Here is the new marketing strategy for those looking to join and participate in a Bible driven church. This is from the Covenant Theology blog site.
"Come to Our Church, where our desire to worship God is more important than your entertainment. It's not "dynamic worship" like most churches today, since we know you can get more dynamic music at the local bar on Saturday Night, and we can't compete with that. We preach the Word of God without any concern for whether or not it is "positive and uplifting". It may well be convicting, or even invoke fear or anger. But it will accomplish God's purpose. In our church, you can learn how to deny yourself, abase yourself, and put your love of self to death, since one who does not do so cannot be Christ's disciple. You'll be given a cross to carry, and must forsake all others, even to the point of hating even your own flesh for Christ sake, for those who will not do this are not worthy of Him. You will have trials, tribulation, and persecution for Christ's sake, and the world will hate you because it hates Christ. Come and be a part of us."
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Confronting people with Biblical truth
There are times when we have to confront others with the truth of Scripture. This is a note where the names have been changed to protect the innocent. However I am approaching another "professing" Christian who insists that a close friend (unsaved) is basically a good person with a good heart. The problem is the behavior has been consistently bad for many years. Problems occur when the counsel we give others is inconsistent with the clear truth of God's word. Here is my letter to this particular person.
I have been concerned and confused as to your take on the Bible as the authoritative word of God. This morning I called the church you attend and asked them about their doctrinal statement and statement of faith. It was rather difficult to find on the website and therefore I called and routed to the pastor's secretary. Basically I copied from documentation given to me for you to reference below. Since you have been an active member there for 50 plus years then I am concluding you concur with the doctrine and practices of this church. I point blank asked the pastor's secretary if this church in Charlotte believe the following 4 things about the Bible:
1. Inspired
2. Revealed
3. Inerrant
4. Infallible
She answered yes to my question.
I recall having a conversation with you some time back where you expressed a problem with some of these things. Maybe I am misquoting you on this and if so I apologize. As you know Nancy and I are giving our lives to the word of God being learned and lived as the authority for our lives. Joe, it was the cry of the Reformation that said "we will only believe and do what the Bible says."
Let me emphasize that in regard to this issue of Ingrid, I am not interested in what you think, or what I think, but rather what God thinks and has to say about these things. I believe your pastor would agree with me on this point. We have a major point of disagreement in regard to Ingrid. You think Ingrid is a "good" person but unfortunately this is not how the Bible speaks. The Lord Jesus addresses the heart of man in Mark 7:21-23 - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."
The greatest doctrine we have on salvation was written by the apostle Paul in Romans.
He talks about the universal condition of man in Romans 1:18-3:20. Read carefully Romans 3:10-12:
Rom. 3:10 as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
Rom. 3:11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
Rom. 3:12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."
Again from the words of the Lord Jesus in his famous "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 7:18-19- So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
"A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Joe, I have studied these verses in depth. There is no way you can look at Ingrid's behavior over the past 25 years in her marriage and see the consistent production of good fruit, as a matter of fact one sees just the opposite. And there is a simple answer to that question given by the Lord Jesus Himself. The reason is because the tree is bad!
Therefore Nancy and I are and remain convinced not on what we think but on the authority of God's word that Ingrid at this time is not a "good" person. Joe I have shared these types of things with Ingrid in the past. Again I have taken a Galatians 6:1 approach to Ingrid, which says "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness..." However I agree with Pastor Jones that much bolder actions now need to be taken with her. I am in favor of a Jude 23 approach which says "save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh." Or even a 1 Corinthians 5:5 approach in which the apostle Paul writes of a wayward brother "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." As a matter of fact this is how Pastor Jones has been praying in regard to Ingrid and her ongoing behavior.
If you want to know the Biblical solution for Ingrid it has been clearly expressed through Old and New Testament. The solution for Ingrid is to Repent and Believe! It was the first sermon that the Lord Jesus preached in Mark 1:15. In my opinion and others who have talked to Ingrid and know her, there has been no genuine repentence. He has a worldly type of sorrow in what he did, and in the fact that he got caught. But it was in fact her lack of repentence, that caused Pastor Jones to ask Ingrid to leave the church. Joe, that is called church discipline and she still remains under the discipline of this church.
Joe, I have been and continue to pray that God would do whatever He needs to do, in order to bring Ingrid supernaturally to Himself.
gripped by His grace,
P.S. - This is a copy of the churches doctrinal beliefs and practices concerning the Bible. I think as we continue to talk about these things it should be our plumb line or ultimate compass to guide our counsel and discussion.
The church confesses the Scriptures to be the Word of God written, witnessing to God's self-revelation. Where that Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the Living Word is present by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. For this reason the reading, hearing, preaching, and confessing of the Word are central to Christian worship. The session shall ensure that in public worship the Scripture is read and proclaimed regularly in the common language(s) of the particular church. (Book of Order W-2.2001)
Leaders in the church can be expected to affirm that "... the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments...[are]...., by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God's Word to [them]." (Book of Order G-14.0405b.2)
The church professes adherence to the traditional statements of Presbyterianism -- the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and the Westminster Larger Catechism -- though it views them as subordinate to the Bible, which alone is viewed as the inspired Word of God, a viewpoint which encompasses the doctrine of inerrancy in matters of fact, history, and teaching.
I have been concerned and confused as to your take on the Bible as the authoritative word of God. This morning I called the church you attend and asked them about their doctrinal statement and statement of faith. It was rather difficult to find on the website and therefore I called and routed to the pastor's secretary. Basically I copied from documentation given to me for you to reference below. Since you have been an active member there for 50 plus years then I am concluding you concur with the doctrine and practices of this church. I point blank asked the pastor's secretary if this church in Charlotte believe the following 4 things about the Bible:
1. Inspired
2. Revealed
3. Inerrant
4. Infallible
She answered yes to my question.
I recall having a conversation with you some time back where you expressed a problem with some of these things. Maybe I am misquoting you on this and if so I apologize. As you know Nancy and I are giving our lives to the word of God being learned and lived as the authority for our lives. Joe, it was the cry of the Reformation that said "we will only believe and do what the Bible says."
Let me emphasize that in regard to this issue of Ingrid, I am not interested in what you think, or what I think, but rather what God thinks and has to say about these things. I believe your pastor would agree with me on this point. We have a major point of disagreement in regard to Ingrid. You think Ingrid is a "good" person but unfortunately this is not how the Bible speaks. The Lord Jesus addresses the heart of man in Mark 7:21-23 - For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."
The greatest doctrine we have on salvation was written by the apostle Paul in Romans.
He talks about the universal condition of man in Romans 1:18-3:20. Read carefully Romans 3:10-12:
Rom. 3:10 as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
Rom. 3:11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
Rom. 3:12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."
Again from the words of the Lord Jesus in his famous "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 7:18-19- So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
"A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Joe, I have studied these verses in depth. There is no way you can look at Ingrid's behavior over the past 25 years in her marriage and see the consistent production of good fruit, as a matter of fact one sees just the opposite. And there is a simple answer to that question given by the Lord Jesus Himself. The reason is because the tree is bad!
Therefore Nancy and I are and remain convinced not on what we think but on the authority of God's word that Ingrid at this time is not a "good" person. Joe I have shared these types of things with Ingrid in the past. Again I have taken a Galatians 6:1 approach to Ingrid, which says "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness..." However I agree with Pastor Jones that much bolder actions now need to be taken with her. I am in favor of a Jude 23 approach which says "save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh." Or even a 1 Corinthians 5:5 approach in which the apostle Paul writes of a wayward brother "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." As a matter of fact this is how Pastor Jones has been praying in regard to Ingrid and her ongoing behavior.
If you want to know the Biblical solution for Ingrid it has been clearly expressed through Old and New Testament. The solution for Ingrid is to Repent and Believe! It was the first sermon that the Lord Jesus preached in Mark 1:15. In my opinion and others who have talked to Ingrid and know her, there has been no genuine repentence. He has a worldly type of sorrow in what he did, and in the fact that he got caught. But it was in fact her lack of repentence, that caused Pastor Jones to ask Ingrid to leave the church. Joe, that is called church discipline and she still remains under the discipline of this church.
Joe, I have been and continue to pray that God would do whatever He needs to do, in order to bring Ingrid supernaturally to Himself.
gripped by His grace,
P.S. - This is a copy of the churches doctrinal beliefs and practices concerning the Bible. I think as we continue to talk about these things it should be our plumb line or ultimate compass to guide our counsel and discussion.
The church confesses the Scriptures to be the Word of God written, witnessing to God's self-revelation. Where that Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the Living Word is present by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. For this reason the reading, hearing, preaching, and confessing of the Word are central to Christian worship. The session shall ensure that in public worship the Scripture is read and proclaimed regularly in the common language(s) of the particular church. (Book of Order W-2.2001)
Leaders in the church can be expected to affirm that "... the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments...[are]...., by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God's Word to [them]." (Book of Order G-14.0405b.2)
The church professes adherence to the traditional statements of Presbyterianism -- the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and the Westminster Larger Catechism -- though it views them as subordinate to the Bible, which alone is viewed as the inspired Word of God, a viewpoint which encompasses the doctrine of inerrancy in matters of fact, history, and teaching.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Do you think Biblically?
If you made a list of the top 10 reasons to praise God, what things might be on that list? The apostle Paul had a list and do you know what were number 1 and 2 on his list? Did either one on his list make your top 10? OK, go to Ephesians 1:3-14. By the way in Ephesians 1:11 you have one of the most sweeping statements in the Bible on God's sovereign control over all things. Paul starts out by extolling God for the many blessings that have been brought to us by the Father through the Son. The things that begin this list of blessings are dual truths, that God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, (Eph. 1:4) and that He has predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, out of His love, according to His will, to the praise of His glorious grace! The apostle Paul puts these two items at the top of his list when praising God: (Eph. 1:3-11)
1. Election
2. Predestination
Did either of these doctrines make your list? As most of you know these two terms have been highly debated and controversial throughout church history. Many times I have heard Christians utter a very dangerous phrase, they say things like "doctrine divides." Brothers and sisters in Christ that is not true, and I can prove that by you going to any of Paul's 13 epistles. He wrote in a style in which normally he always begins with doctrine, and then moves to application. Therefore Paul knew, because he was writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, that doctrine was the very thing that brought the church together to be unified in Christ. Again I am speaking to a larger point in our living the Christ centered life and which is grounded in our understand the Bible.
1. Election
2. Predestination
Did either of these doctrines make your list? As most of you know these two terms have been highly debated and controversial throughout church history. Many times I have heard Christians utter a very dangerous phrase, they say things like "doctrine divides." Brothers and sisters in Christ that is not true, and I can prove that by you going to any of Paul's 13 epistles. He wrote in a style in which normally he always begins with doctrine, and then moves to application. Therefore Paul knew, because he was writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, that doctrine was the very thing that brought the church together to be unified in Christ. Again I am speaking to a larger point in our living the Christ centered life and which is grounded in our understand the Bible.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Back from fishing and yes, it was great!
Things have been slow on the blog due to some vacation time. I posted a gone fishing sign and now here are the results. Folks, this is what the fishing is like on the intra-coastal waterway in Charleston, SC. Over the years I have been privileged to fish with many great anglers including Mike Koontz, Randall Groves and the legendary Kelly Bartlett. And today we add another into the Red Fish Hall of Fame may I present for your watching pleasure Mr. Pat Jones.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Quote for the day
"One of the greatest needs other than preaching the gospel and true conversion is to teach on the attributes of God, because people basically don't know Him.
If I were to go into most churches and preach on the attributes of God, what would happen about midway through that week is you would have faithful church members who have been there for forty years who would stand up and say,
'That's not my god, I could never love a god like that,'
... even though I'm just preaching the historical Christian view of God."
-Paul Washer from the sermon I am Under Obligation
If I were to go into most churches and preach on the attributes of God, what would happen about midway through that week is you would have faithful church members who have been there for forty years who would stand up and say,
'That's not my god, I could never love a god like that,'
... even though I'm just preaching the historical Christian view of God."
-Paul Washer from the sermon I am Under Obligation
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The analogy of Lazarus in John 11
The resurrection of Lazarus in John 11 is not unlike our spiritual resurrection from the dead. Did you notice "how" Lazarus responded? He responded based on the specific call of the Lord Jesus (John 11:43-44) when he heard these words "Lazarus, come forth." This was a specific call to bring Lazarus from death unto life. A Christian is one who has received a specific call from the Lord Jesus that brings them from death to life. Then notice that Lazarus in John 11 came forth still wrapped in his grave clothes. In this video Dr. John MacArthur compares this to our living the Christian life.
For the entire message simply click on this LINK.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
10 marks of pleasing the flesh
From the Puritan Fellowship blog site:
The signs of a flesh-pleaser or sensualist are these:
1. When a man in his desire to please his appetite, does not do it with a view to a higher end, that is to say to the preparing himself for the service of God; but does it only for the delight itself. (Of course no one does every action conciously with a view to the service of God. Nevertheless, the general manner or habit of a life spent in the service of God is absent for the flesh-pleaser.)
2. When he looks more eagerly and industriously after the prosperity of his body than of his soul.
3. When he will not refrain from his pleasures, when God forbids them, or when they hurt his soul, or when the necessities of his soul call him away from them. But he must have his delight whatever it costs him, and is so set upon it, that he cannot deny it to himself.
4. When the pleasures of his flesh exceed his delights in God, and his holy word and ways, and the expectations of endless pleasure. And this not only in the passion, but in the estimation, choice, and action. When he had rather be at a play, or feast, or other entertainment, or getting good bargains or profits in the world, than to live in the life of faith and love, which would be a holy and heavenly way of living.
5. When men set their minds to scheme and study to make provision for the pleasures of the flesh; and this is first and sweetest in their thoughts.
6. When they had rather talk, or hear, or read of fleshly pleasures, than of spiritual and heavenly delights.
7. When they love the company of merry sensualists, better than the communion of saints, in which they may be exercised in the praises of their Maker.
8. When they consider that the best place to live and work is where they have the pleasure of the flesh. They would rather be where they have things easy, and lack nothing for the body, rather than where they have far better help and provision for the soul, though the flesh be pinched for it.
9. When he will be more eager to spend money to please his flesh than to please God.
10. When he will believe or like no doctrine but "easy-believism," and hate mortification as too strict "legalism." By these, and similar signs, sensuality may easily be known; indeed, by the main bent of the life.
The signs of a flesh-pleaser or sensualist are these:
1. When a man in his desire to please his appetite, does not do it with a view to a higher end, that is to say to the preparing himself for the service of God; but does it only for the delight itself. (Of course no one does every action conciously with a view to the service of God. Nevertheless, the general manner or habit of a life spent in the service of God is absent for the flesh-pleaser.)
2. When he looks more eagerly and industriously after the prosperity of his body than of his soul.
3. When he will not refrain from his pleasures, when God forbids them, or when they hurt his soul, or when the necessities of his soul call him away from them. But he must have his delight whatever it costs him, and is so set upon it, that he cannot deny it to himself.
4. When the pleasures of his flesh exceed his delights in God, and his holy word and ways, and the expectations of endless pleasure. And this not only in the passion, but in the estimation, choice, and action. When he had rather be at a play, or feast, or other entertainment, or getting good bargains or profits in the world, than to live in the life of faith and love, which would be a holy and heavenly way of living.
5. When men set their minds to scheme and study to make provision for the pleasures of the flesh; and this is first and sweetest in their thoughts.
6. When they had rather talk, or hear, or read of fleshly pleasures, than of spiritual and heavenly delights.
7. When they love the company of merry sensualists, better than the communion of saints, in which they may be exercised in the praises of their Maker.
8. When they consider that the best place to live and work is where they have the pleasure of the flesh. They would rather be where they have things easy, and lack nothing for the body, rather than where they have far better help and provision for the soul, though the flesh be pinched for it.
9. When he will be more eager to spend money to please his flesh than to please God.
10. When he will believe or like no doctrine but "easy-believism," and hate mortification as too strict "legalism." By these, and similar signs, sensuality may easily be known; indeed, by the main bent of the life.
Isaiah 10 and the sovereignty of God
What kind of Biblical category do you have when it comes to the sovereignty of God? Wayne Grudem, the author of Systematic Theology, gives this definition of the sovereignty of God: "God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he 1. Keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which He created them; 2. Cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and 3. Directs them to fulfill his purposes."
Ultimately the purpose that God fulfills in all that He does is for the glory of His name.
In the first 3 months, yes 3 months, of our fall class we will cover the following about God:
1. His significance (the glory of His name)
2. His sovereignty
3. His self-sufficiency
I think you may be surprised how each of these important characteristics impact the way we live out our Christian lives. The reason for the email this morning is because of my time this morning in Isaiah Chapter 10. This section of Isaiah will be the focus of one class session as it regards the sovereignty of God. If you can grab your Bible, turn to Isaiah 10:5-15 and think about not only what God is doing, but how God is doing it.
Isaiah 10:5-7, 12, 15
5 "Woe to Assyria, (this starts out with a warning like, you are in big trouble Assyria, you who are what?) the rod of My anger, and the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
Do we get the point?
Assyria you who are carrying out My will, My rod in My hand doing exactly what I ordain you to do, now you might ask how can Assyria be in trouble with God for doing what He has ordained them to do? Folks these are the kinds of questions we must wrestle through when we turn to and read Scripture.
6 I send it against a godless nation (who is this? It is Israel), and commission it against the people of My fury, to capture booty and to seize plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
The next verse is critical in understanding what is going on here
7 Yet it does not so intend, nor does it plan so in its heart, what does that mean?, do you see the point of it?
They are being commissioned by God to do the very things of God but they do not see themselves as the instrument of God but rather it is its purpose to destroy, and to cut off many nations . . . (Assyria is selfish and arrogant and they are doing this entirely for their own benefit, they have no idea that as they do this they are carrying out the very will of God)
12 So it will be when the Lord has completed all his work on Mount Zion (this means the work that God ordained Assyria to do) and on
Jerusalem, He will say, 'I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of
Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness . . .
15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? (who is the ax? Answer – Assyria, who is the One who chops with it? Answer – God)
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?'" (who is the saw? Answer – Assyria, who is the One who wields it? Answer – God)
Assyria is raised up by God and given the military prowess that they have, used and ordained by God to carry out this work to bring judgment against His own people then when they have finished it, God then holds them accountable for what they did. Not so much for the work they did but for the intent of the heart in which there was pride and arrogance and selfishness.
They are judged for what they did even though they did exactly what God ordained them to do.
As you meditate on these verses are questions arising in your mind about the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man? Well these are some of the critical issues we will cover this fall as we touch on this all important things of Scripture. I maintain that right living is manifested by right thinking.
Ultimately the purpose that God fulfills in all that He does is for the glory of His name.
In the first 3 months, yes 3 months, of our fall class we will cover the following about God:
1. His significance (the glory of His name)
2. His sovereignty
3. His self-sufficiency
I think you may be surprised how each of these important characteristics impact the way we live out our Christian lives. The reason for the email this morning is because of my time this morning in Isaiah Chapter 10. This section of Isaiah will be the focus of one class session as it regards the sovereignty of God. If you can grab your Bible, turn to Isaiah 10:5-15 and think about not only what God is doing, but how God is doing it.
Isaiah 10:5-7, 12, 15
5 "Woe to Assyria, (this starts out with a warning like, you are in big trouble Assyria, you who are what?) the rod of My anger, and the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
Do we get the point?
Assyria you who are carrying out My will, My rod in My hand doing exactly what I ordain you to do, now you might ask how can Assyria be in trouble with God for doing what He has ordained them to do? Folks these are the kinds of questions we must wrestle through when we turn to and read Scripture.
6 I send it against a godless nation (who is this? It is Israel), and commission it against the people of My fury, to capture booty and to seize plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
The next verse is critical in understanding what is going on here
7 Yet it does not so intend, nor does it plan so in its heart, what does that mean?, do you see the point of it?
They are being commissioned by God to do the very things of God but they do not see themselves as the instrument of God but rather it is its purpose to destroy, and to cut off many nations . . . (Assyria is selfish and arrogant and they are doing this entirely for their own benefit, they have no idea that as they do this they are carrying out the very will of God)
12 So it will be when the Lord has completed all his work on Mount Zion (this means the work that God ordained Assyria to do) and on
Jerusalem, He will say, 'I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of
Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness . . .
15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? (who is the ax? Answer – Assyria, who is the One who chops with it? Answer – God)
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?'" (who is the saw? Answer – Assyria, who is the One who wields it? Answer – God)
Assyria is raised up by God and given the military prowess that they have, used and ordained by God to carry out this work to bring judgment against His own people then when they have finished it, God then holds them accountable for what they did. Not so much for the work they did but for the intent of the heart in which there was pride and arrogance and selfishness.
They are judged for what they did even though they did exactly what God ordained them to do.
As you meditate on these verses are questions arising in your mind about the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man? Well these are some of the critical issues we will cover this fall as we touch on this all important things of Scripture. I maintain that right living is manifested by right thinking.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Shannon McArthur jams!
Last night we had dinner at Wild Wings in Mount Pleasant. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Shannon McArthur. This young man is 22 years old and has a passion for music. He plays the guitar and writes his own stuff. Therefore I have posted a short sample one of his songs. If you would like more information on Shannon and his music simply click on this LINK. Baby Brown Eyes
When Christian jargon becomes confusing
As a former pastor I try to listen accurately especially when people talk things like salvation. It frustrates me when Christian leaders use phrases like "500 people gave their lives to Jesus" or "115 people asked to meet Jesus tonight." What in the world from a Biblical perspective does that really mean? These words and phrases have become typical Christian jargon. It sounds good but underneath the surface clarification is needed. Just think about these words and phrases mentioned above when it comes to the New Testament. Can you find any verse in the gospels where Jesus preaches and then says at the conclusion "how many are ready to come for a make a decision for Me?" Did Jesus say "are you ready to meet me tonight?"
Here is a video in which you will hear these kinds of expressions used by two different pastors from two different mega-churches. The problem is the fact that it may lead to false professions of faith which result in false assurance.
Here is a video in which you will hear these kinds of expressions used by two different pastors from two different mega-churches. The problem is the fact that it may lead to false professions of faith which result in false assurance.
9 truths to know about God
From the Buzzard Blog:
From J.I. Packer's introductory essay in In My Place Condemned He Stood:
From J.I. Packer's introductory essay in In My Place Condemned He Stood:
"Only where these nine truths have taken root and grow in the heart will anyone be fully alive to God."
(1) God..."condones nothing," but judges all sin as it deserves: which Scripture affirms, and my conscience confirms, to be right.
(2) My sins merit ultimate penal suffering and rejection from God's presence (conscience also confirms this), and nothing I do can blot them out.
(3) The penalty due to me for my sins, whatever it was, was paid for me by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in his death on the cross.
(4) Because this is so, I through faith in him am made "the righteousness of God in him," i.e. I am justified; pardon, acceptance and sonship become mine.
(5) Christ's death for me is my sole ground of hope before God. "If he fulfilled not justice, I must; if he underwent not wrath, I must to eternity." (John Owen)
(6) My faith in Christ is God's own gift to me, given in virtue of Christ's death for me: i.e. the cross procured it.
(7) Christ's death for me guarantees my preservation to glory.
(8) Christ's death for me is the measure and pledge of the love of the Father and the Son to me.
(9) Christ's death for me calls and constrains me to trust, to worship, to love and to serve.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The "prosperity" gospel exposed
The health, wealth and prosperity gospel is so dangerous and hurtful. In this video series Justin Peters explains why.
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Sincere but sincerely wrong!
Here is a video clip of a mega church pastor in Charlotte being passionate and sincere. Unfortunately he is sincerely wrong in pitting evangelism against discipleship. We must be so careful not to take what we like in the Bible at the exclusion of what we may not like as much. It seems that this pastor does not have a healthy Biblical tension between evangelism and discipleship. It is not Biblical to collapse one at the expense of the other. I have included the entire clip so you can see the full context of his message. However it is obvious that evangelism is the #1 priority and Bible teaching via discipleship is almost mocked from the pulpit. In the full video are sarcastic references to Kay Arthur and Beth Moore, who are both Bible teachers. How would this pastor interpret 2Tim. 2:15 - Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. Is it possible to live the word without correctly learning the word? The Bible never pits evangelism against discipleship or a strong commitment to the word of God. It isn't either/or but rather it is both/and. I am still amazed at the Christian jargon that is used regarding evangelism. For example in this video the pastor says that 500 people have given their lives over to Jesus. What does that really mean? How is he sure they have been genuinely justified by faith? If we track these 500 people for 5 years and discover that 495 still think, act, sound and do what they were doing prior to given their lives over to Jesus, then what should we conclude? Here is what we are to conclude, they were in fact not genuinely converted. Maybe it would be more accurate to say that 500 made a profession of Christ. And now the church, through a small group, is going to come alongside of these people in order to confirm that the calling God placed on their lives is in fact real. This is where solid Bible teaching and discipleship can be so valuable. For more on genuine conversion check out what the Lord Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-29. This means if these 500 people now walk the narrow way instead of the broad way, they have lives in which they produce good fruit and not bad fruit, and there house is built on a rock and not sand then and only then are they truly saved. Watch this video for yourselves and decide based on Scripture if the pastor is sincere or sincerely wrong! Again here is the full video clip.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Devotional thoughts
Here is a recent note I wrote to a men's Bible study regarding "professing" Christians and the world.
This summer I have spent a good bit of time studying and thinking about the practical living out of the Christian life according to God's word. It continues to occur to me that American evangelism has equated, for the most part, spiritual success with the number of conversions in a particular month, quarter or year within the church. However if one takes an objective look at the "Christian" landscape in America the results should bring us much concern. It's almost as if in all categories whether it be divorce, pornography or you pick the subject, the statistics in the church look almost identical to the world. How can that be possible? Well according to everything said by the Lord Jesus Himself and the Bible, it isn't possible, so what is the answer to this modern day dilemma? The number one problem with American evangelism, in my opinion, is that it is producing "false converts." People are "making decisions" for Jesus and then still living like they did prior to their supposed conversion. They have simply acquired and agree to all the information about Jesus but there is no transformation of the heart and life by Jesus. Well, let's go to the Bible and see what the Lord Jesus had to say about this subject.
Read carefully John 8:43-47:
"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
44"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45"But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
46"Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
47"He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."
Now read carefully John 10:25-28:
Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me.
26"But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.
27"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
Compare John 8 and John 10:
A person does not believe in order to become a sheep, but rather a person is a sheep which enables that person to believe. In John 8, the reason a person does not hear is because they are not of God. Again look at these two sections of Scripture and see if the following conclusion would be correct: "Being of God" and "being a sheep" are the same thing according to Jesus. These two things are not the result of what we do when we believe but rather this is what God does to us, so that we are able to believe.
This is called the doctrine of regeneration. Regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. This is sometimes called "being born again" (using language from John 3:3-8). This definition is from Wayne Grudem.
Guys, bottom line is that no program, event or strategy can produce a true convert to Jesus because only God can do this work. Unfortunately we in our evangelical zeal to get people "saved" we have come up with all kinds of man made tools. Do you see why this is so dangerous? It gives people a false assurance that they have been saved, when in fact if they have not been regenerated by the Spirit, they are still headed straight for hell. I draw these kind of hard conclusions based on what Jesus requires from those saved and what I see and observe in the professing Christians of our day. Again the statistics point to little if any difference between American Christians and the world and that is a spiritual impossibility according to the Scripture when someone is genuinely converted.
There is so much more to discuss in this area and so many more verses that confirm the conclusions drawn in John 8 and John 10. Hope this will challenge you and help you when talking with those in your ministry sphere of influence. It is a matter of heaven or hell.
Blessings,
This summer I have spent a good bit of time studying and thinking about the practical living out of the Christian life according to God's word. It continues to occur to me that American evangelism has equated, for the most part, spiritual success with the number of conversions in a particular month, quarter or year within the church. However if one takes an objective look at the "Christian" landscape in America the results should bring us much concern. It's almost as if in all categories whether it be divorce, pornography or you pick the subject, the statistics in the church look almost identical to the world. How can that be possible? Well according to everything said by the Lord Jesus Himself and the Bible, it isn't possible, so what is the answer to this modern day dilemma? The number one problem with American evangelism, in my opinion, is that it is producing "false converts." People are "making decisions" for Jesus and then still living like they did prior to their supposed conversion. They have simply acquired and agree to all the information about Jesus but there is no transformation of the heart and life by Jesus. Well, let's go to the Bible and see what the Lord Jesus had to say about this subject.
Read carefully John 8:43-47:
"Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
44"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45"But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
46"Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
47"He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."
Now read carefully John 10:25-28:
Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me.
26"But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.
27"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
Compare John 8 and John 10:
A person does not believe in order to become a sheep, but rather a person is a sheep which enables that person to believe. In John 8, the reason a person does not hear is because they are not of God. Again look at these two sections of Scripture and see if the following conclusion would be correct: "Being of God" and "being a sheep" are the same thing according to Jesus. These two things are not the result of what we do when we believe but rather this is what God does to us, so that we are able to believe.
This is called the doctrine of regeneration. Regeneration is a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. This is sometimes called "being born again" (using language from John 3:3-8). This definition is from Wayne Grudem.
Guys, bottom line is that no program, event or strategy can produce a true convert to Jesus because only God can do this work. Unfortunately we in our evangelical zeal to get people "saved" we have come up with all kinds of man made tools. Do you see why this is so dangerous? It gives people a false assurance that they have been saved, when in fact if they have not been regenerated by the Spirit, they are still headed straight for hell. I draw these kind of hard conclusions based on what Jesus requires from those saved and what I see and observe in the professing Christians of our day. Again the statistics point to little if any difference between American Christians and the world and that is a spiritual impossibility according to the Scripture when someone is genuinely converted.
There is so much more to discuss in this area and so many more verses that confirm the conclusions drawn in John 8 and John 10. Hope this will challenge you and help you when talking with those in your ministry sphere of influence. It is a matter of heaven or hell.
Blessings,
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Stormy Weather
This video gives you an idea of the weather systems that come through the Charleston area during the summer.
Quote for the day
I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes – that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens – that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence – the fall of . . . leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche. - Charles Spurgeon
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Does a decision for Christ = salvation?
I recently heard of a local church who had over 400 decisions for Christ within a month. My question to those reading this blog site is this: "Does a decision for Christ equate to salvation?" Maybe another way to ask the question is this: "Does the Bible speak of conversion in terms of making a decision for Christ?" For some people this may be splitting hairs but I think it is important to understand the background of what has been called "decisional regeneration."
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Lone Ranger Christians - No way!
This is an excellent article from Old Truth blog site. The modern church is filled with Lone Ranger Christians who often have no intention of ever joining a local in church in any formal way. Their supposed liberty, is desired over service to the body of Christ and submission to scripturally ordained authority. They would have the benefits of hearing the preacher and partaking of the Lord's Supper without commitment to the local church. Church membership is regarded as an unnecessary option. Membership in a local church is something that is taught in scripture and no Christian can be excused for not working to find a church to join and serve in (granted it's not always an easy thing). It is his duty to serve the church and be in submission to those in authority. Church membership is not an outdated tradition for stuffy Christians nor is it an optional practice.
Church membership is a necessary consequence when all the teachings regarding what a local church is and how it is to conduct itself are considered. Indeed a Christian cannot carry out his scriptural responsibilities to the body of Christ without joining himself to a local body of believers. The scripture commands Christians; "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you" (Heb 13:17). Christians are plainly and in no uncertain terms commanded to submit to their spiritual leaders. Such a command can only be properly understood as having context within the local church. We also see that Christians who are engaged in open and unrepentant sin are to be put out of fellowship and removed from the local church. Such a person is to be handed over to Satan maintain the purity of the church and to spurn the offender on to repentance that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus(1Cor 5:5). These circumstances would be quite impossible to obey were the subjects not joined to a local body of believers. Henceforth 'membership' of some form is simply implied by such texts.
In the book of Acts, upon salvation people were joining themselves to the church by identifying with a local body and worshiping corporately and attending to the needs of the saints. Acts 2:47 records; "And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." The text does not say that the Lord added to the body of Christ those that were being saved, but rather that the Lord added to their (the local church headed by the apostles) number those that were being saved. Christians were identifying themselves officially with a local body of believers. These were no mere visitors simply kicking the tires of a near by church, they were fully committed to the local church and it's work going so far as to sell their property in order to support the saints in need. While joined to that local body such persons were under the discipline of the rulers of that body. Christians who sinned were subject to appropriate censures and those who had need were aided by the local church's benevolence. They were also responsible for electing elders and deacons to carryout the preaching of the Word and the serving of tables. The believers in these congregations were fully committed to all aspects of the life of the church at the local level.
It is indeed a concept unknown in scripture that a Christian would ever maintain an uncommitted relationship with a local church. The scriptures have no knowledge of Lon Ranger Christians. The universal testimony of scripture is such that when sinners are converted they join themselves to a local church in order to worship with the saints of God and contribute to the work of spreading the gospel. The local church is the very place where the intimacy of the body of Christ is nurtured. It is ordained by God that pastors be placed over these congregations to govern them and to equip them that they may be fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. No Christian who maintains a casual relationship with the church, who will not identify and participate in vital union with other believers can expect to grow in grace or be fruitful in the knowledge of Christ.
Theological deconstruction
The 21st Century American culture has permeated the church at many levels. Therefore one of the key strategies that I will employ this fall is first helping people to "unlearn what they have learned incorrectly." The basic thinking here is wrong thinking about the Bible leads to wrong application of the Bible. One of the "hot topics" for me personally over the years has been in the area of salvation. In this particular discussion with many Christians, the issue of conversation centers around when a person "got saved" or what happen when they "were saved." It may be that the preacher, teacher or evangelist said for the person to write the date of conversion in their Bible and refer back to it if they ever had doubts because of their flesh, world or the devil. The framing of their salvation in this regard becomes a past tense event, almost like purchasing a ticket that you can keep all the way to heaven. This person may have responded to an altar call in which they made a decision for Jesus and then prayed a prayer. But have you looked around and observed the fact that so many "Christians" today do not think, look, act or sound in any way different than the world. There doesn't appear to be a radical Christ centered living that is the preoccupation of their lives. However if you ask them if they are "Christians" the answer would be yes, and they may even take you back to the date when they wrote in their Bible. So what's the problem? What do we need to help folks unlearn that they have learned incorrectly? In the book of Romans, which is the epistle written on the doctrine of salvation, the apostle Paul writes these words in Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Allow me to paraphrase this verse with an understanding of the word "believes" which, in the Greek, is a verb that occurs in the present tense. My paraphrase would read "the gospel is the power of salvation to everyone who continues on a daily basis to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ." Do we get the significance of that statement? If there is no present believing then there is no present salvation and it doesn't matter if you walked the aisle, raised a hand, signed a card, made a decision or even prayed a prayer! Leadership team my question is not did you get saved, but are you being saved every day! Please understand the word salvation that Paul is using in Romans is much broader than justification by faith, but also includes our sanctification and glorification. We in the church better re-read Romans 1:16 and understand the full significance of who Paul is talking to in this verse and what he is saying. I am vexed like you can not imagine on this subject, regarding the number of people who sit in church each Sunday thinking they are saved and yet are headed straight to hell. Why? Because someone convinced them if they made a decision and prayed a prayer that they would be saved and that would settle the issue. But when you see this person's life there is no passion for Christ, or His word, or anything in regard to the church or serving in the kingdom. Yet, at one point in their life they walked the aisle and recited a prayer. Do you see why we need to help people learn what the Bible actually says about salvation, and not just what they have culturally absorbed about salvation? Because if there is no present day holiness and obedience in the life of a person then there has been no past tense salvation, I don't care what they said or what they did.
In our class on "Learning and Living the God-centered Life" we will spend a good bit of time understanding the word "salvation" as the Bible teaches it. We live in a culture of numbers and statistics. Therefore it becomes prominent in American evangelism that we figure out a way to get people to walk the aisle, sign a card or pray a prayer. Unfortunately this is the way we have come to think and practice, but this is not how the Bible speaks when it comes to a persons conversion to Christ. What could be more important than someones eternal salvation? We desperately need to understand what the Bible teaches about this subject so that we can accurately apply it to our lives and those in our ministry sphere of influence.
In our class on "Learning and Living the God-centered Life" we will spend a good bit of time understanding the word "salvation" as the Bible teaches it. We live in a culture of numbers and statistics. Therefore it becomes prominent in American evangelism that we figure out a way to get people to walk the aisle, sign a card or pray a prayer. Unfortunately this is the way we have come to think and practice, but this is not how the Bible speaks when it comes to a persons conversion to Christ. What could be more important than someones eternal salvation? We desperately need to understand what the Bible teaches about this subject so that we can accurately apply it to our lives and those in our ministry sphere of influence.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Scenes from the Lowcountry 2008
Check out the photos of our time on Sullivan's Island and cruising down the intra-coastal near the Isle of Palms.
Friday, July 4, 2008
The deceptive nature of sin
From the Between Two Worlds blog site:
Here's another excerpt from Paul Tripp's book, Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy. Again, I found this both deeply convicting and hopeful at the same time.
Sin lives in a costume, that's why it's so hard to recognize. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. In order for it to do its evil work, it must present itself as something that is anything but evil. Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party.
Impatient yelling wears the costume of a zeal for truth.
Lust can masquerade as a love for beauty.
Gossip does its evil work by living in the costume of concern and prayer.
Craving for power and control wears the mask of biblical leadership.
Fear of man gets dressed up as a servant heart.
The pride of always being right masquerades as a love for biblical wisdom.
Evil simply doesn't present itself as evil, which is part of its draw.
You'll never understand sin's slight of hand until you acknowledge that the DNA of sin is deception. Now what this means personally is that as sinners we are all very committed and gifted self-swindlers. I say all the time to people that no one is more influential in their own lives than they are because no one talks to themselves more than they do. We're all too skilled at looking at our own wrong and seeing good. We're all much better at seeing the sin, weakness, and failure of others than we are our own. We're all very good at being intolerant of others of the very things that we willingly tolerate in ourselves. The bottom line is that sin causes us to not hear or see ourselves with accuracy. And we not only tend to be blind, but to compound matters, we tend to be blind to our blindness.
What does all of this mean? It means that accurate-self assessment is the product of grace. It is only in the mirror of God's Word and with the sight-giving help of the Holy Spirit, that I am able to see myself as I actually am. In those painful moments of accurate self-sight, we may not feel as if we are being loved, but that is exactly what is happening. The God, who loves us enough to sacrifice his Son for our redemption, works so that we would see ourselves clearly, so that we would not buy into the delusion of our own righteousness, and with a humble sense of personal need, seek the resources of grace that can only be found in him.
Here's another excerpt from Paul Tripp's book, Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy. Again, I found this both deeply convicting and hopeful at the same time.
Sin lives in a costume, that's why it's so hard to recognize. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. In order for it to do its evil work, it must present itself as something that is anything but evil. Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party.
Impatient yelling wears the costume of a zeal for truth.
Lust can masquerade as a love for beauty.
Gossip does its evil work by living in the costume of concern and prayer.
Craving for power and control wears the mask of biblical leadership.
Fear of man gets dressed up as a servant heart.
The pride of always being right masquerades as a love for biblical wisdom.
Evil simply doesn't present itself as evil, which is part of its draw.
You'll never understand sin's slight of hand until you acknowledge that the DNA of sin is deception. Now what this means personally is that as sinners we are all very committed and gifted self-swindlers. I say all the time to people that no one is more influential in their own lives than they are because no one talks to themselves more than they do. We're all too skilled at looking at our own wrong and seeing good. We're all much better at seeing the sin, weakness, and failure of others than we are our own. We're all very good at being intolerant of others of the very things that we willingly tolerate in ourselves. The bottom line is that sin causes us to not hear or see ourselves with accuracy. And we not only tend to be blind, but to compound matters, we tend to be blind to our blindness.
What does all of this mean? It means that accurate-self assessment is the product of grace. It is only in the mirror of God's Word and with the sight-giving help of the Holy Spirit, that I am able to see myself as I actually am. In those painful moments of accurate self-sight, we may not feel as if we are being loved, but that is exactly what is happening. The God, who loves us enough to sacrifice his Son for our redemption, works so that we would see ourselves clearly, so that we would not buy into the delusion of our own righteousness, and with a humble sense of personal need, seek the resources of grace that can only be found in him.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Learning and Living the God-centered Life
I am privileged and honored to teach at Carmel Baptist starting this fall a foundational course on Christian living. This blog will be an opportunity to post class lessons as we move through this one year curriculum of study.
Here is a note this week to the leadership team.
Hope all is well in Charlotte and that you are having a great summer. This has been a time for me to study, reflect and process through the realities of God's word. In our time of study over the past years we have discussed that the Bible is inspired, revealed, inerrant and infallible. However I fear that we as Christians in America have lost our moorings as it relates to making the Bible the plumb line of our lives. My attention this summer has been focused on the following theme of study "Learning and Living the God-centered life." Unfortunately we have many in the church who hold to one of the extremes. Those who want to just learn about the Bible, these folks after years tend to just "show up", and those who want to talk about the experience of the Christian life and these folks tend to "blow up." In my study and teaching this fall and beyond I am proposing to bring these two tensions together to help those in the body of Christ "grow up." I would like to bring Biblical clarity to the practical way of living a God-centered life, as we come to see and savor Christ. In the study of Philippians which has been called the epistle of joy, we studied Philippians 2:12-13 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. We can see in these two verses a summary of the Christian life, one is what we are to do and the other is what God is to do.
Maybe it could be summarized by the following:
1 Grace comes down
2. Joy rises
3. Love overflows
Each year I have the privilege to study I am more and more convinced of the following:
- learning to living
- root to fruit
- doctrine to delighting
- seeing to savoring
- believing to behaving
In other words right thinking leads to right thinking in the Christian life. Unfortunately in the 20th Century, which will be known as the century of self, many Christians have tried to bypass the right thinking and go to right living. And for many people that means unlearning what they have learned incorrectly. The air of American culture that we breathe everyday is so dangerous to our learning and living the God-centered life. If you can picture a river with a strong current that is flowing swiftly in one direction. Now drop some Christians in that river in which the current is made up of corruption, demonic influences, sin nature, and the world. There is no way you can put your life in neutral because the current will simply sweep you away. Therefore the apostle Paul writes things like "fight the good fight." He uses metaphors for the Christian life of a builder, boxer, a runner and a solider. I have lots of conversations with people in the church as I have taught over the years. There is too little reading of the Bible, meditating, wrestling and discussing of God-centered principles of Christian living. We have delegated those things to Sunday morning and Wednesday nights in Charlotte. But I am proposing a God-centered saturation of learning and living of the Bible to the point that when you bump up against someone or something then you bleed Jesus.
It must start with a learning and knowing the God of the Bible. The best way to do this is to study the whole Bible in which God has graciously revealed Himself to us. Of course we understand the Bible to be everything that we need to know in order to have a personal and intimate relationship with God, but it does not contain everything that is known about God. Christians need to get back to a learning of the basic attributes of God such as:
- sovereignty
- self-sufficiency
- mercy
- grace
- holiness
- justice
- wrath
- love
- omniscience (all knowing)
- omnipresence (all present)
- omnipotence (all powerful)
- immutability (non-changing)
Again the living for God in to produce fruit follows the learning of God as it is the root. This is simplicity through tremendous complexity, as we study what it really means to be the Christian that one says they have become. By this I mean there are hard verses and hard things that we must come to learn about the God of this universe. We must let Scripture stand even when it appears that there are tensions that seem in our minds to be mutually exclusive. One prime example is how the sovereignty of God and the free will of man can co-exist at the same time. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon was once asked how he every hoped to reconcile sovereignty and free will, to which Spurgeon quickly replied "I never try to reconcile friends." American Christians have spent far too little time with the Bibles in hand and far too much time with the TV remote in hand. The Christian life is war, and not a vacation of comfort and convenience at Club Med. Go to this LINK for a quick update.
I am going to be sending out some emails that will give an introductory breakdown in these three phases of study:
1. A delighting in the supremacy of God
2. An enthusiasm and joy that results from us being satisfied in all that God is in Jesus
3. The overflow of love that manifests in holiness and obedience as we live out the Christian life
The teaching overview will begin with the end in mind. Therefore I will present what it looks like to live out the Christian life (stage 3). But as we start our teaching this fall it will begin with knowing the God of the Bible. Hopefully by beginning at the end, it will encourage those to hang in for a one to two year period of teaching, that I am praying will not be informational, but rather transformational in producing radical Christians for Christ!
Blessings,
Here is a note this week to the leadership team.
Hope all is well in Charlotte and that you are having a great summer. This has been a time for me to study, reflect and process through the realities of God's word. In our time of study over the past years we have discussed that the Bible is inspired, revealed, inerrant and infallible. However I fear that we as Christians in America have lost our moorings as it relates to making the Bible the plumb line of our lives. My attention this summer has been focused on the following theme of study "Learning and Living the God-centered life." Unfortunately we have many in the church who hold to one of the extremes. Those who want to just learn about the Bible, these folks after years tend to just "show up", and those who want to talk about the experience of the Christian life and these folks tend to "blow up." In my study and teaching this fall and beyond I am proposing to bring these two tensions together to help those in the body of Christ "grow up." I would like to bring Biblical clarity to the practical way of living a God-centered life, as we come to see and savor Christ. In the study of Philippians which has been called the epistle of joy, we studied Philippians 2:12-13 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. We can see in these two verses a summary of the Christian life, one is what we are to do and the other is what God is to do.
Maybe it could be summarized by the following:
1 Grace comes down
2. Joy rises
3. Love overflows
Each year I have the privilege to study I am more and more convinced of the following:
- learning to living
- root to fruit
- doctrine to delighting
- seeing to savoring
- believing to behaving
In other words right thinking leads to right thinking in the Christian life. Unfortunately in the 20th Century, which will be known as the century of self, many Christians have tried to bypass the right thinking and go to right living. And for many people that means unlearning what they have learned incorrectly. The air of American culture that we breathe everyday is so dangerous to our learning and living the God-centered life. If you can picture a river with a strong current that is flowing swiftly in one direction. Now drop some Christians in that river in which the current is made up of corruption, demonic influences, sin nature, and the world. There is no way you can put your life in neutral because the current will simply sweep you away. Therefore the apostle Paul writes things like "fight the good fight." He uses metaphors for the Christian life of a builder, boxer, a runner and a solider. I have lots of conversations with people in the church as I have taught over the years. There is too little reading of the Bible, meditating, wrestling and discussing of God-centered principles of Christian living. We have delegated those things to Sunday morning and Wednesday nights in Charlotte. But I am proposing a God-centered saturation of learning and living of the Bible to the point that when you bump up against someone or something then you bleed Jesus.
It must start with a learning and knowing the God of the Bible. The best way to do this is to study the whole Bible in which God has graciously revealed Himself to us. Of course we understand the Bible to be everything that we need to know in order to have a personal and intimate relationship with God, but it does not contain everything that is known about God. Christians need to get back to a learning of the basic attributes of God such as:
- sovereignty
- self-sufficiency
- mercy
- grace
- holiness
- justice
- wrath
- love
- omniscience (all knowing)
- omnipresence (all present)
- omnipotence (all powerful)
- immutability (non-changing)
Again the living for God in to produce fruit follows the learning of God as it is the root. This is simplicity through tremendous complexity, as we study what it really means to be the Christian that one says they have become. By this I mean there are hard verses and hard things that we must come to learn about the God of this universe. We must let Scripture stand even when it appears that there are tensions that seem in our minds to be mutually exclusive. One prime example is how the sovereignty of God and the free will of man can co-exist at the same time. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon was once asked how he every hoped to reconcile sovereignty and free will, to which Spurgeon quickly replied "I never try to reconcile friends." American Christians have spent far too little time with the Bibles in hand and far too much time with the TV remote in hand. The Christian life is war, and not a vacation of comfort and convenience at Club Med. Go to this LINK for a quick update.
I am going to be sending out some emails that will give an introductory breakdown in these three phases of study:
1. A delighting in the supremacy of God
2. An enthusiasm and joy that results from us being satisfied in all that God is in Jesus
3. The overflow of love that manifests in holiness and obedience as we live out the Christian life
The teaching overview will begin with the end in mind. Therefore I will present what it looks like to live out the Christian life (stage 3). But as we start our teaching this fall it will begin with knowing the God of the Bible. Hopefully by beginning at the end, it will encourage those to hang in for a one to two year period of teaching, that I am praying will not be informational, but rather transformational in producing radical Christians for Christ!
Blessings,
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Quote for the day
“A man is not saved because he believes in Christ; he believes in Christ because he is saved.” - Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Philadelphia, PA: P&R Publishing, 1965), 101.
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