This blog has moved

 I decided to move my work unto another url, this is because due to much more study I would like to reform much of how these articles are written.

You can find it here:
https://freegracetheologycentral.blogspot.com/

Eternal Generation And Eternal Procession In Classical Trinitarianism

In this article I will defend an important aspect of classical trinitarianism.

Classical Trinitarianism is the view of the trinity that was held by the council of Nicaea. Classical Trinitarians believe that the Son is eternally begotten from the Father. Eternal Generation or procession do not make the Son and the Holy Spirit less God, in fact they are fully God. This is what eternal generation means:

“The eternal generation of the Son is commonly defined to be an eternal personal act of the Father, wherein by necessity of nature, not by choice of will, he generates the person (not the essence) of the Son, by communicating to him the whole indivisible substance of the Godhead, without division, alienation, or change, so that the Son is the express image of His Father’s person, and eternally continues, not from the Father, but in the Father, and the Father in the Son.”

While generation is through intellect, procession is through the will. 

Does The Bible Teach That Procession And Generation Exist?

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son

John 5:26, “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself.”

John 6:57, As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

Hebrews 1:3:  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Colossians 1:15: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

John 15:26: But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father

2 Corinthians 4:4: so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Does The Spirit Proceed From The Father Only?

The Spirit does not proceed from the Father only, there are biblical texts which seem to imply that the Spirit also proceeds from the Son.

Rom. 8:9, “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

Galatians 4:6, “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Philippians 1:19, “for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 1:11, “seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.”

Revelation 21:1 seems to be a representation of the trinity. Revelation 22:1 talks about a river of the water of life "flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb", now this text describes a literal river, yet the river is meant to represent the Holy Spirit (as water is commonly used to symbolise the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)), Who "flows" from the Father and the Son.

How Do We Know That The Son is Eternally Generated by Means of Intellect And The Holy Spirit By Means of The Will?

The scriptures identify Christ as "logos" which means "word" or "thought" in Greek thinking, Christ is also called the "image of the invisible God" and the "wisdom of God". This communication of essence to the Son is an act of intellect. Christ the wisdom, knowledge, truth and image of God. As a result of God knowing Himself and thinking of Himself - that thought lacking nothing - He produces an image of Himself which is perfectly like Him in every respect except Fatherhood (Col. 1:15, 19). Christ cannot be the Father for the reason being that He does not beget or generate anyone.

The Holy Spirit on the other hand is identified with love in the scriptures, when He left Saul, the scriptures said in 2 Samuel 7:15: "but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you."

Compare this to 1 Samuel 16:14:

Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul

The are also New Testament references, the bible always speaks of the love of God being poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit:

Romans 5:5

<5> and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 15:30

<30> I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,

The Holy Spirit is also symbolised with the dove (Luke 3:22), which is a symbol of love in a Jewish context (Song of Solomon 5:2).

If we apply the same logic as previously to the Son, we can explain this special connection to love, as the Holy Ghost being the love of the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son by their mutual love.

The Early Martin Luther Opposed Lordship Salvation

Martin Luther

 Thus you see how rich a Christian is, that is, one who has been baptized! Even if he would, he could not lose his salvation, however much he sinned, unless he refused to believe. For no sin can condemn him save unbelief alone. (The Babylonian Captivity) 

Amsdorf also said contrary to Major (who taught a kind of Lordship like view):

“All those who teach and write that good works are necessary for salvation are going directly against Luther, yes, directly against themselves."

now, Luther in his quote does mention baptismal regeneration, however Luther's system of baptismal regeneration is not the same as commonly held by many groups today, for Luther Baptism regenerates because God gives faith during Baptism to infants, he viewed it as a way to "preach the gospel" to infants. It is admittedly weird, however it is not equally bad as many modern forms. Yet, this quote shows that Martin Luther in his early days taught that faith alone is truly sufficient.

Biblical Motivations To Obey God

If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us
 from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

 Many today try to use the fear of hell to make people obey, saying things such as "you are going to the lake of fire if you do not fight lust". However, biblically as we are eternally secure, we should not fear hell.

Eternal rewards

We can earn eternal rewards by obeying God, this is affirmed in multiple biblical texts such as Matthew 6:19-20, which says:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

It is also explicitly mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3, which says:

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Thankfulness

We cannot obey God unless we love him, when we are thankful to God about the things he has done, it naturally should lead into love for God. 

James says that every good gift is from God (James 1:17), by remembering that every good thing, including our daily things such as food, housing, nature, beauty and many other things are gifts of God that we in no wise deserve, we naturally become thankful. However, by remembering what Christ did for us in the cross, we can also learn great thankfulness. Seeing Christ suffer in the cross for your sins, should motivate you to obey. 

Titus 2:11-12 King James Version

 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Divine chastisement

We may get temporary judgements upon ourselves if we disobey, as Hebrews 12:7 says:

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

This is why we should have a fear for the Lord, and be afraid to sin, as we may bring harsh temporal judgements upon ourselves. 

Fellowship

Close fellowship with God requires obedience, and as God is our only joy, we will feel great gladness when we are close to the Lord, David noted this when he sinned greatly against the Lord, stating:  "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.". When David fell, he lost the JOY of his salvation (not his salvation) but the joy thereof.

Christ is the greatest joy, no sin can provide us better joy or fulfillment.

Being also distant from God, we may have our prayers hindered:

1 Peter 3:7

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

The rapture

The rapture may come at any moment, and being caught in sin while it happens would be a great shame, we can never know when the rapture happens so we should be ready:

Titus 2:13:
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Natural consequences for sin

Even the unbeliever experiences natural consequences for sin, even many unbelievers try to avoid sins such as drug addiction, due to their adverse effects. If we choose to disobey, we may destroy our own lives through sin,

Robert Sandeman (1718 - 1771) An Early Free Grace Theologian

Portrait of Sandeman

 Robert Sandeman was a non-conformist theologian in the 18th century, he started the "Sandemanian" movement, which was often called "antinomian" (as an insult) due to his belief that faith alone, not love nor sorrow are necessary for salvation. Sandeman said that he believed "bare" faith is sufficient to be saved, this might be to distinguish his view from the classical Reformed view of "sola fide", but I do not know. 

Sandeman however defined faith as mere persuasion of the gospel, while some in the Free Grace camp would agree with that (Wilkins, Hodges), many do not, holding that faith is trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ (including me). Despite that, both can agree that Sandeman being clear that turning from sin, love for God and good works cannot be asserted into the gospel is commendable.

Quotes from Sandeman on Free Grace

No, we must either take the one side or the other. Either Christ has done everything God requires to procure acceptance with Him and relieve the wretched conscience of its guilt, or He has not. This is why my plea with Aspasio in this respect proceeds upon this cardinal question: what is the turning point from despair toward hope?

The popular preachers are not so insensible that the absurdity would appear too glaring should they directly oppose the apostolic order; therefore, instead of plainly establishing the reverse, they choose rather to throw the apostolic order into confusion and cover it with mist, so as the cheat may not readily be discerned. For they always do their business most successfully in the dark.  They so confound the distinction betwixt faith and love that it is difficult to say what fixed uniform notion they have of either. 

In vain shall we consult catechisms, confessions, and other publicly authorized standards of doctrine for direction here. These are framed by the wisdom of the scribes, and disputers of this world. We can receive no true light about this matter, but from the fountainhead of true knowledge, the sacred oracles of divine revelation.... Thence it will appear, that justification comes from bare faith. As a Christian, What’s his faith, the spring of all his hope? And he answers you in a word, The blood of Christ.2

Charles Stanley on Eternal Security

 Stanley died recently on the 18th day of this month, so I wrote this short article for his memory. Stanley was very well known among Free Grace advocates due to his book on eternal security. Stanley was one of the most well known Free Grace Baptist theologian, however later around the 21st century, he began to teach more Lordship-like views. Here are magnificent quotes from his book:

“Look at that verse [John 3:18] and answer this question: According to Jesus, what must a person do to keep from being judged for sin? Must he stop doing something? Must he promise to stop doing something? Must he have never done something? The answer is so simple that many stumble all over it without ever seeing it. All Jesus requires is that the individual ‘believe in’ Him”

The Bible clearly teaches that God’s love for His people is of such magnitude that even those who walk away from the faith have not the slightest chance of slipping from His hand

You can read the whole book, it is named: "Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?"

The Significance of The Blood of Christ

 The blood of Christ is a central theme in the New Testament and the typology was also placed in the Old Testament. 

It all begins with sin, as when Adam and Eve sinned God sacrificed the first animal and made clothes of it for them (Genesis 3:21). Later, the bible would remind us many times that in order for there to be forgiveness, there must be blood (Exodus 23:18), (Leviticus 17:11).  In the Mosaic dispensation, the Jews had to make animal sacrifices the blood of which was necessary to make them clean, however these animal sacrifices themselves were not sufficient to ultimately forgive a person and served as a type of a greater sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22).  

This was fulfilled when Christ died in the cross, shedding His blood, as is said in Matthew 26:27-28:
Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

We are forgiven by the blood of Christ literally. However, a new point has been put out by some such as John McArthur who wish to make the blood merely a "symbol" of the death of Christ, denying that it itself saves.  According to book of Matthew the blood is literally shed for the remission of sins, being itself what covers our sins. The bible states this many times:

Hebrews 9:22 

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 1:7 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Acts 20:28  

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Leviticus 17:11 

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

Colossians 1:20 

And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Revelation 7:14 

I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Hebrews 10:19 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

Hebrews 13:12  

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

Luke 22:20  

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Revelation 5:9 

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

Romans 5:9

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

1 Peter 1:18-19 

Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

John 1:29  

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!