Billy Graham

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Bro, the above is alluding that we can never have the truth. Chris, what you are actually saying is that the Bible isn't sufficient, and living the best you can under some code of good citizen ethics, just hoping you might get a pass. Faith comes by HEARING the Word of God. Bro, our faith isn't predicated on wishful thinking. Is God bad for tossing the reprobate Billy Graham into a lake of fire? I will be judged according to His Gospel, not mine. So, we need to navigate the path, find the door that is only opened a crack, and enter in. Bro, Jesus told us to be ye perfect (mature) as the Father in heaven. Bro, instead of belly aching that some joker who made a living off his own personal Jesus, we should take care of ourselves. We do this by doing it book, chapter, and verse. If I get corrected it better be right now. I won't be getting an Bible questions answered at the judgement. Because flip charts and Bibles will be useless on that day. Jesus said few be that find it? Then honey child, we need to be finding it, instead of making excuses for NOT having it.

The Bible is indeed perfect. The question is, is our understanding of that Scripture perfect? Do you know everything to be known from the Scripture? Have you nothing left to learn? Will you find yourself never in need of correction regarding your understanding? If so, why do you study? Why do you continue to dig deeper and deeper through prayer for greater truth, deeper understanding, and a more perfect vision of the holy?

If you have it all nailed down, close your Bible and put it on the shelf and pat yourself on the back. I've discovered that the Bible is like a bottomless well of living waters. With every understanding an infinite world of new truth is opened. We'll be discovering things about the Scripture and God Himself throughout the countless eons of eternity. And everyone one of us will discover things that we were so sure of as being wrong, or at best, superficial when compared to the eternal substance.

Bro, the judgement we meet is according to the Bible not me and not you. Loose as a goose? What in the name of logic is that?

Again, you presuppose that you know everything the Bible has to offer. And you presuppose that everything you know is right. And then you measure others in accordance to that presupposition. And therefore, for your sake, I pray you're correct. Because if you're off just one jot or tittle... your own words will condemn you.

Chris, the above statement makes no logical sense. Teach and walk in the path but don't tell others how to navigate the path? Because it is a mystery even if you are navigating it? This isn't about pride of knowledge. This is about letting people know that blind jokers are wrong, and that one shouldn't gamble with their soul.

I share with people "what the Lord has show me", "what I believe the Bible to say". I do not position myself as having all knowledge, or an infallible interpretation. I'm often the first to say, "I don't know, but here's what I think based on these texts..." There's a difference between approaching the preaching of the Gospel from a position of "know it all" and a position of humility that says, "This is what I believe..." What I see so often is men draw a very harsh and firm line, it might be in regards to Sabbath or divine name and how it is pronounced, and they say, "Well, this is what the Bible says!" They shift responsibility for their interpretation onto the Bible. They don't have the guts to own it themselves and be truthful. They don't have the guts to say, "This is what I believe the Bible to say..."

So, having explained the above, I firmly teach Acts 2:38 as being the Apostolic application of the Gospel. I don't see any "formula" in Scripture, Trinitarian or Oneness. I see men calling on the name of the Lord at their baptism, and I see the promise that if they do so, their sins will be remitted. When Trinitarians and Oneness theologians begin bickering over "formula", I just shake my head. Because both are wrong, wrong, wrong. Oneness comes closer to the truth. But there isn't a "formula" present. I've challenged people to present me with a formula dozens of times... not one has been able to give me the "formula" spoken by the Apostles. What the Scriptures state is that baptism, like everything we are to do, was done in the name of Jesus. What we also see is that it appears that it was at the time of one's baptism that they were to call upon the name of Jesus for their salvation. Their salvation was predicated upon their calling the name, not the one baptizing them calling the name or repeating some exacting formula of words. In other words, baptism was far more primitive than most realize. Baptism was their altar call.

Bro, whatever He wills? When did Jesus or the apostles approach the people with such an attitude? We aren't supposed to be presumptuous with our own feelings. Which we will say we will do this or that, but only seek God's will. Big difference in saying that we follow the Gospel soteriology and teach
others the same, while we aren't sure that it is the only way. Understand?

Is God sovereign? Yes or no? Does He alone have the power to have mercy when He desires to have mercy, and not to have mercy where He desires not to have mercy? The Scriptures testify to a sovereign God. Now, we are not sovereign. We must preach it and teach it as we best understand it. However, God alone can do as He wills, and the Scriptures are firm in that He retains that sovereign right as God. All too often we believe that God is beholden to our interpretations of Scripture. He isn't. He laughs in the Heavens at our vain conceits in which we think He agrees with us. We must give Him the room to be and do as sovereignly as He so desires... else we make Him a Heavenly sky-elf dependent upon our various denominational interpretations of Scripture.

Oh, this isn't about not being humble enough? Bro, there is only one truth, not many soteriologies. This isn't rocket science, or some cryptic mystery religion. If I stop someone from putting the barrel of a shotgun in their mouth is that being arrogant? Is it arrogant to convince the person that suicide is just a permanent solution for a temporary problem? Or should I tell them that suicide does work for some? Chris, your emotions are the lion share of your theology?

I'm not going to deny that my emotions can play a part in my theology. In fact, I've yet to see someone who's emotions don't play a part in their approach to Scripture. For example, above, you're sharing what you think based on what you sincerely feel about the truth. You're post is no less infected by your emotions than my own. Only, I'm honest enough to admit it.

Chris, the above comment is where you are missing it. We never spoke about this. Billy Graham didn't even believe in Bible soteriology, even other Trinitarians nailed him on this. This is about God all of a sudden at the last minute allowing a few through the opening who others had to navigate carefully. There were those who bore the heat of the day, worked hard but were upset that those who came in late were given the SAME PAY. They weren't paid MORE, they received the same wage. That's God's mercy.

I'm not going to play God. I will admit that I'm hesitant to say that Billy Graham made it. I'll admit that Billy Graham had a far different theological understanding than ours, and perhaps even his fellow Trinitarians. In fact, it would appear that Billy Graham was one to not pick a given camp's interpretation of the Scripture, and instead he owned what he concluded from Scripture, right or wrong, and preached it. In my examination, it's almost patch work. One of the last old-timers to just preach what he believes he sees in the Bible, without being beholden to a systematic theology or theological school of thought. To me, that is far more sincere than the cackling robed theologians in any camp of organized religion who demand strict conformity to their narrow and rigid doctrines and interpretations of men. To follow the Spirit is to be like the wind. The religious will call you inconsistent. The religious will call you misguided. But this is only because the religious can't see the ways of the Spirit.

Back to my hesitance over Graham's salvation.

I'm hesitant to say that He was saved. That is why I prayed that God have mercy on his soul.

What is really happening here is that many reading the words that I'm saying aren't willing to grant God such sovereignty in their personal understanding. I am willing to give God that much sovereignty, and so, I do. God's Word affirms God's sovereignty throughout. And it consistently affirms that the wisdom of men is foolishness to God. Every chart, and theological treatise, systematic theology, or creed is woefully insufficient in God's sight. Our best systematic theology sounds like preschooler gibberish to God, and is rife with inconsistencies, errors, and human notions that we don't even realize are present. When we really get into the Spirit and look down at all our theologies we realize that they're all the same. They're all the best human attempts to comprehend... the incomprehensible. And if you've mastered it and know all truth, I tip my hat to you.