If You Believe . . .

“So Somebody said the New Testament doesn’t teach the deity of Christ? Just what New Testament were they reading?” – Dr. James White, Alpha and Omega Ministries

Many evangelicals appeal to Jeremiah’s prophecy of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34 as a basis for rejecting infant baptism, but a careful examination of this passage in the light of the rest of Scripture reveals that it actually supports the historical Christian practice of infant baptism.

Jeremiah 31: Infant Baptism In The New Covenant

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Ordinary Means  

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Here again is the Biblical view of so-called temporary salvation and John Calvin’s thoughts on the matter.

1Jo 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. – English Standard Version

They went out from us - He anticipates another objection, that the Church seemed to have produced these pests, and to have cherished them for a time in its bosom. For certainly it serves more to disturb the weak, when any one among us, professing the true faith, falls away, than when a thousand aliens conspire against us. He then confesses that they had gone out from the bosom of the Church; but he denies that they were ever of the Church. But the way of removing this objection is, to say, that the Church is always exposed to this evil, so that it is constrained to bear with many hypocrites who know not Christ, really, however much they may by the mouth profess his name.

By saying, They went out from us, he means that they had previously occupied a place in the Church, and were counted among the number of the godly. He, however, denies that they were of them, though they had assumed the name of believers, as chaff though mixed with wheat on the same floor cannot yet be deemed wheat.

For if they had been of us He plainly declares that those who fell away had never been members of the Church. And doubtless the seal of God, under which he keeps his own, remains sure, as Paul says, (2 Timothy 2:19.) But here arises a difficulty, for it happens that many who seemed to have embraced Christ, often fall away. To this I answer, that there are three sorts of those who profess the Gospel; there are those who feign piety, while a bad conscience reproves them within; the hypocrisy of others is more deceptive, who not only seek to disguise themselves before men, but also dazzle their own eyes, so that they seem to themselves to worship God aright; the third are those who have the living root of faith, and carry a testimony of their own adoption firmly fixed in their hearts. The two first have no stability; of the last John speaks, when he says, that it is impossible that they should be separated from the Church, for the seal which God’s Spirit engraves on their hearts cannot be obliterated; the incorruptible seed, which has struck roots, cannot be pulled up or destroyed.

He does not speak here of the constancy of men, but of God, whose election must be ratified. He does not then, without reason declare, that where the calling of God is effectual, perseverance would be certain. He, in short, means that they who fall away had never been thoroughly imbued with the knowledge of Christ, but had only a light and a transient taste of it.

That they might be made manifest He shews that trial is useful and necessary for the Church. It hence follows, on the other hand, that there is no just cause for perturbation. Since the Church is like a threshing-floor, the chaff must be blown away that the pure wheat may remain. This is what God does, when he casts out hypocrites from the Church, for he then cleanses it from refuse and filth.

Speaking of first century Pharisees Mr. Jordan says,

They had the right doctrine, but they were mean as snakes, with the Snake as their Daddy. They way Steve Wilkins and others have been treated in the micro-presbyterian world shows us that the same kind of people are around today.

So much for apologies.

5) The condition of these apostates before their apostasy was not merely (as our opponents on the other side of the Reformed spectrum would argue) one of being a “reprobate” or completely foreign to the Church, God’s grace, and salvation in every sense. Gabe Martini -the franciscan mafia blog

Mr. Martini believes that Calvin supports the notion that reprobates receive salvation in some sense – albeit temporarily. Calvin says no such thing. As a matter of fact, if you take what Calvin says as a whole it’s impossible to come to such a conclusion. If Mr Martini would have taken the time to merely look at Calvin’s comments on the verses following his proof-text he would have found what Calvin really thinks about the salvific status of the apostate. Here are Calvin’s comment on Hebrews 10:30:

. . . Nevertheless he who weighs well all things will find that this passage is fitly and suitably adduced here; for God cannot govern the Church without purifying it, and without restoring to order the confusion that may be in it. Therefore this governing ought justly to be dreaded by hypocrites, who will then be punished for usurping a place among the faithful, and for perfidiously using the sacred name of God, when the master of the family undertakes himself the care of setting in order his own house. It is in this sense that God is said to arise to judge his people, that is, when he separates the truly godly from hypocrites, (Psalm 1:4;) and in Psalm 125:5, where the prophet speaks of exterminating hypocrites, that they might no more dare to boast that they were of the Church, because God bore with them; he promises peace to Israel after having executed his judgment.

It was not then unreasonably that the apostle reminded them that God presided over his Church and omitted nothing necessary for its rightful government, in order that they might all learn carefully to keep themselves under his power, and remember that they had to render an account to their judge . . .

John Calvin – Hebrews 10:30

Calvin couldn’t be more clear on his view of apostates. He calls them, “hypocrites, who will then be punished for usurping a place among the faithful.” He calls them, “hypocrites, that they might no more dare to boast that they were of the Church, because God bore with them . . .”

How can it be said that hypocrites, usurpers, and those who will no more boast that they were “of the Church” were ever saved – even temporarily? I’ll let Calvin’s comments speak for themselves.

Works of Thomas Boston

Turretinfan couldn’t have better timing. I found a free treasure myself on Friday. If you’re interested in studying Convenant Theology you will want to read Meredith Kline’s “Kingdom Prologue.” I’ve provided a PDF file for this 400 + page book for download below.

Kingdom Prologue

Really . . . it’s not that I’m a cheapskate. It’s just that for each book I purchase I get one of these from my wife –