{"id":20579,"date":"2020-03-02T17:27:53","date_gmt":"2020-03-02T23:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=20579"},"modified":"2020-03-02T17:27:53","modified_gmt":"2020-03-02T23:27:53","slug":"must-one-go-to-school-to-be-an-evangelist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/must-one-go-to-school-to-be-an-evangelist\/","title":{"rendered":"Must one go to school to be an evangelist?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Good day,<\/p>\nMust one go to school to become an evangelist? I ask because these guys coming from schools taught you just have to listen to them and that their take on the Scripture is final. I spoke on Ephesians 1:5 at a study that it doesn’t teach about personal elections as in Calvinism, but the preacher insists it does. He uses Cornelius in the book of Acts to support his position.\nThanks.\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God<\/em>” (I Corinthians 1:26-29).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is no school for preachers. One preacher trains men to teach the Gospel. “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also<\/em>” (II Timothy 2:2).\u00a0 See Professional Preachers<\/a> for additional information.<\/p>\n

This preacher you’ve encountered is trying to use his education as a club to intimidate you.\u00a0 So, let’s look at Cornelius and see if his conversion supports Calvinism.<\/p>\n

John Calvin taught that men were totally depraved and, therefore, cannot be saved unless God first initiates a change in a person. But we are told that God considered Cornelius to be a devout man who feared God prior to his learning the Gospel (Acts 10:1-4). The preacher you were talking to ignored this important point. But let’s move on.<\/p>\n

Was Cornelius selected by God to hear the Gospel? Obviously he was chosen because an angel was sent to tell him to call for Peter (Acts 10:3-6). Why did God pick Cornelius? Because his “prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God<\/em>” (Acts 10:4). The choice was based on Cornelius’ prior choice to serve God. The choice did not make Cornelius saved. Instead, he was told to call for Peter to receive instruction (Acts 10:30-33). As a result of the teaching, he was commanded to be baptized (Acts 10:47-48).<\/p>\n

Why did God select Cornelius? God needed to break the ice so that Gentiles would be taught and brought into the church. Did every Christian have an angel sent to point out who should teach them the Gospel? I hope that would clearly false. Peter later said, “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are<\/em>” (Acts 15:11).<\/p>\n

How then were other Christians saved?<\/p>\n