On this day in 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses to the castle church doors at Wittenburg.
Happy Reformation Day!
On this day in 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses to the castle church doors at Wittenburg.
A Wonderful Surprise
The first time I was confronted with the Doctrines of Grace I hated them! How cruel God seemed to me if these things were true. How dare my "free will" be infringed upon. Yes, God chose me for salvation, but that was only because I first chose Him. That was my Arminian view and it destested the doctrines that I have now come to love.
As a matter of fact, almost everyone that I have talked to that believes the doctrines of grace has at some point resisted them. But them someone lovingly helped them press into the Scriptures that they might see these truths for themselves and then finally come to understand what they mean. How detestable are these truths until the Lord enlightens our minds and causes us to love them--for they reveal the nature of God. And how can a child of God not love his Father's nature?
It came as a wonderful surprise to me the other day when I found out that an administrator and my professor from my first year in Bible College (1991) converted to the Doctrines of Grace. I was shocked and esctatic! I am not alone is coming to these glorious truths! Here was a godly and extremely intelligent man who, by God's grace, came to believe what is commonly called Calvinism. God gave rise to another reformer. And don't you just love it! I do! Here is his bio from Sermonaudio.com. (Give a listen to some of his sermons on church history.)
As a matter of fact, almost everyone that I have talked to that believes the doctrines of grace has at some point resisted them. But them someone lovingly helped them press into the Scriptures that they might see these truths for themselves and then finally come to understand what they mean. How detestable are these truths until the Lord enlightens our minds and causes us to love them--for they reveal the nature of God. And how can a child of God not love his Father's nature?
It came as a wonderful surprise to me the other day when I found out that an administrator and my professor from my first year in Bible College (1991) converted to the Doctrines of Grace. I was shocked and esctatic! I am not alone is coming to these glorious truths! Here was a godly and extremely intelligent man who, by God's grace, came to believe what is commonly called Calvinism. God gave rise to another reformer. And don't you just love it! I do! Here is his bio from Sermonaudio.com. (Give a listen to some of his sermons on church history.)
Pastor Jeff Massey had been a pastor for eight years, when he came to a full conviction of the Doctrines of Grace. He left his Denomination in 1995 to become part of the Reformed Baptist movement. He joined Sovereign Grace Baptist Church , and was ordained as an Elder in 1999. He is married to Melissa, and they have three children, Justis (23), Jeremy (20) and Joseph (18). Pastor Jeff is continuing his education as a full-time student at Westminster Seminary California and the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies in Escondido. It is his goal to obtain an M.Div degree. At SGBC, Pastor Jeff regularly teaches Adult Sunday School during the regular year and Church History classes in the summer. His primary focus is on teaching, and pastoral oversight.
There are little reformers rising all around and I get all goose-pimply thinking about it. It seems to me that God is causing a revival to take place amongst His people. A modern reformation seems to be on the prowl and only the Lord knows the impact this will have on the world.
In our church we have spent Monday and Tuesday nights going through a series of lessons on these doctrines. There are twenty-something year-olds spending two hours on a weeknight in my home listening and desiring to know more of God and His grace. That puts a grin on my face that won't go away. God's people are hungry for doctrine and as a result they are growing in holiness as the come to see their Savior clearly in the Word.
This post might seem like a ramble and I'm sure it is. I just wanted to say that I'm wonderfully suprised at what God is doing. Young and old are being drawn away from a pragmatic, program-driven, self-help, pyschology preaching churches. God is putting them under shepherds who will teach the Word in unadulterated fashion. God is bringing us back to know what it truly means to be saved by His grace!
If you are hostile to the Doctrines of Grace/Calvinism, I lovingly urge you to dive into them to see what they are really about. If you rightly understand them, your evangelism will soar through the roof, your worship of God will be uncontainable, your desire for the Word will intensify, holiness will increase, fellowship will come more naturally and God will be glorified through it all.
Scripture Reading and Meditation
I need more of that in my life.
I had recently been blessed with a copy of "365 Days With Wilberforce" devotional, from a beloved friend. You may read of my obsession with Wilberforce here and read a thorough biography by John Piper here. Each day I open to a new blessing this book provides me. I can relate to many things that Wilberforce had experienced during his abolitionist days, and I find myself captivated by his mentality and passion for the good of humanity. He knew what it was to be a witness for the Lord, and to fight the good fight regardless of the overwhelming opposition and hostility that was sure to meet him, and a healthy, real understanding of his inability to continue without Divine help in light of his own weaknesses. Wilberforce was familiar with the spiritual-draining a secular environment produces, and the importance of daily mediation and renewal of the mind for the Lord. Here is what Wilberforce had to say:
When not unavoidably prevented by company or House of Commons I will take an hour, or at least half an hour, for private devotions, including Scripture reading and meditation, immediately before family prayers. Besides other benefits, one will be to send me back into society with a more spiritual mind, and to help me to preserve it through the evening, and to make the conversation more edifying and instructive. The best hope will arise from my bearing about with me a deep impression of my own weakness, and of the urgent need of Divine help*.
Considering whatever secular environment you are in, spending time in the presence of God is most important, for necessary spiritual renewal. From my particular experience working in Hollywood, I've had to be extremely disciplined in this area, or I will be heavily tempted to drift and spiral into a world of depression and discouragement. Wilberforce memorized Psalm 119 and quoted it on his daily walks to and from Parliament and his home, filling his heart with Scripture and rejoicing in God's goodness. Seeking out windows to spend time with the Lord are necessary- especially when we are in the midst of a spiritual world that continues to war against the holy things of God.
Last night I was reading an article from Desiring God by Jon Bloom about knowing God's will. He mentioned that we need to be in a state of renewal, and fellowship with the Spirit before we should make a decision. Many of those choices and answers are not direct in the Bible, but require the believer to depend on God, seek Him, and trust that He will guide every step. In this constant fellowship we are more attuned to the things of the Spirit, and our words and thoughts tend to be more Christ-like. You may be in situations where you are not always able to speak Jesus, but actions and attitude speak for you. A life that is being sanctified by the Spirit will bear fruit like Christ, and a life that suppresses the Spirit will bear fruit of selfishness and pride. I am going to make an effort to take that time during the day to spend with the Lord- and renew my spirit that I can be sent back with a new attitude and joy for the King.
*The life of William Wilberforce (1838)
I had recently been blessed with a copy of "365 Days With Wilberforce" devotional, from a beloved friend. You may read of my obsession with Wilberforce here and read a thorough biography by John Piper here. Each day I open to a new blessing this book provides me. I can relate to many things that Wilberforce had experienced during his abolitionist days, and I find myself captivated by his mentality and passion for the good of humanity. He knew what it was to be a witness for the Lord, and to fight the good fight regardless of the overwhelming opposition and hostility that was sure to meet him, and a healthy, real understanding of his inability to continue without Divine help in light of his own weaknesses. Wilberforce was familiar with the spiritual-draining a secular environment produces, and the importance of daily mediation and renewal of the mind for the Lord. Here is what Wilberforce had to say:
When not unavoidably prevented by company or House of Commons I will take an hour, or at least half an hour, for private devotions, including Scripture reading and meditation, immediately before family prayers. Besides other benefits, one will be to send me back into society with a more spiritual mind, and to help me to preserve it through the evening, and to make the conversation more edifying and instructive. The best hope will arise from my bearing about with me a deep impression of my own weakness, and of the urgent need of Divine help*.
Considering whatever secular environment you are in, spending time in the presence of God is most important, for necessary spiritual renewal. From my particular experience working in Hollywood, I've had to be extremely disciplined in this area, or I will be heavily tempted to drift and spiral into a world of depression and discouragement. Wilberforce memorized Psalm 119 and quoted it on his daily walks to and from Parliament and his home, filling his heart with Scripture and rejoicing in God's goodness. Seeking out windows to spend time with the Lord are necessary- especially when we are in the midst of a spiritual world that continues to war against the holy things of God.
Last night I was reading an article from Desiring God by Jon Bloom about knowing God's will. He mentioned that we need to be in a state of renewal, and fellowship with the Spirit before we should make a decision. Many of those choices and answers are not direct in the Bible, but require the believer to depend on God, seek Him, and trust that He will guide every step. In this constant fellowship we are more attuned to the things of the Spirit, and our words and thoughts tend to be more Christ-like. You may be in situations where you are not always able to speak Jesus, but actions and attitude speak for you. A life that is being sanctified by the Spirit will bear fruit like Christ, and a life that suppresses the Spirit will bear fruit of selfishness and pride. I am going to make an effort to take that time during the day to spend with the Lord- and renew my spirit that I can be sent back with a new attitude and joy for the King.
*The life of William Wilberforce (1838)
A Few Prayer Requests
If you are able to, please pray for these friends of mine. It's been a very rough week.
1. Shelly (new sister in the Lord & church member). She has some serious issues to deal with in her family. She's been coming to church the past couple of weeks and is growing in the Lord. Pray that Satan does not use these struggles to dampen her faith.
2. Steven (church member). He works at a camp near Arrowhead Lake. He may not have a job there any longer due to the fires. But praise God, he applied for another job (in case the fires rendered him unemployed) and got 40 hours a week cooking at a restaurant.
3. Rick & Kathy (co-workers). Their fifth wheel was just demolished by the raging winds that have helped feed the fires of SoCal. Praise God they were uninjured in the accident.
4. Lisa (sister in the Lord). She had to evacuate her home in Running Springs, Ca (another fire location). Soon after she began to have blackouts. Please pray for her.
1. Shelly (new sister in the Lord & church member). She has some serious issues to deal with in her family. She's been coming to church the past couple of weeks and is growing in the Lord. Pray that Satan does not use these struggles to dampen her faith.
2. Steven (church member). He works at a camp near Arrowhead Lake. He may not have a job there any longer due to the fires. But praise God, he applied for another job (in case the fires rendered him unemployed) and got 40 hours a week cooking at a restaurant.
3. Rick & Kathy (co-workers). Their fifth wheel was just demolished by the raging winds that have helped feed the fires of SoCal. Praise God they were uninjured in the accident.
4. Lisa (sister in the Lord). She had to evacuate her home in Running Springs, Ca (another fire location). Soon after she began to have blackouts. Please pray for her.
The Cambridge Declaration
April 20, 1996
Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith.
In the course of history words change. In our day this has happened to the word "evangelical." In the past it served as a bond of unity between Christians from a wide diversity of church traditions. Historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church. In addition, evangelicals also shared a common heritage in the "solas" of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation.
Today the light of the Reformation has been significantly dimmed. The consequence is that the word "evangelical" has become so inclusive as to have lost its meaning. We face the peril of losing the unity it has taken centuries to achieve. Because of this crisis and because of our love of Christ, his gospel and his church, we endeavor to assert anew our commitment to the central truths of the Reformation and of historic evangelicalism. These truths we affirm not because of their role in our traditions, but because we believe that they are central to the Bible.
Sola Scriptura: The Erosion of Authority
Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the church's life, but the evangelical church today has separated Scripture from its authoritative function. In practice, the church is guided, far too often, by the culture. Therapeutic technique, marketing strategies, and the beat of the entertainment world often have far more to say about what the church wants, how it functions and what it offers, than does the Word of God. Pastors have neglected their rightful oversight of worship, including the doctrinal content of the music. As biblical authority has been abandoned in practice, as its truths have faded from Christian consciousness, and as its doctrines have lost their saliency, the church has been increasingly emptied of its integrity, moral authority and direction.
Rather than adapting Christian faith to satisfy the felt needs of consumers, we must proclaim the law as the only measure of true righteousness and the gospel as the only announcement of saving truth. Biblical truth is indispensable to the church's understanding, nurture and discipline.
Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliches, promises and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God's truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God's provision for our need. The Bible, therefore, must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preacher's opinions or the ideas of the age. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.
The work of the Holy Spirit in personal experience cannot be disengaged from Scripture. The Spirit does not speak in ways that are independent of Scripture. Apart from Scripture we would never have known of God's grace in Christ. The biblical Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth.
Thesis One: Sola Scriptura
We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation,which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured.
We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.
Solus Christus: The Erosion of Christ-Centered Faith
As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the center of our vision.
Thesis Two: Solus Christus
We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.
We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.
Sola Gratia: The Erosion of The Gospel
Unwarranted confidence in human ability is a product of fallen human nature. This false confidence now fills the evangelical world; from the self-esteem gospel, to the health and wealth gospel, from those who have transformed the gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy, to others who treat Christian faith as being true simply because it works. This silences the doctrine of justification regardless of the official commitments of our churches.
God's grace in Christ is not merely necessary but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. We confess that human beings are born spiritually dead and are incapable even of cooperating with regenerating grace.
Thesis Three: Sola Gratia
We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.
We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.
Sola Fide: The Erosion of The Chief Article
Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. This is the article by which the church stands or falls. Today this article is often ignored, distorted or sometimes even denied by leaders, scholars and pastors who claim to be evangelical. Although fallen human nature has always recoiled from recognizing its need for Christ's imputed righteousness, modernity greatly fuels the fires of this discontent with the biblical Gospel. We have allowed this discontent to dictate the nature of our ministry and what it is we are preaching.
Many in the church growth movement believe that sociological understanding of those in the pew is as important to the success of the gospel as is the biblical truth which is proclaimed. As a result, theological convictions are frequently divorced from the work of the ministry. The marketing orientation in many churches takes this even further, erasing the distinction between the biblical Word and the world, robbing Christ's cross of its offense, and reducing Christian faith to the principles and methods which bring success to secular corporations.
While the theology of the cross may be believed, these movements are actually emptying it of its meaning. There is no gospel except that of Christ's substitution in our place whereby God imputed to him our sin and imputed to us his righteousness. Because he bore our judgment, we now walk in his grace as those who are forever pardoned, accepted and adopted as God's children. There is no basis for our acceptance before God except in Christ's saving work, not in our patriotism, churchly devotion or moral decency. The gospel declares what God has done for us in Christ. It is not about what we can do to reach him.
Thesis Four: Sola Fide
We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.
We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.
Soli Deo Gloria: The Erosion of God-Centered Worship
Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: our interests have displaced God's and we are doing his work in our way. The loss of God's centrality in the life of today's church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and rest too inconsequentially upon us.
God does not exist to satisfy human ambitions, cravings, the appetite for consumption, or our own private spiritual interests. We must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God's kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.
Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria
We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone.
We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.
A Call To Repentance & Reformation
The faithfulness of the evangelical church in the past contrasts sharply with its unfaithfulness in the present. Earlier in this century, evangelical churches sustained a remarkable missionary endeavor, and built many religious institutions to serve the cause of biblical truth and Christ's kingdom. That was a time when Christian behavior and expectations were markedly different from those in the culture. Today they often are not. The evangelical world today is losing its biblical fidelity, moral compass and missionary zeal.
We repent of our worldliness. We have been influenced by the "gospels" of our secular culture, which are no gospels. We have weakened the church by our own lack of serious repentance, our blindness to the sins in ourselves which we see so clearly in others, and our inexcusable failure to adequately tell others about God's saving work in Jesus Christ.
We also earnestly call back erring professing evangelicals who have deviated from God's Word in the matters discussed in this Declaration. This includes those who declare that there is hope of eternal life apart from explicit faith in Jesus Christ, who claim that those who reject Christ in this life will be annihilated rather than endure the just judgment of God through eternal suffering, or who claim that evangelicals and Roman Catholics are one in Jesus Christ even where the biblical doctrine of justification is not believed.
The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals asks all Christians to give consideration to implementing this Declaration in the church's worship, ministry, policies, life and evangelism.
For Christ's sake. Amen.
Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Executive Council (1996)
Dr. John Armstrong
The Rev. Alistair Begg
Dr. James M. Boice
Dr. W. Robert Godfrey
Dr. John D. Hannah
Dr. Michael S. Horton
Mrs. Rosemary Jensen
Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Dr. Robert M. Norris
Dr. R.C. Sproul
Dr. Gene Edward Veith
Dr. David Wells
Dr. Luder Whitlock
Dr. J.A.O. Preus, III
Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith.
In the course of history words change. In our day this has happened to the word "evangelical." In the past it served as a bond of unity between Christians from a wide diversity of church traditions. Historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church. In addition, evangelicals also shared a common heritage in the "solas" of the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation.
Today the light of the Reformation has been significantly dimmed. The consequence is that the word "evangelical" has become so inclusive as to have lost its meaning. We face the peril of losing the unity it has taken centuries to achieve. Because of this crisis and because of our love of Christ, his gospel and his church, we endeavor to assert anew our commitment to the central truths of the Reformation and of historic evangelicalism. These truths we affirm not because of their role in our traditions, but because we believe that they are central to the Bible.
Sola Scriptura: The Erosion of Authority
Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the church's life, but the evangelical church today has separated Scripture from its authoritative function. In practice, the church is guided, far too often, by the culture. Therapeutic technique, marketing strategies, and the beat of the entertainment world often have far more to say about what the church wants, how it functions and what it offers, than does the Word of God. Pastors have neglected their rightful oversight of worship, including the doctrinal content of the music. As biblical authority has been abandoned in practice, as its truths have faded from Christian consciousness, and as its doctrines have lost their saliency, the church has been increasingly emptied of its integrity, moral authority and direction.
Rather than adapting Christian faith to satisfy the felt needs of consumers, we must proclaim the law as the only measure of true righteousness and the gospel as the only announcement of saving truth. Biblical truth is indispensable to the church's understanding, nurture and discipline.
Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliches, promises and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God's truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God's provision for our need. The Bible, therefore, must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preacher's opinions or the ideas of the age. We must settle for nothing less than what God has given.
The work of the Holy Spirit in personal experience cannot be disengaged from Scripture. The Spirit does not speak in ways that are independent of Scripture. Apart from Scripture we would never have known of God's grace in Christ. The biblical Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth.
Thesis One: Sola Scriptura
We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation,which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured.
We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.
Solus Christus: The Erosion of Christ-Centered Faith
As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, intuition for truth, feeling for belief, chance for providence, and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Christ and his cross have moved from the center of our vision.
Thesis Two: Solus Christus
We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.
We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.
Sola Gratia: The Erosion of The Gospel
Unwarranted confidence in human ability is a product of fallen human nature. This false confidence now fills the evangelical world; from the self-esteem gospel, to the health and wealth gospel, from those who have transformed the gospel into a product to be sold and sinners into consumers who want to buy, to others who treat Christian faith as being true simply because it works. This silences the doctrine of justification regardless of the official commitments of our churches.
God's grace in Christ is not merely necessary but is the sole efficient cause of salvation. We confess that human beings are born spiritually dead and are incapable even of cooperating with regenerating grace.
Thesis Three: Sola Gratia
We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.
We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.
Sola Fide: The Erosion of The Chief Article
Justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. This is the article by which the church stands or falls. Today this article is often ignored, distorted or sometimes even denied by leaders, scholars and pastors who claim to be evangelical. Although fallen human nature has always recoiled from recognizing its need for Christ's imputed righteousness, modernity greatly fuels the fires of this discontent with the biblical Gospel. We have allowed this discontent to dictate the nature of our ministry and what it is we are preaching.
Many in the church growth movement believe that sociological understanding of those in the pew is as important to the success of the gospel as is the biblical truth which is proclaimed. As a result, theological convictions are frequently divorced from the work of the ministry. The marketing orientation in many churches takes this even further, erasing the distinction between the biblical Word and the world, robbing Christ's cross of its offense, and reducing Christian faith to the principles and methods which bring success to secular corporations.
While the theology of the cross may be believed, these movements are actually emptying it of its meaning. There is no gospel except that of Christ's substitution in our place whereby God imputed to him our sin and imputed to us his righteousness. Because he bore our judgment, we now walk in his grace as those who are forever pardoned, accepted and adopted as God's children. There is no basis for our acceptance before God except in Christ's saving work, not in our patriotism, churchly devotion or moral decency. The gospel declares what God has done for us in Christ. It is not about what we can do to reach him.
Thesis Four: Sola Fide
We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.
We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.
Soli Deo Gloria: The Erosion of God-Centered Worship
Wherever in the church biblical authority has been lost, Christ has been displaced, the gospel has been distorted, or faith has been perverted, it has always been for one reason: our interests have displaced God's and we are doing his work in our way. The loss of God's centrality in the life of today's church is common and lamentable. It is this loss that allows us to transform worship into entertainment, gospel preaching into marketing, believing into technique, being good into feeling good about ourselves, and faithfulness into being successful. As a result, God, Christ and the Bible have come to mean too little to us and rest too inconsequentially upon us.
God does not exist to satisfy human ambitions, cravings, the appetite for consumption, or our own private spiritual interests. We must focus on God in our worship, rather than the satisfaction of our personal needs. God is sovereign in worship; we are not. Our concern must be for God's kingdom, not our own empires, popularity or success.
Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria
We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone.
We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.
A Call To Repentance & Reformation
The faithfulness of the evangelical church in the past contrasts sharply with its unfaithfulness in the present. Earlier in this century, evangelical churches sustained a remarkable missionary endeavor, and built many religious institutions to serve the cause of biblical truth and Christ's kingdom. That was a time when Christian behavior and expectations were markedly different from those in the culture. Today they often are not. The evangelical world today is losing its biblical fidelity, moral compass and missionary zeal.
We repent of our worldliness. We have been influenced by the "gospels" of our secular culture, which are no gospels. We have weakened the church by our own lack of serious repentance, our blindness to the sins in ourselves which we see so clearly in others, and our inexcusable failure to adequately tell others about God's saving work in Jesus Christ.
We also earnestly call back erring professing evangelicals who have deviated from God's Word in the matters discussed in this Declaration. This includes those who declare that there is hope of eternal life apart from explicit faith in Jesus Christ, who claim that those who reject Christ in this life will be annihilated rather than endure the just judgment of God through eternal suffering, or who claim that evangelicals and Roman Catholics are one in Jesus Christ even where the biblical doctrine of justification is not believed.
The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals asks all Christians to give consideration to implementing this Declaration in the church's worship, ministry, policies, life and evangelism.
For Christ's sake. Amen.
Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Executive Council (1996)
Dr. John Armstrong
The Rev. Alistair Begg
Dr. James M. Boice
Dr. W. Robert Godfrey
Dr. John D. Hannah
Dr. Michael S. Horton
Mrs. Rosemary Jensen
Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Dr. Robert M. Norris
Dr. R.C. Sproul
Dr. Gene Edward Veith
Dr. David Wells
Dr. Luder Whitlock
Dr. J.A.O. Preus, III
Humor & R.C. Sproul
I'm not sure of the source of this picture, but it is funny.
In juxtaposing the pictures of Sproul and Powers you have to admit the cleverness of whoever put the above "advertisement" together.
I remember the first time I heard Sproul speak. It was March of 2005. He spoke from Romans 1...and it was like someone dropped a bombshell on me. The depths at which the scriptures were delivered were soul satisfying and convicting. Since then I have enjoyed reading several books and listening to several series of sermons from the new "International Man of Mystery."
What a great time it would be to be able to attend the Together for the Gospel conference. But I will mostly like only be able to afford downloading the mp3's of the conference--and even that is still cool.
If you have never heard Sproul speak or read one of his books, I would encourage you to do so. If it's been a while since you've heard him speak or since you've read one of his books, I'd encourage you to do so afresh.
If you have never heard Sproul speak or read one of his books, I would encourage you to do so. If it's been a while since you've heard him speak or since you've read one of his books, I'd encourage you to do so afresh.
The Attributes Of God - Solitariness
When I was a student pastor I wanted my students to read The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink. Fearing that the somewhat archaic language would be a hinderence to them, I contacted the publisher to see if I could revise it. The reply was, "It's public domain." Seeing that I'm no longer a student pastor, I put that project on hold. But I was able to finish at least three chapters. Here is the first.
THE SOLITARINESS OF GOD
Originally written by A.W. Pink (Revised for students)
This title does not sufficiently explain with clarity the theme of this article. This is partially due to the fact that few people today are used to thinking on God’s perfect attributes. And even fewer of those who occasionally read the Bible are aware of God’s Divine character and how it inspires awe and worship. Many assume that God’s attributes of great wisdom, wonderful power and mercy are common knowledge. But to adequately understand God’s being, His nature and His attributes as revealed in Scripture is something which very few people in these wicked times have achieved. God is solitary [alone] in His excellency. "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" -- Exodus 15:11 (ESV).
"In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1). There was a time when God, even though He existed as three Divine Persons, yet One, dwelt all alone. "In the beginning, God." There was no heaven where His glory is now seen. There was no earth to which He paid attention. There were no angels to sing His praises. There was no universe to be held together by the word of His power. There was nothing; no one, but God. It was like this, not for a day, a year, or an age, but "from everlasting." During a past eternity, God was alone; free from the influence of anything else, self-sufficient, self-satisfied. Were angels, humans or the universe a “need” of God in any way, they would have also existed from all eternity. The creating of them when He did, added nothing to God in His essence or being. He does not change (Malachi 3:6). Therefore His essential glory can be neither increased nor decreased.
God was not forced or obligated to create. That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on His part. He was not influenced by anything or anyone to do so. He created simply by His own good pleasure as Scripture says. He "works all things according to the counsel of his will” -- Ephesians 1:11 (ESV). He created simply to display His glory. Perhaps you think that we have gone beyond what Scripture teaches. If so, then our request will be that we go to the Scripture itself—the Law and Testimony. "Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." -- Nehemiah 9:5 (ESV). God does not gain anything even from our worship. He was in no need of the glory that comes from His redeemed people praising His grace. He is glorious enough in Himself without that. What was it moved Him to determine in advance who His chosen people would be so that they would praise Him for His grace? Ephesians 1:5 tells us, “according to the counsel of his will.”
We are well aware that the idea which we are presenting is new and strange to almost all of our readers. For that reason it is best to move slowly. Let us go again to the Scriptures to make our case. At the end of Romans 11, where the apostle Paul finishes his long argument that we are saved by God’s sovereign grace alone, he asks, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” – Romans 11:34-35 (ESV). The power of this truth is this: the Almighty is under no obligation to the creature. God gains nothing from us. “If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.” – Job 35:7-8 (ESV). Neither your wickedness nor good works affect God, who is all blessed in Himself. When you have done all those things which are commanded of you by God say this, “We are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10)—meaning that our obedience has gained God nothing.
We’ll go further with this idea. Our Lord Jesus Christ added nothing to God’s being or glory even by what He did or suffered. It is wonderfully true that Christ displayed the glory of God to us, but that added nothing to God. Jesus definitely said so, and there is no arguing from His words: "My goodness extendeth not to Thee" (Psalm 16:2). This entire Psalm is a Psalm of Christ. Christ’s goodness or righteousness came to His saints on the earth (Psalm 16:3), but God was high above and beyond it all. God alone is the "Blessed One" (Mark 14:61).
It is perfectly true that God is both honored and dishonored by men. But that fact does not change His being. It only dishonors or misrepresents His character. It is equally true that God has been "glorified" by creation, by His providing for His creation and by His redeeming of creation. This we do not and dare not dispute for a moment. All of this has to do with Him displaying His glory and the recognition of it by us. Yet if it pleased God He might have continued alone for all eternity, without making known His glory to His creatures. Whether He should do so or not do so was determined solely by His own will. He was perfectly blessed in Himself before the first creature was spoken into being. In relation to God, how might we describe all that God’s hands created? Let Scripture give another answer: "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” – Isaiah 40:15-18 (ESV). That is the God of Scripture. He is still "the unknown God" (Acts 17:23) to the masses who are not mindful of Him. "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” -- Isaiah 40:22-23 (ESV). How greatly different is the God of Scripture from the god that the average pastor preaches from the pulpit!
The testimony of the New Testament is no different from that of the Old. How could it be, seeing that both have only one Author who is the same? In the New Testament we read, "who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” -- 1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV). This God is to be revered, worshipped, adored. He is solitary [alone] in His majesty, unique in His excellency. He has no peers in His perfect qualities. He sustains all, but is Himself independent of all. He gives to all, but is made richer by none.
This sort of God cannot be found out by searching for Him. He can only be known by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God as the Spirit reveals Him to our hearts. It is true that creation is proof of a Creator. Therefore men are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20) and have no reason for not knowing God. Yet we still say with Job, "Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” – Job 26:14 (ESV). We believe that the so-called argument of Intelligent Design by well-meaning defenders of Christian doctrine has done much more harm than good. The argument has brought down the great God to the level of limited understanding. Consequently, God’s solitary excellence is lost in the argument.
An analogy has been made about a savage finding a watch on the beach. From close examination of it he rightly guesses that there must have been a watchmaker. So far, so good. But problems arise if you attempt to take this analogy further. Suppose that savage sits down on the sand and attempt to create an idea of what this watchmaker is really like. He imagines what this watchmaker likes. He imagines his manners, his personality, his skills and his moral character. Is it really possible that he could ever rightly think or reason out the qualities of this watchmaker so that he could fully say, “I am acquainted with him"? It seems shallow to ask such questions. But isn’t the eternal and infinite God much greater than the watchmaker and thus beyond the grasp of the human mind? Indeed, He is! The God of Scripture can only be known by those to whom He makes Himself known.
God is not known by the intellect either. "God is Spirit" (John 4:24), and therefore can only be known spiritually. But fallen and unregenerate man is not spiritual; he is fleshly or worldly. He is dead to all spiritual things. Unless he is born again and supernaturally brought from death unto life, miraculously taken from darkness into light, he cannot even see the things of God (John 3:3) much less understand them (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Holy Spirit has to shine in our hearts (not intellects) in order to give us "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). And even that spiritual knowledge is but broken into many pieces. The regenerated and saved soul has to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3.18).
The goal of the Christians life, as His prayers, ought to be to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." -- Colossians 1:10 (ESV).
Originally written by A.W. Pink (Revised for students)
This title does not sufficiently explain with clarity the theme of this article. This is partially due to the fact that few people today are used to thinking on God’s perfect attributes. And even fewer of those who occasionally read the Bible are aware of God’s Divine character and how it inspires awe and worship. Many assume that God’s attributes of great wisdom, wonderful power and mercy are common knowledge. But to adequately understand God’s being, His nature and His attributes as revealed in Scripture is something which very few people in these wicked times have achieved. God is solitary [alone] in His excellency. "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" -- Exodus 15:11 (ESV).
"In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1). There was a time when God, even though He existed as three Divine Persons, yet One, dwelt all alone. "In the beginning, God." There was no heaven where His glory is now seen. There was no earth to which He paid attention. There were no angels to sing His praises. There was no universe to be held together by the word of His power. There was nothing; no one, but God. It was like this, not for a day, a year, or an age, but "from everlasting." During a past eternity, God was alone; free from the influence of anything else, self-sufficient, self-satisfied. Were angels, humans or the universe a “need” of God in any way, they would have also existed from all eternity. The creating of them when He did, added nothing to God in His essence or being. He does not change (Malachi 3:6). Therefore His essential glory can be neither increased nor decreased.
God was not forced or obligated to create. That He chose to do so was purely a sovereign act on His part. He was not influenced by anything or anyone to do so. He created simply by His own good pleasure as Scripture says. He "works all things according to the counsel of his will” -- Ephesians 1:11 (ESV). He created simply to display His glory. Perhaps you think that we have gone beyond what Scripture teaches. If so, then our request will be that we go to the Scripture itself—the Law and Testimony. "Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." -- Nehemiah 9:5 (ESV). God does not gain anything even from our worship. He was in no need of the glory that comes from His redeemed people praising His grace. He is glorious enough in Himself without that. What was it moved Him to determine in advance who His chosen people would be so that they would praise Him for His grace? Ephesians 1:5 tells us, “according to the counsel of his will.”
We are well aware that the idea which we are presenting is new and strange to almost all of our readers. For that reason it is best to move slowly. Let us go again to the Scriptures to make our case. At the end of Romans 11, where the apostle Paul finishes his long argument that we are saved by God’s sovereign grace alone, he asks, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” – Romans 11:34-35 (ESV). The power of this truth is this: the Almighty is under no obligation to the creature. God gains nothing from us. “If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.” – Job 35:7-8 (ESV). Neither your wickedness nor good works affect God, who is all blessed in Himself. When you have done all those things which are commanded of you by God say this, “We are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10)—meaning that our obedience has gained God nothing.
We’ll go further with this idea. Our Lord Jesus Christ added nothing to God’s being or glory even by what He did or suffered. It is wonderfully true that Christ displayed the glory of God to us, but that added nothing to God. Jesus definitely said so, and there is no arguing from His words: "My goodness extendeth not to Thee" (Psalm 16:2). This entire Psalm is a Psalm of Christ. Christ’s goodness or righteousness came to His saints on the earth (Psalm 16:3), but God was high above and beyond it all. God alone is the "Blessed One" (Mark 14:61).
It is perfectly true that God is both honored and dishonored by men. But that fact does not change His being. It only dishonors or misrepresents His character. It is equally true that God has been "glorified" by creation, by His providing for His creation and by His redeeming of creation. This we do not and dare not dispute for a moment. All of this has to do with Him displaying His glory and the recognition of it by us. Yet if it pleased God He might have continued alone for all eternity, without making known His glory to His creatures. Whether He should do so or not do so was determined solely by His own will. He was perfectly blessed in Himself before the first creature was spoken into being. In relation to God, how might we describe all that God’s hands created? Let Scripture give another answer: "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” – Isaiah 40:15-18 (ESV). That is the God of Scripture. He is still "the unknown God" (Acts 17:23) to the masses who are not mindful of Him. "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” -- Isaiah 40:22-23 (ESV). How greatly different is the God of Scripture from the god that the average pastor preaches from the pulpit!
The testimony of the New Testament is no different from that of the Old. How could it be, seeing that both have only one Author who is the same? In the New Testament we read, "who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” -- 1 Timothy 6:16 (ESV). This God is to be revered, worshipped, adored. He is solitary [alone] in His majesty, unique in His excellency. He has no peers in His perfect qualities. He sustains all, but is Himself independent of all. He gives to all, but is made richer by none.
This sort of God cannot be found out by searching for Him. He can only be known by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God as the Spirit reveals Him to our hearts. It is true that creation is proof of a Creator. Therefore men are "without excuse" (Romans 1:20) and have no reason for not knowing God. Yet we still say with Job, "Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” – Job 26:14 (ESV). We believe that the so-called argument of Intelligent Design by well-meaning defenders of Christian doctrine has done much more harm than good. The argument has brought down the great God to the level of limited understanding. Consequently, God’s solitary excellence is lost in the argument.
An analogy has been made about a savage finding a watch on the beach. From close examination of it he rightly guesses that there must have been a watchmaker. So far, so good. But problems arise if you attempt to take this analogy further. Suppose that savage sits down on the sand and attempt to create an idea of what this watchmaker is really like. He imagines what this watchmaker likes. He imagines his manners, his personality, his skills and his moral character. Is it really possible that he could ever rightly think or reason out the qualities of this watchmaker so that he could fully say, “I am acquainted with him"? It seems shallow to ask such questions. But isn’t the eternal and infinite God much greater than the watchmaker and thus beyond the grasp of the human mind? Indeed, He is! The God of Scripture can only be known by those to whom He makes Himself known.
God is not known by the intellect either. "God is Spirit" (John 4:24), and therefore can only be known spiritually. But fallen and unregenerate man is not spiritual; he is fleshly or worldly. He is dead to all spiritual things. Unless he is born again and supernaturally brought from death unto life, miraculously taken from darkness into light, he cannot even see the things of God (John 3:3) much less understand them (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Holy Spirit has to shine in our hearts (not intellects) in order to give us "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). And even that spiritual knowledge is but broken into many pieces. The regenerated and saved soul has to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3.18).
The goal of the Christians life, as His prayers, ought to be to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." -- Colossians 1:10 (ESV).
The Supremacy Of Christ
In a society where people are easily star struck, it saddening to see that people are not fully enamored with the sheer awesomeness of Christ. Matt Damon's got nothing on Christ. (Did I just state the obvious?)
Colossians 1:15-20 [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] 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. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
This morning I had the awesome privilege of preaching through this passage. What a pleasure it was to declare how supreme our Savior is. Despite what the early Gnostics said, Jesus was not a mere man, he was not a created being. Contrary to what they taught, God did dwell in the flesh and salvation is attained by the work of Christ, not some special hidden or secret knowledge.
Christ is superior in being, superior to all creation, superior in power, superior in dominion, superior in life, superior in the resurrection, superior in sacrifice.
the choices made us lose focus
What if the "Christian Consumer" mindset we have today existed back then?
The Wheel Illustration
This simple but effective illustration has been used by Navigators for more than fifty years. It helps Christians understand what they are called to do as disciples of Christ. Each part of this illustration represents a crucially important component of a vital Christian life.
The Hub: Christ the Center 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20
Making Christ central in your life is an act of your will. Surrendering totally to Christâs authority and lordship may be at conversion or after some months or even years. God creates within you the desire to do what He wants you to do in order to express His lordship in your life.
The Rim: Obedience to Christ Romans 12:1; John 14:21
Some acts of obedience to God are internal. But even these internal acts of obedience, such as attitudes, habits, motives, sense of values, and day-to-day thoughts, eventually surface in relationships with other people. The proof of your love for God is your demonstrated obedience to Him.
The Vertical Dimension: How You Relate to God
The Word Spoke 2 Timothy 3:16; Joshua 1:8
As God speaks to you through the Scriptures, you can see His principles for life and ministry, learn how to obey, and become acquainted with the Christ who is worthy of your unqualified allegiance. A vital personal intake of Godâs Word is essential for health and growth.
The Prayer Spoke John 15:7; Philippians 4:6,7
Prayer is a natural response to God as you hear Him speak to you through His Word. It is sharing your heart with the One who longs for your companionship and who cares about your concerns. Prayer unleashes the power of God in your personal battles and in the lives of those for whom you pray.
The Horizontal Dimension: How You Relate to Others
The Fellowship Spoke Matthew 18:20; Hebrews 10:24,25
Learning from and encouraging others creates a chemistry pleasing to God. God has directed Christians to build each other up through inter-dependence and loving relationships with each other.
The Witnessing Spoke Matthew 4:19; Romans 1:16
The natural overflow of a rich vibrant life in Christ should be sharing with others how they too can have this life. God has given believers the privilege and responsibility of reaching the world with the Good News about Christ.
(all pictures and text adapted from Resources @ Navigators.org)
A lesson from Job.
I took my lunch break today by making a visit to 7-11, getting a bite and an energy drink, sat in a car, and read Job 1-2;38-42 (as suggested from a friend who knew what I was dealing with in my heart). I knew a little about this book; however I hadn't read it before today.
After work, I was able to sit down and take a few to read a few chapters of the dialog of Job and his 3 friends. This book is a great book to turn to in the time of confusion, pain or disillusionment. As seen in Job, God gives and He can take away whenever He pleases. Why? We might find out...we might not. However, knowing that whatever God does for us is ultimately bring glory to Himself, is great joy. There's two major things I picked up from this book; One being God's Sovereignty in our suffering, the other being God's purpose in our suffering.
First, God is aware of our past, current and future suffering and is in control of it all! I knew this...but I obviously needed to be reminded. God was there with Job during his suffering, He is the one that Satan gained permission from in order to invade Job's life to bring about pain. Because of this, I can be assured that when I am in pain and suffering, God not only is aware of it, He is in absolute control of it.
Second, God has a purpose my suffering and pain. God challenged Satan to take away Job's possessions and family. Satan thought that Job would curse God's name if he were take it all from Job. God challenged Satan to do all of this because He KNEW how Job would respond. God knew that Job would overcome it all and bring glory to Himself! Isn't that enough!!! Isn't it enough to know that my pain and suffering is being put upon me because in the end it brings glory to God!? Job was tried, tested, and approved. However, Job never knew why he suffered. I don't always know why things happen. Sometimes God makes it evident of the reasoning, but He has no obligation to. But I can trust that God does bring upon pain and suffering so His name will be praised and glory onto Himself. That is enough!
I post this not thinking this will be some new realization, but as a reminder; a reminder that this life isn't ours and it's not about us.
Simply Irresistable Grace #4
Count it all joy!
James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We are tempted only by sin, and put through trials only by God's grace, for his glory. We are redeemed for the purpose of growing closer to God's goodness, kindness, and perfection. We are pulled apart from God, by temptation and pulled back to God, by his mercy, through trials. The difference is immense. Praise God! For His summoning through and by tribulation. Praise God! For his willingness to pull us closer by way of trial. Yes, God is too holy to be in the presence of our sin, and too jealous to allow temptation. So rejoice in trial for it is the desire from God in us, which makes us turn around and face the temptaiton and tempter and to, in God's name, pursue the trial back to God. Glory to God!
Irresistable Grace #3
To add to Josh's "thunder", and his post down under; I would like to point out a couple of specific details about Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus.
What did Jesus mean by:
*"unless one is born of water and the Spirit,"
and
* "The wind blows where it wishes,"
and
*Why was Nicodemus so shocked and ask "How can these things be?"
and
*Why did Jesus respond "“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?"
Well, I believe Jesus was referring to the teaching of the Law and the Prophets. Specifically this verse (which is often cross-reference to the John 3 passage:
Ezekial 36:25-27
"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and 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, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
I believe that being born of water and spirit was referring to regeneration. Jesus expected Nicodemus to know this since he was a teacher of the law.
Can we resist God from putting into us a new heart? Can we resist Him as he "causes" us to walk in His statutes"? It says "YOU WILL be careful to observe My ordinances" after he puts a new heart in us.
The greek word for wind is "Pneuma", which is the word Jesus used when he said "the wind (pneuma) blows where it wishes"
The greek word for spirit is also "Pneuma". Jesus also used it in the same context saying:
"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. (Pneuma)"
Jesus was clearly using a 'play on words'. Comparing the spirit to the wind in the way in which the spirit works like the wind - blowing (working) where He wishes.
The spirit works regardless if we are resisting or not. This is why Nicodemus was so shocked. God's sovereignty didn't rub him the right way.
Irresistable Grace #2
Not to steal Joey's thunder...but my friends and I have also been studying Irresistable Grace...or as it is sometimes called the Effectual Call of the Spirit. Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus gives us some insight as to irresistable grace.
John 3:1-15 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 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.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 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.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
When Nicodemus questioned the idea of being born again--regenerated, Jesus did not say, "Now Lazarus, here is what you need to do in order to be born again." Jesus never said that regeneration depends on man doing something. Instead he used an earthly story to make known a spiritual reality, namely, that regeneration is a work of the Spirit alone. Our being born again is something that God does in us that enables us to believe in Christ with the faith that He gives. What wonderful grace it is!
Now to be certain, Jesus did not leave Nicodemus hanging. He didn't say, "Hey, Nick, since there is nothing you can do about regeneration, you might as well forget about it." That is not what Jesus did. Although the inward call of God's grace is unaided by man, Jesus still gave Nicodemus the outward call to believe the gospel (vs. 14-15). That outward call needs to be presented to everyone, knowing that only the inward call of the Spirit can bring life to the dead individual. So if you have a book titled, "How To Be Born Again," you may need to throw it away.
Go and share the gospel. You never know when God's grace may overcome someone's unbelief. This morning I had the privilege of giving the outward call to a young lady at work. We spent forty-five mintues in conversation and she heard the outward call. I started with God's intent in creating mankind, moved to the fall, talked about the Law, explained God's holiness, justice and judgment, then went on to share God's love, mercy and grace demonstrated in the incarnation, Christ's perfect obedience, His suffering, death, burial, resurrection and the great act of imputation. While sharing the gospel I was praying for God's grace to break through. I told her that she needed to repent of her sin and believe in Christ who suffered, died and rose again on her behalf. Excited and nervous, I asked her if she understood and believed what I had just told her. She said she did. Only God knows and time may tell if regeneration actually took place. I pray and expect to see spiritual fruit and sanctification take place if God has truly worked a miracle. I instructed her in baptism and invited her to church this Sunday. She said she wants to be there. Please pray for her.
May God grant us the privilege of seeing His awesome grace break through to stony hearts.
Irresistable Grace
We are not more powerful than God's grace.
If we were to be able to somehow resist God's effectual call of regeneration, then we would be able to take credit for the faith by which were saved. But as Ephesians 2:8-9 states, faith is a gift of God. Not of ourselves. Faith is a gift of grace. Let's see how we know that it's irresistable...
Look at what Jesus said:
John 6:44
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."
verse 37:
"All that the Father gives me will come to me."
How many that the Father gives to Christ? ALL
Look at Romans 8:29
"And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."
So WHO does he end up justifying? Those whom HE CALLS! Who does he call? Those whom HE PREDESTINES!
ALL glory be to God. Thanks to His power and love we are able to know Him.
theology
Im in class right now and I had to post this thought.
My professor Matt Moore said:
Look at your life. Do you see:
Bad Behaviour
Bad Thoughts
Bad Lifestyle
It means that it is stemming from bad theology or lack of theology.
How we view God is the most important thing about us.
andrea
Andrea is a member of Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo, California.
Step away boys, Andrea is married. She loves to serve her amazing husband Pastor Mike Elliott who is a Pastor at Compass Bible Church and a graduate of The Masters Seminary.
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