ÿWPCý §Óûxcž~óy¿T¦7!(J8E­Ã—TV,ˆ'»ÁÒUáy,´>ÜÀ’vØ‘”ØT0_jlÐã÷S}£CK¯Àk˜Ý8r5LæLªHÐ#.W@?jË÷&?/8—8ÉbhÕmµ¿üEîùßE•p}Ø ³µkvÊ›ÚálE— RÇYž—§±î qRnd<ÑúXCv̆6b ã( l0°«`,ÈÉ55é眸Òe¯>_ÐŒaBƒAˆ¦^ î›6ç­f hŒá1£‘;ÃfËy}XG ¸†[€P< k*»ÃSEC¦ß‹æ K×Ê0‚e¦"4·ÿ–3Ø`Ô=•G#ÉÄUqN %Û 0(á^ w4-< m>bUUD·Nû˜Canon PIXMA iP4000Œî.**.Œî0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡÷™7  I!‘7"3|x ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ PhilippEdomites Edom EsauIshmael7¥9j Z‹,Arrus Blk BT BlackÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ€ôòXXÔÓ  ÓÔ‡R³ŽQòôÔÔ‡ R³ŽQQR³ŽÔTHE€TRUTH€ABOUT€PREDESTINATIONÔ#†R³ŽQQ R³Žu#ÔÔ#†ôòQR³ŽV#ÔÔ‡ DòôÔÐ ° ÐÓJÓÔ#†ôò Dø#ÔÓ  ÓÔ‡}¬òôÔa€study€by€Dr.€Desmond€FordÐ üL Ðreprinted€by€permission,€Ð šê Ðfrom€ð ðGood€News€Unlimited,ðð€October€1998Ô#†ôò}¬k#ÔÐ 8ˆ ÐÓ-°,X°Ü` ˜Xÿÿ°œX-ÓÓ  ÓÔ‡¼¾¤»òôÔPART€ONEÔ#†ôò»¼¾¤‡#ÔÐ Ö& ÐÌI€want€to€talk€to€you€about€T„U„L„I„P.€€Not€the€flower.€But€T„U„L„I„P.€€That€is€the€acronym€to€help€us€short€through€theÐ ¬ ü Ðbeliefs€of€predestinarians.€€€You€must€not€think€that€the€word€ð ðpredestinariansðð€is€a€swear€word.€€Many€of€the€greatestÐ p À ÐChristians€who€have€ever€lived€are/€or€were€predestinarians.Ð 4 „ ÐÌò òÔ‡Xû<XòôÔT„U„L„I„PÔ#†ôòXXû<[#Ôó ó€:€€What€does€predestination€mean?€€It€means€T„U„L„I„P.€€Ð ¼   Ðà Ü àT€stands€for€ð ðTotal€depravity.ððÐ ¨ ø  Ðà Ü àU€stands€for€ð ðUnconditional€election.ððÐ l¼  Ðà Ü àL€stands€for€ð ðLimited€atonement.ððÐ 0€  Ðà Ü àI€stands€for€ð ðIrresistible€grace.ððÐ ôD  Ðà Ü àP€stands€for€ð ðPerseverance€of€the€saints.ððÐ ¸  Ðò òÔ‡„„õ„òôÔTÔ#†ôò„„„õo#ÔÔ‡Xû<XòôÔotal€DepravityÔ#†ôòXXû<²#Ôó óÐ |Ì  ÐÓ9°,X°‚,¸ —Xÿÿ°,X°Ü` ˜X9Óà Ü àTotal€depravity€doesnððt€mean€as€bad€as€bad€can€be.€€It€simply€means€that€we€are€weak€in€every€part.€€And€ð ðò òtotaló ó€ò òÐ Ü, Ðà Ü àdepravityððó ó€IS€a€biblical€doctrine.€€Isaiah€says:Ð ¢ò Ðà Ü àÌà0 Ü àð ðFrom€the€sole€of€your€foot€to€the€top€of€your€head€there€is€not€soundnessð!ðonly€wounds€and€bruises€and€open€sores,Ð ,| Ðnot€cleansed€or€bandaged€ro€soothed€with€oilðð€(Isaiah€1:6€NIV).Ðð@Ü(#Ü(# ÐÌà Ü àJesus€said€about€us:Ð xÈ Ðà0 Ü àà0Ü(#Ü(#àð ðIf€you,€then,€though€you€are€evil,€know€how€to€give€good€gifts€to€your€children,€how€much€more€will€yourÐ <Œ ÐFather€in€heaven€give€good€gifts€to€those€who€ask€Him!€(Matthew€7:11)ÐP(#(# ÐÌà0 Ü àSo€òòthe€Bible€does€teach€total€depravityóó,€though€that€doesnððt€mean€as€bad€as€bad€can€be.€€If€I€have€a€glass€of€waterÐ ˆØ Ðand€I€put€in€a€spoonful€of€salt€and€stir€it€up,€itððs€totally€salty.€But€not€as€salty€as€if€I€had€put€in€a€half€a€cup€of€salt.Ð Lœ ÐHumans€still€reflect€the€image€of€God.€By€nature,€we€are€inclined€toward€many€good€tings,€because€we€are€madeÐ ` Ðin€Godððs€likeness.€€But€because€we€lost€the€Holy€Spirit€at€the€Fall€in€Eden,€òòwe€are€born€selfish€and€self„centered,€withÐ Ô$ Ðlust€and€wrong€desires€prevailingóó.€Sadly,€even€after€conversion,€when€the€Holy€Spirit€has€come€into€our€lives,€theÐ ˜è Ðold€nature€remains€and€must€be€fought€every€conscious€hour€of€our€lives.€€Ð\¬ Ü(#Ü(# Ðò òÔ‡„„õ„òôÔUÔ#†ôò„„„õÊ #ÔÔ‡Xû<XòôÔnconditional€electionó óÔ#†ôòXXû< #ÔÐ  p! Ðà0 Ü àThe€ð ðTðð€in€T„U„L„I„P€is€totally€correct€and€biblical.€€€But€it€seems€to€me€that€the€others€in€the€acronym€are€not€soÐ € Ð" Ðbiblical.€€That€may€strike€you€as€a€very€vainglorious€statement,€because€scholars€who€are€a€thousand€times€betterÐ D!”# Ðthan€I€would€disagree.€€€The€ð ðUðð€of€ò òð ðunconditional€electionððó óð!ðwhat€does€that€mean?€€€It€means€this:€That€God,€fromÐ "X$ Ðeternity,€looked€down€and€said,€ð ðWell,€Iððll€save€Roy€but€not€Des.ðð€€€But€itððs€worse€than€that.€€ð ðWell,€out€of€that€groupÐ Î"% Ðthere€at€Auburn,€weððll€save€Roy€but€none€of€the€rest.ðð€€ò òòòUnconditional€election€ó ósays€that,€from€eternity,€GodÐ ’#â& Ðarbitrarily€decided€(without€any€consideration€as€to€how€people€actually€behave),€ð ðWeððre€not€going€to€crowd€heavenÐ X$¨' Ðwith€all€of€them,€but€weððll€take€some€of€them.ððóóÐ%l (Ü(#Ü(# Ðà Ü àÌà0 Ü àI€must€not€be€unfair.€€Too€often€evangelical€doctrine€is€not€accompanied€by€an€evangelical€spirit.€€I€have€often€failedÐ ¤&ô!* Ðin€that,€becoming€too€tied€up€in€argumentation.€€That€is€a€mistake.Ðh'¸"+Ü(#Ü(# ÐÌà0 Ü àLet€me€repeat:€Predestinarians,€by€and€large,€have€been€a€wonderful€group€of€people.€€Iððm€just€giving€you€one€manððsÐ ð(@$- Ðopinion€why€I€think€that€four„fifths€of€T„U„L„I„P€is€mistaken.€€I€think€that€òòthe€U€of€ð ðò òunconditional€electionó óðð€is€notÐ ´)%. Ðbiblical.óóÐz*Ê%/Ü(#Ü(# ÐÌÌÌÐ Š-Ú(3 Ðò òÔ‡„„õ„òôÔLÔ#†ôò„„„õÉ#ÔÔ‡Xû<XòôÔimited€atonementó óÔ#†ôòXXû< #ÔÐ ° Ðà0 Ü àLimited€atonement€grows€out€of€ð ðunconditional€election.ðð€€If€God€decided€in€advance€to€save€only€a€few,€then€HisÐ ` ÐSon€did€not€die€for€all.€€So,€if€you€are€a€predestinarian,€you€cannot€come€to€me€and€say,€ð ðDes,€Christ€died€for€you.ðð€Ð Ô$ ÐYou€donððt€know€that€for€sure.€€I€donððt€know,€either.€€If€you€are€a€predestinarian,€you€cannot€say€to€anybody,€ð ðChristÐ ˜è Ðdied€for€you.ðð€€You€just€donððt€know.€€ò òòòUnconditionaló ó€ò òelectionó ó€and€ò òlimited€atonementó ó€are€linked.€€If€you€believe€inÐ \¬ Ðunconditional€election,€you€have€to€believe€in€limited€atonement.óóÐ" rÜ(#Ü(# Ðò òÔ‡„„õ„òôÔIÔ#†ôò„„„õ8#ÔÔ‡Xû<XòôÔrresistible€graceó óÔ#†ôòXXû<{#ÔÐ æ 6 Ðà0 Ü àIrresistible€grace€follows€limited€atonement€and€says,€ð ðWhen€I€say€you€are€going€to€be€saved,€youððre€going€to€beÐ F – Ðsavedð!ðregardless.ðð€€God€is€not€going€to€save€His€chosen€individuals€against€their€will.€€No.€€He€is€going€to€come€inÐ  Z Ðand€change€the€will,€ð ðto€will€and€to€do€of€Godððs€good€pleasure.€But€He€will€do€this€only€for€the€few,€chosen,Ð Î   Ðpredestined€ones.€€Not€for€everyone.€€That,€of€course,€is€the€half„truth,€because€Godððs€spirit€comes€to€everyone.€Ð ’ â  ÐThose€who€do€not€resist€are€softened.€€Those€who€do€resist€are€hardened.€€The€Spirit€is€the€same.€€The€effect€dependsÐ V¦  Ðupon€the€decision€of€the€individual€will.€€To€say€that€those€chosen€few€cannot€resist€the€changing€grace€of€God,€isÐ j  Ðto€paint€God€a€manipulator.€€This€is€not€consistent€with€Scripture.€€€€ÐÞ. Ü(#Ü(# Ðò òÔ‡„„õ„òôÔPÔ#†ôò„„„õ™#ÔÔ‡Xû<XòôÔerseverance€of€the€saintsÔ#†ôòXXû<Ü#Ôó óÐ ¢ò  Ðà0 Ü àP€is€for€ð ðperseverance€of€the€saints.ðð€€That€is,€ð ðòòò òOnce€saved,€always€savedó óóó.ðð€€€It€doesnððt€matter€if€you€commitÐ R  Ðadultery€today,€tomorrow,€or€the€day€following.€€It€doesnððt€matter€whether€you€get€drunk€and€gamble,€shoot€yourÐ È Ðbrother€and€bury€your€wifeð!ðin€the€end,€you€are€going€ð ðto€persevereðð€and€you€will€be€saved.ÐŒÜÜ(#Ü(# ÐÌò òó óà0 Ü àIn€the€sad€scenario€of€ð ðò òperseverance€of€the€saintsó ó,ðð€there€is€one€morsel€of€bait.€€(Again,€I€must€beware€of€the€dangerÐ d Ðof€speaking€about€evangelical€doctrine€in€an€unevangelical€spirit.)€€Perseverance€of€the€saints€is€a€very€appealingÐ Ú* Ðdoctrine.€€In€my€opinion,€òòit€is€very€close€to€the€truth,€because€looking€to€Jesus,€you€cannot€be€lostóó.€€However,€GodÐ žî Ðdoesnððt€make€us€automatons.€€He€doesnððt€make€us€puppets.€€God€never€takes€away€our€freedom€at€any€point.€€GodÐ b² Ðis€a€gentleman,€and€never€coerces.€€The€Bible€does€teach€that€looking€to€Jesus€you€cannot€be€lost.€€Jesus€always€hasÐ &v Ðthe€door€open€for€us€in€welcome.€€òòNonetheless,€in€theory,€the€Bible€says€it€is€possible€for€us€to€shut€that€door€inÐ ê: ÐChristððs€faceóó.€òò€It€is€possible€for€those€who€have€been€purchased€by€the€blood€of€Christ€to€fall€away.óó€€The€Bible€saysÐ ®þ Ðso€in€Hebrews€10:26„31,€38„39;€and€throughout€John€15,€and€else€where.€€But,€looking€to€Jesus,€ever€trusting€solelyÐ r Ðin€his€merits,€you€cannot€but€be€saved€and€for€all€eternity.€[There€is€a€study€on€the€concept€of€ð ðOnce€Saved€„€AlwaysÐ 6† ÐSavedðð€at€this€web€site.]ÐúJÜ(#Ü(# ÐÌÌÔ‡¼¾¤»òôÔò òTHE€TRUTH€ABOUT€PREDESTINATIONÐ F– ÐPART€TWOó óÔ#†ôò»¼¾¤G$#ÔÐ Zª  ÐÌà0 Ü àNow€letððs€talk€about€the€history€of€this€doctrine€of€predestination.€€You€are€probably€saying€to€yourself,€ð ðWell,Ð 2!‚" Ðpredestinarians€are€so€rare,€why€bother€talking€about€predestination?€€There€arenððt€many€predestinarians€around.ðð€Ð ö!F# ÐThis€is€no€longer€true.€€Predestinarians€are€growing€in€number.€€Let€me€give€you€the€history€and€then€weððll€discussÐ º" $ Ðthat.€€Ð~#Î%Ü(#Ü(# ÐÌò òÔ‡Xû<XòôÔFirst€400€yearsÔ#†ôòXXû<º&#Ôó óÐ %V ' Ðà0 Ü àFor€the€first€four€hundred€years€of€the€Christian€church,€the€doctrine€of€predestination€(as€now€popularly€understood)Ð ò%B!( Ðwas€unknown.€€For€the€first€four€hundred€years€of€the€Christian€church,€Christians€said:ж&")Ü(#Ü(# ÐÌà Ü àChrist€died€for€everybody€(2Corinthians€5:14„15).€Ð >(Ž#+ Ðà Ü àWhosoever€will€may€come€(Revelation€22:17)€€Ð )R$, Ðà Ü àBut€remember,€he€that€endureth€to€the€end,€the€same€shall€be€saved€(Matthew€10:22).€€Ð Æ)%- Ðà Ü àAnd€take€heed€that€you€resist€not€the€Holy€Spirit,€not€grieve€him€or€quench€him€(1Thessalonians€5:19).€Ð Š*Ú%. ÐÌà Ü àThis€is€a€summary€of€the€texts€that€rebut€four„fifths€of€T„U„L„I„P.Ð ,b'0 ÐÌÐ š-ê(2 ÐÔ‡Xû<XòôÔò òAugustine€of€Hippoó óÔ#†ôòXXû*Ž%0 Ðworld,€every€single€moment€of€joy€will€reap€a€trillion€years€of€torture€in€an€everlasting,€everburning,€fiery€hell.Ð+R&1Ü(#Ü(# Ðóóà Ü àCan€you€see€how€terrible€this€teaching€really€is?€Ð Æ+'2 ÐÌâ âÐ N-ž(4 Ðò òÔ‡Xû<XòôÔThomas€Aguinas€€Ô#†ôòXXû<ûB#Ôó óÐ ° Ðâ âà0 Ü àAugustine€began€the€doctrine€of€predestination,€and€Gottschalk€boosted€it.€€Next€came€Thomas€Aquinas€[1224„Ð œì Ð1274],€the€great€Catholic€theologian.€€He€also€taught€predestination.€€Aquinas€was€a€very€great€genius.€€But€at€theÐ `° Ðend€of€his€life,€he€said€the€wisest€thing€of€his€whole€life:€ð ðAs€I€look€back,€all€my€theology€is€only€straw.ððÐ$tÜ(#Ü(# ÐÌò òÔ‡Xû<XòôÔJohn€CalvinÔ#†ôòXXû<E#Ôó óÐ ¬ü Ðà0 Ü àBut€the€man€who€taught€the€doctrine€so€powerfully€that€it€is€still€influencing€us€late€in€the€twentieth€century€was€theÐ ˜ è ÐReformer,€John€Calvin€[1509„1564].€€(Calvin€was€a€lawyer.)€€Calvin€influenced€the€other€Reformers,€too.€€JohnÐ \ ¬ ÐCalvin€was€very€smart.€€At€25€he€wrote€one€of€the€most€famous€books€of€history.€€If€you€were€to€select€20€books€thatÐ  p Ðhave€influenced€the€world€most,€one€of€them€would€be€John€Calvinððs,€òòThe€Institutes€of€the€Christian€Religion.óó€Ð ä 4  ÐòòInstitutes€óówent€through€approximately€80€revisions,€but€was€first€written€when€Calvin€was€only€25.€€Calvin€was€aÐ ¨ ø  Ðgenius,€but€men€of€genius€can€be€dangerous.€€òòIn€his€òòInstitutesóó,€Calvin€set€out€the€teaching€of€a€double„barreledÐ l ¼  Ðpredestination€€(ð ðsome€elected€to€be€saved,€and€some€elected€to€be€lostðð)€with€great€clarityóó.€Ð0€ Ü(#Ü(# ÐÌÔ‡Xû<XòôÔò òLuther€and€Melanchthonó óÔ#†ôòXXû