Focusing On Who God Is, Not Who We Are

"Be still, and know that I am God!" -Psalm 46:10

If our primary concern is that we be saved from damnation, we are failing to give God the glory that is His due.  Our primary concern should not be with our future, whether heaven or hell, but with the absolute glory of God and with enjoying Him forever, for this is the sun that shines on the narrow path leading to heaven and we are meant to rejoice in its light.  Therefore, knowing that our God is in control of our salvation, not we ourselves, let us lift our eyes up in forgetfulness of who we are, and look instead to who He is.

Consider that the moment you professed faith in Christ (recognizing that even this did not come from you, but was a gift from God bestowed upon you, a gift you did nothing to merit, as stated in Ephesians 2:8,9) God entered your life, cleansed you from all sin, and now your future is secure.  Now, from this point into eternity, there is “no condemnation” because you belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).  If you continue to fret over your own salvation after it has been granted, you only turn your eyes to yourself, staring at your own feet as you walk along the narrow path, missing the glory of God that shines all around you.  You were not meant for this; indeed, you were not meant to consider yourself at all, but rather to consider God and to look outward towards others.  Your position within Christ is not a frail thing to be undone by yourself, much less anyone else: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I consider it an evil thing that anyone should teach or believe that salvation is not an eternal matter, that by some means it may be undone, that the new creation might unmake itself.  This breeds fear, as no matter how greatly may be one's love for God, one must always consider that the future may yet hold decisions for us that will severe our tie with Him.  How frail we are, how easily we turn inward to our own desires; who can say with any confidence that he will continue to stand with God in the future?  Yet Christ did not offer such poor comfort.  Consider His words:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” –John 10:27-30

He does not say “they will never perish, unless, that is, they begin to follow me but later turn away and wander off again.”  No, He states that His sheep will never perish.  There is a blessed finality in that statement, and He goes on to press the point by emphasizing that we are within the Father’s hand and there are none who can snatch us away from the hand of almighty God.  Nor, indeed, can we snatch ourselves away, turning from a faith that is only within us because God Himself put it there.

Paul also understood this reality and emphasized it to the church in Colossi, writing “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” –Colossians 3:1-4

Your real life, that heavenly life hidden with Christ in God, is a certain thing.  So standing in the confidence of this, let us not only cleanse our lives of the stumbling blocks we know to watch out for, but also that preoccupation with ourselves, that fear and uncertainty that we breed within us, which indeed is actually a doubt in the goodness and faithfulness of God to see us to Heaven, and altogether cease thinking of ourselves and focusing on ourselves, of who we are, and instead concentrate on who God is, giving him continual praise and glory and pouring out thankfulness to Him, and let us work to lead others to His majesty.

On the "Prosperity Gospel"

“So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” -1 Peter 4:19

It is interesting that in the above passage, the Apostle Peter speaks of suffering as potentially “God’s will” for us. In my last post I spoke about the prevalence of false prophesy that covers so much of the modern church.  There are many in this world who, like the false prophets of old, preach “‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all!” (Ezekiel 13:10)  There is a companion group to them which I briefly alluded to in that post, a group which often goes hand-in-hand with the most prominent "prophets" of our time, and it is a group which is often just as, if not more so, damning than that of false prophesy. It is made up of those leaders and preachers who proclaim what is commonly known as the "Prosperity Gospel".

This theological line of thought may be presented in different ways, but let me sum it up thus: it is, according to these preachers, the will of God that His children, the heirs of His kingdom, be prosperous not merely in spiritual things and not merely in the life to come, but right now, in this life. They teach that health and wealth are promises that you only need to claim in faith in order to receive. Healing is always God's will and physical as well as spiritual prosperity and "abundance" are always God's will for you in this life.

It is telling that the most prominent and popular teachers of this ideal are often quite rich, appear frequently on TV and often with a message that includes "exercising your faith" by giving "sacrificially" large sums to their ministries.  In any other environment, such individuals might be denounced as thieves and derided as peddlers of snake oil by an outraged public. Within large segments of the church, however, they are applauded as leaders, visionaries and men of God possessing great faith. Their own wealth and prosperity are often presented by themselves as a proof of the legitimacy of their message and the blessing of God that came to them once they started to trust in the philosophy they push, and once they supposedly began to give sacrificially to others (as they now ask others to give to them).

It is a sad thing that within the church the response is often one of acceptance, of leaving them be lest we be considered too judgmental. Indeed, if anyone does speak out against such men and women, they are often called out for holding a "judgmental" attitude and are asked to keep quiet and let other be. Nevertheless, when the glory of God is our subject we cannot, indeed we dare not let such matters go unchallenged.

The problem with the so-called Prosperity Gospel is really very simple: it does not work.  There will always be those who are richer than others, so one man's riches hardly stand as proof of his philosophy.  What is telling is that the prosperity gospel teaches that these promises of health and wealth are true for all; and yet so very few will ever experience the slightest sign of this in their lives.

I speak from experience. I grew up in churches where this view was proclaimed and lifted up, where poor churchgoers, experiencing both health and financial hardships (not always their own fault) cried out to God regularly, claimed His promises, listened with itching ears to every passing preacher who stood up and told them to trust God (and give to their ministry) and that He would turn their situations around in a supernatural manner because that is what He promises.

It would seem that God is very slow to keep his promises, if promises they are.  What is the reason?  We could easily say that it is the fault of the individual, that despite their tears and their scripture quoting, they have not truly trusted God.  According to this philosophy, it is a far easier thing to put your faith in Christ so that He will save your soul from Hell and wash you clean from sin than it is to trust Him enough that He will grant you a physical healing or tell a bill collector to back off.  It would seem God is free and generous with His grace in securing for you an eternal future with Him, but if you desire any passing blessings in this lifetime you had better start jumping through some hoops.

I find it incredible that such a view is accepted by anyone at all, much less by such broad groups of people within the church.  However, we must be reminded that people will "look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3).  We want to have prosperity and health now, so we listen, we hope, we do outrageous things to obtain it, and when we don't obtain it, we accept that we do not yet have enough faith, because even this seems better than accepting that this life is not perfect, that it is often very hard and that it involves suffering and hard work.

I think perhaps the greatest proof of all that the Prosperity Gospel is both a sham and a shame, a creation of man born of selfish desire, is the testimony of the lives of the Apostles.  Of all the men in history who will claim that they did not possess a faith that was true and strong and pure?  These who endured endless hardships, persecution and were often put to death for their undying commitment to preach the good news, not of health and wealth, but of salvation?

How is it that, when God "promises" (if indeed He does) health and wealth to His faithful children, these who gave all that they had, even their very lives, spent those lives undergoing persecution and imprisonment?  How is it that they, as Paul testified, " faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside." (2 Corinthians 7:5)?  How is it that Paul, through whom the Holy Spirit penned much of the New Testament, said while he was imprisoned for his faith that “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”?  How could he have learned to be content with little, if God promises much to all?  How is it that, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 God refused to heal Paul of a particular affliction?  That passage alone should be the end of all talk of the so-called Prosperity Gospel.

Although it may sound judgmental, to speak against this sort of preaching is merely to perform an act of Biblical discernment, to “test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God.” as the Scriptures instruct us (1 John 4:1).  In speaking against it we also stand up for the glory of God, for in preaching such messages the faith of many is shaken and their hearts broken over a supposed flaw in their faith that simply isn’t there.  It breeds resentment for illnesses that go unhealed and for “promises” that go unrealized.  It preys upon the weak, the sick and poor as they give money they cannot afford to line the pockets of those who speak these messages.  It makes a mockery of true preachers as those without the church see the popularity and devotion given to such men and assume this practice of seeking money while promising wealth that never comes is the hallmark of our faith.  In degrades the majesty of God by taking His image and exchanging it for that of a business suit and a ledger.

Brothers and sisters, let us leave behind us all concept of the “Prosperity Gospel” and trade it instead for the true Gospel; the Gospel of Jesus Christ who tells us that “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

On False Prophesy and the Glory of God

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” –Jeremiah 17:9

There is an evil circulating through the church today. It is not a new problem, but in our modern time is has sprung up with ferocity. It has spread beyond denominational boundaries and has affected the thought and philosophy of many. It whispers, shouts, and tickles the ears of countless churchgoers. It spreads doubt, fear and false hope. Chances are good that you've encountered it firsthand; it is commonly known as the gift of prophesy.

Now, do not misunderstand me; I recognize that prophesy is a legitimate spiritual gift spoken of in both the Old and New testaments. In the Old, the prophets preached both blessing and judgment to God's people, as well as looked toward the coming Messiah. In the New, prophesy strengthened and established the early church as it was in its formative years, aided in the writing and establishment of the scriptural canon and points us toward the return of Christ and the restoration of creation.  These things are true prophesy and true gifts from God. But what I refer to is prophesy of an altogether different sort.

In our day, seeking for spiritual gifts has led many, not just as individuals but as denominations to downgrade the nature of the spiritual gifts in order to make them more applicable to broader groups of people, or to excuse the failure of many who claim to possess them to hold them in the same manner as the prophets of old.  Nowadays, if one is to believe it, there are hundreds, even thousands of individuals in prominent church positions who claim to possess the gift of prophesy. If this were true, there would be no reason for concern.  But the examination of Scripture against the practice of these so-called prophets makes it altogether unconscionable that such practice pervades the cultural landscape of our churches.

Even among the most well-known and touted "prophets", it is commonly understood that their prophesies are often wrong. In the Old Testament, to prophesy, to make a proclamation and claim that the divine inspiration of God is its source, and then to have that prophesy fail, was punishable by death and such an one would be branded as a false prophet. This was not the ordinance of man, it was the ordinance of God set down in scripture (see Deuteronomy 18:20). Why? Because the prophets were God's primary mouthpiece to His people, revealing His truth, His will and His judgments. The amount of damage a false prophet could produce by speaking lies in the name of God was significant, and therefore punished most severely as a warning to all that this evil would never be tolerated.

Nowadays we seem to have gone beyond that. Certainly we do not stone anyone; indeed, we have the closed canon of Scripture available to us now, which should be our guide in all matters. If someone speaks in a manner inconsistent with scripture, we can see it and know not to follow them or listen. Strangely, however, countless millions within the church do not seem to know not to listen to a man who claims to prophesy, but whose prophesies are often false.  How can this be? Are we so ignorant of the scriptures, or do we believe that God, the God who never changes, who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hewbrews 13:8), has relaxed his standards? Do we honestly believe that at one time he spoke clearly to His prophets, so that they had no doubt that He was speaking, spoke because they were compelled to, indeed were left without choice (as Jonah discovered when he attempted to flee from God rather than deliver His message) and whose messages certainly came to pass, that now in the present day He speaks uncertainly, speaks in vague and interpretive nudges within the heart that are without clarity, so easily misinterpreted that when pronounced they are wrong more often than right?  Or does He now speak with a voice that is so very similar to that of our own hearts that often we mistake our own thoughts and feelings for the voice of God, and thereby proclaim falsehoods that were never anything more than our own emotional leanings?

God forbid that we ever stand and proclaim that He speaks in such a frail manner.  He is the almighty God of Heaven and Earth, creator of the universe, creator of Man and ruler over Man’s heart and mind; He certainly can make His voice heard, and heard plainly.  I consider it blasphemous that we hold so little fear of God as to openly proclaim that His standards have been relaxed, that they are barely there at all, that His voice is so small as to be often indistinguishable from our own.  He is the God who will judge the living and the dead; have we no more fear of Him than to open proclaim lies in His name, excuse our lies by essentially saying that His voice is so difficult to separate from our own thoughts and emotions, and endlessly follow after, uplift and defend those who make it their regular practice to speak and act in this manner, those who claim to be displaying the glory of God while speaking utter nonsense to His people?  Can we not see how this diminishes God's glory, how it holds Him open to ridicule instead of the worship and praise that is His due?

If the church wishes to experience the gift of prophesy, how can it ever hope to do so if it defends and justifies those who are not prophets at all?  If you desire to hear prophesy, read the book of Revelation, or certain passages of Daniel and the other Old Testament prophets dealing with the return of Christ and the final and absolute establishment of His kingdom.  If you desire to prophesy yourself, then read it aloud and preach it to others.  Do not trust in your own heart as the mouthpiece of God, not when you already know how very frail and deceitful a thing it is.

Consider this: if a “prophet” is wrong time and again, and then this prophet comes to you and tells you that he has a message for you from God, the very best that you can say, given his record, is that “it probably isn’t true”, and if it probably isn’t true, you should not listen and he should not speak.  No matter what he says, if he has proclaimed false prophesies, he has proven that he is no prophet.

“’…any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’  But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the LORD?’ If the prophet speaks in the LORD’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the LORD did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.” –Deuteronomy 18:20-22

Can a Believer Lose Salvation? A Look at Hebrews 6

“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.” –Hebrews 6:4-6

In preaching the doctrine of Eternal Security, one is almost certain, and some point or other, to be faced with the above verse.  Again and again I have stressed the doctrine in this blog because I believe it to be one of the most important, yet frequently contested doctrines of Scripture.  So much hangs on this doctrine, the confidence and hope of the believer, the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the nature of salvation.  The believer can remain confident of his future with Christ because he knows that at no point in the future is he going to nullify his salvation; he knows this because his sins were washed away by the sufficient sacrifice of Christ, a sacrifice that covers past, present and future; he knows this because it is not his actions, whether good or bad, that secure his salvation, but it is the blood of Christ that was shed on his behalf, the work of God, not the work of man.  No one can earn salvation by works, no can maintain salvation by works, and no one can lose salvation by works.  The soul that has been redeemed by Christ cannot be un-redeemed.

Hebrews 6 is frequently held up as a refutation of eternal security as it does in fact speak of turning away from God.  I am familiar with three common interpretations of this passage which I will go over briefly:

First there is the view, commonly circulated in defense of Eternal Security that says those who “turn away” from God in the above passage were never really believers to begin with.  Typically, it is asserted that the description of those who were “once enlightened” and have “shared in the Holy Spirit” are those who have come close to salvation, perhaps those who have been intimately involved in church and ministry, seen God at work in people’s lives, known and understood the Gospel message, and yet turn away from it, much like the Pharisees who heard the preaching of Jesus, saw His miracles, and yet hardened their hearts, going so far as to proclaim, on one occasion where they saw him cast out a demon, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” Jesus went on to refute the ridiculous notion that Satan would tear down his own works in such a fashion, as well as to proclaim that blasphemy against Himself would be forgiven, but not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  This is itself another oft speculated verse, but let it suffice here to say that it is the Holy Spirit who works to convict men of their sins and draw them to Christ, and such hard-hearted rejection of His testimony bore such finality that it suggested absolute rejection of God.  Clearly the only sin which is “unforgivable” is to live this life without turning to God and repenting, and when a man’s time is over, there is no more forgiveness to be had, only the certainty of judgment.  So, perhaps this passage is given as a warning not to ignore the Spirit’s pull on our hearts, not to turn away from the testimony that we know of Jesus, lest we find it is too late to turn and repent.  Personally I am not a fan of this view as I feel the context and the stress on sharing in the Holy Spirit, being enlightened and tasting the “goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come”, plus the fact that it refers to bringing individuals “back” to repentance (as opposed to repenting for the first time) suggest that in fact it is truly redeemed souls that are in question here.

Which of course brings us to the common Arminian interpretation, that the passage refers to those who were once saved turning away from God and therefore losing their salvation.  On the surface, this is perfectly reasonable.  It does seem to me that the passage is certainly dealing with those who have already repented and who are therefore certainly redeemed, bought and paid for by the blood of Christ, welcomed into the family of God as sons and daughters, joint heirs of Christ to God’s goodness, those who have been made a “new creation” by God’s grace (2 Corinthians 5:17).  It is of particular interest to me, however, how very few Arminian believers hold that “backsliding” carries with it the weight of certain eternal damnation; certainly they are quick to point out that the passage refers to believers turning away from God, but they are equally quick to skip over the second half of the passage which states that for those who so turn away, it is “impossible” to bring them back to repentance.  In many Arminian congregations salvation is often something people seek again and again, coming to God to repent of their “backsliding”.  Hopeful and encouraging stories and testimonies are told of those who were once saved, turned their back on God, but then turned again in repentance.  Unfortunately, all of that is refuted with cold finality by this one passage which says that no such repentance is possible once they have shared in the Holy Spirit and then turned away.

I have no desire that anyone should find themselves in the place of being afraid that God will no longer hear them should they cry out to Him, for scripture certainly teaches that no sin is so great that God will not forgive; “’Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.’” (Isaiah 1:18)  There is no point, while breath remains in a man, that we can say he has gone beyond repentance.  So long as a man feels the tug of the Holy Spirit, the guilt and weight of his sin upon his shoulders, it is not too late to turn to God and receive forgiveness.  Nevertheless I maintain that an Arminian who holds that losing salvation is possible and that Hebrews 6 teaches this doctrine is altogether inconsistent in their treatment of the passage because they fail to hold that such “backsliding” is permanent.  Indeed, an Arminian must already be fearful of their standing before God, knowing that, although they could not earn their salvation, they most certainly must maintain it (and who can trust in their own faithfulness in the future, when we know how weak we are in the present?), and yet now this is added to it: that if at some future point, in their own frailty, they should turn from God, such turning is permanent.  Indeed, the Arminian stands saved from Hell, and yet he remains on the very edge of it, always one step away from falling into its fiery depths, always with the fearful knowledge that man, no matter how faithful in one moment, is always so fickle as to be unfaithful in the next.  God save us all from the cruel “assurance” that the Arminian gives us of salvation!

There is yet another interpretation of Hebrews 6:4-6 that speaks more comfort and with more consistency.  It is to this position that I hold: that yes, Hebrews 6:4-6 is in fact speaking of a redeemed believer, and that yes, it is in fact speaking of them losing salvation and also having no repentance left having done so.  It is just that, in context within the passage, the chapter, and the greater testimony of scripture on the matter of salvation, this passage is an illustration of an entirely different truth which the writer of Hebrews is attempting to convey to his readers.  Consider what is written in verses 1-3 of Hebrews 6:

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.  And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”

This is how the writer begins his statement, which goes on with “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened…” the “For” connects this passage to the previous one.  In fact, if one goes even farther back, to the end of Hebrews 5, it will be discovered that the author is rebuking his readers for being infants in their theology and knowledge of the scripture.  He states in Hebrews 5:12 that “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others.  Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.”  You can feel the frustration in the author’s words.  Imagine, if you will, a professor preparing a group of seniors for an exam, only to find that they have no grasp of the most elementary concepts that they ought to have learned as freshmen.  Imagine him pacing at the front of the class, rebuking the students that everything they are going over is purely review, that they ought to know the material, ought to be able to tutor other students.  So it is in Hebrews: when the author writes “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again.” He is not downplaying the significance of the doctrine of salvation, the vital importance of the crucifixion of Christ; rather, he is rebuking them for never passing beyond this point, for not growing in knowledge but remaining fixed at the very beginning like children repeating the first grade over and over again.  They ought to be teaching these fundamentals to others, not constantly having to re-learn it for themselves.  It is in this context that he makes his statement about the loss of salvation.

It is entirely possible, given the context, that the writer was in fact speaking to a group of people who believed that salvation could gained, then lost, then gained again.  I do not speak this dogmatically, but it certainly seems to fit the text, as the author goes from stressing that they already ought to understand salvation and shouldn’t have to “start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God”.  That they were “starting again” with these basic doctrines suggests that they themselves failed to grasp them and were beginning once more at the absolute beginning of repentance and faith.  It certainly sounds a lot like many Arminian believers who find themselves seeking salvation anew for fear they had lost it.  Rebuking them, the author goes on to say that if such a thing were to happen, repentance would be impossible, damnation the only future for one who had been redeemed and yet turned away from God.

To backslide in the Arminian sense of being a believer and then turning away from and losing that salvation would be like a second fall of man: the new creation unmaking itself, taking the Christ who was crucified on its behalf and crucifying Him a second time, this time to its damnation.  Such an idea is ridiculous: you did not earn your salvation, it was a free gift from God.  In like manner, as it was free, you are not now making payments on it, as though it were in fact a loan.  The writer is stressing that they have already been taught salvation, that they ought to understand it, and that their constant “reapplying” this doctrine, never moving past it, reveals that they are still infants in their thinking: you have salvation and don’t need it again; indeed, even if it were possible to lose it, it is not a thing that can be re-obtained anyway, so move forward!

Throughout the book of Hebrews the author stresses that the believer should have confidence before God, because God is the guarantee of our salvation.  Indeed, even after making these statements about the loss of salvation, in verse 9 the author states that “Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.”  The author was making an important point, a point that is as much about the permanence of salvation as it was a rebuke of their childish thinking on the matter.  Indeed, small is the confidence a believer could have before God if in fact every moment found them one step away from falling from grace, and that without remedy.

Far from asserting that it is in fact actually possible for the believer to fall away, the author lays instead a foundation for complete and total confidence in God, stating, in Hebrews 6:17-20, “God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

The Gift of God

"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)" -Ephesians 2:4,5

It is important to realize that when God saved you, you were altogether dead before God on account of your sins.  Sin bears the punishment of death (Romans 6:23), and you, a sinful man, were condemned and dead already in the eyes of the justice of God.  It was not possible that you could redeem yourself in God's eyes, no good acts that could rub out the stain of sin on your life.  You were a dead man walking, and it was not in your power to resurrect yourself.  Can a dead man get up out of his coffin and make amends for the wrongs he committed in life?  With the Apostle Paul we must cry out in despair, "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?" (Romans 7:24)

Thankfully, the dominion of sin and death has met its match in the gracious love and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But how is it that God attributes the righteousness of Christ to us, and in so doing forgives us?  By no means but by His grace.  Paul continues in Ephesians, "God saved you by his grace when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God." (Ephesians 2:8)  John 3:16 says that "everyone who believes in him [Jesus] will not perish but have eternal life."  How is it that we believe?  Where does this faith in Christ come from, and how is it that a simple act of belief, a simple act of trust and faith in what God has done is the means by which God takes the sacrifice of His Son and applies it to our account, rubbing out the record of every wrong we have done, every wrong we ever will do?  It is strictly by the grace of God that this door is open to us, and not merely open, but strictly through God's grace that we even possess the faith by which we walk through it, for Paul does not end his statement by merely noting that it is by God's grace that our faith is counted as righteousness, but goes on to say that we cannot take any credit for this at all.

If our faith were of ourselves, we could take some credit, for we could claim that among other people who have not believed, or who are resisting God, we at least possessed enough wisdom and foresight to accept what He has done for us.  But God will have no boasting at all, not even on the small point of faith, for as Paul tells us, "it is a gift from God."  Being a gift, a gift for which we can take no credit, we are left without any ground to boast upon.  No, we can only stand in awe and thankfulness before the God who showed His graciousness toward us by making us alive in Christ when we were altogether dead in sin; for graciously accepting our faith in Christ and responding to that faith by placing His Holy Spirit within us; for granting us this faith and this salvation as a gift, which has no part of origin within ourselves, no part for which we can take credit.

Therefore, let no pride enter your heart with respect to your salvation or your faith in God: it is not from you, it was the pure, undeserved gift of a gracious God.  So look up to Him with nothing but gratitude and a thankful heart for the grace He has shown you, for the grace He shows you every day.

The Guarantee of Our Salvation

“And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” –Ephesians 1:13,14

From the moment that God granted you the grace to believe, He placed His Spirit inside of you, marking you as His own, taking up residence within your very being.  This is not a light, fickle thing that God has done.  God has not condescended to reside within you, to place His glorious Self inside of you, only to walk away from you.  Nor let us think that we, through our failures, can kick God out, as though our life were a slapstick comedy and God the straight man who gets bumped out the door as a result of our clumsy stumbling about.

Consider that God has not merely placed His Holy Spirit within us, but that He has done so as a guarantee.  And what is He guaranteeing?  That He will gives us the inheritance He promises.  What is the inheritance?  Nothing less than God Himself, eternal life lived in the light of His glory, alongside His Son Jesus Christ.  Scripture tells us that we are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), that God Himself is our inheritance (Psalm 16:5).  It is not a feeble reward, to be granted to those who strive hard and manage, by the end of their life, to be good enough to receive it.  No, it is an inheritance that is guaranteed to us, guaranteed at the very point of our salvation, when the Holy Spirit takes up residence within our hearts.  It is a poor guarantee indeed if it rests upon the feeble foundation of our own righteousness.  In that case it would be broken every time, in every one’s life.  But thanks be to God, it does not depend onus, but upon the faithfulness of God Himself.

Rest assured that what bears the guarantee of God Almighty will certainly come to pass.  When you believed, you became His child, were marked by Him a member of His family, and by His indwelling Spirit received the certain and sure guarantee of your salvation.  “He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” (Ephesians 1:15)  Praise indeed is due to the one who shows us such magnificent grace: rejoice and be glad, for your name is written in Heaven (Luke 10:20), and will not be blotted out.

God Sees You For All That You Are

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” –Ephesians 1:4,5

Anytime you feel that God has abandoned you, is not listening to you, or perhaps feel that you are too bad, too unfaithful, too frail to be anything more than a disappointment to Him, consider the verses above.  The first chapter of Ephesians contains some of the richest proclamations of God’s love for His family.

When you feel that you are a screw-up, consider: God chose you before He created the world, chose you, specifically.  The God who created all things had you in mind before He began His work of creation.  Before He laid the foundations of the world God considered you, loved you, chose you for Himself, and set in motion the series of events that would lead to your existence on this planet right now.  He saw you for everything you are, failures included; and seeing your failures and your frailty, He did not turn away in disgust, no, He decided in advance, before the world was made, to adopt you into His family, through Jesus Christ.  Meaning He knew of your sins, and planned to sacrifice Himself for them before the world was created.  Before your sin-ridden life began, He planned to make a way for your salvation, and not just a way, but planned that you, specifically, would certainly be adopted into His family.  And in this He took great pleasure.

Your life, your past, present and future are all before Him.  He knew you before you were conceived, loved you, and chose you for Himself.  As the psalmist said, “You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16)  Your failures, even those you have not experienced yet, are by no means a surprise to Him, nor do they cause Him to love you less.  Never think that God is shaking His head in disgust; no, He looks on you with the love of a Father who is working towards the perfection of His child.  When we do wrong, He brings discipline, not to destroy us for our failures, but to teach us to do better, as any loving parent raises a child to do right and turn away from what is wrong, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” (Hebrews 12:6)  He care about you, and “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Phlippians 1:6) because it is not your efforts, not your work that makes you more like Christ, but rather “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13)

Never lose confidence in God.  No matter what happens, remember that you did not choose Him, but He chose you (John 15:16), loves you as His own, and His own He will never leave.

Every Spiritual Blessing

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” –Ephesians 1:3

There is a lot of weight in the above verse, which is easy to pass over in quick reading.  Paul starts Ephesians in what is for him typical fashion, blessing his readers and offering praise to God.  But Paul is not one for quick, generic sentiment, and there is a world of meaning behind his statement.  Notice that he does not merely offer a quick note of praise to God, but specifies that God has already “blessed us with every spiritual blessing…because we are united with Christ.”

What exactly does this mean?  We can all thin of things we would consider “blessings” that we don’t have right now.  There may be possessions we’d like to be “blessed” with, or perhaps we or someone we know is sick, maybe even terminally ill.  Perhaps we are experiencing abuse, or any manner of hardship.  In times like these it is hard to see how God has blessed us in the manner that Paul is stating here.  Perhaps Paul is guilty of a little exaggeration.

Not so.  Consider: Paul states that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.  Often when we think of blessings, we think of things that are circumstantial, things related to the temporal place we find ourselves in within this world, but Paul is speaking of something far greater.  He is not referring to a change of circumstance or an easier life, but to eternal life, to our eternal standing before God, the forgiveness of all our sins, past, present and future, and our adoption as sons of God.  And why has He blessed us in this greatest of fashions?  Because we are “united with Christ,” have believe on Him and are indwelt by His Holy Spirit because of what Jesus has done for us.  Even our faith in Jesus is not from ourselves, but is a “gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8).

It’s easy when we are going through a hard time to feel like God has abandoned us, or is withholding His blessing.  When a loved one dies, or we are terribly sick, we hardly feel blessed, and to speak of a “spiritual blessing” feels like an empty sentiment in the midst of such dark circumstances.  But consider, were our circumstances to come to an abrupt end and we found ourselves face-to-face with our Maker, of what value would temporary, circumstantial blessings be then?  Would we complain that life had been hard, or rejoice that our eternal future is secure?  Or suppose we had a good life free of trouble, but faced eternal damnation?  “…what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 8:36).  It is considerations like these that reveal the incredible reality of the blessing Paul is referring to, that it is in fact the chief of all blessings.  God does not promise believers health, wealth and prosperity in this world.  Often we find ourselves facing persecution and hardship because we follow Christ.  If I may be permitted the use of an old cliché, compared to the light of eternity, all other blessings are just a little more gravy.

So wherever we find ourselves, let us always consider that no matter what hardships come our way, we who have trusted in Christ are truly blessed to the utmost, for “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later.” (Romans 8:18)

The Devil and God's Authority

"But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" -Matthew 4:4

Something I recently learned from a sermon by James Ford Jr. (pastor and author) is that when Jesus was tempted He did not rebuke Satan and turn him away by His own authority, but rather by using the written word of God. Why? Jesus is the living Word, who, in the Sermon on the Mount, repeatedly said "you have heard...but I say...", essentially saying "I am the authority!" But when tempted His approach was not to command with the authority that was His as God, but to appeal rather to what had already been written. Again, why? Certainly for our own sakes, as Jesus modeled for us the appropriate response to temptation and to demonic activity.

If you are faced with temptation or with oppression, I will even go so far as to say with direct demonic activity or possession, do not approach or answer the Devil in your own authority, because you don't have any. If I were to say to the devil "Leave me alone!" what good is that? I am not the Devil's master, and the one who seeks my destruction surely cares very little that I tell him to stop when he strikes me. And do not think that by mere invocation of the name of Jesus you can speak to him as you will, as though the Lord's name were some magic charm. Acts 19:13-17 tells of some unfortunate men who discovered the folly of such an idea. Consider that not everything you say, although you speak His name, is therefore His will.

No, when faced with temptation or any act of the Devil, do not approach it with your words and your will, but approach it instead with the written Word of God, for God's Word stands forever, is unchanging, unalterable, and it carries the weight and authority of the One who spoke it. If you find yourself face to face with Satan himself, speak not a word of your own, for what is your word? Instead, speak only the Word of God, for it is the authority to which the Devil is compelled and bound to submit, whether he like it or no. It carries the full authority of the One who shaped the heavens and called the earth, the stars, even Lucifer himself into being. It is the authority upon which the believer must stand, the authority which the believer is granted to wield as a sharp, two-edged sword.  It is our light in the darkness, our shield against the flaming darts of the Devil and our sword to compel his retreat. Whatever authority you think you possess, lay it down and take up instead the authority of God which is yours to know, to ponder, to study and to speak.

The Apostle Paul and the Worst of Sinners

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” – I Timothy 1:15,16

When we think of the apostle Paul, how often do our minds conjuring up a man who is fiercely self-righteous, a man who is murderous, filled with a mad religious zeal that compels him to persecute, torment, imprison and slay those who do not hold to his creed?

When we think of Paul, often what comes to mind is a far gentler soul, filled with love for mankind and a powerful  desire to point them toward a savior who reaches out to them with open arms, a man who wrote, in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  It is right that we regard him so, because this is what God made of him.  But prior to that transformation, Paul, had he lived today, would have been branded a violent extremist, perhaps even a terrorist. In the above passage Paul brings to mind this reality of his past.  We may read his accusation that he was the "worst of sinners" as hyperbole springing from the heart of a man too humble to see himself as anything but wicked, but this is not so.

Paul was a fanatical Pharisee, zealous for the traditions of his order to such extend that he believed that in imprisoning and putting to death Christians, he was serving God and performing his righteous duty.  This is the same point of view held by Muslim terrorists who believe they are guaranteeing blessings for themselves by slaughtering "infidels". Paul knew all about this mindset, because he shared it.

But Paul notes that, as wicked and as blind as he was, God had mercy on Him. Not for Paul's sake, but so that the incredible patience and mercy of God could be seen for all time. If God could save a man like Paul, change and transform his life and turn him into a true missionary of God's love, then there is no one in this world who is beyond the saving reach of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I recall listening to a missionary, a native of Lebanon who was visiting my church, and he asked the congregation whether any of them prayed that God would bless Osama Bin Laden (this being only a short period after the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center). When no one responded, he pronounced shame on us, noting that if God saved Osama, the world would have another Apostle Paul.  This stuck with me, and I began to pray that God would open Bin Laden's eyes to His truth.

Jesus Himself commanded us to pray for and to bless our enemies (Luke 6:28). Perhaps our difficulty with this is we assume that blessing means prospering them in their wicked ways, but this is by no means the case. God has no part in wickedness, and to bless the hard, unbelieving heart means nothing less that to soften it, to open its eyes to the truth and grant it the gift of faith in the God who “who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” (I Timothy 2:4)

If a man like Bin Laden, or any other modern-day villain, comes to Christ, that same influence they wield for evil in this world would become a powerful testimony to the goodness and grace of the Almighty. Impossible that God could forgive and use someone like that?  Certainly not. Paul is the proof that God has both the power and the desire to bring about such change. Let us not harden our own hearts and pronounce judgment on those we are called to bless, but rather pray for the worst among us, that God will transform them into the best.

On Tithing

The Tithe, as established in the law, provided for the Levites, because they were not permitted to own land, but were dedicated entirely to the service of the lord, were solely entrusted with the priesthood and upkeep of the temple, and as such were provided for out of the produce and abundance of the other tribes (Numbers 18:19-21).  Tithing had a very practical and pragmatic purpose at its heart; it was God taking care of those whose given work was ministry.  It supported the workers and the upkeep of the temple.

Today, the same principle applies.  Certainly God promises blessing when we are obedient and give.  He even goes so far as to invite testing on this point (Malachi 3:10)  But the point of giving, and its purpose, is not to receive anything; it is to take part in, support, and assist with the ministry of God’s Word.  Indeed, even in Malachi the reason for God’s insistence on tithing was not that people could be blessed, but because they had abandoned giving to God.  The people were neglecting God and disobeying His commandment to support the workers and the temple through their offerings, and as a result they were under a curse from God in discipline for their disobedience.  But God promised that if they would repent and do what they had been told, once more giving the offerings that God commanded, they would cease to be under discipline and would instead be blessed (Malachi 3:9-12).

This brings up an important point with regard the blessings of God: there is no “in-between” state between blessing and cursing.  A person is either being disciplined, so that they will learn obedience, or they are already exercising obedience and being blessed for it.  That God should bless an individual for tithing is not an extraordinary thing, for He blesses obedience in all forms, and will bring discipline when obedience is not present.

Should we give to God?  Absolutely we should.  What does that mean?  It means that, just as the Israelites did, we take our own abundance and give it freely to support the efforts and ministry of those who are reaching out to others with the Gospel, be they pastors, missionaries or teachers.  It means that we take part in and support the upkeep of the churches where the message is preached, and aid in the expenses of reaching out to those beyond the church walls.  In so doing, we become active participants in the ministry efforts of those we support.  When we do this, as an old song by Ray Boltz once said, we should not be at all be surprised if we arrive in Heaven and find ourselves meeting someone who will say to us “Thank you for giving to the Lord; I am a life that was changed”

A Few Thoughts on the Doctrine of Limited Atonement

One of the greatest obstacles for me personally in embracing what is commonly known as “Five-Point Calvinism” is the idea of Limited Atonement.  On the surface, the doctrine states that Christ died for the elect.  Which of course infers that He did not die for those who are “not elect”, aka, the lost who will find themselves in Hell.

Now, my first objection was that this depends on divine predestination, for if God does not predestine who is to be saved, there is no good talking of Christ dying “for the elect”.  But this issue of God’s sovereign predestination I have dealt with several times over the last few posts, so to that I will say nothing more here.  But the more specific objection is that it appears to go against scriptures that state that Christ died “for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15) and of course John 3:16, which states that God so loved “the world” that He gave His Son.

Now, a theologian might get into a long talk about context and Greek and such with regard to passages such as these, but I will simply lay out the my own reasoning behind why Limited Atonement in no way contradicts Scripture.  Whether the theologian would approve of these arguments I’m not qualified to say, seeing as I am not one myself.  But from my own, smaller mind, the chief principle that stands out is this:

All believers (with the exception of universalists) believe in Limited Atonement in some basic form, whether or not they describe it in this manner.

Now, before anyone gets too upset with the above statement, let me explain what I mean:

If a person who rejects Calvinism (in particular, predestination and limited atonement) asserts that Christ died for all, what they generally mean (unless they are universalists) is that Christ’s death was sufficient for the salvation of the whole world, not that all will necessarily be saved because of it.  Generally speaking, this would also be heartily affirmed by a Calvinist.  Thus, if I tell you, as a Five-Point Calvinist, that there is a thing called “limited atonement”, I do not mean that Christ’s death lacked the power to save the world, or was in any way deficient, but what I mean is that Christ’s death only secured the salvation of those whom God predestined to be saved.  To put it another way, although Christ’s death was sufficient for the salvation of all, not all are actually atoned thereby.  Only those who believe in Christ and bow to Him as Lord actually have their sins atoned for; the rest, by means of their unbelief and rejection of God, persist in their sin and will be condemned.

In this way, the common ground is easy to see.  Although you may reject the idea that those who come to accept Christ do so through the predestination of God, yet (unless you are a universalist) you will never argue that Christ’s death secured an effectual, active atonement for all.  If it did, no soul would ever see Hell.  Thus, “Limited Atonement” is simply a statement that when Christ died on the cross, though His death was sufficient for all, He knew who He was effectively dying for (those who would believe and be saved).

Thoughts on Free Will and God's Sovereignty

In almost every instance where I hear (or read) someone defending the "law of free will" I cannot escape the sense that they desire, very greatly, to say that they chose God themselves, as though they had done at least one good and wise thing that was their own. Certainly this is not so. I've heard many people explain the nature of sin by stating that "we're not all as bad as we could be, but we're as bad off as we could be". It would be more accurate, I think, to state that we're all as guilty as we could be because we're all just as enslaved to sin. The Bible doesn't make much of free-will...in fact, strictly speaking it is an un-Biblical idea. Your will is in bondage; you are either a slave to sin or a slave to Christ (see John 8:34 and Romans 6:19). If you have not, say, brought about a holocaust that resulted in the murder of millions, that is not to say that you are less sinful than Adolf Hitler, and only to say that by the mercy of God and sovereign outworking of his plan, you were given less opportunity and perhaps divinely held-back more than he. If you are free to choose, it is a one-sided freedom, for you are only free to choose evil. A vast set of choices may spread out before you, but all lead to damnation. Only the direct, divine and sovereign intervention of Christ can result in your righteousness: and if it comes from God, it's not really your righteousness, but His. That is the Gospel, after all.

People do not like to believe that our futures are not in our own hands. Somehow we feel that if our destiny is not chosen beforehand by God, then we have more hope than if it were laid out before us. It's a bizarre view, one that puts more hope in what is out of God's hands, rather than what is in them. For my part, as my wife and I are bringing a child into the world, I find far more hope that my child's eternal destiny lies with God than in any idea that it lies within its own "free will". Why? Only for what seems to me to be the most reasonable of assumptions: that if my child's eternal destiny lies within the divine, unchangeable and absolutely sovereign will of God, there is far more hope for it than if it lies within its own broken and sinful nature, because I must conclude that if our destinies lie within the hands of ourselves, or anyone else on this planet, then the outcome is certain: we are all of us damned. There is hope in no one but God, in no will but His, and so I will raise my child to know Him, and pray that He will show it the same grace that He has shown to me and my wife, trusting that whatever takes place, takes place because it is His best.

The Importance of Theology

There are many schools of thought with regard to theology today; perhaps one of the most harmful is that theology is largely unimportant, or even a distraction from the reality of living out and experiencing the true and Biblical Christian faith. This is not so, because true theology is nothing less than true Christianity properly understood, and the study of theology is the study of the true Biblical faith.

If I say that I am a Calvinist, it is not to say, as happened at the church of Corinth, that I am a follower of Paul, while another claims to be a follower of Apollos (1 Corinthians 3:3-5), for the theological position which is commonly called Calvinism is not a personality-cult formed around the man John Calvin, but is an understanding of the Scriptures which is also known as "Reformed", and has at its very heart the goal, not of taking any particular side in an argument, except the side of Scripture itself. It is perhaps unfortunate that it came to be called by any name at all, except that people love to label things, and there are so many divisions that if I were to say that I believe in "sola Scriptura" it may still convey many things to many people, so for simplicity sake I may say that I am a Calvinist, knowing that this at least gives a brief, commonly known (if not commonly understood) outline of how I approach Scripture and its message. If I were to say that I am a proponent of Arminianism, it would have the same effect.

As it is I hold to Reformed tradition not because it is a particular tradition, or one which immediately appealed to my mind and thought (it did not) but one which, after long (and still ongoing) study, became apparent to my mind as being, not one of a varied number of systematic theologies, but simply the appropriate, true and rightly handled message of Scripture itself, so that for me to say that I am Reformed and that I believe in the Gospel is to say the very same thing. It is for this reason that I consider it especially important to study, promote and encourage theology, because rightly understood theology is the study of God's own truth, and in particular the truth of the Gospel, and it is critical that the Gospel be known and understood by all, or at least by all to whom God will grant the grace to know and to understand.

Video Games and the Sovereignty of God

One of thing things that first helped me really understand the issue of the "problem of pain" and God's sovereignty was a change in perspective I was given while playing the Super Nintendo game Actraiser. In it you play a divine being (called the "Master") in a kind of mythological battle with a demonic overlord. Part of the game involves a kind of "Sim City" game where you help your mortal followers build cities and grow food, and generally protect them from evil. Sometimes, however, helping their societies involves taking drastic measures that seem cruel on the outset. At one point I had a large, thriving city of devout followers, but needed to removing a mountain barrier cutting off a critical area. To do so, I had to cause an earthquake. This resulted in the almost complete destruction of the city and the death of most of the inhabitants. As I wiped them out, I felt a tinge of regret at killing my people. Yet it was at this very point that God taught me a lesson using what was a very simple scenario in a game: I considered that if I were God, and these my people, and if we assume a Christian afterlife, although the people below do not understand what is happening to them or why, I, looking down from above, see a bigger picture; I am not casting them out, I am bringing them to myself, where they will live in bliss forever, and meanwhile setting the stage for grander things on Earth. The people below, they will understand in time when they too come to be with me.

Now although you can accuse me of becoming over-involved in the course of the gameplay, it wasn't really about me justifying my actions in a game...it was the parallel, simplistic though it may be, that helped me to realize that sometimes things God may allow, or do, seem senseless and cruel to us down here, but if we could only glimpse things, for one moment, from God's perspective, our entire outlook would surely be changed and we would recognize that God does what is necessary and what is good, even when we do not understand the good He is accomplishing. I do not know why people have to die, or disasters have to take place. I know that the fault lies with sin, and our own guilt, but that God is gracious and merciful. I do not know why people go to Hell while God saves others, but I know that whatever happens, God "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28).

I have no issue with the doctrine of God's complete sovereignty, with the idea that it is God who initiates our salvation, that He raises some up for glory, while others He purposes for wrath (Romans 9:17-20). I don't understand how it all works out, but I believe it, accept it, and I know that there is a good purpose behind it all.

Love, Marriage and Eternal Security

"I have loved you with an everlasting love." -Jeremiah 31:3

I love my wife.  I mean, I really love her, and because I love her there is nothing that she can do, no sin that she can ever commit, that will make me stop loving her, that will ever make me abandon her. Truly, I do and I will love her no matter what.  Whether she really understands this I can’t say for sure, but I hope that she does, because although she has never tested this fact, it is important to me that she understand it, that she is confident in my love and without fear that I would ever cease loving her, liking her, desiring her, being with her. I will never leave her, nor forsake her. And because this is true of me, a mortal, I know that it is true of God. Whatever good, merciful or loving qualities we possess as fallen creatures, they are a poor reflection of the reality of the endless, deep love of God for us. Can we ever, as believers, cause God to stop loving us, liking us, or being with us? Absolutely not. There is no action, attitude or sin that a believer can commit that will ever cause God to abandon them. And let us not speak of us abandoning God, as though there were any place we could go to get away from his loving presence; it is not possible. God’s love is more persistent and steadfast than any human emotion, and is strong enough to endure all wrongs. Rather, consider: although I cannot say whether she truly believes that there really is nothing she can do that will end my love for her, I know that my wife “fears” to displease me for the same reason all lovers fear to do wrong by the ones they love: because they cannot abide the thought of hurting the one they love so much. After all, love seeks good for its object, not harm.  Indeed, if an individual actively sought to harm, to take advantage of and to use the one that it claims to love, is there anyone who would say that there was any love present at all?  Certainly not.

There is no danger, friends, in helping people to understand that God’s love, care and compassion, indeed the salvation he offers as a result of these things, will stand firm no matter what they may do.  No danger in helping them to understand that these things are eternal and unmoving.  Rather, the danger (and it is a very real danger) is that they should not understand these things, that they should assume that at some point God might abandon them, revoke his compassion and salvation that are born from his love. Those who claim salvation and live as they please with no thought for what God desires prove by their actions that they have no love for God at all, for such actions are in no way loving, and if they have no love for God, how can they claim to have received his salvation, at the point of which God transforms the heart, makes alive what is dead and places his Spirit within them? If God places his Spirit, indeed his love, within our hearts, that is a change that cannot be undone. That love will burn and grow though at times it may be subject to the harshest climates. God will stand by his children, he will work for their good, and it is an abominable thing to say that he will ever give one of them up, as though he were as frail and fickle as we are. Indeed, if men and women can stand by each other despite what seem to be earth-shattering wrongs, as many have, God will do no less but will instead show by his example just how small our grandest acts of love have always been, and so he will be glorified in all and through all.

The Blessedness of the Virgin Mary

"a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" -Luke 11:27,28

The above exchange was not a statement by Jesus that Mary is not to be regarded as blessed. The angel Gabriel told Mary she had found favor with God, and afterwards Mary noted that "all generations will call me blessed". Rather, Jesus is giving context for Mary's blessedness and at the same time extending an invitation that all can enter into it. Mary heard the word of God, and she kept it; she found favor with God and believed in the message delivered to her by the angel. Her response to the incredible revelation that she, being a virgin, would nonetheless bear a child, and not just any child but the holy Savior, was to reply in a spirit of faith and submission to God's will "behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38).  Jesus' words to the woman reflect those of Mary's aunt Martha, who said to her "blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45).  Mary is blessed, not because she gave birth to Jesus, but because she believed in and kept the word of God.  In so doing, she was given the most honored position of anyone past, present or future: she was made the earthly mother of God himself. Blessed indeed are those who hear the word of God and keep it, and blessed we will also be if we follow in her footsteps.

Salvation is for All

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16

Did you ever stop to consider how many stipulations there are in the above verse? How many rules you need to follow, what kind of person you need to be in order to gain eternal life? Let me help you out: one. You need to believe. You need to believe in who Jesus is and what He did, and that belief naturally presupposes a certain degree of trust. If you believe something, you trust in your belief. If you believe a chair will hold your weight, you sit in it. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He paid the price for your sins, then you must accept that if the Son of God paid the price, the price has been paid. That’s it. Done. If you really believe that, love and thankfulness will follow.

There are a few people in the world who believe themselves to be just fine as they are, fairly decent folk who believe that they don’t need to be forgiven for their sins. These people need to start with a solid look at themselves and who they really are before they can trust in a savior they don’t think they need. Others, however, realize the sinfulness that lurks inside of them, even if they don’t always act on it: that dark shadow of a person they could easily become or, perhaps, that dark shadow they have already become, which they see staring back at them every day in the mirror.

Let’s be honest with ourselves. We don’t measure up to God’s standard. We all have a dark side just waiting to dominate our lives if we will allow it. Perhaps we even have specific, dark secrets we are afraid others will find out about, but there is one person whose rejection we need not fear: God. “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” -1 John 1:9

Nobody is capable of cleansing themselves, of gaining their own forgiveness. All forgiveness and cleansing comes from God. We may be able to stop a bad habit, but we cannot erase our wickedness from our past, nor ensure we will not repeat it in the future. Only God can do so, and it all starts with belief; belief in what He has already accomplished on our behalf through Jesus. It doesn’t matter where or who you are: sex, nationality, family or history, God will welcome you into eternal life if you only just let go and trust in Him. No hoops to jump through, no tasks to accomplish, just belief in His son who died because He loves you so much.

Lest we become discouraged with our continuing propensity to do evil, consider; the God who welcomed you into his eternal family without any requirement beyond your belief will not then kick you out because you fail to live up to His standard. Indeed, He will slowly begin His work in your life, and we need only be receptive to it: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” –Philippians 1:6

Remember that it is God’s work, not our own. When we resist his efforts to mend our lives, we require Him to take stronger measures. God’s love for us will not allow us to stay as we are.  When we cooperate with His work in our lives, we make it easier on ourselves. But one way or another, God will see what is dark and vile lifted out of us. So if you shudder at your own failings, small wonder…just be thankful that God has forgiven and is at work cleansing us. As you begin to feel his gentle prodding in this or that area, go along with it; but never worry that He will cast you out. “Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good.” –Deuteronomy 8:5  If He disciples us for our failings, He does so because we are His children. A parent does not discipline a child to destroy it, but to amend it for its own good and benefit. God will never cast out His child.

In short, believe in who He is and what He has done, and believe in His ability to carry out His work within you. Never allow guilt or fear to pull you away from Him; anything that pulls you away from God does not come from Him, no matter how we justify it to ourselves.

The Perfect Love of God

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” –Jeremiah 31:3

The love of God is something all believers give lip service to, but I am convinced that few really understand it or take seriously what it means. When we walk around with guilt on our shoulders, feeling convinced that we are unlovable, that God is angry with us, or fed up with our continual failings, we do not understand the love of God. When we feel that God is not active in our lives, not answering our prayers or meeting our needs, we do not understand the love of God. When we feel afraid that we may do the wrong thing and God will not listen to us or come through for us, we do not understand the love of God.

Let me tell you what the love of God is: the love of God is the unconditional love of a parent for a small, helpless child, a child who is sick and hurt and weak. The parent does not begrudge the child its childishness, or punish it for being ill, or refuse to help it because it cannot help itself, or cast it away because throws tantrums in its discomfort. The parent nurtures the child, cares for it, stays up late at its side, pouring love and care over its small feeble frame, protecting it and guarding it unto death. This is the love of God. It is a love that does not care for your past or your present, but the direction of your future. It is a love that has no end, that guards its beloved with a furious jealousy against all that seeks to draw it away or do it harm. It is a love that seeks to lift up and heal the broken, sick spirit within us all.

It is a love that loved you while you were unlovable, far from God, far from hope, with no power or desire in your spirit to turn to God. As broken, sinful souls it was impossible that you could have turned to God unless He first drew you to Himself; God chose you before you chose Him. His saving work began in your life before you responded to Him, because the only response you could have given Him before His Spirit poured grace on you was to turn away from Him. He made you alive while you were dead, made you a new creation and placed His Spirit within you, filling you with His love, a love He will never take away. He did not turn from you when you were altogether without God, lost in sin and unwilling to turn to Him; He will not turn from you now when He lives within you. You may at times fight and resist His Spirit, but “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13). Take note of that: it is God who is at work in you to do what is right; those good things do not come naturally from yourself.

The point is this: If you don’t think you are good enough, you’re absolutely right. But it’s not about how good you are, it’s about how good God is. God knows you and chose you for Himself when nothing good existed within you, and He will not let you go now. God is not angry with you, and if you have an idea of God waiting on high ready to strike you down if you do the wrong thing, ready to withhold good from you and ready to turn His ear away from your prayers, that idea does not come from Scripture. When your mind and heart tell you that you are a failure, that everything is your fault and that you are not good enough for God, remember: “God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:20). What is it that God knows? God knows that He loves you, that He saved you, and that He will see you through to the end of your days. “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5): that is the love of God.

The Forgiveness of God

“Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.” –Psalm 51:10,11

This psalm was authored by David, and was a prayer of repentance after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover his tracks when she got pregnant. David came to terms with his own wicked actions after the prophet Nathan took him to task over it. This verse was brought to my attention during a discussion on repentance at church, where it was noted what a fearful thing it would be to have God abandon someone because of their misdeeds. Consider, however, the source of the statements: God is not speaking, David is. David, realizing the weight of his offense before God, is fearful and begging not to be cast out. This is because David recognizes the punishment that his crimes deserve, and he knows that God is holy and just; how can a holy and just God let such a matter slide? His guilt is upon him, and he knows it is grace alone that can save him now.

However, David’s fears, though justified by human logic, are less justified by God. God has not threatened to cast David out. That He punishes disobedience is clear; His justice cannot allow David a free pass. But David’s fear is that God will abandon him as King Saul, his predecessor, was abandoned. Saul, however, was a different case.  Saul had a heart filled with rebellion against God. He desired to do things his own way, and assumed that he knew best how to handle situations, frequently choosing to disobey direct commandments of God. In so doing, the testimony of his life proves that, although God used him at various points in time, his heart was not right before God. He lacked the humility that God required, and this kept him from having a true relationship with the Lord. Thus, God’s “abandoning” Saul was an abandonment of him to his own self. Had Saul’s heart been humble before God, none of his crimes would have been beyond the reach of divine grace, and God would have molded him, slow though the process may have been, into His image. David is a different case. His crimes were great, but his heart was humble. His relationship with God was fundamentally different, and his fear of offending God proves this. His crimes led him to fear lest God should treat him as He did Saul. Whereas Saul, who was punished thus, responded not with repentance but with anger that God would take away his kingship.

Consider now the words of God, found throughout the scriptures: “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18), “I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5). The testimony of God is clear; there is no crime too great for His grace to overcome.  David’s heart, though fearful, accepted the grace God extended, recognizing that even for him, God’s love still flowed freely, and he picked himself up and moved on. But it could have been different…David could have allowed his fear of God’s wrath to consume him. Though God had not abandoned him, nor threatened to do so, had David trusted more in his emotions and in human reason than in the love of God, he could have despaired of salvation, believed that God had abandoned him, and his life would have spiraled downward into depression and self-loathing. Many today fall into this trap, even within the church; their own sins become too great in their own minds for them to accept the forgiveness of God. Ladies and gentlemen, NEVER suppose that your sins are too great. Bring them to God with a sincere heart, turn from them, and then (this is a point all-to-often missed) forgive yourself.  What God has forgiven, what right have we to hold against anyone, including ourselves? Let it go, and move on.

The Unmerited Love of God

“And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man your sins are forgiven you.” –Luke 5:18-20
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I love this story because it so clearly shows the love of God. Consider a few things; the people in question knew Jesus could heal the paralyzed man, and took pretty bold action to get him near Jesus. That action showed their faith in what he could do. But also consider, Jesus doesn’t begin with healing him. He begins with forgiving him for his sins. Wiping his slate clean, right there, no questions asked. That’s the best part: no questions asked. Not even “will you forgive me”. The man did not ask, his friends did not ask. Jesus just saw that they believed that he could heal this man, and that was enough for him; he would not only heal him, but pardon him of every wrong action, every wrong thought he had ever had before God. He would welcome him into eternal life before the man even had a chance to ask for it.
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Folks, God desires to save us from our sins more deeply than we can comprehend. He wouldn’t have endured the torturous death of crucifixion at the hands of his own, comparatively insignificant creation if he hadn’t desired it more intensely than anything else. He could have started over with humanity, but he wanted the humanity that he had first created, loved us without us ever asking him to, indeed without us ever desiring him to, and rescues each of us from our sins before we even come to a place where we are able to ask. His love and his action came first. Never, EVER believe that God is fed up with you; he loves you more than you can comprehend, and there is nothing you can do to change that. His love is as unchanging, unending, and impervious to all of our best attempts to thwart it.

I hope that if one thing sticks with each of us, it will be the incredible knowledge of just how deeply we are loved by God, no matter who we are or where we come from.