08/07/2024
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝗱?
Isaiah 9:23-24
23 Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches;
24 but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."
Note:
1. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗱'𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘆 God is glorified when we truly know and understand Him. If someone claims to be a worshipper but denies the true power and glory of God in creation and salvation, it indicates that such a person is not truly saved. Arminians and other cults do not glorify God because they reject His sound teachings regarding His love, judgment, and righteousness. These groups fail to understand that salvation comes by God's loving grace as expressed in His election, the potency of His justice according to whom He set His wrath and reward, and His righteousness, reflected in Jesus Christ, by whose death His people are all saved according to His purpose.
2. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁: Arminians and other works-based groups believe they can come to God through their own wisdom, strength, and will. Often, they seek worldly riches to demonstrate that they are favored by the Lord. However, according to this passage, God disapproves of those who misunderstand the true essence of His glory.
3. 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱'𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆: At its core, Arminianism is a belief system that rebels against God by denying His glory and reducing His sovereignty to dependence on human decisions.
4. 𝗔 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: Pointing out that these individuals are not saved is not an expression of hatred, but of care for them, honor for the Holy Scriptures, and humility before God's Word. If we truly love them, we must let them be confronted by these truths. It is better to provide a strict standard than to offer false assurance.
