Sovereign...sure, but only de jure.

Many evangelical Christians use the word “sovereign” or “sovereignty” quite a bit to refer to God.  However, most of the time when this term is used, it is improperly applied. God is not sovereign in an absolute way (de facto) so that He is responsible for, or the cause of, everything.  If that were true, then He would be responsible for, and the cause of, evil.  God’s sovereignty is de jure = righteous (Daniel 9:14) and He controls it; His sovereignty does not control Him (Matt. 26:53).  In other words, God commits Himself to His word and keeps it. . . so Jesus sets His face like flint toward Jerusalem and the cross, disregarding the 144,000 angels available to Him.  It is a silly schoolboy’s argument that He could have used them when He has decided not to do so.  Their time will come.  Rev. 7:1-8 and 12:1.

Local only.

It is certainly a mistake to think that there is a universal (the word “catholic” means universal) church on this earth.  Yes, there is no doubt that the bride of Christ, the church in its entirety, belongs to Him in the eternal realm (Eph. 2:6).  But Jesus has left us with the Holy Spirit to unify and command the local churches throughout the world and in all the years since His ascension.  The picture language of Revelation 1 – 3 clearly points out that Jesus deals with local churches according to their particular conditions and exalts none to the place of being a perfect example or model for the others.  The local church is not a portal into a one world church but is an individual unit, judged on its own merits.  You can only come to claim life in the eternal realm where Jesus is seated next to the Father through faith in Jesus (John 14:6). Then you need to turn yourself in to join a genuine unit of the Kingdom of God...a church that holds onto Jesus!

Stay in your place!

Matthew 12:31

“Blasphemy” is one of those Biblical words that is difficult to define because it is a transliterated word:  it has been spelled in English letters to match the original Greek spelling.   (e.g., The word “telephone” has been transliterated into all the major languages of the world).  The best definition for its usage in the gospels comes from the enemies of Jesus in John 10:33 where they accuse Him of . . . “You being a man, make yourself God.”  This perspective of substitution is important when we approach the pronouncement of Jesus that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is unforgivable.  The clear understanding that comes from this analysis is that someone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit is moving Him aside and taking His place.  That person is establishing false comfort and counsel and conviction that leads to a false salvation and not to the only begotten son of God, Jesus Christ.

Criticism welcome...

It is shocking that there are people who cling to foolish ideas because their reverence for the author is unyielding to common sense criticism.  There are many people who believe the Calvinist doctrine of “Total Depravity” as they apply it to mankind.  Matthew 7:11 (or Luke 11:13 if you prefer) records Jesus as saying that, though evil, people can still distinguish between good and evil.  If evil were total, then a person could not understand either good or evil.  The fruit juice from the Garden of Eden was a gift to mankind (see # 2).