Gail Riplinger & Her Doctrine

Gail Riplinger & Her Doctrine
Posted by: Nelson Turner in Uncategorized

AN EXAMINATION OF THE DOCTRINES AND WORKS OF G.A. RIPLINGER

PART ONE

Gail Riplinger, in her latest book, “IN AWE OF THY WORD” subtitled, “UNDERSTANDING THE KING JAMES BIBLE,” makes the following statements: (chapter 16 page 566) “Since Calvinism is hard to defend with a text-only Bible, its adherents push the Geneva Bible and the New Geneva Bible (NKJV). Both have margins piled high with notes asserting the lies that: 1.) Man’s depravity extends to his will, that is, he has no free will to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour. 2.) God unconditionally elects certain special individuals to be saved, and pre-selects others to be damned to hell. 3.) Jesus died only for a select few. He did not die for “the world.” 4.) Those who have been pre-selected will automatically be saved. Such non-scriptural nonsense demands a “Study” Bible with marginal notes which massage the meaning of the clear bible text to fit this deviated mold. The old Geneva Bible and New Geneva Bible provide the notes to crowd the cause into their corner.”

Those that are King James Bible Believing men and women should take great issue with this statement. Those that really believe the Bible and read and study it ought to know that the Bible teaches that the universal corruption of mankind extends to all the parts of the man, body, soul and spirit; thus encompassing the will of man. Those that read and believe their King James Bibles should be well aware that Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him,” and “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” Anyone familiar with the history of the Apostle Paul should remember that Christ chose and sought Paul, and came and revealed himself to Paul when he was busy about persecuting Christians. Paul was not seeking the Lord when he was regenerated; he was in the midst of serving his own religious lust in murdering believers. In the Pauline epistles we are told that Paul and his testimony is a “pattern” to those that would afterwards believe on Christ. A once through reading of the New Testament reveals that “Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.” Ephesians 5:25. These simple English words show that Christ gave himself not for the whole world to be saved, born again, and brought to heaven but specifically gave himself an offering for sin to obtain “the treasure in a field”, which is what he called the elect. “KJV Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” In so doing, he was in complete accordance wich the Father’s will, of whom he said: KJV John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” No one needs any margin notes in a King James to prove that Mrs. Riplinger, (in her statement above) by calling these statements lies, has implied that the resurrected Son of God lied!

We believe that many things in Mrs. Riplinger’s new book are useful for the Christian to know concerning the history of the King James Bible. We observe that she has done a prodigious amount of research and collated a hefty pile of statements from learned, godly Christians (virtually all five point Calvinists) and that many of her words appear to be spoken in sincerity. We will be instructed by those citations and quotes which do not violate the doctrines of the Bible, and do not lightly dismiss the amount of labor Mrs. Riplinger has expended on her work. However, her repeated jibes against the doctrinal truths that are in the word of God and were believed by virtually all of the martyrs and preachers she cites give us cause to pause. While professing to believe the words found in the King James, Mrs. Riplinger continuously attacks the doctrines taught in the words of the King James. We must consider Riplinger’s allegations, compare them to many verses of scripture, and then determine who is lying. It is a very grievous and serious charge to accuse the men that notated the old Geneva Bible of being liars. To ascertain the facts, we will utilize the method that Riplinger commends to us for studying the Bible, which has been our own method of Bible study for many years. “The true method of Bible study, which is the frequent “reading” and “comparing of places” in the English Bible, was recommended by the wise Archbishop Cranmer (born 1489-martyred 1556). He replied to the priest, “I wonder likewise, why you attribute so little to the diligent reading of the Scriptures and conferring of place…And as touching your opinion of these questions, it seemeth to me neither to have any ground of the word of God, nor of the primitive church. And, to say the truth, the schoolmen have spoken diversely of them, and do not agree therein among themselves.” (Page 876, IN AWE OF THY WORD ). By the way, Cranmer was a Calvinist! (”The sum of all, so far as concerns Cranmer, is; That, if he was an honest man, he must have been, what Arminians now call, a rigid predestinarian.” Page 128, COMPLETE WORKS OF AUGUSTUS TOPLADY, author of the hymn, ROCK OF AGES. A catechism which Cranmer sanctioned made the following statements: “Immortality and blessed life God hath provided for his chosen, before the foundations of the world were laid.” “As many as are in this faith stedfast, were fore-chosen, predestinated, and appointed to everlasting life, before the world was made.” Page 128, ibid.) Riplinger only mentions his martyrdom, but does not mention the beliefs that led to his martyrdom. We will, having many times diligently read the Scriptures, compare place to place, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, to find if the statements that Mrs. Riplinger called lies are indeed such. Surely the Bible will tell us, without the help of any margin notes!

Mrs. Riplinger would have us believe that she is an ardent and earnest enemy of Romanism, a Protestant of the Protestants, and that she is sincerely labouring to bring the church and men back to the King James Bible. Her book has some jabs, jests, and sneers at Rome, but in the above quotations, she would seek to teach us Romish doctrines pursuant to the Council of Trent, and she does so in a manner that would highly please any Archbishop, Cardinal or Black Pope. Her condemnation of the points she mentioned is as virulent as that of the Pope Clement X (1699) against Quesnell’s 101 propositions (extracted from Quesnell’s writings), which contained many sentiments the same as those Riplinger condemns. (For the reader’s edification, we cite some of these, to verify our statement. These quotes come from ‘THE CANONS AND DECREES OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT, trans by Alois Buckely, published 1851 By George Routlegde, London. “In vain, O Lord, dost thou command, if thou thyself givest not what is commanded.” “Thus, O Lord, are all things possible to him, to whom thou makest all things possible, by working the same things in him.” “Grace is the operation of the hand of Almighty God, which nothing can hinder or retard.” “Grace is nothing else than the will of Almighty God, ordering, and doing that which he doth order.” “When God willeth to save a soul, at what time and in what place soever, the effect unhesitatingly followeth the will of God.” “How far soever an obstinate sinner be removed from salvation, when Jesus presenteth himself to be beheld by him in the salutary light of his grace, it must be that he give himself up, run forward, humble himself, and adore his Saviour.” “The grace of God is nothing else but his almighty will: this is the idea which God himself handed down to us in all the Scriptures.” “The true idea of grace is, that God wills that he be obeyed by us, and is obeyed; commandeth, and all things are done; the Lord but speaketh, and all things are subjected unto him.” All of these Bible based doctrines were condemned by Pope, and in light of Riplinger’s statements, she agrees with the Pope.) On page 201 of her book, she writes: “The entire Bible is the record of God’s efforts to separate a people unto himself.” How different is her speech from the speech of the saint of God for whom the book of Job is named. Job, who said, “I know that my redeemer liveth,” was well acquainted with the fact that God is absolutely sovereign, and said: “KJV Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.” This infallible doctrine from the infallible Bible teaches us that God does whatever pleases him amongst the sons and daughters of men on the earth, and that none of the things he does are contingent upon the acquiescence, approval, or help of man. The heathen king Nebuchadnezzar had learnt this doctrine after God dealt with him and said: “KJV Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” Let it be understood, that no man who was the subject of divine mercy and spiritual light is ever recorded in Scripture saying that men are the masters of their own destinies. Search the scriptures.

“The entire Bible is the record of God’s efforts to separate a people unto himself.” According to Riplinger, God is busy making efforts to get a people for himself, but it is only their “free-will” that actually makes his efforts succeed. Implicit within the phrasing of this statement we discern Riplinger’s belief that God’s efforts must be acknowledged and accepted by sinful men, or God’s efforts will come to naught! (As the mind of God is revealed in his word, the mind of man is revealed in his. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”) Thus, Riplinger makes the creature and his will out to be more powerful than the Creator and his will. In the King James, we find not a record of “God’s efforts;” instead we find the Lord works “all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11), and “God worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13). The Bible is plain in telling us that God’s will and purpose are never frustrated, that what He purposes to do is inevitably accomplished. “KJV Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” We have learned from the diligent study of our King James Bible that God has said, “My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:10). We have learned that the desires of God’s heart expressed through his will are always accomplished, and that his word has never and will never fail in the things whereto he sends it. “KJV Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” It is a pitiful god that Riplinger presents to us, one that has no power over his creatures, one that will not violate their wills, and is sitting roadside begging for souls to be saved, and hoping that his efforts will succeed, that someone somewhere will do what he wants them to do. This is bizarre in light of the fact that Mrs. Riplinger has gained notoriety through her claims concerning the King James being the preserved and inspired word of God. The very fact that God has preserved and put a continuing inspiration upon his word through time, place and translation is one of the greatest proofs of his sovereignty and control over every event that occurs on planet earth. If this were not so, there would be no King James Bible!

In the quotes about Calvinism, she disassociates herself doctrinally from all of the martyrs to whom she frequently refers in her work, and from most of the translators who worked on the translation committee that produced the King James Bible. This is weird in light of page 495 of her work, where the top of the page caption reads “KJV TRANSLATORS TELL HOW NOT TO STUDY THE BIBLE.” Is it not strange that Mrs. Riplinger would go to men that generally asserted “Calvinism,” and use their statements as a guide to study the Bible? If these men were so deficient in their spirituality to believe that depravity extends to the will of man, and that election is unconditional, they certainly should not be trusted in their admonitions on how to study the Bible! Further, if these men were utterly deceived concerning the major tenants of the Christian doctrine of salvation, why would we trust their work of translation to be accurate? In besmirching the doctrinal beliefs of many of the translators and the Reformation that produced the King James Bible, she besmirches the Bible itself.

The Bible produced the Reformation, and God used the Reformation to bring forth his word in the languages of Europe, England, and the world. The Christian people of Europe and England before and during the Reformation were all Calvinistic in doctrine; the more access they had to the word, the more predestinarian they were. An agreement and harmony of theology rapidly developed between the Reformers of Germany, Scotland, England, Switzerland and France, because they were all receiving their doctrine from the Greek New Testament of Erasmus, which is the underlying text of the KJV New Testament. All those that broke with Rome and were willing to fight Rome on the field of battle with pike and sword were bound together by the belief in the sovereign grace of God, and their scriptural belief that the city of Rome with the religious structure it begat is BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. They followed the true texts of the Scriptures, were enlightened to the doctrines of grace, and this gave them courage to bravely fight and die, on the field of battle or in the Inquisition’s auto-de-fe (burning to death). The most complete break with Rome occurred in the British Isles, and Britain subsequently became the greatest empire and power on the face of the earth, gaining the first place amongst the nations of the world. The greatest Christian warrior/statesmen in history, Oliver Cromwell was a Puritan/Calvinist who quoted the King James continuously, and unceasingly referred to the over ruling providence of God manifest in all the affairs of men. It was the knowledge of God’s sovereignty that gave Cromwell and his troops a spirit that had not been seen since the armies of Jehoshaphat went forth with the praisers and singers before them. The battle cry of these hated Calvinists, “The LORD of HOSTS” thundered forth as they rode with raised swords and leveled pikes into the teeth of their enemies. These hated iconoclasts that destroyed so many Popish churches and idols stormed the gates of hell, put the priests and Jesuits to the sword, and knew no fear but the fear of the LORD. The crowned heads of Europe trembled at the mention of Cromwell’s name, and he is the man who bequeathed to England and the English speaking peoples a religious and civil liberty the world had never before seen. We still enjoy the dregs of this liberty, inherited from one of the most hated men in history, a maligned Puritan/Calvinist. As the Lord said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

It seems that “Sister” Riplinger is engaged is spiritual doublespeak. If the translators of the King James were seriously flawed in their theology, particularly where it concerned salvation (which is what “Sister” Riplinger believes, as she believes “Calvinsim is hard to defend with… a Bible” [see above]), why does this highly educated author of “A CLASSIC ” (so advertised on the back cover) cite them as authorities in the area of bible study? Her work is a classic, a classic of inconsistency! This should not surprise any King James Bible believer familiar with her previous work “NEW AGE BIBLE VERSIONS” or any one who has heard her audiotapes from the Southwest Radio Church or others who have interviewed her. She says that the new versions are Satanic, and are not good for doctrine, Christian growth or Christian instruction: yet men can still be saved through them! Though they be as corrupt as the decomposing corpse of a possum on a country road, though they be filled with leaven throughout, and though they are totaly unfit for daily food, the “Sister” would have us believe that they are somehow able to make one “born again,” something which Peter says only can occur from incorrupt seed. ” God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” KJV 1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of In Scripture, everything reproduces “after his kind.” Genesis 1:11. Therefore corruption only begets corruption. “KJV Matthew 7:17-18: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” We find then that while drawing near with her lips to honor the King James Bible, she greatly dishonors both it and God by expressing beliefs, declaring doctrines, and writing things diametrically opposed to the truths that the words of the Bible express.

Many that believe Mrs. Riplinger, or believe as she does, would tell us that men can be saved by the phrases or passages in false bibles that conform to the King James: that false bibles contain some of “the word of God” though they are not the word of God. Such speaking is unsound theologically, scientifically, semantically, philosophically and morally. It seems to be some sort of Jesuit gymnastics rehearsed in our ears to get us to believe that the Spirit of Christ is in books that are “Satanic.” Did God really put his spirit in books that are from the Devil? Did God inspire the men that produced the “NEW AGE VERSIONS” (that Riplinger claims save people) to do the work they did when they produced their “bibles”? If those books are not given by “inspiration of God,” how then can the spirit and life of God which regenerates be present in them? Has God changed his method of dealing with men here in the twenty-first century, and put his spirit and saving faith and power in books produced by Mariolaters, liars, thieves, lesbians, and necromancers? Does Riplinger believe that “another Jesus,” “another gospel” or “another spirit” can bring men to eternal glory in Christ Jesus the Lord? Riplinger said in “NEW AGE VERSIONS” “The gods, gospels and ‘good’ books are cunningly crafted perversions of God’s true way.” (page 279). According to her own profession, a cunningly crafted perversion can save a man! Those that promote this idea want us to believe that “the words of eternal life” are strewn here and there in the midst of man’s words, yea, and Satan’s words. They want us to believe that books that they readily admit are completely inadequate to get a man through the storms of life, cause him to grow in grace, or make him godly are capable of communicating the faith of Jesus Christ that saves from hell! These notions that something that is full of hell can send you to heaven, that something unclean could make a man clean (Jesus said, “Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3), and that an unholy bible version can make a man holy, border on blasphemy.

The teaching that the “great salvation” of God can come through books that are not fit to give an eight year old for memorization and study is nonsense. Which is the greater work, salvation or growth subsequent to salvation? If a book can save a man, it can grow him up in Christ! Growth is determined by the content of the seed that is planted in the man; what bursts forth out of the seed comes from the generator of the seed. Paul said: “KJV Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If it is not the word of God, no faith can be imparted to men through it. “KJV Proverbs 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.” Those that are predestinated are created with deaf ears that will hear, at God’s appointed time (when it pleases him) the word of God, receive the faith of Jesus Christ, and believing upon him, evidence that they are elect. “KJV Isaiah 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.” Justifying faith is communicated from God to sinful men through his word. This faith that comes through the “words that are spirit and life” causes the dead to hear the voice of the Son of God and they live! Paul said: “KJV Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Colossians 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Men receive Christ in faith, “the faith of the Son of God,” and as they have received him, so they are to walk in that same faith. Paul in this verse in Colossians does not separate the means of salvation from Christian walk, but teaches that being rooted and built up blossom from the same faith that enables men to receive Christ. The right root will bring forth good fruit. John recorded in John 1:12 “that as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” “The gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16) is “God’s spelling.” The word “gospel” is derivative from the Anglo-Saxon “God spelling,” or “God spell.” The power of God unto salvation is the word of faith, which bears within itself the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In Mark 3:23 the Lord said, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” It is impossible that something Satanic within itself can bear the seed of eternal life. It is the “finger of God,” “the Sprit of God,” that knocks the devil out of a man and puts the life of Christ in him. “KJV Matthew 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick.” He cast out the spirits with HIS WORD, not some of his word mixed in with men’s words. “KJV Matthew 12:24-28: But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” One that believes the new birth can come through a satanic bible is actually teaching that Satan can cast out Satan, contrary to what Christ said.

The word which communicates the faith of Christ is the same as that which gives “power” for sanctification and service. “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” John 17:17. Sanctification comes from the same place as salvation, the word which is truth. There is only one true God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God. He plants his seed in those chosen to be part of his bride. (The Father has chosen those that will be part of his Son’s bride.) His seed that reproduces after its kind is not a genetically modified organism. Peter is plain in declaring that somone who has been born again from the incorrupt “seed” (1 Peter 1:23) has already received all things that pertain unto life and godliness. “KJV 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” His divine power “hath given us,” past tense, “all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” These things are communicated when men receive “with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save the soul.” James 1:21. If a seed has one, two or three parts of the DNA chain knocked out of it, it is no longer what it once was, and will never reproduce as it once could. (Maybe Mrs. Riplinger can answer us and tell us how many words in “a bible” can deviate from the true text before God will stop using it!) A soul the moment it is saved receives in seed form not only eternal life, but an internal genetic blueprint of every work of the Spirit which will later occur in it. When watered by the “faithful word,” the seed breaks forth internally and begins replication and expansion, and at the last, will take over the whole man: fist spirit, then soul, and at last, the body. The seed may cause fruit thirty, sixty, or an hundredfold; or it may only lay a foundation, upon which only hay, wood, and stubble will be placed (by the man, not the Spirit). Peter dogmatically taught that men are not born again of corrupted seed. “The seed that is rotten under the clods” (Joel 1:17) is seed that is corrupted, or made “rotten” by corrupt clods of earth that have “perverted the words of the living God.” Paul never preached or taught anyone, anywhere, at anytime that they could receive life from something that was the slightest bit corrupt. He said that men “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible men,” (Romans 1:23) and that “we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:17) No man of God in either Testament ever praised or commended to anyone a perversion or corruption of God’s word to anyone. No preacher in either Testament taught that salvation could come from a genetically modified seed, or that the life of God would be communicated from something “perverted.” Jesus said in the parable of the sower that “The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11. It came from God, not man. It is full of the breathe of heaven, but causes men to fear the vapours of hell. It is pure, as Christ is pure. It is holy, as he is holy. Only holy seed produces holy people. When Christ spoke of these matters, there is no intimation that the seed to which he referred was not holy, right and good. He likens the work of the word of God to the seed of vegetable matter, sown in the ground, and containing within itself in germ form everything the plant will someday be and produce. “Mark 4:26-32: And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? t is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” Riplinger admits on page 20 of “NEW AGE VERSIONS” that the devil “removes the rubble stone of sin and the keystone of salvation. The cornerstone of Jesus Christ and the capstone of his second coming are cut out.” She also stated on pages 4 and 5 of the same work: “As with the genetic code, one change sets off a series of alterations which make the “new born” unlike instead of like his parents. The changes, additions and omissions discovered in the new versions have affected the health of the body of Christ and taken it step by step away from the image of God.” Riplinger has taught publicly that a bible with a mutilated genetic code (one without “the keystone of salvation”) will still produce “everlasting” life in a man, though it cannot produce godliness. She says this after saying that the “cornerstone of Jesus Christ” is “cut out” of the new bibles. This is heresy, and philosophical, scientific, religious foolishness. All things reproduce after their kind. This is the law of God in the Bible and is observed in all the physical matter of life. A hybrid or mutation of the word of God, by Riplinger’s own admission, does not bear in it “the image of God.”

“Calvinism is hard to defend using a text only bible.” Calvinism, briefly comprehended, is often referred to as “the Doctrines of Grace.” It holds that man is an utterly helpless, willful sinner who of his own volition will never turn to God, and that “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned.” First Corinthians 2:14. Therefore no man in a state of nature, unwrought upon and unenlightened by the Holy Ghost through the word of God is in any way able to discern his own utter sinfulness, his need of salvation, or the reality of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All sinners have a “carnal mind.” “KJV Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Being natural men, carnal minded sinners are in such a state that ” They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God” and prove that “the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23. “Sister” Riplinger may object to these facts which tend to the abasement of man; man’s power, his will, his ability and self-esteem. Not only the words of the King James Bible, but the doctrines of the King James Bible give the preeminence to Jesus Christ! “KJV Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Sinners “corrupt the word of God” (2 Cor 2:17) not only by adding to or taking from the inspired words contained in the text of the Av 1611. They also “pervert the words of the living God” (Jeremiah 23:36) by wresting the inspired words to serve their own ends. “KJV 2 Peter 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are somethings hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” This occurs throughout Mrs. Riplinger’s work.

Those that teach as Mrs. Riplinger does are actually teaching that a saved sinner is the author and finisher of his own faith: that the sinner, through his own desire, will and ability (with maybe a slight nudge from the Holy Ghost) chooses without constraint to “receive Christ.” (We use Bible terminology, not that of Mrs. Riplinger, who uses the un-Biblical phrase “accept Christ.” If “Sister” Riplinger would “search the scriptures,” she would find that no one in either Testament was urged to “accept Christ.” She would know that the saints were concerned with their labour being accepted of Christ (2 Cor 5:9) and those that work righteousness are accepted with him (Acts 10:35).) Riplinger believes that the sinner is capable of producing spiritual good from within his own fallen being, if he so desires to. She teaches that the will of man is not utterly the slave and servant of the corrupt, deparaved heart of man. She fails to recognize that the will is merely the faculty through which the affections and desires of the heart are expressed, and does not exist within man independently of “the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.” (Eph 4:22). The testimony of God contained in both Testaments is that the will of man, being subservient to his evil and impenitent heart, is ever chained to and the servant of corruption, until the man is freed by the will of the Father manifested in the drawing of the sinner to the Son. If men were not drawn by the Father to Christ, they would and could never come to Christ because their hearts are utterly corrupt and their will is chained to that inward corruption. As Luther so plainly taught, a man only has freedom of will in things beneath him, not in things above him. A man may chose what he will eat, when he will sleep, or with whom he will associate. But the will of man has constraints placed round about it that cannot be broken through. A man cannot chose to eat what is not available to him. A man must sleep when the exhaustion of his mortal frame forces him to it. A man may not be able to find the one with whom he would associate himself. Truly did John the Baptist say, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” John 3:27. That includes receiving Christ!

” Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.” Man in a state of nature without the grace of God will invariably come to the conclusion through his own faculties that his own ways are clean. Man in his native state cannot and will not admit freely of himself that he is altogether in sin, that all his righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and there is nothing good at all about any work, deed, thought, or religious duty he does. “KJV Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.” Only if and when God deals with a man and shows him his shameful, naked, sinful state will he ever cry out, “Woe is me, for I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips.” “KJV Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Only if a man is chosen of God will the event that happened to Isaiah ever happen to him. “KJV John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” “KJV John 15:19 but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. “KJV John 6:43-44: Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” While Christ commanded those that heard him, “Murmur not among yourselves,” Mrs. Riplinger fills her work with murmuring against “the right ways of the LORD.” “Thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:10. When sinners (be they saved or lost) teach and confess doctrine that makes man a co-laborer in his own salvation, they answer yes to the question of Malachi: “Will a man rob God?” Those who profess that they climb a little and then God pulls a little, and so they get to heaven, are deceived and deceiving. The law of faith excludes all boasting, as Paul declares: “KJV Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” The faith that saves a sinner from the fires of eternal damnation and the shame of everlasting contempt does not come from any one or anything on earth: it comes from the Lord of heaven! A faith that excludes boasting is a faith that is not produced by man within man; if saving faith is in the smallest part a work of man, it could not utterly exclude boasting. Rather, the saving faith which is a law that excludes all human glorying and boastings comes from God alone. As Fanny Crosby so succinctly stated: “I know not how this saving faith, To me he did impart, Nor how believing in his word, Wrought peace within my heart. But I know whom I have believed…” (Fanny Crosby was obviously a Calvinist.) That is the testimony, this is the speech of one that believed the Scriptures in their entirety through the faith of Christ. Christ is the “author and finisher of our faith.” “That in all things he might have the preeminence.” Saving faith is “the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8,9). It is God’s work that men trust him, not man’s. This alone gives Christ all the glory, as he said himself: “KJV John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” He taught that it was God’s work when men believed on him, not their own. Anything less makes man a robber of God and a robber of churches. “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.” Isaiah 7:9.

Contrary to the opinion of Mrs. Riplinger, what is called “Calvinism” is the doctrine which is found in the word of God. Departing from the words of the King James, wresting the words of the King James, or departing from the doctrines contained therein, will leave a man powerless to preach and to serve God. A man may engage in lots of ministerial activity, but actually not be laboring in the gospel at all. (Which brings to mind the words of the apostle Paul: “I suffer not a woman to teach.” “KJV 1 Timothy 2:12 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” Mrs. Riplinger has taken upon herself to teach the whole body of Christ, and every male host on whose program she has appeared. It is evident in Paul’s admonition that when women “teach,” the church suffers. Why did the “Sister” fail to heed the Apostle’s instructions? Why have so many men taken this usurping woman’s doctrines into their bosoms?) Riplinger’s four statements against Calvinism actually accuse the God of the AV 1611 of being a liar. This can be demonstrated easily by placing her words next to the words of the Bible.

“Both have margins piled high with notes asserting the lies that: “1.) Man’s depravity extends to his will, that is, he has no free will to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour.”

MAN’S DEPRAVITY

“KJV Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

“KJV Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

“KJV Psalm 14:2-3: The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

“KJV Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

“KJV Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

“KJV Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

“KJV Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

“KJV Genesis 6:11-12: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

“KJV Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”

Throughout Scripture, man is likened unto a tree (see Psalm One). Man, apart from the work of God upon him and within him is a corrupt tree that can produce nothing put corrupt fruit. Spiritual things are not and cannot be apprehended or known by any other means than the grace of God imparting to man spiritual understanding. Mrs. Riplinger has a very high opinion of man, one that is at odds with the picture of man’s heart, man’s mind, and man’s will as expressed in the King James Bible. She writes on page 46 of her work, “Imagine a computer so advanced that it could scan its entire environment constantly, storing all the input and matching it in its memory with all similar input. This is the human mind.” “The speech bewrayeth thee.” Matthew 26:73. “KJV Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” “KJV Romans 11:20 Be not highminded, but fear.” “KJV 1 Timothy 6:17: Be not highminded.” “KJV 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”

Mrs. Riplinger put no qualifications on her statement comparing the mind to a computer. She flatters fallen men that they are “so advanced” because their minds work so well. She gives no indication that she has any comprehension of the ruined state of man since the fall. All of man’s faculties are marred; his perceptions, his understanding, and his mind are in a condition of utter ruination. The wise, noble men of this world are often the most sinister and malevolent, and are seldom seen to be recipients of the grace of God. “KJV 1 Corinthians 1:26-29: For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty ;And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

Men are not born again through any thing that pertains to themselves. They are not saved because they exercised their free will and decided that it makes sense to receive Christ. It is easily demonstrated from Scripture that mankind is so utterly fallen that in his natural state “they are wise to do evil, but to good they have no knowledge.” (Jeremiah 4:22). The psalmist David understood this, as did all his fellow saints whose lives and stories are mentioned in the Bible. David, the man after God’s own heart, wrote under inspiration: “KJV Psalm 58:1-5: Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.” The natural man cannot charm, remediate, or correct his fallen nature. “They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God.” Hosea 5:4. They will not because they can not. “KJV Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jeremiah isn’t preaching a mere troublesome, hindering depravity in this verse; he is preaching an all encompassing inability in natural man to will or to do what is good. This is why it is written in another place, “KJV Psalm 80:3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” When the Lord has chosen a sinner unto everlasting salvation in Christ Jesus, He turns him, because the sinner cannot turn himself. Thrice in Psalm 80 we find the truth recorded: “KJV Psalm 80:19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” “KJV Psalm 80:7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” When matched with the fourth reference, “KJV Psalm 85:4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease,” it can be readily perceived by those that will believe the Scriptures that the Lord is the one that gives the ability to men to turn to him. Of themselves, they do not have it. But when the Lord gives men the will and ability to turn to him, it unfailingly leads to godly sorrow. Only as God turns men to sorrow and repentance, granting them faith and salvation, does his anger towards them cease. God, who is angry with the wicked every day, is only appeased by the full pardon and atonement the blood of his Son provides. As the psalmist said, “I will declare my iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.” (Psalm 38:18). No man can exhibit godly sorrow, except it were given him from heaven. Only those that experience godly sorrow are ever saved. “KJV 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” “The foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God,” (Hebrews 6:1) is laid by God, not man. So, in the Psalm of the word, it is written: “KJV Psalm 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.” Mrs. Riplinger, thou that art a “teacher of babes;” knowest not these things? “KJV Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

MAN’S WILL

“KJV Romans 7:18 For to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

“KJV Romans 9:16: So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”

“KJV Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.”

“KJV Jeremiah 23:10 Their course is evil, and their force is not right.”

“KJV Isaiah 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.”

“KJV Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.”

GOD’S WILL

“KJV John 1:11-13: He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

“KJV Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

“KJV John 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”

KJV John 6:40-44: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

KJV John 7:16-17: ” Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

“KJV Ecclesiastes 8:3-4: Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

“KJV Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.”

“KJV Ephesians 1:5-6: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

“KJV Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”

It appears from our reading of Mrs. Riplinger’s book, that though she may have often read the above Scriptures in the King James Bible, she has not believed them. John 1:11-13 clearly states that God gives power to men to become the sons of God. If he must give them this power, this is because they do not possess it of themselves. John 1:13 states that “the will of the flesh” nor “the will of man” determine if a man will be born again, or go to hell. Mrs. Riplinger chants the refrain of “whosoever will” just as Pelagius did. She missed the “whomsoever the Son will” spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:27.
In John 6:39 it is apparent that God the Father has given a set number of men and women to the Son, and they will (not might) be raised up at the last day. In verse 40, all those that see the Son and believe on him have everlasting life and will be raised up at the last day. In John 6:44 (Oh hated verse) Jesus said dogmatically that “No man” can come to him except the Father “draw him.” Therefore, the “whosoevers” that are saved must have been given to the Son by the Father, and the Father therefore draws them to the Son, and they will be raised up at the last day. This is the core of the Christian faith; this is the essence of our hope. That Christ has wrought a full and complete work of salvation, and all those that receive this salvation were appointed thereto by the Father. This gives the believer the courage to face an evil, opposing world and stand fast against all opponents. Take these certainties and assurances away, and the believer will be led to think that some of the work of salvation is his, not God’s, and this robs him of that bold confidence that was so manifest amongst the Calvinist of the Reformation.
Mrs. Riplinger works very hard in her book to overthrow the Biblical doctrine of predestination with a vehemence reminiscent of the Romish adversaries of the church from times past. We cite her statements on page 82 of her work: “DEFINITION: predestinated means ‘purposed.’ “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the prupose…” Ephesians 1:11 The predestinated and purposed element was not who should be saved, but HOW “whosoever will” may be saved. One is saved by being “In Christ,” “in him,” “in the beloved,” and “through his blood.” These prepositional phrases are repeated in every verse because they are the crux of the discussion. God predestinated the means of salvation. “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Christ Jesus..”Eph 1:5. How do we become adopted into the family of God?-”By Jesus Christ.” The verse does not say, “Predestinated us unto the adoption of children. Period.” It says “He…predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ…” Jesus Christ was God’s predestinated plan for the redemption of man. Those who are “in Christ” are in “the elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” According to 1 Peter 2:5,6 Jesus Christ is the “elect.” If you are “in Christ,” you are in the elect.” You do not get “in Christ” by being predestinated; you get “in Christ” by believing on him. God predestinated method, not people.”
This private interpretation given by our author shows her detestation of the doctrines of God, and her antipathy towards the Sovereign Creator of the worlds. Ephesians 1:5 says “predestinated us,” and it must be willful and malicious intent on Riplinger’s part to attempt to say that “us” (saved people and those to be saved) are not “predestinated.” Mrs. Riplinger here intrudes into things she does not understand and cannot comprehend with her natural mind, teaching doctrine contrary to the truth of the eternal God. She attempts to put over on us that only Christ is “elect,” and that there are no elect, yet unsaved sinners. If we find one verse in the Bible that shows anyone spoken of as being “elect” who was not in Christ at that time, we have proof that Mrs. Riplinger, and not the Geneva margin authors, lied. Does such a verse exist? Of course! “KJV 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Paul said he endured all things, not for whosoever will, but for “the elect” that had not yet obtained salvation. Paul understood that chosen men and women, “vessels of mercy” were strewn throughout the Gentile world, and his labors and strivings in the gospel were for them. Paul was going forth preaching indiscriminately, trusting the Divine providence to guide him and cause the unsaved elect to hear the gospel by his mouth. Paul taught that Christ was elect, but he also taught that there were men and women who were elect. “KJV Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” In Romans 8, the context clearly reveals that “God’s elect” are the redeemed that are in the elect Son. “KJV Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” The contextual occurrence of the phrase will not permit the application of the phrase “God’s elect” to Christ alone. The context directs the understanding of the reader to know that those that are born again are “elect.”
We find in the Bible many things that the natural mind cannot understand or comprehend, but can only be received in faith. Revelation contains information on predestination that Arminians such as the Pelagian Riplinger overlook. “KJV Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” It is related to us in this verse that the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is slain “from the foundation of the world.” If we will literally believe the AV text, we find that the blood redemption of Christ was provided for every Old Testament Saint, and see that truth expressed in Ecclesiastes, that “Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever.” “KJV Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” God is an eternal being, who exists outside of time, he being the Creator of time. God “calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17. The information of Christ being slain from the foundation of the world is coupled with a book, “the book of life of the Lamb.” By simply reading in context, we see that their names being written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world precludes them from worshipping the beast or taking his name, number, or mark. That is predestination. Predestination means your destination has been predetermined. Riplinger does not believe the Bible. The Bible unequivocally says in Romans 8 that men are foreknown and predestinated by God the Father to be conformed to the image of the Son. “KJV Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The words of the AV 1611 Bible need no margin notes to “teach Calvinism.” All that is required is faith in the English translation. Faith in the English results in a belief in predestination.
In Ephesians 1:5 God the Father predestinated “us,” the recipients of salvation unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. Mrs. Riplinger says to God, “What doest thou?” as he predestinates us to the adoption of children. She skews the English in attempting to teach that the means of salvation was alone predestinated, but that the objects of salvation (the elect) are not predestinated. Predestinated means that your destination has been predetermined, not by you, but by God: from God’s perspective, you have no part or lot in the choosing where you will go. This is what “the church of the living God” has ever taught and maintained. Paul said, “It is not of him that willeth.” Riplinger says, yes it is. The psalmist said “Whasover the LORD pleased, that did he.” Riplinger says, whatsoever man pleases, that does he. Jesus said, “No man can come unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him.” Solomon said “Draw me, we will run after thee.” (Song of Solomon 1:4) Riplinger says, any man may come unto Christ, of his own free will, with no regard to the will of God. According to the Lord Jesus, the Father has given him a set number and that only those that have been given to the Son can and will come. “KJV John 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” Riplinger makes man’s will of paramount importance, not believing the words of the Lord Jesus nor understanding that God’s will over rules the will of elect sinners in their coming to Christ, and conforms their wills according to his pleasure. God said, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Riplinger, denying the words of scripture, is in affinity with those that say, “But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth.” Jeremiah 44:17. She teaches lies in the name of the Lord, proclaiming that men are saved through the faculty of their own depraved wills choosing without constraint to be saved, while God said of those that are saved, “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” No one ever, one time, was ever born again by the will of the flesh or the will of man: those that are born of God are born of God’s will, not their own.
Knowing that Mrs. Riplinger enjoys literature and writing, even engaging in poetical little ditties of her own in her books, we believe it is appropriate to give the reader a poetic interlude that it is hoped will highlight the topic at hand. We dedicate our recitation of this poem to “Sister Riplinger,” and all of her free-will friends.

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears,
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY
“Both have margins piled high with notes asserting the lies that: 2.) God unconditionally elects certain special individuals to be saved, and pre-selects others to be damned to hell.”

KJV John 6:40-44: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

“KJV Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

“KJV 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

“KJV James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

KJV Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

“KJV 1 Corinthians 1:27-28: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:”

“KJV John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
“KJV Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

“KJV Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

For the benefit of Mrs. Riplinger and those that read this essay, we have given here nine texts that irrefutably teach that God chooses his own, that he selects those that will be born-again according to his own purpose, and not contingently upon any foreseen obedience or good works of the creature. Salvation is entirely in God’s hands, and he bestows it on whomsoever he will.
God foreknows not who will choose to be born again, but his foreknowledge is his foreknowing of all the things that he has decreed and willed to come to pass on the earth, including which men and women he will save. Foreknowledge and predestination insure the fulfillment of prophecy. “KJV Acts 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” The whosoevers that come to him correspond exactly to those that he has willed to come to him. God the Father has not given all men without distinction to the Son, but chose some out of the lump of sinners who have lived, are living, and will live upon the earth. He has done so for reasons known unto him, and those reasons are sufficient for him so to do.

The very act of choosing some has inherent within it the leaving behind of others. There was no obligation on the part of God the Father to send the Son into the world to die for sinners, but he freely and without constraint chose to do so, the Son freely and without compulsion agreeing thereto. He could justly have condemned all men to hell and it would have been righteous and would have in no wise detracted from his glory. “KJV Matthew 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” People such as Mrs. Riplinger seem to think that God owes sinners the chance to be saved. God owes them hell for the wages of sin is death, and if they are not the objects of the sovereign mercy of God, they will suffer everlasting punishment. Those that can not, will not, and do not come to Christ serve the purpose that the Lord has appointed for their existence, and when that purpose is accomplished, they will go into eternity bearing the full weight of their own personal sins, as well as the original sin with which they were born. The Triune God will not shed one tear over one sinner in the lake of fire, but said: “KJV Proverbs 1:25-30: But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.” Contrary to the popular religous fiction of our day, God hates evil doers, and is angry with the wicked every day. “KJV Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”"KJV Psalm 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” He loves his own elect eternally . “KJV Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” God is immutable and eternal, and so to is the display of his love and anger. “KJV Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” “KJV Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Those that perish eternally are not condemned by some positive act of God. Rather, they perish and suffer for their own sins which they committed according to the dictates of their own wills, consistently and continually sinning against the light of nature, conscience, and the word of God. They were not provoked by God to commit acts of sin; they committed sin freely and with a desirous heart. God did not make them commit sin, they of their “free wills” chose sin. This is the vaunted “free will” of man; a will that can only commit sin, and is utterly devoid of righteousness. So Spurgeon called one of his sermons “FREE WILL-A SLAVE.” Below we list scriptures that pertain to the eternal hatred of God for “vessels of wrath,” and thereby demonstrate that those that are not elect still serve God’s purpose in this world and the next, to make known his holiness and justice. (These truths became startlingly clear when a preacher that professed to believe the AV 1611 told the current author that he “chose not to believe that God would ordain someone to eternity in the lake of fire” after he was confronted with Jude 4.)

“KJV Psalm 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.”

KJV Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

“KJV Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Romans 9:18-24: Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?”

“KJV 2 Peter 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.”

“KJV Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”

“KJV Deuteronomy 32:39-43: See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.”

“Both have margins piled high with notes asserting the lies that: 3.) Jesus died only for a select few. He did not die for “the world.”

In this statement Mrs. Riplinger intends the reader to understand that Christ died equally for all men and that he desires all men, equally, to obtain salvation. The King James Bible tells us plainly in the following texts that Christ indeed bore the sins of the world in his own person on the cross:

“KJV John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

“KJV John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

“KJV John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

“KJV 2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”

“KJV 1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

But there are many more scriptures that show that the love of Christ was for the church, the elect of God, and that he died with the objective of purifying unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. “KJV Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” “KJV Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” According to 2 Corinthians 5:19, Christ has reconciled the world to the Father, and the Father does not impute their trespasses unto them. If not, why do so very many go to hell? Because their sins are not taken away from the face of God the Son, their names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, they are not chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world, and their salvation unto life everlasting was never intended by the Father, as they have not been given to the Son, and the Son did not pour forth his blood to bring them eternal life and an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. Christ said: “KJV John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” He gave his life for his sheep, that they might have life eternal. He did not pour out his blood to get Judas, Jezebel, Haman, Goliath, Esau, Cain, or any other reprobate into heaven. Every soul that will be in hell eternally will be there because of their own sins, their willful rejection of all obedience to God. They were never born again because God never commanded that that they be born again; for if he had, they would have been regenerated. “KJV Lamentations 3:37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?” Mrs. Riplinger, and all Arminians without distinction, would have us believe that every sinner that goes to hell represents one more failure of “God’s efforts.” The good shepherd gave his life for the sheep. He did not suffer and die equally for all men that ever lived to be saved, or else they would all come to Christ. While the blood of God’s Son is sufficient to redeem eternally everyone that ever lived, it is only made efficient unto everlasting life to the elect.
The gospel is to be preached to all men indiscriminately. The Bible is strewn with verses that show that the gospel should be preached to all men, not that every single soul should be saved, but that the word of the Lord might be given to his own elect of every nation, tongue, kindred, and tribe upon the earth. Paul said he endured the things he went through not for reprobates, but for the elect. “KJV 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” Christ did not love the world enough to pray for it; he only prayed for the elect. “KJV John 17:6-9: I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” The commands in Mark 28 and Mark 16 to indiscriminately preach to every creature do not in anywise imply that God intends to save every creature. The propitiating death of Christ occurred that Christ might redeem the elect. The elect are a select few when compared to the many that go to destruction. The following verses demonstrate that Christ died for one nation, Israel, and that he died only to eternally save those called to be his people, Jew and Gentile, “elect according to grace.”

“KJV Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

“KJV Isaiah 53:4-5: Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

“KJV Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

“KJV 1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”

“KJV Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

“KJV Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

“KJV John 11:50-52: Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”

If the death of Christ made possible the salvation of every one, but assured the salivation of no one, Christ died in vain. But the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross assured the salvation unto life eternal of every on of the elect, and everlasting life to the nation of Israel. The “New Covenant” of Jeremiah 31:31 was only given to one people: Israel. Those elect Gentiles that are graffed in are made nigh unto the commonwealth of Israel and the covenants of promise. Ephesians 2:12-13. The death of Christ provides remission of sin for national Israel, and remission of sins for all elect individual Jews and Gentiles. The blood of Christ, while sufficient to save ten thousand worlds of sinners, is only efficient to save those who would compose “the treasure his in the field.” “KJV Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Christ gave his life for the world, to have the treasure hid in the world (his elect nation and elect saints). His blood is only efficient unto salvation for those, and no others.

“Both have margins piled high with notes asserting the lies that: 4.) Those who have been pre-selected will automatically be saved.”

Mrs. Riplinger here confesses her belief that the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ assured the salvation of no one. Her faith is not the faith once delivered unto the saints. Whatever faith she may have, it is not “the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Jesus on his way to the cross was certain he would gain that for which he would suffer. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that he was uncertain for whom he died or whether or not they would be drawn to him and receive eternal life. The book of Hebrews contains a verse which clearly demonstrates this. “KJV Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Christ went to the cross with the absolute certainty that his death would purchase his own people and guaranteed their everlasting salvation. He looked to the joy set before him in gaining those he had been promised by the Father. If there were any uncertainty, there would have been no joy before him.

“KJV Ephesians 1:4-6: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

So then we have found that it is easy to defend the doctrinal beliefs called “Calvinsim” from a King James Bible without any “margin notes” to help us along. We believe that Mrs. Riplinger should withdraw from public speaking and writing, and devote herself to learning the doctrines of the King James Bible, starting with “KJV 1 Timothy 2:12 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” In her diatribes against the doctrines found in the King James Bible concerning salvation Riplinger has usurped the authority over “the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5) and gives the preeminence of the who, where, why, and when of salvation to sinners that the Bible shows to be so morally, spiritually, and literally depraved that they are incapable through their own faculties to desire or seek after God. Riplinger, by her rejection of the doctrines found in the Bible as taught and believed by Martin Luther, John Calvin, Peter Moulin, John Owen, John Knox, Martin Bucer, William Gouge, John Bradford, William Tyndale, Patrick Hamilton, Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, all of the Smithfield and other martyrs burnt under “Bloody Mary,” all Puritans and their successors, Cotton Mather, Increase Mather, John Gill, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, George Whtifield, William Huntingdon and a further “cloud of witnesses” too many in number to know or name, demonstrates that she does not believe that “the church of the living God” is the “pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15). She, as Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, sets herself against the testimony of Jesus present in his church before she was born, and promotes the very doctrines concerning salvation espoused by Rome and introduced into the English Reformed Church by the criminal Archbishop Laud. The documentation of the truth of what most of the mentioned men believed and the introduction of Arminianism into England by Archbishop Laud can be documented from the afore mentioned work by Augustus Toplady, and other sources.