What Difference Does It Make?

    
          "What difference does it make?" 

           That's what Secretary of State Clinton asked of Senators who were questioning
     her about the attacks on the U.S. properties in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012,
     killing 4 Americans in the process.

            The administration had given conflicting accounts on the cause of the attacks,
     and their deceit had caught up with them.  In what was obviously a well planned
     response, the Secretary, trying to down play the role the administration had played
     in the whole disaster, asked, "Was it (the reason for the attacks) because some guys,
     out for a walk one night, decided to kill some Americans, or was it a protest?
     What difference, at this point, does it make?"


           In other words, she was asking 'what does it matter,' because it won't bring those
     four Americans back to life.

          Well, Mrs. Clinton, it matters because the American people deserve to know the truth
     about the attacks.  The Obama administration had lied about the circumstances, and
     were now trying to protect themselves from the consequences by saying that there had
     been "mistakes," in the statements they had made, but only because of the fog of war.

           But she knew that neither of the reasons mentioned above was true.  She knew there
     was no protest, and it was not a spontaneous attack, but there was plenty of evidence that
     it was a coordinated effort by terrorists; but the administration, in the middle of a heated
     presidential campaign, didn't want to admit that there had been a successful terrorist attack
     under their watch.  So they made up a story about a protest because of a video that had
     insulted Mohammed.

          The truth came out, slowly, despite the attempts by the administration to cover up what
     had actually happened.

          We deserved to know the truth; the full truth.


                                                          ***************

         

          Since I started my blog in November, 2011, I have tried to write about what I believe
     is the truth in God's Word; that He is sovereign, in everything, and we, mankind, are not.
    
          I have written mostly about the "doctrines of grace."


          Dr. James White writes about these doctrines in his book, The Potter's
     Freedom.

                           
                                  "What are the 'doctrines of grace,' and why do they matter?
                                    Such is like asking, 'What does the Bible teach about the
                                    very heart of the gospel, and does it matter one way or the
                                    other?'

                                    The doctrines of grace are the biblical teachings that define
                                    the goal and means of God's perfect work of redemption.
                                    They tell us that God is the one who saves, for His own glory,
                                    and freely.

                                    And they tell us that He does so only through Christ, only on
                                    the basis of His grace, only with the perfection that marks
                                    everything the Father, Son, and Spirit do.

                                    The doctrines of grace separate the Christian faith from the
                                    works-based religions of men.  They direct us away from
                                    ourselves and solely to God's grace and mercy.  They destroy
                                    pride, instill humility, and exalt God.  And that's why so
                                    many invest so much time in the vain attempt to undermine
                                    their truth.

                                    The religions of men maintain authority over their followers by
                                    1) limiting God's power, 2) exalting man's abilities, and
                                    3) channeling God's power through their own structures.

                                    A perfect salvation that is freely bestowed by God for His own
                                    glory is not a 'system' that can be controlled by a religious body
                                    or group.   And even more importantly, such a system is
                                    destructive of any sense of pride in the creature man, and if
                                    there is anything man's religions must safeguard, it is man's
                                    'self-esteem.' "


                                                             *************

           These doctrines of grace are:

                                   The Sovereignty of God --  He is in total control of everything
                                   in the universe, and since He is a holy and righteous God, is free
                                   to do with His creation whatever He wishes.

                                   Total Depravity, or Man's Inability to Save Himself -- This doesn't mean
                                   that man is as evil as he can be, but that he is dead in sin, an enemy
                                   of God, and unable to save himself.

                                   Unconditional or Divine Election -- God chooses a people for
                                   Himself, not because of anything good in them, but because of His
                                   grace and mercy and purpose.

                                   Definite Atonement or Particular Redemption -- Christ gave His
                                   life as a "ransom for many," and His purpose of dying on the cross
                                   was to save His people.  It is a perfect and complete salvation,
                                   because it actually accomplishes perfect redemption.

                                   Irresistible or Efficacious Grace -- All that the Father draws to
                                   Christ will come to Him for salvation.  Through the Holy Spirit,
                                   God changes a person's heart, making the unwilling man, willing
                                   to come to Him for forgiveness and salvation.  This does not mean
                                   that a person cannot resist God's grace, but that through God's saving
                                   grace, the man is made willing to come to Him.

                                   Perseverance or Preservation of the Saints -- Since  salvation is entirely
                                   a work of God, He is able to save perfectly, through Christ, and there-
                                   fore He preserves His people for eternity, and nothing can separate them
                                   from Him.


                                                                     *************


          James White continues his thoughts on God's sovereignty:


                                   "Martin Luther ... made it plain how he believed that the issue of God's
                                    absolute freedom and man's absolute dependence is, in fact, the very
                                    central issue of the entire (Protestant) Reformation.  Man is utterly
                                    dependent on God for salvation.

                                    The vital issue for men is the truth of predestination (God's freedom)
                                    and man's depravity (his will in bondage to sin, without Christ).

                                    God is the absolutely free Creator, the Potter, who has complete
                                    sovereignty over the pots, humans, who, as fallen creatures, find
                                    their wills enslaved to sin, in bondage and unable to 'cooperate'
                                    with any offered grace.

                                    Whether the work of salvation is perfectly accomplished by God
                                    for His own glory, or is dependent upon man's cooperation and
                                    assistance, is the watershed issue that separates biblical Christianity
                                    from everything else."


                                                                        ***************


                                            "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.
                                             Not many of you were wise by human standards;
                                             not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

                                             But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame
                                             the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame
                                             the strong.

                                             He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised
                                             things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things
                                             that are, so that no one may boast before Him.

                                             It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has
                                             become for us wisdom from God -- that is, our righteousness,
                                             holiness, and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written:

                                                  'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.' "
                                                                                         1 Corinthians 1:26-31


          There is nothing in you or me, that helps save us.  When we believe in Christ, while
     others do not, it does not mean we have more understanding, wisdom, insight, intelligence,
     faith or righteousness than the one does not believe.  Salvation is a miracle wrought
     by God, according to His purpose and glory and will, and our cooperation or assistance
     are unnecessary.

          That is the ultimate truth, and why it matters whether salvation is a cooperative
     effort between man and God, or totally the work of the Lord.