The Kingdom of God

Being Sunday, I have a brief article today. My thoughts were spurred by a post I saw on Facebook. The entry contained a quote from R. C. Sproul.

“The kingdom of God is not of the people, by the people, or for the people. It is a kingdom ruled by a King, and God does not rule by the consent of His subjects but by His sovereign authority. His reign extends over me whether I vote for Him or not.”

What a tremendous statement teaching the sovereign rule of our great God! With humility I would add just a few more words to Dr. Sproul’s final sentence.

“His reign extends over me whether I vote for Him or not or whether I believe in Him or not.”

I know some people who were raised in the church, professed Christ, were baptized, then strayed and now confess they do not believe God’s Word, nor do they believe there is a God. Obviously, they were never born again. These are true apostates, always separated from God and will be forever separated from Him unless they repent and trust Christ.

Learning of such a betrayal causes me to ponder why. What could have led to this complete denial? Well, it’s their sinful nature. Though they knew God’s truth, they never surrendered to Him or His Word. But why do they remain so firmly against God now? They are comfortable living in their sin, know, from their earlier teaching, it is sin, but enjoy that sin so much, the only way they can continue to live is to deny it is sin. And, to accomplish that trick, they must deny the Word and even deny God’s existence.

Oh, my prayer is that Christ have mercy on them over this Christmas season. May the Spirit draw them back towards the Lord and may they finally and completely repent of their sin and turn to Christ in true saving faith.

 May the Lord Jesus be exalted for His life, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His forever reign as a merciful, gracious, and just King!

 

How Many Does It Take?!

Moving on to Matthew 14:33, I find this verse humorous, interesting, yet also quite profound. Using the English Standard Version translation, we read:

“And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”

 “Those in the boat” are his disciples of course. I haven’t done any in-depth research on which of the disciples were present, but my assumption is that all twelve were there. These closest followers of Jesus perform two actions: (1) they worship him and (2) they pronounce him to be the Son of God. Why do I find this to be humorous?

Several events have occurred in Matthew 14 before this verse. Briefly recapping them, his disciples had seen Jesus take five loaves of bread and two fish and feed five thousand. When they picked up the scraps, they filled twelve baskets. The only words recorded in the Gospels concerning this event are spoken by the crowd. “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world” (John 6:14). If the disciples had any response, it was not recorded.

Next, the disciples take the boat and begin their journey across the Sea of Galilee, battling the wind for several hours. Jesus suddenly appears walking on the water. Scripture records the disciples’ response to this sight. They are terrified and they believe Jesus is a ghost.

Peter requests to walk on the water with the Lord and the request is granted. So, not only could Christ walk on water, but he could enable others to do likewise. The eleven in the boat would have witness this, but, once again, no response from them. Peter does cry out to the Lord to save him once he begins to sink.

Jesus and Peter finally enter the boat and the winds immediately cease. Even more miraculous, recall the disciples were about two-thirds across the lake when Jesus arrived. John 6:21 adds to the ceasing of the wind. “... and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” IMMEDIATELY!

A chapter like this one causes me to briefly chuckle. Miracle after miracle and no response. These men must be blind and stupid! “Why, if I had been one of the twelve, I would have fallen at Christ’s feet after He fed the five thousand!” Sure, I would! I am just as blind and stupid as they were. Why? Because of sin.

How many miracles must Jesus perform before the disciples respond to Him? Oh, as sinful beings, our hearts and minds are hardened by sin. These disciples have been eyewitnesses to these events and only now do they finally acknowledge Christ’s uniqueness.

Many throughout history have witnessed miracles in their own lives, attesting to the existence of God and His Divine Son. But sin has them in bondage. Perhaps they narrowly escaped a vehicle accident or survived one. Maybe they were overcome by some illness, weren’t responding to treatment, yet survived. Or they were persecuted by some entity and almost gave in. But strength came from somewhere to enable them to endure. There was a time when they had little money with bills overdue and suddenly they received an anonymous gift of cash. How many of us have experienced similar incidents and failed to recognize the God who was performing them? Well, the disciples appear to have missed them as well.

Here in verse thirty-three, the story changes. NOW they worship Him. NOW they call Him “the Son of God.”

We can’t know another man’s heart. Certainly, the worship offered by these twelve men was not pure worship for at least some of them (maybe all). Judas Iscariot is among them. Maybe he sincerely dropped to his knees and admired this amazing man before Him. But, apart from the indwelling Spirit of God, there is no true worship (John 4:24). I doubt if any of the twelve Scripturally worshipped Christ that day.

Again, how many of us do the same? Our churches are filled with followers of Christ who are not born again and do not possess the Spirit. They come to church and offer “worship,” but their worship is not received by the Lord. Furthermore, I fear there are times when true believers also perform worship out of habit but separated from their heart. Sin and Satan continue to work against even the believer.

And, as noted, these twelve also call Jesus “the Son of God.” Perhaps they sincerely meant what they said. The things they had witnessed that day convinced them Jesus was unique among men. The only explanation was He must be God’s Son. But, as with worship, you might genuinely believe Christ is “the Son of God,” but remain a lost soul. Your head has accepted that truth. But your heart has not yield, you have not repented, and you have not turned to Christ with saving faith, trusting Him with your eternal soul. You are just like the demons. They believe in doctrine, but shudder before God (James 2:19).

My call to those who read this post is to make certain you are a true believer in Christ. Do you truly worship Him? Is He truly the Lord of your life? To believe in Christ is to trust in Christ and to trust in Christ is to follow and depend upon Him. Is that you?

Do you truly believe He is the Son of God, God in the flesh? The Creator, the Redeemer, the Intercessor, the Judge; do you truly believe these things? Have you bowed your knee and put all your trust in Him? If not, please do so today. Confess your sins to Him. Ask Him to forgive you. Turn from your sinful ways and trust Him to do so now and for the rest of your life.

Praise the Almighty, Jesus the Messiah IS the Son of God!

 

The Wind Ceased

 Yesterday, my daily translation exercise brought me to Matthew 14:32, a brief verse which reads:

 “And when they got into the boat the wind ceased.”

 Working out the translation was simple and straightforward so that was not what grabbed me. I’ve read this verse many times over the years, but never felt the impact of those words until yesterday.

 The flow of the chapter includes Jesus feeding the five thousand. After that pericope concludes, Jesus immediately sends his disciples via a boat across the Sea of Galilee. Once they have departed, he goes up on a mountain and prays.

Bringing the various Gospel accounts together, we find the disciples are making little headway because of the strong, stormy winds flowing over the sea. These men are professional fishermen, familiar with boats and intense winds. According to John’s account and the geography of the sea, we can estimate the disciples had only gone about two-thirds of the distance despite rowing for several hours.

 Suddenly, they see a figure walking on the water. They are terrified. Jesus calms His followers by calling out to them. Peter, in a moment of faith and courage, requests Jesus to let him walk on the water. We know the story, of course. Jesus does so, Peter steps out and briefly walks on the water, notices the wind and the waves, and begins to sink. He cries out to Jesus to save him, and the Lord graciously does. The next scene brings us to Matthew 14:32.

 “And when they (i.e., Jesus and Peter) got into the boat THE WIND CEASED.”

 Amazing! After battling the wind for hours, it suddenly ceases when Jesus and Peter are in the boat. I’m convinced it is a miracle performed by Christ. Whether or not, though, that is not what struck me. Let me explain.

 The Christian walking in this world is constantly battling the winds. These may be financial winds, employment winds, relationship winds, or a combination of various winds. Life, even for the believer, is difficult while he lives in this sinful society. He has the indwelling Spirit. He has the forgiveness procured by Christ. He has the love of God revealed by our regeneration. Nevertheless, he must battle those winds every day. There are days when the winds are stronger than other days. He is one of those disciples in the boat struggling against the winds. Then Jesus comes. He comes through our meditation of Scripture. He comes as we call out to God in prayer. He comes as we hear the Word of God proclaimed. The believer remembers all Christ has done on his behalf. He came to save sinners and the believer is one. That salvation required Christ’s death on the cross. The Lord’s death guarantees the believer’s forgiveness of all sin, payment for all sin, and assurance of a future home in glory where there will be no more sin.

 As he reflects upon these truths and Christ’s promises, the winds cease. He becomes more calm and more confident. Considering Christ even for a moment during such troubles will bring joy and peace to one’s soul.

 Yes, the winds will return. They may take a different form (e.g., car breakdown, unexpected illness) but they will be back possibly with even more fury. When they come, let us consider our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and experience a respite from the storm.

 “And when they got into the boat the wind ceased.”

A Nightmare OFF Elm Street

It was only a dream; well, more like a nightmare!

I awoke with a start on that Sunday morning as a result of the dream. While not reality, the dream did contain foreboding images and sounds which would not depart from my brain. Sensing something amiss, my wife asked me what was wrong. I told her I was in a bad mood because of the dream.

For the remainder of that day, I could not clear my head of the horrible events I witnessed in my sleep. Some of my family interpreted my quietness and the absence of interest in variable events of the day to mean I was angry. But, that was not the case. It was not anger that troubled me; it was fear. This fear arose out of what I envisioned in my dream and the possibility it may foretell the future.

I’ve never been one to put much credence in the interpretation of dreams. Usually, I simply dismiss any which I recall once awake. God once revealed Himself to our ancestors in dreams, but I’m not convinced He does so today. If He would give us a dream for some purpose, that vision must align with the words of Scripture. God’s revelation has been sealed for centuries; no new revelation is being given, only illumination of His revealed Word. Therefore, I lay no claim that this horrific dream was God-sent.

Nevertheless, it remains with me days later. I’ve struggled with whether to share the content of the dream or to keep it to myself. Furthermore, I’ve struggled with what, if anything, I can do about it.

I’m writing this article to explain what I dreamt and attempt to do something positive from it.

First, the reader must have some background on our family. My wife and I have nine, grown children. All eleven of us, at one time or another, have professed Jesus as our Lord and been immersed. Furthermore, we have eighteen grandchildren ranging in age from one to twenty-five. Some of them have also made professions of faith in Christ.

I must also confess I have developed a ridiculous fear of crowds (ochlophobia) over the past decade. On occasion, if I am in a large group of people, I become extremely nervous and have an urgent need to extricate myself from the situation. At times, I have successfully managed to control the fear. But, I never know beforehand if I can do so.

With that knowledge, I begin my recollection of my dream. It came to me in two distinct parts.

First, my entire family were visiting Disney World. We were walking around when my ochlophobia began. After attempting to control it for a brief time, I told my family I must leave them and return to the hotel room. To my dismay and surprise, some of them laughed at me, some mocked me, and others yelled at me for not seeing a doctor about my condition. None of this mattered to me, and I departed for the solitude of the hotel room.

Second, while relaxing in my room and recovering from my panic, I began to hear voices. I sat up in my bed and distinctly heard the voices of some of my family. Someone was shouting, “Dad, please help me.” Another screamed, “Grandpa, help!” The voices became louder in volume and more in number.

Concerned for my family’s well-being, I leapt from my bed, threw on my shoes, and bolted for the door. Meanwhile, the voices were growing louder than before, repeatedly pleading for my help. I was quivering from fear, wondering what might be happening to them.

Then, I flung open the door to the room.

On the other side of the door was a massive chasm, the bottom completely out of sight. Far down in that hole, orange flames and smoke were clearly visible. The sound of steam was now added to the crying voices of my family.

Across the chasm on the far ledge stood some of my family, both children and grandchildren. Not all were there, and I could not make out any of their faces. Yet, I knew they were the source of the pleas for help.

Standing in the doorway of my room, I watched as my family members, one by one, were pushed into this pit. Even as they fell, they were screaming for my aid, begging me to rescue them.

I could do nothing.

Then, I awoke.

I trust the reader now understands why this dream has dramatically affected me. I suspect such a dream would haunt any parent. The larger and more important question is what can I do with it? Simply forgetting the dream is not an option, at least, not one for me.

Now that all our children have left our home, they must live their own lives. I have no authority over them and cannot demand their obedience to my religion. I do my best not to offer advice to any of them unless asked. Some of them remain active in local churches, hopefully a sign of their true faith. Others, however, appear to have abandoned the faith, or, at least, no longer consider it of importance. The only help I can offer my child is, first, that I will pray for you, and, second, to exhort you either to return to the Lord you once professed or to truly seek Him for the first time. For when the judgment comes, and we stand on opposite sides of God’s throne, there is nothing I can do to help you. Screaming for my assistance will prove useless. Jesus is your only hope.

My grandchildren prove a special burden. I have exercised extreme caution over the years with meddling in their lives. Their parents, not me, are responsible for their upbringing. Even in the realm of religion, I have reluctantly refrained from saying very much about Christ and salvation so not to override their parents’ views. Yet, I fear some may not be learning about the danger that awaits them and their need for Christ. What might I do to respect their parents but assist my grandchildren? Well, as with your parents, I will pray for you, grandchild. The Lord often moves in mysterious ways and He can reach you even if your parents attempt to block His influence. Second, I will pray for your parents. I will pray that, perhaps, they will have a similar dream in which they are standing in the door and watching you being pushed into eternal punishment. I will pray they come to their senses in the matter of God, sin, Jesus, salvation, and eternal judgment. They have the responsibility to share those things with you.

Lastly, I will pray that, when judgment day comes, all my family, each one, stand on the same side of God’s throne, believers in Jesus, prepared for eternity.

Oh, and yes, we do live just off Elm Street!

Love and Marriage

I have known couples who claim they no longer love their partner and want out of their marriage. I have known men and women who have lost the love of their spouse and seek to find love with another while still in a marriage with the former. Among the unbelievers of the world, such actions are expected. When God is not the true foundation of one’s marriage, anything might result in a divorce.

Unfortunately, I have seen professing Christian couples in the same situations. Christians who claim to love Jesus and are married to a spouse who also professes love for Christ claim they have lost the love of their partner. They seek ways out of their marriage. Sometimes the marriage is ended by an adulterous act.

I believe one of the key problems in such relationships is that the two individuals do not fully understand what love truly is in marriage. This article is addressed primarily to married couples who profess to be Christians. So, if you are not a follower of my Lord, you will likely dismiss what I have to say as the thoughts of some old, bigoted, man. So be it.

Marital love is a diverse subject. I do not profess to be an expert, but my wife and I are approaching our forty-sixth anniversary. Therefore, I believe I have some experience in this matter. The characteristic of this invisible fixture of marriage takes many different forms. Love begins as an attraction then transforms into a friendship, a companionship. Subsequent to marriage (in accordance with God’s counsel), marital love becomes primarily sexual love. It continues to metamorphose as the marriage endures the passing years and as children are born. But, there is one aspect of marital love that must never change or replaced. It is that attribute which permits for a long, happy, loving marriage: forgiveness.

True marital love is a forgiving love.

Be honest, Christian reader. Each spouse sins in their marriage. In fact, we sin every day if not every hour. And, some of those sins are against our spouse. From a human perspective, our sins range in seriousness from telling a little white lie (perhaps to conceal a surprise party) to adultery. From God’s perspective, every sinful act, no matter how important it may seem to us, will be judged, found guilty, and punished by our Creator. God does not like liars any more than He likes adulterers. Scripture abundantly and clearly teaches we are sinners and stand condemned.

But Christian husband or wife, remember why you are a believer. First, it is because God the Father chose you to be given to God the Son. Second, His Son willingly came to earth, lived, then died in your place on the cross to pay the penalty of your sin. Third, God the Spirit changed your heart and mind, enabling you to repent of your sin, believe in Christ, and receive full forgiveness for all your sins. As Scripture teaches, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Now, if God can forgive you of your sins, Christian, how can you fail to follow the example of your Master and not forgive the sin of your spouse? What type of Christian are you? Does your moral standard exceed that of Jesus? Are you somehow more perfect than He who forgave you? I suggest you carefully read Luke 7:41-50 and Matthew 18:23-35.

Let me answer some anticipated questions.

1. “What if I forgive my spouse and they commit the same sin against me?”

Have you never repeated your forgiven sin? Did God forgive your sin only the first time you committed it, or did He do so every time you commit it? Are you superior to God? Jesus said we are to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22) and He didn’t mean only 490 times.

2. “Didn’t Jesus permit divorce in the case of adultery? Well, my spouse committed adultery, humiliated me, and I want a divorce.”

We can debate the alleged passage on the certificate of divorce. However, let us save that argument for another day and accept the idea that Christ does permit divorce in the event of adultery. Then I have three thoughts to share. First, He permits it; He does NOT command it. Second, He has called on us to grant forgiveness “seventy times seven”. Third, most likely your wedding vows (made to each other AND to God) included the words “until death do we part”. Nothing was said about divorce. To obtain a divorce is to abandon the vow you made before God. The Bible does not speak well of one who breaks his vow (Deuteronomy 23:21).

3. “What is one spouse is physically abusing the other?”

Certainly, no one should permit their partner to physically harm them. Flee from them. Seek a restraining order. More importantly, pray for them because anyone who behaves in such a manner is likely not a true believer in Christ. They need salvation.

In today’s world, it appears commonplace for marriage partners to tire of one another and find reasons to divorce. But, when Christians divorce, they bring harm not only to themselves and their families, but also to their testimony of faith. Ephesians chapter five teaches our marriage is a visible illustration of Christ and His bride, the church. Christ forgives His bride every minute of every day. Praise God, He never divorces us! Foremost in the loving relationship between Christ and His church is forgiveness. The same should be true of our relationship.

Christian readers: if you have sinned in your marriage, seek God’s forgiveness, seek your partner’s forgiveness, and turn from that sin. If you are the partner sinned against, forgive your partner when asked and pray with them, for them, and for your marriage. Begin rebuilding your marriage on the basis of that forgiveness. Ultimately, doing so is best for you, your family, and your witness for Jesus.

True marital love is a forgiving love.

Christmas Truly Means - Christmas 2018

Thanksgiving is past, December is here.

 The weather is cold, and Christmas is near.

Excitement will grow as the days roll by,

 Energetic kids from a sugar high!

The shoppers racing from that store to this,

 Seeking perfect gifts; no bargains they miss.

The music blares out, all hours of the day,

 Holiday singing is what they do play.

Decorations up, snow adds to the fun.

 The cards are all sent, thank goodness that’s done!

But, what have we learned, from all of this stuff?

 How to become mad and get in a huff?

Why do we permit, these yearly routines,

 To obscure Christmas, what it truly means?

Instead of presents, dwell upon God’s gift

 Our depressed spirits only He can lift.

Our judgment coming, He alone can free

 Providing ransom upon Calvary.

And, for that alone, each of us can say,

 We are so grateful, to have such a day.

Christmas truly means, our Savior is born

 And, so, when we rise, on that blessed morn,

Look past the gifts and tree and all the fun

 To see Lord Jesus, God’s begotten Son.

The GOSPEL

Last evening, my pastor began an evangelism training class. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of members who were there and grateful for their interest and enthusiasm for the subject. Of course, having been born again for over forty years and having served as a pastor for over ten of those years, I have encountered a variety of evangelism training courses. Some of them have been very good and quite rewarding. Others, though, have left much to be desired.

Through experience, I have learned evangelism is best learned by just doing it! Find an opportunity (and they are abundant) to present the gospel to a lost individual and do so. Each situation is different, demanding its own unique approach. There are, however, certain facets of evangelism which never change. The principal one of these is the message you share.

In our opening session, the pastor asked the key question: "What is the Gospel?" No one can properly share the gospel if they don't know what it is! The class discussion was very interesting. It was clear those present have a good grasp of the key facts which comprise the gospel.  Now, how to present them is sometimes the challenge.

Having taught Old and New Testament History at the local Baptist university many, many times, presenting the gospel has been, for me, a requirement. Usually, when I ask my students the same question we were asked last evening, the answer I most often receive is "Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John"! While they are correct in one sense, they have missed the true question. Often, their incorrect answer is due to their spiritual condition. They do not KNOW the Lord.

Each student of mine will hear me share the gospel with them more than once. I begin the Old Testament History course with a discussion of the creation and the covenant made by God with Adam (and mankind). Everything is perfect there in the Garden of Eden.

Then, we encounter Genesis chapter 3 and our world is turned upside down! We read of temptation, disobedience, rebellion, sin, guilt, condemnation, and judgment. We learn the very, very BAD NEWS. Each of us is born a sinner before God. Our nature is spiritually corrupt and chooses to sin against the Most High. The punishment for our sin is death, physical and spiritual. And, if we die physically while we are spiritually dead, we suffer the third death: eternal death. For my math-minded students, I codify this equation as:

SD + PD = ED (spiritual death plus physical death equals eternal death)

What a horrible, miserable equation! I am SD at birth. Because of my sin, PD will follow! What hope is there for me to avoid ED? None, at least, not in myself.

I explain to my students that, even in Genesis 3, we see the grace and mercy of our great God. Beginning with verse fifteen of that third chapter through the entire book or Revelation, God reveals to us His Good News, His Gospel. Yes, that's what the word "gospel" means: "good news". And what is that good news?

God the Son, the second person of the eternal triune God, took upon himself flesh, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life in full obedience to His heavenly Father, suffered and died on a cross as a substitutionary, propitiatory sacrifice, an atonement for His people, was buried, resurrected, ascended, and is coming again! And, if we, sinners by nature and by deed, will turn from our sins and put our trust (believe) in the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. We experience a spiritual birth and the "SD" in our equation is replaced by "SL" giving us a new equation.

SL = EL

Physical death is no longer part of our equation. Oh, we might die physically, but, if we already possess spiritual life, we also possess eternal life! Praise God, this is GOOD NEWS! This is the Gospel!

Yes, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the Gospels. They received that classification because they tell the story of the One who made THE GOSPEL (the message) a reality: Jesus Christ.

So, what is the Gospel? Personally, I like the way Paul describes it in 1 Corinthians 15.

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand: By which also ye are SAVED, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures; And that HE WAS BURIED, and that HE AROSE AGAIN the third day according to the scriptures: And that HE WAS SEEN ...".

The Gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ saves sinners!

Jesus, Free Will, and Predestination

Almost two decades ago, the Southern Baptist Convention updated their confession of faith known as the Baptist Faith and Message of 2000.  That document summarizes Southern Baptists’ understanding of God’s Word.  Article V begins as follows:

"Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners.  It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end.  It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable.  It excludes boasting and promotes humility."

Now Christians have disagreed over the exact meaning of the opening word of this article.  Some believers refuse to use it.  Others will close their ears any time this word is used.  And I know there are some who feel the hair on the back of their neck raising whenever this word is used.  The problem, however, is that this word, and related words, are used in the Scripture.  You can’t ignore or disregard it.  The Bible speaks on the matter and so must the Christian, especially the preacher!

Our statement of faith says that election is:

(1)  First, “the gracious purpose of God”.  Election owes its very existence to the grace of Almighty God.  Apart from God’s grace, there would be no election.  Instead of deriding election, let us praise God for His grace which forms the basis of this doctrine.

(2)  Second, it is God’s purpose.  Election is not a “whim” of the Almighty.  Rather it is a doctrine based on His will, His purpose for the creation.  To despise the doctrine of election is to despise God’s very plan.

(3)  Third, election is the basis of all salvation.  As our statement reads, it is very election that God “regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners.”  Salvation is clearly the work of God alone and not man and election certainly testifies to this truth.

(4)  Fourth, election and “the free agency of man” are consistent.  Note well the choice of words:  “free agency” and not “free will”.  Man is a free moral agent.  Each man makes his own moral choices.  Election is consistent with these free choices.  To our puny minds that does not make sense.  How can God elect (or choose) yet man still have free agency?  We may not be able to explain this paradox but we accept, by faith, its validity.  Election and free agency are consistent.

(5)  Fifth, election “comprehends all the means in connection with the end.”  In other words, God does elect sinners to salvation.  However, he also elects the means to accomplish that end.  He has chosen prayer, preaching, teaching, and witnessing as means to accomplish His elective purpose.  To believe in election does not mean one does not believe in the means to salvation.  In other words, a man who believes the Bible teaches God elects sinners to salvation does NOT sin around and wait for God to accomplish that salvation.  Rather, he preaches and teaches and testifies to those who are lost and calls them to salvation.

(6)  Election  "is the glorious display of God's SOVEREIGN goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and UNCHANGEABLE."  In other words,  election is God’s choice, not ours, and that choice is final and irrevocable.  In other words, salvation for certain individuals (those elected) is "predestined".

Those opposed to election (and predestination) usually rise up at this point of the argument yelling “free will, free will”.  How can God elect or choose those who will be saved and then predestine them to that salvation and man have a free will.  Such an election and/or predestination is contrary to the free will of man.

Theologically, the doctrine of election is one aspect of the doctrine of predestination.  Predestination teaches that God has planned all that will occur.  That plan will unfold as He has planned it and nothing can or will change His plan.  Election teaches that part of predestination has to do with the salvation of sinners, namely, that God has chosen certain men from all mankind to be recipients of His saving grace.  This election predestines their eternal salvation.

Without repeating all the arguments supporting election (and predestination), I wish to simply examine what the Bible says concerning Christ and these doctrines.

Would anyone deny that, of all men who have ever lived, Jesus Christ was the most free?  Only he and the first Adam ever possessed a will which was untainted by sin.  Adam lost his untainted will when he ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  But our Lord Jesus never had his will corrupted by sin.  Scripture is clear that He never sinned.  Can any Christian deny that Jesus Christ possessed true free will and was the most free man who ever lived?  Any decision He made while walking this earth was truly a choice that was made by a will completely and totally free from any sin.  In Jesus we find TRUE FREE WILL. 

Yet what does Scripture say about this man? 

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus:  for he SHALL save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)  Even before His birth Jesus' "destiny" was determined.  He WOULD save his people and, to accomplish this salvation, He must die a voluntary, substitutional, sacrificial death.  In other words, His death was "predestined" before his birth.  The most free human ever was predestined to die!  Now if predestination is true for the most free person who ever lived, how can predestination be objected to by any believer of Scripture?

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD." (Revelation 13:8)  Not only was the death of the most free man predetermined, it was predestined as far back as the creation!  This man with a perfectly free will was predestined to die on the cross. 

We must be honest with the Scripture.  Jesus was the only human who lived his entire life with a will perfectly free of the effects of sin and yet His death was predestined from eternity.  And, in fact, so was his birth!  Did not the prophet foretell He would be born of a virgin?  Did not Micah foretell He would be born in Bethlehem?  Even his birth, its nature and location, was predestined by God.  Furthermore, we can point out several Old Testament Scriptures which prophesies about our Lord's life here on earth:  His birth, His ministry, His death, His resurrection.  All of these prophecies were possible and correct because HIS ENTIRE LIFE WAS PREDESTINED.

Again, how can we believe the life of one so free such as Jesus is predestined and yet deny God's predestination in our own lives.  Jesus was chosen by God to be the Savior and predestined to that end yet some of us wish to deny predestination exists.  Again, consider just one Scripture:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  according as HE HATH CHOSEN ("elected" in the original) US in him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  HAVING PREDESTINATED US unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL, to the praise of the glory of his grace". (Ephesians 1:4-6)

Here we have election (hath chosen) and predestination (having predestinated) clearly taught by the Scripture concerning US, not the Lord.  Certain sinners (“us”) have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy.  Certain sinners have been predestined to be adopted by Jesus as children.  And this election and predestination is according to God’s good will.  It is His choice.

Praise, indeed, to His glorious grace!

So, may no believer fear the doctrines of predestination and election!  Rather, give God the glory for His salvation.

Following Christ and Killing Our Babies: Part 1

“I’m a follower of Jesus Christ and also pro-choice.”

Oh, really? From this point forward, you will have to PROVE to me you are truly a follower of our great Lord and God Jesus Christ. I don’t believe you.

Personally, I am sick and tired of hearing remarks like these from individuals who simply want somehow to justify their support of killing our children by invoking the name of the Lord. Do you honestly believe Jesus Christ, if He were physically present at the moment a doctor (maybe I should say butcher) was performing an abortion, would support that action? How blind are you?

Over the coming weeks I will post entries in this blog arguing that a true follower of Christ will NOT support pro-death. Some things I am going to say are not going to be well received. But, in my opinion, this is the most critical matter facing our nation. True believers must return to the battlefield because the war is about to intensify. Our President-Elect has, both in word and deed, proven he will be the most radical supporter of the pro-death movement ever to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“But I am a Christian! Abortion is legal in the United States and it is a matter between a woman and her doctor. There is no contradiction between my faith and my stance on life.”

HOG WASH! If you profess to be a child of the Lord and support pro-death policies and practices then I must conclude one of the following 3 possibilities:

1. You are truly born again but are ignorant in your understanding of what God says about life.

2. You are truly born again but are living in rebellion and disobedience before God by supporting death.

3. You are fooling yourself and are in danger of eternal punishment in Hell because you are not truly born again and are not a true follower of the Lord Jesus.

I see no other possibility. A true follower of our Lord who is seeking Him and who has studied the Scripture knows in his heart that abortion is immoral and sinful in the sight of God, PERIOD.

So, what I am going to do in subsequent posts is to look at each of the above possibilities. My next post will examine the Scripture and present the case against abortion based on God’s Word. Next, I will consult the Scripture to see what God says about His true children who, despite their knowledge of the Word, still support death over life. My third post will examine the Scripture to see who the true believers of Christ are. I suspect each of these “three posts” will consist of multiple posts.

My sincere prayer is those who are in the “pro-choice” camp and claim to be Christian would wake up and sincerely examine their position. I believe if they do, many will turn from being pro-death to pro-life. I also believe many will realize they are lost and doomed and will sincerely and truly repent and trust Jesus Christ for their salvation.

May God bless my efforts by preserving the lives of many Americans who are yet to be born.

Render to Caesar

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him. Mark 12:13-17

I briefly touched on this passage in my Sunday School class yesterday as we continued our quick exposition of the Gospel of Mark. Obviously, it was the Lord's providence to bring this text to our attention on the Sunday before election day!

This short incident contains so much which can be discussed. Yet I only pointed out a couple of items during class time.

1. Jesus certainly instructs His followers to obey their rulers (i.e., government). This makes sense because God has ordained the government ruling over us. Paul makes this quite clear in Romans 13 among other places. Jesus, being God in the flesh, understood this truth. We are to obey the commandments (i.e., laws) of our government except ...

2. ... when a government law is contrary to the law of God. Peter stated this argument concerning civil disobedience in Acts 5:29. The religious leaders commanded the apostles not to preach Jesus. Peter responded, "We must obey God rather than men."

3. In the first century, Caesar (and Rome) often commanded men to do things contrary to God's Word. Some of the Caesars demanded worship which, of course, Christians would not give to any but the one true God. Such situations resulted in many conflicts between authorities and the Lord's followers.

4. Obviously, conflicts should not arise when the laws of government are consistent with the law of God. In the Mark 12 passage, nothing in God's law forbids the paying of taxes to the government. So, Jesus commanded men to do just that.

5. First century Palestine differs from twenty-first century America, though. Jesus and His followers had no say when it came to who was Caesar or who occupied a seat in the Roman Senate. They could not prevent men who might be opposed to the Word of God from occupying those positions. But, in the United States, WE ELECT OUR CAESAR! Our government leaders are REPRESENTATIVES chosen by us! What a unique but wonderful blessing God has given us in terms of our government!

6. Therefore, when we elect OUR CAESAR, let's elect men and women who are most likely to lead and legislate in agreement with God's Word. By doing so, we reduce the likelihood of future conflicts, the necessity for civil disobedience, and bring glory to God as a nation.

Tomorrow is election day. Vote wisely for YOUR CAESAR!

Began to Teach

My Bible reading yesterday brought me to John chapter 7 and Jesus’ encounter with the Jews (i.e., Jewish leaders) during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. Early in the narrative, Jesus does not openly appear during the Feast and, by verse 11, the Jewish leaders are looking for Him. The following two verses grabbed my attention:

“When the festival was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple complex and began to teach. Then the Jews were amazed and said, ‘How does He know the Scriptures, since He hasn’t been trained?’” (vv. 14-15, Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Some observations I made as I read this text included:

(1) Jesus acts based on His schedule, not man’s. The Feast of Tabernacles lasted from the 15th to the 21st day of the Jewish month of Tishri (roughly our October) and the Jewish leaders were looking for the Lord. But Jesus refused to follow their desires and remained hidden until the middle of the festival. When the time was right, He appeared. Jesus always acts based on His schedule for He is the sovereign God.

(2) Jesus taught. Yes, at times Jesus healed, at times He helped others with physical needs and so should we. But over and over again in the Gospels, you see the focus of the Lord’s earthly ministry was one of preaching and teaching. He proclaimed to man their spiritual need and God’s spiritual provision, namely, eternal life through the Son. Teaching and preaching the Word of God is still a critical necessity in the 21st century because men, women, and children need to know how serious their spiritual condition is and how wonderful the grace of God’s provision is.

(3) Jesus taught the Scriptures. The Jewish leaders confirmed this fact with their response in verse 15. Jesus spoke the true Word of God. When we preach and teach our message is to be the Word of God and not our opinion. We don’t simply teach what we know others want to hear. Jesus could have done that when He taught in the Temple. He knew what the Jewish leaders believed and He knew He could earn their friendship and assistance by teaching what they taught. But Jesus was not in the Temple that day to earn friendships and popularity with the religious leaders. He was there to teach the Word of God no matter how it affected His listeners. Likewise, we are to teach and preach the Scriptures even if we know some who hear it will be offended.

(4) Jesus taught in such a way as to keep the attention of His audience. While this is not outwardly said in this text, I believe the implication is there. It would seem if Jesus’ teaching did not grab the attention of His audience, the response of the Jewish leaders would have been to ignore Him altogether. Who cares if He knows the Scriptures and teaches them if no one listens to Him. The amazement of the religious leaders at the grasp of Scripture Jesus has implies the listeners that day were, indeed, listening.

(5) The Jews were amazed. As I understand the text, the Jews were not amazed at what He said. They recognized He knew the Scriptures. What amazed them was Jesus had such knowledge of the Scriptures yet had no formal rabbinical training. They had attended such schools and were recognized as scholars. Yet here is one proclaiming the Scriptures without such training. How remarkable is that! Perhaps we should be a little more cautious when our pulpit committees reject individuals simply based on the degrees they have received according to their resumes.

Don’t you wonder what the Lord taught that day? The Scriptures are silent on that so we can only speculate. Could it be He used the festival to explain the passages in the Pentateuch which described the protection God gave His people during their wanderings in the wilderness? Such teaching, of course, would also remind the people of Israel’s sin of disbelief at Kadesh-Barnea which resulted in the 40 years of wandering. Such sin demanded a sacrifice and He would be the perfect, complete sacrifice. Perhaps He used the festival, which marked the completion of the harvest, as an opportunity to teach about the fields which were white unto harvest with souls. Or maybe He used the festival to teach how the peace and prosperity seen in the Feast of Tabernacles foreshadows the peace and prosperity which will come with the Lord’s reign on earth.

May the Lord guide me when I teach and preach in such a way that my message is only the Word of God and that the Holy Spirit would grab the attention of my audience and drive that message straight to the heart!