Dr Paul Allen

THE ARMINIAN REPLY Some Arminians will reply to my treatment of this text with indignation. They agree that the passage teaches a strong view of divine sovereignty. Their objection will focus on another point. They will insist that Paul is not even talking about the predestination of individuals in  Romans 9. Romans 9 is not about individuals but about God’s electing of nations. Paul is here talking about Israel as God’s chosen people. Jacob merely represents the nation Israel. His very name was changed to Israel and his sons became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel. That God favoured Israel over other nations is not in dispute. It was out of Israel that Jesus came. It was out of Israel that we received the Ten Commandments and the promises of the covenant with Abraham. We know that salvation is for the Jews. That much is indeed true of Romans 9. We must consider, however, that in the electing of a nation God elected individuals. Nations are made up of individuals. Jacob w...

I hesitate to put this article up, yet was asked the very question regarding failed prophecy and prayer.  Michael Brown writes; "We are living in an unprecedented season in American history, one of massive consequence for the nation as a whole and for conservative Christians in particular. All the more does this hold true for charismatic Christians, as I’ll explain shortly. Please allow me to lay out the stark, contrasting possibilities." I’ve written about this briefly in the last few days, but I’ll expand on things more fully here. "On the natural, non-spiritual side, either Donald Trump has pulled off the political feat of a lifetime, convincing tens of millions of Americans to reject the results of a fairly contested election. Or Trump is the victim of the most massive electoral fraud in our history, the exposing of which will shake our nation to its foundations." With the massive, worldwide, ongoing outpouring of prayer for this election, I feel confident that ...

We are living in times when cynicism is not only acceptable but in some places, it is expected. It is mainstream, even admired. By cynicism, I mean the general disinclination to trust others, especially purported authorities, or the inclination to believe the worst in others and of the world altogether. And it increasingly is the air we breathe. This mood of cynicism didn’t appear out of nowhere. It is the result of secularism, the pretence that there is no God, or at least that he is off-limits in public discourse and polite company. Secularism offers no firm hope, and soon produces cynicism, and cynicism begins to pick at the basic pillars and long-standing givens of human life and civilization, one after another. End to Our Cynicism So secularism breeds cynicism. And cynicism does not breed productive action. Cynicism breeds laziness. It did on the island of Crete in Titus’s day, and it does in our day. And this morning we turn for the first time to Paul’s letter to Titus, which he ...

  There has been much controversy inside and outside of the church regarding the doctrine of election (sometimes also called “predestination”). We may define election as follows: Election is an act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure. Many have thought that this doctrine, defined in this way, is troubling and unfair. Before jumping to conclusions, however, it is important to see where this definition, and therefore this doctrine, comes from. New Testament Teachings on Election Several passages in the New Testament seem to affirm quite clearly that God ordained beforehand those who would be saved. For example, when Paul and Barnabas began to preach to the Gentiles in Antioch in Pisidia, Luke writes, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of God; and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). One ...

In Colossians 3:12 Paul reminds Christians of our privileged position as members of the Body of Christ. 3 REMINDERS OF YOUR PRIVILEGED POSITION IN CHRIST 1. SELECTION Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience… The first way Paul describes the Colossian’s position is as God’s chosen or elect ones. Who chose? God did. 1 Thess. 1: 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you. Was our free will involved? Rom 9:16 [in the context of God’s election] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. Who is chosen? 1 Pet 2: 9 But you [Christians] are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. When did the choice happen? Eph 1: 3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, … even as ...

The doctrine that states that God is the one who chooses who will be saved is one of the most consternating and has resulted in incendiary discussions in church history. Emotions run very high in this debate, especially when people picture the non-elect as desperate puppies begging to be chosen but being left to starve by a feckless God who plays favorites and abandons his responsibility to millions of his hapless creatures. But the real issue is what the Bible says and how we are to understand it. Everyone who believes the Bible also believes in election. Ooh, them be fight’n words. Let me explain… The Greek word for elect means chosen or called out from a group. It is used seventeen times by six New Testament authors. Yes, even in the NIV. So it cannot be ignored or denied.  The debate pivots only on the matter of election being  conditional  or  unconditi onal. Arminians say ‘ I owe my electi...