A writer at Fox News just wrote:
"Slowly but surely, history has bent toward justice because we, the people, ultimately bend toward justice."
I beg to differ. We are by nature prone to go astray from God, His righteousness and justice. It is only God's restraining grace in the unregenerate that prevents them from doing all their sinful hearts desire. And it is only by the Holy Spirit that those who who were formerly unregenerate are transformed into just and holy people.
Justice and righteousness is coming, but not because of "we, the people." It's coming because Christ is coming again to rule and reign and to set things in order. We're just waiting for Him.
2 Peter 3:13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Maranatha!
GOD-WROUGHT LOVE: DEEDS + TRUTH
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
What strong evidence for the new birth!
What a marvelous demonstration that God's truth is in you!
What a mighty verification that Christ is indeed your advocate and propitiation!
What fantastic confirmation that you are walking in the light as He is in the light!
What powerful testimony that one's faith and confession that Christ is Lord is from God!
These are all things that God accomplishes for you and in you.
Truth and love in action--evidence that Christ has saved you, is saving you and will complete that salvation when He returns in glory.
I hope to be posting more often in the weeks to come. I've missed the virtual interaction with each other precisely because of the Christ-exalting truths you all shared that would give feet to God's truth in our lives. Perhaps some of you will pick up the "pen" again and share with this old man some Christ-centered truth.
I'd be most grateful.
Blessings in Christ, Joshua Ritchie
What strong evidence for the new birth!
What a marvelous demonstration that God's truth is in you!
What a mighty verification that Christ is indeed your advocate and propitiation!
What fantastic confirmation that you are walking in the light as He is in the light!
What powerful testimony that one's faith and confession that Christ is Lord is from God!
These are all things that God accomplishes for you and in you.
Truth and love in action--evidence that Christ has saved you, is saving you and will complete that salvation when He returns in glory.
I hope to be posting more often in the weeks to come. I've missed the virtual interaction with each other precisely because of the Christ-exalting truths you all shared that would give feet to God's truth in our lives. Perhaps some of you will pick up the "pen" again and share with this old man some Christ-centered truth.
I'd be most grateful.
Blessings in Christ, Joshua Ritchie
In Christ Alone-ish
This was never intended to be a polemical blog. My desire was to share what I was learning around the time I was saved. I was excited to share the truths of the gospel becuse I was freshly effected by them. However, there are times when a diamond can be placed against a black backdrop in order to see its facets more clearly.
Just recently the leaders of the PCUSA gathered to discuss the new hymnal they will be producing. One of the songs that came up during discussion was In Christ Alone. It had been their practice, during times of worship in song, to change the lyrics from"Til on that cross as Jesus died/ The wrath of God was satisfied" to "The love of God was magnified." This was due to PCUSA's rejection of Penal Substitutionary Atonement. Thus, when discussing its placement in the new hymnal, the leaders had to make the decision to either keep the author's original lyrics or remove it from the hymnal. They decided on the latter.
There is much that could be said about this but I'll stick to two thoughts:
1. What message do we have if it is void of the payment for sin?
What is the purpose of the cross at that point? Most likely it is a message of "Jesus was the perfect example of self-sacrafice. Go and do likewise." This may be A gospel - But it is not THE gospel.
2. Is the message that we sing and proclaim acceptable to those who reject the gospel?
I saw the hymn Lift High The Cross in a Catholic hymnal. It made me pay closer attention to lyrics. This past January, Andy Stanley preached at the inauguration service for President Obama. He taught from John 13 where Jesus washed His disciples feet. The point of this this section was Jesus preparing His disciples for His death. He told them "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." Jesus was proclaiming the gospel here. Stanley had the perfect opportunity to do the same. Instead, he told President Obama to be a servant leader. At least the PCUSA is consistent.
As I said, my goal is not to be a hater, simply to exalt the beauty of the gospel. It certainly shines bright against the backdrop of moralism.
Photo credit: Eric Richardson
The Supremacy of Christ
Our brother Brent created this amazing video (including the music).
You can contact him at taliablog (AT) email.com
