During the hustle and bustle of Christmas time, it’s easy to become inundated with the numerous cultural trappings of this over-commercialized holiday. Most Christians spend tremendous time and energy honoring their family and friends during this season of the year, yet we exert meager effort to honor the incarnate Christ whose earthly arrival we’re supposedly celebrating. With Christmas trees, lights and decorations galore invading our eyes at every turn of the head, the symbolism behind them easily fades from our conscious thoughts.
Remembering Christ this Christmas, let the next festive lights you see remind you to praise God for sending the Light of the World to shed light on our darkened souls. May every angelic image wisp you away to lonely pasture land where the multitude of heavenly hosts glorified God, proclaiming the coming of Christ the Messiah to the lowly shepherds. Every time you gaze upon a gift, think not only of the magi’s gifts to the Christ child, but of the greatest gift, Christ the incarnate Deity. And, may the piles of presents remind you that every good and perfect gift comes from above.
Make your Christmas tree’s significance more than ornaments, decorations and presents. Fall on your knees in gratitude to God that the baby born in the manger became a man who suffered and died on a tree in your place. Each savory red and white striped candy cane should recall the blood of Christ shed for the forgiveness of your sins and the righteous white garments in which he clothes you. And finally, allow the sound of the Salvation Army trumpeter excite your soul, knowing that one day a trumpet will sound for all to hear. The One called Faithful and True, whom only a few saw when he was born in a little town called Bethlehem, will return victoriously for all to see. Riding a white horse as King of kings and Lord of lords, he will come to make all things new!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Salvation - Sustained by God’s Mighty Hand
The glorious truth contained in John 10:28-29 is that God graciously gives eternal life that will never perish, for no one is able to snatch us from God’s hand. Paul elaborates near the end of Romans 8 that nothing, be it trials, temptations, government oppression, absence of material needs, threat of harm or death, the Devil himself – nothing in all of creation can separate his people from the love of Christ. In the 90s, Max Lucado wrote a book titled, In the Grip of Grace. That brief title provides a powerful picture of God’s control over our salvation.
Having relatively new experiences of being a father, this imagery makes me think of playing with my daughter Annie. She has an obsession with anything round and bouncy. She’s one-and-a-half, and her favorite word, bar da-da (just kidding, Christine, I know it’s ma-ma), is ball. To her, every round, quasi-round or even two dimensional circular object in God’s created order is a ball, so we hear this word no less than 120 times every day. It’s the first thing on her mind in the morning when she gets up, storming through the house with her wild, curly hair bouncing back-and-forth to secure the location of every ball in the house. I like to occasionally tease Annie by holding her little bouncy ball tightly in my hand as she tries to pry it away. She thinks it’s really funny at first until the laughter suddenly turns to frustration, so I promptly give it to her, realizing I’m on the cusp of “provoking my child to anger” as Paul warns fathers not to do.
If I truly desired to prevent Annie from getting her bouncy ball, no matter how hard she tried or what tactics she employed, that ball is not coming out of my hand. So if little Annie can’t pry her ball from the grip of my hand, how immeasurably less capable is any of God’s creation to snatch his chosen from the mighty hand of the all-powerful Creator! To understand God’s sovereign protection over our salvation, even from ourselves, the differing views of salvation we’ve considered the past few weeks are relevant. If the decisive factor in man’s salvation is God’s sovereign grace, then it goes without question that he, too, sovereignly secures and preserves it. Otherwise, only two options remain. The first is most consistent. If man’s choice (free will) decisively secures salvation, then salvation can be lost. Second, many Christians uphold both man’s decisive choice and God’s preservation of salvation. This view begs the following question, “Is it consistent that God overrides man’s free will post-salvation?”
Perhaps the most common western (and possibly the world) Christian view contends for both man’s free will with a “once saved, always saved” understanding of salvation. Several often overlapping influences incline people to adopt this viewpoint. From the initial salvation side, insisting on man’s libertarian free will shields God from claims of injustice within and outside of the church. Additionally, the individualistic culture in which we live makes it difficult to accept salvation being ultimately independent from our will. From the God preserves salvation side, biblical texts affirming this truth largely outweigh texts that may seem to indicate otherwise. In addition to the passage in John 10 mentioned above, numerous other verses clearly indicate God’s role in preserving salvation (1 Cor 1:8-9, Phil1:6, 1 Thes 5:23-24, 1 Pet 1:5, Jude 24-25). But, via the following musing below, consider in more depth the logical inconsistencies imposed by this view:
A common philosophical charge against Christians upholding sovereign grace is often presented in this (or similar) rhetorical question: “Did God create people with real choices or did He create robots?” However, it seems logically inconsistent to argue that on one hand people can’t truly love and choose God if he’s decisively responsible for their choice, but on the other hand, post-salvation they have no choice to deny him! This simply flips the order of supposed “robot” status and also interjects an understanding of love that does not find its source in scripture. Granted, much of God’s ways are indeed a mystery, and both sides are known to present philosophical arguments, but the whole counsel of scripture must be the litmus test for rightly understanding both God’s role and man’s role in salvation.
Two common mistakes are made by many people when standing at the crossroads of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. First, based on human logic and philosophical possibilities, some believe that man’s choices are invalid or less than legitimate if God is completely sovereign over all things. Second, downplaying clear biblical commands to preach the gospel, repent, believe, pray, obey, and the like, some assume (if not consensually, often functionally) God brings forth his will apart from real human choice and their associated actions. But, there is another alternative termed “compatibility” that affirms both are true – God has complete sovereignty over everything including salvation, and people are fully responsible for their real, effective choices.
Many of the topics concerning salvation we’ve addressed over the past few weeks come together in the following summary (for additional textual references please see previous posts):
No man deserves salvation, or even the choice of such; we all deserve hell. The free will of man will always reject God’s plan of salvation unless God intervenes by rescuing his elect. When the Holy Spirit acts in regeneration, man’s free will chooses the only rational thing a person with crystal clear sight would – repenting and trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ for their salvation. Once this has occurred, God holds our salvation securely in his hand, and he brings about evidences of salvation in our lives. Simultaneously, God calls us to make real choices to obey, abide in Christ, and “work out our own salvation,” all the while knowing that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (both quotes from Phil 2:12-13).
Having relatively new experiences of being a father, this imagery makes me think of playing with my daughter Annie. She has an obsession with anything round and bouncy. She’s one-and-a-half, and her favorite word, bar da-da (just kidding, Christine, I know it’s ma-ma), is ball. To her, every round, quasi-round or even two dimensional circular object in God’s created order is a ball, so we hear this word no less than 120 times every day. It’s the first thing on her mind in the morning when she gets up, storming through the house with her wild, curly hair bouncing back-and-forth to secure the location of every ball in the house. I like to occasionally tease Annie by holding her little bouncy ball tightly in my hand as she tries to pry it away. She thinks it’s really funny at first until the laughter suddenly turns to frustration, so I promptly give it to her, realizing I’m on the cusp of “provoking my child to anger” as Paul warns fathers not to do.
If I truly desired to prevent Annie from getting her bouncy ball, no matter how hard she tried or what tactics she employed, that ball is not coming out of my hand. So if little Annie can’t pry her ball from the grip of my hand, how immeasurably less capable is any of God’s creation to snatch his chosen from the mighty hand of the all-powerful Creator! To understand God’s sovereign protection over our salvation, even from ourselves, the differing views of salvation we’ve considered the past few weeks are relevant. If the decisive factor in man’s salvation is God’s sovereign grace, then it goes without question that he, too, sovereignly secures and preserves it. Otherwise, only two options remain. The first is most consistent. If man’s choice (free will) decisively secures salvation, then salvation can be lost. Second, many Christians uphold both man’s decisive choice and God’s preservation of salvation. This view begs the following question, “Is it consistent that God overrides man’s free will post-salvation?”
Perhaps the most common western (and possibly the world) Christian view contends for both man’s free will with a “once saved, always saved” understanding of salvation. Several often overlapping influences incline people to adopt this viewpoint. From the initial salvation side, insisting on man’s libertarian free will shields God from claims of injustice within and outside of the church. Additionally, the individualistic culture in which we live makes it difficult to accept salvation being ultimately independent from our will. From the God preserves salvation side, biblical texts affirming this truth largely outweigh texts that may seem to indicate otherwise. In addition to the passage in John 10 mentioned above, numerous other verses clearly indicate God’s role in preserving salvation (1 Cor 1:8-9, Phil1:6, 1 Thes 5:23-24, 1 Pet 1:5, Jude 24-25). But, via the following musing below, consider in more depth the logical inconsistencies imposed by this view:
In order for God to be truly fair and just, as not to bring charges against His character, all men must have the same opportunity to accept or reject Christ. God can’t interfere with respect to one person’s choice in a way He would not with another. If God ultimately elects people according to His sovereign will, people aren’t truly expressing genuine love. However, upon man’s choice to place their faith in Christ, which causes the new birth (according to this view), God must necessarily override their former free will in order to sustain and preserve the salvation that they chose.Must not this scenario be the case? Otherwise, at some point the Christian could exercise his free will to deny Christ with their mouth and/or through an unrepentant life of sin. Many scriptures either warn of apostasy or an unrepentant sinful lifestyle (Rom 8:13, Gal 5:19-22, Gal 6:7-8, 1 Jn 2:19,1 Jn 3:2-4,8, 1 Jn 5:18), revealing a person wasn’t truly saved, and other texts affirm that true believers will persevere until death (Mk 13:13, Lk 8:15, Jn 8:31, 1 Cor 15:1-2, Col 1:22-23, 2 Tim 2:11-12, 2 Pet 1:10, Rev 2:25-26, Rev 3:5). Certainly God must both prevent and cause these conditions.
A common philosophical charge against Christians upholding sovereign grace is often presented in this (or similar) rhetorical question: “Did God create people with real choices or did He create robots?” However, it seems logically inconsistent to argue that on one hand people can’t truly love and choose God if he’s decisively responsible for their choice, but on the other hand, post-salvation they have no choice to deny him! This simply flips the order of supposed “robot” status and also interjects an understanding of love that does not find its source in scripture. Granted, much of God’s ways are indeed a mystery, and both sides are known to present philosophical arguments, but the whole counsel of scripture must be the litmus test for rightly understanding both God’s role and man’s role in salvation.
Two common mistakes are made by many people when standing at the crossroads of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. First, based on human logic and philosophical possibilities, some believe that man’s choices are invalid or less than legitimate if God is completely sovereign over all things. Second, downplaying clear biblical commands to preach the gospel, repent, believe, pray, obey, and the like, some assume (if not consensually, often functionally) God brings forth his will apart from real human choice and their associated actions. But, there is another alternative termed “compatibility” that affirms both are true – God has complete sovereignty over everything including salvation, and people are fully responsible for their real, effective choices.
Many of the topics concerning salvation we’ve addressed over the past few weeks come together in the following summary (for additional textual references please see previous posts):
No man deserves salvation, or even the choice of such; we all deserve hell. The free will of man will always reject God’s plan of salvation unless God intervenes by rescuing his elect. When the Holy Spirit acts in regeneration, man’s free will chooses the only rational thing a person with crystal clear sight would – repenting and trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ for their salvation. Once this has occurred, God holds our salvation securely in his hand, and he brings about evidences of salvation in our lives. Simultaneously, God calls us to make real choices to obey, abide in Christ, and “work out our own salvation,” all the while knowing that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (both quotes from Phil 2:12-13).
Friday, December 11, 2009
Atonement at the Cross
Before covering to whom the efficacy of Christ’s atoning death applies, it will be beneficial to broadly define what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Orthodox Christian understanding of the atonement can be summarized in the term penal substitutionary atonement. Atonement describes the reconciliatory nature of Christ’s death that provides a right standing with God (1 Pet 3:18). Penal indicates Jesus’ death was necessary in order to pay the penalty for sins. God’s just character cannot allow sin to go unpunished for there can be no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood (Heb 9:22).
Jesus Christ died a substitutionary death for us – he died in our place. He lived the perfect, sinless life that we could not. At the cross, the Son became sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21). He endured the punishment for our sins – the very wrath of God. Our righteousness is very literally found in Christ, not just because of Christ! Romans 3:23-26 addresses penal substitution as follows, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Describing what the atonement entails, however, does not settle whom it benefits. Historically, the libertarian free will side has termed their understanding as unlimited atonement, and the sovereign grace side as limited atonement. There is a comparatively small group of Christians who contend for unlimited, limited atonement. Despite the intriguing oxymoronic term, we won’t venture into their neck of the woods in this brief synopsis. Linguistically speaking, the “unlimited” and “limited” descriptors can blur the unavoidable fact that both viewpoints limit the atonement. Unlimited atonement limits the depth; limited atonement limits the breadth. This brings us back to the question of whether or not Christ died for the sin of unbelief.
Unlimited atonement contends that Christ’s death atoned for all of humanity in the same way for each person. The basis for this view comes from verses describing God’s provision of Christ for the world (such as Jn 3:16, Rom 8:32) and more specifically point to 1 John 2:2 which says, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." According to their understanding of God’s justice nature, He must provide every person with the same unbiased opportunity to exercise their choice to accept or reject Christ. Therefore, the atonement provides a broad opportunity for everyone to receive it. Salvation is ultimately dependent upon man exercising libertarian free will to repent and respond in faith, not solely by God’s gracious provisions. Unbelief can’t be part of unlimited atonement; otherwise, according to this view the atonement would be universal, saving all people.
Limited atonement holds that Christ’s death atoned specifically for the elect, including the sin of unbelief. Accordingly, 1 John 2:2 (listed in the above paragraph) is properly understood only in concert with verses such as John 11:51-52, "He prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad", and also Revelation 5:9, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Both the context of 1 John 2:2 and clarifications provided by John 11:52-51 and Revelation 5:9 reveal that John has in mind the provision of Christ’s atonement to all peoples of the world, not just the Jews.
Additionally, verses such as Mark 10:45 (also Matt 26:28, Jn 10:15, Heb 9:28, Eph 5:25-27, Tit 2:14) indicate a restrictive nature as to the atonement, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” From John chapter 17 Jesus describes his ministry being especially for those whom God gave him out of the world. He says in verse 9, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours,” and in verse 19, “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”
Contrary to ill-informed critics, limited atonement (properly understood) does not limit the universal call for all men to believe in the gospel. Many biblical passages clearly teach this unrestricted call to repentance and faith. Rather, it’s proper understanding reveals both a universal call and a specific call (Rom 8:30) from God. Affirming God’s sovereign grace in salvation, including the nature of the atonement, should be viewed as a peek behind the curtain through scriptural lens as to why some believe and some don’t. But scripture provides no insight into who will believe! No mere man knows the will of God concerning the elect. The Good News must be urgently preached to all people, everywhere! The elect will respond in saving faith.
Jesus Christ died a substitutionary death for us – he died in our place. He lived the perfect, sinless life that we could not. At the cross, the Son became sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21). He endured the punishment for our sins – the very wrath of God. Our righteousness is very literally found in Christ, not just because of Christ! Romans 3:23-26 addresses penal substitution as follows, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Describing what the atonement entails, however, does not settle whom it benefits. Historically, the libertarian free will side has termed their understanding as unlimited atonement, and the sovereign grace side as limited atonement. There is a comparatively small group of Christians who contend for unlimited, limited atonement. Despite the intriguing oxymoronic term, we won’t venture into their neck of the woods in this brief synopsis. Linguistically speaking, the “unlimited” and “limited” descriptors can blur the unavoidable fact that both viewpoints limit the atonement. Unlimited atonement limits the depth; limited atonement limits the breadth. This brings us back to the question of whether or not Christ died for the sin of unbelief.
Unlimited atonement contends that Christ’s death atoned for all of humanity in the same way for each person. The basis for this view comes from verses describing God’s provision of Christ for the world (such as Jn 3:16, Rom 8:32) and more specifically point to 1 John 2:2 which says, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." According to their understanding of God’s justice nature, He must provide every person with the same unbiased opportunity to exercise their choice to accept or reject Christ. Therefore, the atonement provides a broad opportunity for everyone to receive it. Salvation is ultimately dependent upon man exercising libertarian free will to repent and respond in faith, not solely by God’s gracious provisions. Unbelief can’t be part of unlimited atonement; otherwise, according to this view the atonement would be universal, saving all people.
Limited atonement holds that Christ’s death atoned specifically for the elect, including the sin of unbelief. Accordingly, 1 John 2:2 (listed in the above paragraph) is properly understood only in concert with verses such as John 11:51-52, "He prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad", and also Revelation 5:9, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Both the context of 1 John 2:2 and clarifications provided by John 11:52-51 and Revelation 5:9 reveal that John has in mind the provision of Christ’s atonement to all peoples of the world, not just the Jews.
Additionally, verses such as Mark 10:45 (also Matt 26:28, Jn 10:15, Heb 9:28, Eph 5:25-27, Tit 2:14) indicate a restrictive nature as to the atonement, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” From John chapter 17 Jesus describes his ministry being especially for those whom God gave him out of the world. He says in verse 9, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours,” and in verse 19, “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”
Contrary to ill-informed critics, limited atonement (properly understood) does not limit the universal call for all men to believe in the gospel. Many biblical passages clearly teach this unrestricted call to repentance and faith. Rather, it’s proper understanding reveals both a universal call and a specific call (Rom 8:30) from God. Affirming God’s sovereign grace in salvation, including the nature of the atonement, should be viewed as a peek behind the curtain through scriptural lens as to why some believe and some don’t. But scripture provides no insight into who will believe! No mere man knows the will of God concerning the elect. The Good News must be urgently preached to all people, everywhere! The elect will respond in saving faith.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
What Is God’s Foreknowledge?
One of the common counter-arguments to God’s sovereignty in salvation is related to the term “foreknowledge.” The libertarian free will side believes that this word, in all of its biblical contexts, strictly refers to God knowing all things past, present and future. Therefore, in the context of its use in Romans 8:29 and 11:2, as well as 1 Peter 1:2, foreknowledge should be understood as God knowing beforehand (from eternity past) who will and will not trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. On this basis God elected (or chose) His children.
Sovereign grace advocates affirm that God is indeed omniscient but believe that this explanation contextually misses the understanding of how God ‘knows’ his people in Scripture. The Bible provides many examples of God knowing his people in a specially chosen and/or beloved way. For instance, God says in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Another example is found in Amos 3:2, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” In Matthew 7:23 Jesus issues a warning to those unknown by Him, “And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” There are many other Old and New Testament verses that use the word know in a similar fashion, including Ex 33:17, Deut 9:24, Hos 8:4, Jn 10:14, 1 Cor 8:3, and 2 Tim 2:19.
This understanding of the word “know” in our modern context is likewise similar. For example, consider the following statement: “I know the ABCs very well, and I know Christine very well.” The first half of this sentence simply indicates my solid grasp on all the letters, A through Z. It denotes knowledge of facts or information. I mean something dramatically different by the second half of the sentence. Christine is my wife. I know her very well in the sense that I’m in a covenant relationship with her. I love her very deeply with an unconditional love. I admire her personality, talents and beauty; and, I enjoy spending time with her. Thus, our understanding of “knowing” someone can indicate a tremendous depth of love and emotions. In light of the scripture references to God choosing us according to His will and salvation not being a result of human will (Eph 1:4-5,11; Jn 1:12-13; Rom 9:15-16), why would it not be most likely that God foreknowing us indicates His special love for us?
For those still unconvinced that “foreknowledge” in the previously identified Romans and 1 Peter texts points to those whom God relationally knows and loves, Dr. Wayne Grudem provides the following logical consideration for foreknowledge understood only as the advance knowledge of future choices:
"If we assume that God's knowledge of the future is true (which evangelicals all agree upon), then it is absolutely certain that person A will believe and person B will not. There is no way their lives could turn out any differently than this. Therefore it is fair to say that their destinies are still determined, for they could not be otherwise. But by what are their destinies determined? If they are determined by God himself, then we no longer have election based ultimately on foreknowledge of faith, but rather on God's sovereign will. But if these destinies are not determined by God, then who or what determines them? Certainly no Christian would say that there is some powerful being other than God controlling people's destinies. Therefore the only possible alternative is to say they are determined by some impersonal force, some kind of fate, operative in the universe, making things turn out as they do. But what kind of benefit is this? We have then sacrificed election in love by a personal God for a kind of determinism by an impersonal force and God is no longer to be given the ultimate credit for our salvation" (Systematic Theology, p. 679).
After reading Wayne Grudem’s logical progression you may still respond that it’s a person’s choice that ultimately controls their destiny. However, does this answer not come with its own set of problematic baggage? For instance, even if this situation is not a reality to you, imagine that two of your beloved family members are not professing Christians. One dies rejecting Christ until the very end of their life, but the other ends up trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation. Assuming both heard the true Gospel, what caused one to reject it and the other to accept it? Was one smarter, more enlightened, more moral or more deserving than the other? Consider that Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of numerous passages that clearly states by grace we are saved – not of ourselves and not of works.
Additionally, if faith by our own choice is understood as something that saves us and not as the result of God’s grace alone, did or did not Christ die for the sin of unbelief on the cross? This can be confusing, so let me quote all of Ephesians 2:8-10:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Theological debate abounds concerning to what “this is not your own doing” refers, which is unquestionably linked to the phrase immediately following, “it is the gift of God.” In the Greek, “this” is a neuter pronoun while both grace and faith are feminine nouns. If Paul was intending to refer to only “faith” or “grace,” he would have used a feminine form of “this.” By using the neuter form, it seems to most naturally indicate that Paul is referring to the entirety of salvation as God’s gift, which obviously includes both grace and faith. It’s notable that even if this interpretation is not correct and only grace is intended, the preceding verses in Ephesians 2:4-5 say, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved.” Salvation here is attributed only to grace without mention of faith, and is singularly attributed to God’s action. Of course, we must respond in faith if God’s grace has truly reached us, but it is not described as possible apart from God’s initiating grace alone.
Faith divorced from God’s initiating grace becomes something originating from us – a work. The term “works” in verse 9 does not contextually refer to satisfying the Mosaic Law such as in Romans or Galatians. This usage indicates all conceivable efforts to obligate God for our ultimate benefit. Considering, if faith is not seen as part of this “gift of God,” then how can it be anything but “our own doing?”
Pardon the brief excursus – this brings us back to the question of whether or not Christ died for the sin of unbelief. If not, is the atonement truly complete? In what sense did Jesus mean, “it is finished,” before he died on the cross? If Jesus indeed died for the sin of unbelief, was it for every man’s unbelief? If so, why are not all men saved? This becomes a circular argument unless the atonement is further discussed, which we’ll contend with next week! Let’s wrap-up this week’s question.
If foreknowledge is understood as God’s special love for His children, Romans 8:28-30 provides comforting assurance of our eternal salvation:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Sovereign grace advocates affirm that God is indeed omniscient but believe that this explanation contextually misses the understanding of how God ‘knows’ his people in Scripture. The Bible provides many examples of God knowing his people in a specially chosen and/or beloved way. For instance, God says in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Another example is found in Amos 3:2, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” In Matthew 7:23 Jesus issues a warning to those unknown by Him, “And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” There are many other Old and New Testament verses that use the word know in a similar fashion, including Ex 33:17, Deut 9:24, Hos 8:4, Jn 10:14, 1 Cor 8:3, and 2 Tim 2:19.
This understanding of the word “know” in our modern context is likewise similar. For example, consider the following statement: “I know the ABCs very well, and I know Christine very well.” The first half of this sentence simply indicates my solid grasp on all the letters, A through Z. It denotes knowledge of facts or information. I mean something dramatically different by the second half of the sentence. Christine is my wife. I know her very well in the sense that I’m in a covenant relationship with her. I love her very deeply with an unconditional love. I admire her personality, talents and beauty; and, I enjoy spending time with her. Thus, our understanding of “knowing” someone can indicate a tremendous depth of love and emotions. In light of the scripture references to God choosing us according to His will and salvation not being a result of human will (Eph 1:4-5,11; Jn 1:12-13; Rom 9:15-16), why would it not be most likely that God foreknowing us indicates His special love for us?
For those still unconvinced that “foreknowledge” in the previously identified Romans and 1 Peter texts points to those whom God relationally knows and loves, Dr. Wayne Grudem provides the following logical consideration for foreknowledge understood only as the advance knowledge of future choices:
"If we assume that God's knowledge of the future is true (which evangelicals all agree upon), then it is absolutely certain that person A will believe and person B will not. There is no way their lives could turn out any differently than this. Therefore it is fair to say that their destinies are still determined, for they could not be otherwise. But by what are their destinies determined? If they are determined by God himself, then we no longer have election based ultimately on foreknowledge of faith, but rather on God's sovereign will. But if these destinies are not determined by God, then who or what determines them? Certainly no Christian would say that there is some powerful being other than God controlling people's destinies. Therefore the only possible alternative is to say they are determined by some impersonal force, some kind of fate, operative in the universe, making things turn out as they do. But what kind of benefit is this? We have then sacrificed election in love by a personal God for a kind of determinism by an impersonal force and God is no longer to be given the ultimate credit for our salvation" (Systematic Theology, p. 679).
After reading Wayne Grudem’s logical progression you may still respond that it’s a person’s choice that ultimately controls their destiny. However, does this answer not come with its own set of problematic baggage? For instance, even if this situation is not a reality to you, imagine that two of your beloved family members are not professing Christians. One dies rejecting Christ until the very end of their life, but the other ends up trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation. Assuming both heard the true Gospel, what caused one to reject it and the other to accept it? Was one smarter, more enlightened, more moral or more deserving than the other? Consider that Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of numerous passages that clearly states by grace we are saved – not of ourselves and not of works.
Additionally, if faith by our own choice is understood as something that saves us and not as the result of God’s grace alone, did or did not Christ die for the sin of unbelief on the cross? This can be confusing, so let me quote all of Ephesians 2:8-10:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Theological debate abounds concerning to what “this is not your own doing” refers, which is unquestionably linked to the phrase immediately following, “it is the gift of God.” In the Greek, “this” is a neuter pronoun while both grace and faith are feminine nouns. If Paul was intending to refer to only “faith” or “grace,” he would have used a feminine form of “this.” By using the neuter form, it seems to most naturally indicate that Paul is referring to the entirety of salvation as God’s gift, which obviously includes both grace and faith. It’s notable that even if this interpretation is not correct and only grace is intended, the preceding verses in Ephesians 2:4-5 say, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved.” Salvation here is attributed only to grace without mention of faith, and is singularly attributed to God’s action. Of course, we must respond in faith if God’s grace has truly reached us, but it is not described as possible apart from God’s initiating grace alone.
Faith divorced from God’s initiating grace becomes something originating from us – a work. The term “works” in verse 9 does not contextually refer to satisfying the Mosaic Law such as in Romans or Galatians. This usage indicates all conceivable efforts to obligate God for our ultimate benefit. Considering, if faith is not seen as part of this “gift of God,” then how can it be anything but “our own doing?”
Pardon the brief excursus – this brings us back to the question of whether or not Christ died for the sin of unbelief. If not, is the atonement truly complete? In what sense did Jesus mean, “it is finished,” before he died on the cross? If Jesus indeed died for the sin of unbelief, was it for every man’s unbelief? If so, why are not all men saved? This becomes a circular argument unless the atonement is further discussed, which we’ll contend with next week! Let’s wrap-up this week’s question.
If foreknowledge is understood as God’s special love for His children, Romans 8:28-30 provides comforting assurance of our eternal salvation:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thanking God for His Love
Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful American holiday! Despite our country’s spiritual and moral decline, the principle upon which Thanksgiving was founded – giving thanks to God for our blessings – continues to be practiced by millions of fellow countrymen. A precious gift that each Christian should be abundantly thankful for is God’s gracious, abounding love towards them. Even those who don’t know God in a saving way have Him to thank for His love towards them. Often oversimplified by Christians is the complexity of God’s love. The Bible describes various ways in which God extends love towards His human creations. When we generalize these expressions, confusion abounds and a distorted view of God’s love emerges.
Jesus explains in the Sermon on the Mount that God provides for both good and evil men, the just and the unjust (Matt 5:45). Throughout New Testament teachings Christians are encouraged to love their enemies and meet needs of poor believers and unbelievers. Why? This imitates God! We see in the Old Testament how God repeatedly blesses the entire nation of Israel even though many, and most often the majority, were in the midst of idolatry and wicked living. This did not necessarily imply these Jews were all truly saved, but that many of God’s blessings were extended to those who were merely Jews outwardly, as Paul refers to them in Romans 2:28-29.
John 3:16-17 expresses the pinnacle of God’s love towards the unbelieving world. As these familiar verses say, God did not send His Son incarnate to condemn the world, but to provide salvation for all who will believe in Jesus. Following the call to live a God-honoring life, 1 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Additionally, we know that God does not desire that any person eternally perish, calling all men to repent (2 Peter 3:9). Providing further understanding of God’s loving provision for the fallen world, 1 John 2:2 says about Jesus, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
We see here God’s providential love for all people, as well as His inviting and pleading love, evidenced by the gift of His Son and offer of salvation. However, must there be another sense of God’s love in order to explain why all men are not saved? If God desires for all to be saved (1 Tim 2:4), wishes that none would perish (2 Pet 3:9), and has provided a propitiation for the world’s sin (1 Jn 2:2), why have so many post-Calvary remained unsaved? Orthodox Christians certainly don’t believe in universalism – the belief all men are unconditionally saved. Therefore, historically Christians typically answer this dilemma in one of two ways: 1) God upholds the libertarian (uninhibited) free will of all people to choose or reject the Gospel as His utmost priority. 2) God upholds His sovereignty over people by electing some to eternal life in order to supremely show His glory in man’s salvation.
To provide some brief background, both camps believe in man’s free will but they define free will differently. The first group contends that God cannot interfere with a person’s salvation decision in any way that would create bias towards accepting or rejecting Christ as Savior and Lord because that would not provide a fair playing field for all people. Any interference or influence by God in this process denigrates their understanding of the creature truly loving their Creator. This group largely upholds the doctrine of original sin (man is born in sin with a bent towards sin) but contends that God removes spiritual blindness through some measure of grace to allow unbiased choices. Theologically this is called prevenient grace, but neither the term nor the concept is expressly found or explained in the Bible. God’s special love for his adopted children is contingent upon their unprejudiced free choice to accept Christ.
Group number 2 holds that because of man’s utterly sinful condition (as described in part 1 of the “Seekers” blog post), their free will always exert itself through sinful rebellion and rejection of Christ’s atoning death and resurrection. Although God offers salvation to all people, only those in whom the Holy Spirit overcomes this spiritual deadness by making them alive in Christ (Eph 2:4-5) through regeneration (Titus 3:5) will respond in saving faith. By God’s grace alone, those regenerated will always respond in free will because the truth has been so clearly and beautifully revealed to them. Additionally, this group affirms the biblical distinction between God’s preceptive will (precepts and commands) and His decretive (sovereign) will (ref., Gen 50:20; Deut 2:26-27,30 and 29:2-4; Jdg 14:4; Josh 11:19-20; 1 Sam 2:22-25; 2 Sam 17:14; 1 Kings 12:9-15 and 22:19-23; Mk 4:11-12; Acts 2:22-23 and 4:27-28; Rom 11:7-9,31-32), which accounts for God’s different types of love.
Seen by those who believe in God’s sovereignty in salvation, a distinct love exists for those whom He has chosen and is initially displayed through His election of them. Ephesians 1:4b-6 explains this love, “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Romans 9:14-16 follows Paul’s explanation of how God chose Jacob over Esau before they were born and had done anything good or bad, explaining, “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” Some opponents of this view have tried to describe it as unjust and in conflict with God’s character (in their understanding of it), but note that the Bible describes God’s election in loving and merciful terms.
I’ve personally seen in my own life and witnessed in many lives of family and friends the rescuing love of God. Even though I believe I was a Christian throughout my experiences, beginning in junior high I began choosing seasons of rebellion and hard-heartedness. At the age of 28 these wayward paths had escalated and culminated with devastating bondage to various sins, a failed marriage and blinding self-deception. In the midst of my wandering, the Lord graciously rescued me from this life of sin without my help, for sure. The parable of the Good Shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to find the 1 that was lost resonates powerfully and deeply in my heart. I didn’t find my way back to the flock, Jesus rescued me from a perilous precipice from which I couldn’t find my way down.
Considering that this is a story many believers share, why does the view of God’s sovereign grace in the salvation of condemned sinners elicit such strong antagonism? If we truly understand man’s sinful condition as the Bible describes, should we assume that anyone deserves salvation? Most Christians do not believe certain people are owed salvation, but on the other hand, when contemplating how God could choose to save some and not others, they somehow think this impugns His justice. Is He not the only wise God? Is He not the essence of love, mercy, kindness but also perfect justice? Anticipating potentially unfavorable reactions and resistance to the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, Paul says in Romans 9:19-23:
“You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’ But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.”
Who are we to say that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are irreconcilable if the Bible provides overwhelming evidence to the contrary?
Instead of attempting to fully reconcile God’s mystery in salvation with our human logic and emotions, let us remain faithful to the full council of God’s Word by embracing what we can’t comprehend because we trust in the perfect character of God. After all, are not His ways infinitely higher than our ways and His thoughts beyond our finite thoughts? Surely the Lord needs no apologists to explain away the controversial mysteries contained in His revelation.
In the next post we’ll look at the term “foreknowledge” and compare the disparaging viewpoints related to this debate, as well as contemplate why some believe and others don’t - if the belief is true that God is not sovereign in salvation.
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and please know that regardless of where you side on this controversial doctrine, God loves you just the same, and so do I! Thank you, Lord, for extending immeasurable grace to us for every errant thought, word and deed that fails to reflect your glory!
Monday, November 16, 2009
“Seekers”- Seeking a Biblical Understanding, Part 2
If we conclude from Scripture that every person will reject God rather than seek Him, the previously analyzed perspective may be derived (perhaps unknowingly) more from the writings of humanistic thought than the pages of God’s Word. This leads us to ask, what causes men and women to pursue a reconciled relationship with God through Jesus Christ?
Concisely, Jesus says in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” and in verse 65 he reiterates this truth, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by my Father.” Jesus directs these statements to a largely unbelieving Jewish audience that continues to reject him as the Messiah. Many in the crowd either saw first hand or heard that Jesus had recently fed 5,000 men (likely 20,000 counting the women and children) from five barley loaves and two fish. Although Jesus’ ministry was fairly new at this point in the Gospel of John, he had already been identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, turned water into wine, healed the sick, and explained that eternal life comes only through himself. If these signs weren’t obvious enough, after Jesus was baptized the Father confirmed in an audible voice from heaven, “You are my beloved Son: with you I am well pleased.”
As we are well aware, even after three years of ministry that included miracle after miracle, sign after sign, fulfilled prophecy after fulfilled prophecy, still most rejected him. Far removed from the early life and ministry of Jesus, we’re prone to read the gospels with baffled brains and tremendous disdain for the people who saw the miracles and audibly heard his divine words. We think, “What a bunch of flipping idiots! Of course this is the Christ you ignorant Neanderthals!” However, we should realize that this reaction carries more than a pinch of pride and reveals that we haven’t fully grasped how or why anyone is saved. Evidence of understanding results in unhesitating delight with Jesus’ words in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.”
God’s work of guiding people to the truth extends past the gospels as seen in the early church with the conversion of Lydia. Acts 16:14 records that, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” After exhorting pastors to be kind, patient and gentle with quarrelsome and opposing unbelievers, Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:25, “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.” It is interesting, is it not, that this verse says God grants them repentance rather than offers them repentance that leads to the truth.
In addition to our fallen flesh, God must also overcome the work of Satan upon unbelievers’ minds. Second Corinthians 4:4-6 explains this dynamic:
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps not theologically, but countless Christians functionally believe that the they provide some measure of help, if not a great help, in securing eternal life. Why is this not so? Perhaps a spiritually blind person could stumble upon the truth. Granted, a spiritually deaf person may see the signs of eternal life. However, neither sensory perceptions nor consciousness exists in a spiritual corpse (Eph 2:1,5)! Truly, the flesh is no help at all! In this there are no exceptions - not one single person begins their journey to faith in Christ without God drawing them. Perhaps it’s fair to say that there are no true “seekers” without the gracious initiative of the Seeker.
Once sought, for what reasons? How does salvation by grace through faith in Jesus occur? Tune in next week my friends…
Concisely, Jesus says in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” and in verse 65 he reiterates this truth, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by my Father.” Jesus directs these statements to a largely unbelieving Jewish audience that continues to reject him as the Messiah. Many in the crowd either saw first hand or heard that Jesus had recently fed 5,000 men (likely 20,000 counting the women and children) from five barley loaves and two fish. Although Jesus’ ministry was fairly new at this point in the Gospel of John, he had already been identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, turned water into wine, healed the sick, and explained that eternal life comes only through himself. If these signs weren’t obvious enough, after Jesus was baptized the Father confirmed in an audible voice from heaven, “You are my beloved Son: with you I am well pleased.”
As we are well aware, even after three years of ministry that included miracle after miracle, sign after sign, fulfilled prophecy after fulfilled prophecy, still most rejected him. Far removed from the early life and ministry of Jesus, we’re prone to read the gospels with baffled brains and tremendous disdain for the people who saw the miracles and audibly heard his divine words. We think, “What a bunch of flipping idiots! Of course this is the Christ you ignorant Neanderthals!” However, we should realize that this reaction carries more than a pinch of pride and reveals that we haven’t fully grasped how or why anyone is saved. Evidence of understanding results in unhesitating delight with Jesus’ words in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.”
God’s work of guiding people to the truth extends past the gospels as seen in the early church with the conversion of Lydia. Acts 16:14 records that, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” After exhorting pastors to be kind, patient and gentle with quarrelsome and opposing unbelievers, Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:25, “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.” It is interesting, is it not, that this verse says God grants them repentance rather than offers them repentance that leads to the truth.
In addition to our fallen flesh, God must also overcome the work of Satan upon unbelievers’ minds. Second Corinthians 4:4-6 explains this dynamic:
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Perhaps not theologically, but countless Christians functionally believe that the they provide some measure of help, if not a great help, in securing eternal life. Why is this not so? Perhaps a spiritually blind person could stumble upon the truth. Granted, a spiritually deaf person may see the signs of eternal life. However, neither sensory perceptions nor consciousness exists in a spiritual corpse (Eph 2:1,5)! Truly, the flesh is no help at all! In this there are no exceptions - not one single person begins their journey to faith in Christ without God drawing them. Perhaps it’s fair to say that there are no true “seekers” without the gracious initiative of the Seeker.
Once sought, for what reasons? How does salvation by grace through faith in Jesus occur? Tune in next week my friends…
Friday, November 13, 2009
“Seekers”- Seeking a Biblical Understanding, Part 1
For well over a decade, many evangelical churches have increasingly targeted “seekers.” Most commonly, this approach involves removing the traditional trappings associated with church and providing an alluring atmosphere to plant them in the pews. Seeker-friendly churches are widespread throughout most medium to large U.S. cities. Some of these churches do an excellent job of removing the nonessentials while retaining the essentials. Sadly, other churches dilute the gospel and retreat from sound, holistic biblical teaching in an effort to provide ‘relevant and practical’ messages.
What is the underlying reason that some churches water-down the gospel message and shy away from controversial passages? An increasing number of evangelicals describe “seekers” as people who are searching for a relationship with God because of inherent decency and desire. They contend that most people are curious about the Lord but reluctant to attend church due to previous negative experiences, outdated music and communication styles, undesirable religious symbols, unfamiliar terminology, awkward alter calls, and a host of other reasons.
While the earnest, glass half-full view of human nature seems commendable, numerous scriptures present a tremendous challenge to adopting this perspective. Perhaps most pointedly, Paul references passages from Psalms 14 and 53 as he writes in Romans 3:10-12, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’"
Going beyond the dimension of seeking God, Romans 3 provides deeper insight into man’s condition. By nature, all people (not even one) are unenlightened and unrighteous – even bad! Ephesians 4:18 describes unbelievers as ‘darkened in their understanding’ and separated from God because of their hardness of heart. Prior to salvation, Ephesians 2:1-3 explains that we were children of wrath and spiritually dead in our sins. Understanding man’s bleak spiritual condition apart from Christ, we come full circle to John 3:20, “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”
Scripture says nothing of people, in and of themselves, seeking after the one true God. However, let us not confuse this truth with people seeking a god. False gods are abundant. False religions and spiritual philosophies masquerade as alternatives to knowing the real God, as their adherents worship a god derived from demonic influence (1 Cor 10:20, Col 2:8, 1 Tim 4:1) and merely human thoughts. This Sunday, many Christian church goers will seek social acceptance, meaningful friendships, peace of mind, physical health, material wealth or supernatural experiences without truly seeking a right relationship with God. Religious people often seek a god they can serve in order to obligate certain privileges, but this scenario doesn’t end well when the benefits they’ve so diligently earned don’t arrive. Tragically, some decades-long church members have regularly warmed their favorite pew, but the light of Christ has never warmed their heart.
Dead, blind, deaf, dumb, rebellious and condemned. These words describe our condition before faith in Christ. If all people are disinclined to seek the Lord, what causes some people to sincerely seek Him? We’ll unpack an alternate understanding of a “seeker” next week.
What is the underlying reason that some churches water-down the gospel message and shy away from controversial passages? An increasing number of evangelicals describe “seekers” as people who are searching for a relationship with God because of inherent decency and desire. They contend that most people are curious about the Lord but reluctant to attend church due to previous negative experiences, outdated music and communication styles, undesirable religious symbols, unfamiliar terminology, awkward alter calls, and a host of other reasons.
While the earnest, glass half-full view of human nature seems commendable, numerous scriptures present a tremendous challenge to adopting this perspective. Perhaps most pointedly, Paul references passages from Psalms 14 and 53 as he writes in Romans 3:10-12, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’"
Going beyond the dimension of seeking God, Romans 3 provides deeper insight into man’s condition. By nature, all people (not even one) are unenlightened and unrighteous – even bad! Ephesians 4:18 describes unbelievers as ‘darkened in their understanding’ and separated from God because of their hardness of heart. Prior to salvation, Ephesians 2:1-3 explains that we were children of wrath and spiritually dead in our sins. Understanding man’s bleak spiritual condition apart from Christ, we come full circle to John 3:20, “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”
Scripture says nothing of people, in and of themselves, seeking after the one true God. However, let us not confuse this truth with people seeking a god. False gods are abundant. False religions and spiritual philosophies masquerade as alternatives to knowing the real God, as their adherents worship a god derived from demonic influence (1 Cor 10:20, Col 2:8, 1 Tim 4:1) and merely human thoughts. This Sunday, many Christian church goers will seek social acceptance, meaningful friendships, peace of mind, physical health, material wealth or supernatural experiences without truly seeking a right relationship with God. Religious people often seek a god they can serve in order to obligate certain privileges, but this scenario doesn’t end well when the benefits they’ve so diligently earned don’t arrive. Tragically, some decades-long church members have regularly warmed their favorite pew, but the light of Christ has never warmed their heart.
Dead, blind, deaf, dumb, rebellious and condemned. These words describe our condition before faith in Christ. If all people are disinclined to seek the Lord, what causes some people to sincerely seek Him? We’ll unpack an alternate understanding of a “seeker” next week.
Friday, November 6, 2009
One Bible, Many Interpretations
If we’re all reading the same God-inspired source, why do Bible-believing Christians hold so many disparate doctrines? Did God have in mind only one correct interpretation when He inspired the Scriptures, or did He leave it open for various acceptable understandings? Intelligent and highly educated biblical scholars fail to draw the same conclusions from a large number of biblical texts. Should we then conclude that all are equally acceptable?
Before we look at possible reasons for these phenomena, it’s crucial to grasp the miraculous work of God to preserve the essential orthodox truths of our faith for almost two thousand years of Christendom. Millions of believers throughout the world believe in the eternal Triune God; Jesus Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross in our place, and bodily resurrection; salvation by grace through faith in His person and work; and His impending return.
We should also thankfully embrace God’s tremendous extension of grace to us concerning doctrines nonessential for salvation. After all, there are dippers and dunkers, robed choirs and robe-less rockers, kneelers and dancers, hand claspers and hand raisers, mega churches and house churches, tongues speakers and tongues denouncers, prophecy users and prophecy abusers, wine drinkers and teetotalers, Christian flag waivers and trendy art displayers, candle lighters and spot lighters, shouters and whisperers, demon denouncers and demon deniers, culture embracers and culture separators. Need I continue?!
Lightheartedness aside, contrary to what some in emergent and other liberal theological churches assert, many secondary biblical doctrines can positively or negatively affect a Christian’s relationship with God and other people. No less than God’s glory and our joy are at stake! Therefore, cognizance of factors that produce significant discrepancies, and acknowledgement that each of us is influenced by them to varying degrees, will better equip us to more accurately interpret Scripture.
The following list provides examples of some influences affecting biblical interpretation:
· Extent of Scripture knowledge
· Method of reconciling what the Bible teaches on a particular topic (systematic theology), or perhaps, lack of method
· Awareness of the historical and cultural context of the passage(s)
· Allegiances to current or former local church and/or denomination
· Experiencing or witnessing abuse from a pastor, relative or friend that adamantly espouses certain viewpoints
· Placing emphasis primarily on a person’s moral character to determine the correctness of the doctrines they champion
· Exclusive or primary exposure to only one perspective
· Comfort – reluctance to change viewpoints due to potential friction with church body, family or friends
· Culture – the unique social influences, philosophies and values of the society in which we live shape our instinctive inclinations
· Pride prevents us from being open to competing interpretations because we feel vested in our current, superior (so we think) understanding
· Valuing experiences and feelings above plain scriptural meaning
· Unrepentant sin hardens hearts and may blind people to seeing biblical truths that address it
Although undoubtedly incomplete, this list reveals the complexities Christians face as they seek correct biblical understanding. However, the Bible’s self-directed claims do not allow us to use them as an excuse for indifference or complacency. Consider the following passages:
In John 17:17 Jesus prays to the Father on behalf of His disciples, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
Jesus explains in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
1 Corinthians 2:13
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
These Bible verses reveal that God’s word is truth at its very essence, and He uses it to sanctify us. True worshippers are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. The Holy Spirit directly taught Scripture writers and interprets spiritual truth for believers. Referring to Scripture, the apostle Paul calls it the ‘word of truth,’ and adjures us to rightly handle it. The Word is immeasurably more than sage advice; it exerts tremendous spiritual power to change lives.
Kick conventional wisdom to the curb! The Bible does not make room for relative truth. Understanding the human limitations that prevent us from perfectly comprehending the Bible, through God’s power and wisdom may we humbly embrace a lifelong journey to constantly seek His truth.
Before we look at possible reasons for these phenomena, it’s crucial to grasp the miraculous work of God to preserve the essential orthodox truths of our faith for almost two thousand years of Christendom. Millions of believers throughout the world believe in the eternal Triune God; Jesus Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross in our place, and bodily resurrection; salvation by grace through faith in His person and work; and His impending return.
We should also thankfully embrace God’s tremendous extension of grace to us concerning doctrines nonessential for salvation. After all, there are dippers and dunkers, robed choirs and robe-less rockers, kneelers and dancers, hand claspers and hand raisers, mega churches and house churches, tongues speakers and tongues denouncers, prophecy users and prophecy abusers, wine drinkers and teetotalers, Christian flag waivers and trendy art displayers, candle lighters and spot lighters, shouters and whisperers, demon denouncers and demon deniers, culture embracers and culture separators. Need I continue?!
Lightheartedness aside, contrary to what some in emergent and other liberal theological churches assert, many secondary biblical doctrines can positively or negatively affect a Christian’s relationship with God and other people. No less than God’s glory and our joy are at stake! Therefore, cognizance of factors that produce significant discrepancies, and acknowledgement that each of us is influenced by them to varying degrees, will better equip us to more accurately interpret Scripture.
The following list provides examples of some influences affecting biblical interpretation:
· Extent of Scripture knowledge
· Method of reconciling what the Bible teaches on a particular topic (systematic theology), or perhaps, lack of method
· Awareness of the historical and cultural context of the passage(s)
· Allegiances to current or former local church and/or denomination
· Experiencing or witnessing abuse from a pastor, relative or friend that adamantly espouses certain viewpoints
· Placing emphasis primarily on a person’s moral character to determine the correctness of the doctrines they champion
· Exclusive or primary exposure to only one perspective
· Comfort – reluctance to change viewpoints due to potential friction with church body, family or friends
· Culture – the unique social influences, philosophies and values of the society in which we live shape our instinctive inclinations
· Pride prevents us from being open to competing interpretations because we feel vested in our current, superior (so we think) understanding
· Valuing experiences and feelings above plain scriptural meaning
· Unrepentant sin hardens hearts and may blind people to seeing biblical truths that address it
Although undoubtedly incomplete, this list reveals the complexities Christians face as they seek correct biblical understanding. However, the Bible’s self-directed claims do not allow us to use them as an excuse for indifference or complacency. Consider the following passages:
In John 17:17 Jesus prays to the Father on behalf of His disciples, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
Jesus explains in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
1 Corinthians 2:13
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
These Bible verses reveal that God’s word is truth at its very essence, and He uses it to sanctify us. True worshippers are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. The Holy Spirit directly taught Scripture writers and interprets spiritual truth for believers. Referring to Scripture, the apostle Paul calls it the ‘word of truth,’ and adjures us to rightly handle it. The Word is immeasurably more than sage advice; it exerts tremendous spiritual power to change lives.
Kick conventional wisdom to the curb! The Bible does not make room for relative truth. Understanding the human limitations that prevent us from perfectly comprehending the Bible, through God’s power and wisdom may we humbly embrace a lifelong journey to constantly seek His truth.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
God’s Glory and Our Joy
In my previous post I mentioned further discussing God’s concern for His glory. This can be a foreign and awkward topic for many Christians. It was initially for me. Even most of us who grew up in the church, Sunday and Wednesday-nighters included, are not familiar with the biblical understanding of God’s preeminent pursuit of His glorious name being known, protected and preserved. Whether this truth is misunderstood or neglected, the common result often manifests through man-centered faith, not God-glorifying faith. We may misguidedly think that God is primarily concerned about us, not Himself.
Scripture reveals that God is primarily concerned with bringing about events for His name’s sake (1 Sam 12:22; Ps 23:3, 25:11, 31:3, 79:9, 106:8, 109:21, 115:1, 143:11; Isa 48:9,11, 66:5, Jer 14:7,21; Ezek 20:9,14,22,44, 36:22; Dan 9:19; Acts 9:16, Rom 1:5, 1 Jn 2:12, Rev 2:3) and acting on behalf of His glory (Ex 14:4,17-18; Ps 79:9, 115:1; Isa 42:8, 48:11; Ezek 39:21; Zech 2:5; Jn 11:4,40, 17:5,24; Acts 12:23; Rom 9:23; 2 Cor 4:6; Phil 4:19; Col 2:27; 1 Pet 4:11; Rev 4:11). God also pointedly reveals why He created mankind in Isa 43:7. He speaks through the prophet Isaiah, “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Perhaps you’re now convinced that God seeks His own glory above all else, but you’re wondering, “Why?” You wouldn’t likely verbalize this question, but are you pondering whether this makes God self-centered or egotistical? The answer is, only if God isn’t truly God. For any person other than God to glorify and make much of themself, this behavior reveals egotism and pride. People like this are hard to stomach for any prolonged period of time. Their behavior is a turn-off because everyone else is quite aware of these people’s shortcomings. On the other hand, God is perfect and the essence of all that is magnificent, beautiful and worthy of praise. It is deep, but the following statement is true: If God values anything other than Himself before Himself, He’s guilty of committing idolatry. Certainly God does not do this!
Niagra Falls' magnificence, uniqueness and awe-inspiring views attract admirers from all over the world. Similarly, by placing His worthiness, honor and glory on display for all to see, God attracts people to the only thing in the universe that can fully satisfy their souls, which is Himself. A deep and abiding relationship with the God of the universe is the final destination of all people’s quest for soul satisfying joy. Psalm 16:11 states this truth beautifully, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” God’s pursuit of His preeminent glory and His provision of our ultimate joy is the same end!
Scripture reveals that God is primarily concerned with bringing about events for His name’s sake (1 Sam 12:22; Ps 23:3, 25:11, 31:3, 79:9, 106:8, 109:21, 115:1, 143:11; Isa 48:9,11, 66:5, Jer 14:7,21; Ezek 20:9,14,22,44, 36:22; Dan 9:19; Acts 9:16, Rom 1:5, 1 Jn 2:12, Rev 2:3) and acting on behalf of His glory (Ex 14:4,17-18; Ps 79:9, 115:1; Isa 42:8, 48:11; Ezek 39:21; Zech 2:5; Jn 11:4,40, 17:5,24; Acts 12:23; Rom 9:23; 2 Cor 4:6; Phil 4:19; Col 2:27; 1 Pet 4:11; Rev 4:11). God also pointedly reveals why He created mankind in Isa 43:7. He speaks through the prophet Isaiah, “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Perhaps you’re now convinced that God seeks His own glory above all else, but you’re wondering, “Why?” You wouldn’t likely verbalize this question, but are you pondering whether this makes God self-centered or egotistical? The answer is, only if God isn’t truly God. For any person other than God to glorify and make much of themself, this behavior reveals egotism and pride. People like this are hard to stomach for any prolonged period of time. Their behavior is a turn-off because everyone else is quite aware of these people’s shortcomings. On the other hand, God is perfect and the essence of all that is magnificent, beautiful and worthy of praise. It is deep, but the following statement is true: If God values anything other than Himself before Himself, He’s guilty of committing idolatry. Certainly God does not do this!
Niagra Falls' magnificence, uniqueness and awe-inspiring views attract admirers from all over the world. Similarly, by placing His worthiness, honor and glory on display for all to see, God attracts people to the only thing in the universe that can fully satisfy their souls, which is Himself. A deep and abiding relationship with the God of the universe is the final destination of all people’s quest for soul satisfying joy. Psalm 16:11 states this truth beautifully, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” God’s pursuit of His preeminent glory and His provision of our ultimate joy is the same end!
Friday, October 16, 2009
How Big Is Your God?
I have a confession to make. More often than I’d like to admit, I forget just how BIG our God truly is. I’m obviously not speaking of physical size when using the descriptive word ‘big,’ especially since God exists everywhere and is not contained in measurable, observable matter. How mind boggling that mankind doesn’t actually know what ‘everywhere’ entails, considering we can’t even measure the expanse of the universe, much less the spiritual realm!
Scripture says that no one has seen God in His fullness, and no man could survive the experience. Yet, God has revealed glimpses of Himself in numerous ways and varying degrees, most clearly through the person of Jesus Christ the Son, who is the exact representation of God’s character and purpose.
The Bible clearly teaches that there is only one God that eternally exists in three Persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). He is one in essence and being (which includes character, purpose and will), yet relates through separate Persons that are equally God. Although completely equal, the Son submits to the Father’s will and the Holy Spirit submits to the will of the Father and Son. This dynamic of submission does not in any way make the Son or Holy Spirit subordinate to (lesser than) the Father.
God is entirely independent in that He experiences perfect love and completeness within the Trinitarian existence. God doesn’t need us or anything He created, as if He was lonely or bored, which some errant pseudo-theologians have contended.
Being eternal, the Triune God has no beginning and no end. He exists outside of space and time, yet he created both space and time, and reveals Himself to us through them and in them. Therefore, He always sees all things past, present and future in perfect clarity and in their entirety. Nothing is hidden from God.
All events past, present and future happen in accordance with God’s will. Nothing happens that He does not allow and ordain. God reveals His will for us through commands and precepts contained in the Bible, yet scripture also shows He has a secret will that contains the mysteries we cannot grasp.
Have you ever pondered the fact that we will never fully know anything about God? If we did, God would cease to be infinite, but rather, finite. Nevertheless, we can partially know many truths about God as revealed through his Word, as well as relationally experience God in our lives through countless ways.
God’s character includes His love, wisdom, truthfulness, goodness, mercy, grace, patience, holiness, peace, righteousness, justice, jealousy and wrath. He does not simply exude these attributes, He defines them. For example, the Bible does not only say God loves, but that God is love. His justice, jealously and wrath are not contradictory to his other attributes but in concert with them. God cannot be fully loving, good, merciful, gracious, patient, wise, ect., without being just, wrathful and jealous for our affections.
Often overlooked and/or understated is that God delights fully in Himself and all that reflects His character. He is the sole essence of all desirable qualities. God is primarily concerned with His glory (note: not ours), which Wayne Grudem defines as the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of Himself. Perhaps I will attempt to unpack some of this truth in the next posting!?
Try your best to fight through the headache that may have onset during your reading of all these mind-mangling truths because there are some life altering ramifications! Why should we study and contemplate what God has revealed about Himself since often we come away perplexed? All confusion should lead us to these conclusions: 1) If we could fully comprehend God, He wouldn’t truly be God. 2) We can rest assured that God is able to keep all of His promises since He alone is not limited in any way, shape or form. 3) Because of who God is, He is completely worthy of our trust and affections in the midst of any and all circumstances!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Heavenly Reflections
When was the last time you heard a sermon on heaven? How often are you prompted to ponder the glories that await you when God calls you home? If the Bible speaks often of heaven, why don’t we?
Throughout Christian church history until modern times, God’s people largely cherished the promises and glories of heaven much more so than most of us reading this blog. I contend this has to do with the relative ease of life we have. Beginning with the New Testament-era church, Christians were shunned and persecuted, eventually leading to many being martyred for their faith in Christ. For the next two hundred years of church history until AD 313 when Roman emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, Christians suffered persecution by emperors Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Maximus, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian and Diocletian. From the fourth century to the present time, untold numbers of Christians have continued to live under adverse conditions that include oppressive governments, imprisonment, hunger, famine, lack of clothing, sickness, disease, plagues and poverty as their normal way of life. It’s not hard to fathom that a lack of earthly comforts necessarily magnifies people’s anticipation of heaven. Apart from relatively brief experiences of tragedies and trials, the opposite can be said of most of us.
In countries with unprecedented historical wealth, such as ours, the influence of modern western society has greatly reduced the church’s focus on the eternal rewards awaiting God’s people. Our daily lives are inundated with material comforts of every kind. Even most of America’s poor have shelter, clean water, food, clothing, access to education and even TVs! Our eyes and ears are constantly assaulted with marketing campaigns via TV, newspapers, magazines, billboards, mailers, radio and the internet. Most marketing messages present the same basic plea, “you need _____ to make your life better.”
It may seem less compelling to contemplate the glories of heaven when so many of us are comfortably pursuing and enjoying the lesser glories of earth. When there’s no discernable statistical difference between the debt levels of professing Christians and non-Christians, there appears to be an alarming Biblical disconnect from Matthew 6:19-20 which tells us to ‘lay up’ treasures in heaven and not earth. Others of us have so mastered the Dave Ramsey Plan that we don’t seek the Lord’s wisdom or guidance concerning our wealth. Through means of debt or abundance, money can become a functional savior from pain and need, replacing our reliance on God and thankfulness to him. We lose sight of the truth that everything we have is from Him, it is all His, and should be used for His glory.
Although many of us find ourselves in this situation, there is very good news! We don’t necessarily need poor health, poverty or persecution in order to fix our eyes and hearts of heaven because the greatest reward of heaven doesn’t lie in the restoration and perfection of our bodies, the absence of sin and sickness, or the delights of mansions and magnificent God-made wonders. The great reward is what some have termed the ‘beatific vision,’ when we see our risen Lord and Savior Jesus, exalted and ruling! Even though we don’t really know what this experience will be like since the Father and Holy Spirit don’t have a physical bodies, the Bible says we will also see God (Matt 5:8, 1 Cor 13:12, 1 John 3:2, Rev 22:3-4)! Regardless of the circumstances God has given us during this earthly life, there can be no greater desire, hope or joy than this!
So, let us encourage each other with this truth as we look fix our spiritual eyes on the unfathomable joy that waits us. May our pulpits abound with heavenly utterances because the following statement is true: Preaching the glories of heaven makes straight the path that leads to its gates.
Throughout Christian church history until modern times, God’s people largely cherished the promises and glories of heaven much more so than most of us reading this blog. I contend this has to do with the relative ease of life we have. Beginning with the New Testament-era church, Christians were shunned and persecuted, eventually leading to many being martyred for their faith in Christ. For the next two hundred years of church history until AD 313 when Roman emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, Christians suffered persecution by emperors Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Maximus, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian and Diocletian. From the fourth century to the present time, untold numbers of Christians have continued to live under adverse conditions that include oppressive governments, imprisonment, hunger, famine, lack of clothing, sickness, disease, plagues and poverty as their normal way of life. It’s not hard to fathom that a lack of earthly comforts necessarily magnifies people’s anticipation of heaven. Apart from relatively brief experiences of tragedies and trials, the opposite can be said of most of us.
In countries with unprecedented historical wealth, such as ours, the influence of modern western society has greatly reduced the church’s focus on the eternal rewards awaiting God’s people. Our daily lives are inundated with material comforts of every kind. Even most of America’s poor have shelter, clean water, food, clothing, access to education and even TVs! Our eyes and ears are constantly assaulted with marketing campaigns via TV, newspapers, magazines, billboards, mailers, radio and the internet. Most marketing messages present the same basic plea, “you need _____ to make your life better.”
It may seem less compelling to contemplate the glories of heaven when so many of us are comfortably pursuing and enjoying the lesser glories of earth. When there’s no discernable statistical difference between the debt levels of professing Christians and non-Christians, there appears to be an alarming Biblical disconnect from Matthew 6:19-20 which tells us to ‘lay up’ treasures in heaven and not earth. Others of us have so mastered the Dave Ramsey Plan that we don’t seek the Lord’s wisdom or guidance concerning our wealth. Through means of debt or abundance, money can become a functional savior from pain and need, replacing our reliance on God and thankfulness to him. We lose sight of the truth that everything we have is from Him, it is all His, and should be used for His glory.
Although many of us find ourselves in this situation, there is very good news! We don’t necessarily need poor health, poverty or persecution in order to fix our eyes and hearts of heaven because the greatest reward of heaven doesn’t lie in the restoration and perfection of our bodies, the absence of sin and sickness, or the delights of mansions and magnificent God-made wonders. The great reward is what some have termed the ‘beatific vision,’ when we see our risen Lord and Savior Jesus, exalted and ruling! Even though we don’t really know what this experience will be like since the Father and Holy Spirit don’t have a physical bodies, the Bible says we will also see God (Matt 5:8, 1 Cor 13:12, 1 John 3:2, Rev 22:3-4)! Regardless of the circumstances God has given us during this earthly life, there can be no greater desire, hope or joy than this!
So, let us encourage each other with this truth as we look fix our spiritual eyes on the unfathomable joy that waits us. May our pulpits abound with heavenly utterances because the following statement is true: Preaching the glories of heaven makes straight the path that leads to its gates.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
This Is No "Top Gun" Serenade
Through one of my pastor’s recent sermons I was introduced to Zephaniah 3:17, a passage in the Old Testament that says…
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;he will exult over you with loud singing.
For those of you who are sons and daughters of God, is this how you envision your Heavenly Father expressing his affections towards you? My initial reaction was somewhat conflicted. I felt humbly blessed and in awe of God’s love for me, yet also considerably unnerved. There are a few reasons that come to mind for the latter feelings.
First, it’s a little unsettling that the holy, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Ancient of Days would express his affections for a rebellious and sinful person like me who quite successfully and regularly trashes his image in which he made me. Second, like most men, there always lies close beneath the surface a culturally influenced macho-ism that says a man singing to another man is not in any way comfortable, even if it is He singing to a he. Third, negative associations can taint your view of otherwise good things. For instance, say in junior high a guy named Bobby gave you a wedgie in front of the entire gym class. Obviously this was a very embarrassing and traumatic event in your life; and therefore, 'Bobby' may not be a name you would choose for your firstborn child. Related to this verse and God signing loudly over me, the first serenade that comes to my mind is Tom Cruise (Maverick) singing that cheesy, drunken and off-key version of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” to Kelly McGillis in the movie Top Gun. It’s literally making me nauseous just thinking about that movie scene. Gross! (Sorry, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.)
When the Counselor graciously moves me past the sin-tainted spiritual and mental hazards keeping me from delighting in this verse, there’s scarcely a more heart impacting verse in the Bible. Not only is Yahweh (the personal name for God) with me and saving me, but he gladly rejoices over me. The truth of this is nothing short of dumbfounding. Despite all of my shortcomings, excuses, functional and actual idolatry, rebellion and blatant disregard for all that God is and has done for me, he does not reluctantly or begrudgingly rejoice over me due to mere obligation or covenantal commitment. No, he gladly rejoices over me! And not only this, but he loves me with such humanly incomprehensible depth that I am shocked into a state of quiet peace and content.
To top off this display of love, God exults over me with loud singing! Exulting can be described as rejoicing exceedingly or being highly elated over something. The previous reference to rejoicing just won’t capture his excitement and affections for me. In his sermon, Sam Storms explains that singing brings clarity, intensity, vulnerability and intimacy to communicating feelings like mere words simply cannot. God is not satisfied with pronouncing his affections towards me with merely spoken words; they can’t capture the essence of how he feels about me. Also notice that God does not whisper a song or even sing soft, mellow songs. Considering my life, that seems much more appropriate! What does God’s loud singing sound like? Perhaps it can be likened to the most powerful displays we see in nature such as the roar of Niagara Falls, yet with the gentleness and serenity of the smallest mountain stream. This is no Top Gun serenade!
I purposefully wrote the previous two paragraphs in first person. And although it did my heart tremendous good to ponder God’s special love for me, I wrote them in this manner to encourage you to personalize these truths as you re-read them. Before you do this, claim the truths in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 that explains how Christ Jesus is our righteousness through God’s doing and choosing alone, so there is no boasting except in what the Lord has done. For all who reject dependence on themselves and trust in Jesus Christ alone, your failings and my failings don’t change and can’t change the fact that God sings loudly over us!
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;he will exult over you with loud singing.
For those of you who are sons and daughters of God, is this how you envision your Heavenly Father expressing his affections towards you? My initial reaction was somewhat conflicted. I felt humbly blessed and in awe of God’s love for me, yet also considerably unnerved. There are a few reasons that come to mind for the latter feelings.
First, it’s a little unsettling that the holy, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Ancient of Days would express his affections for a rebellious and sinful person like me who quite successfully and regularly trashes his image in which he made me. Second, like most men, there always lies close beneath the surface a culturally influenced macho-ism that says a man singing to another man is not in any way comfortable, even if it is He singing to a he. Third, negative associations can taint your view of otherwise good things. For instance, say in junior high a guy named Bobby gave you a wedgie in front of the entire gym class. Obviously this was a very embarrassing and traumatic event in your life; and therefore, 'Bobby' may not be a name you would choose for your firstborn child. Related to this verse and God signing loudly over me, the first serenade that comes to my mind is Tom Cruise (Maverick) singing that cheesy, drunken and off-key version of “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” to Kelly McGillis in the movie Top Gun. It’s literally making me nauseous just thinking about that movie scene. Gross! (Sorry, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.)
When the Counselor graciously moves me past the sin-tainted spiritual and mental hazards keeping me from delighting in this verse, there’s scarcely a more heart impacting verse in the Bible. Not only is Yahweh (the personal name for God) with me and saving me, but he gladly rejoices over me. The truth of this is nothing short of dumbfounding. Despite all of my shortcomings, excuses, functional and actual idolatry, rebellion and blatant disregard for all that God is and has done for me, he does not reluctantly or begrudgingly rejoice over me due to mere obligation or covenantal commitment. No, he gladly rejoices over me! And not only this, but he loves me with such humanly incomprehensible depth that I am shocked into a state of quiet peace and content.
To top off this display of love, God exults over me with loud singing! Exulting can be described as rejoicing exceedingly or being highly elated over something. The previous reference to rejoicing just won’t capture his excitement and affections for me. In his sermon, Sam Storms explains that singing brings clarity, intensity, vulnerability and intimacy to communicating feelings like mere words simply cannot. God is not satisfied with pronouncing his affections towards me with merely spoken words; they can’t capture the essence of how he feels about me. Also notice that God does not whisper a song or even sing soft, mellow songs. Considering my life, that seems much more appropriate! What does God’s loud singing sound like? Perhaps it can be likened to the most powerful displays we see in nature such as the roar of Niagara Falls, yet with the gentleness and serenity of the smallest mountain stream. This is no Top Gun serenade!
I purposefully wrote the previous two paragraphs in first person. And although it did my heart tremendous good to ponder God’s special love for me, I wrote them in this manner to encourage you to personalize these truths as you re-read them. Before you do this, claim the truths in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 that explains how Christ Jesus is our righteousness through God’s doing and choosing alone, so there is no boasting except in what the Lord has done. For all who reject dependence on themselves and trust in Jesus Christ alone, your failings and my failings don’t change and can’t change the fact that God sings loudly over us!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Amazing Grace
Why does one man’s life end in defiance of God’s free offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ’s atoning work on the cross and resurrection from the dead, while another man turns from self reliance and doubt, trusting Jesus as his Savior and Lord as his life nears its end? Surely this change of heart can only be attributed to God’s amazing grace!
This past weekend I attended the funeral of my very special and beloved Papa Denz. He represents the second man in the scenario mentioned above. At 87 years of age, exactly two weeks to the day before taking his last breath, his self-reliance ceased and his supposed ‘intellectual’ resistance crumbled. He clung to Jesus as his only hope for peace with God.
Chapter 2 of Ephesians explains that before faith we were “dead in our trespasses and sins” and “children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Thankfully our condition doesn’t end there as the passage goes on to say, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved.”
This side of heaven, Christians will never universally agree how God carries out this miracle of grace through the Holy Spirit. However, we can all stand in unison and give God all the glory as we sing these words from that great hymn by John Newton:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
This past weekend I attended the funeral of my very special and beloved Papa Denz. He represents the second man in the scenario mentioned above. At 87 years of age, exactly two weeks to the day before taking his last breath, his self-reliance ceased and his supposed ‘intellectual’ resistance crumbled. He clung to Jesus as his only hope for peace with God.
Chapter 2 of Ephesians explains that before faith we were “dead in our trespasses and sins” and “children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Thankfully our condition doesn’t end there as the passage goes on to say, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved.”
This side of heaven, Christians will never universally agree how God carries out this miracle of grace through the Holy Spirit. However, we can all stand in unison and give God all the glory as we sing these words from that great hymn by John Newton:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
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