Reasons for Divorce

 

This is an excerpt from a new book I am working on. Some might find this controversial, some might find it freeing, other might just need more time to wrestle with it, but this is important for people to engage with, because this is biblical and it is a reality many people face in their lives:

Reasons for Divorce (v.9)

What reasons do people give for divorce? We grew apart. She let herself go. We had different dreams. He wanted me to be his mum and maid. She nagged too much. Life just got on top of us, etc, etc. But we see Jesus gives us one reason, and most people misread it. Jesus said, “9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Most people read this and say that the only reason Jesus gives for divorce is adultery. But he does not say that, he explicitly says, “sexual immorality…” Or sexual sin. This is much broader than adultery. Adultery, as Jesus points out here, is to have sex with another man’s wife or another woman’s husband.

Sexual sin covers a host of other sexual sins, like pornography, homosexuality, fornication and more. We don’t need to go over them all now. So, we can say, that, according to Jesus sexual sin is the legitimate reason for divorce. But what is divorce, and why does this sin allow for it?

This might seem like a no-brainer to ask “what is divorce?” But you will see as we go along, it is actually vital to drill down on this, because there is a big difference between legitimate divorce and illegitimate divorce. The Greek word Jesus uses for divorce in Matthew 19 is “apoluo”. You are probably thinking. Big deal, why are getting into the Greek?

Well, here is why. This is exact same word Jesus uses in the parable of the unmerciful servant when Jesus explains what forgiveness looks like, Matthew. 18:27, “And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.” The word for released here is “apoluo”, the exact same word. The servant was released from all obligation of the debt. But what is even more mind blowing is that Jesus uses the same word in Luke 6:37, “37 Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;…” That’s what blew my mind. The same word Jesus uses for divorce he uses twice to refer to forgiveness.

Wait what??? How is this even possible?

Well, what happens when you truly forgive someone? You release them from the debt or any obligation. You let it go, let it go…now some of you are going to sing that song all day, right…What happens when you legitimately divorce someone? You set them free, you cut them loose. You are from that moment on no longer obligated to them, biblically speaking, because you have cut the bond. This is at the core of what divorce means, it means setting free of all obligations.

In a legitimate divorce, the marriage has been annulled. Spiritually speaking. It is as if it no longer existed. You are now a single person again. The reason sexual sin allows for this is because when you commit sexual sin you break this spiritual bond. You sunder something spiritually. Because you unite with the other person. This is why the person who is legitimately divorced, and I stress legitimately divorced, in Jesus’ eyes, can remarry. Because they are free of all the obligations to their previous annulled marriage.

This is why the legitimately divorced, and again I stress legitimately divorced, man who remarries only has one wife, not two. The other marriage, ACCORDING TO JESUS, is annulled, terminated. The same is true for the woman who legitimately remarries.

The meaning of the word divorce is literally “cut free” or “set loose”. That is what it means. Make sure you do not get confused even though the word Jesus uses for ‘divorce’ can also mean ‘forgiveness’, divorce is not forgiveness.  So, if you are legitimately divorced in God’s eyes no one can hold it against you. Sexually immorality breaks the bond and you are free to then divorce and move on. Some Christians really arc up at this, but this is precisely what Jesus says right here.

This is also why Joseph could be called a righteous and just man, even though he intended to divorce Mary, “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly” (Matt. 1:19). In Joseph’s eyes Mary had obviously committed sexual immorality, which he was about to find out it was wrong. But the verse emphasizes his reasons for wanting divorce were just.

But the logical application of this is that if you are not divorced legitimately, then you are not free. You have sinned, “9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” This is the other side of the teaching upsets a lot of other Christians, because we can think of heaps of reasons for divorce. But Jesus gave only one. And he only gives it in Matthew, this is not mentioned in Mark or Luke.

This is why the disciples, as I said, are shocked, “10 The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given.” The disciples obviously could think of lots of other reasons to divorce and remarry as well. This has been a problem throughout all human history. But the truth is Jesus does not affirm this challenges the disciples and the Jews listening by pointing out that many divorced people are not legitimately divorced and therefore are not legitimately remarried. That’s what Jesus is saying. That is what the church has long taught as well. In fact, some Christians believe it is wrong to remarry anyway, even though Jesus gives a limited reason for when they can.

Now, I hear some of you thinking, but doesn’t Paul give another reason for divorce in 1 Corinthians 7. Let’s read what he says there,

“12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Cor. 7:12-16).

Paul says that if you are married to an unbeliever and they want to go, let them, you are not enslaved. What is the opposite of enslaved? Free. In other words, he says this cannot be held against you. Some think that he is adding another exception here to the only one that Jesus gave. But I don’t think he is adding to Jesus’ exception, because when someone moves on they usually move on with someone else. You could say Paul is giving a pastoral application of what Jesus’ says. Though some people think he has expanded the reasons for divorce to include abandonment.

Someone else might be thinking, Matt haven’t you taught in the past that ongoing denial of sex from the husband or wife is reason for divorce? Yes, I have and I still do. This might be more controversial, but remember Jesus said it was for sexual immorality that you could divorce and remarry, and denying your spouse in an ongoing and unrepentant way is both cruel and is also a sexual sin,

“3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Cor. 7:3-5).

Paul says, “5 Do not deprive one another…” unless you both agree. And one person suggesting it and the other being made to agree is not what he means. Sex is both a privilege and a responsibility in marriage. “Do not deprive” is a command, unless both want to have a break, or you have a medical reason why you cannot. But that is why we say the vows, for better or worse. Because sometimes life throws hardships at us, that even effect this area of life for married couples. However, in general married men and women should make themselves available to their spouse, otherwise you are actually sinning.

I am not the first person to teach this, this teaching is found throughout church history. There are records throughout medieval Europe of marriages being annulled for this reason. And even Martin Luther said this was a reason for divorce in extreme situations. And I agree.

Now, I know this brings up a whole host of other thoughts, so we will come back to this, but for now, we are just demonstrating that denying your spouse sex is a sexual immorality. And Jesus says that sexual immorality is the only legitimate reason for divorce.

Some people don’t like this, but I think that is because they misread what Jesus says. A sexless marriage can be one of the cruellest prisons for many men and women. It is as much unfaithfulness as adultery itself.

 

We Are On Our Own Now

 

The real reason the US is going to war with Venezuela is simple, it's global power is ending, really it has ended, and now it is returning to the Monroe Doctrine, of dominating it's region. Because that is the only real effective reach it still has. If it even still has that.

-        Hamas outlasted US intervention.

-        Yemen outlasted US intervention.

-        Russia outlasted US intervention.

-        Afghanistan outlasted US intervention.

-        China is successful resisting US intervention.  

Etc, etc.

The ability for the united states to project its power around the world and actually effect change is declining. It is even possible their power will fail in South America. But not before they try to use it.

Look, I should note that I have no problem with the US military taking out drug boats. The military's job is supposed to be making borders secure. Returning to that honourable role is just and good. Borders should be patrolled by effective soldiers stopping people coming across. For too long western nations have abandoned this basic use of the military, preferring to send our soldiers far away for reasons of imperial extension. That is clearly now changing.

But we should also note that Venezuela has oil, rare earth minerals, and it is weak enough that the US thinks it can take it or at least force it to bow to its will. So, that is what it is trying. Effectively it is doing to Venezuela what Russia did to Ukraine, except with less actual justification. But it is basically doing the same thing: a dominant power is seeking to dictate to a much less powerful country.

I suspect there is also a recognition in the Trump administration that if the US is going to remain a dominant power in its region, it needs to turn its attention there. What appears to be happening in the US is that different elites with different visions over how the United States should project its power are in a political clash, and currently the faction that believes they should turn their attention to their own region is dominant. I think this faction will become more dominant over time as the reality of the United States relative weakness in the world becomes more evident.

But the lesson for us here in Australia is this: we are now on our own. Britain has no effective power, and the US's power is shrinking back to the Americas. They may still seek to exert influence from time to time outside their own region, but this will diminish over time as the new multipolar world becomes more entrenched. We are, therefore, now on our own. This will become more clear in coming years.

I say the only path to prosperity and peace for Australia is repentance and faith in God from the Prime Minister down. Others say the way forward is through a complicated series of alliances with countries that oppose China and counterbalance her power. If we go that second route, we guarantee that we will lose our sovereignty in this country. Because we will lose such a battle.

Australia got proud. We were lucky and squandered it. Prepare for a whole different world now guys.

 

Transgender Insurance Bonus

 

The thing which will eventually put an end to liberal democracy quicker than anything else in western nations, is when a significant amount of ordinary people become so sick of subsidizing nonsense, that they refuse to vote for anyone except the parliamentarians who are going to just say no; no to feminism, no to welfare programs, no to DEI, no to minority programs and much more. Of course, this might also happen simply because western societies collapse under the weight of all their social programs and personal debt, but that is just an extension of the same problem.

This is a key example of something that which will just tick off the ordinary person, because it shows that they really are just taking the piss[1] now,

“Aussie drivers can save hundreds on their car insurance by declaring their gender as non-binary.

A male driver called into Radio 2GB in Sydney on Monday to explain that they discovered a lucrative loophole in the insurance system.

The listener, a man named Ben, told Ben Fordham his car insurance quote dropped by $800 when he ticked a gender-neutral box when applying for comprehensive coverage.

“I found the box on there and thought I’m just going to give it a tick and see what it comes out with, it might be a bit of a joke,” he said.

“A joke is right, I was absolutely stunned with what I found … I’d like to see the evidence behind it.”

Fordham said “I can’t believe it”.

“The best deal goes to the non-binary driver … just tick the non-binary box, because no-one is going to be able to disprove how you are identify, you’re going to get a better deal.”

We put it to the test, getting three quotes from NRMA insurance for a middle-aged Sydney driver behind the wheel of an electric Kia EV3, and found the price varied significantly.

Changing only the driver’s stated gender, we found the male driver was quoted $2236 per year, the female driver $2061, and the non-binary driver $1955.”[2]

This is just another insulting and degrading mockery of our whole way of life. Giving an insurance bonus to people who are confused about their gender, or simply unwilling to tick a box. It is just another insult piled on top of a host of ongoing insults, that seek to place standard roles for men and women at the bottom of the rung of society.

The West became more and more open because of the idea of liberalism, and the accompanying concept that most decent people will seek to do what is best, in general, for themselves, those they love and society. Our system was not conceived to hold up to people who cared about none of the principles of decency, honesty, and honour that our nations were founded on. And this is why we see across the world that people are voting more and more for governments which lean to the right. People are sick of being taken advantage of, and we see in many ways how it literally is costing people money to be productive members of society.

We opened up society to a wide variety of perspectives and ways of life, and people abused it. Societies in the future are far less likely to be so open.

List of References

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[1] This is a blunt Aussie saying meaning, “being taken advantage of.” Forgive the bluntness, but this insurance policy is just wrong.

[2] David McCowen, 2025, https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/motoring-news/nonbinary-drivers-benefit-from-cheaper-car-insurance/news-story/4b41ff7a488d500ac45c2db986b50a3a

Episode 30 – Come Lord Jesus. Come (Rev. 22)

 

You can watch the video of this sermon here at 8pm AEST.

Introduction

Tonight, we are going to look at the last chapter of the book of Revelation. This is episode 30 of my Revelation study and the final episode before we move onto another book of the Bible. I hope you have found this study encouraging, helpful, informative, and also I hope you have seen more clearly how this book magnifies our Lord Jesus.

My goal with this study was not to create an exhaustive analysis of the book of Revelation. If you want that there are more academic resources you can turn to, commentaries and exegesis courses for instance. My goal was to create an accessible study that helps demystify this book without pretending to have all the answers. On top of this my goal was to show that this book has great and powerful application for our everyday lives.

One of the things I have found in teaching this book over the years, is that if we take the approach of “what” it is saying and leave the “when and the how” up in the air, the book becomes far more approachable and far more accessible for many people.

Over the years this book has been neglected by many Bible teachers and this has allowed sensationalist readings to take centre stage, and the book has been turned into everything from a justification to support Israeli foreign policy, through to a guide to understand Middle Eastern affairs, through to a justification for seeing Russia as the big bad guy in the world, and so many other things. I grew up under these readings of this text, and the core thing they all have in common is that they disconnect the book from its literary and textual context and turn the imagery of Revelation into a series of choose your own adventure tracts. This does a disservice to the handling this book.

That is not to say that everyone who seeks to handle this book in a more measured way will agree on everything. This would be too bold a claim to make. But I have found much more general agreement when a more grounded approach is taken, applying this book to the experience of everyday life. I hope I have been able to communicate this effectively.

But now we must turn to the last chapter of this awesome and fearsome book. Something I am going to focus on today is that this passage appears to have something of a now but not yet quality to. This is because we live in a time where heaven is breaking into earth, to some degree, through the Church, and therefore aspects of the fulfilment of God’s plan are active in our lives and world today, though not yet in their fullness. I think you will see this as we go through the passage tonight.

But first let’s turn to our Old and New Testament imagery behind this passage and then we shall do the study questions.

Old Testament Background:

• The River and the Tree of Life (v. 1-2): The scene directly echoes and fulfills the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9-10). Where access to the tree of life was lost due to sin (Genesis 3:22-24), it is now restored and amplified, offering perpetual fruit and healing. The river also recalls the life-giving water flowing from the Temple in Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 47:1-12), which itself is a prophetic picture of restoration.
• Cursed No More (v. 3): This is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise that God would undo the curse pronounced in Genesis 3:17. Zechariah 14:11 also prophesies a future where "there shall be no more curse."
• Seeing God's Face (v. 4): This was an impossibility for fallen humanity (Exodus 33:20), but becomes the ultimate privilege of the redeemed, indicating full intimacy and restored relationship.
• The Alpha and Omega (v. 13): This title for God, used in Isaiah 44:6 ("I am the first and I am the last"), is here applied directly to Jesus, affirming His full divinity.

New Testament Background:

• The Throne of God and the Lamb (v. 1, 3): The entire vision is Christocentric. The throne belongs to both God and the Lamb, a powerful New Testament revelation of Jesus' co-equality with the Father (John 1:1, 14).
• The Water of Life (v. 17): This invitation fulfills Jesus' own proclamation in John 7:37-38, where He offers "rivers of living water" to those who believe in Him.
• The Bright Morning Star (v. 16): This title for Jesus connects to the promise given to the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:28) and echoes messianic prophecy (Numbers 24:17). It symbolizes hope and the dawn of a new, eternal day.

The "Now But Not Yet" Application

This passage powerfully embodies the "now but not yet" tension of Christian eschatology.

• The "Now": The blessings of the New Covenant are presently available. The invitation to "come" and take the "water of life without price" is extended now (v. 17). Through the Spirit, believers experience a foretaste of God's presence and the healing of the gospel. We are now called to "wash our robes" (v. 14) through faith in Christ's atoning work and to live righteously in anticipation of His return.
• The "Not Yet": The full reality described—the physical river, the tree of life, the abolition of night, and the direct, unmediated vision of God's face—is still future. We still live in a world where evil exists (v. 11), and we await the final coming of Christ to fully establish this perfect order. The repeated cry, "I am coming soon" (vv. 7, 12, 20), creates a posture of active and hopeful waiting.

Study Questions

1. Compare the "river of the water of life" (Rev. 22:1) with the river in Eden (Genesis 2:10) and Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 47:1-9). What does this progression tell us about God's plan for restoration?
2. The "tree of life" offers healing for the nations. How does this universal scope of salvation contrast with the exclusive nature of Old Testament Israel and align with God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3?
3. Why do nations need healing in heaven, if there is no curse anymore? (c.f. vv. 2-3).
4. What is the significance of God's servants seeing His face (Rev. 22:4), especially in light of Exodus 33:20-23 and Matthew 5:8? How does this speak to the ultimate goal of redemption?
5. In Revelation 22:11, the angel makes a startling statement about letting people continue in their state. How does this relate to the concept of hardened hearts in Exodus (e.g., Pharaoh) and Paul's teaching in Romans 1:24-28?
6. Jesus identifies Himself as "the Alpha and the Omega" (Rev. 22:13). How does this claim, paired with His title "the first and the last" in Revelation 1:17, establish His divine authority and eternality?
7. Revelation 22:14-15 presents a clear distinction between those inside and outside the city. How does this final judgment reflect the teachings of Jesus in, for example, Matthew 25:31-46?
8. What does Jesus mean in verse 16 that he is the root and descendant of David?
9. The invitation in Revelation 22:17 is extended by the Spirit, the Bride (the Church), and "the one who hears." How does this model evangelism, and how does it connect to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20?
10. The warning against adding to or taking away from the prophecy (Rev. 22:18-19) is severe. What does this tell us about the gravity and finality of God's revealed Word? Compare this to Deuteronomy 4:2 and Proverbs 30:6.
11. The plea "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20) is the cry of the early church (1 Corinthians 16:22). What is the relationship between this eager expectation and the call to holy living found in 2 Peter 3:11-14?
12. The final verse (Rev. 22:21) ends the entire Bible with a focus on "grace." How does this conclusion serve as a perfect bookend to the message of the New Testament, particularly the teachings of Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9?

 

She Never Should Have Been There

 

Exactly right. Imprecatory Psalms for Dads and Malms is exactly correct. How is this even debateable? Because people have been been very successfully brainwashed by movies, T.V. shows and the education system.

The military is a role for men who are called to potentially lay down their lives for their wives, mothers, sisters and children. Historical data shows that as war approaches women tend to leave the military. But we need to think about this ontologically, women just should not be in these roles. It is wrong for them, it is wrong for the men who need to serve next to them, and it is just wrong.

When Western countries find themselves in their next war, they'll also find the new battlefield has no safe rear base roles, the roles they generally put women in. Drones have increased the effective killing field on the battlefield from 5 km deep to 25 kms, and this effectiveness will grow. This means the effective attack zone encompasses rear supply line jobs, the dominant place women are found. As more women are encountering consistent, direct warfare, I suspect it won’t be too long until there is a society wide outcry about how we put women in danger.

But before we get to this point we need to reign this in.

Evaluating My Own Replenishment Theology

 

A few days ago I posted an article that examined whether or not Dispensationalism is even in the Bible. You can read that here. This might seem like a controversial statement to make, as this is one of the most prominent evangelical theological systems in the United States and also relatively prominent in English speaking countries that are influenced by the US.[1] However, as it is relatively historically recent this is a fair question to ask: Can it be found from a balanced analysis of the Biblical text? I already thought the answer was no, and Deepseek’s analysis simply added strength to that position.

But in the spirit of fairness I think it is only fair that I put my own overarching biblical synthesis to the same test. So that is what I am doing in today’s piece. As I have noted before I hold to a broadly covenantal framework, though I am not a Calvinist. I could fairly be called a Remonstrant, but it is more accurate to describe my theology as that of a General Baptist. However, my system of theology is different to classical Arminianism. So, what I am going to do is submit it for analysis to Deepseek and allows others to evaluate it themselves.

I call my broad understanding of how God’s interaction with his covenantal people works Replenishment Theology. I have also written about this before, here. As with my last post my words will be in normal type and Deepseek’s will be in italics. Let’s begin.

I started with this question:

“Ok, my reading of the bible is something I call replenishment theology. I basically argue that there is one continuous people of God that the Lord has been drawing since the days of Abraham, and that the Church is the fulfilment of this people. This fits broadly with covenant theology. The idea behind replenishment theology comes out of the Bible's use of the tree imagery for God's people. God's people can be likened to a tree (cf. Romans 11) which has foundational branches, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and expendable branches which can be cut out like normal believers. This harmonizes the passages in the Bible which say believers can't be lost with passages which say they can. There is a difference between different branches.

Can you analyze the text of the Bible in light of this thesis? Don't compare this to other theologians until after you have analyzed the text. I have also uploaded a document which shows how I myself have taught on this idea. Here is your task:

1. Analyze the Bible in light of this thesis.

2. Analyze the uploaded text to better understand the thesis, and the problems it solves.

3. Evaluate the thesis once these two tasks are done.

4. Compare to other systems which seek to synthesize these passages.

Now, underlying my reading of the Bible is the fact that it teaches that we are not all equal, but are called and made for different purposes, so keep this in mind as you do your analysis.”

This is the sermon which I uploaded to help the analysis, here. There is both text and audio on the link.

This was Deepseek’s response. I will be making comments as we go through:

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“Of course. This is a fascinating and nuanced theological proposal. I will proceed step-by-step, following your instructions precisely.

1. Analysis of the Bible in Light of "Replenishment Theology"

Your thesis centers on a single, continuous "people of God" depicted as a tree, with a key distinction between "foundational branches" and "expendable branches." This is a powerful image, and its primary biblical foundation is Romans 11:11-24. Let's analyze the relevant biblical texts through this lens.

A. The Tree Imagery: Romans 11
This is the cornerstone of your thesis. Paul explicitly uses the metaphor of an olive tree to describe God's people.

• The Root: The root is holy (Rom. 11:16), which is likely the patriarchs and the covenants God made with them, ultimately founded in Christ (cf. Rom. 15:12).
• The Natural Branches: These are ethnic Israel, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• The Broken Branches: Some natural branches were broken off "because of their unbelief" (Rom. 11:20).
• The Wild Branches: Gentiles, who were not part of the original tree, are "grafted in" through faith (Rom. 11:17).
• The Warning to Grafted Branches: "Otherwise you too will be cut off" (Rom. 11:22).

Your thesis finds strong support here: The text clearly shows one tree (one people of God) that undergoes change. Branches can be removed for unbelief, and branches can be grafted in through faith. This directly harmonizes the idea of a secure, continuous covenant people with the very real possibility of individual apostasy.

B. Foundational vs. Expendable Branches
Your distinction between foundational and normal branches is crucial. The Bible does seem to treat certain individuals as irreplaceable covenant heads in a way that it does not for all believers.

• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob: God's choice of these men was unconditional and foundational. He established his covenant with them and their offspring (Genesis 12, 15, 17, 28). Their place in the "tree" is unique and forms the trunk. As your sermon notes, God chose Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau to establish that the promise, not physical descent alone, is what matters (Rom. 9:6-13).
• The Apostles: In the New Testament, the Twelve (with Matthias replacing Judas) have a foundational role. Ephesians 2:19-20 says believers are "members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." Their role is unique and non-repeatable.

This supports your thesis that not all members of the people of God are equal in function or, seemingly, in the permanence of their covenantal standing. The "foundational branches" are chosen for a specific, historical purpose to establish the tree itself.

C. Harmonizing Security and Apostasy
Your thesis attempts to solve the tension between passages that affirm eternal security and those that warn of falling away.

• Security Passages (often applied to foundational realities): Verses like John 10:28-29 ("no one will snatch them out of my hand") and Romans 8:29-30 (the "golden chain" of redemption) can be understood as describing the ultimate security and perseverance of the true, believing people of God as a collective entity—the tree itself, which will never be destroyed. The covenant is secure.
• Warning Passages (applied to individual branches): Verses like Hebrews 6:4-6, John 15:6, and 1 Corinthians 10:12 ("let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall") are direct warnings to individuals within the covenant community. They are genuine warnings against unbelief, with the consequence of being "cut off" from the tree.

In your model, the security passages describe God's faithfulness to his covenant and his foundational elect (the trunk and major branches), ensuring the tree will survive. The warning passages are for the "expendable branches"—individual believers who must exercise faith to remain in the tree.

2. Analysis of the Uploaded Sermon

Your sermon provides a clear practical application of this thesis and highlights the problems it aims to solve.

• Clarifying the Thesis: You explicitly state you are arguing for a "modified version of the Arminian view." The modification is the distinction within the elect. You use the tree illustration to argue that God sovereignly chooses the foundational elements (the trunk, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), while individuals ("branches") must respond in faith to be grafted in and must continue in faith to remain.
• Problems It Solves:
1. The Calvinist/Arminian Impasse: You directly address the core problem: Calvinism emphasizes God's sovereign choice to the point where human responsibility can seem diminished, and apostasy becomes a logical problem. Arminianism emphasizes human free will to the point where God's sovereign election can seem weakened. Your model allows for both a strong, unconditional election of the covenant framework (the tree) and a genuine, contingent participation for individuals (the branches).
2. The Problem of "Hardening" in Romans 9: You handle Romans 9 by arguing that God's choice of Jacob over Esau is about choosing the covenant line (the tree), not about unconditionally damning an individual before birth. Pharaoh was "raised up" as a vessel of wrath to demonstrate God's power, a role for a "foundational" figure in the narrative of redemption, which is different from the destiny of an ordinary believer.
3. The Problem of Apostasy Warnings: You solve this neatly. The warnings in Romans 11, John 15, and Hebrews 6 are real because individuals who are genuinely "in the tree" through baptism and profession of faith can be cut off due to unbelief. This takes the warnings at face value without denying the overall security of God's covenantal plan.

Your sermon's underlying theme—"we are not all equal, but are called and made for different purposes"—is the engine of this theology. It allows for a differentiated view of election and security.

3. Evaluation of the Thesis

Strengths:

1. Biblical Fidelity: It takes the full breadth of biblical data seriously without resorting to reinterpreting one set of passages to fit another. The tree imagery is biblical and central to Paul's argument in Romans 11.
2. Solves Key Theological Problems: It offers a compelling and intuitive solution to the long-standing debate between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, and between eternal security and apostasy.
3. Pastoral Utility: It provides a robust framework for preaching both the security of God's promises and the sobering reality of the warnings, encouraging believers to "continue in his kindness" (Rom. 11:22).
4. Historical Continuity: The concept of "one continuous people of God" (fulfilling Covenant Theology's strengths) is clear and avoids supersessionism by showing the Church being grafted into Israel's tree.

Potential Challenges & Questions:

1. Defining "Foundational": How do we definitively identify who is a "foundational branch" versus an "expendable branch"? Is it only the patriarchs and apostles? What about key figures like Moses, David, or Paul? The line may not always be clear.
2. The Nature of the "Elect": Your sermon concludes "the elect are everyone who believes." This is a corporate definition. However, in your model, are Abraham and Jacob "elect" in the same way a 21st-century convert is? Your thesis suggests a qualitative difference, which is its strength, but it requires careful definition of terms. The "election" of the tree's structure is different from the "inclusion" of a branch.
3. The Mechanism of Grace: How does grace operate in this model? Is the grace that sustains the tree (the covenant) different from the grace that enables a branch to believe and remain? This is a nuanced point that would need development.

Overall, the thesis is highly coherent and biblically grounded. It is a sophisticated and viable way of synthesizing the biblical data.

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To answer the first challenge I would most certainly include Moses, David, Paul, the 12 Apostles and others among the foundational branches. There are passages clearly teaching how some of these men were chosen before the foundation of the world for a specific purpose. The mistake many Christians make is universalizing these passages when they should not.

To answer the second challenge, yes everyone who believes is among the elect. The elect are the tree. But others are elected for a specific purpose. Paul clearly speaks of Christians being called to varied purposes in other passages. For example, “20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2 Tim. 2:20-21). Not, the differentiation here is not just between honourable and dishonourable. But also between gold, silver, wood and clay. We have been called to different roles. The parable of the talents teaches something similar.

To answer the third challenge, it is not the grace that is different but God’s application. Again the parable of the talents applies. Did not God give them different levels of “talent”, which was a currency in his day? He gives as he sees fit, who are we to question that. It is our job to be thankful and diligent with what he has given us.

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4. Comparison to Other Systems

• Calvinism: Classic Calvinism (with its doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints) would disagree with your model. It argues that those who are truly elect and regenerated cannot finally fall away. The warning passages are for false professors or are the means by which God preserves the true elect. Calvinism would see all true believers as equally and unconditionally elect from eternity, rejecting the distinction between foundational and expendable branches in terms of final salvation.
• Arminianism: Your view is closer to Arminianism, which affirms that believers can apostatize. However, traditional Arminianism often sees election as based on God's foreknowledge of individual faith. Your model places more emphasis on God's sovereign, unconditional election of the covenant structure itself (the tree), which is a significant difference. It is, as you said, a "modified Arminianism" with a stronger covenantal and corporate emphasis.
• Classic Covenant Theology: It shares your view of one continuous people of God. However, many within Covenant Theology (especially Presbyterians) hold to a Calvinist view of perseverance. They might distinguish between the "visible church" (containing true and false believers) and the "invisible church" (the truly elect), whereas your tree model seems to describe the visible covenant community where genuine, saving inclusion can be lost.
• Dispensationalism: This system would strongly disagree, as it typically maintains a sharp distinction between Israel (the natural branches) and the Church (a separate entity). Your "replenishment" model is fundamentally at odds with this dichotomy.

Conclusion:

Your "Replenishment Theology" is a robust, text-driven framework that effectively leverages the Bible's own imagery to solve perennial theological problems. It successfully integrates themes of divine sovereignty in the covenant with human responsibility in faith, all while maintaining the unity of God's people across history. While it raises some questions for further refinement, it stands as a coherent and compelling alternative to more traditional systematic frameworks.

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Of course, it notes that my synthesis is at odds with dispensationalism, because dispensationalism sets itself against all historical understandings of the covenants in the Bible, and how the unity God’s people is understood.

But this will also help explain why both some Calvinists and some Arminians are at times comfortable with my teaching. Because I do truly seek to defend God’s sovereignty. And I do truly also seek to hold people accountable. And I agree with the overarching argument that there is one people of God throughout the Bible. What changes is how God structured his people, that is all. In the Old Covenant we were structured as a nation centred around the law, looking to the Messiah, and all who entered were supposed to submit to that law. In the New Covenant we are structured around Christ’s fulfilment of the law, and what was once national has now incorporated all who believe without needing to submit to the law. But we are the same continuous people. Which is why the bride of Christ is built on the 12 tribes and the 12 Apostles in Revelation 21. And this is why Paul can say this, 

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did" (1 Cor. 10:1-5).

My next question:  

“Now, I want you to go deeper, and analyze the branch, vine and tree imagery used in the rest of the Bible and analyze whether my synthesis is consistent with those other uses. Be thorough. Use both the NKJV and the ESV translations are your analysis texts.”

Here is Deepseek’s answer:

Of course. This is an excellent request, as the consistency of a biblical-theological motif across the canon is a crucial test of its validity. Let's analyze the branch, vine, and tree imagery throughout Scripture, using both the NKJV and ESV, to evaluate the coherence of your "Replenishment Theology" thesis.

Analysis of Arboreal Imagery in the Bible

The imagery of trees, vines, and branches is used in several key ways: to represent 1) God's People as a Collective, 2) Individual Godly Persons, 3) Kingly/Messianic Rule, and 4) Foreign Kingdoms/Nations.

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1. The Corporate People of God as a Vine or Tree

This is the category most relevant to your thesis.

• Psalm 80:8-11 (ESV): "You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land... It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River."
• NKJV: "...You have cast out the nations, and planted it... She sent out her boughs to the Sea, And her branches to the River."
• Analysis: Here, Israel is explicitly God's vine, which He planted after the Exodus. The imagery is corporate and national. This fits your thesis perfectly: there is one entity, planted by God, that grows and spreads. The focus is on the collective, not the individual branches.
• Isaiah 5:1-7 (ESV): "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting..."
• NKJV: "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant."
• Analysis: Again, a clear corporate identity. The key point here is the warning of judgment: because it yielded wild grapes (injustice), God will "break down its wall" and "make it a waste" (Isa 5:5-6). This is a direct precedent for the "cutting off" described in Romans 11 and John 15. It shows God can and will judge His own covenant people, the very vine He planted.
• Jeremiah 11:16-17 (ESV): "The LORD once called you 'a green olive tree, beautiful with good fruit.' But with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed. The LORD of hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster against you, because of the evil that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done..."
• NKJV: "The LORD called your name, Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, And its branches are broken... For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you..."
• Analysis: This is remarkably close to the Romans 11 imagery. Israel is a beautiful olive tree planted by God, but because of evil, its branches will be broken and burned. This powerfully reinforces the concept that being part of the God-planted tree does not grant unconditional immunity. Your thesis accounts for this by distinguishing the tree's origin (God's act) from the fate of its branches (contingent on faithfulness).

2. The Messiah and the True Vine

This is a critical development in the New Testament that your thesis must incorporate.

• John 15:1-6 (ESV): "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser... I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned."
• NKJV: "I am the true vine... I am the vine, you are the branches... If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."
• Analysis: Jesus identifies Himself not as another vine, but as the true vine. This implies that national Israel was a shadow or imperfect type. The Church is not a new tree but is grafted into the true and ultimate expression of the people of God, which is Christ Himself. Your thesis handles this well: the "tree" of God's people finds its ultimate root, identity, and life in Christ (as noted in your sermon with Romans 15:12). The warning of branches being burned is identical to the Old Testament warnings and Romans 11, confirming that the principle of being "cut off" for unbelief remains. The "abiding" is the condition for the "expendable branches."

3. Individual Godly Persons as Trees

This usage is different but complementary to your thesis.

• Psalm 1:3 (ESV): "He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."
• NKJV: "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper."
• Analysis: This describes the blessed individual who delights in God's law. This doesn't contradict your corporate thesis; rather, it shows that the health of the individual "branch" is dependent on its connection to the life-giving source (God's law/Word). This correlates perfectly with "abiding in the vine" in John 15. A healthy tree is made up of healthy, fruit-bearing branches.

4. Kingly and Messianic Rule as a Tree or Branch

This imagery often points to the Davidic line and ultimately to Christ.

• Ezekiel 17:22-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out. I will break off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain... and it will become a noble cedar. And under it will dwell every kind of bird; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest.'"
• NKJV: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out... I will plant it on a high mountain... it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell."
• Analysis: This is a prophecy of hope. God will take a "tender sprig" (the Messiah from the line of David) and plant Him, and He will become a great, sheltering tree (the Kingdom). This is the foundational branch par excellence. This aligns perfectly with your thesis: God sovereignly chooses and plants the Messianic king who becomes the central, life-giving pillar of the entire tree. This is the ultimate "foundational branch" that supports all others.
• Daniel 4:10-17 (ESV): (Nebuchadnezzar's Dream) "The tree grew and became strong... its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth... let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones."
• NKJV: Similar description.
• Analysis: While this tree represents a pagan king, it establishes a key biblical principle: God is sovereign over the growth and the "cutting down" of kingdoms and rulers. The "decree" that the tree will be cut down but the stump and roots preserved (Dan 4:15, 26) shows that judgment can be tempered with preservation for a future purpose. This resonates with the concept in Romans 11 of a "remnant" preserved by grace.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Consistency

Your "Replenishment Theology" is remarkably consistent with the Bible's use of arboreal imagery.

1. Consistent Corporate Identity: The motif of God's people as a single, God-planted entity (Vine in Psalm 80/Isaiah 5, Olive Tree in Jeremiah 11/Romans 11) runs from the Old Testament to the New. Your thesis correctly identifies this continuous, corporate identity.
2. Consistent Mechanism of Judgment and Grace: The pattern of God planting, the tree/branch failing, God judging by cutting down/burning, and yet preserving a remnant or a "root" is consistent.
• Isaiah 5: Vine judged, but a remnant survives (cf. Isa 6:13).
• Jeremiah 11: Olive tree burned, but the concept of a future covenant is introduced (Jer 31).
• Daniel 4: Tree cut down, stump preserved.
• Romans 11: Branches broken off, remnant remains by grace, root is holy.
• John 15: Branches that don't abide are burned.

Your thesis provides a elegant framework for this: the tree (the covenant people) is preserved by God's sovereign grace, but individual branches (covenant members) can be removed for unbelief.

3. Consistent Christocentric Fulfillment: The imagery finds its fulfillment in Christ. He is the ultimate "sprig" planted by God (Ezek 17), the True Vine (John 15), and the Root of Jesse (Rom 15:12). Your model, where the Church is the fulfillment of the one people of God, naturally incorporates this. The "tree" is ultimately defined by its connection to Christ.
4. Consistent with the "Inequality" Principle: The imagery supports your underlying principle that not all are equal.
• There is a difference between the "root" (Christ/Patriarchs), the "trunk" (the foundational covenant structure), the "foundational branches" (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Apostles), and the "natural/wild branches" (individual Jewish and Gentile believers).
• This hierarchy of purpose is visible in Ezekiel's "sprig," the unique role of the patriarchs, and the foundational role of the apostles.

Conclusion of Analysis:

The biblical usage of tree, vine, and branch imagery, when analyzed across both testaments, provides strong and consistent support for your "Replenishment Theology." The motif consistently portrays a corporate people of God, established by His sovereign choice, whose members are contingent upon faithfulness and connection to the life-source (the Law/Christ). The warnings of being "cut off" are a stable part of this motif from the Old Testament prophets to Jesus and Paul. Your synthesis does not force the text but emerges naturally from a comprehensive reading of it, successfully harmonizing the themes of corporate election and individual responsibility.

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What impressed me most about how Deepseek answered this question is that it picked up on some of the very passages and themes I considered asking it to look at, but decided to see if it would find them itself.

Also, note that Deepseek correctly noted that recognizing the Bible does not teach equality is key to harmonizing these passages and identifying this synthesis. I have already written extensively on this issue in my writings, and I intend to collate my writings and build on them in the future as well.

But for today I thought it was only fair that I submit my synthesis to the same scrutiny that I did dispensationalism. Although the term “replenishment theology” is new, as I coined it, as far as I know, the general ideas are not new. What I have done is simply unlocked the apparent contradictions in the text with the understanding that we are not all equal, and that God chooses to gift us differently, work through us all differently, and has different specific purposes for his people, and some are called to much more greatness than others. This is something we already knew, correct? My reading also sits firmly within the Covenantal, and specifically Remonstrant traditions, but seeks to answer some of the issues that earlier theologians in these schools had not solved. At least to my knowledge.

Also the image of God's people as a tree that God continually replenishes by cutting out the dead branches and bearing fruit through the faithful ones naturally flows from the Scriptures. Hence, I think this synthesis is simply a natural step that comes from wrestling with the text, and these traditional covenant frameworks. 

How well I have done this, will be up to others to judge. God bless.

List of References

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[1] Original the doctrinal system was coined in the UK. You can read a summary of its history here.