Monday, March 8, 2021

Acts 14: 27 & Hardshell Premises

"And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." (Acts 14: 27)

Premise: "when a text says that God (or Christ, or the Spirit) does something, then it means he does it apart from means." 

Hardshells assert this premise and argue this way, in many instances, when defending their no means view of salvation.
 
Paul refers to "all that God had done." What was that work of God? Was it not converting Gentiles to faith in Christ? Did God convert them to the faith directly apart from preaching the gospel? No. The text says God worked "with" or "through" them. Therefore we should no longer hear Hardshells say that a belief in means is a denial that God does the saving.

Who regenerated you, my Hardshell brother? Why God, and God alone you say, and this means God apart from human means or instruments. Who converted you? Brought you to faith and repentance? God alone apart from means? Or, God through means? Surely the latter and any honest soul must agree.

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