How Awesome is the Lord Most High?
How awesome is the Lord most High? How much we ought to praise and to glorify Him for All that He is and all that He has done. You know I can look at my life before Christ and look at the time in my life when I came to Christ, and look at my life now and say it was nothing of myself, it was all Christ, and Christ alone. The Lord saved me and began working in my life in a Pentecostal church, and then in an Independent Fundamental Baptist church. So much changed in my life, and my thinking and understanding of Scripture, and now again as I look on the past year, so much has changed again. God has led me out of the IFB movement and into a Reformed, Southern Baptist church. It is not a matter of the IFB movement vs. Reformed, but a matter of doctrine. My view of God has been so highly exalted, and I see things I have never seen before. All Glory goes to God, because if not for Him opening my eyes to His Word, I would not understand it nor would I be sitting here writing. Now I know that I am settled in knowing that Scripture clearly teaches what today is commonly called “Calvinism” or “The Doctrines of Grace.” These doctrines are settled and clearly evident in Scripture. Now God has allowed me to begin reading and looking at Scripture on the topics of Dispensationalism, and Covenant theology, as well as Amillenialism. All of these issues fly in direct contradiction to the majority of IFB’rs. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is my heart’s desire with my life. So I want nothing more than to be biblical and the more I have read on these aforementioned topics the more I am beginning to see that they’re Scriptural. That not only is “Calvinism” Scriptural but so is Covenant theology, and Amillienialism. I don’t know enough about it to teach it per say, but the more I read Scripture the more that it makes sense. In everything God deserves all the Glory!
This all leads me to review all that I have been taught since the Lord saved me almost 9 years ago. It leads me to wonder about all those who have taught me and preached to me completely contrary to what I am begninng to see as Scriptural. Are they just mistaken in their understanding or are they purposely subverting the truth to suit their own agenda? I do not know with each person, but I do know that when one’s views about the depravity of man, salvation, and regeneration are completely man-centered so will everything else. This I believe holds true with these topics as well.
I attended an IFB school and church for several years before God graciously opened my eyes to the truth of His Word and the Doctrines of Grace. God greatly used this time in my life to grow in Him. But at the time it was a very difficult decision to make but made easier by the fact that I knew that’s what the Lord wanted me to do. I have complete peace about leaving that all behind, even after working for so long and coming so close to my degree.
I have been asked about what they’re teaching and preaching, and what I think of it. It is not a matter of what I think of it, but a matter of what Scripture has to say. Any teaching and preaching that takes away glory from God and gives it to man, and says that man somehow has a part in his salvation, and that he is not as wicked and depraved as Scripture says he is, is just plain heresy. It is blasphemous to say that Scripture says that somehow wicked man in his fallen nature can some how choose to accept or reject Christ. These man-centered doctrines is as Paul puts it “another gospel,” and the more I read on them the more I see that they all are intertwined with one another.
These are just some things that I have been thinking about and I pray this causes all who have read this to go and search the Scriptures, and may God be glorified in it all.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Called & Saved By His Grace 