Atheist Penn Gillette gets the gift of a Bible

[midnight rambler]

Unfortunately it was a Gideon Bible though. Very interesting perspective nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhG-tkQ_Q2w&feature=related

[sirgonzo420]

Unfortunately it was a Gideon Bible though. Very interesting perspective nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhG-tkQ_Q2w&feature=related


I don't have sound right now, so I didn't watch the video - but what is your beef with the Gideon Bible?

[midnight rambler]

I don't have sound right now, so I didn't watch the video - but what is your beef with the Gideon Bible?




This is only one aspect, there's more. Gotta be careful about misdirection using the Word as a cover.


.


Theological Concerns with the "Plan of Salvation":

==============================================

1. The so called "Plan of Salvation" starts out with the statement, “God Loves You”. This statement is true only of God's elect. Since we do not know if someone is of God's elect or not, we could be telling a lie to someone by saying that God loves them. On the contrary, the scriptures tell us that we are in a legal standing of being under God's wrath (or children of wrath) before we believe.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness," - Romans 1:18

"among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others." - Eph. 2:3


Also, the scriptures tell us that God hates "all workers of iniquity".

"The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." - Ps. 5:5-6

God can not remain neutral while his infinite glory, holiness, majesty, and sovereignty is offended by the wickedness of men. It is because God is loving (first and foremost towards Himself) that he must hate what is evil, just like those who love babies must hate abortion.


The "plan of salvation" quotes John 3:16 “For God so loved the world...” to show that God loves everyone. However, if you translated “whoever believes” correctly as a verb participle modifying everyone (“everyone believing”) it would be clear that Jesus so loved all believers in the world. As for unbelievers, verse 18 says “but he who does not believe is condemned already”. How could God love those He has condemned to hell? That doesn’t seem like a loving thing to do.


“God Loves You” also hides man’s greatest need, to be saved from the wrath of God. Instead of telling people the truth, that we have offended a holy God and are worthy of His wrath, this statement tells them that God loves them (implying God's peace). This false message removes the necessity of the cross!


The "plan of salvation" also quotes Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us..." However, the "us" (2nd person plural) in this verse shows that this statement only applies to believers (Paul and the church in Rome)


2. The so called "plan of salvation" also states, "I do now receive and confess Him as my personal Savior.” and later, “After making your decision to receive Christ...” Yet, we are not saved by receiving Jesus as a personal Savior nor by making a decision. This concept of receiving Jesus as a "personal savior" is not found anywhere in scripture. We are saved by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and his substitutionary atonement on the cross.


The John 1:12 passage quoted is taken out of context by not quoting the rest of the sentence in verse 13.

vs 12: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

vs 13: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

We are not saved by receiving Jesus. Jesus' saving work is applied to us through regeneration and faith.

"not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit," - Titus 3:5 Urging people to "receive Christ" misleads people into thinking that by performing some ritual, they can be saved. The Bible says that we can only be saved by the work of Jesus Christ imputed to us through faith.

"So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'” - Acts 16:31

True faith does not come by a ritual, but by God's gift of regeneration, whereby the Spirit of God brings our spirit to life from the dead.

"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" - Eph. 2:1


3. The "plan of salvation" also quotes Rev. 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." out of context. This is written to a church of believers, not unbelievers. Instead, the Gideons are using this passage to explain a lie, that God waits for man to cooperate in salvation (open the door of his heart). This is offensive to God because it makes salvation a work of man instead of a sovereign work of God. Eph. 2:1 says we "were dead in trespasses and sins", Romans 3:11 says "there is none who seeks after God" and Romans 5:10 says "we were enemies" of God. How can spiritually dead God haters who do not seek after God open the door of their hearts to Him? By quoting this verse out of context the Gideons have chosen to spread a false gospel of works salvation (pelagianism). In contrast, the biblical model for explaining how people should respond to the gospel message is to call them to believe (Acts 8:37), "repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance" (Acts 26:20). This call is something that no one will follow unless the Holy Spirit sovereignly regenerates their soul. "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day" - John 6:44

[sirgonzo420]

I don't have sound right now, so I didn't watch the video - but what is your beef with the Gideon Bible?




This is only one aspect, there's more. Gotta be careful about misdirection using the Word as a cover.





I see.

I haven't looked over a Gideon Bible for a little while, and the only thing I could remember about them was that they were KJV Bibles that had John 3:16 in many different languages.

I must've forgotten about the other supplementary material they put in them.