The Two Wills of God Made Easy


Book Description

This book is taken from McMahon's larger work: The Two Wills of God: Does God Really Have Two Wills, which was a Ph.D. dissertation of over 800 pages. In this newly revised concise form, McMahon has updated and rewritten key parts to this vital work, and removed extraneous portions in order to explain how the student of the bible should understand and hermeneutically study the will of God. What biblical doctrine is more important than knowing what God’s will is for our lives? “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law,” (Deut. 29:29). The theological subject of God's will reaches deeply into every theological concept Scripture teaches. If the Christian’s doctrine of God is wrong, how can he be sure to have anything else right? This study takes the most relevant and practical view of God's will according to Scripture and deals with questions like: What is God's will in relation to His church? Does God desire the salvation of all men, or some men? If the wicked perish, and God desires their salvation, is God’s will frustrated when the sinner goes his own way? Why is God seen as sovereign in one part of Scripture, but seen as “repenting,” “sad,” and even “changing His mind” in another? Does God change? Does the Bible teach that there is such a thing as “common grace?” Is God really good to all, even the wicked? Does God desire things He does not decree, and decree things He does not desire? As much as these questions are a matter of great theological importance, they are also a matter of responsible hermeneutics. This abridged version gives the Christian the proper hermeneutical tools to define “God’s will” and how His will functions in and through redemptive history. It solves critical questions surrounding God's nature, demonstrating that proper biblical interpretation is the key to understanding the will of God. Yet, as difficult as this topic may initially seem, this new version sets out to make studying the will of God easier.




Historical Theology Made Easy


Book Description

This work on historical theology follows key Christian beliefs chronologically discussing the most important movements and doctrinal developments for theology according to their historical appearance. Historical Theology Made Easy offers students of the Bible the opportunity to study the historical development of theology according to God's providence throughout the history of the Christian church. This approach allows readers to concentrate practically on the development of Christian teachings and their formulation in the early church, through the Middle Ages, Reformation, post-Reformation and into the modern period. This book includes key primary sources citing quotes from Iranaeus, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, the Puritans and others. It makes historical theology, which is often overwhelming, easy to follow.




Walking Victoriously in the Power of the Spirit


Book Description

One of the more neglected theological topics over the past 500 years of church history is a practical theology of the Holy Spirit; how the Holy Spirit works in your life as a believer every single second of every single minute of every single day in the grace of Christ Jesus. There are some very good systematic theology books that deal in their respective chapters with the Holy Spirit as they cover the doctrine of God, and there are even some very well written single volumes on the Spirit compiled in a systematic fashion by divines looking to give us a “theological overview of the Spirit.” But there are relatively no books on the Holy Spirit that take a biblical and historic-confessional approach and marry that with a theology of victoriously walking in the Spirit, as it relates to the abundant life that Jesus Christ has promised to his church. Jesus did not come merely to give life, but to give believers abundant life in the Spirit! Is this what you experience in your daily walk? Every Christian desires spiritual victory in Christ, and to walk victoriously in the Spirit as outlined by Scripture, but how would you explain that daily reliance, and how would you as a believer experience the fullness of the Spirit in your own course of life? Well, that is what this little volume is about. It is to arm you with the necessary biblical ideas surrounding a victorious and abundant life of walking in the Spirit day by day in order to please King Jesus, and experience true happiness as Christ promises. It covers what abundant life is, who the Spirit is in Scripture as it relates to his work in a believer, what it means to be baptized in the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, anointed by the Spirit, illuminated by the Spirit, filled by the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, and led by the Spirit. It also covers what it means to pray in the Spirit, how to exemplify the fruit of the Spirit, how to exercise your gifts in the Spirit, and how to walk in the Spirit victoriously. It concludes with a chapter on rejoicing in Christ in the Spirit, which ought to be a culmination of this abundant life for you as a born-again believer. Christians should be walking in abundance in Christ right now through the work of the Spirit. Are you?




Unmasking Self-Flattery in the Church


Book Description

Self-deception is inherent in everyone, even born-again Christians, those who have much biblical light and knowledge. And whatever degree of holiness they are currently at, they are satisfied with where they are. In this satisfaction, they often flatter themselves, believing that God is as pleased with them as they are of themselves. Many people in the church flatter themselves, believing they have discovered an easier path in the Christian walk, and in the eternal salvation which brings them to heaven, than Paul was aware of. They assume they will achieve victory and receive the crown not by battling and mortifying their own sins, but by deluding themselves into thinking they are something rather than nothing and engaging in cleverly crafted self-talk full of gracious words and empty persuasiveness. This only serves to disguise their own hypocrisy and unfaithfulness to Christ’s covenant, leading to the deception and ruin of themselves, and even other people they infect. The Christian church is filled with people like this. Are you one of them? Self-flattery is a sin against the ninth commandment which must be unmasked. In this work, McMahon seeks to uncover this very pervasive sin, showing what self-flattery is, how one comes to flatter themselves in their daily walk, and the motives to shun self-flattery in order to mortify it by the power of the Spirit. People often like to hear from the preacher, just tell me Jesus loves me and leave it at that. This delusion is the cornerstone of a self-flattering person. People always say, “I’m a Christian!” The question revolves around whether they act like it as well; do they have a life answerable to the profession they make when they say it? Or are they hiding behind the mask of smooth words they tell themselves about their spiritual condition?




A Watchman Over Christ's Church


Book Description

The watchman’s life is a life of consecration; a life on the wall dividing the world and church, to watch and take heed, to sound the alarm, and bring God’s message to his people boldly, faithfully and plainly. The watchman acts in the name of another, that is, of God, who has called him to the task of watching which includes praying (power) and preaching (guidance and direction). He is commissioned by God with supernatural gifts (given by the effectual work of the Spirit on behalf of Christ) which allows him to discern, speak and work in the ministry by the word God has given him to preach. He officiates in that office as one commissioned of God on behalf of God’s people. He is not sent of his own accord, but sent of God to minister the words of Christ to his beloved church. In this work on the watchman of Ezekiel 33, McMahon explains the nature of the watchman, the work of the watchman, the watched of the watchman and the faithful exercise of his duty on behalf of Jesus Christ, who has commissioned him to serve his sheep as a faithful steward of the glory of Gospel.




The 4 Wills of God


Book Description

Should you take the job? Quit the job? Begin a relationship? End a relationship? Move? Plant roots? How do we find God’s will for life's big decisions? What if you had total freedom? Emerson Eggerichs believes there is a clear answer to finding God’s will. The Bible itself reveals the clue--a secret hidden in plain sight. Before launching his Love & Respect marriage ministry with wife Sarah, Emerson was a senior pastor for nearly 20 years in East Lansing Michigan. Before that, Emerson and a friend ran a free counseling center called “The Open Door” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As Emerson navigated his career he found both he and the people he was counseling were wrestling with big decisions and knowing if that decision was really what God wanted. Immersing himself in God’s word for over 30 hours a week for 19 years, he discovered simple, clear truths that set him and many others free. There is a starting point to discovering God’s Will for your next decision and for your entire life. Begin here to read stories of people in the same situations you face today. You’ll be able to discover the freedom you’ve been searching for, and then, like Emerson, you’ll help others find that freedom too.




Does God Desire All to Be Saved?


Book Description

Are There Two Wills in God? Divine Election and God's Desire for All to Be Saved In this short, theological essay, John Piper builds a scriptural case that God's unconditional election unto salvation is compatible with God's genuine desire and offer for all to be saved. Helping us to make sense of this seemingly paradoxical relationship, Piper wisely holds both truths in tension as he explores the Bible's teaching on this challenging topic, graciously responds to those who disagree, and motivates us to passionately proclaim the free offer of the gospel to all people.




Christ Commanding His Coronavirus to Covenant Breakers


Book Description

This work expounds on Scripture, and outlines, from a biblical point of view, why Christ has sent his coronavirus to covenant breakers in his church. The thesis is that the world-wide virus (and other calamities which are building and exploding in our day) are here primarily for Christ’s church; his disobedient, covenant breaking church. This is a difficult and saddening time for many people. At the time this work was written, almost 689,000 people have died worldwide from the coronavirus, (158,000 in the US) and the Lord is adding more and more calamity to our country on top of the horrors of prolonged and disease-ridden death. All of it is calamity upon calamity. It’s actually “calamity” that God promises his covenant breaking church if they do not repent. What will the church do in a time like this? Since the calamity is growing and not subsiding, it doesn’t seem like the church is doing much of anything collectively to stop the plague by way of reform, much less those things that have not layered on top of that. The church needs to repent of its idolatry, its lack of scriptural precision, its confessional dismissiveness, its abominable worldliness in the sanctuary of God, and the dishonor they are continually bringing King Jesus, the one they "profess" to serve. God deals very harshly yet tenderly with his people when they break covenant with him. Taken from Leviticus 26, this work expounds and describes the following: that pestilence is a sign from Christ to his church, Christ’s remedies against the plague are sovereign prescriptions he alone commands, Christian humility is needed during times of occasional repentance (and what occasional repentance is), humility in prayer and fasting with godly zeal is required, what the nature of Christ’s afflicting providences are, and a number of other subjects related to the plague, especially if the church does not repent, that they are daring Christ to do his worst against them in their spiritual indifference.




Faith, Election and the Believer's Assurance


Book Description

In this Scriptural exhortation and teaching on 2 Peter 1:1-11, Gifford explains election by first attaching the importance of real faith and fruitful works to the life of the Christian. There is no greater question asked among those doubtful of their salvation than how to gain real assurance. Gifford biblically demonstrates the importance of a fruitful life of virtue in the first three chapters. Then, he describes how those primary principles of true biblical faith are set in the context of election. This in turn provides the Christian with a mountain of assurance. But, how will they now know that “such an entrance shall be ministered unto” them in the Kingdom of heaven? They know it through the truth of the word, as it pertains to the work and merit of Christ, and subsequently, through the visible and sure fruits of righteousness that the Spirit works in them throughout their whole life. The work of Christ applied to the soul of a true believer will exemplify the fruits of righteousness by the Spirit. They will be discernably seen in their life, and this in turn will become the Spirit’s motion of assurance in them. In following the Apostle Peter’s outline in his epistle, Gifford methodically shows the need for holiness, and how the true believer, who is fruitful, can and should then set his heart, soul and mind on the electing power of God in Christ for assurance. For God has not only “called believers” to be elected, but, he “hath called us unto glory and virtue.” If there is no virtue, there will be no glory. All this ties into Gifford’s systematic elucidation of these most precious and important biblical truths of faith, election and assurance. This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.




The Sovereign Efficacy of Divine Providence


Book Description

The design of this work is to vindicate the glory of the blessed God in his all-ruling, wonder-working providence as sovereignly disposing the issues and events of all human counsels, and affairs. Christ, who is the Highest King and Lord of all, rules and reigns in his declarative glory “all things.” Nothing is left to itself, but God has a purpose in it. While we are too intent in gazing on the living creatures, and the dreadful wheels of Ezekiel, we soon lose the sight of him who sits above on the throne, overruling, and working all things according to the counsel of his own will. Oakes will point out this Sovereign in all his amiable glory. Beginning with a careful consideration of Ecclesiastes 9:11, Oakes explains how the successes and events of undertakings and affairs are not determined infallibly by the greatest sufficiency in men, or even in second causes; but by the counsel and providence of God ordering and governing time and chance according to his own good pleasure. God’s counsel and sovereign will appoints what they shall be, and his providence (which is not determined by any second cause, but is the determiner of them all) executes all things accordingly. And it must necessarily be so, if you consider that God is the absolute first cause, and supreme Lord of all. This work is not a scan or facsimile, has been carefully transcribed by hand being made easy to read in modern English, and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.