December 31, the time of making resolutions seeing the old go, and the new come. What better time to consider the cross of Christ. To think upon the death of Jesus, the Son of God, who by his death reconciled believers to God, justified sinners, made peace with renegades, and brought the wayward home. Reader: before you read know this: that I write this with all the love that is in my heart, that you see and savor, "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," above all. Thus consider this quote from C.H. Spurgeon from his "Morning and Evening" daily devotional book, this is what the "Prince of Preachers" says on the final day of the old year.
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" Jeremiah 8:20
"Not saved! Dear reader, is this your mournful plight? Warned of the judgment to come, bidden to escape for your life, and yet at this moment not saved! You know the way of salvation, you read it in the Bible, you hear it form the pulpit, it is explained to you by friends, and yet you neglect it, and therefore are not saved. You will be without excuse when the Lord shall judge the quick and the dead. The Holy Spirit has given more or less of blessing upon the word which has been preached in you hearing, and times of refreshing have come from the divine presence, and yet you are without Christ.
All those hopeful seasons have come and gone- your summer and your harvest have passed- and yet you are not saved. Years have followed on another into eternity, and your last year will soon be here: youth has gone, manhood is going, and yet you are not saved. Let me ask you- will you ever be saved? Is there any likelihood of it? Already the most propitious seasons have left you unsaved; will other occasions alter your condition? Means have failed with you- the best of means, used perseveringly and with the utmost affection- what more can be done for you?
Affliction and prosperity have alike failed to impress you; tears and prayers and sermons have been wasted on you barren heart. Are not the probabilities dead against your ever being saved? Is it not more than likely that you will abide as you are till death forever bars the door of hope? Do you recoil from the supposition? Yet it is a most reasonable one: he who is not washed in so many waters will in all probability go filthy to his end. The convenient time never has come, why should it ever come?
It is logical to fear that it never will arrive, and that Felix-like, you will find no convenient season till you are in hell. O bethink you of what that hell is, and of the dread possibility that you will soon be cast into it!
Reader, suppose you should die unsaved, your doom no words can picture. Write out your dread estate in tears and blood, talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: you will be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. A brother's voice would fain startle you into earnestness. O be wise, be wise in time, and ere another year begins, believe in Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost. Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if deep repentance be bred in you, it will be well; and if it lead to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. O see to it that this year pass not away, and you an unforgiven spirit. Let not the new year's midnight peals sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, Now, NOW believe and live.
'Escape for thy life;
Look not behind thee,
Neither stay thou in all the plain;
Escape to the mountain,
Lest thou be consumed.'"
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Bunyan Quote
Over the Christmas break I was given an extremely old copy of some of the works of John Bunyan. Within this book was a small biography of his life, and within that was this quote from Bunyan, a quote that has been the cry of my heart for a few weeks now. Before I share the quote with you, I should warn you, the book was printed in 1845, and Bunyan lived in the 1600’s so the English is a little bit different. But please take the time to read and finish it, and think upon it, and I pray that it encourages you as it has (and continues) encouraged me. The background for the quote is this: Bunyan’s struggle with knowing whether or not he was truly saved.
“One day I was passing into the field, and that too with some dashes on my conscience, fearing least yet all was not right, suddenly this sentence came upon my soul, ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven;’ and [I] thought with all, I saw with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God’s right hand; there, I saw, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing God could not say of me, ‘He wants my righteousness,’ for that was there just before Him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of mind that made my righteousness better, nor my bad frame of mind that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever.’ Now did the chains fall off my legs indeed; I was loosed from my afflictions and my irons; my temptations also fled away… ‘He has made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption;’ by this word I saw the other sentence true. For, by this scripture, I saw that the man Christ Jesus, as He is distinct from us as touching bodily presence, so he is our righteousness and sanctification before God. Here, therefore, I lived for some time very sweetly at peace with God through Christ. Oh! [I] thought, Christ, Christ! There was nothing but Christ before my eyes. I was not now looking upon this and the other benefits of Christ apart, of his blood, burial, or resurrection, but considering him as a whole Christ, as he is when all these, and all other his virtues, relations, offices, and operations met together, and that he sat on the right hand of God in heaven. Twas glorious to me to see his exaltation, and the worth of prevalence of all his benefits; and that because now I could look from myself to Him, and would reckon that all those grace of God that now were green on me, were yet but like those cracked goats and four pence-halfpennies that rich men carry in their purses, when their gold is in their trunks at home; Oh! I saw my gold was in my trunk at home! In Christ my Lord and my Savior. Now Christ is my all; all my righteousness, all my sanctification, and all my redemption.”
“One day I was passing into the field, and that too with some dashes on my conscience, fearing least yet all was not right, suddenly this sentence came upon my soul, ‘Thy righteousness is in heaven;’ and [I] thought with all, I saw with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God’s right hand; there, I saw, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing God could not say of me, ‘He wants my righteousness,’ for that was there just before Him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of mind that made my righteousness better, nor my bad frame of mind that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever.’ Now did the chains fall off my legs indeed; I was loosed from my afflictions and my irons; my temptations also fled away… ‘He has made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption;’ by this word I saw the other sentence true. For, by this scripture, I saw that the man Christ Jesus, as He is distinct from us as touching bodily presence, so he is our righteousness and sanctification before God. Here, therefore, I lived for some time very sweetly at peace with God through Christ. Oh! [I] thought, Christ, Christ! There was nothing but Christ before my eyes. I was not now looking upon this and the other benefits of Christ apart, of his blood, burial, or resurrection, but considering him as a whole Christ, as he is when all these, and all other his virtues, relations, offices, and operations met together, and that he sat on the right hand of God in heaven. Twas glorious to me to see his exaltation, and the worth of prevalence of all his benefits; and that because now I could look from myself to Him, and would reckon that all those grace of God that now were green on me, were yet but like those cracked goats and four pence-halfpennies that rich men carry in their purses, when their gold is in their trunks at home; Oh! I saw my gold was in my trunk at home! In Christ my Lord and my Savior. Now Christ is my all; all my righteousness, all my sanctification, and all my redemption.”
Friday, December 12, 2008
Because of Christ Jesus
Because of Christ, I am free, Because of Jesus, I am a son of God. Because of Christ, I am a co-heir to the Kingdom of God. Because of Jesus, I am at peace with God. Because of Christ I am loved by the Father. The chains are gone, the fetter is broken, my fist in God's faces has become a hand lifted in prayer, my elegance to the Devil has become a daily battler against the Evil one. By what Christ has done, and by nothing I do has this come to me. By the grace of the good God. By the grace of a merciful God. Freedom has come, and His name is Jesus Christ.
Before the Throne of God Above
For my Ethics class I had to write a paper on Abortion, a part of which I have posted here in my journal. During this time of thinking about, looking at pictures of, and writing eloquently about killing babies, was for me a brutal experience. This, to be completely honest, took my to a level of depression I had yet to see. During this dark time the song "Before the Throne of God Above"waved as a flag in the morning sun of my mind. The first verse of this sing is:
"Before the throne of God above,
I have a Strong and Perfect plea,
A great High Priest Whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart,
I know that while in Heaven He stands,
No tongue can bide me thence depart."
This banner that waved above me and, indeed, continues to wave, has caused my soul to rest. Even though I hate the act of abortion, and truly have a deep anger toward those that practice this act of murder; in this song I have found my cleft in the rock, my wing to hide under, my castle to take refuge in, away from the storm, away from the fire, and away from the battle.
"Before the throne of God above,
I have a Strong and Perfect plea,
A great High Priest Whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart,
I know that while in Heaven He stands,
No tongue can bide me thence depart."
This banner that waved above me and, indeed, continues to wave, has caused my soul to rest. Even though I hate the act of abortion, and truly have a deep anger toward those that practice this act of murder; in this song I have found my cleft in the rock, my wing to hide under, my castle to take refuge in, away from the storm, away from the fire, and away from the battle.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Abortion.
My stance on abortion is as follows. Abortion is a choice allowed to all women that have unplanned pregnancies, and this choice is nothing more than the killing of a child. However before argumentative statements are given a definition of when life begins must be given, followed by the Constitutional rights of a living individual, and concluded with y my personal convictions on this matter.
The problem with abortion is not only whether there is a right to choice or a right to life, but when that life begins. For this essay life must begin at conception. For at the moment of conception the cells begin to reproduce (the child begins to grow). Thus life has begun. However if one does not hold to the idea of life beginning at conception then the debate of when does life begin starts. Is it at the moment the fetus becomes a recognizable human, or the moment blood begins to flow? When all vital organs are there and operational, or until the moment of birth? Nonetheless if this argument is allowed to continue one may say it falls into a slippery slope fallacy, yet if life does not begin at fertilization then who is to say that life dos not begin until the child has its first cognitive memories, or when it is able to make responsible decisions? However this is not a slippery slope fallacy it is the logical outplaying of an argument, for if there is no clear definition of when life begins then there is no clear definition of when killing becomes wrong. Therefore in this essay life begins at conception, the moment the sperm fertilizes the egg.
The fourteenth amendment to the United States of America’s Constitution states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” As well as the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
These two documents, documents that all American’s must consent to, state clearly that all persons are endowed with unalienable rights, and these rights shall not be abridged nor shall the State deprive any person of these rights. The first mentioned in these two separate lists of what cannot, should not, and must not be tampered with, is life. Life. Not choice. Choice is subservient to life.
For one to make a choice one must be alive. Thus within the pro-choice argument life is given to those that make the choice, but denied to those that are unwanted. If one were to look at this with a Kantian eye one would see an unsound argument. That life can be allotted to one, but to another it can be taken away. Even if Kant is taken away from the problem one still sees a discrepancy, how and why is one allowed to take the life of a child, but not allowed to take the life a teenager, young adult, or the elderly? For if life has no clear definition of beginnings, then killing also has no clear definition of being wrong. For when does killing become the taking of life, if one is not yet alive?
However, under Roe V. Wade if one stands trial for killing their eight-year-old son and says it was abortion because the child was not serving the parents purpose then the courts would have to release this murdering parent. For there is no clear definition of when life begins under Roe V. Wade. But someone would cry this is a, “Travesty of justice” you cannot simply kill a child because they were not serving your purpose. But we can abort a baby because it is unwanted, or does not serve ones purposes.
In short the rights of a newly conceived child do not exist; we as a country have stolen them away. Making him/her a choice, depraving him/her from his/her life, because we wanted our life to continue on without any annoyance. This is the epitome of selfishness. But one may cry ‘what of rape?’ Would not a truly Good Samaritan carry the child to term, and give it a chance at life, rather than destroying it? We are created in the image of God with a certain unalienable right to life, and as image bearers of God we must see abortion as nothing more than defiance against God. Not only by trying to play God, but as seeing His creation as nothing more than an annoyance and killing it off because of our pride. We see the innocent as an inconvenience and kill them.
We, from the moment of conception, are alive, whether blood is in our veins, or breath in our lungs is a side note, we are growing, and changing, and cells are reproducing, thus by definition we are alive, and therefore to take the life of this, the smallest and most helpless individual, is a cowardly act. A human infant is more than an acorn, but one would die to protect the acorn rather than to protect the child. An ameba is considered to be a living creature, but a newly conceived child is considered to be nothing more than cells to throw away.
I conclude with this, that abortion is wrong for more than one reason. First, because it is a travesty against the God who creates, by throwing our fist in His face and saying, “This child You give is an annoyance and therefore I will kill it.” Second, because it is against the not only the Declaration of Independence but against the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Under which we are all given an unalienable right to life. Third and lastly, abortion is wrong because it is the killing of human being. Not merely an acorn or a single celled organism, but a human child. The most helpless form of humanity.
The problem with abortion is not only whether there is a right to choice or a right to life, but when that life begins. For this essay life must begin at conception. For at the moment of conception the cells begin to reproduce (the child begins to grow). Thus life has begun. However if one does not hold to the idea of life beginning at conception then the debate of when does life begin starts. Is it at the moment the fetus becomes a recognizable human, or the moment blood begins to flow? When all vital organs are there and operational, or until the moment of birth? Nonetheless if this argument is allowed to continue one may say it falls into a slippery slope fallacy, yet if life does not begin at fertilization then who is to say that life dos not begin until the child has its first cognitive memories, or when it is able to make responsible decisions? However this is not a slippery slope fallacy it is the logical outplaying of an argument, for if there is no clear definition of when life begins then there is no clear definition of when killing becomes wrong. Therefore in this essay life begins at conception, the moment the sperm fertilizes the egg.
The fourteenth amendment to the United States of America’s Constitution states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” As well as the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
These two documents, documents that all American’s must consent to, state clearly that all persons are endowed with unalienable rights, and these rights shall not be abridged nor shall the State deprive any person of these rights. The first mentioned in these two separate lists of what cannot, should not, and must not be tampered with, is life. Life. Not choice. Choice is subservient to life.
For one to make a choice one must be alive. Thus within the pro-choice argument life is given to those that make the choice, but denied to those that are unwanted. If one were to look at this with a Kantian eye one would see an unsound argument. That life can be allotted to one, but to another it can be taken away. Even if Kant is taken away from the problem one still sees a discrepancy, how and why is one allowed to take the life of a child, but not allowed to take the life a teenager, young adult, or the elderly? For if life has no clear definition of beginnings, then killing also has no clear definition of being wrong. For when does killing become the taking of life, if one is not yet alive?
However, under Roe V. Wade if one stands trial for killing their eight-year-old son and says it was abortion because the child was not serving the parents purpose then the courts would have to release this murdering parent. For there is no clear definition of when life begins under Roe V. Wade. But someone would cry this is a, “Travesty of justice” you cannot simply kill a child because they were not serving your purpose. But we can abort a baby because it is unwanted, or does not serve ones purposes.
In short the rights of a newly conceived child do not exist; we as a country have stolen them away. Making him/her a choice, depraving him/her from his/her life, because we wanted our life to continue on without any annoyance. This is the epitome of selfishness. But one may cry ‘what of rape?’ Would not a truly Good Samaritan carry the child to term, and give it a chance at life, rather than destroying it? We are created in the image of God with a certain unalienable right to life, and as image bearers of God we must see abortion as nothing more than defiance against God. Not only by trying to play God, but as seeing His creation as nothing more than an annoyance and killing it off because of our pride. We see the innocent as an inconvenience and kill them.
We, from the moment of conception, are alive, whether blood is in our veins, or breath in our lungs is a side note, we are growing, and changing, and cells are reproducing, thus by definition we are alive, and therefore to take the life of this, the smallest and most helpless individual, is a cowardly act. A human infant is more than an acorn, but one would die to protect the acorn rather than to protect the child. An ameba is considered to be a living creature, but a newly conceived child is considered to be nothing more than cells to throw away.
I conclude with this, that abortion is wrong for more than one reason. First, because it is a travesty against the God who creates, by throwing our fist in His face and saying, “This child You give is an annoyance and therefore I will kill it.” Second, because it is against the not only the Declaration of Independence but against the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Under which we are all given an unalienable right to life. Third and lastly, abortion is wrong because it is the killing of human being. Not merely an acorn or a single celled organism, but a human child. The most helpless form of humanity.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The God Who is There
I am reading John Piper's new book "Spectacular Sins, and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ." Here is an excerpt from it, personally I think it is phenomenal:
"This book also aims to solidify the conviction that Christianity is not merely a set of ideas and practices and feelings designed for our psychological well-being -- whether designed by God or man. That is not what Christianity is. Christianity begins with the conviction that God is an objective reality outside ourselves. We do not make him what he is by thinking a certain way about him. As Francis Shaeffer said, he is the God who is there. We don't make him. He makes us. We don't decide what he is going to be like. He decides what we are going to be like. He created the universe, and it has the meaning he gives it, not the meaning we give it. If we give it meaning different from his, we are fools. And our lives will be tragic in the end.
Christianity is not a game; it's not therapy. All of its doctrine flows from God who is, and what he has done in history. They correspond to hard facts. Christianity is more than facts, but not less. There is faith and hope and love. But these don't float in the air. They grow like great cedar trees in the rock of God's truth.
And the reason I make this one of my aims in this book is because I am deeply convinced from the Bible that our eternal joy and strength and holiness depends on the solidity of this worldview putting strong fiber into the spine of our faith. Wimpy worldviews make wimpy Christians. And wimpy Christians won't survive the days ahead. Rootless emotionalism that treats Christianity like a therapeutic option will be swept away in the last days. Those who will be left standing will be those who have built their house on the rock of great, objective truth with Jesus Christ as the origin, center, and goal of it all."
"This book also aims to solidify the conviction that Christianity is not merely a set of ideas and practices and feelings designed for our psychological well-being -- whether designed by God or man. That is not what Christianity is. Christianity begins with the conviction that God is an objective reality outside ourselves. We do not make him what he is by thinking a certain way about him. As Francis Shaeffer said, he is the God who is there. We don't make him. He makes us. We don't decide what he is going to be like. He decides what we are going to be like. He created the universe, and it has the meaning he gives it, not the meaning we give it. If we give it meaning different from his, we are fools. And our lives will be tragic in the end.
Christianity is not a game; it's not therapy. All of its doctrine flows from God who is, and what he has done in history. They correspond to hard facts. Christianity is more than facts, but not less. There is faith and hope and love. But these don't float in the air. They grow like great cedar trees in the rock of God's truth.
And the reason I make this one of my aims in this book is because I am deeply convinced from the Bible that our eternal joy and strength and holiness depends on the solidity of this worldview putting strong fiber into the spine of our faith. Wimpy worldviews make wimpy Christians. And wimpy Christians won't survive the days ahead. Rootless emotionalism that treats Christianity like a therapeutic option will be swept away in the last days. Those who will be left standing will be those who have built their house on the rock of great, objective truth with Jesus Christ as the origin, center, and goal of it all."
Friday, September 19, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Eternal security (Once saved always saved)
I have been discussing this issue with a Jehovah's Witness, this is my response to a post she made.
Allow me to give you my reasoning for believing in eternal security (once saved always saved).
First lets look in James 2. Beginning in 14 James writes, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" He then continues on to describe a scene of a naked and hungry brother or sister (in the faith), and a “believer” that says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled." However this “believer” does nothing for them, this is showing that the believer has “faith” but no works to back up the faith. “But do you not know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” In verse 18 it is written, "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Thus works are the overflow of faith in the believers life, works alone cannot save one, but one can be justified by faith through works, "Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?"
Another passage that I stand firmly in is John 10:28-30, "And I gave them eternal life and they shall never perish: neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are One." “No one is able to snatch them out of My hand.” Meaning no one can take one’s salvation away from one, not even the one that has the salvation; because My Father who is greater than all holds them tightly in His grip.
Now I cannot espouse to think that I can overcome the creator of the Universe in saying, “I can pull myself out of His omnipotent grip.” That would be making God nothing more than a weak man, which is nothing short of blasphemy.
Yet another verse is that of Romans 8:30, “Moreover whom He predestined these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (sanctified).” Not only does this verse present God as the initiator of faith, but also the finisher of the work of salvation. Revealing that there is a plan for those that are “called” from beginning to end. Not a plan that is contingent on the mere whim of mortal, broken, fallen man, but a plan that relies wholly on the Immortal, Whole, Creator of the Universe.
One final verse that I feel speaks completely for itself is John 6:39, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”
To take this one step farther, this just makes sense. It is logical. That God would begin and finish the plan of salvation, instead of leaving it up to a fallen people of debase minds. We praise God as great, and worthy of praise, the Creator, the Savior by Whom grace came and saved, mercy was poured out, and salvation was made possible. But we would not dare to give God the glory that He is due for being able to hold us firmly in His grip! “He holds my life! And I praise Him for that, but He cannot hold my salvation!” That is blasphemy!
Allow me to give you my reasoning for believing in eternal security (once saved always saved).
First lets look in James 2. Beginning in 14 James writes, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" He then continues on to describe a scene of a naked and hungry brother or sister (in the faith), and a “believer” that says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled." However this “believer” does nothing for them, this is showing that the believer has “faith” but no works to back up the faith. “But do you not know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” In verse 18 it is written, "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Thus works are the overflow of faith in the believers life, works alone cannot save one, but one can be justified by faith through works, "Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?"
Another passage that I stand firmly in is John 10:28-30, "And I gave them eternal life and they shall never perish: neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are One." “No one is able to snatch them out of My hand.” Meaning no one can take one’s salvation away from one, not even the one that has the salvation; because My Father who is greater than all holds them tightly in His grip.
Now I cannot espouse to think that I can overcome the creator of the Universe in saying, “I can pull myself out of His omnipotent grip.” That would be making God nothing more than a weak man, which is nothing short of blasphemy.
Yet another verse is that of Romans 8:30, “Moreover whom He predestined these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (sanctified).” Not only does this verse present God as the initiator of faith, but also the finisher of the work of salvation. Revealing that there is a plan for those that are “called” from beginning to end. Not a plan that is contingent on the mere whim of mortal, broken, fallen man, but a plan that relies wholly on the Immortal, Whole, Creator of the Universe.
One final verse that I feel speaks completely for itself is John 6:39, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”
To take this one step farther, this just makes sense. It is logical. That God would begin and finish the plan of salvation, instead of leaving it up to a fallen people of debase minds. We praise God as great, and worthy of praise, the Creator, the Savior by Whom grace came and saved, mercy was poured out, and salvation was made possible. But we would not dare to give God the glory that He is due for being able to hold us firmly in His grip! “He holds my life! And I praise Him for that, but He cannot hold my salvation!” That is blasphemy!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
God is the greatest gift of the Gospel in and above all things
This is a quote from Jonathan Edwards taken from John Piper's "God is the Gospel."
"The redeemed have all of their objective good in God. God himself is the great good which they are brought to the possession and enjoyment of by redemption. He is the highest good, and the sum of all that good which Christ purchased. God is the inheritance of the saints; he is the portion of their souls. God is their wealth and treasure, their food, their life, their dwelling place, their ornament and diadem, and their everlasting honor and glory. They have none in heaven but God; he is the great good which the redeemed are received to at death, and which they are to rise at the end of the world. The Lord God, he is the light of the heavenly Jerusalem; and is the 'river of the water of life' that runs, and the tree of life that grows, 'in the midst of the paradise of God.' The glorious excellencies and the beauty of God will be what will forever entertain the minds of the saints, and the love of God will be their everlasting feast. The redeemed will indeed enjoy other things; they will enjoy angels, and will enjoy one another: but that which they shall enjoy in angles, or each other, or in anything else whatsoever, that will yield them delight and happiness, will be what will be seen of God in them."
"For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever. Amen" Romans 11:36
"The redeemed have all of their objective good in God. God himself is the great good which they are brought to the possession and enjoyment of by redemption. He is the highest good, and the sum of all that good which Christ purchased. God is the inheritance of the saints; he is the portion of their souls. God is their wealth and treasure, their food, their life, their dwelling place, their ornament and diadem, and their everlasting honor and glory. They have none in heaven but God; he is the great good which the redeemed are received to at death, and which they are to rise at the end of the world. The Lord God, he is the light of the heavenly Jerusalem; and is the 'river of the water of life' that runs, and the tree of life that grows, 'in the midst of the paradise of God.' The glorious excellencies and the beauty of God will be what will forever entertain the minds of the saints, and the love of God will be their everlasting feast. The redeemed will indeed enjoy other things; they will enjoy angels, and will enjoy one another: but that which they shall enjoy in angles, or each other, or in anything else whatsoever, that will yield them delight and happiness, will be what will be seen of God in them."
"For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever. Amen" Romans 11:36
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Bobby Burns poem
"O Thou great Being! what Thou art Surpasses me to know:
Yet sure I am, that known to Thee are all Thy works below.
Thy creature here before Thee stands, all wretched and distressed;
Yet sure those ills that wring my soul obey Thy highest behest.
Sure, Thou, Almighty, canst no act from cruelty or wrath!
Oh, free my weary eyes from tears, or close them fast in death!
But if I must afflicted be, to suit some wise design;
Then, man my soul with firm resolves to bear and not repine!"
Yet sure I am, that known to Thee are all Thy works below.
Thy creature here before Thee stands, all wretched and distressed;
Yet sure those ills that wring my soul obey Thy highest behest.
Sure, Thou, Almighty, canst no act from cruelty or wrath!
Oh, free my weary eyes from tears, or close them fast in death!
But if I must afflicted be, to suit some wise design;
Then, man my soul with firm resolves to bear and not repine!"
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Gospel
“It is a throne of grace, all the needs of those who come to it will be supplied.” Come to the throne of grace, that you might know that God is the Just and Justifier. That He is from first to last. Before all things were, He was God. You must not bring Him anything, just your sinfulness, that He might show you His awesome power, in His Awesome Son. “Come then you who are poor as poverty itself, having no merits and destitute of virtues and reduced to beggarly bankruptcy by Adam’s fall and your own transgressions.” “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isaiah 55:1).” It is the free gift of God for those that believe. “…Because if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9).” It is not by works, but by God. Excluding boasting because man does nothing in his own salvation, it is entirely a work that can only be initiated by God and finished by Christ. “Come, then, you who are not only poor but also wretched, whose miseries make you long for death, and yet you dread it. You captive ones, come in your chains; you slaves, come with the irons upon your souls; you who sit in darkness, come forth all blindfolded as you are. The throne of grace will look on you if you cannot look on it and will give to you, though you have nothing to give to in return, and will deliver you, though you cannot raise a finger to deliver yourself.” “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption of Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith, this was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. (Romans 3:22-25)”
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Christian or christian?
"But alas, how little fit for heaven are many who talk of 'going to heaven' when they die, while they manifestly have no saving faith, and no real acquaintance with Christ. You give Christ no honor here. You have no communion with Him. You do not love Him. Alas! what could you do in heaven? It would be no place for you. Its joys would be no joys for you. Its happiness would be a happiness into which you could not enter. Its employments would be a weariness and burden to your heart. Oh, repent and change before it is too late!" ~J.C. Ryle
To get directly to the point, are you Christian or merely christian? Is God the end to your means, or is He the means to your end? If He is not the all sufficient, all Sovereign, soul satisfying, Creator of the Universe in your life, than do you really believe He is God? Do you only speak Christianity, or do you live it? My fear is that most American Christians are not Christians at all, they are christians with a little c, meaning they acknowledge God as God with their mouths, but not with their lives. They see God as some sort of giving deity, that all they have to do is ask for anything and it will come. That is not Christianity, that is idolatry, exalting gifts above the Giver. This is the "prosperity gospel" this is not the Gospel. The Gospel is Christ and Him crucified. Not a clean bill of health.
"'Come let us reason together,' says the Lord, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'"* Go to God, and reason your salvation out with Him, be completely assured of it, do not be as a wave tossed about in the sea. Know that God is your Savior, and soul satisfying shelter. Do not lean on the belief of your parents, or friends, make your faith your own. Not just a Sunday morning, Wednesday night belief, but an all the time belief, that God is great and greatly to be praised. That God is the Gospel. "When we celebrate the Gospel of Christ and the love of God, and when we life up the gift of salvation, let us do it in such a way that people will see through it to God himself." **
* Isaiah 1:18
** John Piper "God is the Gospel" p 16
To get directly to the point, are you Christian or merely christian? Is God the end to your means, or is He the means to your end? If He is not the all sufficient, all Sovereign, soul satisfying, Creator of the Universe in your life, than do you really believe He is God? Do you only speak Christianity, or do you live it? My fear is that most American Christians are not Christians at all, they are christians with a little c, meaning they acknowledge God as God with their mouths, but not with their lives. They see God as some sort of giving deity, that all they have to do is ask for anything and it will come. That is not Christianity, that is idolatry, exalting gifts above the Giver. This is the "prosperity gospel" this is not the Gospel. The Gospel is Christ and Him crucified. Not a clean bill of health.
"'Come let us reason together,' says the Lord, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'"* Go to God, and reason your salvation out with Him, be completely assured of it, do not be as a wave tossed about in the sea. Know that God is your Savior, and soul satisfying shelter. Do not lean on the belief of your parents, or friends, make your faith your own. Not just a Sunday morning, Wednesday night belief, but an all the time belief, that God is great and greatly to be praised. That God is the Gospel. "When we celebrate the Gospel of Christ and the love of God, and when we life up the gift of salvation, let us do it in such a way that people will see through it to God himself." **
* Isaiah 1:18
** John Piper "God is the Gospel" p 16
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Spurgeon quote
"I love thee, Lord, but with no love of mine,
For I have none to give;
I love thee, Lord; but all the love is Thine,
For by Thy love I love.
I am as nothing, and rejoice to be
Emptied, and lost, and swallowed up in Thee."
For I have none to give;
I love thee, Lord; but all the love is Thine,
For by Thy love I love.
I am as nothing, and rejoice to be
Emptied, and lost, and swallowed up in Thee."
Monday, June 9, 2008
Flight to Uganda East Africa
During the transatlantic flight from Detroit to Amsterdam, right after take-off, just after the plane had risen above the clouds, beauty unfolded before me. The sun was setting creating a vast array of colors, over what appeared to be rolling hills, and high mountains of bright yellow, and sinking oranges as they crested and began to descend into deep canyons of dark purples and rich blues, stretching out as far as my eye could see, canyon after canyon and mountain after mountain, each stretching toward the heavens or sinking into the depths of the known world. This awesome spectacle that God spread out before me, causing me to forget all the worries of what might happen during the coming trip, and to extol my glorious King. All of this while the screen in front of me says, “It’s all about you.”
Seeing this beautiful sight, and trying to reconcile in my mind, if it is all about me then, what is this. The sun is not setting and creating this gorgeous landscape for me. The clouds did not form into high mountains, and rolling hills, and deep canyons for me. It was, and is, an irreconcilable thought. None of this can be happening for me. Why would a sun that is millions of miles away be setting for a being that can’t even be seen from its place in the heavens. The clouds that, from their place only see the cities, and those from afar. The lie that it is all about us, that we deserve everything, is completely wrong. It is all about God, about His Son, about Christ and Him Crucified, there can be no higher meaning to the spectacle I saw (or to life), than the praise of the King of Kings, the Creator of the sun and of clouds. He created that image, that beautiful site for His own pleasure. So we on the plane might see it and be amazed by its beauty, and comprehend, for an instant, our smallness. While He sits in Heaven and says, “Can you hold the Pleiades in your hand? I can. Can you loose the belt of Orion? I can.” God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. We can do nothing outside of His grace. “No one can restrain His hand, or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’”
Seeing this beautiful sight, and trying to reconcile in my mind, if it is all about me then, what is this. The sun is not setting and creating this gorgeous landscape for me. The clouds did not form into high mountains, and rolling hills, and deep canyons for me. It was, and is, an irreconcilable thought. None of this can be happening for me. Why would a sun that is millions of miles away be setting for a being that can’t even be seen from its place in the heavens. The clouds that, from their place only see the cities, and those from afar. The lie that it is all about us, that we deserve everything, is completely wrong. It is all about God, about His Son, about Christ and Him Crucified, there can be no higher meaning to the spectacle I saw (or to life), than the praise of the King of Kings, the Creator of the sun and of clouds. He created that image, that beautiful site for His own pleasure. So we on the plane might see it and be amazed by its beauty, and comprehend, for an instant, our smallness. While He sits in Heaven and says, “Can you hold the Pleiades in your hand? I can. Can you loose the belt of Orion? I can.” God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. We can do nothing outside of His grace. “No one can restrain His hand, or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’”
Monday, May 19, 2008
Pray for the Sudan Trip
Hello all,
As I sit on the eve of this trip, there are many things that need prayer. The first, and, I feel, greatest is that God’s name will be glorified, in all that we do, and say. That His utter sovereignty would be known to all who are praying for us, and that He does, or allows, all according to His prefect plan.
The second, and more physical than any, is that of safety. That we will be able to do what is needed, and to do it without harm being caused to either them or us. As I sit on the eve of the trip, I have had time to think, and it has gotten me nervous, so pray for all of our nerves, that we would be at peace, and be clear in mind, to know the right decision to make.
Third, pray for the families that are represented in this trip, and for the ones that have not gone. That their nerves will also be calmed.
Lastly, for the people we will encounter. That they may be directed towards God (if it be His will), and know that He is God, and there is no other.
Please pray for us as we go on this trip, that God will be glorified, that, if it be His will, we will be safe, for the families that are represented, and for the people we will encounter. God is good all the time. He is great.
Your brother for the cause of Christ,
Sam Morris
Romans 7:24-25
As I sit on the eve of this trip, there are many things that need prayer. The first, and, I feel, greatest is that God’s name will be glorified, in all that we do, and say. That His utter sovereignty would be known to all who are praying for us, and that He does, or allows, all according to His prefect plan.
The second, and more physical than any, is that of safety. That we will be able to do what is needed, and to do it without harm being caused to either them or us. As I sit on the eve of the trip, I have had time to think, and it has gotten me nervous, so pray for all of our nerves, that we would be at peace, and be clear in mind, to know the right decision to make.
Third, pray for the families that are represented in this trip, and for the ones that have not gone. That their nerves will also be calmed.
Lastly, for the people we will encounter. That they may be directed towards God (if it be His will), and know that He is God, and there is no other.
Please pray for us as we go on this trip, that God will be glorified, that, if it be His will, we will be safe, for the families that are represented, and for the people we will encounter. God is good all the time. He is great.
Your brother for the cause of Christ,
Sam Morris
Romans 7:24-25
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Shane & Shane Lyrics
O the devils singing over me an age old song,
That I am cursed and gone astray,
Singing the first verse so conveniently over me,
He's forgotten the refrain,
Jesus saves!
~Shane & Shane
That I am cursed and gone astray,
Singing the first verse so conveniently over me,
He's forgotten the refrain,
Jesus saves!
~Shane & Shane
Truth
What is truth? Is it a feeling, or a thought, an idea, or an action? Is truth absolute? We have absolute statements and words, but are these just figments of our imaginations? It is said our presuppositions characterize the way we think and act, that truth is different from person to person. Due to this we, out of sheer respect to others, we must let everyone believe what they will, not attempting to influence them at all. But what about certain religions, they state that there is only one god, and only one way to him, what does this do to the ideals held by some, that truth is the cause of what one wants? To write about this one must take it systematically, to comprehended truth in every aspect, and then from that perspective answer the main question, what is truth, and is it absolute?
Truth, by definition is, “That which is true, or in accordance with fact or reality.” A known real substance, or an ideal that is held by most, truths that over time have been made into law, or were lay down as law by god. But what of god, is this deity considered a truth; or in this postmodern relativistic age, is god just a presupposition that one has come to know owing to one’s raising; anthropomorphizing a deity using the characterizations of an ideal leader?
Now, before completely delving into truth, there is no differentiation between truth, and absolute truth, they are parallel. These two statements have a direct correlation in that they mean the same thing. Truth is fact, and absolute truth is the same, a fact.
Religion, and the mere existence of it, creates a tantalizing question, does religion offer truth? There are hundreds of religions, and hundreds of teachings on how to go to the next life. However some of these religions clam exclusivity. Does the fact that there are millions willing to die for their one way (truth) mean there is truth? Because religions exist, and there is a longing for truth in mankind, there must be truth to some extent.
Consider absolute statements such as there are no absolutes, or that penguins will never fly, or that one is six feet tall. From those statements it is plain to see that There are absolute words (four absolute words in the past sentence: are, no, never, is) these words imply absolution. Causing the definite absolute statement that life is full of absolutes. However, if life is completely void of absolutes, as argued by some (namely humanists and atheists), then are these words only in existence to help our feebly finite minds grasp concepts completely outside our realm of understanding, or are they here because there are absolutes?
To continue, why is it a discussion that there are no absolute truths? It is due to the relativistic tolerant society that is the pervading America. Americans are reared not to interfere with anyone’s business, that they put themselves into a situation, and they can find their own way out. This mindset is the catalyst of the “America Dream,” to be able to be self sufficient in every manner of life, and wanting to do it on one’s own. To be able to take full responsibility, and pride in what has been accomplished. Owing to this a tolerant mindset is being created, causing one to question truths that have been known for quite some time, and leaving everyone to “decide” what they want for their own truths; leaving none to question their decisions, but to only say, “It must work for them.”
This mindset of relativistic tolerance is an extremely dangerous one. It causes one to doubt truths that have been known for centuries, such as, you shall not kill. If there are no absolute truths killing someone is not wrong it is just another means to an end. Then where does the conscience come in? When one does something wrong they are usually (unless hardened and desensitized) broken, or feel guilt, and remorse for what has taken place. However, if there is no absolute truth then that feeling is completely unnecessary.
The truth is, there is absolute truth. Absolute truth pervades every moment of life. One lives, and that is truth, one breathes, and that is truth. The feelings that are felt, and there statements and words that are used point to truth, to absolution. There is reality, and therefore there must be truth, because the tree in the front yard exists there must be truth, or the definition of truth is wrong (that which is true, or in accordance with fact or reality). One can say that penguins fly, but in the end the only cause is penguins falling to the ground. One can say that a six foot tall man is five-three, but no matter how hard he pursues the tale the measuring rod will tell the truth, the man is six feet tall.
To the relativistic tolerance of today’s society, truth does not differ from person to person it remains constant. Killing someone is always wrong, and when one kills the guilt and remorse of the action destroys the individual to the uttermost, unless one is unmindful of the fact that they just ended the life of another, in which case it has been said that all who kill without remorse are in some degree or another crazy.
Therefore, all truth is absolute. Truth is absolute because it is known by most, that killing is wrong, and because it is a truth that one lives, breaths, and will eventually die. Truth is absolute, because the language we speak is full of absolute words, implying that this life is full of absolutes, and thus, truth. Truth is truth and to state otherwise is: first of to use an absolute statement, and second, to look so far outside of life, and conscience, and the universe, that logic is no longer possible to any extent. Because no matter how much one tries to prove there is no truth, another may just say, “Well that doesn’t work for me.” And there is no way to alter their way of thinking, because that would imply that there is an absolute truth to be known. In essence it is foolish to say there is no absolute truth. Because, to say there is no absolute truth is to be completely ignorant of the world surrounding the individual, or to not follow the evidence to its logical conclusion.
In answer to the main question of the essay, what is truth and is it absolute? Truth is reality, it is true that life is reality, and that death is reality. Yes, truth is absolute. It is absolute because the words and statements of truth are absolute, penguins will never fly, mammals will never breath underwater, and one is six feet tall. Thus truth is reality, and yes, it is absolute.
Truth, by definition is, “That which is true, or in accordance with fact or reality.” A known real substance, or an ideal that is held by most, truths that over time have been made into law, or were lay down as law by god. But what of god, is this deity considered a truth; or in this postmodern relativistic age, is god just a presupposition that one has come to know owing to one’s raising; anthropomorphizing a deity using the characterizations of an ideal leader?
Now, before completely delving into truth, there is no differentiation between truth, and absolute truth, they are parallel. These two statements have a direct correlation in that they mean the same thing. Truth is fact, and absolute truth is the same, a fact.
Religion, and the mere existence of it, creates a tantalizing question, does religion offer truth? There are hundreds of religions, and hundreds of teachings on how to go to the next life. However some of these religions clam exclusivity. Does the fact that there are millions willing to die for their one way (truth) mean there is truth? Because religions exist, and there is a longing for truth in mankind, there must be truth to some extent.
Consider absolute statements such as there are no absolutes, or that penguins will never fly, or that one is six feet tall. From those statements it is plain to see that There are absolute words (four absolute words in the past sentence: are, no, never, is) these words imply absolution. Causing the definite absolute statement that life is full of absolutes. However, if life is completely void of absolutes, as argued by some (namely humanists and atheists), then are these words only in existence to help our feebly finite minds grasp concepts completely outside our realm of understanding, or are they here because there are absolutes?
To continue, why is it a discussion that there are no absolute truths? It is due to the relativistic tolerant society that is the pervading America. Americans are reared not to interfere with anyone’s business, that they put themselves into a situation, and they can find their own way out. This mindset is the catalyst of the “America Dream,” to be able to be self sufficient in every manner of life, and wanting to do it on one’s own. To be able to take full responsibility, and pride in what has been accomplished. Owing to this a tolerant mindset is being created, causing one to question truths that have been known for quite some time, and leaving everyone to “decide” what they want for their own truths; leaving none to question their decisions, but to only say, “It must work for them.”
This mindset of relativistic tolerance is an extremely dangerous one. It causes one to doubt truths that have been known for centuries, such as, you shall not kill. If there are no absolute truths killing someone is not wrong it is just another means to an end. Then where does the conscience come in? When one does something wrong they are usually (unless hardened and desensitized) broken, or feel guilt, and remorse for what has taken place. However, if there is no absolute truth then that feeling is completely unnecessary.
The truth is, there is absolute truth. Absolute truth pervades every moment of life. One lives, and that is truth, one breathes, and that is truth. The feelings that are felt, and there statements and words that are used point to truth, to absolution. There is reality, and therefore there must be truth, because the tree in the front yard exists there must be truth, or the definition of truth is wrong (that which is true, or in accordance with fact or reality). One can say that penguins fly, but in the end the only cause is penguins falling to the ground. One can say that a six foot tall man is five-three, but no matter how hard he pursues the tale the measuring rod will tell the truth, the man is six feet tall.
To the relativistic tolerance of today’s society, truth does not differ from person to person it remains constant. Killing someone is always wrong, and when one kills the guilt and remorse of the action destroys the individual to the uttermost, unless one is unmindful of the fact that they just ended the life of another, in which case it has been said that all who kill without remorse are in some degree or another crazy.
Therefore, all truth is absolute. Truth is absolute because it is known by most, that killing is wrong, and because it is a truth that one lives, breaths, and will eventually die. Truth is absolute, because the language we speak is full of absolute words, implying that this life is full of absolutes, and thus, truth. Truth is truth and to state otherwise is: first of to use an absolute statement, and second, to look so far outside of life, and conscience, and the universe, that logic is no longer possible to any extent. Because no matter how much one tries to prove there is no truth, another may just say, “Well that doesn’t work for me.” And there is no way to alter their way of thinking, because that would imply that there is an absolute truth to be known. In essence it is foolish to say there is no absolute truth. Because, to say there is no absolute truth is to be completely ignorant of the world surrounding the individual, or to not follow the evidence to its logical conclusion.
In answer to the main question of the essay, what is truth and is it absolute? Truth is reality, it is true that life is reality, and that death is reality. Yes, truth is absolute. It is absolute because the words and statements of truth are absolute, penguins will never fly, mammals will never breath underwater, and one is six feet tall. Thus truth is reality, and yes, it is absolute.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
I looked at this passage when my friend Brad passed away, and I looked at it when my grandpa died, and I look at it again now after my second grandpa's death.
To Everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a rime to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
To Everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a rime to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Trinity
"Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God [Father] and His Spirit [Holy Spirit] have sent Me [Son]."
Isaiah 48:16
Isaiah 48:16
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Security (Identity) in Christ (Sermon outline)
I. John 1:3, “All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
A. Everything was made though, and in Christ. (Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth,” John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”)
B. Everything is under Him (Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He [God] put all things under His [Jesus’] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” I Corinthians. 15:28, “ Now when all things were made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”)
II. We cannot look to the temporal things of this life for our securities.
A. Because it is all under Christ
B. Because that is idolatry (Romans 1:25, “Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forevermore. Amen.”)
1. Putting anything before Christ on High, is idolatry, and is deserving of death, and hell, forever.
2. This is something that we are all guilty of, whether that be sports, or girls, or money.
C. He must be our head (Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He [God] put all things under His [Jesus’] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Colossians 2:10, “And you are completed in Him, who is the head of all principalities and power.”)
1. We are complete in Him
a. So, why do we look to other things? (Sports, girls, cars, money)
b. We need Him for salvation, but for some reason we think that is it.
2. Christ must be the center of our lives!!!
a. If He is not then we are dead, and condemned to Hell
b. We must live like we are saved (John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 1John 3:18-19, “My littler children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall be assure in our hearts before Him.”) Brethren= Church!
c. If we put our stock somewhere else we are set toward a life of heartache without peace.
3. All thing fail (Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust do destroy, and where thieves for not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”)
a. We know people fail
b. We know stuff breaks
c. We know life is hard
d. Philippians 3:7-8, “But what things were gain to me I count as loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
3. Christ is the one thing that remains constant in all and through all.
a. The Great I AM (Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM. Thus you shall say to the people of Israel I AM has sent me to you.”)
i. ~John Piper “Let this sink in: God- the God who holds you in being this moment- never had a beginning. Ponder it. Do you remember the first time you thought about this as a child or a young teenager? Let that speechless wonder rise. God never had a beginning, but always was and is and will be, He defines all things. Whether we want him to or not. He is there. We do not negotiate what we want for reality. God defines reality. When we come into existence we stand before God who made us, and owns us. We have absolutely no choice in this matter. We do not choose to be. And when we are, we do not choose that God be. No [amount of] ranting, or raving, no sophisticated doubt, or skepticism, has any effect on the existence of God. He simply and absolutely is. "Tell them I AM has sent you."
If we don't like it, we can change, for our joy, or we can resist to our destruction. But only one thing remains absolutely unassailable. God is. He was before we came. He will be there after we are gone. And therefore what matters in ministry above all things is this God. We cannot miss the simple and obvious truth that God must be the main thing in ministry. Ministry has to do with God because life has to do with God, and life has to do with God because the universe has to do with God, and the universe has to do with God, because ever atom and emotion and every soul of every Angelic, Demonic, and Human Being belongs to God. Who absolutely is He created all that is he sustains everything in being. He directs the course of all events, because, "From Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever. (Romans 11:36)"
b. So, let us not put our stock in this life where failure is the only option
4. If you put our hope in the things of this world we know what will happen
a. Death
b. Injury
c. Change
d. Brokenness
i. “He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burdened out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart, are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.”
ii. We all know what this is like, hopelessness, utter hopelessness.
5. But in Christ is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
a. In Him is peace form the failures
b. In Him there is peace from the loss of sports, or girlfriends, or money.
c. Because He is the head over His Church.
i. All things created point to the Creator (Romans 1:20, “ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that we are without excuse.”
A. Everything was made though, and in Christ. (Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth,” John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”)
B. Everything is under Him (Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He [God] put all things under His [Jesus’] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” I Corinthians. 15:28, “ Now when all things were made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”)
II. We cannot look to the temporal things of this life for our securities.
A. Because it is all under Christ
B. Because that is idolatry (Romans 1:25, “Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshipped the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forevermore. Amen.”)
1. Putting anything before Christ on High, is idolatry, and is deserving of death, and hell, forever.
2. This is something that we are all guilty of, whether that be sports, or girls, or money.
C. He must be our head (Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He [God] put all things under His [Jesus’] feet, and gave Him to be head over all things, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Colossians 2:10, “And you are completed in Him, who is the head of all principalities and power.”)
1. We are complete in Him
a. So, why do we look to other things? (Sports, girls, cars, money)
b. We need Him for salvation, but for some reason we think that is it.
2. Christ must be the center of our lives!!!
a. If He is not then we are dead, and condemned to Hell
b. We must live like we are saved (John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 1John 3:18-19, “My littler children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall be assure in our hearts before Him.”) Brethren= Church!
c. If we put our stock somewhere else we are set toward a life of heartache without peace.
3. All thing fail (Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust do destroy, and where thieves for not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”)
a. We know people fail
b. We know stuff breaks
c. We know life is hard
d. Philippians 3:7-8, “But what things were gain to me I count as loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
3. Christ is the one thing that remains constant in all and through all.
a. The Great I AM (Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM. Thus you shall say to the people of Israel I AM has sent me to you.”)
i. ~John Piper “Let this sink in: God- the God who holds you in being this moment- never had a beginning. Ponder it. Do you remember the first time you thought about this as a child or a young teenager? Let that speechless wonder rise. God never had a beginning, but always was and is and will be, He defines all things. Whether we want him to or not. He is there. We do not negotiate what we want for reality. God defines reality. When we come into existence we stand before God who made us, and owns us. We have absolutely no choice in this matter. We do not choose to be. And when we are, we do not choose that God be. No [amount of] ranting, or raving, no sophisticated doubt, or skepticism, has any effect on the existence of God. He simply and absolutely is. "Tell them I AM has sent you."
If we don't like it, we can change, for our joy, or we can resist to our destruction. But only one thing remains absolutely unassailable. God is. He was before we came. He will be there after we are gone. And therefore what matters in ministry above all things is this God. We cannot miss the simple and obvious truth that God must be the main thing in ministry. Ministry has to do with God because life has to do with God, and life has to do with God because the universe has to do with God, and the universe has to do with God, because ever atom and emotion and every soul of every Angelic, Demonic, and Human Being belongs to God. Who absolutely is He created all that is he sustains everything in being. He directs the course of all events, because, "From Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever. (Romans 11:36)"
b. So, let us not put our stock in this life where failure is the only option
4. If you put our hope in the things of this world we know what will happen
a. Death
b. Injury
c. Change
d. Brokenness
i. “He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burdened out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart, are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.”
ii. We all know what this is like, hopelessness, utter hopelessness.
5. But in Christ is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
a. In Him is peace form the failures
b. In Him there is peace from the loss of sports, or girlfriends, or money.
c. Because He is the head over His Church.
i. All things created point to the Creator (Romans 1:20, “ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that we are without excuse.”
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A simple man’s prayer for his generation:
“O Lord that you would save us, a wretched people is astounding, we do not know whether to jump for joy of it, or to weep for the cost that was paid for us. Your love transverses all paradigms and makes these blind men see the radiant glory of the everlasting King. A love that opens the ears of these deaf men, to hear their Master’s call, the love that brings to life these dead men, and makes them live for You. O the love that saturates every part of your magnificently sovereign plan! You are the Lord and there cannot ever be anyone besides You. For You are all-encompassing. You are the filler of this empty soul, the bringer of life, the great I AM! O my God how can it be that you would love this generation, bring us back to you, O my King bring revival, it is near, let it be! May your will be done. Amen.”
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The Word of God (Pt. 1 Redemptive History)
A few weeks ago we began going through basic Theology. We have gone through the most basic part (knowing God), and now we are going to embark on the Word of God (The Bible), but first a review.
We have seen that God is the greatest good in the entire universe, He is prefect, and good, and holy. His grace is sufficient and his love everlasting, and that we can come to the knowledge of Him through creation (Romans 1:18-22). But we have rejected the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:15). Therefore we are all under the just condemnation of Hell, because of our offense against the eternal Being, with the heinous act of sin. It was stated that we can do nothing whatsoever to save ourselves from this condemnation.
However it has also been stated that although we can do nothing God can, and has. He has given us more than just the limited revelation of Himself in creation; He has given us His Word, and Himself. “God has provided special revelation designed to lead those who did not know God and did not want to know God to a saving knowledge of Him (James Boice).” There is the revelation of redemptive history, which is centered on the work of Jesus Christ, the revelation of writing, that is the Bible, and the application of these truths to the mind and the heart by the Holy Spirit.
It is in the Bible alone that we learn of God’s redemptive history. “He has designed from all eternity, and is infallibly forming with every event, a magnificent mosaic of redemptive history (John Piper).” The term redemptive history is the term used to refer to God’s acts that are recorded in the Bible, it is history viewed from the perspective of God’s redeeming purpose. In my mind this is the best way to read the Bible, with one eye on the text, and one eye on the cross. Then the text will come alive and you will be able to see redemption in everything, as well as many other attributes of God. For the sake of length I will use one example, The Flood account (Gen. 6-9).
In the flood account we read of a horror story in which the entire population of earth is killed in less than a year, save on man’s family, the family of Noah. They are saved because God told Noah to build an ark, and because Noah was faithful to God (Gen. 6:9, “…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation. Noah walked with God.”) he did as instructed. It took him 120 years to finish the ark, showing the patience of God, He waited to allow more to be redeemed, but none did. Then the time came and floodwaters came and the earth was consumed by water, yet those on the ark survived. This is the abbreviated ark story. Now if we look at the cross we can see direct colorations between the ark and redemption.
The Ark was the only thing that saved; much like the death of Christ is the only thing that will save (John 14:6). The world is completely wicked and all are deserving of death (Romans 3:10-18). And man is helpless to do anything to save himself from death (Romans 3:23). God is being patient to return, much like He was patient in the days of Noah. Judgment is coming.
This is only one example, but the entire Bible is full of them, pointing to the work of Christ on the cross, to save us. That is the pinnacle of History. It is ugly and brutal to imagine, but that is where salvation was won, and that is where lives are saved, at the cross. Only by the blood of Jesus.
We have seen that God is the greatest good in the entire universe, He is prefect, and good, and holy. His grace is sufficient and his love everlasting, and that we can come to the knowledge of Him through creation (Romans 1:18-22). But we have rejected the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:15). Therefore we are all under the just condemnation of Hell, because of our offense against the eternal Being, with the heinous act of sin. It was stated that we can do nothing whatsoever to save ourselves from this condemnation.
However it has also been stated that although we can do nothing God can, and has. He has given us more than just the limited revelation of Himself in creation; He has given us His Word, and Himself. “God has provided special revelation designed to lead those who did not know God and did not want to know God to a saving knowledge of Him (James Boice).” There is the revelation of redemptive history, which is centered on the work of Jesus Christ, the revelation of writing, that is the Bible, and the application of these truths to the mind and the heart by the Holy Spirit.
It is in the Bible alone that we learn of God’s redemptive history. “He has designed from all eternity, and is infallibly forming with every event, a magnificent mosaic of redemptive history (John Piper).” The term redemptive history is the term used to refer to God’s acts that are recorded in the Bible, it is history viewed from the perspective of God’s redeeming purpose. In my mind this is the best way to read the Bible, with one eye on the text, and one eye on the cross. Then the text will come alive and you will be able to see redemption in everything, as well as many other attributes of God. For the sake of length I will use one example, The Flood account (Gen. 6-9).
In the flood account we read of a horror story in which the entire population of earth is killed in less than a year, save on man’s family, the family of Noah. They are saved because God told Noah to build an ark, and because Noah was faithful to God (Gen. 6:9, “…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation. Noah walked with God.”) he did as instructed. It took him 120 years to finish the ark, showing the patience of God, He waited to allow more to be redeemed, but none did. Then the time came and floodwaters came and the earth was consumed by water, yet those on the ark survived. This is the abbreviated ark story. Now if we look at the cross we can see direct colorations between the ark and redemption.
The Ark was the only thing that saved; much like the death of Christ is the only thing that will save (John 14:6). The world is completely wicked and all are deserving of death (Romans 3:10-18). And man is helpless to do anything to save himself from death (Romans 3:23). God is being patient to return, much like He was patient in the days of Noah. Judgment is coming.
This is only one example, but the entire Bible is full of them, pointing to the work of Christ on the cross, to save us. That is the pinnacle of History. It is ugly and brutal to imagine, but that is where salvation was won, and that is where lives are saved, at the cross. Only by the blood of Jesus.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Knowing God (Pt. 2)
Knowing God (Pt. 2)
In the last message I stated “…they go on rejecting God by exchanging the truth of God for a lie, the lie of their mind.” The mind is not bad, we are called to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind (Mark 12:30), but when the mind is in control of both heart and soul, then there is a problem. This is something that I struggle with, I love to learn, but when my heart and my head disconnect then there is only judgment in what I say, and I do not do it for the glory of God, but to merely when an argument. This is sin. This is pride. So do not commit intellectual suicide by saying the mind is bad, it is necessary that you may spread the gospel to thinkers as well as to the spiritually ignorant. But do not forget your heart, or only sin will be found (pride).
Now to continue on, “The Mountains and the hills do not willingly worship (Piper).” They were made to worship! They know nothing else! They do not do it willingly because that is their soul purpose! But we close our ears, and worship the creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). The wrath of God is revealed against mankind because of their acceptance of this lie, because of their suppression of the truth that all of creation screams out. The wrath of God is the first doctrinal thing we must learn. “So we will recognize our deep spiritual need and be prepared to receive the knowledge of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior…(Boice).” We must come to God humbly with a contrite spirit (Isaiah 66:2) else we come boasting of our knowledge of spiritual matters, for in this He would reject us.
God’s wrath against mankind is perfectly just. For example, if I were to commit a crime against another man, then I would be judged according to that crime, and against the man I wronged. But since the crime is against a temporal man then my sentence will not be for eternity. However God is eternal, and since our sins are committed against the Eternal Being of God then it is perfectly just for us to be punished forever. Here are the words of Jonathan Edwards on this matter from his sermons "The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners:"
“Every crime or fault deserves a greater or less punishment, in proportion as the crime itself is greater or less. If any fault deserves punishment, then so much the greater the fault, so much the greater is the punishment deserved. The faulty nature of any thing is the formal ground and reason of its desert of punishment; and therefore the more any thing hath of this nature, the more punishment it deserves. And therefore the terribleness of the degree of punishment, let it be never be so terrible, is no argument against the justice of it, if the proportion does but hold between the heinousness of the crime and the dreadfulness of the punishment; so that if there be any such thing as a fault infinitely heinous, it will follow that it is just to inflict a punishment for it that is infinitely dreadful.
… Our obligation to love, honor, and obey any being, is in proportion to his loveliness, honorableness, and authority; for that is the very meaning of the words. When we say any one is very lovely, it is the same as to say, that he is one very much to be loved. Or if we say such a one is more honorable than another, the meaning of the words is, that he is one that we are more obliged to honor. If we say any one has great authority over us, it is the same as to say, that he has great right to our subjection and obedience.
But God is a being infinitely lovely, because he hath infinite excellency and beauty. To have infinite excellency and beauty, is the same thing as to have infinite loveliness. He is a being of infinite greatness, majesty, and glory; and therefore he is infinitely honorable. He is infinitely exalted above the greatest potentates of the earth, and highest angels in heaven; and therefore he is infinitely more honorable than they. His authority over us is infinite; and the ground of his right to our obedience is infinitely strong; for he is infinitely worthy to be obeyed himself, and we have an absolute, universal, and infinite dependence upon him.
So that sin against God, being a violation of infinite obligations, must be a crime infinitely heinous, and so deserving of infinite punishment.- Nothing is more agreeable to the common sense of mankind, than that sins committed against any one, must be proportionably heinous to the dignity of the being offended and abused; as it is also agreeable to the word of God, I Samuel 2:25. "If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him;" (i.e. shall judge him, and inflict a finite punishment, such as finite judges can inflict;) "but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?"
The infinitely punishable act is that of sin, disobedience, pride, etc. And because it is a crime against God’s infinite glory than the lowest term of sentencing is eternity. Due to it being an infinitely heinous act then the least amount of punishment is that of Hell (dreadful). So you see that God is perfectly just in His sentencing and in the punishment itself. We must learn this to be able to come to Him humbly to receive the gift of eternity with Him, because the price has been paid, and we are free in Christ, if we are Christian.
In the last message I stated “…they go on rejecting God by exchanging the truth of God for a lie, the lie of their mind.” The mind is not bad, we are called to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind (Mark 12:30), but when the mind is in control of both heart and soul, then there is a problem. This is something that I struggle with, I love to learn, but when my heart and my head disconnect then there is only judgment in what I say, and I do not do it for the glory of God, but to merely when an argument. This is sin. This is pride. So do not commit intellectual suicide by saying the mind is bad, it is necessary that you may spread the gospel to thinkers as well as to the spiritually ignorant. But do not forget your heart, or only sin will be found (pride).
Now to continue on, “The Mountains and the hills do not willingly worship (Piper).” They were made to worship! They know nothing else! They do not do it willingly because that is their soul purpose! But we close our ears, and worship the creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). The wrath of God is revealed against mankind because of their acceptance of this lie, because of their suppression of the truth that all of creation screams out. The wrath of God is the first doctrinal thing we must learn. “So we will recognize our deep spiritual need and be prepared to receive the knowledge of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior…(Boice).” We must come to God humbly with a contrite spirit (Isaiah 66:2) else we come boasting of our knowledge of spiritual matters, for in this He would reject us.
God’s wrath against mankind is perfectly just. For example, if I were to commit a crime against another man, then I would be judged according to that crime, and against the man I wronged. But since the crime is against a temporal man then my sentence will not be for eternity. However God is eternal, and since our sins are committed against the Eternal Being of God then it is perfectly just for us to be punished forever. Here are the words of Jonathan Edwards on this matter from his sermons "The Justice of God in the Damnation of Sinners:"
“Every crime or fault deserves a greater or less punishment, in proportion as the crime itself is greater or less. If any fault deserves punishment, then so much the greater the fault, so much the greater is the punishment deserved. The faulty nature of any thing is the formal ground and reason of its desert of punishment; and therefore the more any thing hath of this nature, the more punishment it deserves. And therefore the terribleness of the degree of punishment, let it be never be so terrible, is no argument against the justice of it, if the proportion does but hold between the heinousness of the crime and the dreadfulness of the punishment; so that if there be any such thing as a fault infinitely heinous, it will follow that it is just to inflict a punishment for it that is infinitely dreadful.
… Our obligation to love, honor, and obey any being, is in proportion to his loveliness, honorableness, and authority; for that is the very meaning of the words. When we say any one is very lovely, it is the same as to say, that he is one very much to be loved. Or if we say such a one is more honorable than another, the meaning of the words is, that he is one that we are more obliged to honor. If we say any one has great authority over us, it is the same as to say, that he has great right to our subjection and obedience.
But God is a being infinitely lovely, because he hath infinite excellency and beauty. To have infinite excellency and beauty, is the same thing as to have infinite loveliness. He is a being of infinite greatness, majesty, and glory; and therefore he is infinitely honorable. He is infinitely exalted above the greatest potentates of the earth, and highest angels in heaven; and therefore he is infinitely more honorable than they. His authority over us is infinite; and the ground of his right to our obedience is infinitely strong; for he is infinitely worthy to be obeyed himself, and we have an absolute, universal, and infinite dependence upon him.
So that sin against God, being a violation of infinite obligations, must be a crime infinitely heinous, and so deserving of infinite punishment.- Nothing is more agreeable to the common sense of mankind, than that sins committed against any one, must be proportionably heinous to the dignity of the being offended and abused; as it is also agreeable to the word of God, I Samuel 2:25. "If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him;" (i.e. shall judge him, and inflict a finite punishment, such as finite judges can inflict;) "but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?"
The infinitely punishable act is that of sin, disobedience, pride, etc. And because it is a crime against God’s infinite glory than the lowest term of sentencing is eternity. Due to it being an infinitely heinous act then the least amount of punishment is that of Hell (dreadful). So you see that God is perfectly just in His sentencing and in the punishment itself. We must learn this to be able to come to Him humbly to receive the gift of eternity with Him, because the price has been paid, and we are free in Christ, if we are Christian.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Just for fun
I know that I usually write about pretty hard/heavy issues. So here is a little bit-o-fun just to make you laugh.
WOOF!
WOOF!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Knowing God (Pt. 1)
I have been sending these messages for the past couple weeks now, and I have yet to tell you why I send them. It is quite simple really, I send them because I love God, and I am unashamed of the work He is doing. I also feel that a revival is soon coming and that this generation is the one to lead it, so by sending these letters I pray that God is using me to kindle a fire within you to speak boldly of who Christ is and what He has done; that the world might know the One true God, and that He is greatly to be praised. Thus having clearly stated that I would like to begin a series of messages on God, His attributes, His Creation, His word…etc. so that we all may better know the God we worship.
Knowing God (Part 1)
“Nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” This is the opening line of John Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” and it states the main problem. Who really knows himself and God? Is there anyone that has ever lived that has truly known himself? That has known every sin that lies within all the deep folds of their heart and mind, is it even possible? I can only speak from my experience, and that is it is impossible to completely know yourself. If you are completely honest you do not know all the sins that you have committed. However it goes far beyond that, we are born sinful, before we take our first breath we are consumed by sin. The reason being for not completely knowing ourselves is that we do not completely know God; we have failed to know God.
Before we go and blame it on God, we must first look at one of His attributes, which is His omnipotence. He is all-powerful. Since the fault is ours we can take comfort in the fact it can be corrected. He can do anything; He can intervene. But if (and more comfortably) the fault is God’s than nothing can be done to correct the problem. “The Bible declares that the problem is not God’s but ours. Therefore the problem is solvable. It is solvable because God can take, and actually has taken steps to reveal Himself to us, thereby providing us with the missing key to knowledge. (James Boice)”
However men and women do not naturally obey or worship this God, although they do have an awareness of Him, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. (Romans 1:20)” From this we can see that man has willingly rejected God. Man can see his attributes in all of creation, but they turn away. Their heart screams, “Yes, there is a God!” But their mind yells, “There cannot be!” Thus they go on rejecting God by exchanging the truth of God for a lie, the lie of their mind.
Knowing God (Part 1)
“Nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” This is the opening line of John Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” and it states the main problem. Who really knows himself and God? Is there anyone that has ever lived that has truly known himself? That has known every sin that lies within all the deep folds of their heart and mind, is it even possible? I can only speak from my experience, and that is it is impossible to completely know yourself. If you are completely honest you do not know all the sins that you have committed. However it goes far beyond that, we are born sinful, before we take our first breath we are consumed by sin. The reason being for not completely knowing ourselves is that we do not completely know God; we have failed to know God.
Before we go and blame it on God, we must first look at one of His attributes, which is His omnipotence. He is all-powerful. Since the fault is ours we can take comfort in the fact it can be corrected. He can do anything; He can intervene. But if (and more comfortably) the fault is God’s than nothing can be done to correct the problem. “The Bible declares that the problem is not God’s but ours. Therefore the problem is solvable. It is solvable because God can take, and actually has taken steps to reveal Himself to us, thereby providing us with the missing key to knowledge. (James Boice)”
However men and women do not naturally obey or worship this God, although they do have an awareness of Him, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. (Romans 1:20)” From this we can see that man has willingly rejected God. Man can see his attributes in all of creation, but they turn away. Their heart screams, “Yes, there is a God!” But their mind yells, “There cannot be!” Thus they go on rejecting God by exchanging the truth of God for a lie, the lie of their mind.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Salvation
Romans 10:9-10, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus Christ, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace have you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Salvation is not just a precautionary measure for death, it is life, and the only way to salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, by the person of Christ alone. There is no other way! When I spoke Wednesday night I gave the analogy of Noah’s Ark. In the days of Noah when the flood rains began to come, the people ran to the hills and the mountains, but when the hills were consumed, and the mountains lost beneath the depths of the sea, the only thing that saved was the Ark. So it is with Jesus. When the fires of God’s wrath are poured out the ones that ran to the hills and mountains of their works, and fails religions, will be destroyed. That is the hard truth; man is nowhere near good enough to go into the presence of God without Someone covering for his sins.
By the sheer grace of God that person was sent and that person is Jesus. He is the One that from the foundations of the world was considered slain for the sake of mankind. He is the One that the entire Bible points to. He is the only One that can make you white as snow that you may come into the presence of God the Father. “Surely He has borne our grief, and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by 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 by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6).”
So this is my challenge to you. Do not just confess Jesus (Christianity) by your mouth, live it; love it, for by Him you have been saved. Go and debate your salvation with it’s Author, be sure of it, for this is no trivial matter it is, perhaps, the most weighty issue that you will ever encounter in your life. Do as Philippians 2:12 says, “…Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace have you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Salvation is not just a precautionary measure for death, it is life, and the only way to salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, by the person of Christ alone. There is no other way! When I spoke Wednesday night I gave the analogy of Noah’s Ark. In the days of Noah when the flood rains began to come, the people ran to the hills and the mountains, but when the hills were consumed, and the mountains lost beneath the depths of the sea, the only thing that saved was the Ark. So it is with Jesus. When the fires of God’s wrath are poured out the ones that ran to the hills and mountains of their works, and fails religions, will be destroyed. That is the hard truth; man is nowhere near good enough to go into the presence of God without Someone covering for his sins.
By the sheer grace of God that person was sent and that person is Jesus. He is the One that from the foundations of the world was considered slain for the sake of mankind. He is the One that the entire Bible points to. He is the only One that can make you white as snow that you may come into the presence of God the Father. “Surely He has borne our grief, and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by 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 by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6).”
So this is my challenge to you. Do not just confess Jesus (Christianity) by your mouth, live it; love it, for by Him you have been saved. Go and debate your salvation with it’s Author, be sure of it, for this is no trivial matter it is, perhaps, the most weighty issue that you will ever encounter in your life. Do as Philippians 2:12 says, “…Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Eph. 2:1-10,19-21
Ephesians 2:1-10
“And you have been made alive, [you] who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [the Devil], the spirit who now works on the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (or like the rest of mankind).
But God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show His exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
I.We are all the same according to sin
A.Vs. 3, “among whom we all also once conducted ourselves fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath just as the others.”
A. “We are all by nature children of wrath.” Because of our rejection of Jesus, we are the children of wrath, just like the rest of mankind even the murders and the liars. And this is our main fault. We are walk according to the course of this world. Therefore we sin, because the will of Satan is for us to reject God, and to not obey Him in every part of our lives. And because of the fall we are born that way and we like it. “We were shattered by the fall.” Because we are so occupied with ourselves that we reject the only thing that can save us.
II. We are all helpless to save ourselves from sin
A.Vs 8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any many should boast.”
1. Thank of it in the terms of Noah’s ark. The ark was the only way to be saved from the flood, but the people ran to the hills, and to the mountains, but when the hills were consumed, and the mountains were lost under the depths of the sea, the only thing that saved was the ark.
2. Just as Jesus is the only way to God. Man tries to build hills, and mountains to Heaven, but when the fires of God’s wrath are poured out upon us, the only people that will be saved are the people that are found in Christ Jesus.
3. Look at the thief on the cross next to Jesus, he was literally a few hours from his death, but when he said to Christ, “Lord remember me when You come into your kingdom.” He was saved. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise,” came the His Saviors reply. Today, not tomorrow, but today, this was a man known for being a thief, but as he hung on that cross, receiving the just penalty for his actions he was saved
III.We have all come to the same Savior
A.Vs. 10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ…”
A.John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father by me.”
1. O it is grace! Sheer grace! That we are saved. It is by the sheer grace of God that mankind was not destroyed after the fall, it is by that same grace that mankind was allowed to live on through the flood. It is by His sheer grace that Christ was even sent to die for our sins. It is by His sheer grace that you were born in a free country, into a Christian family, and are able to worship freely. It is by that same grace that you woke up this morning and that you have lived this long to hear this message, and it is still by that same grace that you take breath this very moment. In fact it is the sheer grace of God that allows you every breath you breathe.
IV.We all have the same Father
A.Vs. 4-5, “But God who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive in Christ (by grace you have been saved…”
B.Vs. 1a, “And you He made alive…”
1.We all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, and of our mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. BUT GOD!
a.I once walked according to the course of this world, But God, who is rich in mercy saved me. I once conducted myself in the lust of my flesh and of my mind, But God, whose love is great saved me. I once was a child of wrath, But God, poured out His grace on me. I was once in the dead in the morgue because of my trespasses, But God has made me alive, through His Son Jesus Christ. This is the Father we share, His love is unending, His riches incomparable, His grace deeper than the oceans, and His mercy Higher than the heavens. This is the great God we share.
V.We are all going to the same destination
A.This is found near the end of the chapter, in verses 19-21, “Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
1.We are, if the Spirit of God lives within you, no longer strangers or foreigners, but we are apart of the Church Being built together in Christ, that we might be a place of dwelling for God in the Spirit. This is what you are if you have come to the realization that you are consumed by sin, and unable to save yourself from that sin. If you have come to salvation by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, for there is no other way to come into the adoption of the Father. As the hills and mountains were consumed in the days of Noah, so will the works of man come to destruction. Let me leave you with these words of encouragement found in Ehp. 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus you who were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” You who walked according to the course of this world, has been saved by the blood of Christ. You who conducted yourself according to the lust of the flesh and of your mind, has been saved by the blood of Christ. You who were once a child of wrath, the blood of Christ has saved you. You who were dead and in the morgue have been made alive by the blood of Christ. The blood of Christ has saved you.
If you are unsure of your salvation then please feel free to ask me questions about this Jesus. We are told in Philippians's 2 to, "Work out your own salvation with fear ad trembling." In my mind when it says to "work out" I think of a debate. To sit down and debate your salvation with God. So, if you don't know Him, please ask.
O God these words are true that you have saved us by the blood of Your Son. All we have to do is, as told in Isaiah, to Look to you and be saved. It is as simple as looking to Christ for the forgiveness of my sins, and they are gone, no works must be done, all that has to be done is Christ death, and it is finished. Be with us as we leave here tonight, and as we go to school tomorrow, that others may know that you are our God, and you are our Father. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“And you have been made alive, [you] who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [the Devil], the spirit who now works on the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others (or like the rest of mankind).
But God, who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show His exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
I.We are all the same according to sin
A.Vs. 3, “among whom we all also once conducted ourselves fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath just as the others.”
A. “We are all by nature children of wrath.” Because of our rejection of Jesus, we are the children of wrath, just like the rest of mankind even the murders and the liars. And this is our main fault. We are walk according to the course of this world. Therefore we sin, because the will of Satan is for us to reject God, and to not obey Him in every part of our lives. And because of the fall we are born that way and we like it. “We were shattered by the fall.” Because we are so occupied with ourselves that we reject the only thing that can save us.
II. We are all helpless to save ourselves from sin
A.Vs 8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any many should boast.”
1. Thank of it in the terms of Noah’s ark. The ark was the only way to be saved from the flood, but the people ran to the hills, and to the mountains, but when the hills were consumed, and the mountains were lost under the depths of the sea, the only thing that saved was the ark.
2. Just as Jesus is the only way to God. Man tries to build hills, and mountains to Heaven, but when the fires of God’s wrath are poured out upon us, the only people that will be saved are the people that are found in Christ Jesus.
3. Look at the thief on the cross next to Jesus, he was literally a few hours from his death, but when he said to Christ, “Lord remember me when You come into your kingdom.” He was saved. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise,” came the His Saviors reply. Today, not tomorrow, but today, this was a man known for being a thief, but as he hung on that cross, receiving the just penalty for his actions he was saved
III.We have all come to the same Savior
A.Vs. 10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ…”
A.John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father by me.”
1. O it is grace! Sheer grace! That we are saved. It is by the sheer grace of God that mankind was not destroyed after the fall, it is by that same grace that mankind was allowed to live on through the flood. It is by His sheer grace that Christ was even sent to die for our sins. It is by His sheer grace that you were born in a free country, into a Christian family, and are able to worship freely. It is by that same grace that you woke up this morning and that you have lived this long to hear this message, and it is still by that same grace that you take breath this very moment. In fact it is the sheer grace of God that allows you every breath you breathe.
IV.We all have the same Father
A.Vs. 4-5, “But God who is rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive in Christ (by grace you have been saved…”
B.Vs. 1a, “And you He made alive…”
1.We all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, and of our mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. BUT GOD!
a.I once walked according to the course of this world, But God, who is rich in mercy saved me. I once conducted myself in the lust of my flesh and of my mind, But God, whose love is great saved me. I once was a child of wrath, But God, poured out His grace on me. I was once in the dead in the morgue because of my trespasses, But God has made me alive, through His Son Jesus Christ. This is the Father we share, His love is unending, His riches incomparable, His grace deeper than the oceans, and His mercy Higher than the heavens. This is the great God we share.
V.We are all going to the same destination
A.This is found near the end of the chapter, in verses 19-21, “Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
1.We are, if the Spirit of God lives within you, no longer strangers or foreigners, but we are apart of the Church Being built together in Christ, that we might be a place of dwelling for God in the Spirit. This is what you are if you have come to the realization that you are consumed by sin, and unable to save yourself from that sin. If you have come to salvation by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, for there is no other way to come into the adoption of the Father. As the hills and mountains were consumed in the days of Noah, so will the works of man come to destruction. Let me leave you with these words of encouragement found in Ehp. 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus you who were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” You who walked according to the course of this world, has been saved by the blood of Christ. You who conducted yourself according to the lust of the flesh and of your mind, has been saved by the blood of Christ. You who were once a child of wrath, the blood of Christ has saved you. You who were dead and in the morgue have been made alive by the blood of Christ. The blood of Christ has saved you.
If you are unsure of your salvation then please feel free to ask me questions about this Jesus. We are told in Philippians's 2 to, "Work out your own salvation with fear ad trembling." In my mind when it says to "work out" I think of a debate. To sit down and debate your salvation with God. So, if you don't know Him, please ask.
O God these words are true that you have saved us by the blood of Your Son. All we have to do is, as told in Isaiah, to Look to you and be saved. It is as simple as looking to Christ for the forgiveness of my sins, and they are gone, no works must be done, all that has to be done is Christ death, and it is finished. Be with us as we leave here tonight, and as we go to school tomorrow, that others may know that you are our God, and you are our Father. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Security (Identity) in Christ
"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:1-5)."
I know that this passage might be really familiar to many of you, but I want to hit on the, "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." To tell you the truth it is pretty self-explanatory. But if God made all things that are here, then we should not put our stock in them, because we know from experience that these things fail, constantly. So, why don't we put our trust in the One that is far greater than the things that will always let us down, the One that made all our "securities?" We should not be so wrapped up in something that it becomes our identity, yet it always happens (I speak from experience) and then when it fails we look for another thing to replace the first.
What I am really trying to get to is this; I myself want to be secure in Christ, and in Christ alone, so that when the walls of life crumble around me, and the ceiling comes crashing down around my head, I will walk away from the ruin that was once my life and will still live, because none of that ruin was me, my identity was Christ and Him crucified.
Let this be my challenge to you, do not be so consumed by that thing, whether it be music, sports, video games, or T.V. for it to become your identity, but be consumed by the greatest power of the universe, the One from whose mouth came the sun, in a mere word. Let Him become your significance and let His Son save you from the punishment you so justly deserve. He is the only one that will never fail you, and never forsake you, of you are His child. "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord... There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit! (Romans 7:24-25a, 8:1)" These verses bring tears to my eyes, because I am such a wretched man. I am a pride filled, lying, man and I deserve nothing more than death and hell, but because of His sheer grace, and His sheer mercy, and His sheer love, He gave me His Son that I might become His, and no longer be forsaken to hell! This God we worship is strong and mighty to save, He is awesome as well as the King from the beginning to the end. He absolutely is, and was, and will be, he is the great I AM!
I know that this passage might be really familiar to many of you, but I want to hit on the, "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." To tell you the truth it is pretty self-explanatory. But if God made all things that are here, then we should not put our stock in them, because we know from experience that these things fail, constantly. So, why don't we put our trust in the One that is far greater than the things that will always let us down, the One that made all our "securities?" We should not be so wrapped up in something that it becomes our identity, yet it always happens (I speak from experience) and then when it fails we look for another thing to replace the first.
What I am really trying to get to is this; I myself want to be secure in Christ, and in Christ alone, so that when the walls of life crumble around me, and the ceiling comes crashing down around my head, I will walk away from the ruin that was once my life and will still live, because none of that ruin was me, my identity was Christ and Him crucified.
Let this be my challenge to you, do not be so consumed by that thing, whether it be music, sports, video games, or T.V. for it to become your identity, but be consumed by the greatest power of the universe, the One from whose mouth came the sun, in a mere word. Let Him become your significance and let His Son save you from the punishment you so justly deserve. He is the only one that will never fail you, and never forsake you, of you are His child. "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord... There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit! (Romans 7:24-25a, 8:1)" These verses bring tears to my eyes, because I am such a wretched man. I am a pride filled, lying, man and I deserve nothing more than death and hell, but because of His sheer grace, and His sheer mercy, and His sheer love, He gave me His Son that I might become His, and no longer be forsaken to hell! This God we worship is strong and mighty to save, He is awesome as well as the King from the beginning to the end. He absolutely is, and was, and will be, he is the great I AM!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Scottish Hymn #3
"He is faithful."
To Thee, O Comforter Divine,
For all Thy grace and power benign
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, whose faithful love had place
In God's great covenant of grace,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, whose faithful voice doth sin
The wandering from the ways of sin,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, whose faithful power doth heal,
Enlighten, sanctify, and seal,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee whose faithful truth is shown
By every promise made our own,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, our Teacher, and our Friend,
Our faithful Leader to the end,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, by Jesus Christ sent down,
Of all His gifts the sum and crown,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, who art with God the Son,
And God the Father ever One,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, O Comforter Divine,
For all Thy grace and power benign
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, whose faithful love had place
In God's great covenant of grace,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, whose faithful voice doth sin
The wandering from the ways of sin,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, whose faithful power doth heal,
Enlighten, sanctify, and seal,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee whose faithful truth is shown
By every promise made our own,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, our Teacher, and our Friend,
Our faithful Leader to the end,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, by Jesus Christ sent down,
Of all His gifts the sum and crown,
Sing we Alleluia!
To Thee, who art with God the Son,
And God the Father ever One,
Sing we Alleluia!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
LOOK!!!
Isaiah 45:22, "Look unto me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."
My friends, "Look unto God!" Look to the one who died upon that cross at calvary, and be saved. Direct you gaze to the Majesty of Heaven and see His indescribable glory. This King of kings, this Lord of lords, come down to sinful earth to die for you, LOOK! and be saved. All you must do is look! We sit in a circle with Christ in the middle, and all that we must do for salvation to take full hold, is gaze upon him. But we seem more content to stare at the hideous ceiling than look at the glory of God. He is a pure diamond before us all, and all we must do is look, instead we take up our shovels and walk the other direction to go and dig up a small ugly chunk of coal. We are so consumed by our quest for the fleeting that we never look at Christ! All that must be done is an impulse to our eyes that we may see, but we think it better to cause the whole body to move, and work, all the while moving and working farther from God so that we never take in the scope of His glorious Majesty. I cannot say it enough LOOK! JUST LOOK! Throw your cares upon Him that he may show you His might, give him all that is yours to give that he may show you his providence. Look not to the empty and forsaken things of this world, were moth and rust doth corrupt, but to the whole lasting things of Christ. Glimpse the one that says, "Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:18
My friends, "Look unto God!" Look to the one who died upon that cross at calvary, and be saved. Direct you gaze to the Majesty of Heaven and see His indescribable glory. This King of kings, this Lord of lords, come down to sinful earth to die for you, LOOK! and be saved. All you must do is look! We sit in a circle with Christ in the middle, and all that we must do for salvation to take full hold, is gaze upon him. But we seem more content to stare at the hideous ceiling than look at the glory of God. He is a pure diamond before us all, and all we must do is look, instead we take up our shovels and walk the other direction to go and dig up a small ugly chunk of coal. We are so consumed by our quest for the fleeting that we never look at Christ! All that must be done is an impulse to our eyes that we may see, but we think it better to cause the whole body to move, and work, all the while moving and working farther from God so that we never take in the scope of His glorious Majesty. I cannot say it enough LOOK! JUST LOOK! Throw your cares upon Him that he may show you His might, give him all that is yours to give that he may show you his providence. Look not to the empty and forsaken things of this world, were moth and rust doth corrupt, but to the whole lasting things of Christ. Glimpse the one that says, "Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:18
Friday, January 11, 2008
Soli Deo Gloria
1. Soli gratia
By “grace alone”: By the grace of God are we allowed to know the person of Christ, and come to salvation. Out of his sheer grace faith is allowed to us. Out of His sheer grace He gave us His Son. Out of his sheer grace we awoke this morning. And still by His sheer grace you take breath as you read this. Amazing grace must be our song until we encounter Him, for how else can we describe how humanity lingers on in our wallow of sin? I must cry grace, for it is all I will ever truly know.
Substantiating texts:
Proverbs 3:34 “He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.”
Jonah 2:8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, Full of grace.”
1:16 “From the fullness of his grace, we have all received one blessing after another.”
1:17 “for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Acts 15:11 “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
Acts 18:27 “… He was a great help to those who by grace had believed.”
Romans 5:20 “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”
6:14 “ For sin shall not be you master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
Romans 11:5 “So too, there is a remnant chosen by grace.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 “By the grace of God I am what I am…”
2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, my strength made perfect in weakness.”
Ephesians 1:6 “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us the One he loves.”
2. Soli fides
By “faith alone”: Do we come to the point of reconciliation (however, not crossing the point). After we have been given the grace to have faith in Christ then can we finish.
Substantiating texts:
Proverbs 28:20 “ A faithful man will be richly blessed…”
Isaiah 26:2“Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nations that keeps faith.”
Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold the proud his soul is upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”
Matthew 9:2 “Some men brought to him a paralytic man when he say their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘take heart son, your sins are forgiven you.’ “
9:22 “ …Your faith has healed you…”
9:29 “ …according to your faith it will be done to you.”
15:28 “ ‘Women you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”
21:21 “I tell you if you have faith and do no doubt not only can you do what is done to the fig tree, but also can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself in the sea.’ And it will be done.”
Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God.”
Luke 22:32 “ But I have prayed for you, Simon, that you faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Acts 3:16 “ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
Acts 11:24 “ He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and great number of people were brought to the Lord.”
Acts 15:9 “ He mad no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.”
Acts 20:21 “ I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 1:17 “ For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous shall live be faith.”
Romans 3:22 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, there is no difference.
Romans 3:26 “ He did not demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be the just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus.
3:28 “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
2 Corinthians 5:7 “We live by faith not by sight.”
Galatians 3:24 “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.”
3:26 “All you are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:8 “it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”
3. Soli Cristo
By “Christ alone”: Are we saved, no other can save us. Only through the person of Christ, who, surely, bore our transgressions upon the cross, reconciling the elect to God. Causing Salvations effect to take full hold, a hold that can never be loosed.
Substantiating Texts:
Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Recap: By the grace of God can we come to the saving faith in God, and by Jesus is Salvation made whole.
4. Soli Deo Gloria
To God alone is the glory. We receive no glory from our own salvation. The part we play is little, if any. Salvation is far to big a thing for a mere mortal selfish human to receive any of its glory. God is the instigator as well as the close of salvation. There is nothing that merits those that He chooses, nothing to separate them from the crowd, if there was something to separate you from the crowd then you are a far better person than I can ever hope to be. He chooses the elect out of His sheer pleasure, that He might receive the total summation of the glory that comes form being saved. If man were entrusted with salvation then (at lest for me) he would chose himself every time, due to his sin nature. But, once again, by the grace of God is not left up to us, He picks His elect, that he might receive the glory and that we might receive the grace.
By “grace alone”: By the grace of God are we allowed to know the person of Christ, and come to salvation. Out of his sheer grace faith is allowed to us. Out of His sheer grace He gave us His Son. Out of his sheer grace we awoke this morning. And still by His sheer grace you take breath as you read this. Amazing grace must be our song until we encounter Him, for how else can we describe how humanity lingers on in our wallow of sin? I must cry grace, for it is all I will ever truly know.
Substantiating texts:
Proverbs 3:34 “He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.”
Jonah 2:8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, Full of grace.”
1:16 “From the fullness of his grace, we have all received one blessing after another.”
1:17 “for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Acts 15:11 “No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
Acts 18:27 “… He was a great help to those who by grace had believed.”
Romans 5:20 “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”
6:14 “ For sin shall not be you master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
Romans 11:5 “So too, there is a remnant chosen by grace.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 “By the grace of God I am what I am…”
2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, my strength made perfect in weakness.”
Ephesians 1:6 “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us the One he loves.”
2. Soli fides
By “faith alone”: Do we come to the point of reconciliation (however, not crossing the point). After we have been given the grace to have faith in Christ then can we finish.
Substantiating texts:
Proverbs 28:20 “ A faithful man will be richly blessed…”
Isaiah 26:2“Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nations that keeps faith.”
Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold the proud his soul is upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”
Matthew 9:2 “Some men brought to him a paralytic man when he say their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘take heart son, your sins are forgiven you.’ “
9:22 “ …Your faith has healed you…”
9:29 “ …according to your faith it will be done to you.”
15:28 “ ‘Women you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”
21:21 “I tell you if you have faith and do no doubt not only can you do what is done to the fig tree, but also can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself in the sea.’ And it will be done.”
Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God.”
Luke 22:32 “ But I have prayed for you, Simon, that you faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Acts 3:16 “ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
Acts 11:24 “ He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and great number of people were brought to the Lord.”
Acts 15:9 “ He mad no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.”
Acts 20:21 “ I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 1:17 “ For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous shall live be faith.”
Romans 3:22 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, there is no difference.
Romans 3:26 “ He did not demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be the just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus.
3:28 “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
2 Corinthians 5:7 “We live by faith not by sight.”
Galatians 3:24 “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.”
3:26 “All you are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:8 “it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”
3. Soli Cristo
By “Christ alone”: Are we saved, no other can save us. Only through the person of Christ, who, surely, bore our transgressions upon the cross, reconciling the elect to God. Causing Salvations effect to take full hold, a hold that can never be loosed.
Substantiating Texts:
Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Recap: By the grace of God can we come to the saving faith in God, and by Jesus is Salvation made whole.
4. Soli Deo Gloria
To God alone is the glory. We receive no glory from our own salvation. The part we play is little, if any. Salvation is far to big a thing for a mere mortal selfish human to receive any of its glory. God is the instigator as well as the close of salvation. There is nothing that merits those that He chooses, nothing to separate them from the crowd, if there was something to separate you from the crowd then you are a far better person than I can ever hope to be. He chooses the elect out of His sheer pleasure, that He might receive the total summation of the glory that comes form being saved. If man were entrusted with salvation then (at lest for me) he would chose himself every time, due to his sin nature. But, once again, by the grace of God is not left up to us, He picks His elect, that he might receive the glory and that we might receive the grace.
Luther Quote
"They... desire to know who he is and not to regard what he says, while he desires them first to listen; then they will know who he is. The rule is: Listen and allow the Word to make the beginning; then the knowing will nicely follow. If, however, you do not listen, then you will never know anything. For it is decreed: God will not be seen, known, or comprehended except through his word alone. Whatever, therefore, one undertakes for salvation apart from the Word is in vain. God will not respond to that. He will not have it. He will not tolerate it any other way. Therefore, let his Book, in which he speaks with you, be commended to you; for he did not cause it to be written for no purpose. He did not want us to let it lie there in neglect, as if he were speaking with mice under a bench or with flies on the pulpit. We are to read it, to think and speak about it, and to study it, certain that he himself (not an angel or a creature) is speaking with us in it."
~Martin Luther
~Martin Luther
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