Robert Hays Sr. Author

Running with Assumptions

Assumptions are usually wrong. To assume something instead of looking at the facts, reality, and Scripture will usually lead to trouble as it did in Acts 21:28-29, when they supposed Paul had violated the temple with Gentiles and then tried to kill him.

In reading modern movement theology, it is often stated that to oppose their doctrine “implies” … But, I try not to imply anything in sermons or writings. Implying does not help but only adds to doubts and questions. Faith is believing what God said, and I want to preach and teach what God said, not implications.

So, one of the statements I have read quite often lately is, “how could a dead man choose Christ?” They take the Scriptural doctrine of one being dead in trespasses and sins [Ephesians 2:1] and follow the man-made logic that a dead person cannot feel, cannot make a choice, and cannot know. So therefore, [here is the assumption] God has to regenerate a person before they can actually trust Christ. In other words, God has to save you first and then you will accept Christ to be saved.

The problem is that they make one wrong assumption and base everything upon that error. Your spirit is dead in trespasses and sin [Ephesians 2:1], but where is it ever stated that your spirit is the one that makes a choice?

Look at the Biblical pattern and see the source of decision making.

Humanity is created in the image of God [Genesis 1:26]. God is a Trinity [I John 5:7] and made mankind as a trinity as well [I Thessalonians 5:23]. Each member of the Trinity of God has a particular place: God the Father - is the decision maker with Jesus doing His will [Luke 22:42]. He is the Soul God the Son - is the incarnation of God in Body - John 1:1,14; I Timothy 3:16 God the Holy Spirit is sent by God the Father - John 14:26 These three are the Soul, Body, and Spirit of God’s Trinity. It is the Soul of God [the Father] that makes the decisions and will of God.

Following the pattern of the image we are created in, we have a body, soul, and spirit as well. It is the soul that makes the choice, not the spirit. Their argument about having to be saved before you can be saved is totally based on a false assumption. It also is against Ephesians 1:13 which states that you believed after you heard and were sealed after you believed. Yes, God has to draw you to be saved [John 6:44] but He promises to draw all men at some time [John 12:32; John 1:9; I Timothy 2:4; Romans 2:15].

Our spirit dies within us when we know and then chose to violate the righteousness of God [Romans 7:9; Ephesians 2:1 is written to people who can understand and make a choice, not infants]. Our body dies when the soul leaves the body on this earth [Genesis 35:18]. But the soul does not die until the final judgment [Revelation 21:8]. It is called the second death because it is the second one that changes our destiny. As long as your body is alive you can still be saved. The death of the body and then the death of the soul seal their destiny in the lake of fire for eternity. That second death is separation from all that is just, pure, and lovely for all eternity. It is not annihilation [Mark 9:44,46,48].

Our prayer for the unbelievers is that God convicts them again and opens their eyes again to truth so that they can make the right decision. Nobody goes to hell because God did not want them! The invitation is to whosoever will - Revelation 22:17.

Debating Again?

(Hebrews 6:1) “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,”

I have found through the years that sometimes, people do not really want an answer. They like the debate. They do not want a definitive yes or no, an absolute right or wrong, a solid foundation to stand upon regardless of the circumstance. They like the question that just gives birth to another question. It provides for them a way out if they do not like what is being stated while setting themselves up as the questioning authority and quasi-intellectual.

The exhortation from God is to “grow up.” Hebrews 6:1 states that we are to have some principles settled in our hearts and minds and move on to the next step rather than re-hash these elementary things over and over. There are some principles that every Christian should have: * The Bible is the word of God, and is always right and the final authority - II Timothy 3:16-17 * When we find out what the Bible says on a given subject, we are to agree with it - I Corinthians 14:37 * Everything Scripture says about Jesus Christ is true - II John 1:9 * Every word of Scripture is written for me but not every word was written directly to me - I Corinthians 10:11. They are examples of faith [Hebrews 11] but I am not building an ark, sacrificing goats and calves, or worried about the mark of the beast. * There are divisions to be made in the Bible and are marked by how God dispensed His grace We are to study and put some work into finding these divisions - II Timothy 2:15 We are to understand why things are written as much as what is written * Our entire Christianity is built upon Faith Faith is believing what God said. That is the only definition that will fit every instance the word is used in Scripture.

I am not going to debate these things. I run across articles in which someone questions the virgin birth or resurrection, and I just skip over them. In a public debate many years ago, someone stated that “Rev. Hays has not considered that the Bible might be wrong.” They were perfectly correct. It never crossed my mind.

There are some basic principles that we need to nail down. They are unmovable, without compromise, and will entertain no debate. I have changed a lot of things in the 40 years of pastoring, but these do not change. I have had to publicly admit I was wrong on some doctrines and teachings, but the Bible was never wrong.

Questioning things is great. It is how we learn, discover, and grow. But there also has to be a foundation to stand upon, otherwise, everything just becomes another topic to debate with no real answer. It is time to put away the childish things and grow up.

(1 Corinthians 13:11) “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”