Martin Luther before reading about “Grace”, “faith” and “Justification” in the bible specially in Romans, at times would spent about 2 to 4 hours a day in confession at church. Only to find despair when getting ready for bed to realize he had forgotten to confess a particular sin during the past day no matter how small it was. So when he and others found out Salvation is based on “Grace” alone in the “righteousness” that comes “from God”(1 Corinthians 1:30) through “faith” in “Christ”, they were glad and wiling to die for that.  For this free Grace which God chose to give us before the world began, base on His free “choosing”, was something Martin Luther and other were willing to Die for. For now their is sin was taken away by the true and only “Son of God(John 1:34)”, Jesus Christ. It through Christ while we were “dead in sin(Ephesians 2:1,5)”, were “made alive(Ephesians 2:1,5)” and were given the free gifts of “grace(Ephesians 2:8)”, “eternal life(Romans 6:23, John 17:3, Acts 13:48)”, “faith(Ephesians 2:8)” and a will now “slaves to God(Romans 6:22).”  Martin Luther himself said that His greatest work was his book the “Bondage of the Will.” For these truths the blood of Luther and others “of whom the world was not worthy”(Heb. 11:38) to know, ran crimson red, in the name of the “free gift” of “faith” through “Grace(Ephesians 2:8)” alone so that “justification” is by faith alone. Their lives became a living and dieing testimony of the saints eternal song, “He who boast, let him boast in the LORD(NIV 1 Corinthians 1:31)”. Amen

The Galatian church was trying to ADD (Galatians 3:2) works to their salvation.  In response Paul said he wish the persons involved with polluting the good doctrine would “mutilate themselves.”(5: 7,12).   Thus to add, “works” of, circumcision, money, Free will, or any other thing to the equation of salvation is absolutely the very thing Paul was addressing. But it seems from History the human heart hates the Grace which comes through Christ, because of the apparent idols of things we have tried to add to the free Grace found in Christ alone, specially that of works and free will(confidence in the flesh).

Why else would Paul when preaching the Gospel in Romans waste so much space on  writing 3 chapter just about Gods Sovereignty. Which is about God choosing the elect based on His will and purposes, “not” on “man who wills.” Paul said in the 15 Chapter of Romans verse 14, “brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you… that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable.”  By the Grace of God, Paul knew us Gentiles who had not grown up in the Jewish tradition being constantly taught about an all powerful and eternal God, that we would need extra clarity and reminding of Gods Sovereignty, specially concerning His free Grace to the elect through Jesus Christ. Which History has shown us it is this truth of Gods free, “election of Grace”(Romans 11:5) through our Lord Jesus Christ, which is constantly being attacked. That is why Paul said he wrote on some points longer than others, that is why there is Romans 9-11. So that us Genitals wouldn’t miss the point, so that “the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable(Romans 15:14).”

            For example; in the letter to the Ephesians the first 2 chapters, the theology which Paul gives is mostly about Gods Grace through His own Good purposes and Sovereign choice(Calvinism). Accordingly in Acts 20:24-36 we read when Paul leaves the Ephesians with “weeping”, we find Paul spent most of this time reminding them of the “gospel of the Grace of God” and reminding them to be faithful to teach the “whole counsel of God”, and had warned “night and day” about “wolves” that will “rise up speaking perverse things.”

Well? What “things” will people pervert?  In the very letter Paul wrote to them we read: “n love He predestined us to adoption(Ephesians 1:5)”, and “predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will(verse 1:11)”, also that “by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God(chap.2:8)”, plus “Just as [God] chose us in [Christ] before the world began that we should be Holy and blameless before Him(chap. 1:4).”

          There are few things, which are easier to see. These truths above are the ones, which Paul was especially concerned about with, that they not be “perverted.” Thus God through Paul warned specifically that to teach against “predestination” or the “Good news of the “Grace of God”(Calvinism) is to “pervert” the word of Jesus Christ, who is the “Word of God(Revelation 19:13).” Therefore both they and we are told, “to be watchful” to let such things as Mercy, Grace, and predestination, by the Father and through Christ Jesus, to be “taught” and cherished in the church. We are told to teach all the blood bought truths of Christ and not sacrilegiously, by our standards, pick which of these truths to teach and which ones to throw away at the price of peace or unity. We are to follow the example of the Holy Scriptures and teach the “whole counsel of God”, which is the “Good news of the Grace of God” that came to us through our risen Lord Jesus Christ, to His elect.

People often tell me, “the church has been debating this issue of the sovereignty of God and His Free Grace for ages” and that, “we will never know what the real truth really is.” But if that is the case why did Paul tell the elders at Ephesus they are to teach the “whole counsel of God”. Which in return we already know that Paul taught the elders at Ephesus as the “whole counsel of God” in the book of Ephesians. Which included what we just discussed above. Thus we do not have an excuse for not knowing that the truth is in this mater is about Gods Sovereignty and Grace. Ephesians 1: 5-6, “In love having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will…to the praise of the glory of His grace”, for the election is the “election of Grace”, Romans 11:5.