Infinite, and an infant

“I do believe that the very angels have never wondered but once and that has been incessantly ever since they first beheld it. They never cease to tell the astonishing story, and to tell it with increasing astonishment too, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of the Virgin Mary, and became a man. Is he not rightly called Wonderful? Infinite, and an infant — eternal, and yet born of a woman — Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast supporting the universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms — king of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph — heir of all things and yet the carpenter’s despised son. Wonderful art thou O Jesus, and that shall be thy name for ever.”

- Charles Spurgeon

Better news the Gospel brings

“Run, John, run. The law commands
But gives neither feet nor hands.
Better news the gospel brings;
It bids us fly and gives us wings.”

—John Bunyan, quoted by Jerry Bridges in The Discipline of Grace

Gospel remorse

“Legalistic remorse says, ‘I broke God’s rules,’ while real repentance says, ‘I broke God’s heart.’ Legalistic repentance takes sin to Mt. Sinai, gospel repentance to Mt. Calvary. Legalistic repentance is convicted by punishment, gospel repentance becomes convicted by mercy.”

- Tim Keller

Trinity & Incarnation

“Trinity and Incarnation belong together. The doctrine of the Trinity declares that the man Jesus is truly divine; that of the Incarnation declares that the divine Jesus is truly human. Together they proclaim the full reality of the Savior whom the New Testament sets forth, the Son who came from the Father’s side at the Father’s will to become the sinner’s substitute on the cross (Matt. 20:28; 26:36-46; John 1:29; 3:13-17; Rom. 5:8; 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; 8:9; Phil. 2:5-8).”

- J.I. Packer, Concise Theology

God Incarnate

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

“The paradox is amazing. The Creator assumed the human frailty of his creatures. The Eternal One entered time. The all-powerful made himself vulnerable. The all-holy exposed himself to temptation. And in the end the immortal died.”

- John Stott, The Incomparable Christ

In Christ Alone

“It is not faith that saves, but faith in Jesus Christ… It is not, strictly speaking, even faith in Christ that saves, but Christ that saves through faith. The saving power resides exclusively, not in the act of faith or the attitude of faith or in the nature of faith, but in the object of faith.”

- B. B. Warfield quoted by Sinclair Ferguson, In Christ Alone

Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics

John Stossel lays out a convincing case against government intervention by showing why we should not expect our politicians to keep their promises, and also how their attempt at keeping their promises usually backfire on us.




Parts 2-6 can be found at the Campaign for Liberty website.

Bulls & Bears

I thought that these videos of Peter Schiff were sort of funny (in a sad way). Peter Schiff was the economic advisor for Ron Paul and both of them were laughed at and ridiculed by the "experts" for their gloomy predictions about the "invincible" American economy.

Some of these videos of Peter Schiff go back to 2006 and you would think that he was actually able to go to the future and then come back and report what he saw. I mean everything that he said would happen, as far as I can tell, has happened and everybody thought that he was Chicken Little just running around screaming "The sky is falling".








8/28/2006 - Peter Schiff Predicts the US Economic Collapse with Unbelievable Accuracy

Peter Schiff vs Steve Forbes - Part 1

Peter Schiff vs Steve Forbes - Part 2

"From the same mouth come blessing and cursing."

I have to admit that this describes me pretty well on some Sunday's.

James 3

Baptism Resources

After a long summer blog hiatus we are back in action with a new format for some of our Wednesday night meetings. This week we have chosen to host a discussion on Baptism and as a result everyone (hopefully) in the group who will do some research on the topic and check out some of the resources listed below so that each person will be able to add something valuable to the discussion. Since we have readers of our blog who aren't able to join us in our meetings we hope that you can refer back to these blog posts when confronted with the topic. If you can't make it to meeting you can also share your views or ask questions on the topic in the comment section. Also feel free to post any relevant resources you may know of as a comment.

Baptism Resources

Audio

Doctrine of Baptism in and Filling with the Holy Spirit mp3
Wayne Grudem

The Case for Infant Baptism
Gregg Strawbridge

The Case for Believer's Baptism
Tom Schreiner



Text

Wikipedia Article

BAPTISM
THIS RITE EXHIBITS UNION WITH CHRIST
by J. I. Packer

The Evangelical Doctrine of Baptism
John Stott (pdf)

United Methodist Church- Baptism Overview

Southern Baptist Convention & IMB- Baptism Overview




Compiled List of Other Resources

Credobaptism- Believer's Baptism

Paedobaptism- Covenant Infant Baptism

What is thy only comfort in life and death?

The following is taken from the first question in the Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 1. What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed

Laziness in todays society is often celebrated, even encouraged. Most of us can think of times when overachieving is discouraged and underachieving rewarded. I can think back to some of my engineering classes where everyone was discouraged from scoring well on a test for fear that we would mess up the "curve" for the rest. (and this is from the people who will be responsible for building our bridges, cars, power plants, etc.)

The Bible knows nothing of this glorification of laziness, in fact it speaks clearly about it being a sin as well as being shameful. Douglas Wilson over at Blog and Mablog has written a good post of this topic.

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We will find no real help in looking at the Hebrew word for lazy man, or sluggard. It means . . . well, it means lazy man or sluggard. Some things are so universal that they translate well into any language; we all understand what a shirker is. It would simplistic to say that poverty is always caused by laziness, period, as some believe. But it is equally simplistic to say that no poverty is caused by laziness -- as a number of others believe. The linkage we have in our minds between laziness and poverty is one that the Scriptures helped to create. How many times in Scripture do we find the two mentioned together in one breath?

But the Bible does not just say that laziness is an engine of poverty. There are other aspects of this sin. First, laziness is shameful. However common it might be, the Bible teaches that laziness remains a disgrace. "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame" (Prov. 10:4-5). As a sin which brings shame, we should consider well some of its identifying characteristics. As we learn, we should remember that laziness has an obvious alternative. "Go to the ant, you sluggard! . . . " (Prov. 6:6-11). If we put these two truths together, we see that at least some poverty is shameful -- precisely because it was brought about by sinful choices. When the judgment is accurate, this is not "blaming the victim," but rather blaming the perpetrator. This does not mean that the honest, working poor are to be blamed -- the Scriptures never do that. But from the frequency of the warnings in Proverbs on the subject, we may conclude that a significant percentage of the poor are in that condition because of their own poor work ethic. So, for those in that condition, they ought to be ashamed. But instead, in our culture we try to shame the person who was inept enough to point out the obvious. Lazy bums don't have to feel ashamed. But you must feel ashamed if you use the phrase lazy bum.

But Proverbs won't give up this point. Laziness has no follow through. A lazy man may have bursts of activity, and he may even get something done during one of them. But he does not maintain; he does not persevere. "The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession" (Prov. 12:27). Sometimes the lack of follow-through is extraordinary—a very simple thing could be done to bring a project to completion, but he does not do it. "A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge" (Prov. 19:24-25). The solution to laziness is seen in this passage as well—the lazy must be permitted to eat their own cooking (or not, as the case may be). As St. Paul put it, a man not willing to work shouldn't eat.

Laziness if full to the brim of excuses. "The lazy man says, There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!" (Prov. 22:13). Sometimes the excuses are unreasonable—the ancient Hebrew equivalent of "the dog ate my homework," or "aliens kidnapped me . . . what year is it?" Other times the excuses may seem more plausible and hence reasonable, but the results are still the same. "The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing" (Prov. 20:4).

Laziness is full of "wisdom." "In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is folly" (Prov. 14:23-24). The lazy man wears his foolish talk like a crown. He may be full of proverbial wisdom concerning work, but his wisdom is like the legs of a lame man (Prov. 26:7).

"The lazy man says, 'There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!' As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly" (Prov. 26:13-17). Even though the lifestyle is ludicrous, and the folly is apparent to all around, the lazy man has it all figured out. He has more wisdom (in his own eyes) than seven wise men.

Not surprisingly, laziness is an irritation to others. "As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him" (Prov. 10:26). This is not surprising. If one of them is lazy, two men will have very different ideas of what constitutes diligence.

Laziness, like many other things in the world, compounds with interest. "Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger" (Prov. 19:15). "The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich" (Prov. 13:4). Laziness is not rest; it does not prepare for work. It only prepares for more laziness. The laziness grows, along with frustrated desire. Unwillingness to work for something is not the same thing as a willingness to not have it.

Laziness provokes hastiness and deceit. "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death" (Prov. 21:5-6).It is a set up for boneheadedness and lies.

For a man who loves the easy way, laziness is hard to explain, because laziness is hard. "The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway" (Prov. 15:19). Proverbs teaches us that laziness is counterproductive; it does not accomplish its desired end. "The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor" (Prov. 12:24).

And last, laziness is an object lesson, one to be pointed out to your boys. "I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding . . ." (Prov. 24:30). If we are not allowed to talk about it, we cannot teach our sons. And so it must be noted that, at a certain level, laziness is a public event and not a private matter.

Walt Rumfelt Testimony

We had the privilege of having Walt Rumfelt share his testimony with us last Wednesday night and now have that recording available for download here. Walt was a longtime athletic trainer at Crest High School and recently became terribly ill with an unknown infection after returning from a mission trip to Nepal. Walt spent a couple weeks in the Baptist Hospital and is now home recovering and regaining strength daily. His testimony is a powerful example of the results of prayer, faith, and a divine work of our Lord. His testimony is encouraging for those in the toughest of times and a simple reminder that our God is always with us. Be sure to listen to the testimony, share it with others, and keep updated with Walt's story on his website.

Foundation Box Update-James Series

The Foundation Box has been updated with study notes from our current James Series. Feel free to download and share.

Jesus and Navy Seals

Here is an amazing story of a Navy Seal laying down his life to save his fellow soldiers by taking the full force of a grenade blast. Faced with the decision to save his life by escaping before the explosion, he chose instead to sacrifice his own life for the sake of the other Seals. It truly is a heroic act and is one I don't think many would make.

Now try to picture that Navy Seal jumping on the grenade for an enemy, it would be unheard of! It is very rare that someone would die for their friends much less his enemies.

But this is what Christians believed happened in the Gospel. We believe that Jesus Christ the God/Man entered into space and time and gave himself up for his enemies. There was nothing in us that could have drove Christ to do this, we were hostile to God deserving nothing, it is only by grace that he would die for his enemies. I was an enemy of God, and Christ took upon himself the punishment that was rightly mine. This love, this grace, is unheard of, who would die for their enemies? But this is the glorious truth that Paul echos in Romans chapter 5.

6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11)

One of the main purposes and results from this act, is that we as enemies would be reconciled to God through Jesus. We would no longer be considered enemies of God deserving wrath but that God would look upon us as friends and we would receive adoption as sons because of what Christ has done.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/08/seal.medal/index.html

For God so loved the world

I was reading in a book by D.A. Carson the other day and he was talking about God’s salvific stance toward his fallen world. He was explaining John 3:16 and I don’t remember if this was the first time I had heard it explained like this or if I just forgot, but it sort of stood out to me.

He explained that “world” in John does not so much refer to bigness as to badness. Quoting Carson,

“In John’s vocabulary, “world” is primarily the moral order in willful and culpable rebellion against God. In John 3:16 God’s love in sending the Lord Jesus is to be admired not because it is extended to so big a thing as the world, but to so bad a thing; not to so many people, as to such wicked people. Nevertheless elsewhere John can speak of "the whole” (1 John 2:2), thus bringing bigness and badness together. More importantly, in Johannine theology the disciples themselves once belonged to the world but were drawn out of it(e.g., John 15:19). On this axis, God's love for the world cannot be collapsed into his love for the elect.

The same lesson is learned from many passages and themes in Scripture. However much God stands in judgment over the world, he also presents himself as the God who invites and commands all human beings to repent. He orders his people to carry the Gospel to the farthest corner of the world, proclaiming it to men and women everywhere. To rebels the sovereign Lord calls out,

As surely as I live ... I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but
rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil
ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel? - Ezek. 33:11

Every time I have heard or seen John 3:16 referred to it is always in the context of such a big a thing as the world instead of such a wicked thing as the world. That adds a whole other dimension. What you think? Am I the only one who has missed that?

Passion Week on Google Earth

I found this over at the Between Two Worlds blog. It uses Google Earth to map out the major events that occurred during Passion or Holy Week. It also references the Biblical passages and has short descriptions as well.



View Larger Map

It is almost incomprehensible that our Lord and Savior, through whom all things were created, would humble himself to the point that he would step into time and space and be made like his brothers in order that he might taste death for us.

As believers we can rest in the fact that we have a more perfect sacrifice than the blood of bulls and goats. Our substitute was in every way made like us, yet was without sin, perfectly qualified and able to represent us. His blood is of infinite worth able to ransom sinners from an infinite debt. Our substitute perfectly and fully exhausted the wrath of Father on our behalf.

We can also rest in the fact that we have a more perfect High Priest. As High Priest of his own sacrifice, Jesus entered “once and for all” into the true Most Holy Place, not a copy. He entered into the presence of God himself by his own blood to make atonement for the sins many. And just like the High Priest returning from the Holy of Holies was a sign to Israel that God had accepted the sacrifice, the return of our High Priest from the “true Holy of Holies”, otherwise known as the resurrection, is proof that God has accepted the sacrifice of his son on our behalf. It is proof that our debt has been paid in full and that we have been reconciled to God and can draw near to God with a clear conscience and full assurance of faith because of the work of our sin-bearing substitute.

"19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb 10:19-25)

Unlike the High Priest in the old covenant whose priesthood was temporary because of death, our Great High Priest was appointed to office by an oath of God himself, and since he lives forever, “he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb 7:25)

22This makes Jesus the guarantor of^(S) a better covenant. (Heb 7:22)

"to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:21)

Life After, Life After Death

I ran across this interview with N.T. Wright, who in my opinion is one of the best New Testament scholars on the planet and an outstanding author. In this interview on his new book, Suprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, Wright offers insight into some of the concepts discussed in the book. I found his thoughts on a "two-stage postmortem reality" to be especially interesting. Check out what N.T. had to say about life after death:

I put it this way for my audiences: "there is life after life after death." People are very puzzled by that, so I begin to explain it to them. There's life after death. That was Jesus between Good Friday and Easter. He was dead, but he was in whatever life after death is—in paradise without his resurrected body. But that wasn't his final destination. Here I introduce the idea of a two-stage postmortem reality. Most Western Christians have only heard about a two-stage postmortem reality in the Catholic idea of purgatory. That's wrong! A person goes to heaven first and then to the new heavens and new earth. People stare at you like you've just invented some odd heresy, but sorry—this is what the New Testament teaches. The New Testament doesn't have much to say about what happens to people immediately after they die. It's much more interested in the anticipation of the ultimate new world within this one. If you concentrate on preaching life after death, you devalue the present world. Life after life after death, however, reaffirms the value of this present world.

(Be sure to read the rest of the interview when you have time, and think about purchasing the book if you are interested in learning more about the Resurrection and Heaven.)

So what do yall think about these comments? Is it just me or has anyone else read this verse and wondered, "well, what is happening to these dead people until Christ comes back?" Then you flip over to this verse and realize that Jesus told the criminal that he would be with him in paradise that "same day". So what are we to make of these seemingly contrasting verses? Any thoughts? What about Wright's comments?

Can My Church Change?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? Many of you have struggled deeply with this question because you are in leadership at the church where you serve. You realize that your church needs to change, and not just any change (like adding a contemporary service, or getting a full-time youth minister) but a major change. A change that not only will require a complete restructuring of the the leadership in your church, as well as the programs you offer, but a change that goes much deeper than that. Your church needs a change of heart. A change that occurs inside the hearts of every member in the church. A change that won't happen by adding an electric guitar and a LCD projector to a morning service and calling it contemporary worship...no, the type of change we need in some of our churches can only come from God. This type of change is much more than an a big transition. Can this type of change even happen?


I believe it can! I was truly inspired by this article, which is the story of Orchard Valley Community Church. It's a story of a pastor and his personal struggles with the change that needed to happen and ultimately the renewing of a whole church body. It's a story that will give hope to any pastor, leader or member that struggles with the feelings of change.

Sharpe Curve Ahead: Scott Hodge

Moses on Drugs? Was He 'High on the Mountain'?

One researcher seems to think so. Israeli researcher Benny Shanon claims that Moses was on psychedelic drugs when God spoke to him concerning the 10 Commandments. Supposedly these mind altering substances were common among early Israelites during biblical times. This theory would explain the "burning bush" incident and furthers the point that Moses evidently was a junkie. Shanon himself admits to having piddled around with such substances, so evidently the question shouldn't be "What was Moses Smoking?" but rather, "What in the heck is Shanon smoking?"


Read the article here.

How Do You Interpret Scripture? The Hermeneutics Quiz

Have you ever read or heard someone use the word Hermeneutics? Probably not, and yeah....I know, who cares about all those big-fancy Bible Professor words anyway? Well I think this is one word we should at the least be aware of, especially in how it relates to our own study of the Bible even if we never use the word hermeneutics again. In short, Hermeneutics refers to the process of scriptural interpretation. What does that mean to you? Everyone of us who read the Bible interpret it in some form or fashion. Do you read it literally? Do you read it for the major truths? Do you read it as God's infallible, inerrant word, or is it God's inspired word that needs interpretation and contextualization for today? Do you interpret some passages like those on homosexuality as having a literal meaning that is applicable for today or do you read passages like 1 Timothy regarding women as not being need in today's Church?


Well the good people over at Leadership Journal have created a Hermeneutics Quiz that you can take here. (Once you read a little about the quiz click- Take the Hermeneutics Quiz and then click- Take Assessment.)


Let us know what you scored, and what you think about your results. I scored a 52 which labels me as a Conservative Hermeneutic (borderline Moderate). I'm down with that...what are you?

Real Preachers of Genius

I ran across this video the other day and thought it was funny. While not true in every case, it does have some truth to it.

Emerging, Emergent, Evangelical, Orthodox....

Which are you? It seems like there are so many categories, labels, titles, etc. today in America's "Churchianity" that it has become hard to distinguish all the lingo. One blogger has attempted to clarify some of this confusion in the "emerging church" with some pretty neat graphics and a great post. (If you don't recognize any of the names below...don't worry... you are probably better off...but many of you Emerging fans might find this real cool.)



From this chart, where do you fit in? Where does your church or ministry fit in?




What do you think? Do you agree with the grouping? What about Rob Bell, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, Ed Young Jr. and others in the Megachurch camp? Where do they fit in this diagram? What about Joel Osteen? What about influential black pastors like T.D. Jakes, Tony Evans, and Bishop Eddie Long? Anyone else you'd like to see added?

Surety, Mediator, Substitute

In the last post we have seen that the bible describes sin as: (1) debt, (2) enmity, and a (3) crime. We have seen that each and every person is in a state of total helplessness. By nature of God’s sovereignty and authority over our lives, we owe God perfect obedience but even our best efforts are as “filthy rags” the Hebrew literally means “dirty menstrual rags”, no joke. God is obligated to bring justice unless the demands with respect to our debt, state of enmity, and crimes are satisfied.

How are these demands satisfied? As I mentioned at the end of the last post, this satisfaction is provided on behalf of all who repent and believe by the God/Man, Jesus Christ.

In each of the three ways the bible describes sin, Jesus plays a crucial role.

Sin as:	Man	God	Christ
Debt	Debtor	Creditor	Surety
Enmity	Enemy	Violated One	Mediator
Crime	Criminal	Judge	Substitute

When sin is described as a debt, Christ is our Surety (Heb. 7:22). These are both economic terms. Jesus is the one who cosigns the note. He is the one who stands there, backing up our indebtedness, taking on himself the requirement of what must be paid.

When sin is described as an expression of enmity, Christ plays the role of Mediator. When two humans get into a conflict, the mediator is the one who stands in the middle in order to settle the conflict. This is called reconciliation, and this is exactly what Jesus does for us. He reconciles us to God. As a result of our sin we have shown ourselves to be enemies of God, we have separated ourselves and alienated ourselves from God, but Paul writes in 2 Cor. 5:19, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”

When sin is characterized as a crime, Christ is the one who actually comes under judgment. He acts as our substitute, the innocent in the place of the guilty criminals.

It is Christ who makes the satisfaction for our debt, our enmity, and our crimes. It is essential to understand exactly how Jesus functions in each of the crucial roles. Today there are all kinds of misunderstandings on the atonement that are common. According to one popular view, God the Father is enraged at man, but God the Son is sympathetic with fallen man and sides with us and acts as our Mediator to calm the Father’s anger. The father is about to punish everybody and send them to hell, but the Son says: “Punish Me instead. Let Me stand in their place.” According to this view, there is a tension or a split within the Godhead itself, as if the Father has an agenda and the Son persuades Him to change His mind. It is a widespread belief that the Son seems more loving, patient, and compassionate than the Father.

In “The Truth of the Cross”, Sproul gives an illustration that is really helpful. He gives the following scenario. Imagine that I go to a friend and say: “Don, I’m in trouble. I need to borrow $10,000. Would you lend me $10,000?” And Don says, “Sure.” He lends me $10,000 and I understand that I now owe him $10,000. We have a perfectly legal and ethical arrangement. Unfortunately, I wake up one morning and I find out I can’t pay the $10,000. Now I’m in big trouble. However, my brother says: “Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay the $10,000.” So he pays Don the money that I owe. Now I owe Don nothing. My debt has been cancelled 100 percent. In fact, he must receive that $10,000 legal tender in payment for the debt because the only responsibility I have to him is to pay the money. That’s the way a debt is.

Now suppose I were to break into Don’s house and steal $10,000. Don comes home and finds his $10,000 missing and calls the police. The police track me down and find the $10,000 in my possession and arrest me. I might say: “I’m sorry Don, here take the money back and let’s just forget it.” Or perhaps I have spent the money by the time they arrest me, but my brother steps in again and says, “Wait a minute, I’ll give him the $10,000.” In either scenario, Don is not bound to receive that $10,000 and wipe the slate clean because not only have I incurred a “debt” to Don, I have committed a crime against him and have violated him as a person. He has the right to decide whether he will accept that payment and refuse to press charges – because he is the one who has been wronged.

When Jesus offers to make satisfaction for me, in order for that payment to be accepted, God the Father, who is my Creditor, the party I have violated, and my Judge, must decide that He will accept payment from another in my behalf. In other words, if I owe God the death penalty because I sinned against Him, and Jesus says, “I will die for him,” and then lays down His life and dies for me, would the Father be under any obligation whatsoever to accept the payment? No. There first must be a judgment or decree by the creator of the universe that He will in fact accept a substitutionary payment for my debt, my enmity, and my crime. The beauty of it is that the Father did accept Jesus’ substitutionary payment for us. There was a prior decision of the Father that was based on sheer grace. At some point before time began, He made the decision to accept the satisfaction made by a Substitute. We may think the Son is more loving that the Father, but whose idea was it for us to have a Mediator? Who sent the Mediator? God the Father sent the Son to be the Mediator who would reconcile us to himself. “God so love the world that He gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16)

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all^[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

In the cross we see perfect justice mixed with perfect mercy. At the cross, forgiveness was achieved by canceling the debt that stood against us. This debt was not a hypothetical debt or paper debt, but it was an actual legal debt in which Christ’s own flesh was nailed to the cross. The wrath of God was removed from believing sinners as a result of Christ bearing the full force of God’s wrath in our place.

From the famed suffering servant passage in Isaiah 53:

…5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed….10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53: 5 & 10)

He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:14)

Not everyone today understands the idea of God having to be just. God is typically pictured as being so absolutely and unconditionally loving that he can forgive sin on the basis of his love alone. This is an extremely dangerous position to be in because it neglects two other important parts of his nature- holiness and justice. Even worse than that, it reduces the infinitely costly sacrifice of the Son of God to having almost no purpose whatsoever. If God can justify on the basis of love alone, then the cross was not needed. It overlooks the purpose and beauty of the cross which was God’s ultimate display of his love towards an undeserving people.

As you may be starting to see, the Gospel is more than just a handbook on how to get saved. The Gospel is simple enough for anyone to understand yet deep enough to where we can study it our whole lives and never fully exhaust the truths that it contains. The Gospel is not just for unbelievers, it is for everyone no matter what the situation. Just think about all of the problems in 1 Corinthians that the church had. After every problem Paul mentioned in Corinthians the answer was always the Gospel.

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

Take favoritism or partiality as an example since we just talked about it yesterday in James. How do you stop showing favoritism toward people like yourself or rich and important people? How do you stop judging those who are outcast, unimportant or poor? The answer again is the Gospel. In light of the Gospel it is arrogant and presumptuous to think of yourselves more highly than others, as if there is something inherently good within you that makes you better or more important than someone else. There is a hint of pride wrapped up in favoritism. The cross removes all traces of pride and all grounds for boasting; all that is left is humbleness and thanksgiving. The cross reminds us that we were all debtors, enemies, and criminals, and that it was only by sheer grace that God chose us and called us out of the darkness.

26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Sin as Cosmic Treason

Popular church leaders, writers, and Christian thinkers are saying that we have talked too much about sin and the cross. They say we as a culture have been “Gospel Hardened” and the cure for that is not more Gospel but less gospel. We are told that we should first tell them about the wonderful plan God has for their lives, how to have better finances and well behaved children, instead of telling them about sin and how to escape the coming wrath (1 Thess1:4-10) Even after becoming Christians many people see the Gospel only as an introductory message to Christianity. It is seen only as a message about how to be saved rather than “the” message of Christianity.

It doesn’t help that we as Evangelicals have added to this thinking by reducing the Gospel to a few hoops one must jump through in order to be saved. If we can get someone to come down during an alter call, raise their hand, and then repeat a prayer, we can hand them their salvation along with their assurance in a two for one ticket. Instead of being saved by grace through faith in the substitutionary work of Christ on our behalf, we are saved by faith or hope that the prayer we prayed when we were younger worked. Seems a lot like superstations rather than faith (and we Protestants think the Catholics and their Marian dogmas are superstitious). Shame on us for reducing the Gospel to some man-made tactics we can deploy at will.

8The 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." (John 3:8)

From my experience, and I can say my experience because I find it true in my own life, is that after a person comes face to face with their sin, repents and believes the Gospel, over time the Gospel get replaced. We start to forget about it and depend on other things like our knowledge, our good works, or how we stack up to other people. We think about it maybe once a year at Easter, during communion (that’s probably once a quarter if you’re a Baptist), or maybe the preacher mentions it in a passing phrase before the service is over. Or just think about all the youth conferences (granted some are better than others) that are designed to “fire up” believers through music, charismatic speakers and emotional alter calls only to find that passion quickly fade a few days later. I am learning that true enduring passion is derived from one’s understanding and experience of the Gospel, not by rededicating your life at a retreat every year. One glimpse of the Gospel should be enough to move a truly regenerate believer to follow, and that same Gospel will enable them to endure until the race is finished.

God has been showing me through the Bible that I will never outgrow my need for the Gospel. Sincere repentance is continual. Only when we begin to repent from sin and turn to Christ do we begin to see the evil of our sin. Our human nature and mind has the capability of deceiving us, we begin to justify sin and downplay its implications. It is only through repentance and setting our eyes upon Jesus and his work on the cross that we begin to see God’s love in light of our sin. Spurgeon said that, “Repentance makes us see the evil of sin, not merely as a theory, but experimentally-as a burnt child dreads fire.”

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation…” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

You never outgrow your need for the Gospel. It is not something you believe when you first become a Christian, and then you move past it on your way to something “deeper”. You never outgrow you dependence on Jesus for the slightest good in your life, you never arrive. The Christian life is a daily reliance on the Gospel; we are to be humbled daily by the Cross. The Cross reminds us that sin is serious, hell is real, and Grace is costly. The Cross reminds us that perfect obedience is demanded from us, and because of our rebellion we have separated ourselves from God, we have incurred an infinite debt, we have become accursed, and we have shown ourselves to be enemies of God. The cross reminds us that Jesus became a curse for us, that God has reconciled us to himself through Christ. The Cross reminds us that we are not our own, that we were bought at a price; we were redeemed from bondage and slavery to sin and have become slaves of righteousness.

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”(Galatians 3:1-3)

Now, you may not follow where I am going with this, everyone has heard it over and over, “the cross is important”, “Jesus died for my sins”, “make Jesus the center of your lives.” But how many people are actually living Christ centered lives? How many people have a Christ centered worldview? How many people live with full submission to Jesus’ Lordship over their lives, one that demands they take up their cross follow him? We all struggle with that, it is a process that we cannot accomplish on our own. And I am convinced that you can’t do that apart from Gospel.

Now this is important because the necessity of the cross is becoming more controversial than ever right now. Even from within the Church, the concept of the atonement (especially penal substitution) is being challenged. Many believe God can’t punish sin and send people to Hell so everyone must be saved. Many believe the cross wasn’t necessary because there are other ways to God, and many believe we are already saved and just need to realize it. People just don’t believe they need a savior. No one is rushing to the bookstores asking how to be reconciled to God. No one is asking how to understand the depth of the cross; no one is seeking to understand what Jesus has done for us. It doesn’t sell. We want to know how to “Have our Best Life Now” or when the rapture is going to happen.

Sometimes we forget and need to be reminded of what God has done. Sometimes we need to repent because we have gotten off track and replaced Christ with some form of idolatry. At some point we had to believe for the first time, and for those who have never placed their faith in Jesus, the command is to repent and believe for the first time. Whatever your situation, the Gospel is always just as important.

At the very center of the Gospel is the concept of substitutionary atonement, there are other aspects of the Gospel that are very important as well but I wanted to talk some about substitution since we are approaching the season of Lent, maybe I’ll talk about the other aspects later. I wanted to show how the Bible talks about sin, and our need for atonement, and how Jesus redeemed us from the penalty of sin by providing atonement for our sins. Before we can understand the full depth of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross we must first understand the situation that he saved us from. So, for now I will show how the Bible describes sin and follow it up with another post on how Jesus plays a crucial role in each situation.

I read a book a while back called “The Truth of the Cross” by R.C. Sproul, and in that book he writes that the bible describes sin in at least three distinct ways. Biblically, sin is described as a debt, it is described as a state of enmity, and it is described as a crime.

Sin as a Debt

The first way the Bible talks about sin is debt. In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus taught that Christians have a duty to forgive others’ debts because God forgave us of our debts. Also, the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 says “and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” So how do we incur a debt against God and how does that relate to sin? First off we have to understand the role of God as Sovereign Lord over creation. Sovereignty implies that God is the author of our lives and therefore has authority over us. If a person has authority over someone else it means that they have the right to impose obligations that we must meet. So if God imposes obligations on me, I owe obedience to Him, and if I fail to obey, I incur a debt.

So, just think for a moment, if a perfectly and completely Holy God imposes moral obligations on us, what is required of us? This is the crux of the problem as R.C says, because we owe God perfect obedience. If I am responsible to be perfect, and I sin once, what must I do to be perfect? What do I have to do to become perfect once I have been made imperfect? The truth is, we can’t make that one little spot clean, it is impossible.

The bigger problem is that we are not just basically good people with a few minor spots and blemishes, the Bible describes us as being corrupt to our very core, every part of our being has been tainted by sin, our minds, hearts, desires, our will has all been tainted by the fall. We are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6),we are hostile to God and cannot submit to God’s law (Romans8:7-8). By nature of the above, we have incurred an infinite debt that is impossible to repay.

Sin as Enmity

The second way the bible talks about sin is as an expression of enmity. Sin is an expression of hostility towards God; it is a violation of the personal relationship we are supposed to have with God. When we sin, we do not communicate love towards God; instead we are rejecting him and openly declaring our hostility towards Him. The Bible also explains that God has never violated us, he never treats us unjustly, and he never breaks a promise. We are the ones that violate the relationship and show ourselves to be God’s enemies. That is important because a lot of people, even Christians, misunderstand this. You find people all the time who are angry at God because they feel they have been treated unfairly or unjustly. “How could God allow this to happen to me?” “If God were really good, then he would recognize all of the good things I do and treat me accordingly”. In the realm of human relationships, if someone violates me, it is fair to bring that before God and ask him to make that situation right. But it is never legit to claim that God is unjust for allowing that to happen. When it comes to sin, God is always the injured party, ultimately all sin is an offence against God (Psalm 51:4). As a result of our sin, our relationship with God is broken and we have become separated and alienated from him.

Sin as a Crime

Third, the Bible describes sin as a crime. We have seen that God has the right to impose moral obligations on us. Those moral obligations come in the form of laws we are demanded to obey. When we don’t conform, we are breaking the law and committing a crime against God. In this understanding, God acts as the Judge. When we fail to obey, God has an obligation as a just judge, to bring judgment on us and punish all crimes. God’s justice, just like his holiness, is a perfect justice. He does not compromise his justice or his holiness, so sin must be punished.

In each sense, God’s demands must be satisfied or he is obligated to bring judgment. So how are we to satisfy the demands and obligations God has required of us? The truth is there is nothing we can do to merit righteousness. There is nothing we can do to repay our debt, nothing we can do to reconcile ourselves to God. The ransom price is infinitely high. The only thing that can satisfy the demands God requires from us, was also provided for us by Him. The only person to ever completely fulfill all the requirements and obligations of law, the only person to never incur a debt, never rebel against God, never commit a crime, was the God/Man, and it is only by his blood we have atonement for our sins. Only a sacrifice of infinite worth is able to ransom slaves from an infinite debt.

Only after we have a correct understanding of God and his character do we really come to understand the depth of our depravity and our utter dependence on what Martin Luther called an “alien righteousness”.

I have shown briefly that the Bible describes sin in at least three distinct ways, next post will be the good stuff as we learn how Jesus plays a crucial role for us in each case.

Select a Candidate 2008

Since we are on a recent series of political posts, I thought I would post a good resource that will help match your views with particular candidates. A Illinois news channel has created a Select a Candidate Quiz that asks you questions regarding a series of issues and you respond by selecting your view on the issue as well as its' importance to you. It is only 11 questions long and after completion it gives you a rank order of the candidates based on how similar your views are to theirs. Enjoy!

Take the Quiz Here

If you take the quiz: Did you find the results to be what you expected? Any surprises?

Can a Church or Pastor Endorse a Political Candidate?

Can a pastor endorse a candidate from the pulpit? Can a church hang up Huckabee or Clinton signs all over the building (well maybe Hillary signs in a church is a little far stretched...but...it could happen) and urge you to vote for a certain candidate? Is it even legal?

You will never see us as a ministry endorse a particular candidate on this blog or at any of our worship services. However, if you were to personally ask me who I am going to vote for I would be glad to tell you who my favorite candidate is. But it is never OK for a church, ministry, or non-profit agency to endorse a candidate. In fact, it is against the law. That's right, it is unlawful for a non-profit organization to directly endorse or oppose a political candidate. That was new news to me as well but Out of Ur published a wonderful blog on this issue entitled: Politics from the Pulpit. I hope you will check it our and read the article.

Comments? Have you ever heard a pastor endorse a candidate from the pulpit? Or more likely, have you ever heard a pastor, church, or ministry oppose a political candidate?

Obama's Call to Renewal

“(Obama's speech on faith) may be the most important pronouncement by a Democrat on faith and politics since John F. Kennedy's Houston speech in 1960 declaring his independence from the Vatican...Obama offers the first faith testimony I have heard from any politician that speaks honestly about the uncertainties of belief.”

— E.J. Dionne, Op-Ed., Washington Post, June 30, 2006

While we are on the topic of Christian politics I thought I would share some quick thoughts from a speech that Senator Barack Obama made back in June of 2006. I was ignorant of this speech until a couple weeks ago when I stumbled across it on Obama's campaign website. I was drawn into reading the speech because of the above mentioned quote that caught my attention. I think many times "Evangelicals" in America believe that all Democrats are liberal atheists with no faith at all, or at best, practice an unauthentic faith that is only put on to reel in Evangelical votes. I think overlooking an entire party when deciding who to vote for based upon religious stereotypes (whether it be the "liberal heathens" or the "hell-fire, fundamentalist conservatives") is the biggest mistake a voter can make.

This blog entry isn't intended to be an endorsement of Obama, but rather a discussion starter continuing on the topic of faith and politics. With that being said, I would like to share some quotes from Obama's speech on faith and politics. I hope you'll join the conversation and comment with your thoughts and whether or not you agree or disagree with anything mentioned. And if you are a Christian, does everything Obama say in this speech line up with sound Biblical Theology?

_______

"Indeed, the single biggest "gap" in party affiliation among white Americans today is not between men and women, or those who reside in so-called Red States and those who reside in Blue, but between those who attend church regularly and those who don't."


"This religious tendency is not simply the result of successful marketing by skilled preachers or the draw of popular mega-churches. In fact, it speaks to a hunger that's deeper than that - a hunger that goes beyond any particular issue or cause."

"And in time, I came to realize that something was missing as well -- that without a vessel for my beliefs, without a commitment to a particular community of faith, at some level I would always remain apart, and alone."

"Because of its past, the black church understands in an intimate way the Biblical call to feed the hungry and cloth the naked and challenge powers and principalities. And in its historical struggles for freedom and the rights of man, I was able to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world. As a source of hope."

"You need to come to church in the first place precisely because you are first of this world, not apart from it. You need to embrace Christ precisely because you have sins to wash away - because you are human and need an ally in this difficult journey."


"After all, the problems of poverty and racism, the uninsured and the unemployed, are not simply technical problems in search of the perfect ten point plan. They are rooted in both societal indifference and individual callousness - in the imperfections of man. Solving these problems will require changes in government policy, but it will also require changes in hearts and a change in minds."

"In fact, because I do not believe that religious people have a monopoly on morality, I would rather have someone who is grounded in morality and ethics, and who is also secular, affirm their morality and ethics and values without pretending that they're something they're not."

"Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God's will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all."

"Even those who claim the Bible's inerrancy make distinctions between Scriptural edicts, sensing that some passages - the Ten Commandments, say, or a belief in Christ's divinity - are central to Christian faith, while others are more culturally specific and may be modified to accommodate modern life. The American people intuitively understand this, which is why the majority of Catholics practice birth control and some of those opposed to gay marriage nevertheless are opposed to a Constitutional amendment to ban it. Religious leadership need not accept such wisdom in counseling their flocks, but they should recognize this wisdom in their politics."

________



Any thoughts?


Read Obama's 'Call to Renewal'

Beliefnet Article with Video Clips

Christian Politics: An Ethical Standard of Human Life (pro-life)

“Christian politics” as I stare at that phrase up on my computer screen while trying to catch glimpses of the debates on TV I get the feeling that the idea is an oxymoron. Nevertheless I have decided to do a blog on the subject.

Before I get started, I do want to preface this by saying these are opinions. I will do my best not to lean toward either party or any particular candidate. I do have candidates that I like more than others, but my goal is not to persuade anyone toward anyone. My goal is to discuss values that I believe biblically all Christians should hold. Please read my views carefully and test them for your selves; and by the way, argue against them or for them if you feel the need.

Well, if I’m doing this thing and we all know how good I am at making people mad, I might as well just take on the entire moral majority at once. Christians should believe in an ethical standard of human life. This idea is neither new nor controversial. The right to “life” is even outlined in our Declaration of Independence. Even so, some how, some where, the idea of morality in politics got narrowed down to abortion and gay marriage. I suppose I’ll begin with the easy stuff.

Christians should be Pro-life. This holds true absolutely on the abortion issue. I do not believe that Christians should attack anyone who’s ever had an abortion. That is not the role that Christ called us to, but I do believe we should try and dissuade women from having them. There are too many righteous options and too many couples trying to adopt because they cannot have children. These views lead me to the belief that politicians and leaders should do more to make these options more attractive. This blog is a Pro-life blog though, not an anti-abortion.

Christians should be Pro-life. That means that Christians should be anti-Capitol punishment. There are many very solid very compelling arguments for Capitol punishment. This is an area of disagreement among Christians, even those who oppose abortion. However I do not believe that capitol punishment lines up with ideas like “Vengeance is mine says the Lord” (Romans 12:19-21) or “You without sin throw the first stone” (Luke 8:7). Capitol punishment is also a way of doubting the power of Jesus to restore and redeem, after all, is there any without sin? If I remember right it was a persecutor of Christ who ended up writing the majority of the new testament.

Christians should be Pro-life. That means that Christians should hold all human life to be sacred and treated as such. Psalms tells us that God creates individual life (139:13-14). Everything made by God should be valued as such. Christians also should hold that all life is eternal. (That’s not to say everyone will spend it together) Here’s where it gets messy. If all human life is sacred then so are the lives of murders, unborn children, people living in poverty, people dying of disease, people fighting wars, people whom wars are being fought around, dirt bags, mugs, thugs, riff raff, ruffians, hooligans, and even….Methodists! (Sorry for the Blazing Saddles reference) What I should have included on that list is people who are terrorists. Christians should not be ok with torture in any form, any way, or from any source. Churches are built on the blood of martyrs and Christianity spreads because of perseverance in the face of persecution, not by the sword. It is better for Christians to die for their belief in the love, mercy and abundant grace of Christ as well as our faith in eternal life, than it is to betray that for the sake of mortal life. (Matt 16:24-27)

I will get more into the idea of holding human life sacred on issues of poverty and disease and war later. For now, read what I’ve written, test it and let me know what you think.