Do We Have Free Will?

This has been a hot-button issue between Calvinists and Arminians. Now, as you can guess, I am what people would call Calvinists, although, I prefer the term "Reformed." I would say that the matter of free will hinges on whether one believes in the total depravity of man and that they are dead in their tresspasses and sins. I think these two sets of videos will kinda clarify my point.

This first set is Mark Keilar explaining the problems with the free-will doctrine.







The second set is a sermon preached by Charles Spurgeon in 1855.









I find these to be great explaination of the faulty beliefs regarding free-will.

A Sermon on the Cost of Following Christ

In this sermon, Mark Keilar preaches on Matthew 10. The context of Matthew 10 is Jesus sending out the 12 disciples to "go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons." Yet, the sermon is on the cost of following Christ that Jesus warned His 12 apsotles in Matthew 10:16-24.

Persecution for Christians has been part of church history for nearly 2,000 years, from the martyrdom of the first Christians under the Roman Empire, to those suffering & being martyred for Christ in places like Saudi Arabia, China and North Korea.

Double Predestination

Scripture clearly teaches the predestination of the elect for salvation.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved...In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:3-7 & 11)

But, in this video, Mark Keilar discusses the predestination of the non-elect for damnation.

A Look at the Problems Posed By Seeker-Sensitive Churches

Now, it seems that seeker-sensitive churches are becoming one of the main fads in mainstream Evangelicalism. Yet, in order to bring people in, doctrinal preaching is forgone. Unfortunately, many pastors have, in the name of "church-growth" have tried to follow the models laid down by such pastors as Rick Warren (Saddleback Church), or Bill Hybels (Willow Creek Community Church). Yet, it's a distatrous move on the part of these churches.

This one deals with the "seeker-sensitive" "gospel."


Along the same lines, this one deals with the increasing lack of doctrine being preached, and the watering down of doctrinal preaching.



This one deals with "selective citing" of Scripture often used in seeker-sensitive churches, and indeed, modern Evangelism. It also deals with the resulting problem of false converts.



These are all hosted by Mark Kielar from Cross TV