Too Late to Apologize?

Here is what I posted at the Grace and Peace blog yesterday. Check it out to find more gospel centered writing in several different types from my good friends.

apol•o•get•ic \ə-pä-lə-ˈje-tik\ adj: offered in defense or vindication〈the apologetic writings of the early Christians〉

"...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." (1 Peter 3:15)

I am not an apologist nor do I want to pretend to be. However, I have had a few opportunities to answer questions and give a defense for the gospel in my evangelistic efforts. Because I have had some experience and have learned a lot from that (as well as from studying the subject) I want to offer you some tips in a new series of posts. I will probably interrupt the series some weeks for other kinds of posts but in an attempt to offer as much help as I can I think it will be good not to limit myself by trying to fit everything into a single post.

Presuppositions exist, don't ignore them.

This is one of the foundational truths of the brand of apologetics known as Presuppositionalism. It isn't important at this level to go into a textbook style summary of what that means. What you should remember is that you cannot prove the existence of the God of the Bible without acknowledging that you are assuming the truth of His Scripture.

This is one of the great problems I have with many respectable men in the field of apologetics. They make great arguments based on real evidence for the existence of God but in order to avoid the charge of assuming the truth of the Bible they have to say things like "the great preponderance of the evidence points to the likelihood of the existence of a god." Which my be convincing enough to bring some people to faith in "a god" but the assumption behind that kind of argument is that we just need to convince people to become theists and hopefully they will throw themselves into the Christian camp as well.

Instead, I suggest that you simply acknowledge that you are entering the debate with a heart and mind that has been changed by God and, therefore, you assume His existence from the beginning.

You also must remember that because all of mankind has been radically affected by the Fall they are doing the same thing. In Romans Paul says, "no one seeks after God" (Romans 3:11) and in Ephesians 2 man is further described as "following the Prince of the power of the air" and described as "the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2).

So biblically speaking you are entering the "debate" with a bias for the God of the Bible and they enter it with a bias against Him. Ignoring that doesn't make the debate go smoother, but it can lead to arguments that are meant to be for God's existence but end up blasphemous.

More to come...

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The Purpose and Centrality of the Local Church Part 6

This is the final part of a series on the centrality of the local church in God's redemptive purposes in the world. It has not been attempt to bring us back to a Rome-like view of the church or salvation but, rather, an attempt to do away with our Western individualism and help you to get a vision of and passion for the local assembly that God has given you. I hope it has been helpful.

The centrality of the church can be seen in that the responsibility for missions is given to the church.

This point is very relevant for me because I have seen first-hand both the lack of passion for missions in the local church and the lack of passion for the church in missions organizations. That is all besides the fact that most churches misapply their mission, turning church services into productions that are meant to draw in lost people with everything but the biblical gospel.

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

This is the probably the main text that comes to most Christian minds when thinking about missions. Often called "the great commission" this text makes it clear that the gospel was meant to be effectively preached in all nations.

There is, however, much debate over what Jesus intended to be the eternal result of his words. Was this only a commission for the original disciples to fulfill? Does this obligate every person to serve a term of some length as a missionary?

Without going into a long exegetical study of the passage I will tell you my own conclusions. Just by knowing the rest of the New Testament we can know that this commission is meant to drive Christians during the entire church-age; that is, until Jesus comes back. The grammar of the commission tells us that the emphasis is not on "go" but on "make disciples." Therefore, every Christian is called to be a part of the fulfillment of this commission, but not every Christian is called to go on a "missions term." However, this commission clearly has global aspirations. Therefore, global missions is necessary to obey Jesus' commission.

So what we should really be asking is how Jesus intended this commission to be fulfilled and how the early church obeyed him. So let's see what we can learn from the book of Acts about these two things.

1. How did Jesus intend for this to be done?

In Acts 1 Jesus tells the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them and then gives a statement similar to the great commission cited above (Acts 1:8). He wasn't urgent for the disciples to start on a missionary journey as soon as he ascended. Instead, it seems that Jesus wanted the church to officially be started. He wanted things to go in their proper order and the Holy Spirit to empower their evangelism, which would happen in an incredible way in Acts 2.

2. How did the apostles work to fulfill the great commission?

The reason I use the "apostles" rather than "the church" in the title for this point is simply to avoid circular reasoning. The fact is 1st century Christian missions was church-centered to the core. The best example I can give for this is Acts 13-14 where we see how Paul and Barnabas went about their missionary journey.

In Acts 13:1-3 we see Paul (Saul) and Barnabas being set apart as missionaries in the context of the local church at Antioch. The congregation fasted and prayed about it and then layed hands on them and sent them.

The rest of Acts 13 and into 14 describes the missionary journey. To summarize, the fruit of the journey was church plants (Acts 14:21-25). They made many disciples of Christ and encouraged them, appointing elders for the new local churches.

After all this what did they do? Return to Antioch to let their sending church share in the joy of their labors (Acts 14:26-27). They then did something that we don't see much nowadays with missionaries, "And they stayed there a long time with the disciples." (Acts 14:28).

So we see three things: (1) the local church sent the missionaries, (2) the missionaries planted local churches, and (3) the missionaries returned to the local church to report and commit themselves to their own congregation once again.

We could look at a lot more but I think this gets the point across. Love your church, love the gospel, and love the lost enough to preach the gospel to them. I don't think para-church organizations are the God-ordained means for this task, they are only helpful inasmuch as they seek to work alongside God's church. Sending a para-church orginization to fulfill the great commission without the church is like sending the Boy Scouts to war...they may be entheusiastic about it but they lack the power and authority to win.

Grace, Peace, and much love,
Stephen

The Purpose and Centrality of the Local Church Part 5

The centrality of the church can be seen in that the biblical description of discipleship is centered in the church.

This is perhaps the most important function of the church. It is where we see biblical discipleship carried out. There are two things I want to focus on in this post to show the Bible's picture of church-centered discipleship.

1. The preaching of the Word in the church.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Does this mean that all a person needs is his Bible and he is all set in the Christian life? That might be the impression we would get if we didn't continue reading the passage.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word...^AM)"> reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)

The Word is not only meant to be meditated on in one's personal life but it is also meant to be preached in the church community. We see this happening in the book of Acts' description of the early church, "And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42)

2. The living of the Word in the church.

Local churches are not meant to be clubs for people who really like to talk about Jesus. They are about applying the teaching of Scripture to our lives. This is very well described by the author of Hebrews:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

This is why Paul describes the local church as a body in 1 Corinthians 12. We work together for a common goal and we each have certain gifts and functions that add to that common mission.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The Purpose and Centrality of the Local Church Part 4

The Centrality of the Church can be seen in that the Bible gives instructions as to how the church should function.

In systematic theology the doctrine of the church is called "Ecclesiology." Though this seems unimportant to most Christians, the fact that a doctrine of the church exists is extremely relevant to the Christian life. Consider that when the most precise students of theology seek to break down the contents of the bible into branches of theology they spell out doctrines such as:

Theology Proper (the doctrine of God)

Pneumatology (the doctrine of the Holy Spirit)

Anthropology (the doctrine of man)

Christology (the doctrine of God the Son)

Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation)

and many others...

But we never find a doctrine of the lonely saved individual or a doctrine of parachurch ministry (though there are biblical principles that can apply to such subjects).

My point? The Bible invests a lot of its space prescribing the church's role in the world. This isn't only relevant to the pastor who wants to know how to lead his flock, but also to the Christian who wants to see what God's priorities are in His revelation to man.

Paul described his reason for writing 1 Timothy as "so that... you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth" (3:14-15).

You might say, "isn't the Scripture the pillar and buttress?" And that is a good question to ask. Scripture is the very Word of God by which He sustains His church.

The church is where one goes to hear the Word preach, see the Word lived out in a community, and worship God in a way that is informed by the Word. So the Bible and the church are not at odds as pillars of truth; rather, they work together. The Word creates and sustains the church and the church proclaims the Word. This is the way we find God working in Scripture.

Praise God that He has sustained His church and is purifying her even this day.

Grace and Peace,

Stephen

Creation and the Gospel

Recently I was supposed to preach at a local juvenile detention center. Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances involving a fire alarm and multiple Sham Wow's our group wasn't able to go inside and talk to the young men and women. However, my preparation left an impression on me that I would like to share with you.

Every time I get the opportunity to preach the gospel I feel the weight of a new truth that I should try to press on the lost person. This time was no different. For the greater part of this year I have been thinking about the importance of God's role as Creator and how that should play a big role in my presentation of the gospel. It flies in the face of the secular worldview to tell a person that they must do anything in order to please someone they have never seen.

My intention last Friday was to go to one of my favorite passages- especially lately- Colossians 1:15-17, 19-20:

[The Son] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together...For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

It is one thing to tell a person that they were created by intelligent design, therefore they should believe in a god, and while they're at it they might as well go for Christianity. It is quite another thing to tell that person that Jesus Christ created them with a purpose for himself. It doesn't matter if you think you are a great person or the lowest of the low, if the rulers and authorities (demons) were created for Christ, you are no worse than they.

This is what is so offensive to a Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins. This is the truth they want to suppress. If they were created with a purpose, rather than haphazardly, they have no rights over their own life, whatever they do that is not for Christ is rebellion against him and fully deserving of the appropriate response for cosmic treason.

But this passage doesn't stop there! It doesn't only tell us that we were created for Christ, allowing us to realize how far short we have fallen, it also tells us how this is accomplished despite our rebellion. Verse 20 tells us that Christ reconciled all things through his death on the cross. This is how rebellious sinners become the adopted children of God. This is where all things find their purpose, including those who are infinitely and eternally evil, never to find repentance. They find their purpose in being shamed by the cross (Colossians 2:14-15).

This is a wonderful passage for reflecting on the gospel and sharing it to those who don't know Christ. I encourage you to give it a read today and thank Christ for creating, redeeming, and ultimitely restoring you. If you don't yet believe in him I plead with you to trust in the only Savior of the world.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The Purpose and Centrality of the Local Church Part 3

The centrality of the church can be seen in that the authority of Christ resides in it.

"...the gates of hell shall not prevail against [the church]. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:18-19)

"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)

It would be easy to dismiss these passages as being about the universal church and say that any couple of Christians contain this authority from Christ. What we see in Matthew 18 is that this authority rests in the local church as they make important decisions. This doesn't mean that the church has the right to make decisions that are unbiblical in nature but that is because a true church is defined by true biblical doctrine (Matthew 16:16-18).

When God’s church assembles it is through them that He speaks His will. The example Matthew 18 provides is that after the long process of calling a member of the church to repent of his sin the church finally has to pronounce that this person is not one of God’s people and they ought to then move to treating them as they would a lost person and pleading them to repent and believe the gospel.

This is one of the great truths found in the Bible. God is using the body of his people in this world to accomplish His purposes. I want to encourage you to love your church. If you aren't a member of a church stop missing out. If you are a member of a church but haven't given yourself to it like you should there is no better time than now.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The Purpose and Centrality of the Local Church Part 2

Here is what I posted at the Grace and Peace blog last week. Check it out to find more gospel centered writing in several different types from my good friends.

This is part 2 of a series on the centrality of the local church in God's redemptive purpose. Click here for part 1 of the series.

The centrality of the church can be seen in that Christ died for her and adds to her number.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

As evangelical Christians we like to emphasize, with good reason, the individual nature of the atonement of Christ (Colossians 2:13-14). But we must not overlook the fact that the New Testament often speaks of Christ dying on behalf of the church.

Functionally this should be one of the greatest comforts in our Christian lives. If Christ died for a particular people, namely, the universal/invisible church, we find our identity as part of this group while participating in the local/visible expression of this people.

Not only did Christ die for the church, he is also the one adding to her number. Acts 2:41-47.

First we see about three thousand souls being saved (Acts 2:41), the next thing they do is commit themselves to the church (Acts 2:42-47) and finally we read that the Lord adds more to their number daily (Acts 2:47).

There is a cycle of salvation and the church is right in the middle. In the coming weeks we will see with a little more clarity why that is the case.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

The Purpose and Centrality of the Local Church

Here is what I posted at the Grace and Peace blog yesterday. Check it out to find more gospel centered writing in several different types from my good friends.

To me…this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Eph. 3:8-10)

In this world of self-help it is difficult to imagine that the Creator might have intended something greater. Though I believe that it is a great thing that so many Christians want to emphasize that Jesus is the savior of individuals, it seems that some wonderful truths have been lost in the process. Perhaps we have tried so hard to avoid the ditch of Roman Catholicism’s errors that we have swerved into the ditch on the other side, individualism.

In this series of posts I want to argue that the local church is God’s primary means of working in the world. This may sound terrible to some and strange to others but let me assure you that when you stop reading Scripture through the lens of tradition it becomes much clearer.

What is the church?

In this post I want to begin with some simple definitions. The church is not an easy biblical term to define; in fact I will need to use two definitions here.

1. The entirety of redeemed people throughout history. This is known as the universal church or the invisible church.

2. The local assembly of a specific group of believers for the purpose of worship, edification, fellowship, and ministry to the lost. This is what I am calling the local church.

One interesting thing that needs to be understood is the reason I use the word “assembly” in the second definition. This is because the word used for church in the New Testament is ekklesia which can be most simply defined as a “gathering of persons for a purpose” (Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic Domains).

What this seems to indicate is that the word is being used mostly to talk about local congregations of believers rather than the entirety of Christian individuals. But what about statements like that of Ephesians 3:10 (see above)? I don’t think Paul is only talking about the church at Ephesus. But I do think that he expected the original audience to think of the church at Ephesus when he said, “through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known.”

God is working in the world through His people, of that I don’t think there is much question. But what we will see in coming weeks is that those people find their identity, calling, and growth within the context of the local church.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Wisdom, Folly, and Truth

Here is what I posted at the Grace and Peace blog yesterday. Check it out to find more gospel centered writing in several different types from my good friends.

If you have ever attempted to give testimony of the gospel to a lost person you have probably heard something like the following response, “Well, that may be true for you but I have my own beliefs and they are true for me.” This kind of response comes from a post-modern worldview; which tells us that any non-testable truth claim is subjective and, therefore, cannot be applied to every person universally.

In some ways this way of thinking is a good thing. Every time we see or experience the rotten fruit of Islamic fundamentalism we should be glad that America allows the freedom to adhere to any truth as long as it doesn’t break certain moral laws. The belief in relative truth has its own way of encouraging some humility in the public square where ideas are shared.

On the other hand, this view of truth mostly comes straight out of secularism which says that God does not exist (or at least we cannot know that He exists) and man is the authority for judging truth and falsity. It is a view that comes straight out of Romans 1:21 by which man suppresses the truth about God by claiming ignorance on the most important matters.

What I want to do here is spend a little time looking at one example in Scripture of the interplay between subjective and objective truth. Perhaps I do have my own truth and you have yours but what I want us to see is the truth that really matters. I also want us to see how we might apply that truth to our evangelistic ministry.

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18 ESV)

Notice how Paul addresses things throughout this chapter and especially in this particular verse. There are wise people and there are fools. The strange thing about these two types of people is that they are exactly the opposite of what one would expect to read. The bad guys with whom Paul completely disagrees are called wise. The good guys who have given up everything to follow Christ are called fools. Why is that?

The reason is because Paul is looking at these two kinds of people from the perspective of the lost. They are wise in their own eyes and have, according to Romans 1:22, become fools. So subjectively Paul is able to say that the message of the cross is folly in the eyes of the one group.

On the other side we have the fools. Why are they fools? From the standpoint of the lost it is because they have given up their lives in service to this mysterious God of the low and despised. From another perspective we can say that they are fools because that is what they are apart from Christ who chose them in order to shame the wise (see 1 Corinthians 1:27). To these foolish people the message of the cross is the power of God to save them.

So here we have two groups with opposing truth claims. They are completely at odds and there appears to be no way of reconciling their worldviews. However, we can consider that someone is writing this story. There is one who is telling us about these two groups and how they think. In the same breath by which Paul tells us what the wise man says and what the foolish man says he tells us what is really happening to them…objectively! The truth is that the wise man is in reality the perishing man and the fool is the one being saved.

Unfortunately in our day we will do almost anything to convince the wise man of the truth of the gospel by using his own “wisdom.” Some appeal to scientific evidence while others try philosophical arguments. Others just do whatever they can to get you in the doors of a church so they can show you how much better Jesus is for your emotional well-being. But verse 17 says “Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

The power of the cross is its ability to save. If we try to take the form of a fellow truth-suppressor we will only convert them to a slightly different form of rebellion against God. We might have more theistic heathens but in the end there won’t be anymore knees bowing to Jesus (unless God is so kind as to convert them despite an unbiblical presentation of the gospel).

My encouragement to you is to remember as you do apologetics and try to reach out to people that you don’t try to do it in a cunning persuasive way. Show people you care about them, show them that the Bible answers the questions they have (even the deep ones), but in the end let them accept or reject the truth of the cross. It isn’t up to you to convert souls, it is up to you to speak the truth of the gospel. The rest is up to God.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Grace, Peace, and a Few Things of Lesser Importance...

Here is what I posted at the Grace and Peace blog yesterday. Check it out to find more gospel centered writing in several different types from my good friends.

In this world of new media there are millions of voices vying for the opportunity to be heard. Nothing guarantees that any of these voices will be worth your time, in fact, most of them aren’t worth the cost of the computers by which they communicate their opinions, but they are still there and you have the choice to give them your time and attention or not.

After having said all of that, allow me to introduce the Grace and Peace blog. Several new voices added to the blogosphere: myself (Stephen), Lukas, Jonathan, Sarah, JD, and probably some others from time to time. But what could we possibly add that hasn’t already been said? Hopefully nothing. It is not the goal of any person writing on this blog to blow your mind with some sort of new wisdom. Instead, we are only as wise as we have given ourselves to the guidance of Scripture.

Finally, why Grace and Peace? Well, we needed a name. But this term has great significance in Scripture. It is the term Paul used to greet the recipients of all thirteen of his letters. In addition we find the term used by Peter in both of his letters and even John at the beginning of Revelation. What makes this greeting especially great is that it serves as a summary of the gospel.

Matthew Henry writes:

“All gospel blessings are included in these two: grace and peace. Peace, that is all good; peace with God, peace in your own consciences, peace with all that are about you; all these founded in grace. “(Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Romans 1:7)

This blog will only be helpful inasmuch as it points people to God’s Word and the redemption that is found therein. Just as Paul had this way of opening his letters he frequently closed them in similar fashion with the phrase “grace be with you.” Hopefully you will find these posts to be gospel saturated, even when the topic being addressed is seemingly irrelevant to the gospel.

There is diversity in this group and that will be reflected in the kinds of posts this blog will contain from day to day and the subjects that will be addressed. But one thing, if nothing else, holds this group in complete unity, the gospel. So please subscribe or stop by occasionally for some good discussion, quotes, song lyrics, and probably even some designs. New content will be added every week day.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

New Blog!

I know it's been a month since I posted regularly but a new schedule is coming. With that said I want to introduce the new Grace and Peace blog! I have hoped to do this for a long time and it looks like it's finally happening. Myself along with four other great folks are teaming up for this new blog and new content will be up every week day. I will be posting on Mondays (my first post is up) and then I will repost the same thing on this site on Tuesdays. So check out us out at www.gandpblog.blogspot.com.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Long Time No Write

I know I haven't written much in the past few weeks. A lot of things are about to change here soon. Stay tuned for more details...

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

God's Loving Providence

"He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32

"If God has given His Son to die for us, let us beware of doubting His kindness and love in any painful providence of our daily life. Let us never allow ourselves to think hard thoughts of God. Let us never suppose that He can give us anything that is not really for our good." -J.C. Ryle

Friend or Foe? FOE!

Yesterday I wrote on the topic of creation and how one's view of creation is directly related to their understanding of the gospel (though there are many who are simply inconsistent in their views). Today I want to touch on the idea a little bit more.

If we understand Genesis 1-2 as being merely a literary explanation of God's use of evolution in order to create the world we are simultaneously affirming that God used the same thing to create man, namely death, that He would later seek to save man from.

In 1 Corinthians 15 we see Paul arguing for that which is at the very heart of the gospel message, resurrection. He touches on Christ's resurrection as well as the resurrection that we will one day experience. This is such an important part of the gospel that he says, "...if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (15:17). In other words, if Christ has not been raised the gospel is not true.

For our purposes in this post I want to focus on the ideas expressed in 15:20-28 which begins, "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." In other words, because Christ has, in fact, been raised we know that we too will be raised because of our union with him. But this fact is contingent on the following argument that Paul makes in the next verses.

"For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead." (15:21) This clearly goes back to the garden. According to Paul's gospel life was abundant in the creation accounts of Genesis 1-2 and death entered the world in Genesis 3. If Paul is wrong in his order of events concerning death and sin the next clause must be wrong as well.

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (15:22) The previous verse shows us that the reality of death entered the world through Adam and the reality of resurrection and eternal life comes through Christ. Now on a personal level we see that all (that is all persons) who are in Adam are subject to this death. All who are in Christ are rescued from death and are now subject to life.

The final portion of the paragraph that relates to this is 15:25-26, "For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." Here we see in clearest terms that God sees death as an enemy that will be destroyed. That is not the way one would expect a tool for creation to be described. The reason death is an enemy is because God did not use death and evolution to bring history to this point. He created the world by His own power and for His own purpose. He created a world of life that was then corrupted by death.

Now some might charge that I am being inconsistent, considering my view on the Fall (see these posts: 1, 2, 3, 4). I am not saying that God did not decree that death would exist in order for Him to defeat it. I am saying that God did not create a world that was already subject to death and use it as a device for bringing about man. Though death is an enemy which God has planned to defeat since before creation, it is still not a friend to Him which He used to create His image bearers.

Stay strong and believe the gospel!

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

It's About the Gospel

"...just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned..." (Romans 5:12)

It is no surprise how well received brave men like Ben Stein have become recently in the pop-Christian subculture. His 2008 documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed exposed a clear bias (to use a week term) in secular science.

There is no question that the immediate ripple effect of this movie is a new bold resurgence in what is often called the intelligent design movement. I wonder, however, just how good this movement is for Christians.

In a Christian sub-culture that has whole-heartedly embraced such creative spoofs as the "Abreadcrumb & Fish" t-shirts and beauty pageant runner up who has the same view of so-called "homosexual marriage" as the President, it appears as if Christians are making a bad decision once again. In other words, I know that we expect Jesus to simply touch every thing cool and relevant in the world (through the best marketing majors the church has to offer) and make it all cool AND holy (like testamints) but, in this case especially, it seems as if we are just taking a gospel destroying idea and saying "you're right about everything except we think God is the cause of evolution." It really is no wonder people like Hitchens and Dawkins don't take us seriously.

So what is the point I am making? I think the verse at the beginning of this post and the argument in which it sits (Romans 5) says more than I can to this subject. If you believe that death existed before the Fall of Genesis 3 (regardless of the approach you take) you either have the wrong gospel or your gospel and your creation accounts are inconsistant.

I'm glad that Ben Stein has stepped up against the forces of secular science. I hope that God will save him and those who have been emboldened by this movement will stay faithful to the clear teaching of Scripture; even Genesis 1-2.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

O Worship The King

O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His power and His love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space,
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, Thy power hath founded of old;
Established it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

O measureless might! Ineffable love!
While angels delight to worship Thee above,
The humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall all sing Thy praise.

-Robert Grant

Bible Study: Romans 10:14-17. "How will they...?"

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

"They cannot preach except they be sent, except they be both commissioned and in some measure qualified for their preaching work. How shall a man act as an ambassador, unless he have both his credentials and his instructions from the prince that sends him? This proves that to the regular ministry there must be a regular mission and ordination. It is God’s prerogative to send ministers; he is the Lord of the harvest, and therefore to him we must pray that he would send forth labourers, Mt. 9:38. He only can qualify men for, and incline them to, the work of the ministry." -Matthew Henry

James White on Romans 9

My attempt to write a new post on unconditional election in time to post today was hindered by technical difficulties. So today I will simply point you to James White's concise lecture on Romans 9. It's quality Bible study for free. Check it out.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Albert Mohler Videos

A video of Albert Mohler speaking on the gospel and Catholicism.




This one is just a little humor from Dr. Mohler.

Becoming the Message Part 3

This is the third and final part of a series on how Paul demonstrated the message of the gospel in his life. Click here for parts 1 and 2.

6. In laying down his rights.

Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.^AG)"> I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Cor. 9:19-23)

Some people think of the gospel as a moralistic system that is meant to keep people in line. Others think of it as the license to do whatever we want to do in the name of freedom in Christ. However, the gospel does not fit either of those categories. That is what Paul sought to demonstrate as he looked to remove the hindrance of religious presuppositions when evangelizing different groups. To the Jews he set aside his freedoms. To the gentiles he shows his freedom as one who is no longer under the law in the Jewish sense.

7. In his changed life.

the Holy Spirit,

We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way... by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with^T)"> the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left... (2 Cor. 6:3-5a, 6-7)

Surely if there is power in the gospel to save people from their sins, its work in an individual is a great testimony. In this text Paul points to some genuine fruit that comes from salvation as part of his commendation of the gospel.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

My Song is Love Unknown

My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.

Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.

They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.

In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.

-Samuel Crossman

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Bible Study: Romans 10:5-13. Confess and Believe

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) or "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

"With that confession Paul links believing in the heart. The reference to the heart points to the inwardness of faith; Paul is not referring to a superficial confession, accompanied by no more than a token faith. He is referring to a faith that takes hold of the whole of the inner man...It means that faith has content; Paul is not advocating a fideism in which all that matters is to believe. To Paul it matters that we believe, but it also matters what we believe. Here he speaks of believing that God raised him from the dead. The resurrection is of critical importance. It is at the cross that God did his saving work, but Paul does not believe in a dead martyr but in a living Savior." -Leon Morris (Commentary on Romans)

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Unconditional Election Part 10

X. Romans 9

If Romans 8 is the most uplifting passage in the Bible for Christians (and I believe it is) Romans 9 the less exciting attempt to defend its validity. In other words -for my fellow football fans- if Romans 8 is Darren McFadden Romans 9ff is the offensive line; pushing his enemies aside while he runs to the end zone.

Last week we saw some of what Romans 8 tells us about election. Today we look at the chapter in the Bible that explains how Romans 8 can be true while the ethnic nation of Israel, as a whole, stands in unwavering opposition to their messiah and their salvation. This is a truth that saddened Paul to no end.

After showing much love to his Jewish brethren Paul gives the thesis of the chapter, "[It] is not as though the word of God has failed" (Romans 9:6). After this the big debate is on whether Paul argues on the basis of God's choice of nations or if he argues on the basis of God's choice of individuals for salvation. Let's follow Paul's argument and see what it looks like.

9:6-9 "For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' 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. For this is what the promise said: 'About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son."
So now Paul is making a distinction between ethnic Israel and spiritual Israel (or the people of God). Just because one is a child of Abraham according to their genealogy does not mean they are a spiritual child of Abraham. The example is Isaac who was not Abraham's first born child and yet he inherited the promise to Abraham.

9:10-13- "And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

"Not only so" is our signal that Paul is going even further to make his point. He doesn't only have one example of this but he has an even better one that has no loopholes in his back pocket. He goes to the example of Jacob and Esau who had the same parents and were born into the same situation according to nature. Yet God told Rebekah that Jacob would inherit the blessing rather than his older brother Esau for a simple purpose, namely, "in order that God's purpose of election might continue..." In fact, Paul explicitly says that this was not on the basis of works but instead because of Him who calls. In other words, the difference between Jacob and Esau in God's eyes was not what one or the other would do but God's purpose for one or the other.

In his sermon, "Why I am Predestined Not to be a Hyper-Calvinist" Dr. Ergun Caner poses the question meant to refute this doctrine, "did God hate Esau because he was Esau, or did God hate Esau because of what Esau did?" Unfortunately for Dr. Caner (I do have much respect for the man and his hard work) this passage clearly go against his point. It certainly appears to be teaching that God hated Esau because He decided not to set His love on him in the same way that He did Jacob.

(Note: In a later post I will explore some objections including Paul's use of these Old Testament passages)

9:14-18- "What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.' So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills."

Paul, being true to his writing style, anticipates the objections to his point. This is very important for our understanding of the preceding verses (9:6-13) because objections to an argument usually say a lot about the argument itself, especially an objection raised by the author of the argument.

In this case the objection is that this is seemingly unjust on God's part. Paul uses God's words to Moses in Exodus 33:19. Paul's conclusion is that it doesn't depend on the will of man but on God. Sound familure? He's making the Jacob and Esau point again!

Paul then goes back to quoting the Old Testament where it is clear that God's purpose in raising up Pharaoh was to defeat him. The implications this has for God's sovereignty over all things are pretty huge. Consider all of the death in Egypt that resulted in God showing His power. His conclusion from Pharaoh's situation is that God not only has mercy on whomever He wills but also that He hardens whomever He wills. Nail in the coffin on this point? Not yet!

9:19-24- "You will say to me then, 'Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?' But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he^AI)"> has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?"

Now Paul anticipates another objection. This time it is the very common objection that God's absolute sovereignty over salvation negates man's responsibility in the matter. This time Paul doesn't go to the Old Testament but instead reflects on what it means to be the Creator. His point is that God, as Creator, as the right to use His creation for His purposes. We should not, however, take this into the ditch of thinking that God doesn't care what we do on earth. Even though God has a purpose for the Pharaohs of the world Paul still describes Him as enduring them with much patience. I believe this is because God is passive in reprobation. Though He calls Christians to salvation He does not actively work to make bad people bad. He simply leaves them in their rebellion against Him.

Finally Paul comes back to the Jews and Gentiles. If he were making all of these points about nations all along it would seem odd for him to say "not only of the Jews but also from the Gentiles?" As the original reader I would be saying, "isn't that what you were talking about all along?!" But Paul wasn't talking about election at a mere national level. He was teaching on the unconditional election of individuals in order to explain why the word of God has not failed despite ethnic Israel's unbelief. He will continue to explain God's redemptive plan for the Jews in the chapters that follow.

Thanks for hanging with me.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

John Piper on the Infinite Value of Christ's Death

Be an Expert in the Gospel!

And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." (Exodus 20:1-2)

In his sermon last week R.W. Glenn encouraged his congregation to become "experts in the gospel." The gospel should be the point to which Christians return again and again to find grace, hope, and a reason to live differently in this world.

Too many Christians are experts in secondary things while stammering at the mere thought of a coherent presentation of the gospel. If you see yourself as the type of person of which I am speaking you are certainly not alone. However, it's time to stop being that kind of person.

Until you have become an expert in the gospel you have no right to be an expert in morality.

Until you have become an expert in the gospel you have no right to be an expert in conservative politics.

Until you have become an expert in the gospel you have no right to be an expert in parenting philosophy.

Until you have become an expert in the gospel you have no right to be an expert in the direction and values of your church.

I say this because all of these things can only be understood rightly when one has a proper view of the gospel. Consider the verse at the beginning of this post which precedes the ten commandments. The ultimate code of morality is not given as a to do list. It is the proper life of a people who have been mercied by a gracious God.

What about the sermon on the mount? People of all religions (and non religions) love to quote Jesus' words as if a person can become a good person. They just happen to forget that the two books that contain the sermon on the mount are gospels. Their primary purpose is to bring about faith in Christ as Savior first. Flowing from that salvation is the life that follows his teaching.

All that is to say be an expert in the gospel. Remind yourself of what it is and what it has done for you.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

More Posts on the Gospel:

The Gospel in 60 Seconds.
More Thoughts on the Gospel.
Subtraction by Addition.
The Gospel in 6 Minutes (John Piper)

Quietly

Quietly we come before your presence here today
Agreeing with the Spirit as we come
And rags of filth are all we have when asked to bring our best
We claim nothing but your righteousness

So here we are this body crying out to You today
Our need of mercy once again is large
We know that You are the only thing that satisfies our heart
Oh bind us like a fetter once again

Chorus:
And we come to You Father
Because of what he's done
By Jesus our sacrifice was made
And we enter in Your presence
Singing only by the Lamb
And grafted we stand in awe of You again

-Daniel Renstrom

Bible Study: Romans 10:1-4 "Ignorant of the Righteousness of God"

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

"Settle it once for all. You will not ever be good enough to provide a righteousness of your own that could be the ground of your justification. Either Christ will be your righteousness, or you will perish. And when you have settled this with God, and trusted Christ for righteousness, then by that same faith savor him so supremely that you make progress in severing the roots of sin in your life. In other words, fight the fight of faith not in order to be justified, but because you are justified. Your children will see the difference." -John Piper

Unconditional Election Part 9

Part IX Romans 8

It could be said that some of the biggest peaks in the Bible are contained in Romans 8. The chapter begins with the most comforting statement a Christian can read, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (8:1). But for the purpose of this series on the doctrine of unconditional election Romans 8 provides us with what is often referred to as the golden chain of redemption.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)

First we must see the sovereignty of God over this entire argument. The reason Paul gives us this "golden chain" is to support "all things work together for good" which is reminiscent of Ephesians 1:11. You might say that God is responding to faith here. It says that all things work together for good for those who love God. But Paul continues to explain that the people who love God have been "called according to his purpose." What does that look like? Well let's see how else Paul describes these people.

Foreknown- It is common for non-Calvinists to use Paul's words "those whom He foreknew..." to modify everything else in the passage. However, the term used in this way is actually referring to election. It would take a much longer post to give a full discussion but consider 1 Peter 1:20 where Christ is called "foreknown." Does that merely mean that God knew about Christ? Or Romans 11:2 where it is said that God has not rejected His people "whom he foreknew." Is this on the basis of knowing facts? Or people?

Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son- I have read people saying that this is not a comprehensive description of salvation because it does not mention sanctification. However, this link of the chain clearly refers to the process by which God makes us like Christ. Those whom God foreknew (read foreloved) He predestined to be sanctified.

(Side Note) "in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" This phrase doesn't really make sense if there is the possibility that no one would make the choice to receive Christ.

Called- We have already seen that these are called "according to His purpose" and now it is placed within the chain. This must refer to more to more than the general call of the gospel unless we believe that everyone will be saved. This "call" is the effectual call when God regenerates the elect person and brings them to saving faith through the witness of the gospel message.

Justified- Again, the connection between calling and justification makes it difficult to say that God isn't targeting a specific people with His saving grace. Those whom God foreknew, predestined, and called are then justified and there is no condemnation for them.

Glorified- We haven't done an entire post on glorification but in this context it shows that God brings His people to the end of the journey. There is no losing of one's salvation after justification. God preserves and causes to persevere those who are in Christ. He will lose none of them.

I hope this is helpful.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

What does it mean that our citizenship lies in heaven?

Courtesy of The Gospel Coalition.



Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Anonymous Q&A Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of anonymous Q&A where you have already asked the questions and I bring you the answers. In some ways it's like a clip show for blogs. Here's the deal. When you find my blog via Google I know exactly what search you used to find me (I don't know who asked the questions, just what the questions were). Most of the searches are people trying to find out if James MacDonald or Matt Chandler are Calvinists (yes) and 5-pointers at that (yes). So here are some of the things that you- or more appropriately, yall- wanted to know.

Explain Romans 9:6-8.

I actually have a pretty recent post on this passage. I think the most important thing to remember at this point in the chapter is that Paul is coming off one of the peaks of the entire Bible in Romans 8 ("There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...") but he feels the weight of the question that must be on the reader's mind, namely, what about the Jews? So Paul begins by explaining his deep longing for the salvation of his kinsmen. Now in 6-8 he is defending God, making sure it is clear that the Word of God has not failed. He supports that argument with the truth that has come to be the foundation of what we call unconditional election.

How should we treat apostates?

A couple of months ago I wrote a post making the point that there is a "strange grace" in the apostasy of those who were never truly born-again. This is based on 1 John 2:19. But how do we treat these people? I think my last point in that post makes the point I would make here. We should evangelize them. But remember, you can't associate with them in the same way as you would if they were a brother or sister in Christ.

Is it against the Bible to play the lottery?

Last year I put up what John MacArthur wrote on this subject. I don't have much to add to what he says. If you have put yourself in a bad spot financially because of gambling turn to Christ. The gospel is for you as much as it is for the worst murderer, the religious hypocrite, and worst of all myself.

What book of the Bible speaks on relationships?

All of them. But lets assume the question is about "romantic" relationships. Song of Solomon is the first thing that comes to mind. Also, the book of Ephesians lays out the gospel and when you get to chapter 5 it shows the major implications the gospel has on marriage. There are some great Proverbs on relationships as well. A great ministry to point you in the right direction (and probably some great portions of the Bible that I failed to mention) is Family Life.

What will happen to those who never accept Christ?

They will be judged for their sins eternally in the lake of fire. Whether a person knowingly rejects the gospel or merely sees the fingerprints of God in creation and rebels against what he knows to be God's moral standard (see Romans 1-2) a person without Christ is under the wrath of God. I wish I thought more about that and lived was a better example of missional living.

Finally, I got hits from some people searching for Jason Lapp's blog. Thanks for stopping in for directions.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder

Let us love and sing and wonder,
Let us praise the Savior’s Name!
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder,
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame.
He has washed us with His blood,
He has brought us nigh to God.

Let us love the Lord Who bought us,
Pitied us when enemies,
Called us by His grace, and taught us,
Gave us ears and gave us eyes:
He has washed us with His blood,
He presents our souls to God.

Let us sing, though fierce temptation
Threaten hard to bear us down!
For the Lord, our strong Salvation,
Holds in view the conqueror’s crown:
He Who washed us with His blood
Soon will bring us home to God.

Let us wonder; grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store;
When through grace in Christ our trust is,
Justice smiles and asks no more:
He Who washed us with His blood
Has secured our way to God.

Let us praise, and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high;
Here they trusted Him before us,
Now their praises fill the sky:
“Thou hast washed us with Your blood;
Thou art worthy, Lamb of God!”

Hark! the Name of Jesus, sounded
Loud, from golden harps above!
Lord, we blush, and are confounded,
Faint our praises, cold our love!
Wash our souls and songs with blood,
For by Thee we come to God.

-John Newton

New Look

The blog has a new look. For most of you that is no shock but some of you RSS and need to check it out. My talented brother Jonathan worked hard on this for me. I didn't even give him a idea to start off. So thank you very much Jonathan. It looks great.

Stephen

Bible Study: Romans 9:30-33. The Stumbling Stone

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,

"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

"God’s demand for faith on the part of men is in no way inconsistent with His sovereignty. By His own sovereign decree, His gracious offer of salvation becomes effective only when it is willingly received by faith. In regard to salvation, the other side of divine sovereignty is human responsibility. From the human standpoint there is a tension, even a seeming contradiction, between those two realities. By human reasoning, they seem mutually exclusive. But both of them are clearly taught in God’s Word, and when one is emphasized to the exclusion of the other, the gospel is invariably perverted. By His own determination, God will not save a person who does not believe in His Son, and a person cannot save himself simply by the act of his own will, no matter how sincere and heartfelt. In God’s sovereign order, both His gracious provision and the exercise of man’s will are required for salvation. Like many other revelations in Scripture, those two truths cannot be fully harmonized by reason, only accepted by faith." -John MacArthur (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Romans)

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Do Hard Things

I was amazed to see this kid Zac Sunderland on Sports Center first because he was the embodiment of the "Rebelution" movement and second because he actually claims to be a part of the "Rebelution" movement. Because of Alex and Brett Harris (Josh Harris' little brothers) young people are starting to see themselves as more than mall rats who spent half of their young lives in a haze of social confusion. They are seeking to glorify God in their lives right now.

Click here for more information.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Unconditional Election Part 8

VIII. John 10:24-30.

Three weeks ago we saw Luke attributing the belief of the Gentiles to their election. Two weeks ago we saw Paul announcing that the Thessalonians election was worked out in their faith. Today we will see Jesus telling some Jews why they don’t believe in him.

In John 10 Jesus is causing quite a stir. The chapter begins with Jesus comparing himself to a door and a shepherd and presenting his death as one for a particular group (For more on this see my series on Limited Atonement). This made some Jews think he was insane and others think he might be much more. So in John 10:24 they approach him.

The Jews basically say to Jesus “for crying out loud either say you are the Messiah or get to the mental institution!” Instead of answering them directly Jesus says “I told you and you do not believe” (10:25). He continues to explain that he has proven himself as divine by the many signs he has performed. So why don’t they believe? Jesus tells them, “you do not believe because you are not part of my flock” (10:26). Word order is important. It is not that they are not part of his flock because they do not believe, rather, they don’t believe because they are not of the flock.

Consider what Jesus has already said in the chapter about his flock:

• They know him and hear his voice (v3- 4, 14, 16).
• They do not follow but run from those who are not the shepherd (v5, 8).
• They will be saved (v9).
• They will have abundant life (v10).
• Jesus lays his life down and takes it up again for them (v11, 17-18).

Here we see Jesus telling people that they do not believe because they are not of this flock. Belief is a common term in John for the initial faith that is unto salvation. Therefore we see another passage teaching salvation as an outworking of God's unconditional decree in election.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Becoming the Message Part 2

Check out part 1 here.

Here are some more ways that Paul became the message of the gospel to the lost:

4. In the urgency with which he proclaimed the message.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:20)

Had Paul tried to communicate the gospel in the same way that many Christians today (myself included) do the gospel may not have may not have spread as wide as it did. Paul didn’t merely communicate the gospel as if he had all the time in the world to convert them, he became the message by demonstrating the urgency of the gospel.

5. In his suffering.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church… (Col. 1:24)

John Piper can be credited for great insight on the meaning of this strange phrase Paul uses. He uses the exact same terminology in Philippians 2:29-30:

So receive [Epaphroditus] in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

In the same way that we would certainly say that nothing is lacking in the sufficiency of the atonement of Christ we can say that there was nothing lacking in the value of the gifts of the Philippians. Epaphroditus, however, became a presentation of the Philippians love for Paul in that he was willing to suffer to bring the gift to him on the Philippians behalf.

Likewise, Paul’s suffering completed what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions in that the lost cannot see Christ’s willingness to suffer for their salvation. They can, however, see Paul’s willingness to suffer in order to bring the message of Christ’s suffering to them.

Part 3 is still to come.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Why Celebrate a Dead Man's Birthday?

If you read many Christian blogs (including this one) you are probably aware that last Friday was the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth. You might be wondering, however, why you know about Calvin's birthday and why it matters. So I thought I would take some time to explain why I decided to mark this occasion in no particular order.

It's Fun- Who doesn't enjoy celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions?

It Reveals God's Faithfulness Through the Centuries- Sure, we could talk for hours about the differences between us and Calvin. We could discuss his context and just how ridiculous his beard would be nowadays. But when I read Calvin's commentaries I am reminded that God's truth spoke as loud and clear in his day as he does now. Calvin's theology didn't originate with Calvin. He is known for his skilled exposition of Scripture.

It Provides Learning Opportunities- Because of Calvin's birthday there has been a renewed interest in Calvin that goes beyond the movement known as "neo-Calvinism." Biographies are being written and republished, virtually every conference led by Calvinist has something about Calvin as the subject this year, and Calvin's books have been on sale. Whether you love Calvin or you hate him, because of people celebrating his birthday you can learn more about why you love him or hate him.

Just some thoughts. Regardless of the occasion for celebration remember to do it for the sake of the name of Christ and not man.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Inexhaustible

Verse 1
Hey, you crazy if you think you can grasp
The eternal ruler who is first and is last
Reigns in the present, and He reigned in the past
Who is perfect and has none to learn in a class
I seen a lot of dudes I don' think they get it
Got a picture in our brain but the King can't fit it
We got a lil box but the King ain't in it
He's way too complex, don't get this thing twisted
I could learn bout Him who's on the throne
But like Badu He goes on and on
I could spit a million rhymes till the song is long
But still not have enough bars like a broken phone
To tell all about the God of Romans known
Through the scriptures that picture should blow your dome
He's amazing behold Him, appraise Him He's golden
Inexhaustible, I'm amazed just to know him.

Hook
Hey what you know about this God? He's way too great homie, I can't grasp Him
Hey what you know about this God? He's too complex my mind can't fathom
What you know about this God? He's amazing behold Him appraise Him He's golden
Hey what you know about this God? He's inexhaustible, I'm amazed just to know Him

Verse 2
For instance I just can't get this He is one but eternally exists in three
That's crazy our minds can grip this we
Need to realize we men so our pictures weak
Just try to understand how he came as a man
But remained I Am, all things in His hand
Say what? The King was slain as the lamb
When He came to the land that He made with His hands
Say what? Just try to make your brain understand
He's so big man's like a grain in the sand
That picture's too big for a frame but my plan is to grow
I pray my picture of the King will expand
I could study forever and read all day
But still wouldn't understand the King all the way
I got a long way to go, but I'm pleased to say
I get to live my whole life just to seek His face

Verse 3
Hey it's not enough words in my speech to proclaim His greatness
Not in the whole English language
To exhaust this King, His past is blameless
I won't stop reppin 'till His name is famous
Among all nations, He still prevails
Praise the Lord that He chose to reveal Himself
When He could have just chilled and concealed Himself
Praise the Lord that He chose to reveal Himself
Now we can share in enjoyment, see more and more
The glory, the beauty of the Lord of Lords
Through Creation, or Scripture's the door to more
Can't get it all on this Earth, there's more in store
When we get to eternity, it'll be better
We get to see more of the Lord forever
A million years later, the joy is the same
Seeing still more and exalting His name (Trip Lee. From the Album 20/20)

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Bonus Post

It is pure coincidence that the study on Unconditional Election comes at the same time that the study on Romans hits chapter 9 (which is a central text for unconditional election). So I'm sure everyone is happy to see a bonus post that isn't teaching you the hard doctrines of the TULIP.

Unfortunately, the bonus post is in honor of John Calvin's 500th birthday. I figure that since everyone else in the Christian blogosphere will be mentioning him today, why not give him some space on the good ol' 24:45 blog?

T.H.L. Parker writes:

[The] last and truest thing to be said of Calvin is that, within the limits of sinful mortality, the unity of his life is astounding. His thoughts, his actions, and his intentions point in the same direction. As he thought, so he lived, and so he purposed. He was like an Old Testament prophet in that he proclaimed the Word of God both by words and by actions. In that sense, the course of his life takes on a certain sacramental reality. It bore visible witness to the gospel he preached. It is this harmony or consistency that gives its particular significance to Calvin’s life. (Portrait of Calvin, 22. Available free in pdf format.)

Many of us don't think of a great expositor when we think of Calvin. Rather, we think of controversy. So I thought it would be good to include Sam Storms' thoughts (via Desiring God) on why Calvin is so controversial.



Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Bible Study: Romans 9:25-29 "Those who were not my people..."

As indeed he says in Hosea,

"Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,'
and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.'"
"And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,'
there they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"

And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay." And as Isaiah predicted,
"If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
we would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah."

"...Paul effectively summarizes the following context, in which Hosea is called to embody the redeeming love of the Lord in again taking to himself his adulterous wife. In this reference to the adulterous wife Paul elaborates what it means to be called God's people: it is to be a harlot embraced and restored by God's love. Perhaps, too, Paul recalls restoration from the wilderness and exile, since that is God's way with His people, according to Hosea (2:14-20; cf. 11:1). Here it is given to a new people." (Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Edited by Carson and Beale, 647).

Unconditional Election Part 7

VII. John 6

One of the most common terms used to refute the doctrine of unconditional election is the phrase “whosever will may come” (Rev. 22:17). Here in John 6:35 Jesus speaks in a similar way:

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

As a Calvinist I love these words. The universality of the gospel call is part of its beauty. I know that I don’t have to be “good enough” for Christ, I must only trust in him.

We must not, however, take off our theological thinking caps here because Jesus certainly doesn’t stop teaching. After speaking in universal terms Jesus presents a problem in 6:36:

“But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.”

As Christians we see the beauty of the gospel. We recognize that apart from Christ we are dead sin and under God’s wrath. The question is, why on earth doesn’t everybody see that!? What is the difference between a believer and a non-believer? Intelligence? Level of sanity? Jesus answers this question in 6:37:

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

It is impossible to escape this definite wording. Some do not believe and yet all that the Father gives Jesus will come to him. What does it mean to “come to Jesus” if not to trust in him for salvation?

If that isn’t clear enough 6:44 is even clearer:

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

This indicates that the connection between the “giving” from the Father and the “coming” of the believer is the Father drawing the believer to come to Christ; and they will come to him without fail. Jesus further illustrates his point in 6:65:

"This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."

What do we learn from Jesus’ words here in John 6?

1. Everyone who believes in Christ will have eternal life.
2. There are some who do not believe in Christ.
3. The reason for #2 is because no one believes in Christ unless they are graciously chosen and drawn by God.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

2 Corinthians 5 Teaches a Definite Atonement

This is written in a sort of commentary style. Try to follow along.

In 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Paul says:

…we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

This is a difficult passage to interpret for sure. Unfortunately, many resort to mere proof-texting of this passage to establish the use of the phrase “he died for all.” On the other hand, many Calvinist could be charged with- whether intentional or not- avoiding this text because of the level of difficulty there is in explaining why it doesn’t contradict their view of the atonement.

So, after almost a month of studying chapters 4-6 of 2 Corinthians let me give you my conclusion to the meaning of this passage and how it teaches a definite atonement. But first I will give you an alternative explanation.

William Birch of the Classical Arminianism blog says that the most obvious understanding of 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 is as follows:
“…one [Adam] has died for all [humanity], therefore all have died [see Romans 5:12-13]; and he [Christ] died for all [humanity], that those who live [Christians] might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

I reject this interpretation mostly on the grounds that it seems very difficult to follow and doesn’t flow well with the thought of the context. So my understanding is as follows:

“…one [Christ]..." There are two reasons I say that the “one” is Christ and not Adam. The first is that Adam hasn’t been brought in to Paul's argument or even mentioned yet in the epistle. Paul has been talking about Christ and so it would be odd for him to introduce Adam without naming him as if it is assumed that he is referring back to Romans 5 or even 1 Corinthians 15:22.

Second, and more convincing for me, is that it says the one has died “for all.” The word “for” implies intention and/or substitution. In Adam’s case all die in the one but he did not die “for all.”

"...has died for all [of us]..." I interpret the all as Christians and not everyone who has or will ever live because of the context (see the "we all" of 5:10). Also, the final effect of the death of Christ will show why this is not for all mankind.

"...therefore all have died [died to sin]..." In this particular case I don’t think the word “died” has to mean the same thing across the board. In other words, I don't the "all" died in the same way that Christ died. Because of the contrast between died and “live for themselves” it seems sustainable that “all died” means that they died to sin. Romans 6:1-14 is a perfect parallel to the cause and effect relationship of Christ's physical death and our death to sin. If it is true that the “one” is Christ and not Adam it most likely follows that the second “died” means death to sin and not natural death. I don’t see a better way of interpreting that sentence and I do think it is much clearer than assuming that Adam is showing up out of nowhere.

"...AND he [Christ] died for all [see above], that those who live [same as “all”] might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

I emphasize the word "and" because it is the only way it makes sense in my reading. Rather than contrasting two different deaths (as in Romans 5) I see the "and" as signaling two aspects of the one death.

So the point is that everyone for whom Christ died will die to themselves/the world/sin (at conversion) and be raised with Christ to live for him. This lines up with 5:21, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

This means that the death of Christ has definite effects that will not happen to many. I think if we read this passage plainly (without reading too much into the one word "all") we can see the massive truth of the Christ's love for his people.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Thabiti Anyabwile on the Death of Christ

No Longer Bound

Your glory, Lord, higher than the skies
And Your love, the anchor of my life
A song of thanks, all my heart can sing
I lift my eyes up to the heavens
I fill my heart up with Your praise
For You alone have lifted away my chains

I just can't keep from laughing
I just can't keep from crying out
Jesus Christ has captured my soul
I'm bursting with His passion
And I'm lavished in His grace
And I am no longer bound by shame, Lord

Have we, the church, forgotten who we are?
And have we forgotten who we serve
'Cause we serve the Almighty Living God
Let songs of love come pouring from our hearts
Let songs of joy resound both near and far
Let's celebrate the goodness of our God

So lift your eyes, lift your hands
Lift your feet and praise His name
-Jeremy Riddle

Bible Study: Romans 9:19-24. The Potters Freedom

You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

The human mind, when it hears this doctrine, cannot restrain its petulance, but boils and rages as if aroused by the sound of a trumpet. Many professing a desire to defend the Deity from an invidious charge admit the doctrine of election, but deny that any one is reprobated... Paul does not...labour anxiously to defend God, by calling in the aid of falsehood; he only reminds us that it is unlawful for the creature to quarrel with its Creator. Then how will those who refuse to admit that any are reprobated by God explain the following words of Christ? “Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up,” (Mt. 15:13). They are plainly told that all whom the heavenly Father has not been pleased to plant as sacred trees in his garden, are doomed and devoted to destruction. If they deny that this is a sign of reprobation, there is nothing, however clear, that, can be proved to them. But if they will still murmur, let us in the soberness of faith rest contented with the admonition of Paul, that it can be no ground of complaint that God, “willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had store prepared unto glory,” (Rom. 9:22, 23). (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion. III, xxiii, 1)

Grace and Peace,
Stephen