Not At All By Works

As the reformation rightly said, spiritual salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  Let us see the awesome verses where the Spirit infallibly inspired the words of divine Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:9 NASB^{:  "}who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity..."

Romans 9:11 NASB:  "for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls..."

Philippians 3:9 NASB: "and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith..."

Galatians 2:15-21 NASB :  "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Romans 3:21-26 NASB:  "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Titus 3:5 NASB:  "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit..."

John 1:13 NASB:  "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God..."

John 3:36 KJV^{:  "}He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

The Idolatry of Atheism

I noticed “the activity of atheism” and I would like to take this opportunity to respectfully respond to it.  There is no accountability in atheism for moral standards.  If there are moral standards, it has no logical basis for being there in light of the purposelessness of the man-made tradition of atheism.  I am saying atheism is a man-made fantasy and contradiction.  The Bible is correct in advocating the radical depravity of the foolishness of the sinfulness of sin regarding the nature of man in light of the opinions of mere men!  God has also blinded the minds of atheists because of judgment.

It is the idolatry of man-made worship that has infected our American society because of the lustfulness of lust in the passion of the hatred of God.  I think it is important to call sinners to faith and repentance in light of the infallibility of the Holy Scriptures alone.  There are many infallible proofs that demonstrate the divine truth of the bodily Risen Savior and Creator.  The perpetuity of the written Word demonstrates the authenticity of the claims of Jesus Christ. 

There will be no excuse at the Last Day because God demands perfect holiness.  The saving message of the gospel is not “justification by death.”  Rather the only way to be right with God is the very unified and divine righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to the regenerate sinner by faith alone!

Is the Wrath of God Real? A Scriptural Basis for God's Anger

The wrath of God is described as God's prolonged anger (Nm 32:10-13; Ps. 90:9), great anger (Zech 7:12), willing wrath (Rm 9:22), revealed wrath (Rm 1:18), stored up anger (Rm 2:5-8), abiding anger (Jn 3:36) and accomplished anger (Rev 6:16-17). 

God is anger with indignation everyday in light of the deep and great sin of the wicked (Ps 7:11) that is caused by apostasy (2 Chr 34:24-25) and speaking against God (Ps. 78:19-21).  Men fail to realize their sin and are held accountable before God.

Sinners refuse to repent but God will sharpen His sword (Ps 7ff).  There is only judgment for those who do not repent to the Triune God alone.  Do not repent to another 'god' devoid of the Blessed and Holy Trinity.  Repentance is worthless if its not through Christ crucified. 

Jesus made atonement for the sin of elect sinners from every tribe, tongue, people and nation.  There are those among us who will never respond to God's all-atoning act of spiritual redemption.  These particular sinners are blinded and bound to Satan.  God's love, however, for His people will never fade away.  Jesus took upon Himself the wrath of God the Father in behalf of poor sinners.  He became the very hell we all deserve but He took it upon Himself alone.

If you do not believe in Jesus, it is a great sin of unbelief.  Fix your eyes on the Cross of Jesus Christ and know that He became sin so that you might become the righteousness of God in Him alone (2 Cor 5:21).  Those who are truly born again (Tit 3:5) truly believe in Jesus (Jn 3:16) will never have His wrath upon them (Jn 3:36) because we are "...found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith..." (Phil 3:9 KJV). 

A Beggar's Reformed Baptist Outreach: Friends of the Grace of Jesus

Here are my "blog sites" for you to view in Christian ministry and one "fun" site on basketball and training.  I have decided to list them all here because you can easily access them if you have time to check them out.  Some of them I just started and am seeking to build a Christian defense of biblical Christianity.  I pray that these basic "online Reformed Baptist resources" would be helpful to you. 

Son of Man Ministries
lcf1689.blogspot.com

This ministry is for devotional sermons, short blog presentations, teaching theology or church history, or engaging in apologetical debates on some topic regarding world religions, non-Christian cults or the occult.

Lord of Glory Ministries
lgmin.blogspot.com

To present "blog book" presentations on Reformed theology and apologetics.  That is, I am author of many solid online books.  There are short "blog articles" on theology, church history or apologetics.  Sometimes I post my sermons in lengthy parts on the Bible.

Rock of Offense Ministries
rpmin.blogspot.com

To preach, teach and defend the whole counsel of God verse-by-verse!  A ministry to convict the world of her idolatry concerning disobedience to God in hopes of reformation by divine grace through the hearing of God's written Word.

Theologian of the Cross Ministries
crossmin.blogspot.com

To proclaim the supremacy and centrality of the redemptive value of the Cross of Jesus Christ from the Bible alone in light of man's different traditions of men in regards to how someone becomes right with their holy Creator.   I also desire to defend the Bible's teaching on "limited atonement" and "substitutionary atonement."

The Reformed Fellowship of "Many Infallible Proofs"mipmin.wordpress.com
This ministry is to demonstrate Christian truth by the bodily resurrection of Jesus.  Creation, Christian philosophy, theology and early church history in the Book of Acts can be demonstrated to be true by Jesus' biblical and historical resurrection.

Making Training Programs
lwtp.wordpress.com

This site is my basketball experience concerning training programs.  It could be helpful for any sport as well.  It concerns weight training, swimming, plyometrics, long distance running, jumping with weights and endurance sprints.  Its sort of a "fun" web site to help athletes with serious training.

Traditional Bible-Based Views, A Reformed Teaching
tbbvrtmin.wordpress.com

To defend pro-life, democracy, traditional marriage, a literal six day creation and other family issues in light of the Bible alone concerning Reformed Baptist theology.

Internet Free Wittenberg
ifwmin.blogspot.com
To preach, teach and defend the written Word in light of world religions, non-Christian cults, and the occult.  To also proclaim the written Scriptures through soon-to-be Bible commentaries, prayers and Lord's Day sermons through an audio (hosted by a free uploading service) and written presentations on a particular apologetical subject that is meaningful to convict the world of sin and help people to grow in holiness through edification with the people of God in my "feeble" attempt at a proclamation of a few "fishes and loaves."


Stone of Stumbling, A Predestinarian and Compatibilistic Fellowship
pcfmin.blogspot.com
This Reformed Baptist ministry is for the Christian teaching of absolute predestination.  I also want to defend the foreordaination of all things because God has meaning and purpose behind everything that is meant for the good of His people who love Him with a love born from above who are being conformed to the image of God's Son in divine love.  I also hope to defend the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 concerning the Reformed understanding of "free will" and the teaching of "compatiblism."  I also aim to defend the Reformed teaching in light of Scripture alone about 6-Point Calvinism in light of Arminianism's denial of non-cooperation in spiritual rebirth.  Let my errors be proven by Scripture alone!
 
All of these ministries are under "fair use" and the materials belong to MA Petillo.  I pray God uses these "online materials" for His glory alone to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus to renew minds and be conformed to the image of Jesus.

95-Disputations on Sex, Satanism and Sports

Ephesians 5:11 (NASB)  "Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them..."

1.     The student-athlete should be governed by the written Word of God alone and the worship of King Jesus with loyal allegiance to Him alone in all things off and on the court.

2.     There should be no advancement in sports or in life through the submission of wrongdoing in various kinds of sexual immorality (the teaching of Balaam in ancient history of the nation of Israel).  Do not transgress the moral law of God.

3.     There should be no advancement in sports through the submission of Satanism to “get things” though the Evil One, because it is a violation of “Thou shalt have no other gods beside Me.”

4.     The coach has the responsibility to guide every student-athlete to the right way to advance in their particular sport.

5.     The coach that does not guide a student-athlete rightly should no longer be coach or to reform his thinking by the presence of the Spirit of God and the Word of God.

6.     The player of any particular sport that advances through wrongdoing in their careers has sinned a great sin and has made sports an idol.  Sports should be fun not an idol.

7.     Sports should never be an idol above God, family and the local church.

8.     Heterosexuality outside of marriage is forbidden to advance in sports.

9.     Homosexuality is universally forbidden in OT and NT and should never be done to “get things” in sports.

10. Sex between persons should never be used to advance performance in any sport because it is meant for the holy happiness of marriage alone and the furthering of society between man and woman alone.

11. Bestiality should never be done to advance careers because some think all is permissible to further their sports career or something in life.

12. Many people would not have advanced their careers in general when I played if it hadn’t been for secret promiscuity.

13. To do wrong to get right is condemned in Romans 3.

14. If you are at a stand-still and cannot advance your sports career, why not pray to God and be patient?

15. Why not wait on God instead of submitting to a cost that is blind and reckless?

16. There are those among us that believe there must be a cost to advance careers.  The only cost should be is to work hard and train and be loyal to God and love thy neighbor.  I suggest to you that if a cost means to have sex to get things, it is something made by man.  I am not saying that Jesus did not have to endure the cost of the Cross.  He certainly had to endure it so His people would be forgiven.  However, it was God who killed His own Son through a foreordained counsel.  I suggest to you that sinners should not have the power of determining a cost to get what a student-athlete wants if it is immoral and repugnant.

17. At an early age, I was exposed to those who would do “evil things in abundance” to get their dreams.  I will not mention them by name, but I see many of them who have advanced through manifold wrongdoing.  If someone has, what should they do?  Jesus calls everyone everywhere to faith and repentance to the Blessed Trinity and godly obedience according to the gospel.

18. To advance through “soul-giving” to Satan is a radical abomination.

19. To advance through a false god is also a radical abomination.

20. Satan is after the interests of men.  He strives after the sinner’s design of things.   To advance through Satan is something that should never be done.  He is willing to advance people in society in whatever they want.  He does not have the interests of God.  In granting prosperity, he comes to destroy man’s lives to blind them from God.

21. There was an occultic wizard that I fought in basketball.  His evil philosophy was to get “good” through a reckless cost.  In the end, if you were not careful, he would allow you to destroy yourself.  I have seen many destroy themselves (without mentioning names).

22. To advance in sports through sexual immorality or various kinds of fornication is forbidden in the Ten Commandments in a board understanding of “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

23. To destroy men’s lives is foreign from the Jesus who came to save men’s lives.

24. To endure a reckless cost to get a grand-good thing is wrong.  If Satan gives it for "free" watch out!  Your soul is secretly at stake!  What happened to the kings in Lord of the Rings?  They took the magical rings without question and they lost their souls. 

25. There should only be the cost of sweat and tears in training for the particular sport.  There shouldn’t be a cost of “soul-giving” to Satan to get something good.  You may train your heart out; the coach may bench you.  Do not give up!

26. To do evil that good may come is damned in Scripture.  It is still possible to repent and believe the gospel by God and His Word.

27. To escape suffering because of religious persecution through the devil is satanic and wrong.

28. To suffer for what is bad is no reward but only correction by God’s providential and invisible hand.

29. To advance in high school through wrongdoing is something that should never be done, including illegal drugs.

30. To advance in college or university level sports through wrongdoing is something that student-athletes should repent about.

31. To advance in sports through wrongdoing at the pro-level must be discouraged.

32. There is only one God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  You should go to Him alone to advance your cause in sports and education.

33. Man is a not a god nor Satan.  You are not the god or master of your own destiny.  You certainly have the power to mess up your life.  You do not have the power for good unless God providential permits it.  There is a good that everyone does and it is civil goodness.  There is a divine standard of goodness that only comes through Jesus by faith.  God should be the master of your destiny not man or Satan or a false man-made religion.

34. If you have fallen into sin, use self-examination in light of the OT and NT.  Have you repented of your sin and renewed your obedience?

35. If a coach tells you to not repent to get something, do not listen to him.  Never give up your repentance.

36. It is good to have the Christian church pray for you in sports and education.  Do not pray to Satan to advance your careers.

37. God created you in the image and likeness of Himself.

38. Satan seeks to destroy you through sin and a felt darkness.

39. No career is worth soul-giving to Satan.

40. No education is worth soul-giving to Satan.

41. No coach should endorse sex and Satanism.  Immorality and the occult go hand-in-hand.  Occultic people are immoral.  You should not be immoral but a godly man or woman of God.

42. Do you know Jesus in a personal relationship?

43. Do you repent of your known sins in a particular way during the day?

44. Do you place sports and education over God?

45. Do you have it as an idol in light of God’s Word?

46. I think concentration on skills and training is better than using the occult to advance your cause in sports.

47. Zen and biblical Christianity are spiritually, doctrinally, scripturally and rationally incompatible.

48. To pray to Allah is spiritual idolatry and a stranger to the Bible.

49. The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to God.  Have you come to Jesus and do you know Him?

50. Jesus will never cast out anyone who comes to Him.  The Spirit of God and God the Son are the two ultimate intercessors.

51. I know the subject of sports, sex and Satanism is not a subject everyone is talking about.  I submit it is a secret way of living. However, I felt it wise to speak about it because I encountered so much of it in a High School basketball camp (which I will also leave unnamed for charity sake).

52. I could have a greater career if I went through sexual immorality and the occult.  I am not saying I regret not doing it.  Rather I chose to not do such thing and honor God through civil goodness.

53. Talent is a God-given attribute.  You ought to train for your sport and live a devotional life to God.

54. Do not let an occultic coach led you astray to Satan and sexual evil.

55. If you resist the world you will be an outsider.

56. It is not wrong to be persecuted for Jesus’ sake.

57. It is wrong to think you can create your own destiny.  Rather God is the One who preordains all things (Ephesians 1:11).   The future of man is already written and ends in victory in Jesus (see the book of Revelation).  It does not mean to not have personal responsibility.  Rather it means you are to know that God is in control and live right before God.

58. There is no blind fatalism.  If you think there is blind fatalism, you will lead a reckless life.

59. It is better to be right than to be wrong.

60. It is better to trust God than to trust man.

61. It is better to rely on God than to rely on Satan.

62. It is better to have Jesus as one mediator than an evil wizard.

63. Jesus is the only God-man (the Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity) and there is no one else.

64. No one is spiritually good.  Rather everyone is radically corrupt.

65. Do not forget to share the gospel of Christ wherever you go.

66. Do not forget to take a Bible with you anywhere you go.

67. Live the Word of God by faith and you need not fear any man’s judgment.

68. There is no one who is righteous.  You need the unified righteousness of Jesus Christ alone through faith alone.

69. Do not fornicate with strange women.

70. Do not indulge the works of the flesh.

71. Do not fornicate with strange men.

72. Live worthy of the gospel.

73. There is no peace in life devoid of Jesus Christ.

74. There is no hope in life devoid of Jesus Christ.

75. There is no repentance in life devoid of Jesus Christ.

76. Any sin is forgivable by God through His Son alone.

77. There is no unforgivable sin for God’s elect.

78. Do not betray your Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

79. Jesus has a purpose for your life to live “set apart” and in mortification of the flesh unto repentance.

80. It is good to have self-hatred about sin.  You ought also to love yourself and your neighbor.

81. Do you have enemies in your life in sports?  God calls you to love them!

82. Have you prayed for your enemies? 

83. Confess your sins to God through Jesus Christ; He will surely forgive you and cleanse you.

84. Do not seek “greatness.”  Rather seek excellence.  This is referring to sports and education and training.

85. It is a theological error to say “God helps those who help themselves.”  It is not possible to please God by sinning but He can turn it on its head.  You need to be born again.  Touching sports, it is true that you must have effort.  Touching theology, man is dead in sin and he cannot help himself but sin continually (Genesis 6:5 cf. Ephesians 2ff).

86. Do not be puffed up because of success.  Rather credit everything to God by rejoicing over all things.  Why?  All things have been foreordained by God according to His divine counsel.

87. It is good to put in a hard days work in practice.

88. It is good to play according to excellence.

89. It is good to make a training program to excel in sports.

90. Basketball is much like life; make good decisions.

91. Do not use your remaining corruption for evil.

92. Use your civil goodness to seek the right thing.

93. No one can be right with God touching civil goodness.

94. The only way to be right with God is through Jesus Christ.

95. Train hard with determined excellence.

Interested in Training for Sports?  Check out my new "blog site:"  Making Training Programs, Which Is Best For You? at lwtp.wordpress.com