Who is Jesus Christ?

                In one single sentence, the answer to the question above is: Jesus Christ is the Almighty God who incarnated as a Man on this earth more than 2000 years ago. He is the only true incarnation or embodiment of God. He is the omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing) God who created this entire universe with His Word. He is the One Who created you and me. Jesus, and Jesus alone, is worthy to be worshipped because He is the only true God.

What is unique about Jesus, you might ask?

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•       The only One Who divided the history into BC and AD, which no historian can ever deny.
•         The only One Who was born of a virgin through the Holy Spirit, which no medical science can ever explain.
•             The only One Who taught: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6: 27, 28).
•             The One Who touched and healed the ‘untouchable’ leper, opened the eyes of the blind, made the lame walk and the deaf hear, and raised the dead, and preached the good news to the poor (Matthew 11: 5).
•         The One who walked on water, turned water into wine, fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish, calmed the storms in the sea with the Word of His mouth, cast out demons from people with a Word and healed all kinds of diseases (Matthew 4: 23; 8: 16).
•         The One who washed His disciples’ feet, forgave the prostitutes and the worst of sinners, stood the side of the poor, the helpless, the hopeless, the worthless and the weak, and lashed out against the hollow, hypocritical religious leaders of the day which exploited people and made money in the name of God.
•         The only One who said: “Which one of you convicts me of sin?” (John 8: 46).
•         The only One who said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).
•            The only One name given under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4: 12).
•          The only One name above every name, at which every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2: 9- 11).
•          The only One who died for your and my sins and rose again from the dead and is alive forever to hear and answer our prayers, unlike all great men in the history who were born, did great things, died one day and are no more.
•             The only One who has promised that He will come back one of these days to reward His disciples and to judge the world.

      Jesus Cares For You…

Have you often wondered why the people around you many a time do not understand you as you want them to? Nobody seems to really care for our problems or worries… Yes, even our own family members, sometimes…after all, everyone has one’s own limitations.... Is there then anyone in this whole universe who can perfectly understand us, who can truly sense the unspoken yearnings and longings of our heart? ....

Yes, there is… That is none other than the God Who created you and me. Lord Jesus Christ says to YOU: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

  

Are you weary and tired of your life? Are you heavily burdened with all kinds of worries and guilt? Then it's YOU that the Lord is calling... Come to Him... Jesus says: “the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6: 37).

Yes, draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you (James 4: 8). He's waiting for you... He says: “Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart) and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine (have fellowship) with him, and he with Me” (Rev 3:20).

 "Is there anyone who really cares for me?" you'd ask.

Lord Jesus answers you: “Cast all your burdens unto Me for I care for you" (1Peter 5: 7).

He says: “Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands...” (Isaiah 49: 15,16).

"Behold, I extend peace to you like a river ... and you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you...” (Isaiah 66:12,13).

“How can I give you up? My heart is turned over within Me. All My compassions are kindled” (Hosea 11:8).

   “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jeremiah 31: 3).

“He who touches you, touches the apple of My eye” (Zechariah 2: 8).

“…you are precious and honoured in My sight, and I love you…” (Isaiah 43:4).

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14: 18).

“For I know the plans that I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29: 11).

Just tell the beloved Lord whatever your problems are… He is there to listen to your every word with utmost attention throughout.

Jesus says: “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and righteous to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).

"Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1: 18).

"For I will be merciful to your iniquities, and I will remember your sins no more" (Hebrews 8: 12).

“I will cast all your sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7: 18, 19).

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances” (Ezekiel 36: 25- 27).

“You are altogether beautiful...there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4: 7).

"I rejoice over you with shouts of joy, as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride” (Zephaniah 3: 17; Isaiah 62: 5).

“I will make ALL things (including your failures) to work together for your good, to make you more like Me” (Romans 8: 28, 29).

“Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41: 10).

“You can do ALL things through Me Who strengthens you” (Philippians 4: 13).

“And I will supply ALL your needs according to My riches in glory” (Philippians 4: 19).

You might ask: “If Jesus is so powerful, yet loving, can He help me NOW practically?”

Of course, He can. This Jesus is calling YOU too… His eyes full of love and compassion are even now gazing at you… All you need to do is respond to His love in simple, childlike faith. That is, just like a little child runs to his father or mother, you can come to the Lord Jesus in faith, and give yourself to Him completely.

 If you believe that this Lord Jesus alone is able to take away all your sins, burdens and emptiness, then you can open your heart and say this prayer right now to Jesus:

“My loving Lord Jesus, I am a wretched sinner. I deserve the punishment of hell only. But I thank You for taking MY punishment and dying for MY sins, and rising from the dead to give ME eternal life!  I want to turn away from ALL my sins. I am really sorry for grieving Your loving heart. Cleanse my sins with Your blood that was shed on the Cross. I surrender my whole life to You. Please come into my heart right now. Fill me, Jesus, with Your love, joy and peace! Thank You for answering my prayer.”

Yes, continue speaking to the Lord everything you want to tell Him. This is what is called true prayer! It is just a heartfelt conversation with Jesus! And you can sense Him speaking to your heart as you meditate the Word of God, the Bible daily. Nurture this love relationship by spending quality time with Him all alone, and obeying Him daily, thereby bringing delight to His heart.

Forgive everyone, and ask forgiveness from all you have hurt. Give back what you have wrongfully taken. Pay back your debts as soon as you can. And you will have a crystal clear conscience before God. Ask the Lord to fill you again and again everyday with His love, joy and peace through the Holy Spirit. Then you can also overcome temptations with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit.

Even if you fall into any sin, run to Jesus immediately. He will also run to embrace you into His loving arms. He will again cleanse you from your sins. He can gradually lead you to a higher life where you do not fall into any sin. Seek for fellowship with other like-minded people who will really encourage you to love and obey the Lord Jesus all the more fervently. Be bold enough to tell about the Lord Jesus to others because they also need the joy and peace that you experience.

Yes, let us live for Jesus with our hearts filled with His love, leaving behind all discouragement and emptiness forever! Please feel free to write to me (sandeeppsychiatry@gmail.com) for any further help. May the Lord bless you richly!

No Peace Of Mind?

                Someone once said that if peace of mind could be purchased in the market, it would be the first one that people would be queuing up to buy. How true it is? People commonly think that if they get some earthly thing or goal that they want, they will be happy and peaceful.

For example, they think that if they get the degree or job or house or marriage partner that they want, they will be happy. Once they get what they craved for, they find that the happiness was so short lasting! And they again pursue some other thing that they imagine will make them ‘successful’. Where is an end to all these?

Struggling For Peace?

Rakesh (name changed) is a 27 year old unmarried gentleman who came to the Psychiatry OPD saying: “I don’t have any peace of mind. I am not able to sleep properly. I am confused. Doctor, please help me”.

What Rakesh told is not a rare complaint. Many people - young or old, male or female, learned or unlearned, rich or poor- all alike echo the same words. They live with guilt about their past, worry about the future and not knowing what to do in the present.

There are traumatic, haunting memories of physical, verbal, emotional and sexual abuse from childhood, which many are not able to shake off and come out. Many feel they were cheated and used for the selfish gains and pleasures of others. Many live with embittered hearts, not being able to forgive others. Many feel that even God cannot forgive the sins they have committed in the past. And they wonder why they should live.

Many live in fear of what others will think or say about them or do against them. Many fear whether they will get some disease or land up in some financial loss. Many are worried that they already have sickness and financial difficulties. Many are insecure about their positions which they have grabbed from others by stamping them down.

What is the solution to this elusive peace of mind?

The Love, Joy And Peace Direct From Heaven…

It was Blaise Pascal, the world famous scientist who said about a God-shaped vacuum inside each of our hearts that can be filled only by God. How true it is; isn’t it? Whether we admit it or not, that sense of emptiness deep inside our very being, an indescribable yearning...!

Often we try to fill this vacuum with wealth, love from others, comforts, sensual pleasures and so on, but all in vain! And it is even more surprising that no religious ritual, philosophy or even good works can fill this vacuum! Even film stars with immense wealth, fame, popularity, influence and beauty commit suicide!

Yes, the Almighty Creator alone can fill this emptiness; He alone can fill our innermost being with inexpressible love, joy and peace! 

Lord Jesus Christ says: 

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love” (John 15: 9).

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15: 11).

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14: 27).

“For I am the LORD your God, Who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you'” (Isaiah 41:13).

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to Me.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Me” (Philippians 4: 6,7).

“For I have not given you a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…” (1John 4:18).

Yes, Lord Jesus is waiting for YOU to come to Him, repent of all your sins and entrust your entire life to Him, so that He can fill you with His love, joy and peace.

Many people ask: “Why do I not have any peace of mind even though I believe in the Lord Jesus?”

We have to understand that what prevents the Lord Jesus from filling our hearts with His love, joy and peace is the sin in our lives. So, what is sin?

If we are honest to ourselves, we will agree on this one thing: we all have disobeyed our conscience knowingly or unknowingly many a time in our thoughts, words and deeds! It is this falling away from the character of God that the Bible calls ‘sin’: “…for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

Do you know what the punishment of sin is, in the eyes of the infinitely holy God? The punishment is that anyone who has committed even the smallest sin should suffer in hell — an eternal separation from God! But how can this loving God cast us, His dear creation, away into hell eternally?

That is why the Almighty God incarnated as a human being in Jesus Christ about 2000 years ago! In fulfillment of the prophecies of the Bible, Jesus was cruelly crucified on the Cross of Calvary…

It was the endless misery of hell-fire which you and I would have to suffer for endless ages that Jesus endured for our sake during those three dark hours on the Cross with deep pain and agony …! And Jesus rose again, conquering death, which is man’s greatest enemy.

You can be cleansed from sin only if

(i)                you want to turn away from all your sins as you see how much the Lord Jesus loves YOU personally (This is repentance), and

(ii)             you believe deep inside your heart that Jesus bore the punishment of hell for YOU on the Cross, died and rose again. And then you will entrust your life fully to Him (This is faith).

If you genuinely repent and believe as above, then the blood of Christ will cleanse your heart. As you surrender every area of your life to the Lord Jesus, He will definitely fill every part of your being with His heavenly, indescribable love, joy and peace!

If you have any further questions or need further help, please feel free to write to me: sandeeppsychiatry@gmail.com . May the Lord bless you in abundance!

Some Thoughts Against Calvinism

Some Thoughts Against Calvinism

Calvinism is a set of teachings held on to by a lot of Christians, which I believe, is contrary to the Word of God. Here I am trying to show from the Scriptures how those teachings are contrary to the Word.

God loves everyone, not just the elect

When Calvinists say that God does not love everyone but only the elect (that is, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ), the Bible says God loves everyone. Here are some verses to prove that:

1John 2: 2 clearly says Jesus died not only for the sins of the church, but for the sins of the whole world.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”. Obviously ‘the world’ includes believers and unbelievers.

Jesus loved the rich young ruler (Mark 10: 21), although he turned away from Him.

Jesus taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves (Mark 12: 31) and to love even our enemies (Luke 6: 27, 28). Of course, our neighbours and enemies include unbelievers as well. If God wants us to love unbelievers, how can we allege that God Himself does not love them?!  Jesus taught only what He already did (Acts 1:1). So if Jesus taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves and to love even our enemies, it is clear that before He taught us to do that, Jesus loved all including unbelievers.

We read in Matthew 9: 36 and Mark 6: 34 that Jesus had compassion (which is an attribute of love) for the multitude which, of course, included many who never came to true salvation.

Calvinists say that God has plans of welfare for the elect only. But we read in Luke 7:30 says the Pharisees and lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, which makes it clear that God had a good purpose for them also which they rejected.

Calvinists say that God desires only the elect to be saved. But 1 Tim 2:4 says that He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Calvinists then cleverly interpret that the term ‘all men’ denotes only the elect. To nullify that argument, let us look at another verse written by the apostle Paul (who also wrote 1Timothy) in Romans 5: 18. There the Word says that “So then as through one transgression, there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men”.  No Calvinist can say the condemnation of sin came only on the elect, but it is obvious that it came on the whole world which includes believers and unbelievers. So if all men in the former part of the verse denotes the whole world, it means the same thing when the term all men occurs in the latter part of the same verse. That means that justification of life also is open to the whole world, and not just to the elect. 

Another verse which Calvinists misinterpret is 2 Pet 3:9: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance”.  If "all" in this verse refers to only the believers, about whom the Calvinists say that they will never perish, then why should apostle Peter warn them of perishing if they don't repent?? It is crystal clear from the verse that the Lord wants everybody to repent and come to Himself.

Man has Freedom of Choice

Calvinists say that if God wants to save somebody, that person will definitely be saved because no one has a free will. But we read in Matthew 23: 37 that although Jesus wanted to save the Jews, they were not willing, and obviously they were not saved.

Calvinists argue that Rom 9: 13 says that God hated Esau to send him to hell. But it does not say like that. If you read the verse in the context, verses 11 and 12 just say that God, in His sovereignty, chose Jacob to inherit the blessing of Abraham, before they did anything good or bad. God hated Esau because He foreknew Esau’s attitude and choices even before he did anything good or bad. It was a divine hatred towards Esau’s sins. God does not send anybody to hell, but rather people choose to go there despite the numerous warnings by the God of love.

Calvinists take Rom 9:16 and argue that man has no free will. Let us look at what that verse really says: “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy”. What it implies is that by our self efforts we can never please or come to God, but we, sinners, are dependent on God’s mercy. But we need to respond to God’s mercy when it is available.

And on whom does God have mercy? Rom 9:18 says “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” Then one will ask whom does God desire to have mercy? The answer is that He desires to have mercy on ALL, including the Pharaoh.  See Acts 13:47: "For so the Lord has commanded us, 'I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.'".

But Pharaoh rejected the mercy of God and hardened his heart. And so God also hardened his heart, but ‘raised him up to demonstrate God’s power’ (Romans 9: 17) even through such a hardened man by sending plagues in the land of Egypt and finally turning his heart (Proverbs 21: 1) to send the Israelites to the promised land of Canaan.

One another verse that Calvinists misinterpret is Romans 9: 22 by alleging that God prepared the vessels of wrath for destruction. Let us look at Romans 9: 22, 23 without any preconceived ideas: “What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory”. The contrast here is pretty clear. When it is about vessels of wrath, the Word does not say who prepared them for destruction. But it is about vessels of mercy, the Word clearly says that they were prepared beforehand by God Himself. So we can infer that the vessels of wrath prepared themselves for destruction by their own sinful choices.

God’s grace works on the hearts of all unbelievers also by Jesus knocking at the door of their hearts (Revelation 3: 20)

a)    through “His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1: 20) evident in the nature and the creation,

b)   through their conscience which has the Law of God (Romans 2: 15),

c)    through various circumstances,

d)    through seeing the lives of godly Christians,

e)    through hearing of the gospel etc.

But one person works it out and receives salvation as a free gift and another person hardens his heart. (Compare this with the working in of God and working out of man in Philippians 2: 12, 13). As he hardens his heart, God also hardens his heart and allows him to be deceived till he loves the truth. See 2 Thessalonians 2: 10,11 which reads “and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false”.

Calvinists say that sinners cannot come to a holy God. But the Bible says sinners can, of course, can come to God because He is the One who is calling. Jesus says: “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5: 32). Again He says: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28). He is the One who has given them the power of choice to choose Him or not, even while there is nothing good that dwells in the flesh (Romans 7: 18). Power of choice is either to choose God or not. So power of choice in itself is not good or bad, but is something neutral which God has given us in our will power (decision making capacity).

Some people ask that if the Lord Jesus has died for the sins of the whole world, why there is judgment. The answer is although Jesus has died for the sins of the whole world (which includes believers and unbelievers), one can receive forgiveness only if one repents of his sins and believes in the Lord.  If somebody offers me ten million rupees freely, and I go and just receive it, I will not go around boasting that it was earned by my work of ‘receiving’! Of course, it was a free gift. Likewise, salvation is a free gift offered to everybody, but received by some. With the same power of choice given to everyone, some receive and vast majority do not (Matthew 7: 13, 14).

Receiving the free gift of salvation is not a work, because it is the Lord who has given us the power of choice to receive it or not. He does not barge into anyone's life. He gently knocks at the door of our heart and comes in only if we open the door of our heart (Rev 3: 20). If we human beings are courteous enough not to barge into anyone's room or house, how much more gracious our Saviour would be?

Salvation Can Be Lost

Calvinists say that once somebody is born again, he cannot lose his salvation. But the Word of God repeatedly says that we are eternally secure only if we hold on to the Lord till the end:

“For we have become partakers of Christ, IF we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (Hebrews 3: 14).

“yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, … IF indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard…” (Col 1:23).

"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Matthew 24: 13).

“The master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers” (Luke 12:46).

Many quote John 10: 28, 29 to try to prove that the salvation cannot be lost. But if you read the full sentence from verse 27, it is pretty clear that eternal security is for only those who hear and know and follow the Lord. Even when no one can snatch us away from the hand of the Lord (as is promised in John 10: 28, 29), one can choose to jump away from His hand, because He never takes away our free will.

If He takes away our free will, we will be like robots. Just as a man will any day prefer to have a living child (who has a choice to obey him or not) to a robot (which is programmed to always obey him), our heavenly Father also does not want any robots in heaven but only those who have chosen to receive Him  and obey Him.

Hebrews 6: 4-6; 10: 26-29; 1Timothy 1: 19, 20; John 15: 6 and 2Thess 2: 3 are some of the clear warnings in the Scriptures that salvation can be lost if one continues in sin without repentance.

Just read 2 Pet 2:1- “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves”. The false prophets described here were once children of God who were bought by the Master, but now they have denied that Master and have secretly introduced destructive heresies and will finally end up in swift destruction eternally. So it is clear that somebody, who has once been bought by the Lord, can perish eternally if he does not continue in the Lord till his death.

It is true that God's love never fails (1 Cor. 13: 8). But it is the vast majority of people who have failed the love of God. His love involves His strictness and justice in punishing an unrepentant sinner (Romans 11: 22).

If a believer dies without repentance, that means he has fallen away from faith (because true faith is associated with repentance (Mark 1: 15; Acts 20: 21)– faith without works is dead –James 2: 26), and he will have to face the eternal punishment for his sins.

In the sovereignty and mercy and justice of God, He allows a time period after a conscious sin in a person’s life for him to repent. God in His mercy has a long rope, and at the end of the rope, the person has to face the eternal consequences.

Predestination According To God’s Foreknowledge

God predestined those whom He foreknew would choose Him (Romans 8: 29; 1 Peter 1: 1, 2). Otherwise He would have to be blamed as partial. But the Bible says:

 “Opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34, 35).

“For there is no partiality with God” (Rom 2:11).

“…God shows no partiality…” (Gal 2:6).

God is sovereign in election, but His election is according to His foreknowledge (1 Peter 1: 1, 2). 'Prognosis' is the Greek word used there for ‘foreknowledge’. 'Proginosko' (meaning ‘knew beforehand’), the related word is used in Romans 8: 29 for 'foreknew'. Both verses clearly tell us that His choice was not random, but that He chose some people because He knew beforehand that they would choose Him at some points in their lives.

The Bible does not say that God predestined anybody to go to heaven or hell. But the Bible does say that God predestined (set the destination beforehand for) His children to become totally like Jesus Christ (Romans 8: 29). So our destination is not heaven, but it is ‘total Christlikeness’, to which we need to press on every day (Heb. 6: 1) by the power of His grace, as Br Zac Poonen elucidates (www.cfcindia.com) .  

Some people ask since the Bible says in Acts 2: 23 that Jesus’ crucifixion was according to the predetermined plan of God whether it was God the Father or man who crucified Jesus on the Cross. For the answer, let us look at Acts 2:23 itself:  "this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, YOU nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death".

See, it is clear from the underlined part that it was the people who nailed Him, and not God. Of course, God knew it even before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13: 8). Of course, Pilate could have no power over Jesus unless he was permitted by the Father (John 19: 11). So, of course, there is the overarching sovereignty of God.

But what we have to understand is that those who crucified Him were instigated by the devil and not by God. But they could do to Him only what the Father in heaven permitted them to do. God knew it beforehand, but He didn’t make them do that. That is why Acts 2: 23 says it was according to the foreknowledge of God that Jesus was crucified.

The Balance In The Scriptures

The devil quoted to Jesus saying: "It is written". Jesus answered him back saying "It is also written". You'll get the whole truth when you compare Scripture with Scripture. One sided truth is like a bird with one wing which can fly only in circles and finally it will fall off to the ground. And even then, only when you humble yourself like a child and passionately want to do the will of God, will the Lord reveal the truth of the Scripture to you!

See Matt 11:25: "At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants".

John 7:17: "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.”

Of course, there is the overarching sovereignty of God even while He allows the freedom of choice to man. But that does not mean that God is a sadistic drama director who directs the ‘drama’ by making man a robot without any choice, to result in millions going to hell.

And let me quote from one article: "God is more sovereign this way because He can still work through and do what He wants in spite of all oppositions. God's sovereignty is not undermined because of the demonstration of His power in creating man who can exercise the power of choice".

Having written all these, let me add that the doctrines about the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man are not THE foremost teaching of the Bible. The most important thing is to truly repent of all our sins, trust in the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, love God with all our heart, die to yourself and let the Lord live through you and thus to become like Christ more and more, and to be a pure testimony for the Lord in our land as part of a local church which is a pillar and support of the truth of God. Doctrinal purity is, of course, important (Titus 2: 7), but is only secondary to the supreme importance of a Christlike victorious life. 

I wrote this article just because of the pain and concern after seeing numerous young believers around me being deceived by a 'one sided coin which is nothing but counterfeit'. So let us not waste time majoring on the minors, but fix our eyes on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and run this race with endurance so that we can finish it by the end of our lives and be closest to the Lord Jesus all throughout the eternity!....

May the Lord bless you and guide you!