Should We Take It Down A Notch With All This Talk About The Cross?

Galatians 6:14

"But may it never be that I would BOAST, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

BOAST:

Imputed Righteousness and Your Soul

There are essentially three ways that the doctrine of the imputations of Christ righteousness can be used to preach to the believers soul and cultivate and sustain a love for God and a focus on God. First, we need to move away from our subjective tendencies to listen to our feelings but instead look upward to behold Christ as our righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) who has fulfilled all righteousness for us on our behalf (Rom. 5:19). As we focus on this reality by beholding Christ, we will be transformed and become more like Him (2 Cor. 3:18).
Second, we should identify our tendencies to be legalistic, self-righteous, and favor-seeking and put them to death by preaching the doctrine of imputed righteousness to ourselves (Phil. 3:8-9). Ultimately it is not what we do for God, but what God has done for us (2 Cor. 5:21). Our righteousness can never be associated with ourselves because it is Christ’s, given to us by a sheer sacrificial act of divine grace (1 Cor. 1:26-31). Also, when we try to seek the favor of others, especially God, we need to remind ourselves that God’s demeanor towards us will never shift because by faith we have been justified and received the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 8:31-39).
Third, we should speak the doctrine of imputed righteousness into our souls when Satan is trying to lead us to self-condemnation. If we find ourselves thinking that we are not saved because we can’t earn it, we should agree with that thought and say, “You’re right; I can’t earn it, but Christ has earned it and given me His righteousness” (5:12-19). If we find ourselves thinking that God looks down upon us with disappointment, we should dismiss it and tell ourselves that Christ bore the disfavor that God once had for us and He gave us His righteousness so that there is now no condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

Here is a video of Sinclair Ferguson talking about some of the glories of the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ:

Tree of Zion

From Romans 8, Philippians 2, Isaiah 53, etc...

Matthew 12:46-50

Hey Joey,
Here's a copy of my sermon from this morning. I finally recorded one for you.

Title: Who's Your Daddy?
Text: Matthew 12:46-50

1. We See The Fruit of Regeneration & Mark of the True Child of God

2. We See Our Unity To One Another & Devotion To The Church

3. We See Our Position In Christ & Our Heavenly Reward

God's Redemptive Work: The Greatest Story Ever Told

Greatest Story Ever Told

written by s. linne

Verse 1

Alright check it: let’s go back in time, brethren

Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing

The glory of the Triune God’s what I’m stressing

The origin of humankind was fine- blessings

Were plenteous- God is amazingly generous

Crazy benefits in a state of innocence

God told the man what he could taste was limited

Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis

He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell

The whole human race- he represented it

Fooled by the serpent, man through his work

Woman through birth- even the earth ruled by the curses

But instead of a wake immediately

God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake

Yo, wait what’s this? Whoa, a gracious gift!

In Jehovah’s faithfulness He clothed their nakedness

This was so they would know their Savior’s kiss

And bliss- but first, many growing pains exist

Suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds

Eve’s firstborn seed made his brother bleed

Indeed things got progressively worse

Every section of the earth's been affected by the curse

And though God’s judgments against sin were gory

Praise the Lord! It’s not the end of the story

Chorus:

It's the greatest story ever told

A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold

The greatest story ever told

Restoring all that the enemy stole

The greatest story ever told

The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told

It's the greatest...

Verse 2

Next scene: man’s sin was extreme

God gets steamed, man gets creamed

The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water

Fire in the valley of slaughter- Sodom and Gomorrah

But at the same time, He’s so gracious and patient

That from one man He created a whole nation

Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved

They cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save

He brought them out with signs and wonders- satisfied their hunger

Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder

Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government

Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant

Sin’s imputed- so for man to know he’s unrighteous

God instituted animal sacrifices

This was to show our constant need for atonement

And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it

And when His people disobeyed and went astray

He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way

But they would get foul with their idolatry- wet and wild

Prophecy- send them into exile

To take their punishment like a grown man

Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland

And while in their forefather’s land they dwelt

They awaited the arrival of Emmanuel

Chorus:

It's the greatest story ever told

A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold

The greatest story ever told

Restoring all that the enemy stole

The greatest story ever told

The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told

It's the greatest...

Verse 3

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears

In Bethlehem the Messiah appears

God in the flesh- Second Person of the Trinity

At thirty begins His earthly ministry

Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts

And back to back miraculous acts

A stumbling block to the self righteous

But the humbled- His flock, said “There’s no one else like this”

He came from heaven to awake the numb

Demonstrated His power over nature, son

A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come

But the reason He came was to pay the sum

For the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness

Bless His magnificence- He’s perfect and innocent

Yet He was wrecked and His death- He predicted it

Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite

He said that He finished it- resurrected so the elect

would be the recipients of its benefits

Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate

His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes

Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence

for heaven's future residents who truly represent

Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director and

Star of a story that will never, ever end!

Chorus:

The greatest story ever told

A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold

The greatest story ever told

Restoring all that the enemy stole

The greatest story ever told

The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told

It's the greatest...

Beautiful, Scandalous Night

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified

Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

CHORUS
At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night

On the hillside, you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior's side

Gaining in the Midst of Losing

As I was sitting in church on Sunday Pastor Francis Chan was teaching on Philippians 3:1-11 and I was driven to this thought:

Today we say we'll believe in Jesus IF:
-We can be COMFORTABLE
-We can be HEALTHY
-We can be WEALTHY

Because we value our COMFORT and our HEALTH and our WEALTH more than Jesus.

But Jesus calls us to believe in Him EVEN IF:
-We lose our comfort (Mt. 8:20)
-We lose our health (Mt. 16:25)
-We lose our wealth (Mk. 10:21)

Because JESUS knows that HE is more WORTHY than our comfort and our health and our wealth.

Paul captured this idea best when he said, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ..."

Not only did Paul 'count' everything as loss (as though he was just give lip-service to Christ) but he 'suffered' the loss of all things (making his words a reality) and still could say that He was 'gaining.'

Now how could Paul say that he was 'gaining' in the midst of his 'losing'?

Because he knew the person who's saving grace could abound even to the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).
Because he knew the person who although he was equal with God took the form of a servant and humbled himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8).
Because he knew the person who took upon his sin and gave him perfect righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21).
Because he knew the person who died on his behalf so that he would never be separated from the love of God (Rom. 8:31-39).

Paul could say he was 'gaining' in the midst of his 'losing' because he knew CHRIST.

Take a Stand!

In Exodus chapter 1 Hebrew midwives took a stand against Pharaoh. When Pharaoh commanded the midwives to kill every son that was born scripture says that the midwives feared God and let the babies live. Verse 27 says,” And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.” Fast forward to present day Christianity and we are still called to take a stand like the Hebrew midwives. The mass genocide of unborn children is in effect. We can riot, we can complain about the evils of this world, we can lament Roe vs. Wade or we can take action. I chose the later option and started training as a volunteer counselor in September at True Life Women’s Center. True Life Women’s center is a support and care center for women. The center seeks to aid and counsel women in a way that will minister to the area of life where they need it most, while catering to the woman’s specific situation.

Now that my training is over I have been an educator/counselor for the past 2 months. God has given me many opportunities to counsel women in various circumstances, pray with them, and even share about the grace found in Christ’s work on the cross. Not only is God using me to plant seeds in the hearts of these women but he is planting seeds of love, grace and compassion in my heart. Interaction with every woman has made my heart pound for the lost, and Christ continually fills me with his love and grace with each encounter. I am reminded every week of how Christ spent his years living on earth; he came to forget himself and be lost in others; pouring out every facet of his life, his strength, his intellect, his power, his touch, his healing, his forgiveness. Jesus was the hands and feet of grace for those who did not deserve such grace. I want to transplant his hands and feet to my life and love those who are in sin, though they waste their lives, they murder their babies, they disobey God’s commandments. The only difference between them and me is grace. I want to gently lead these spiritually blind and deaf women to the cross of Christ where they can receive the same grace that I have been given.

One of my counseling sessions was with a woman who was considering an abortion. After our conversation she seemed to slow down in her thoughts and appreciate what I shared with her, she said, “I have never thought about that before.” The pregnancy test was positive and I gave her educational material as she ran out the door. I felt like a bowling ball had been dropped into the pit of my stomach, tears clung to my eyes and I knew she was going to do it; she was going to kill her 5 week old child. I knew right then that I couldn’t stop women from killing; I couldn’t shut down the abortion clinics; I couldn’t force the law to change. All I could do was stare evil right in the face and lift up the shining light of the cross. I had to trust the God who stayed enthroned during the flood of Noah and the hard heart of Pharaoh. I called that woman 5 days after and asked her what choice she had made and how she was doing; she had had the abortion.

Even if the battle seems hopeless and it looks like we might lose we are still called to fight; to pick up the sword of truth and wield it. The church has always been called to dark and evil times. Laws like Roe vs. Wade are passed not so that we can question God’s sovereignty or complain about the evil of mankind, but so that the Church might come together and rise up. There is an old Chinese Proverb that says, “It is better to light one candle than it is to curse the darkness.” Let’s take a stand like the Hebrew midwives and shine into the darkness, instead of running from it.

I recently sent out an email asking for sponsors, here it is, and if anyone is interested please email me back at Lizzyliz101@gmail.com or respond to this post with your address, number, name and pledge amount:

Hello All!

I have been volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center for roughly 6 months. The center is called True Life Women's Choice and I have offered to be a walk captain for their yearly Walk for Life campaign at Lake Eola. I will be walking around Lake Eola Saturday, March, 28th at 9:00 AM but I need people to sponsor me. My goal is to get at least 10 sponsors to pledge an estimated amount of $25. If you would like more information about the center you can go to their website:

http://www.truelifechoice.com/

and you can also read my testimony that is attached in a word document. If you are interested in sponsoring me and giving money to this ministry please email me back with your name, address, and phone number as well as the amount you are pledging. TLC women's center will then bill you the amount you pledged. If your pledges are $10 or under you must give them to me. Thank you so much for considering me and this ministry.

Liz Oleck :)

Anonymous Asks....Josh Replies

What do we think of this quote:

“If we proclaim a gospel that focuses only on the private experience of the individual and the heavenly benefits for the next life, then we should not be surprised to see people dismissing the importance of good works in this life within the context of the Church.”

There are a couple of things that I would like to say regarding this quote:

(1). I'm not sure of the entire context in which this was spoken, so addressing it may be tough, but I'll give it a shot.

(2). The effect may not be due to the cause in this case. What I mean is "Proclaiming a gospel that focuses only on the private experience of the individual and the heavenly benefits for the next life," may not necessarily result in seeing "people dismissing the importance of good works in this life within the context of the Church." I am not advocating such a narrowly focused gospel presentation, but I was fed a lot of this type of "Christianity" growing up and it did not affect my good works within the context of the church. I loved my church and served it as best as I could and was excited of the gospel promises that await me.

(3). I think there may be a germ of truth in sone of what the author may be trying to communicate, but aside from it's full context it is hard to say.

I agree with the sentiment that is against the personalizing of Christianity. I am against the privatizing and personalizing of Christianity, because we are not so much individuals that are being saved, but a people who are being saved. We are the "called out ones." We are the people of God...His sheep. So I refuse to use phrases like "personal relationship" because it is a corporate relationship that we have with our Savior. In church we sing to the Lord and to each other, so I always discourage the privatizing of corporate worship--the kind where people close their eyes and get lost in the moment and forget that they are worshiping together with other believers and instructing admonishing one another through songs, hymns and spiritual songs.

I also think that a gospel that only focuses on the life to come is narrow in it's scope. Those things are not untrue, but they are not the only things that come with the gospel. The church, Christian or pastor that only preaches those as the highest goal of the gospel falls way short of what Scripture teaches. The highest aim of the gospel is to bring us to God and that happens at the moment of regeneration and it's subsequent faith and repentance. The new creation is simply the finalization of our salvation, the fulfillment, the completion.

I believe that we are saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. In other words, there is much more to the gospel than simply "we are going to be saved." We must include how Christ has saved us and is saving us from sin. Hearing the gospel proclaimed in it's entirety with clarity and accuracy is us hearing Christ speak to us. It is by Christ's Words that we are sanctified as believers. And we know that sanctification includes all sorts of holiness--including loving deeds towards our newfound brothers and sisters. Now because the gospel promises of heaven and bliss to come are true and faithful to the Word of God, even hearing these truths will results in the believer being sanctified, which will lead to good works within the church and without. But as I stated, that is not the fullness of the gospel promises and the work of Christ. By the way, that is why expositional preaching is so beneficial. It forces the preacher to preacher every nook and cranny of the gospel metanarrative found from Genesis to Revelation.

Just some thoughts. Heck, I may have entirely misunderstood the quote.

My Tragic Joy

He was a poet, and for the most part his mind was spent scanning and searching for the harmony of words with which he could display the literary symphony his heart was longing to find. He had yet to receive the recognition he felt he deserved; and though having published many works, accompanied readings with distinguished writers, and having a steady flow of commission work, his toil was as of yet: for naught. He had yet to be paid despite all his work.

It was actually exceedingly rare, in his world, for one to receive pay for the work they have done, and many seek and toil after it with great longing. The world, you see, in which this poet lives is not all the same to our own. Differences are often what one glimpses upon the surface, yet if looking deep into the soul, one can find a true sharing of similarity and find much to be the same.

John (though we can't say for sure if that is his true name, for he himself is an orphan like many of the citizens) walked against a chill wind. It seemed winter had lasted all his life. He was surmising about the naked tree branches and his own aching bones, looking for a phrase with which to join the two together in light spirits. "Rot" was the only word that would surface in his mind.

Rounding a corner, John saw a great commotion at the end of a sidewalk. He approached with curiosity, wondering what the cause would be. He saw no car accident. Upon arriving, his eyes met with the scene and his mind, which was often flooding with words, came to a complete stop. He was blank. The poet reached out quickly to grasp a piece of paper that had almost been carried off by the wind. His gaze narrowed from the sights and sounds of the distraught crowd. Naught else but save this scrap of paper held his mind and eyes. He read the few words written on it.

"How horrible!!" he thought. "Why..." His eyes became red and wet until he couldn't see. His tragedy was one of blindness.

Another man, not dissimilar from John, had very much expected to receive pay that year.

Instead, he died.

This man was a fellow citizen like John, but had lived here for far longer, being of a much older age. He most recently had undergone a rare heart transplant, which was in itself and odd occurrence, seeing the man's relative worthlessness at the time.

You see, through the more recent years (of which we know a sizable amount), he was employed in a range of practices. In fact, this man had gone through such a gamut of employments that you might consider him quite wise and knowledgeable, until the discovery that he has never in fact been paid! Wisdom turns to shame and foolishness, knowledge to comedy. This man's tragedy, for most of his life, is one of sorrow.

Our account of this old man must turn back a bit further, though not so far as to make assumptions, for his life was quite longer and darker than we truly have knowledge of. A short span of time will do. We find ourselves, in fact, not far off from his death.

The old man's heart had truly been one of passion, which he poured daily into all he found to do. His nation, even the world, in which he participated, was very encouraging to its citizens to take pride in themselves. He held to this tightly and toiled with much labor in all that he desired to accomplish. "When I receive it, my pay will be enough to find the peace of life I've been working for," he often thought.

He had been working in a common factory for the last several years, and it came about that he would receive a review at work. A thing which is not thought of lightly, for it is indeed quite rare to receive one. For only from a review can a worker receive their pay, and as reviews are rare, payments are even rarer still!

The review took quite a while, but stepping into the hallway from his boss' office, he found it hard to hold back the smile. The paper envelope his boss had given him felt heavy in his hands. The review went well; all of the work he had done was accounted for, much as he had hoped, and even some he did not expect! "Could this be it!" he thought, expecting in his old age to finally have received what he felt he had long since earned.

At his own desk, he searched for his letter opener as the cold wind whistled outside his window. The view, which he often stared out of from his third story office was now not more than a poster on the wall to him. He opened the letter and read the detailed review paper inside. There was a payment information sheet attached!

But soon the letter opener slipped quickly from his hand falling to the floor (as did his jaw). "What?!" he exclaimed. After a great deal of time (and shock), he curiously felt what would be the falling of chains from his shoulders as they hit the floor.

The wind was cold. It blew quite strong on the rooftop. Several hours later, the old man made sure to hold tightly to the papers he now held. One was quite simple, the other he had sealed in an envelope, which he had spent the last hour writing after much thought and contemplation. He was fairly unfamiliar with the particular view now stretching out before him. The city was spread broad in a vast darkness as if disregarding the midday sun. He was uncertain if it should be attributed to his new viewpoint from the rooftop on which he now stood or if his recent, shocking news was to blame.

He shook the thought from his mind. It didn't matter now. He drew in his breath with a smile and closed his eyes. How strange he now felt, how different... what peace he was content to succumb to. The view of the world from his stance was dim, which, with his eyes now closed, he could not see. But it was of no matter for his soul was unexpectedly bright, and he felt as though for the first time: he saw.

Different now.

Wind?... no.... falling.

His feet held to nothing; his hands chilled with the rushing cold air; yet his face still pleasant.

As he found himself falling through the crisp winter air from the rooftop he once stood, he thought about the last line on the detailed paper within his review sheet: "I bid you: come and die." The name written on the paper and the words proceeding these were of great perplexity to which he stared at for a long while: "that you may find life."

Life?

What curious words, what an uncommon request.

His eyes had entered that envelope looking for his due wages, for the toil of his life, for the worth of his work. Instead he found a notice that sung much differently.

Dead on the ground, the old man had quickly attracted a crowd. In his hand, tightly grasped, were the two objects. One of them was a letter to his family (who would later, it turns out, deny receiving it! Theirs, should you wish to learn, was a tragedy of shame). The other object nearly flew away in the wind were it not for a stranger reaching out to grasp it. This stranger, familiar with words and well educated, was our poet, John. He opened the scrap and read what he saw. Scribbled in a ghastly fashion, as if soul and heart both drew the ink and pressed the pen, was shouted on the page:

CHRIST JESUS HAS GARNISHED MY WAGES!!!

"How horrible!!" John thought. "Why.... this dead, old man had no doubt toiled his whole life. And surely HE would not have been paid prior to my own success and accomplishments. No, surely he was expecting his FIRST paycheck; and what tragedy! He thought not to continue on? To try harder... alas even as old as he was. What wretched news... how long and hard he must have toiled. And who is this written here?! I see a name which I can not grasp. This name will not take my wages, for I will try all the harder and in my self shall I find the pay I deserve!"

John walked off, unknowingly with the company of shadows.

The old man's story becomes a little clearer, yet I must say not fully understandable to many. Some of the crowd argue about his death. Some are full of rage at the name written on the paper; others are silent... wanting to know of him more. For who is this who would do such a thing? "How can it be?" many were found whispering. Others argued about whether the old man jumped or was indeed thrown off!! One who claimed the latter was profoundly enthralled with this name written on the page. It is believed that he, in fact, quit his job to find him!

Not much else is known of those people in the following days, for they each went their own way. Some held tighter to their families, others worked longer and harder, some feared the name they saw that day, while others desired to know it more.

The old man's letter to his family was sent and was, as noted before, ultimately rejected. We don't know all of what he wrote, but a part is believed to have called them to leave their jobs, homes, and even family as he did. He spoke of true life, which they called a foolish notion.

The perplexity of the man's life is actually found in his death. For the greatly odd occurrence, with which we introduced him, did not happen during his life but after it. He received a new heart upon his burial. A strange transplant seeing once more the worthlessness of his state. It is rumored that it was his greatest gift (as stated in a portion of his letter to his family). Many who hear of his account cry, "What waste!" or "Tragedy!", but his tragedy had changed. It is no longer one of sorrow.

His burial was quick. Many would ask to be buried with things they found dear to them in life. He found nothing in that world so dear anymore. His passage was one for himself alone, and he carried nothing with him. A small note was found, however, in which he had some last desires...

Upon his casket he asked to have written:
"These doors will not hold,
This dirt can not hide.
What's buried here now
To glory will rise!"

His grave marker was simple, a small piece of rock. It was also quite bare, save his name and the etching of an empty cross. In fact, he shares my name. In that we have much in common:

"Slave of the Lord, Bearer of His Righteousness, Son of the King, Heir to the Glory"

- - -

Christ Jesus garnished my wages. My tragedy is one of joy.

How can it be...

I Love The Law!

Psalm 119:97
Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:113
I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.

I love the gospel. But I also love the law of God. I do not love it for the reason that many others may love it. Others may love God's Law because living a "wholesome" life can reduce stress and the amount of visits to the hospital (thank you, Joel Osteen). Others may love God's Law because it helps them to prosper at work or in personal relationships or at life in general (thank you, Rick Warren). These are fine and dandy, but they are not the best or first reason to love the law of God, for even the pagan will love God's Law for these reasons--hence seeker-sensitive type sermons. Rather, I love the Law of God because it reflects the nature and glory of my God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Scripture says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sinning is to fall short of God's glory. Elsewhere in the Word we are taught that sinning is the breaking of God's Law. So sinning is breaking God's Law, which is falling short of God's glory. The Law of God reflects the glory of God and when we sin, we fall short of the glory of God. God's Law is one way we know His glory. Indeed the law showed me how gross my sin was, how gross I was...how short I fell from God's glorious perfection. It is any wonder why sinners hate the Law of God and break his commands...it is because they hate God.

But thank God for the Law...I love it because it showed me my dreaded state and damnation before God. It pointed out my sin and pointed me straight to hell. It showed me my peril. It showed me my wretchedness. I love the Law of God also because it pointed me to Christ and His gospel. It showed me my need for a Savior. It pointed me the the One who could deliver me from my sinfulness and hell. I love God's Law. How impossible it is to keep it, yet there was One who kept it perfectly...even to death on the cross. He kept it perfectly because it was His glory in the form of commands.

As a child of God, I love the Law of God for these reasons. I love it now and desire to obey it now, not because I am trying to please the Father...because only Christ can do that for me. I love the Law now and try to obey it because I love the glory of God which the Law displays. I want God to be glorified as I obey the law. That should be the concern for every believer when shown the Law. We see it and we say, "That's not a burden to do. That's a wonderful joy to obey because that is what my God is like and I love Him!" But how can we take joy in the Law of the Lord if we are not first make to tremble before His holy Law which is His glory? How can we take joy in obeying the Law...how can it become a light yoke to us unless we first feel the weight of it pressing upon us, damning us to the everlasting torments of God's wrath? How can we take delight in the Law of God and love the Law of God like the Psalmist did, unless we are first regenerated and made to understand that the Law is good when used lawfully--to show us our sin and need for our Sin Bearer?

Christians and pastors should be using the Law of God to show sinners their sin, show sinners their need for Christ and His gospel, and show believers how to make much of God (good idea). But many Pastors and their sheep are preaching the Law as a way to enhance the life of an unbeliever (bad idea). We must use the Law in the way that God intended it to be used. We are unfaithful and adulterous towards our Lord if we think we can use His Word any way that we want. How arrogant and most miserable of people we are if we are shown the glory of God, our sin and need for the Savior through the Law, but then go and use the Law for something else for which it was not intended (legalism). That is what the unbeliever will naturally do with God's Law and sadly, what a lot of Pastors are using the Law for in their preaching.

It is a strange thing to behold this odd phenomenon in unbelievers because in their selfish and self-righteous and legalistic desire to obey the Law of God, they in some way agree that the Law of God is good...that the glory of God is good...afterall, it is written on their hearts. Yet in their inability to keep the Law of God, they show that they hate the glory of God. What an odd paradox! But that is what we once were. Thank God He has delivered us through His Son and the work of His Spirit.

Now I can agree and say that the Law is good and I love the Law of the Lord. I hope you love the Law of the Lord. I hope that His commands are not a burden to you. I hope that you see that the Law of the Lord is good when used lawfully. I hope you love the Law of God because it is the glory of God. If you find yourself struggling to obey God, struggling to love and keep His Law, perhaps you need to fall in love with God and His glory again. You do that by going back to the cross. See how God dealt with our lawlessness in Christ. See how your sin was atoned for on the cross. See the glorious Law-Keeper and your Sin-Bearer resurrected from the grave. See that He did for you what You were incapable of doing. Then continue to repent of your sin and instead of breaking the Law...keep it to display the glory of your Savior.

Oh, I love the gospel. But I love the Law of God, too.

The Depth of True Love

Oh, the depth of the love of Christ! : 

First, we know the depth of someone's love for us by what it costs him: if he sacrifices his life for us, it assures us of deeper love than if he only sacrifices a few bruises. So [we see] the depth of Christ's love by the greatness of what it cost him.
Second, we know the depth of someone's love for us by how little we deserve it. If we have treated him well all our life, and have done all that he expects of us, then when he loves us, it will not prove as much love as it would if he loved us when we had offended him, and shunned him, and disdained him. The more undeserving we are, the more amazing and deep is his love for us. So [we see] the depth of Christ's love in relation to how undeserving are the objects of his love (Romans 5:5-8).
Third, we know the depth of someone's love for us by the greatness of the benefits we receive in being loved. If we are helped to pass an exam, we will feel loved in one way. If we are helped to get a job, we will feel loved another way. If we are helped to escape from an oppressive captivity and given freedom for the rest of our life, we will feel loved another way. And if we are rescued from eternal torment and given a place in the presence of God with fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore, we will know a depth of love that surpasses all others (1 John 3:1-3). So [we see] the depth of Christ's love by the greatness of the benefits we receive in being loved by him.
Fourth, we know the depth of someone's love for us by the freedom with which they love us. If a person does good things for us because someone is making him, when he doesn't really want to, then we don't think the love is very deep. Love is deep in proportion to its liberty. So if an insurance company pays you $40,000 because you lose your spouse, you don't usually marvel at how much this company loves you. There were legal constraints. But if your Sunday School class makes all your meals for a month after your spouse dies, and someone calls you every day, and visits you every week, then you call it love, because they don't have to do this. It is free and willing. So [we see] the depth of Christ's love for us in his freedom: "No one takes my life from me; I lay it down of my own accord" (John 10:18).
~John Piper


"How deep the fathers love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give his only son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out amoung the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom"

Gospel-governed Freedom

          Lately, I have been spending much time (likely too much time) thinking about next year and all of the options that rest on the table that is my future. You see, I have been told “you are an American”: I have been encouraged to pursue the many things I would like to do, because I have the “freedom” to do so, but I know there is a Governor over this “freedom” who wants me to make decisions based on a different reality. As a result, I have begun to evaluate my motives that would lead me to pursue these different options, and have found some to be positive, and others to be completely self-centered and self-motivated. Yet, I cannot help but think that there is really only one driving motive that should hold any weight on my decisions. All “future” decisions, no matter what they be (i.e. school, job, church), should be made to serve others and advance the Gospel. There are some decisions that are huge, and others not so huge, but none of them should be made out of my own self-interested pursuits.

          The words of Margaret Manning have encouraged me in this regard: “ In the West, freedom rules the day. In general, we are free to do and to be whatever we want. We move unhindered towards the achievement of our own personal freedoms and objectives, without worrying about impediment or coercive control from outside forces. In fact, we rarely worry about the consequences to others in the exercise of our freedom. Certainly, we enjoy the privilege of the freedom to move about our country across state borders effortlessly. We have the freedom to worship, unhindered by government intervention or surveillance. Many of us who have financial abundance are able to access freedoms that only money can buy. We are free to think as we want, speak what we want, and do what we want. In comparison with people in other countries, we have the freedom to....[ fill in the blank with endless possibilities].”

          Our ideas of freedom to pursue whatever we could want or desire, even for Christians, recurrently lose their securing from the Biblical dock. We think of freedom in terms of personal rights, and fail to remember that the biblical ideal is freedom for the service of others and advancement of the Gospel.
          Take for example, the apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthian church while they were in the midst of conflict concerning their personal freedoms: “all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his or her own good, but that of his or her neighbor....whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:23-24, 31).
          Paul’s definition of freedom for the sake of the Gospel and for serving others seems to go against the grain of our culture. Through a Biblical lens, freedom is no longer defined as doing whatever one wants to do. And while we are properly disgusted when human respect and freedom are entirely taken away--as we have seen numerous times throughout history-- we, as Christians, should also have a distaste for the often self-centered grasp of freedom present in Western culture. We are called to freedom, Paul reminds us, not so we can squander it on our own self-interested pursuits, but that through love we can make good use of our freedom for the sake of one another and for the gospel. We have been set free by the gospel to use that freedom for the gospel.

"You Must Be Born Again," and You Should Probably Get This Book

Publisher's Description: When Jesus said to Nicodemus, 'You must be born again', the devout and learned religious leader was unsure what Jesus meant. It would seem nothing has changed. Today 'born again Christians' fill churches that are seen as ineffectual at best, and even characterized by the 'mosaic' generation as 'unchristian'.

The term 'born again' has been devalued both in society and in the church. Those claiming to be 'born again' live lives that are indistinguishable from those who don't; they sin the same, embrace injustice the same, covert the same, do almost everything the same.

Being 'born again' is now defined by what people say they believe. The New Testament however defines Christians very differently.

"When Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again" (John 3:7), he was not sharing interesting and unimportant information. He was leading him to eternal life... If he does that for you (or if he already has), then you are (or you will be) truly, invincibly, finally alive." (John Piper)


Endorsements:

“I cannot too strongly celebrate the publication of this book. Owing in part to several decades of dispute over justification and how a person is set right with God, we have tended to neglect another component of conversion no less important. Conversion under the terms of the new covenant is more than a matter of position and status in Christ, though never less: it includes miraculous Spirit-given transformation, something immeasurably beyond mere human resolution. It is new birth; it makes us new creatures; it demonstrates that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. All the creedal orthodoxy in the world cannot replace it. The reason why ‘You must be born again’ is so important is that you must be born again.”
D. A. Carson,
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois

“Many will be thankful that John Piper is here addressing the key need of our times. Every awakening begins with the renewed discovery of Christ’s teaching on the new birth. Here is that amazing teaching in lucid yet comprehensive form; with a relevance to readers worldwide.”
Iain H. Murray

“When I was a boy my grandmother asked me, ‘Have you been born again?’ Though I didn’t understand what she meant at the time, that question led to my conversion to Christ. In this wonderful book, Pastor John Piper rescues the term ‘born again’ from the abuse and overuse to which it is subject in our culture today. This is a fresh presentation of the evangelical doctrine of the new birth, a work filled with theological insight and pastoral wisdom.”
Timothy George,
Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
and Senior Editor of Christianity Today

“Expository and practical, this rich survey of New Testament teaching explores the nature of the new birth and the life which flows from it. Full of refreshment and encouragement, it reveals more deeply the glory of Christ and the gospel and motivates a renewed commitment to live out this good news and share it with others.”
David Jackman,
The Proclamation Trust, London, U.K.

“The doctrine of the new birth is cheapened and hidden because so many ‘professing Christians’ have not experienced the reality of the new birth. The reality of the new birth is seemingly so little celebrated because so few understand the majestic doctrine of the new birth. Finally Alive sweeps away so much confusion and gives its readers so much cause for rejoicing in the saving work of God through Jesus Christ His beloved Son. Nothing could be more vital than God’s people understanding what regeneration looks and feels and tastes and desires and speaks and walks and thinks like. Nothing could be more eternally important than Christian people knowing what the Bible teaches about the new birth and knowing that they have experienced it. One wonders why it’s taken so long for a book on the new birth to be written! But now it has and I pray every reader rejoices in God for the rich beauties of Christ Jesus so compellingly shared in its pages.”
Thabiti Anyabwile,
First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

“John Piper rescues the term ‘born again’ from its contemporary status as a gauche or glib cliché and reunites it with a fully orbed biblical understanding of the new birth. Theologically thorough and yet heart-warmingly pastoral and practical, this important book should help God’s people to value the remarkable status and responsibility of being ‘born again.’”
Richard Cunningham,
Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF), U.K.

“Regeneration, or new birth, meaning simply the new you through, with, in, and under Christ, is a largely neglected theme today, but this fi ne set of sermons, criss-crossing the New Testament data with great precision, goes far to fi ll the gap. Highly recommended.”
J .I. Packer,
Regent College, Vancouver, Canada

“The evangelical church is witnessing a resurgent commitment to social action—the doing of good deeds for a needy culture and world. While correct and commendable for many reasons, one danger now as ever is that ‘good deeds’ will supplant ‘good news.’ We need constant reminders of the truth of what Jesus said: ‘What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?’ (Matt. 16:26). John Piper’s Finally Alive is a vivid and stirring description of the Bible’s teaching on what it means to be born again. The good news of the gospel—that by God’s grace, and through faith in Christ and the all-sufficiency of his atoning death, one may be fully forgiven and born again to newness of life that will never end—is a message that must be understood, believed, embraced, and proclaimed for true transformation of life to occur. ‘You must be born again’ (John 3:7) is a ‘must’ we dare not lose. Finally Alive unpacks the truth, the necessity, and the process of the new birth clearly and beautifully. For those curious about the Christian faith to those deeply committed to Christ and his ways, come read and behold the glory of any and every sinner’s only hope—the miracle of the new birth that brings forth new life in Christ that will never end.”
Bruce Ware,
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

“Have I been born again? is not a question to be answered hastily. In this book, Piper strips away our complacency, arguing that many people falsely believe they are Christians. Because no issue could be more critical, I believe this is the most important book Piper has written.”
Adrian Warnock
blogger

- Download this book (PDF).
- Listen to, read, or watch the sermon series that inspired it.
- Buy this book for only $8.99 at Westminster Bookstore!!!!

Gospel Saturated Lyrics

Alyssa just sent me this song by a band called "Take No Glory".
The song is entitled "He Didn't Die In Vain." A few lines stood out to me that I would like to point out as being very gospel-centered:

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by
Which Christ has made us free
Don’t be entangled again in a yoke of bondage
Indeed I say that if you try to attain by your own hand
Christ will profit you nothing, nothing"

Often times people point to "don't be entangled in the yoke of bondage" as more "DO". (ie-"you are a Christian, so DO!")
However, this song understands what that REALLY means... It means the next line:

"Indeed I say that if you try to attain by your own hand Christ will profit you nothing..."

Brilliant!
(Often times we rely on the Christ's work on the cross for justification, yet rely on self/self-motivation/DISCIPLESHIP for sanctification rather than...
Christ's work on the cross.)

I also love this:

"The grace of our Lord be with You
The Lord Jesus Christ
He has made us right, we’ve been justified
In the Father’s eyes"

Understanding that there is nothing we can do to lose any amount of favor/blessing from God or gain any more favor/blessing from God (which we are prone to think with our Christian living/walk.) Christ said it: "It is finished." We now have full affection from our heavenly Father. The same affection that He has for Christ.

Thank you Alyssa.

Muting the Gospel by Minimizing Missions

When Paul mentions in Romans 1 that God has clearly revealed Himself through creation so that man is without excuse, he is not trying to make a case for the saving knowledge of General Revelation (God revealing Himself in creation Ps. 19:1-6). Instead Paul wants to portray how people without the Special Revelation of God (God revealing Himself in Scripture Ps. 19:7-11) are justly condemned for not worshiping the creator of the universe. He wants to show that Gentiles (all non-Jews), like Jews, sin but in a different way. Jews sin because they disobey the Special Revelation God has given them in the Law. On the other hand, Gentiles sin when they disobey the created order that has been revealed through creation.

But some will ask what if a people group who has never heard of Christ acknowledges God through creation and starts to worship Him? Paul goes on in 3:11-20 to show that universally all Jews and Gentiles are under sin (held captive by its power) in such a way that they without exception do not seek God. And lest we think these people are just universally neutral toward God, Paul says they have "all turned aside." So does this mean that those who die apart from the Special Revelation of God found in the Gospel will eternally perish? I admit that this is a tough question, but it's a question that implies that God would not be fair if it were true. And if fairness is what you want from God, you’re begging Christ to undo what He did on the cross. Because when Christ bore our sins on the cross, He paid for our fair and right penalty and purchased eternal everlasting grace for those who believe. So let us not mute the cross by trying to maximize fairness.

But this still leaves the question “Do people need to hear the gospel to be saved?” In Romans 10:13-17, Paul addresses this same question after showing that the gospel message is for all people, whether Jew or Gentile. He starts in verse 13 by citing Joel 2:32, which says "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Then, Paul poses a problem by asking four rhetorical questions: (1) How are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? (2) And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? (3) And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (4) And how are they to preach unless they are sent? In these questions Paul not only poses a problem, but he also proposes the solution by mapping out the process for the spreading of the gospel.

First, someone needs to be sent to preach Christ. Second, that preacher needs to preach Christ so they can hear Christ. Third, when they hear Christ they need to believe in Christ. Finally, they need to believe in Christ by calling on Christ. There is no other way around it. And that is why Paul says at the end of v. 15, after all his rhetorical questions, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" The feet are beautiful because they bring what is missing! The feet are beautiful because they bring the news of Christ.

If after this we still say that it is possible for people to get saved apart from the gospel being preached, we are entertaining the thought that there are people out there who are neutral toward God and on their own have the ability to seek God and gain a righteousness the earns them Heaven. But if this is true, then missions isn't really all that essential. And then it turns out that the American church has got it right after all; we can just stay home and relax because we don't need to go. And if we do go and try to reach people who have never heard about Christ with the gospel, we will actually be doing them a disservice. Because if we bring the gospel of Christ to them and ask them to believe in Christ but they reject it, we have now brought judgment upon them, whereas before we came and preached they were neutral with God. With this perspective, by preaching the gospel to them, we have just become the instrument that sent them to Hell.

My point is this: if we believe that people can be saved apart from the gospel, this is absurd at best and destroys missions at worst. The gospel of Christ is good news to everyone because everyone is opposed to Christ. The gospel of Christ is good news to everyone because everyone is in need of Christ. Missions is essential because sin is universal. Missions for Christ is necessary because Worship of Christ is non-existent. The message of the gospel is good to everyone because the work of Christ is glorious for everyone. We need to be ignited in our passion for missions because the gospel is the power of God to turn Hell-bound haters of God into Grace-bound lovers of God.

I end with this admission by Lecrae:

"You hold the truth that saves so run and shout it to the world;
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard;
Go and run with those beautiful feet."

My Sin and My Christ: A Journal Excerpt Written to the Greatest and Most Fickle Sinner I Know, Myself

The other day while in Theology II we were discussing the reality of sin and of its disgusting nature. While the class progressed and the teacher continued to paint what was an honest and Biblical perspective of sin, a girl raised her hand and asked a very good question. Apparently the professor was doing a decent job because when called on the girl asked how we were to hold to such a weighty and disgusting view of our sin without letting it overwhelm us. In essence her question was: how, if sin be so horrible, can it be of any good for us to constantly hold it as such? Wouldn’t the guilt of it alone leave us feeling condemned under its sheer weight? Is it helpful for us to daily bear such notions of our sin as the most vile and disgusting thing ever to exist? Won’t this just create an overwhelming sense of our own rottenness and leave us bowed and depressed? Her question was one so vitally important to the Christian life that, knowing its profound implications, I sat still in my seat, while my heart began to exceedingly speed on.
I wondered how many she spoke for. How many held similar questions even subconsciously? For certainly if those sitting in class were getting anything of what the professor was saying this girl’s question would be their first question as well. If sin be so sinful and I be so full of it, what chance of living joyfully have I? How many, I wondered, were benefiting very little from the class because deep down they realized to hold such serious thoughts of sin would be of no practical use to them? How many sat there thinking, “Yes, yes, but let’s not focus too much on this wretchedness. God is a God of grace and of love, after all, so let us get on with rejoicing and forget all this disgusting and miserable talk. We all know our sin is bad anyways.” And how many left the class not at all provoked because of how wretched they were, and not at all disturbed by their sin?
Oh, how I wish I could tell their souls to sit down that God would open their ears that I might have a word with them. What grace have we without serious thoughts of sin? What joy is there when we neglect to contemplate the wretchedness that dwells within us? I’ll tell you what grace we have: it is a cheap grace. I’ll tell you what joy: a light joy- a cavalier jolliness. This is the result of not sitting awhile and letting the stink of our own sin reach our noses. When we neglect to peal back the lids of our hearts to honestly look at the worms inside we will not even know what God’s grace means. God’s forgiveness will be small and His love will be shallow when our sin is light. A flippant dealing with sin leads to a weightless understanding of the gospel. And it is a tragedy.
The great Puritan John Owen once said, “He who has slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God.” He is exactly right. We will never know how great of a Savior we have until we are deeply familiar with how great of a sinner we are. Until we know how much we hate God, we will never know how much He loves us. And oh how the many layers of our sin can so quickly throw us into the mires of despondency! Address one and you will surely find one beneath it. And probe that one and no doubt another ten others will show their ugly faces. Yet oh how the arm of God’s mercy is ever long enough to pluck us right out of this sinking pit again and again and set our feet to dancing and our mouths to singing!
Dear soul, know that there is more mercy in Christ than sin in you. Know that where your sin abounds, the grace of Christ abounds all the more. Know that your sins are never as great as Christ’s mercy. His forgiveness is big enough for your failures. Here is a well infinitely deep- no sin, however heinous, nor offense, however numerous, can dry it up. It extends down and ever down forever. Oh yes, though your sins be great, God’s love for you is greater.
And though your countless failures and your many shortcomings weigh heavily, Christ’s shoulders are strong enough to bear them even in your case. Oh, how strong are his shoulders? For did He not already carry your sins upon them? It is not much for Him to bear them now, for has He not already borne them? Though the weight of your sins may crush you and you may feel as defeated as ever- remember, victory is yours for there is a man who has already been crushed in your place. Christ Jesus has taken your sin upon his shoulders and has carried them all the way to Calvary.
Your sin has been paid for. Oh yes, it has! Won’t you believe it? Is your sin too horrible that it cannot be atoned for? Are you such a wretched and hopeless case that Christ cannot save you? Do you think you are unforgivable? Do you doubt such a perfect man would die for you? Is this impossible- that all the countless sins you have committed be done away with, forgiven, erased, forever? Is it unbelievable? Is it too good to be true? Oh doubting one, Christ’s blood is more than enough for you. Yes you are a mighty sinner, but Christ is a mighty Savior. Yes you are a miserable case, but Jesus is an amazing Christ. Are your sins black? Are your secrets dark? Christ’s blood is redder still, his righteousness whiter; Christ’s work on your behalf outshines your deepest and darkest secrets. Though you prove yourself a failure again and again, Christ is faithful even for you. His work forever stands as your pardon if you would but believe it.
Won’t you raise your defeated head and open your weary eyes? Look now, look! There is one I see who is pleading your case. Look! There he is bloodied and beaten in your place. Look, look! At the cross he has set himself to carry. Look, oh faint-hearted soul, there is your name I see inscribed on that cross. Look, it is your crown of thorns I see he wears. Look, it is your nails meant for you that have nailed him to this tree. Oh burdened person, oh worn-out saint, and oh searching soul- won’t you look? See him there now. He is hanging in your place. There he is condemned so that you don’t have to be. Oh, won’t you look, can’t you see? There he is. There he is dying for you. There he is taking the penalty of your sins upon himself. There he is in his dying breath, bringing eternal life to you. There he is, oh hear him now! At his very end, hear him, he musters the last of his strength and cries, “It is finished!” And he gives up his spirit; and his head falls to his chest. It is finished. It is done. The price of your sin has been paid. The cost of your redemption has been ransomed. The gift of your forgiveness has been purchased.
Now lift your head oh despairing and troubled one. Wipe the sadness from you eyes. Look now! Look again! The scene is not finished! Look at Christ’s tomb? What! Something is happening! The tomb containing our dead Savior is shaking, the great stone sealing him in has been moved! What! What is this? Look! Look! Quickly! The body! It’s gone! Where has it gone? What has become of our precious Lord’s body? Come now- come outside. Look over there! A figure, he is walking our way. Perhaps he is a thief, the one who has stolen our Lord’s body. As he approaches you cannot recognize him, but he looks strangely familiar. As he gets closer, you begin to weep. His face is all-too familiar indeed. And now he is before you. There is a warm smile parting his lips and kind eyes meet yours. In a rush it dawns on you, and you cry, “Teacher!” and fly into his arms. As the tears stream down your face, you look up again into the face that you did not think you could ever forget. Is this really Him? You take a step back. Almost as though he were reading your mind, the man before you turns over his palms, showing you his hands. He then gently takes your hand and places your fingers over the holes you now see clearly there. The holes are real. You have seen what caused them. You look into his eyes again, still struggling to believe this is real. Still holding that almost surreal smile the man moves your hand from his and places it on his side. There you feel another hole, a hole you know all too well verified that he was supposed to be dead. You look once more into that kind face and his eyes remain too real for you to resist. This is Jesus the Christ, risen again. He has been dead three days, and now He is alive!
Oh yes, the Lord who has died for you, has indeed risen again. He was dead, yes- for your sins he died. But He did not stay dead. No! This man, Christ, has more than died for your sins- He has defeated them completely! What more, He has more than died- He has conquered death! He has not only paid for your sins in his death, He has purchased your victory in His resurrection! As He has been crucified, oh soul, know that it was for you. And as He has risen again, oh be sure that it was also for you. If you have been crucified with Him, believe that you have also risen with Him. His resurrection was in your place just as his death. Your old self is done away with and the new you has been born! Your sinful nature has been dealt its death blow and your new life is here to be lived! Oh yes! There is a mighty lion that death cannot subdue and sin cannot stop. His power extends from the depths of Hell to the glories of Heaven. Hell itself holds no power over you, Christ has endured it for you. Sin has no power- Christ has conquered it. Death has no sting- Christ has absorbed it. All is yours and yours is all in the resurrected Christ.

So let us go back to the Theology lecture. Let us go back to our wretched sin. Is it terrible? Christ is tremendous. Is it ugly? Christ is beautiful. Is it awful? Christ is amazing. Dear sinner, have you a horrible habit of sinning? Christ paid the penalty for it. Have you great doubts that you will ever be able to get victory over your sin? Christ has purchased for you the power to do so already. Oh burdened sinner, oh restless and frustrated saint, oh hopeless and bitter soul- know what is yours in the crucified and risen Christ. There is not a sin that can be held against you before the court of God the Holy One which Christ does not plead your case. Of all your failures, of all your greatest and most wicked acts, there is not one that holds any sway when the risen Christ says, “He’s with me.”
Is this grace impossible in your case? No, it is amazing. Is this love not possible for you? No, it is divine. You have nothing left to ask before God; you have nothing more to say. Christ is yours and you are Christ’s, what duty have you anymore but to praise His name? Yet what delight? You are as righteous as Christ- for He is your righteousness. You possess all that is His- for Christ is God’s and you are Christ’s. You have life eternal, joy to the full, and hope everlasting. The peace that passes all understanding is yours. The mercy that is new every morning is yours. And, oh soul, if you could but taste it now, the love which God loves even his very own Son is yours. This love knows no height that you can hit its roof; and no depth that you can dive to its bottom. It knows no breadth that you can span; nor any greatness you can ever fathom. It is infinite altogether and never ending.
This love is a sweetness that, far from yielding only temporary gratification, fully and lastingly whets the soul. Yea, what the soul finds in Christ is more than enough and fills the soul even to overflowing. It is a fountain bursting with blessings as numerable as the water drops it spews forth. Can you count them? Don’t even bother; rather bathe in this fountain; swim in it, drink deeply of it. Always take your full of it. Breathe in Christ.
Oh, does not the thought of Christ cause you to smile? At the mention of His name does your heart not jump within you? Think of Him, dwell on Him; let Him richly dwell within you. You can never have too much of Christ. Oh person, sit yourself down and preach to yourself Christ. Oh believer, draw nearer to Christ. Oh burdened sinner get yourself up and look upon Christ. Turn your eyes from your sin and see Him there. See Him on the cross. See Him raised again. See Him interceding for you before the Father. He is all you need. He is ever what you will need. He is all you have. And all of Him is yours.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Free Will(y) - Simplified

a scene from Free Willy 7 : Bondage Of The Will*


Has God determined the end from the beginning?
Has He chosen before the foundation of the world?
Will those whom he called be justified, be sanctified, and be glorified?
(see Isaiah 46:10, Ephesians 1:4, Romans 8:29-30 for the answers)

Phil Johnson boils down free willers (arminians) into one of two words:

If tomorrow is predetermined and you don't want to acknowledge that the plan was decreed by God, you have only two choices:

Some being other than God determines the future and is therefore more sovereign than He. That is a kind of idolatry.

Some impersonal force does the determining without reason or coherence. That is a kind of fatalism.

So anyone who denies that God preordained whatsoever comes to pass but wants to avoid both fatalism and idolatry is logically compelled to deny God's omnscience.

That of course, is precisely the rationale that has led so many to embrace Open Theism.

The more sensible option—and the biblical one—would be to abandon Arminian presuppositions and acknowledge that God declared the end from the beginning, and that He works all things according to the counsel of His own will.

-Phil Johnson on Pyromaniacs


God never hands over the reigns of sovereignty ever. Not for a single moment.

*not an actual movie

Hello fellow Talians

Today is Feb. 2 and happens to be my cousin Joey's birthday.  I want to say happy birthday to you Joey and I love you man.  This post is going to be a little different just because as I think about Joey today on his birthday, I am reminded of Proverbs 27:17-"Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another."  The footnote in the MacArthur study bible on this verse says, "The benefits of intellectual and theological discussion encourage joy through a keener mind and the improvement of good character which the face will reveal."  I have been blessed to have this type of relationship with my cousin as well as many other fellow believers in my life and if we stop and think about it, we should be so grateful that the Lord has provided us and surrounded us with fellow believers that will sharpen us and encourage us and spur us on to love/cherish Christ and His work on the cross.  Sometimes I take this God-given fellowship I have for granted but I realize that the times I engage in discussions where that sharpening takes place, I walk away extremely encouraged and grateful that the Lord has placed these individuals in my life.  I hope we remember this blessing of fellowship and spiritual conversations from God and do not disregard what He has provided.    

MacArthur On Sermon Application

At one Sunday evening service this past November, after finishing a sermon on Ephesians 6, John prayed the closing prayer and then suddenly just started this awesome rant about preaching... It was a blessing to be there.