Is "throwing my vote away" better than voting for McCain?

John McCain probably has thousands of Conservatives who dislike him more than I do. But I can't help but wonder what is the greater evil in my vote.

McCain is 98% pro-life.

Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party is 100% pro-life.

So the question is: if a vote for McCain is technically a vote for a massive reduction of abortions and a vote for Baldwin is a vote for the complete eradication of abortion, is a vote for McCain any better than a vote for Obama? Because Obama claims to be this new kind of pro-life that wants to reduce abortion while maintaining choice.

If you have an opinion please share it in the comments section. I do have more thoughts which I would be willing to share but I have not yet decided for whom I am voting in the Presidential race. I need somebody to explain to me how God will be pleased with a vote for John McCain or Chuck Baldwin. If you want me to vote for Obama you can share your thoughts but it won't convince me.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Happy Reformation Day!

Simply Irresistible Part 7

In conclusion to my series on the doctrine of irresistible grace I want to address the most serious accusation against the sovereignty of God in salvation. I have found that two questions are quickly raised when discussing the 5-points of Calvinism. We should not take these lightly.

If Irresistible Grace is true, why evangelize? It breaks my heart when Christians ask this question. It is as if they throw out all they know about the Bible to try and win an argument against a Calvinist. However, there is some substance to their argument. There are Calvinists who would say that evangelism is not necessary because of the doctrine of election or of irresistible grace. This is called "Hyper Calvinism" and it is completely unbiblical (Romans 10:14).

A positive response is that irresistible grace encourages evangelism. If I have to rely on my wit or intellect to get somebody to have faith in Christ I won't be able to sleep at night. However, if I know that God works through the preaching of the gospel and that He will use my obedience to bring salvation to someone I am able to evangelize harder than any Arminian and still sleep like a Calvinist.

Here is how Paul puts it: "Having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God...For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 4:1-6)

If Irresistible Grace is true, why pray for the lost?

I'm sure any non-Calvinist who has read me say that the Holy Spirit has freedom to give new birth to whomever He wills (which happens to be the elect) had the thought come to mind "then why pray for them?" But my question is why would you pray for them if the Holy Spirit is just waiting on the sinner to produce faith on his own? If you don't believe God can or will overcome resistance why would you waste your time praying for people instead of trying to use clever devices to get them to believe? (I'm sorry if this is an equally irrational question but I think it is fair).

God uses means to achieve His ends. If He predestined that Bob gets saved He might have also predestined that you pray that Bob get saved. You don't know what God has predestined until it happens. You know that you are told by God in His word to pray. So pray for Bob's salvation! God is not going to punish you for praying for someone when you didn't know if they were elect.

I hope and pray that this series has been helpful. Feel free to leave comments or questions.
Grace and Peace,
Stephen

"Claiming to be wise, they became fools"

A little humor from John Cleese. I couldn't pass this up.

Beginning and the End

Out of darkness into light
I know that I will be alright
Here inside Your hands
I never want to stray too far
Just want to be where You are
Here inside Your plan
And You’re the center of
The beginning and the end

And I place my life inside Your hands
You hold for me a perfect plan
And You are…
The beginning and the end

Everything that I’ve done wrong
Put You there on that cross
Where nails drove in Your hands
A crown of thorns deep in Your brow
I never knew it until now
It was all Your plan
God, You’ve always been
The beginning and the end
-Leeland

Christian Response to Anne Pressley's Murder and the UCA Shooting

What We Know- God is sovereign and will have vengeance. "Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly...For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants...I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand" (Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39).

What We Don't Know-Will vengeance be taken in hell or was it taken at the cross? (Colossians 2:13-14, Revelation 21:8)

How Do We Respond? "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (Rom. 12:15)

Remember, if God is not sovereign over all He is not sovereign at all.

"Sunday Worship" will be tomorrow.

A Purpose Driven Death

"Once I attended a pastors’ gathering with Richard Wormbrand. He asked questions like, 'Will you choose to suffer?' If suffering were offered to you as a gift, would you accept it?

He told a story about an abbot. A reporter asked him about what he would say if found out at the end of his life that there was no God. He said, 'Holiness, silence, and sacrifice are beautiful in themselves. I still would have used my life well.' Does that sound noble? Right?

Here’s what Paul said: 'If for this life only, we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.' Why did Paul say that? Because his life was a life of consciously embraced suffering. Read the list in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. Most of us define the benefits of Christianity with how it makes our life better now: 'Your best life now." -John Piper (Sermon- Filling Up What is Lacking in the Afflictions of Christ) Listen Here.

Simply Irresistible Part 6

In this post I want to respond to some objections to Irresistible Grace. The article I used to find these three objections can be found here. I will not be responding to everything said in the article or even every point of the article (some of the facts stated are just plain wrong). I do encourage you to read it and let me know via the comments section if I missed something to which you would like me to respond. I would be happy to respond to any further objections (whether in the article or not) in the comment section. If you are a Calvinist you can even raise questions that others have brought to you. Let's have fun with this!

Objection #1: Was not Israel elect? Didn't they reject God's grace?
Proverbs 1:22-24, "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded..." (Also see Matthew 23:37 and Acts 7:51).

This objection can come from one of two misunderstandings: (1) The misunderstanding that Irresistible Grace teaches that the Holy Spirit cannot be resisted under any circumstances, or (2) a wrong understanding of election. The article from which I got this defined Irresistible Grace with a correct understanding of #1 so I will assume they don't understand the election of Israel.

The logic used to for this question is: God draws the elect irresistibly, Israel is God's chosen people, therefore God must draw all of Israel irresistibly.

The problem text for this understanding is not a small text, it's Romans 9-11. I will discuss election in another post but here is enough to answer the objection. Romans 8 is the peak of the letter, from it we see that God truly does save His people and nothing can separate us from Him. Then Paul anticipates the thought that must be coming to the minds of his readers, namely "What about Israel?!" Paul's response is a mini dissertation on election and Israel. The clearest solution Paul gives, "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring...This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring" (Romans 9:6-8). So the New Testament is not ignorant of the question of God's election and Israel. God is not bound to drawing the nation of Israel.

Objection #2: Doesn't the Bible Teach that God Draws Everybody?

John 12:32, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
1 Timothy 2:3, "[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

John 12 seems to present a big problem for Irresistible Grace whereas the text in 1 Timothy looks like a problem for Calvinism in general. Let's look at the verses individually.

The ESV (which is what I use above) is more friendly to the Calvinist position with John 12:32 than most. If you use the NIV or NASB you will find, "[I] will draw all men to myself." With "people" there is wiggle room (I could say he is talking about nations, see below), with "men" it looks like he is talking about each individual person. So which translation is correct? Neither. The reason we have different translations of this word is because it is an English supplement. It should read, "I will draw all to myself" but that doesn't make sense in English. Is this an argument for Irresistible Grace? No, but it is no longer an argument against it. But if you are looking for a text that supports Calvinism just read after 12:32 to the end of the chapter.

There are several problems with the non-Calvinists' use of 1 Timothy 2, the biggest being context, context, context. First, in 1 Timothy 2:1 Paul begins the text by using similar language to what we will find in verse four. Paul says "all people" but then what does he say? "...for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life..." (2:2). So now Paul has elaborated on what "all people" means, namely every type of person (or every nation). I have two other objections to this text but they relate to election and the atonement so I will save them.

Objection #3 Grace is Not Unmerited Favor on Individuals.
Romans 2:11, "For God shows no partiality."
The text cited, Romans 2:11, is taken out of context. Paul just finished talking about God's judgment and it is all described as "to the Jew first and also to the Greek." He then inserts his words in Romans 2:11 to explain this.

As for the objection that Grace is not unmerited we must look at the argument given in the article. In this objection they argue that "grace" is primarily used in contrast to "law." So, they would say, it is unfair to the text to make "grace" mean "unmerited favor." Their argument is based partially on the common phrase, "there, if not for grace, go I." They argue that this is a terrible thing to say as if God has given them something that He has not given another. What is the problem with this argument? Read Romans 11:28-32, it shows God's grace in the way they are arguing against.

(See part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Poetic Prayer

"Batter my heart, three personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit You, but Oh, to no end.
Reason, Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed unto Your enemy:
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthrall me, never shall be free,
No ever chaste, except You ravish me."-John Donne

I'll give you a hint...it doesn't mean you are a good person

"People tell me that they are not Christians, not so much because they have never been convinced of the truth claims of Christianity, but because they have never been convinced of the need for what the Bible teaches. How many times have you heard people say, 'That may be true, but I personally don't feel the need for Jesus,' or 'I don't need he church,' or 'I don't need Christianity'? When people say something like this to me, I try to steer the conversation to the question of the truth of Christianity. I believe that if we can convince people of the truth of the identity of Christ and the truth of the work He accomplished, it will become instantly apparent to them that they need it." -R.C. Sproul (The Truth of the Cross, 6-7)

One question to ask yourself today; what does the death of Jesus Christ mean to your life?

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God! -Charitie Bancroft

Is Your 401k (or 403b) More Important Than Another's Life?

I do not want this blog to ever be about politics. But one thing that is connected to politics as well as the foundation of this blog is the sanctity of human life. John McCain is not my favorite choice for the office of President, but he is also not merely the lesser of two evils. When I vote this November it will not be based on red or blue, it will not be based on whether or not I like Bush and how much different from him a candidate is, it will not be based on black or white (though I hope to have a godly black President some day), it will not be based on WMD's in Iraq, and it will not be based on the economy. Though I do not only care about one issue I do use one issue as a filter. It doesn't take the e-mail politics that base everything on whether or not somebody likes the pledge of allegiance to see that Obama is one of the most pro-abortion candidates we have ever seen. I hope that you are not persuaded by the double talk of making abortions "safe and rare" because if we were talking about two year olds you wouldn't buy that argument. Please pray with me that the Sovereign of the universe would have mercy on this nation and bring abortion to an end in this country. Having a Republican in the White House will not save a nation but I think if God would give us the grace to overcome this great evil we would be so much further from His judgment than we are today.

I took the following from Randy Alcorn's blog. Here is his post, Not Cool: Obama's Pro-abortion Stance, and Christians enabling him.

God's stance on abortion:

"Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD." (Leviticus 18:21)

"Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed." (Deuteronomy 19:10)

"Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you." (Ezekiel 35:6)

"Shedding innocent blood? Not cool.

Supporting and voting for those committed to the legalized shedding of innocent blood? You tell me." -Randy Alcorn

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Simply Irresistible Part 5

This is part 5 of a series on the doctrine of Irresistible Grace. Here are parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.

This week I want to show you the connection between the atonement of Christ and regeneration. Several texts in the Old Testament promise the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31 speaks of this New Covenant and connects two interesting acts of God. He says in Jeremiah 31:33-34 "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts...they shall all know me...I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Ezekiel 36:23 tells of how God will vindicate His holiness. This, like when Jeremiah speaks of forgiveness, is about the atonement of Christ (see Romans 3:25-26). What does Ezekiel continue to say? "I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh...I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes" (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Both Ezekiel and Jeremiah show an undeniable connection between the atonement of Christ and regeneration.

This may sounds boring but it's extremely important for two doctrines, namely the scope of the atonement of Christ and the new birth. In Luke 22:20 Jesus says that his blood is of the "new covenant." The New Covenant cannot be for everyone; if God causes someone to know Him and walk in His statutes they are saved.

Ephesians 2 is a good illustration for this connection. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Paul begins by talking about how we were once dead in sin, (Ephesians 2:4-7) But God, Paul says, made us alive. The alternative view of these two doctrines would say that Paul is talking about God intervening in our lives by providing an atonement. Once we hear about this atonement we respond in faith and God responds to that with regeneration. What Paul is saying is that we were dead and couldn't do anything to save ourselves and God provided an atonement for us and then made us alive giving us the ability to even respond to Him in faith. This is truly amazing grace.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The Example of Daniel

"...I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes." (Daniel 9:2-3).

God is sovereign over all things. This includes those in charge of our nation. In light of this and the fact that He calls us to pray, we should heed the example of Daniel. What do we know? That God is Sovereign, man is responsible, our nation is coming up on a huge election, and our nation is incredibly wicked and deserving of judgment (including but not limited to a terrible President with wicked policies). What should we do? Think of it this way, Daniel knew that, according to what God had promised through Jeremiah, the desolation was about to come to an end. Instead of saying "God is sovereign so I don't have to do anything" he prayed on behalf of his people and repented on their behalf.

It's not too late...

5 Reasons I Like My Brother's Writing More Than My Own

1. It is not my own, therefore it is easier to learn new things.

2. Jonathan's passion for worship of God in all things exceeds that of any other worship leader/writer I have ever known so I know that he has hand picked every word.

3. He writes best when he feels least "spiritual."

4. Nothing I write has cool music behind it.

5. One of my favorite songs was written by him:

"Relieved of pain, I dream again, desiring a place I’ve never known.
Loving people and aching to be in a place this body doesn’t crave.

So why am I still here? How does this desk help fix my broken hearted ache.
How will I get there? My heart is over an ocean

Everything’s gonna be just fine, I’ll lose my dreams I’ll lose this life and wait with time
Everything’s gonna be so bright, this life is hard, this road is rough, but joys with loss.

Looking at the future money melts away, and dreams of self denial pave the way.
Studying pictures and hearing stories, watching others reach their day.
So why am I still here, My life’s calling still unfulfilled
How will I get there? My heart is over an ocean

Everything’s gonna be just fine, I’ll lose my dreams I’ll lose this life and wait with time
Everything’s gonna be so bright, this life is hard, this road is rough, but joys with loss.

I’m called to go, I’m called to love, I’m called to offer life,
I’m called to shine, I’m called to share at all times
I’m called to wait I’m called to serve here for this time,
I’m here to go, I love to share, this is the missionary cry

Everything’s gonna be just fine, I’ll lose my dreams I’ll lose this life and wait with time
Everything’s gonna be so bright, this life is hard, this road is rough, but joys with loss."

-Jonathan Bean (Missionary Cry by Across the Valley) used without permission

Mystery

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
Bread of heaven, broken for me
Cup of salvation held up to drink
Jesus, Mystery

Christ has died and
Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again

Celebrate his death and rising
Lift your eyes, proclaim his come
Celebrate his death and rising
Lift you eyes, lift your eyes

Christ has died and
Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity

-Charlie Hall

David's Unknown Redeemer

During this season all of the other kings resolve to go to war
Surely I am greater than they, Joab will go, he will be the one to fight
Walking along my rooftop my eyes fix on a woman of intoxicating allure
My thoughts inquire about this queen, I summon her for an ardent night
What is this news a messenger brings? Is the war going well?
I am not here to tell you of battle, my king Bathsheba has conceived

Surely the Creator will not cover my wrong and will give this child my traits
Send for Uriah! With his wife he must lie that I may escape the judgment of this lie
My scheming has been futile, he will not drink of his marriage, my one and only bait
I now must resolve to end this matter, his message will betray him, Uriah the Hittite must die.

Uriah is fallen, the child is born, life continues as before
What a pleasant surprise! Nathan the prophet is knocking at my door
What is this news a messenger brings? Is the war going well?
No my king, he sternly replies, a story of great injustice is what I am here to tell
The rich man has stolen the poor man's lamb? Death must be his sentence!
"You are the man!" echoes in my ears, I fall to my knees in repentance.

"I have sinned against the LORD" I cry! For this crime I must die!
The rich man has stolen the poor man's wife, this act of treason must cost his life
A wave of calm flows through my soul, what did the prophet just say?
"The Lord has put away your sin" your debt of life He will pay
What is this peculiar justice my God has conjured up?
His greatness demands my life, shall he drink of my pitiful cup?
Amazing love, how can this be? Who will He give to die for me?

See 2 Samuel 11-12

Simply Irresistible Part 4

This is part 4 of a series on the doctrine of Irresistible Grace. Here are parts 1, 2, and 3.

Last week I examined John 3:1-15, a key passage in the development of a doctrine of the new birth. Jesus, continuing his conversation with Nicodemus, says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17).

The first thought that comes to a person's mind when coming into initial contact with the doctrines of grace usually has something to do with John 3:16. With good reason they wonder how God could love the world and yet only devote Himself to the salvation of some. For many Calvinists this is not a problem; they will simply argue that "world" here refers to the elect. Or, perhaps (and more likely than the former in my mind) Jesus is speaking of a love that reaches every part of the globe. But I think D.A. Carson gives the most balanced and accurate insight into this text we will find. After rejecting this idea that Jesus is merely referring to the elect he states, "...world in John does not so much refer to bigness as to badness. In John's vocabulary, world is primarily the moral order in willful and culpable rebellion against God. In John 3:16 God's love in sending the Lord Jesus is to be admired not because it is extended to so big a thing as the world, but so bad a thing; not to so many people, as to such wicked people" (The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, 17).

I think Carson is right with an idea that fits the context of what Jesus has been saying and will continue to say to Nicodemus. Man, born in his sinful state, is not intrinsically lovable by God. He must therefore be born of God if he is to enter the kingdom of God. This new birth is described as a free act of the Spirit. So why does Jesus bring his own mission into this conversation on the new birth? His life and death have a deep connection with the new birth; he not only died an atoning death but his death purchases our gift of regeneration (compare Luke 22:20 with Jeremiah 31, I will cover this in a future post).

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God" (John 3:18-21).

Here we see a contrast between those who believe in Christ and those who do not believe. Those who believe are not condemned and they come to the light so that it can be seen that their works are of God. This way of speaking parallels very well with Romans 8 and Ephesians 2 (check them out). But those who do not believe are condemned already, you don't have to change your standing with God to be condemned, you are born into that standing. They are wicked and hate the light. Thus, they are resistant to God (I will answer that objection later) and they need a new heart. They need to be born again.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Praying Against the "Me Monster"

In a way I think Brian Regan is describing all of us. I know I have had many occasions when someone is talking to me and my thoughts are about how I can respond to make myself look good. That is why I think this video, though extremely funny, gives us an opportunity for self-criticism.



"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)

Perhaps we should all be praying against the tenancy to be a "me monster."

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The World's Theology

This is courtesy of Grace Gems. If you would like some wonderful Christian quotes e-mailed to you daily check them out.

"The world's theology is easy to define.
It is the view . . .
that human beings are basically good,
that no one is really lost,
that belief in Jesus Christ is not necessary for salvation." -James Montgomery Boice

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
Romans 1:22

God Has Spoken by His Prophets

God has spoken by His prophets,
Spoken His unchanging Word,
Each from age to age proclaiming
God, the one, the righteous Lord.
Mid the world's despair and turmoil,
One firm anchor holding fast;
God is King, His throne eternal,
God the first, and God the last.

God has spoken by Christ Jesus,
Christ, the everlasting Son,
Brightness of the Father's glory,
With the Father ever one;
Spoken by the Word incarnate,
God of God, ere time began,
Light of light, to earth descending,
Man, revealing God to man.

God yet speaks by His own Spirit
Speaking to the hearts of men,
In the age-long Word expounding
God's own message, now as then;
Through the rise and fall of nations
One sure faith yet standing fast,
God is King, His Word unchanging,
God the first, and God the last.
-George Wallace Briggs

Following Up on Irresistible Grace

Obviously in my Thursday series (see parts 1, 2, and 3)I will not be able to cover all that there is to the doctrine of Irresistible Grace. Not even close. Fortunately men who are much smarter than myself have written on the doctrine of Irresistible Grace and the New Birth.

In his blog article, Grace is Resistible...Until It's Not, Dr. John Piper talks about how a biblical understanding of Irresistible Grace refutes the arguments opposed to it based on texts of Scripture that show people resisting God's grace.

In yet another blog article posted this week Dr. Albert Mohler gives an interesting look at the doctrine of the new birth comparing it and contrasting it with an odd Buddhist practice.

I encourage you to read these articles to give a deeper understanding of this important biblical doctrine.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Simply Irresistible Part 3

Here are parts 1 and 2 of the series.

As I stated in last week's I talked about the importance of John 3 in the development of the doctrine of the new birth. Specifically verses 1-21 are a long discussion on this subject.

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.' Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?' Jesus answered, '...unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again." (John 3:1-7)

Jesus makes it clear to Nicodemus that mere intellectual consent to the idea of him being a messenger from God is not what is necessary to enter heaven; it takes an impossible miracle. Jesus uses the term "born again" which symbolizes the reality of regeneration. In the book of John we usually see the most difficult things to understand being communicated with simple terms. This is what Jesus is doing here, taking a difficult thing to understand and communicating it with simple imagery.

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (v 8)

This verse gives us a clear indication of the cause/effect of the new birth and that which is born. My first question when looking at this text is how does this wind illustration work? The first thing we must take from it is that the "wind" (or Spirit, see last week's post) has freedom, "the wind blows where it wishes." Second I want to think of how the comment on the invisible nature and the sound of the Spirit's work relate to the new birth. Further examination of the text will make this clearer but what I think we see here is that the "wind" Jesus is describing is a cause. That is important because many would have you believe that the new birth can only happen once a person produces faith in Christ, this text (and others) insist that the faith is a product of the new birth.

"Nicodemus said to him, 'How can these things be?' Jesus answered him, 'Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?" (v 9-10).

Jesus seems as amazed that Nicodemus doesn't see this teaching from the Old Testament as Nicodemus is amazed at Jesus' teaching. This is because Jesus is simply teaching Nicodemus about the New Covenant God had promised (very important, see Ezekiel 11:18-20, 36:25-27, and Jeremiah 31:31-33). The New Covenant is a promise of God changing man's heart; taking away a heart that was at enmity with Him and giving a heart that is responsive to His Law.

What's the point? John 3 is teaching this doctrine in such a way that we cannot understand the new birth to be a response to an act of faith. As we go deeper into this study I will give implications to this doctrine that will show just how important this is for us to see but for now we need to soak in this biblical truth. Next week we will continue in John 3 and look at the most memorized verse in Evangelicalism; namely John 3:16ff. I will show how, in context, this passage does not refute the position of God's sovereignty in salvation (as some would argue that it does) but, rather, it is part of the argument for God's sovereignty.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

An Inspired Sinners Prayer

"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
Behold,I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar."-King David (Psalm 51)