Dr. Mike Petillo,
THEOLOGIAN AT LARGE,
THANKSGIVING 2013
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SECTION 1: Objection to Orthodox Reformed Baptist Theology:
"A person does not have to hear the gospel to be saved."
1.) "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise..." (Eph 1:13 KJV).
a.) Christ is trusted by the Spirit and the Word (Jn 3ff).
b.) Christ is trusted by the word of truth (Jn 17:17).
c.) Christ is the Word preached: namely, the gospel of salvation (Mk 1:15).
d.) We believe by the Spirit (Jn 1:13) because of the gift of faith (Eph 2:8).
e.) We are sealed with a guarantee of the Spirit not of works (Tit 3:5).
2.) "Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.." (Philippians 1:27 KJV).
a.) We know believers by genuine example in our changed hearts.
b.) We treasure believers by the Spirit in our Word-given hearts.
c.) The defence of the Gospel involves preaching.
d.) The confirmation of the gospel involves preaching the resurrection.
e.) We could not be partakers of grace unless it was for preaching the gospel.
3.) "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.." (Philippians 1:27 KJV).
a.) Conversation involves the Word-based gospel of Jesus (1 Tim 4:12).
b.) We are to be an example among all believers in Christ.
c.) We are called to stand fast in one Spirit even the Spirit of God.
d.) We strive for the faith of the gospel as with one mind.
e.) If we strive we strive on that which is based on the Word.
f.) We are striving together for the Christian faith.
4.) "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.." (Colossians 1:23 KJV).
a.) We continue in the word preached in a grounded and settled way.
b.) We are not moved away from the Christian gospel.
c.) We hear the Word preached in the transformation of the Word that is based on the Word by God's Spirit through a biblical rationalism.
d.) We are called to preach to every creature.
e.) Preaching to every creature is an hyperbole but it means the gospel must go forth to all nations no matter what by the means of preaching the Word.
f.) St. Paul was a minister of the gospel that preached the Word. Many responded to the written Word by God's Spirit.
5.) "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV).
a.) Those who preached the Gospel are allowed by God.
b.) Those who are entrusted with the gospel preach.
c.) Some are called like Judas Iscariot (outwardly) some are called like St. Simon Peter (inwardly.)
d.) God causes sound preaching for mercy to try hearts.
e.) God uses heretical preaching for the good to refine truth by those called but also pass judgment over a stiff-necked people.
f.) Preaching the sound Word is not pleasing to men.
6.) "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4:2 KJV).
a.) The gospel is preached to God's people.
b.) The gospel is preached to other sheep that are also God's people.
c.) How do people grow in progressive sanctification? By the Word preached!
d.) The Word preached did not profit the non-elect reprobate unto mercy but unto wrath because the Word never comes back empty.
e.) The Word preached accomplishes its mission by the Spirit.
f.) The same means to soften are meant to harden deepening on how the Spirit uses the Word.
g.) The Word preached brings faith to the deaf and sight to the blind.
7.) "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe." (Acts 15:7 KJV).
a.) Godly men rise up like St. Peter to preach the Word.
b.) The Gentiles heard the Word preached unto a saving knowledge.
c.) A saving knowledge is through the hearing of the Word preached.
8.) "Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached." (Luke 7:22 KJV).
a.) The gospel has the power to open eyes by the Spirit.
b.) The gospel has the power to open ears by God's Spirit.
c.) The gospel has the power to make men walk godly before Him.
d.) The gospel has the power to cleanse God's astray people.
e.) We must preach the Word so His saving message advances.
f.) God can work above, against and through secondary means if He chooses. Here is how it breaks down:
- The mentally disabled are saved by the gospel apart from ordinary means and the murdered unborn children are saved apart from ordinary means.
- He is also able to take the memory of the Word while under condemnation to later use it for saving purposes unto spiritual salvation like Mark 1:15 or for a rejection by the unsaved pre-converted elect sinner for future purposes unto redemption at His choosing.
- The non-elect reprobates hear the gospel and reject it or they never respond the gospel like the scattered millions of Noah's day or they simply never hear the Word preached at all but its up to God's Spirit through His Word to bring the message everywhere through His chosen vessels of mercy to spread the mercy of the saving gospel.
- He uses the gospel preached to advance His kingdom unto mercy for His people at His timing and we are no less called to spread the gospel to every living creature all over the earth to glorify Jesus whether He chooses to use it for softening of the heart unto mercy or hardening of the heart unto wrath. Again God can use the very same means to harden or soften a sinner at His timing but the Word never comes back empty. God is working out His plan, will and purpose for wrath or mercy, but we humbly pray to a holy Triune God to save a great innumerable people from all over the world unto the glory of His ultimate mercy through Jesus Christ in His unified righteousness imputed by a Spirit-born gift of grace, faith and repentance toward the Triune Jehovah.
a.) The gospel is about opening eyes.
b.) The gospel is about causing the lame to walk.
c.) The gospel is about cleansing spiritual criminals.
d.) The gospel is about making the deaf to hear.
e.) The gospel is preached to poor sinners.
f.) Here are spiritual applications to the above verse as previously mentioned, but the immediate meaning in the Days of Jesus was His supernatural miracles where it attested His eternal self-existent deity in which He preached the Word of Truth concerning the gospel of our eternal salvation to the glory of the Father through the finished work of Jesus by the Spirit's application of Christ to lost sinners in spiritual rebirth through the accompanied Word.
10.) "And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie..." (Mark 1:7 ESV).
a.) John preached about the Mighty I AM Who is Jesus Christ alone: namely, God the Son in sinless human flesh.
b.) None of us are worthy because of original sin and actual transgressions.
c.) The Lamb is worthy because He is the Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity who has two natures God and man in One Person Jesus Christ.
d.) John preached the complete worthiness of Jesus Christ and the complete unworthiness of everyone because he was the highest example but even he lacked spiritual worthiness to stand before Jesus Christ due to his sin.
e.) All of God;s little children can stand before Him robed in His garments of unified purity by the Spirit and Word in justification by Christ alone.
11.) "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs..." (Mark 16:20 ESV).
a.) We are called to preach everywhere like His apostles.
b.) The Lord worked with His disciples.
c.) He works with us but we are not authors of the Bible.
d.) He confirmed the saving message by reliable signs.
e.) Confirmation of the message today is not like the author's of the Bible.
f.) There is the same saving message preached today.
g.) The same saving message by doctrine is apostolic doctrinal tradition that is handed-down by the clarity of the Word.
h.) The signs that confirm the Bible are set apart and unique in God's God-breathed superintendence of the biblical revelation.
i.) There are unGod-breathed signs from God today that help confirm the same message of the Bible today like godly living where Jesus is writing our biographer of each saint and that is like the Word preached. Our thoughts preach, our words preach and our deeds preach.
j.) He also uses an unsign sign that testifies of approval of God if used for a biblical rationalism but if its something apart from a biblical pursuit it will yield mere human uncreditability creditability to false religion but if its used for the real gospel of Jesus without Roman evil of using a false miracle for a true miracle it will be like an instruction of a poor, shattered and corrupted image of Bible times without an untrue account but a true account of Bible-post times that teach us Jesus is all about the Word preached.
k.) The Bible alone provides the God-breathed signs to confirm the gospel.
l.) We go to the NT Scriptures to provide evidence to the Word preached.
m.) Signs in post-Bible times are not matchable to the unmatchable Bible.
n.) The signs of post-Bible times are a shattered image of the Bible.
o.) The best evidence is fulfilling our Jesus calling (to be a "little Jesus") in the scope of godly living the reflects our true faith in Jesus who gives us His imputed unified merit.
p.) Imagine if you constructed your thought-life like a sermon? Preach that! Isn't your audience God?
q.) Imagine if you constructed your word-life like a sermon? How about you preach that! your neighbor thinks you could use Jesus for a curse word!
r.) Imagine if you made your deed-life into a sermon? Preach the deed! have you given to the poor? Does it add to Jesus to be right with God? By no means! How much more you ought to reflect His sinless life in a shattered image? Preach the deeds! What are you waiting for? "Get up and do.!"
12.) "So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people." (Luke 3:19 ESV).
a.) The Word preached is about the good news.
b.) Exhort the people of God about being trained in righteousness.
13.) "And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them." (Luke 7:22 ESV).
a.) The poor are totally depraved sinners.
b.) Jesus preached to fallen sinners.
c,) The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
14.) "The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it." (Luke 16:16 ESV).
a.) The good news of the Gospel-kingdom is preached.
b.) The people of God force themselves into the gospel.
c.) How? Through the Spirit and Word preached.
d.) God enables His little children to come to Him. That is "come to Jesus today."
15.) "But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." (Acts 8:12 ESV).
a.) Philip preached the good news of Jesus.
b.) The good news is the kingdom of God and His Name's sake.
c.) The people of God get baptized whether male or female.
d.) There is no race that God excludes: namely, He saves from every corner of the world for the gift of the glory of His Son.
16.) "But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea." (Acts 8:40 ESV).
a.) We are called to preach while we travel.
b.) We are called to preach the gospel to all places.
c.) Start preaching in your home town until you come to your spiritual Caesarea.
17.) "But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus." (Acts 9:27 ESV).
a.) Paul was a great enemy of Jesus.
b.) Barnabas brings him to the apostles to share his testimony.
c.) Paul preached boldly for the Name Sake of Jesus.
18.) "When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch..." (Acts 14:21 ESV).
a.) We are to preached for God and He will provide disciples.
b.) We are to continue with the Water of the Word.
19.) "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand..." (1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV).
a.) Receive the gospel and stand in the gospel.
20.) "and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:2 ESV).
a.) Hold fast to the Word preached.
b.) Hold fast to sound doctrine of the Word.
21.) "Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge?" (2 Corinthians 11:7 ESV).
a.) God's gospel is free and it is the best in the world.
22.) "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8 ESV).
a.) The folly of angels preach another gospel.
b.) Fallen angels dwell in the heavenly realms before God.
c.) The gospel preached is Paul's gospel.
d.) Opposing the gospel of Jesus is accursed.
23.) "For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel." (Galatians 1:11 ESV).
a.) The gospel is God's gospel not man's gospel.
24.) "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” (Galatians 3:8 ESV).
a.) Gentiles are justified by faith alone (Eph 2:8).
b.) The gospel was heard by Abraham (Rom 4).
c.) The gospel will be embraced with the stars of heaven and the sand on the sea but each case is Christ's particular redemption (Mt 1:21).
25.) "You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first.." (Galatians 4:13 ESV).
a.) The gospel goes out by those who are disabled.
b.) The gospel is preached to many at first and it spreads.
26.) "And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near." (Ephesians 2:17 ESV).
a.) The gospel is about peace.
b.) The peace of the gospel by the Spirit and Word ends war with God by applying Christ to our souls in rebirth devoid of baptismal waters with Roman oil.
27.) "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel.." 2 Timothy 2:8 ESV).
a.) The gospel is about Jesus Christ.
b.) The good news is about the resurrection of Jesus.
c.) The glad tidings is about the offspring of David such as Jesus.
d.) The Word preached is about the Jesus Who is the Gospel.
28.) "It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look." (1 Peter 1:12 ESV).
a.) The true gospel is preached by honorable men through the Spirit.
b.) Angels desire to look into spiritual matters about God's work.
c.) Preaching the good news is about sound exegesis.
29.) "but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you" (1 Peter 25 ESV).
a.) The gospel stands forever.
b.) The good news preached is about the Lord.
c.) The written Word is forever and everyone has a copy in heaven.
30.) "For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does." (1 Peter 4:6 ESV).
a.) The gospel falls on spiritually dead people.
b.) The acceptance of the gospel is living in the Spirit.
c.) Unified conclusion: namely, the Word preached is necessary for the glory of Jesus unto mercy for His chosen in the declaring of God's Word. If we neglect this neglect the hearing of God's people so that they may be spiritually awakened in rebirth, monergisticly regenerated, and sovereignly born again for those who He intends to glorify the eternal Son unto a mercy that is unbreakable and lasts for eternity that never fades away.
SECTION 2: Objection to Orthodox Reformed Baptist Theology:
"A sermon should not contain the evangelistic gospel."
31.) The Bible is about Jesus. If the Bible is about Jesus every sermon is really about Jesus.
a.) We ought to preach Jesus and Him crucified.
b.) The eternal inexhaustibly of the Bible is about Jesus.
c.) It will take us for all eternity to learn the eternal depths, heights, breath, and width of the divine Scriptures but we taste of the eternal riches of the Word now to plunge its treasure that is better than gold and finer than fame.
d.) It is good for converted sinners to hear the Word about the Gospel of Jesus to examine themselves with meticulous learning about the details of the Word.
e.) If there is no evangelism there is no public testimony. We see there is testimony because of evangelism, but this should encourage and enhance our advertisement without illegitimate propaganda.
SECTION 3: Objection to Orthodox Reformed Baptist Theology:
"The Second Coming, the Last Judgment and Resurrection Happened."
32.) The Second Coming of Jesus Christ has not happened.
a.) The Second Coming of Jesus ends earthly time.
b.) The Second Coming of Jesus is a the public coming with His saints to us.
c.) The Second Coming of Jesus is the public rapture of elect saints.
33.) The Last Judgment by Jesus Christ has not happened.
a.) The Last Judgment is bringing all hidden things to light.
b.) It is judgment on the civil good and the civil bad.
c.) It is about acquittal through Christ or ultimate wrath without Jesus.
d.) It is a confirmation of God's judgment now: namely, those sentenced to eternal hell will have no escape or time of a second chance of repentance at the Last Day.
34.) The Last Resurrection of the sheep and goats has not happened.
a.) The sheep rise to life eternal with glorified bodies.
b.) The goats rise to condemnation unto eternal wrath with bodies of destruction.
c.) The sheep have a life of all eternity because of Jesus.
d.) The goats have a death for all eternity because of God's choice unto damnation in that He was pleased to choose them as vessels of wrath.
35.) Unified conclusion on end times (or eschatology): The Second Coming of Jesus, Last Judgment by Jesus and Last Resurrection of the sheep and the goats has not occurred because the world has not be destroyed by the eternal Son by supernatural fire. If these things have already happened, why does the earth remain when if these things have occurred it would have been destroyed by God-appointed fire?
a.) There is no evidence for the Book of Revelation to be written before 70 AD.
b.) There are non-Second Coming appearances by Jesus in post-ascension times like His appearance to St. Beloved John in exile.
c.) The most accurate date for the Book of Revelation is 90 AD.
d.) It is true that Jesus has not come back yet in His glorious Second Coming but the ultimate Antichrist has come in Nero. The bad news is preferred first but the good news for God's people is the last: namely, a Day of Joy for God's people because of Jesus Christ.
SECTION 4: Objection to Orthodox Reformed Baptist Theology:
"The gospel nullifies or destroys the obedience to the law."
36.) The gospel establishes the moral law through the sinless life of Jesus.
a.) The gospel is the merit of His sinless life where He always did what pleased the Father.
b.) The gospel does not nullify or destroy the law but it encourages us to obey the Ten Commandments and NT commandments.
c.) How so? We must compare ourselves to the life of Christ where Christ alone earned our salvation by His perfect righteousness in our behalf.
d.) See how we fall completely short? Take up repentance and faith!
e.) See how we fall short in light of the moral law? Its about repentance unto redeeming the time in radical good.
f.) No one can perfectly keep the law except positionally through Christ alone where our souls our sinless but our body sins.
g.) We are called practically and experientially to obey the moral law by the gift of repentance and Spirit-driven obedience.
h.) We are not commanded to obey merely in forms of legalism.
i.) We must engage in sold-out obedience by the Spirit to practical righteousness concerning the moral law that imitates Christ in a corrupted manner (and never adds to Him) but it is a predestinarian demonstration of a reflection of God's foredetermined intent.
j.) See all the holy things God has brought about by His mere intent of foredetermination of all things? Imagine if we reflected God's intent? There would be meticulous civil good everywhere. We know civil goodness does not save, but God has commanded in His Word to be workmen not ashamed to obey the fruits of the Ten Commandments outward good works prepared beforehand by the gift of His Hand (Eph 2:10).
k.) Therefore antinomianism is graceless lawlessness and no one should permit themselves to sanctioned impunity of lawless evil.
- There is a grace that is lawless that is not a true grace.
- There is a law-follower who is spiritually dead (civil obedience with no awakening by the Spirit and Word).
- There is disobedience that is struggling with sin.
- There is lawlessness that is habitual sin.
m.) If everything is positional, where is the foredetermined evidence of profession and possession of faith in practical Christian living? Spiritual salvation does not depend on self-willed civil deeds. What do I mean? If there is no true work of the Spirit there is no true demonstration. We are dependent on the moving of the Spirit. Hence demonstration is a Spirit-dependence through a living faith that yields weak or strong evidence of true grounds of being convinced of your election.
n.) If a shattered reflection of positional truth is rejected in a practical imitation it will result in the spiritual diagnosis of meanness.
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