of fire that awaits the perishing?  It was love that held Christ on the cross when he had every right to come down.

Finally, It is possible to be a Calvinist in the head and a hyper-Calvinist in the heart.  To hold to Calvinist doctrine, but to never shed a tear or express love towards sinners is to be a hyper-Calvinist.  “Your love for God must translate into love for human beings made in his image.”  Even if your church is bursting at the seams, you must go into the highways and compel the lost to come in.  You must love sinners.

 Truth Matters articles are available online at www.truthmatters.us.  Comments may be sent to kenaskew@me.com.