The following is a link to a sermon by the early American preacher, Jonathan Edwards. It is entitled "The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming it". If you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ, hear the voice of God through this man. Discipline your flesh and read through this entire sermon, and I am certain it will prove to be either a blessing or a curse to you. A blessing for those of you God might convict and transform through it; a curse for those who will read it, not take heed to it, and fall guilty and without excuse into the hands of the Almighty, on that great and terrible Day of Judgment.
http://www.reformedsermonarchives.com/ed9.htm
It is also worth mentioning that this website's home page has a multitude of profitable and soul-stirring sermons to listen to you if you wish to seek out more.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Foolishness of Zionism in the Church
Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you. And in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed."
A certain, relatively modern understanding of this verse, as well as that of many others which speak of the Abrahamic promises, fuels what is often referred to as "Zionism". Zionism is a system of thought which irrationally inspires people to support the nation of Israel, regardless of her morals and governmental principles. It holds to the idea that God will curse America if she ever denies aid and support to Israel. At the foundation of this belief is the theological system called "Dispensationalism". I say that Dispensationalism is "relatively modern" because it is not a historical view of the Church. Even big-time proponents of it such as Charles Ryrie readily admit that Dispensationalism's tenets have been held by a very small number of scholars and teachers in the history of the Church; and that some of them even, held to a view much different than what we know as being Dispensationalism. For the sake of contrast, allow me to present to you just a small list of (fairly recent) historical, sound teachers, greatly blessed by God, who completely disagreed with Dispensationalism: John Calvin, Philipp Melanchthon, William Tyndale, John Knox, John Owen, Thomas Watson, Richard Baxter, George Whitfield, Matthew Henry, John Bunyan, John Gill, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, John Winthrop, John Cotton, C.H. Spurgeon, A.W. Pink, B.B. Warfield, Charles Hodge, J.P. Boyce, and J.I. Packer. Oh dear Christian, if you're going to espouse a teaching that stands contrary to the conclusions of men such as these- whom God was pleased to richly bless with brilliant minds, and Christ-exalting hearts- please do so only after you have humbly and studiously examined these things. And please let me preface with this: I am not seeking to start a political movement. I just want the truth of God's covenant of grace to be understood and exulted in; and for Christians to think carefully through how we ought to support to the nation of Israel.
Let us consult the Scriptures now...
Romans 9:3, "I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ, for the sake of my brethren". What drives Paul to say this? He loves his kinsmen according to the flesh- ethnic Israel- and sees that they have, on the whole, rejected their Messiah. His heart burns with love for them, and with deep desire to see them converted.
(Romans 9:6) "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel." Now why would Paul say "it is not as though the word of God has failed"? He says this because it was then, as it is today, falsely taught that "the word of God" declares the ethnic people of Israel to be God's elect people. The Jews thought themselves to be heirs of God's covenant of salvation. The prevailing thought at that time was that when Messiah came, He would, once and for all, redeem the entire nation, and crush the Gentiles under His feet. They believed they would all be redeemed by Messiah; that He was their Savior, in the sense that He would actually reconcile each one of them to a right standing before God. The particular favor promised in the Old Testament, to an elect people, they believed to be there's for the simple fact that they were physical descendants of Abraham. Such is the false notion of Dispensationalists today. For these reasons the Jews thought it was righteous of them to disregard the Gentiles; and to think themselves superior to them. Their arrogance and self-righteousness blinded them to the partially veiled realities of the covenant of grace. The nation of Israel did not grasp the reality of Divine election.
"They are not all Israel who descended from Israel."
Paul makes it clear that Jewish ethnicity does not actually make someone an Israeli in God's eyes. What's that supposed to mean? What does it mean that not all who descend from Israel are truly Israel? It means that God's word extended many promises to Israel, and that this "Israel" was not ethnic Israel. Let us be clear here: The majority of the saints of the Old Testament were Jews. So I'm not saying that God's elect were not primarily Jews in the Old Testament. But what Paul refers to when he says "the word of God has not failed", is the promises of salvation to ALL of God's elect. God's covenant of grace, which he made with Abraham and his descendants, was not made to the nation of Israel: "they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel". For starters, in the Old Testament, not all Jews were saved; many of them never received the "inheritance"- salvific promises- which God made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their "seed". And some who did partake of those promises, the covenant of salvation, were Gentiles. So then, though God did bless the ethnic Israel in many ways, in preserving the lineage of Christ, the actual promises were not made to an ethnic people.
(Romans 9:7) "Nor are they all children because they are Abraham's seed, but: 'through Isaac your seed will be named." Children? What does Paul mean by children? "I will curse those who curse you." Dispensationalists take that to mean that God will curse those who do not align themselves, even politically and militarily, with the physical seed of Abraham; despite Paul's stating the truth of the matter so explicitly: "They are not all children (of Abraham) because they are Abraham's seed." You could rephrase verses 6-7 in this way: "Not all of Abraham's physical seed are truly Abraham's seed. It's not his physical descendants who are truly his children." Is anyone else catching this? Paul couldn't be clearer! "through Isaac your seed will be named." This refers to Christ. It is through Isaac, and not Ishmael (who was a physical descendant of Abraham), that the Messiah would come from; therefore, it is through Messiah that all of Abraham's true seed will be named. This point right here, we'll later discover, is what brings all of this together.
(Romans 9:8) "This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as (Abraham's) seed." The "children of the flesh" are ethnic Israel. Paul says they are not the children of God. He contrasts the two and makes it clear that they- the children of the flesh, ethnic Israel- are a distinct group from "the children of the promise", Abraham's seed. It is "the children of the promise" who are Abraham's seed, and thus, children of God. I'll clarify by saying that it is indeed true that God chose the Jewish nation to be the recipients of special grace; grace not given to the Gentiles in the Old Covenant. And that the Gentiles, whom God called to Himself, were made Jewish proselytes. It was to them that God gave the Law, and through them came the promises. No one would deny this. But it must be understood that God has clarified now what was really going on back then. God has exapanded much in the New Covenant; and He has brought to realization what was typified in the Jewish nation, and in their laws, ordinances, and traditions. It is not that God has overturned His economy of grace; He has simply expanded it, clarified it, and brought it to realization. Take for example the clear fact that He instituted the New Covenant with "the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31), and that the New Testament book of Hebrews unveils what God intended: not an covenant with ethnic Jews, but a covenant with spiritual Jews.
"The promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he would be heir of the world, did not come through the Law but through the righteousness that is by faith.... it depends of faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his seed- not only to the adherents of the Law (ethnic Jews), but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, 'who is the father of us all', as it is written, 'I shall make you the father of many nations" (Romans 4:13-17). How J.N. Darby, C.I. Scofield, Lewis Sperry Chafer, and Charles Ryrie could all pervert these texts, in the way they do, is absolutely heart-breaking to me. God couldn't be much more clear. So, what could the promise of God be, that Abraham and his seed would be "heirs of the world", other than what we find in Genesis 17:1-8? There God tells Abraham he will make a covenant with him and with his seed. These are "the promises" Paul tells us that God made, not to the physical descendants of Abraham, but to the spiritual descendants of Abraham. God promised land, blessings, and particular, salvific grace. This covenant of grace manifested the election of God; the election that Israel thought was their birth-right. God, of His own free will, chose to set His particular love and grace upon "Abraham and his seed". And so we are told by Paul, that it is the children of promise- the promise of covenant grace and salvation and blessings- and not ethnic Israel, who are heirs of this covenant. "the promise will be guaranteed to all the seed of Israel" (Romans 4:16); "and it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of promise". Paul says: "Abraham's seed" are heirs of this covenant of grace- heirs of the world; and this seed is not ethnic Jews only, but all whom God joins to Christ through faith". Just as it is written, "I will make you a father of many nations" (Romans 4:17). Dispensationalists seem to completely overlook what this means. Abraham's being the father of many nations refers to his spiritual fatherhood: "the children of the promise are Abraham's seed". So it is not Israel as a nation whom God particularly set His electing grace upon, but people of "every tribe, language, people, and nation" (Revelation 5:19).
Haven't you ever wondered why God takes covenant verses from the Old Testament, which the nation of Israel thought referred to all ethnic Jews, and says they were written of all the elect of God- Jew and Gentile alike? Here are a few examples: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession" (1 Peter 2:9). Sound anything like Deuteronomy 10:15, Isaiah 43:20, Exodus 19:6, Isaiah 61:6; 66:21, Deuteronomy 7:6, and Malachi 3:17? That's where Peter got these salvific names from! Peter says: "elect of God, Church, these apply to you!" Here is one more: "I will be their God and they shall be My people" (2 Corinthians 6:16-18). Paul took that precious covenant promise, made to spiritual Israel, from: Exodus 6:7; Jeremiah 31:33; and Ezekiel 11:20 (among other places).
The Jews simply did not understand the concept of universal (world-wide) election. That is precisely why John 3:16 is so radical; and why the New Testament writers often employ terms such as "world", "whole world", and "all". When ethnic Jews heard of salvation, they assumed it was confined to them. So when someone says, no God didn't reconcile one nation, He reconciled the world; they aren't saying that every individual in the world will be reconciled to God; they are saying that God "ransomed people from... every nation" (Revelation 5:19)! The Jews thought Jesus would usher in final salvation for them; a final fulfillment of the Abrahamic promises. But Jesus had other plans He came to accomplish; and He overthrew their racist ideology (an ideology which some Christians are foolishly propagating even today!).
I wonder if you have ever studied Romans 2:28-29?
"He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one who is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart". Hard to argue with that. People say, "Well, God had to be talking to ethnic Jews in the Abrahamic promises, because He commanded ISRAEL to be circumcised as part of the covenant!" Hear this verse and you'll have your answer. The Old Testament was filled with types and shadows. Circumcision was one of them. And it is only New Testament teachings on the matter which reveal that we are not still bound by that same command. In reality, circumcision, just like baptism, was a sign and seal of the righteousness of Christ (Romans 4:11). "Circumcision is a matter of the heart." Therefore, "he is a Jew who is one inwardly"; whose heart has been circumcised by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:11).
Back to Romans 9...
Paul, in vs. 23-24, clarifies that God's election took place before the creation of the universe; and that He always intended to unite both Jews and Gentiles to Christ. The Church wasn't plan B, as many Dispensationalists make it out to be. Such a notion is a perversion of the truth of Scripture. The term "church" simply means "called out ones". It signifies people's being called out of the world, and called into covenant with God and with other children of God. Every believer of all time is a part of the Church; it's just that the Church, God's called out ones, was predominantly ethnic Jews in the Old Testament, and is just the opposite now. And oh how we eagerly await the future ingathering of the nation of Israel! God promises that just as He, by and large, cast them away, He will likewise graft them back into this ONE BODY OF CHRIST (Romans 11)! Any and all people, throughout human history, who have been saved by grace, through faith in Christ, are apart of this one body of Christ. There are not two distinct peoples. There is only one body of Christ; each member having their sins atoned for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:18, "If the inheritance comes by the law (which was the Jewish belief), it no longer comes by way of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise". What inheritance was Abraham promised? The inheritance consists of every Divine promise Abraham was given- concerning salvation, blessings, and land. This inheritance was promised, and as Galatians 3:29 clarifies: "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise!"
Land of Promise
People make a huge deal about the land of Canaan. Do you really think God's land promises were restricted to Canaan? This contradicts the Apostle who says that God promised Abraham and his seed would be, not heirs of a small strip of land, but "of the world". Don't you see the unveiling God has granted us; the substantial realization brought to us in Christ? And don't Dispensationalists realize that not even Abraham concerned himself with physical land? "By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country" (Hebrews 11:9). But why wouldn't he be as preoccupied with the physical land as Dispensationalists are today? "He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (11:10). Abraham understood that the "land of promise" was a type of the "heavenly Jerusalem"; that the physical land was only temporal, and therefore unworthy of his affections. It is New Jerusalem that we, like our father Abraham, ought to have our thoughts and affections occupied with. So much of the Old Testament simply foreshadowed greater realities- spiritual realities; realities that found their substance and fulfillment in Christ, His atoning work, and the spread of the Gospel to all nations.
Christ and His seed
To bring it all together, as I promised I would, let's take a look at Galatians 3:16: "The promises were made to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say, 'And to seeds,' referring to many, but it refers to one, 'and to your seed', who is Christ." Who, ultimately, is the "seed" of Abraham? Christ alone is! Not Jews, not Gentiles, but Christ. How could it be anyone else? Just consider the promises. God is a just and holy God, and He cannot simply overlook transgressions in order to covenant with sinners. To do such a thing would be evil. He is just, and justice demands our sins be punished. So, when God made this covenant of grace, He made it, not primarily with us, but with Christ; the only One He deserving of the blessings. Jesus Himself is the Heir of the covenant; not because He needs covenant grace, but in order that He might atone for our sins, and extend this covenant grace to all whom He elect! It is a person's union with Christ which grants them this covenant status. It is a person's union with Christ which makes them Abraham's seed, and an heir of the world (Romans 4:13-17); not their ethnicity. A true Jew is one whom God the Father unites with Christ. Spiritual Israel, the children of the promise, are those whom God has elected: "vessels of mercy, whom He has prepared beforehand for glory- even us whom He has called, not from among Jews only but also from the Gentiles!" (Romans 9:23).
Those who wish to further the Zionist agenda, through supposed Biblical obligations, are deceiving many, and there folly needs to be openly refuted and rebuked in love. The nation of Israel is not a superior race; for they are not "the chosen race" at all- even as Peter made so clear (1 Peter 2:9). We are obligated to love the Jews, pray for the Jews, and preach the Gospel to the Jews, but we are in no way obligated to support them governmentally, and/or militarily! God has a chosen people within the Muslim world as well; and to spurn them altogether in favor of ungodly Zionism is nothing short of "showing partiality", which God hates.
May Christ's centrality permeate our understanding, remove the scales that falsehoods have placed upon our eyes, and grant us a more unified perception of God's covenant grace.
Thomas Karrer
A certain, relatively modern understanding of this verse, as well as that of many others which speak of the Abrahamic promises, fuels what is often referred to as "Zionism". Zionism is a system of thought which irrationally inspires people to support the nation of Israel, regardless of her morals and governmental principles. It holds to the idea that God will curse America if she ever denies aid and support to Israel. At the foundation of this belief is the theological system called "Dispensationalism". I say that Dispensationalism is "relatively modern" because it is not a historical view of the Church. Even big-time proponents of it such as Charles Ryrie readily admit that Dispensationalism's tenets have been held by a very small number of scholars and teachers in the history of the Church; and that some of them even, held to a view much different than what we know as being Dispensationalism. For the sake of contrast, allow me to present to you just a small list of (fairly recent) historical, sound teachers, greatly blessed by God, who completely disagreed with Dispensationalism: John Calvin, Philipp Melanchthon, William Tyndale, John Knox, John Owen, Thomas Watson, Richard Baxter, George Whitfield, Matthew Henry, John Bunyan, John Gill, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, John Winthrop, John Cotton, C.H. Spurgeon, A.W. Pink, B.B. Warfield, Charles Hodge, J.P. Boyce, and J.I. Packer. Oh dear Christian, if you're going to espouse a teaching that stands contrary to the conclusions of men such as these- whom God was pleased to richly bless with brilliant minds, and Christ-exalting hearts- please do so only after you have humbly and studiously examined these things. And please let me preface with this: I am not seeking to start a political movement. I just want the truth of God's covenant of grace to be understood and exulted in; and for Christians to think carefully through how we ought to support to the nation of Israel.
Let us consult the Scriptures now...
Romans 9:3, "I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ, for the sake of my brethren". What drives Paul to say this? He loves his kinsmen according to the flesh- ethnic Israel- and sees that they have, on the whole, rejected their Messiah. His heart burns with love for them, and with deep desire to see them converted.
(Romans 9:6) "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel." Now why would Paul say "it is not as though the word of God has failed"? He says this because it was then, as it is today, falsely taught that "the word of God" declares the ethnic people of Israel to be God's elect people. The Jews thought themselves to be heirs of God's covenant of salvation. The prevailing thought at that time was that when Messiah came, He would, once and for all, redeem the entire nation, and crush the Gentiles under His feet. They believed they would all be redeemed by Messiah; that He was their Savior, in the sense that He would actually reconcile each one of them to a right standing before God. The particular favor promised in the Old Testament, to an elect people, they believed to be there's for the simple fact that they were physical descendants of Abraham. Such is the false notion of Dispensationalists today. For these reasons the Jews thought it was righteous of them to disregard the Gentiles; and to think themselves superior to them. Their arrogance and self-righteousness blinded them to the partially veiled realities of the covenant of grace. The nation of Israel did not grasp the reality of Divine election.
"They are not all Israel who descended from Israel."
Paul makes it clear that Jewish ethnicity does not actually make someone an Israeli in God's eyes. What's that supposed to mean? What does it mean that not all who descend from Israel are truly Israel? It means that God's word extended many promises to Israel, and that this "Israel" was not ethnic Israel. Let us be clear here: The majority of the saints of the Old Testament were Jews. So I'm not saying that God's elect were not primarily Jews in the Old Testament. But what Paul refers to when he says "the word of God has not failed", is the promises of salvation to ALL of God's elect. God's covenant of grace, which he made with Abraham and his descendants, was not made to the nation of Israel: "they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel". For starters, in the Old Testament, not all Jews were saved; many of them never received the "inheritance"- salvific promises- which God made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their "seed". And some who did partake of those promises, the covenant of salvation, were Gentiles. So then, though God did bless the ethnic Israel in many ways, in preserving the lineage of Christ, the actual promises were not made to an ethnic people.
(Romans 9:7) "Nor are they all children because they are Abraham's seed, but: 'through Isaac your seed will be named." Children? What does Paul mean by children? "I will curse those who curse you." Dispensationalists take that to mean that God will curse those who do not align themselves, even politically and militarily, with the physical seed of Abraham; despite Paul's stating the truth of the matter so explicitly: "They are not all children (of Abraham) because they are Abraham's seed." You could rephrase verses 6-7 in this way: "Not all of Abraham's physical seed are truly Abraham's seed. It's not his physical descendants who are truly his children." Is anyone else catching this? Paul couldn't be clearer! "through Isaac your seed will be named." This refers to Christ. It is through Isaac, and not Ishmael (who was a physical descendant of Abraham), that the Messiah would come from; therefore, it is through Messiah that all of Abraham's true seed will be named. This point right here, we'll later discover, is what brings all of this together.
(Romans 9:8) "This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as (Abraham's) seed." The "children of the flesh" are ethnic Israel. Paul says they are not the children of God. He contrasts the two and makes it clear that they- the children of the flesh, ethnic Israel- are a distinct group from "the children of the promise", Abraham's seed. It is "the children of the promise" who are Abraham's seed, and thus, children of God. I'll clarify by saying that it is indeed true that God chose the Jewish nation to be the recipients of special grace; grace not given to the Gentiles in the Old Covenant. And that the Gentiles, whom God called to Himself, were made Jewish proselytes. It was to them that God gave the Law, and through them came the promises. No one would deny this. But it must be understood that God has clarified now what was really going on back then. God has exapanded much in the New Covenant; and He has brought to realization what was typified in the Jewish nation, and in their laws, ordinances, and traditions. It is not that God has overturned His economy of grace; He has simply expanded it, clarified it, and brought it to realization. Take for example the clear fact that He instituted the New Covenant with "the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31), and that the New Testament book of Hebrews unveils what God intended: not an covenant with ethnic Jews, but a covenant with spiritual Jews.
"The promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he would be heir of the world, did not come through the Law but through the righteousness that is by faith.... it depends of faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his seed- not only to the adherents of the Law (ethnic Jews), but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, 'who is the father of us all', as it is written, 'I shall make you the father of many nations" (Romans 4:13-17). How J.N. Darby, C.I. Scofield, Lewis Sperry Chafer, and Charles Ryrie could all pervert these texts, in the way they do, is absolutely heart-breaking to me. God couldn't be much more clear. So, what could the promise of God be, that Abraham and his seed would be "heirs of the world", other than what we find in Genesis 17:1-8? There God tells Abraham he will make a covenant with him and with his seed. These are "the promises" Paul tells us that God made, not to the physical descendants of Abraham, but to the spiritual descendants of Abraham. God promised land, blessings, and particular, salvific grace. This covenant of grace manifested the election of God; the election that Israel thought was their birth-right. God, of His own free will, chose to set His particular love and grace upon "Abraham and his seed". And so we are told by Paul, that it is the children of promise- the promise of covenant grace and salvation and blessings- and not ethnic Israel, who are heirs of this covenant. "the promise will be guaranteed to all the seed of Israel" (Romans 4:16); "and it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of promise". Paul says: "Abraham's seed" are heirs of this covenant of grace- heirs of the world; and this seed is not ethnic Jews only, but all whom God joins to Christ through faith". Just as it is written, "I will make you a father of many nations" (Romans 4:17). Dispensationalists seem to completely overlook what this means. Abraham's being the father of many nations refers to his spiritual fatherhood: "the children of the promise are Abraham's seed". So it is not Israel as a nation whom God particularly set His electing grace upon, but people of "every tribe, language, people, and nation" (Revelation 5:19).
Haven't you ever wondered why God takes covenant verses from the Old Testament, which the nation of Israel thought referred to all ethnic Jews, and says they were written of all the elect of God- Jew and Gentile alike? Here are a few examples: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession" (1 Peter 2:9). Sound anything like Deuteronomy 10:15, Isaiah 43:20, Exodus 19:6, Isaiah 61:6; 66:21, Deuteronomy 7:6, and Malachi 3:17? That's where Peter got these salvific names from! Peter says: "elect of God, Church, these apply to you!" Here is one more: "I will be their God and they shall be My people" (2 Corinthians 6:16-18). Paul took that precious covenant promise, made to spiritual Israel, from: Exodus 6:7; Jeremiah 31:33; and Ezekiel 11:20 (among other places).
The Jews simply did not understand the concept of universal (world-wide) election. That is precisely why John 3:16 is so radical; and why the New Testament writers often employ terms such as "world", "whole world", and "all". When ethnic Jews heard of salvation, they assumed it was confined to them. So when someone says, no God didn't reconcile one nation, He reconciled the world; they aren't saying that every individual in the world will be reconciled to God; they are saying that God "ransomed people from... every nation" (Revelation 5:19)! The Jews thought Jesus would usher in final salvation for them; a final fulfillment of the Abrahamic promises. But Jesus had other plans He came to accomplish; and He overthrew their racist ideology (an ideology which some Christians are foolishly propagating even today!).
I wonder if you have ever studied Romans 2:28-29?
"He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one who is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart". Hard to argue with that. People say, "Well, God had to be talking to ethnic Jews in the Abrahamic promises, because He commanded ISRAEL to be circumcised as part of the covenant!" Hear this verse and you'll have your answer. The Old Testament was filled with types and shadows. Circumcision was one of them. And it is only New Testament teachings on the matter which reveal that we are not still bound by that same command. In reality, circumcision, just like baptism, was a sign and seal of the righteousness of Christ (Romans 4:11). "Circumcision is a matter of the heart." Therefore, "he is a Jew who is one inwardly"; whose heart has been circumcised by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:11).
Back to Romans 9...
Paul, in vs. 23-24, clarifies that God's election took place before the creation of the universe; and that He always intended to unite both Jews and Gentiles to Christ. The Church wasn't plan B, as many Dispensationalists make it out to be. Such a notion is a perversion of the truth of Scripture. The term "church" simply means "called out ones". It signifies people's being called out of the world, and called into covenant with God and with other children of God. Every believer of all time is a part of the Church; it's just that the Church, God's called out ones, was predominantly ethnic Jews in the Old Testament, and is just the opposite now. And oh how we eagerly await the future ingathering of the nation of Israel! God promises that just as He, by and large, cast them away, He will likewise graft them back into this ONE BODY OF CHRIST (Romans 11)! Any and all people, throughout human history, who have been saved by grace, through faith in Christ, are apart of this one body of Christ. There are not two distinct peoples. There is only one body of Christ; each member having their sins atoned for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:18, "If the inheritance comes by the law (which was the Jewish belief), it no longer comes by way of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise". What inheritance was Abraham promised? The inheritance consists of every Divine promise Abraham was given- concerning salvation, blessings, and land. This inheritance was promised, and as Galatians 3:29 clarifies: "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise!"
Land of Promise
People make a huge deal about the land of Canaan. Do you really think God's land promises were restricted to Canaan? This contradicts the Apostle who says that God promised Abraham and his seed would be, not heirs of a small strip of land, but "of the world". Don't you see the unveiling God has granted us; the substantial realization brought to us in Christ? And don't Dispensationalists realize that not even Abraham concerned himself with physical land? "By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country" (Hebrews 11:9). But why wouldn't he be as preoccupied with the physical land as Dispensationalists are today? "He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (11:10). Abraham understood that the "land of promise" was a type of the "heavenly Jerusalem"; that the physical land was only temporal, and therefore unworthy of his affections. It is New Jerusalem that we, like our father Abraham, ought to have our thoughts and affections occupied with. So much of the Old Testament simply foreshadowed greater realities- spiritual realities; realities that found their substance and fulfillment in Christ, His atoning work, and the spread of the Gospel to all nations.
Christ and His seed
To bring it all together, as I promised I would, let's take a look at Galatians 3:16: "The promises were made to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say, 'And to seeds,' referring to many, but it refers to one, 'and to your seed', who is Christ." Who, ultimately, is the "seed" of Abraham? Christ alone is! Not Jews, not Gentiles, but Christ. How could it be anyone else? Just consider the promises. God is a just and holy God, and He cannot simply overlook transgressions in order to covenant with sinners. To do such a thing would be evil. He is just, and justice demands our sins be punished. So, when God made this covenant of grace, He made it, not primarily with us, but with Christ; the only One He deserving of the blessings. Jesus Himself is the Heir of the covenant; not because He needs covenant grace, but in order that He might atone for our sins, and extend this covenant grace to all whom He elect! It is a person's union with Christ which grants them this covenant status. It is a person's union with Christ which makes them Abraham's seed, and an heir of the world (Romans 4:13-17); not their ethnicity. A true Jew is one whom God the Father unites with Christ. Spiritual Israel, the children of the promise, are those whom God has elected: "vessels of mercy, whom He has prepared beforehand for glory- even us whom He has called, not from among Jews only but also from the Gentiles!" (Romans 9:23).
Those who wish to further the Zionist agenda, through supposed Biblical obligations, are deceiving many, and there folly needs to be openly refuted and rebuked in love. The nation of Israel is not a superior race; for they are not "the chosen race" at all- even as Peter made so clear (1 Peter 2:9). We are obligated to love the Jews, pray for the Jews, and preach the Gospel to the Jews, but we are in no way obligated to support them governmentally, and/or militarily! God has a chosen people within the Muslim world as well; and to spurn them altogether in favor of ungodly Zionism is nothing short of "showing partiality", which God hates.
May Christ's centrality permeate our understanding, remove the scales that falsehoods have placed upon our eyes, and grant us a more unified perception of God's covenant grace.
Thomas Karrer
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
"End the Fed" by Ron Paul
Every so often I will post thoughts, articles, and recommendations that are more political in nature than theological. However, I hope to inspire and equip you to see politics through a theological lens through these posts. Today I would like to recommend to you a new book out by Congressman Ron Paul, entitled "End the Fed". The relevance of this concern is monumental if we are to practice, and endorse, Christian stewarship principles in our land. The wasteful spending, and unneeded systems within our government are atrocious and destructive. They are unbiblical. How we are expected to govern our finances by God, as individuals, is just how we ought to expect our governement to govern the nation's finances. Please consider purchasing this book, thinking through it biblically, and passing it along to others if you find it helpful.
http://www.shopjbs.org/index.php/end-the-fed.html
Thomas
http://www.shopjbs.org/index.php/end-the-fed.html
Thomas
Saturday, September 12, 2009
What do you seek?
The following is a sermon I have written on John 1:35-42.
"John (the baptist) was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, 'what do you seek?'"
I find it quite interesting that Jesus would ask these men "what" they seek, rather than "whom". Keeping in mind that Jesus knows the hearts of all people (John 2:24-25), why do you think Jesus would ask these disciples of John the baptist "what" they seek? Curiously enough, it says that Jesus turned and saw them following Him; which intimates that they were at a distance from Him. Were they attempting to observe the Messiah for a time before they approached Him? I wonder if their hearts weren't so raptured in curiosity and excitement that they thought it best to wait a short time before going directly to Him. The Lord, as He does with us, initiates the relationship with His question.
Whom they sought.
Jesus knew well that they sought Messiah; that John had pointed these men to Jesus. So, asking them "what" they are seeking is to ask them "why are you seeking Me?" "What is it you hope to find in this seeking?" This gets to the point. Friend, ask yourself the same: If you are in any way seeking Jesus, what do you seek? More than the fact that they were, at the least, professing followers of the truth, Jesus knew intimately that these men were truly "saints by calling" (1 Corinthians 1:2). In other words, they were not holy men for any other reason than that God Himself had called them. How do I know this? Christ Himself, to these same men, and others, says in another place: "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and I appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would last" (John 15:16). Jesus chose these men; and thus they sought Him because He first sought them! So then, though you may be truly called of God, this question still beckons your answer: In your seeking Christ as His child, what do you seek?
Asking the Christian
In other places it is told us that the disciples, following common Jewish understanding, believed that when Messiah arrived He would establish His earthly Kingdom, and immediately eradicate the forces of evil in the world. Therefore, without question, these men sought Christ as King. We should as well. How we do this though must be governed by a proper understanding of all that Messiah is to His people. Jesus is not simply King, but also our Prophet, and Priest. He holds these three unique roles, and we should never seek Him in an imbalanced way, which places one of them above the others.
It would appear Christ's Kingship wasn't their primary focus. Notice their response: "Rabbi, where are You staying?" Calling Him Rabbi tells us they sought Him as their Prophet- as the One who would speak the very words of God to them, and likewise explain the truths of Sacred Writ for their understanding. They followed Him to hear the words of Life. They sought Him to learn the Scriptures rightly. They submitted to His authority as prophet, and teacher. Whether or not they hoped Messiah would reign physically on the earth, their seeking Him as King was clearly balanced by their humble desire to learn and be taught of Him. In the same way, though we may be overcome at times with angst for Christ's return, we are called to search out His will in Scripture, and to submit ourselves to His role as our Prophet and Teacher.
Secondly, they also sought to spend time with Jesus. "Where are You staying?" was their question. They wanted to be with Jesus. They wanted to know Him. So much of the experience of the saint is wrapped up in this. We will never be any more spiritual than our time of solitude with God produces in us. The measure of a Christian's spiritual progress is not summed up in how many years one spends studying in Bible schools; it's not evidenced in how often one speaks of the Gospel to others; it isn't shown in how well one can communicate the Word of God, nor in how many hours one volunteers in charitable service; the sum of a Christian's spirituality is found in what their time of solitude with God consists of. No person's growth in holiness, degree of contentment, passion for God's glory, love for neighbor, or happiness in Christ, will ever exceed the degree to which they commune alone with Christ.
One Thing Is Needed
This reminds me of "the greater part" Jesus announced that Mary sought, in contrast to her sister's service. The two sisters had the Lord over to their house; Mary sat at Jesus' feet to learn of Him and know Him better, while Martha prepared things and grew frustrated that her sister left her all the work! Jesus commended Mary for not being preoccupied with lesser things while in His presence. Oh! and what a lesson for us to learn! There is no purpose in service and ministry if we neglect what Jesus called "the greater part" and "the one thing needed" (Luke 10:38-42). Scripture gives us no means of improving upon our strength, holiness, and faith, more effective than communion with Him. So then, in your seeking, are you seeking the one thing needed? And if you claim you are, are you seeking it in a manner suitable to the worth of knowing Christ? Think of this: For a small treasure a man is moved to labor, that he might attain it; and for the heart of a girl he loves, a man is willing to sacrifice much; so how much sacrifice and devotion, then, is the attainment of intimate solitude with Christ worthy of? Our labors to this end must be suitable to the worthiness of Christ. Anything less only mocks His worth, and produces in us an ever-increasing carelessness to its significance.
True and False Converts Manifest
It is here that the saints are distinguished from the false converts: in that they love his fellowship with Jesus more than life. Our hearts ever say to Him, "Rabbi, I wish to be near You, and to learn from You." Similarly the Apostle Peter's confession, after the multitudes had left Jesus offended at His preaching, was "Lord we have nowhere else to go, for You have the Words of Life" (John 6:52-71). When the world denies Christ, and is offended by the blunt edges of the Gospel, then it is that the saints do shine forth; for to them, more than anything on the earth, it is the teachings of Christ which they cling to; and without which they'd rather die.
Asking the Unconverted
Those who only outwardly profess faith, though they love the world more than Christ (1 John 2:15), as well as those who do sincerely seek to know God but are not assured they're saved yet; if they, in some way do seek Christ, they also must ask the question: "what do I seek in my seeking Christ?" When following Christ costs a person nothing, which is then only outward show, a person can content themselves with seeking Christ for the wrong reasons. People might seek the Messiah for security, help, friend's or family's sake; to stay out of hell (or so they assume), or because they admire good morals; they may see it socially acceptable, or it may soothe their conscience; or they may seek Him simply because it's all they've ever known- they were raised in the church atmosphere.
All of these reasons must make a person blush with shame when seen in the light of the only reason acceptable before God- to know Him: to obey, love, glorify, and enjoy Him! The individual who seeks "things" in their seeking Christ, does not seek Christ in the only manner acceptable to Him. Jesus demands everything from us (Luke 14:33); and the one who thinks half-hearted, self-centered worship, and/or religion, is going to please Him, know that your very reasoning demeans the worth of Christ. Such lukewarmness is vile to Him; and will only provoke Him to vomit you into damnation, just as He has promised (Revelation 3:16).
"Come, and you will see" (vs. 39)
The only way to attain the "one thing needed" is to "come" as Jesus commands. A seeking Christ in the mind only will not suffice. A (supposed) desire to know Christ only will not suffice. Many seem to have wonderful intentions. Many will tell you with great clarity that what they lack in life is a commitment to knowing God. They claim they seek to have a relationship with Christ- but the fruit of their lives does not bear this out. God does not desire a love that never manifests itself outwardly; nor does He want us to only love Him with our heart and mind. Jesus said the Father requires we love Him with all of our heart, mind, AND strength (Matthew 22:37-38). Loving God with our strength necessitates our exerting ourselves in our worship. Exerting what you may ask? Exerting energy, strength, fervency, diligence, and earnestness. It requires we not merely feel love for God, but also that this be carried out through our will and determination. Here again, though, we must hearken back to the exhortation of Christ: for Martha exerted herself in a way that neglected the one thing needed. She served Christ, but Mary, who Christ commended mind you, exerted herself through a diligent, fiery drive to sit by Him, listen to Him, talk with Him, and drink in His love and wisdom. Strength of will and determination and obedience in this matter must be exerted.
What prevents a person from carrying out their desire to commune in solitude with Christ? Nothing, I say, besides their own will and determination. If we do not commune with Him it is because we do not value communion with Him as we should. Nothing outside of ourselves prevents us. We are too easily carried away with vanities; too quickly preoccupied with the basest of concerns. This coming to Him in communion is within our reach saints. It's within our reach because Christ has purchased our sanctification: "(Christ) who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30)! It's within our reach because the Holy Spirit has been commissioned to the end that we would enjoy the benefits of this purchase! We must love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength. Imperfectly as it be, our seeking Him must be suitable to the magnitude of His worth. Christ said, "Come, and you will see". If you never come, you will never see. Christian, if you desire to seek Him properly, you must "come" to Him, and thus commune with Him in solitude.
"One of the two who...followed Him...found His brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'. And he brought him to Jesus" (vs. 40-41).
The soul that finds contentment in Christ, who experiences the unique wonder of knowing His presence, is the soul that searches out others to know Him the same. Pleading with the lost comes natural to the person who spends their free time in solitude with Christ. And the opposite is true of the one who is too busy to commune in private with Him. If we neglect consistency in our communing with God, our depth of compassion for the lost, and zeal to see the Gospel preached, will prove too shallow to bear fruit. Mere conversation with men may raise us a little above indifference in our passion for the perishing; but if it is not accompanied by conversation with Christ, our passion will evaporate just as quickly as it descended upon us. Nothing can produce a sustained preoccupation with the lost, and seeing God glorified through discipleship, but solitude with God. Only their can our souls be fitted for Gospel labor.
The likelihood of your casting aside the trifles of this temporal sphere, in order to further the Kingdom of Christ, is dependent upon the consistency with which you commune with Christ in private. The battle to obey the Great Commission is won or lost in the prayer closet. Those who make much of solitude with God will make much of seeing sinners saved. Those who do not make much of solitude with God, will make much of stupid entertainments of flesh.
If you are seeking Jesus, I exhort you to, as the two disciples, seek Him in a manner suitable to His majestic, perfect nature. If you are seeking to know Him, do so as seeking One who is of infinite worth!
Thomas Karrer
"John (the baptist) was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, 'what do you seek?'"
I find it quite interesting that Jesus would ask these men "what" they seek, rather than "whom". Keeping in mind that Jesus knows the hearts of all people (John 2:24-25), why do you think Jesus would ask these disciples of John the baptist "what" they seek? Curiously enough, it says that Jesus turned and saw them following Him; which intimates that they were at a distance from Him. Were they attempting to observe the Messiah for a time before they approached Him? I wonder if their hearts weren't so raptured in curiosity and excitement that they thought it best to wait a short time before going directly to Him. The Lord, as He does with us, initiates the relationship with His question.
Whom they sought.
Jesus knew well that they sought Messiah; that John had pointed these men to Jesus. So, asking them "what" they are seeking is to ask them "why are you seeking Me?" "What is it you hope to find in this seeking?" This gets to the point. Friend, ask yourself the same: If you are in any way seeking Jesus, what do you seek? More than the fact that they were, at the least, professing followers of the truth, Jesus knew intimately that these men were truly "saints by calling" (1 Corinthians 1:2). In other words, they were not holy men for any other reason than that God Himself had called them. How do I know this? Christ Himself, to these same men, and others, says in another place: "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and I appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would last" (John 15:16). Jesus chose these men; and thus they sought Him because He first sought them! So then, though you may be truly called of God, this question still beckons your answer: In your seeking Christ as His child, what do you seek?
Asking the Christian
In other places it is told us that the disciples, following common Jewish understanding, believed that when Messiah arrived He would establish His earthly Kingdom, and immediately eradicate the forces of evil in the world. Therefore, without question, these men sought Christ as King. We should as well. How we do this though must be governed by a proper understanding of all that Messiah is to His people. Jesus is not simply King, but also our Prophet, and Priest. He holds these three unique roles, and we should never seek Him in an imbalanced way, which places one of them above the others.
It would appear Christ's Kingship wasn't their primary focus. Notice their response: "Rabbi, where are You staying?" Calling Him Rabbi tells us they sought Him as their Prophet- as the One who would speak the very words of God to them, and likewise explain the truths of Sacred Writ for their understanding. They followed Him to hear the words of Life. They sought Him to learn the Scriptures rightly. They submitted to His authority as prophet, and teacher. Whether or not they hoped Messiah would reign physically on the earth, their seeking Him as King was clearly balanced by their humble desire to learn and be taught of Him. In the same way, though we may be overcome at times with angst for Christ's return, we are called to search out His will in Scripture, and to submit ourselves to His role as our Prophet and Teacher.
Secondly, they also sought to spend time with Jesus. "Where are You staying?" was their question. They wanted to be with Jesus. They wanted to know Him. So much of the experience of the saint is wrapped up in this. We will never be any more spiritual than our time of solitude with God produces in us. The measure of a Christian's spiritual progress is not summed up in how many years one spends studying in Bible schools; it's not evidenced in how often one speaks of the Gospel to others; it isn't shown in how well one can communicate the Word of God, nor in how many hours one volunteers in charitable service; the sum of a Christian's spirituality is found in what their time of solitude with God consists of. No person's growth in holiness, degree of contentment, passion for God's glory, love for neighbor, or happiness in Christ, will ever exceed the degree to which they commune alone with Christ.
One Thing Is Needed
This reminds me of "the greater part" Jesus announced that Mary sought, in contrast to her sister's service. The two sisters had the Lord over to their house; Mary sat at Jesus' feet to learn of Him and know Him better, while Martha prepared things and grew frustrated that her sister left her all the work! Jesus commended Mary for not being preoccupied with lesser things while in His presence. Oh! and what a lesson for us to learn! There is no purpose in service and ministry if we neglect what Jesus called "the greater part" and "the one thing needed" (Luke 10:38-42). Scripture gives us no means of improving upon our strength, holiness, and faith, more effective than communion with Him. So then, in your seeking, are you seeking the one thing needed? And if you claim you are, are you seeking it in a manner suitable to the worth of knowing Christ? Think of this: For a small treasure a man is moved to labor, that he might attain it; and for the heart of a girl he loves, a man is willing to sacrifice much; so how much sacrifice and devotion, then, is the attainment of intimate solitude with Christ worthy of? Our labors to this end must be suitable to the worthiness of Christ. Anything less only mocks His worth, and produces in us an ever-increasing carelessness to its significance.
True and False Converts Manifest
It is here that the saints are distinguished from the false converts: in that they love his fellowship with Jesus more than life. Our hearts ever say to Him, "Rabbi, I wish to be near You, and to learn from You." Similarly the Apostle Peter's confession, after the multitudes had left Jesus offended at His preaching, was "Lord we have nowhere else to go, for You have the Words of Life" (John 6:52-71). When the world denies Christ, and is offended by the blunt edges of the Gospel, then it is that the saints do shine forth; for to them, more than anything on the earth, it is the teachings of Christ which they cling to; and without which they'd rather die.
Asking the Unconverted
Those who only outwardly profess faith, though they love the world more than Christ (1 John 2:15), as well as those who do sincerely seek to know God but are not assured they're saved yet; if they, in some way do seek Christ, they also must ask the question: "what do I seek in my seeking Christ?" When following Christ costs a person nothing, which is then only outward show, a person can content themselves with seeking Christ for the wrong reasons. People might seek the Messiah for security, help, friend's or family's sake; to stay out of hell (or so they assume), or because they admire good morals; they may see it socially acceptable, or it may soothe their conscience; or they may seek Him simply because it's all they've ever known- they were raised in the church atmosphere.
All of these reasons must make a person blush with shame when seen in the light of the only reason acceptable before God- to know Him: to obey, love, glorify, and enjoy Him! The individual who seeks "things" in their seeking Christ, does not seek Christ in the only manner acceptable to Him. Jesus demands everything from us (Luke 14:33); and the one who thinks half-hearted, self-centered worship, and/or religion, is going to please Him, know that your very reasoning demeans the worth of Christ. Such lukewarmness is vile to Him; and will only provoke Him to vomit you into damnation, just as He has promised (Revelation 3:16).
"Come, and you will see" (vs. 39)
The only way to attain the "one thing needed" is to "come" as Jesus commands. A seeking Christ in the mind only will not suffice. A (supposed) desire to know Christ only will not suffice. Many seem to have wonderful intentions. Many will tell you with great clarity that what they lack in life is a commitment to knowing God. They claim they seek to have a relationship with Christ- but the fruit of their lives does not bear this out. God does not desire a love that never manifests itself outwardly; nor does He want us to only love Him with our heart and mind. Jesus said the Father requires we love Him with all of our heart, mind, AND strength (Matthew 22:37-38). Loving God with our strength necessitates our exerting ourselves in our worship. Exerting what you may ask? Exerting energy, strength, fervency, diligence, and earnestness. It requires we not merely feel love for God, but also that this be carried out through our will and determination. Here again, though, we must hearken back to the exhortation of Christ: for Martha exerted herself in a way that neglected the one thing needed. She served Christ, but Mary, who Christ commended mind you, exerted herself through a diligent, fiery drive to sit by Him, listen to Him, talk with Him, and drink in His love and wisdom. Strength of will and determination and obedience in this matter must be exerted.
What prevents a person from carrying out their desire to commune in solitude with Christ? Nothing, I say, besides their own will and determination. If we do not commune with Him it is because we do not value communion with Him as we should. Nothing outside of ourselves prevents us. We are too easily carried away with vanities; too quickly preoccupied with the basest of concerns. This coming to Him in communion is within our reach saints. It's within our reach because Christ has purchased our sanctification: "(Christ) who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30)! It's within our reach because the Holy Spirit has been commissioned to the end that we would enjoy the benefits of this purchase! We must love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength. Imperfectly as it be, our seeking Him must be suitable to the magnitude of His worth. Christ said, "Come, and you will see". If you never come, you will never see. Christian, if you desire to seek Him properly, you must "come" to Him, and thus commune with Him in solitude.
"One of the two who...followed Him...found His brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'. And he brought him to Jesus" (vs. 40-41).
The soul that finds contentment in Christ, who experiences the unique wonder of knowing His presence, is the soul that searches out others to know Him the same. Pleading with the lost comes natural to the person who spends their free time in solitude with Christ. And the opposite is true of the one who is too busy to commune in private with Him. If we neglect consistency in our communing with God, our depth of compassion for the lost, and zeal to see the Gospel preached, will prove too shallow to bear fruit. Mere conversation with men may raise us a little above indifference in our passion for the perishing; but if it is not accompanied by conversation with Christ, our passion will evaporate just as quickly as it descended upon us. Nothing can produce a sustained preoccupation with the lost, and seeing God glorified through discipleship, but solitude with God. Only their can our souls be fitted for Gospel labor.
The likelihood of your casting aside the trifles of this temporal sphere, in order to further the Kingdom of Christ, is dependent upon the consistency with which you commune with Christ in private. The battle to obey the Great Commission is won or lost in the prayer closet. Those who make much of solitude with God will make much of seeing sinners saved. Those who do not make much of solitude with God, will make much of stupid entertainments of flesh.
If you are seeking Jesus, I exhort you to, as the two disciples, seek Him in a manner suitable to His majestic, perfect nature. If you are seeking to know Him, do so as seeking One who is of infinite worth!
Thomas Karrer
An American Revivalist on True Christianity
The link below comes from a website I hope to turn you all onto. It is plump-full of free online reads. A friend of mine has labored to make puritan books and sermons available for free reading, and has really done an amazing job. Below you'll find the great American puritan, revivalist, preacher, theologian, and philosopher at his best, dealing with the matter of what the substance and essence of true Christianity is. It is a wonderful work of God, and I hope you'll find great joy in reading some (if not all!) of it. To God be all glory forever.
http://www.hailandfire.com/doctrine_Edwards_Conversion.html
http://www.hailandfire.com/doctrine_Edwards_Conversion.html
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Blasphemy and Christian Entertainment
I love Jesus.
However imperfect my attainments may be, my daily strive is to love Jesus with all of my heart, mind, and soul. This note flows out of my deep love for God, and my curious and saddening understanding that so many of His children watch blasphemous movies.
Ive tagged you in this note because I love you, I highly value your opinion, and I strongly desire to engage you on this issue. What Im praying for is humble, Bible-based discussion. I know there are at least a couple views that will be represented, so please be gracious in your speech, and seek the edification of others in your replies.
My question is this: Should Christians watch movies that blaspheme God's name?
Please allow me to share my take on this; as this is a subject I've had to wrestle through personally. As most of you, I enjoy movies. In fact, watching a good and engaging movie can be one of the funnest things to do for entertainment. Now, because Ive decided I believe it is sin for a Christian to willfully ingest blasphemy, though it be flown under the banner of entertainment, this has severly limited what I am able to watch. Please understand that this was not an easy thing for me. And every now and then the decision presents itself before me, and depending upon the degree of temptation to watch it and the people Im with, it can be very difficult to say no. I do though; and my reasoning is this...
Christians are exposed to sin and blasphemy in the world at times and theres nothing they can do to prevent it. Some then argue we can't expect to never hear the term GD used, so why would be hyper-sensitive about it being in a movie? Is that sound logic and sound reasoning though? And does that put personal and communal edification at the front of the line, or fleshly impulse and carnal satisifaction?
Ive heard people justify watching movies with blasphemy in it by saying we can't leave the world, and we have no choice but to be exposed to it from time to time. So my concern is: arent the two vastly different, HAVING TO hear it and CHOOSING TO hear it? In fact, doesnt that make all the difference necessary to make us accountable for our ingesting it into our soul?
Let me give you two scenarios to illustrate this a little more and from a different angle: Say I decide to meet up at an unsaved co-workers house, and my intention is to evangelize him. I know he'll have another friend over, and the two of them swear a lot, but my reason for going is mission; Im going to evangelize them. Is that comparable to me taking a Christian friend, or brother, or daughter to see a movie I know will blaspheme God's name, when my reason for going is entertainment? I hope the contrast is clear. Jesus left heaven and came to a filth-filled world of sin. But Jesus didnt do so in order to entertain Himself. He didnt expose Himself to grievous sins in order to delight in them, did He? Of course not. Jesus' aim was the glory of God through the redemption of sinners. He lived as a missionary. So it is for us. We are not raptured to heaven upon being converted. God keeps us on the earth, and employs us as vessels to glorify Him through missional living. We are to live as Christ in the world (1 John 2:6).
Another illustration Ive heard and used is this...would you go see a movie that you knew would dishonor your spouse or closest loves one? For instance, would you gentleman go see a movie you knew called your wife a slut? One friend asked, "but how could a movie call your wife a slut?"!! The illustration is more basic than that: if you wouldnt see a flick because it dishonored your spouse, why would you see one that dishonored your Savior?
Did Jesus EVER expose Himself to blasphemy in the context of seeking entertainment and delight? If not, why not? Friends, I think it is clearly sin to CHOOSE to ingest blasphemy, not for the sake of missionality, but for the sake of entertainment.
Here are a few Scriptures Id ask you to consider:
Romans 1:32 informs us that God lumps together those who practice things deserving of wrath with those who give approval to those things. When a Christian willfully ingests sin in the name of entertainment, it is, at the very least, giving approval to the things being done. I could elaborate on this point for days, but I hope youd all agree.
1 Thess. 5:22 says we are to "abstain from every form of evil";
("even the appearance of evil", in the KJV).
Jude 23 tells us we are to "hate even the garment defiled by the flesh".
James 1:27 tells us we are to "keep ourselves unstained by the world".
1 John 2:15 says we are not to love the things of this world.
The Name of God: God hates blasphemy and holds His name in high regard. He will rain down wrath on blasphemers. Jesus taught us to acknowledge the sacredness even of God's name in our prayers...and it's somehow ok for us to watch blasphemous movies? Maybe my greatest heartache stems from the fact that we should love God and His name so much that knowing it will be blasphemed even once should make it a very simple decision for us. And then also, if you know God hates blasphemy, and therefore hates a movie that blasphemes, shouldnt we desire obedience to His will above temporal satisfaction?
Sin is sin. If something is sin, then it doesnt fall under the category of Christian liberty. If blasphemy is sin then, choosing to hear it, or choosing to approve of and even recommend movies that blaspheme, is sin. My hope isnt to condemn Christians in any way. My sincere hope is that you will be convicted of this and grow in your desire to defend God's glory through honoring and defending the honor of His name. Plus, are we really so bored that we have to watch such shady movies anyways? Movies propagated by people who hate Jesus; movies filled with profanity and violence and sensuality; movies that promote unbiblical practices and train youth through dessensitizing them to evil?
Please take the time to pray about this and humbly seek the will of God. And after that, if you are in disagreement with me, please humbly and Scripturally help me to understand your stance on this important and relevant issue. Im begging you to not just move along without giving this though. Thanks for taking the time to read this and God bless you.
Thomas
However imperfect my attainments may be, my daily strive is to love Jesus with all of my heart, mind, and soul. This note flows out of my deep love for God, and my curious and saddening understanding that so many of His children watch blasphemous movies.
Ive tagged you in this note because I love you, I highly value your opinion, and I strongly desire to engage you on this issue. What Im praying for is humble, Bible-based discussion. I know there are at least a couple views that will be represented, so please be gracious in your speech, and seek the edification of others in your replies.
My question is this: Should Christians watch movies that blaspheme God's name?
Please allow me to share my take on this; as this is a subject I've had to wrestle through personally. As most of you, I enjoy movies. In fact, watching a good and engaging movie can be one of the funnest things to do for entertainment. Now, because Ive decided I believe it is sin for a Christian to willfully ingest blasphemy, though it be flown under the banner of entertainment, this has severly limited what I am able to watch. Please understand that this was not an easy thing for me. And every now and then the decision presents itself before me, and depending upon the degree of temptation to watch it and the people Im with, it can be very difficult to say no. I do though; and my reasoning is this...
Christians are exposed to sin and blasphemy in the world at times and theres nothing they can do to prevent it. Some then argue we can't expect to never hear the term GD used, so why would be hyper-sensitive about it being in a movie? Is that sound logic and sound reasoning though? And does that put personal and communal edification at the front of the line, or fleshly impulse and carnal satisifaction?
Ive heard people justify watching movies with blasphemy in it by saying we can't leave the world, and we have no choice but to be exposed to it from time to time. So my concern is: arent the two vastly different, HAVING TO hear it and CHOOSING TO hear it? In fact, doesnt that make all the difference necessary to make us accountable for our ingesting it into our soul?
Let me give you two scenarios to illustrate this a little more and from a different angle: Say I decide to meet up at an unsaved co-workers house, and my intention is to evangelize him. I know he'll have another friend over, and the two of them swear a lot, but my reason for going is mission; Im going to evangelize them. Is that comparable to me taking a Christian friend, or brother, or daughter to see a movie I know will blaspheme God's name, when my reason for going is entertainment? I hope the contrast is clear. Jesus left heaven and came to a filth-filled world of sin. But Jesus didnt do so in order to entertain Himself. He didnt expose Himself to grievous sins in order to delight in them, did He? Of course not. Jesus' aim was the glory of God through the redemption of sinners. He lived as a missionary. So it is for us. We are not raptured to heaven upon being converted. God keeps us on the earth, and employs us as vessels to glorify Him through missional living. We are to live as Christ in the world (1 John 2:6).
Another illustration Ive heard and used is this...would you go see a movie that you knew would dishonor your spouse or closest loves one? For instance, would you gentleman go see a movie you knew called your wife a slut? One friend asked, "but how could a movie call your wife a slut?"!! The illustration is more basic than that: if you wouldnt see a flick because it dishonored your spouse, why would you see one that dishonored your Savior?
Did Jesus EVER expose Himself to blasphemy in the context of seeking entertainment and delight? If not, why not? Friends, I think it is clearly sin to CHOOSE to ingest blasphemy, not for the sake of missionality, but for the sake of entertainment.
Here are a few Scriptures Id ask you to consider:
Romans 1:32 informs us that God lumps together those who practice things deserving of wrath with those who give approval to those things. When a Christian willfully ingests sin in the name of entertainment, it is, at the very least, giving approval to the things being done. I could elaborate on this point for days, but I hope youd all agree.
1 Thess. 5:22 says we are to "abstain from every form of evil";
("even the appearance of evil", in the KJV).
Jude 23 tells us we are to "hate even the garment defiled by the flesh".
James 1:27 tells us we are to "keep ourselves unstained by the world".
1 John 2:15 says we are not to love the things of this world.
The Name of God: God hates blasphemy and holds His name in high regard. He will rain down wrath on blasphemers. Jesus taught us to acknowledge the sacredness even of God's name in our prayers...and it's somehow ok for us to watch blasphemous movies? Maybe my greatest heartache stems from the fact that we should love God and His name so much that knowing it will be blasphemed even once should make it a very simple decision for us. And then also, if you know God hates blasphemy, and therefore hates a movie that blasphemes, shouldnt we desire obedience to His will above temporal satisfaction?
Sin is sin. If something is sin, then it doesnt fall under the category of Christian liberty. If blasphemy is sin then, choosing to hear it, or choosing to approve of and even recommend movies that blaspheme, is sin. My hope isnt to condemn Christians in any way. My sincere hope is that you will be convicted of this and grow in your desire to defend God's glory through honoring and defending the honor of His name. Plus, are we really so bored that we have to watch such shady movies anyways? Movies propagated by people who hate Jesus; movies filled with profanity and violence and sensuality; movies that promote unbiblical practices and train youth through dessensitizing them to evil?
Please take the time to pray about this and humbly seek the will of God. And after that, if you are in disagreement with me, please humbly and Scripturally help me to understand your stance on this important and relevant issue. Im begging you to not just move along without giving this though. Thanks for taking the time to read this and God bless you.
Thomas
Once Saved, Always Saved Heresy
Once saved, always saved (OSAS)? Hmmm... depends on what you mean by that.
The popular, contemporary doctrine OSAS is far different from the historical doctrine of the Perseverance, or Preservation, of the Saints. Preservation of the Saints is a doctrine that was taught by most classic Bible teachers. For the sake of any reading this who may not know a lot of the backround, or who aren't too familiar with the terminology, I'm gonna keep this simple.
OSAS
This modern teaching, by most of it's adherents it seems, states that a person, upon making a profession of faith, is forever secure. It presupposes that all professions of faith are the genuine evidence of God's re-creating work of the new birth. It assumes that every person who claims they want to "accept" Jesus as their Lord and Savior are infallibly born-again and redeemed. This, brothers and sisters in Christ, is simply not true. If a person is truly born-again the Bible teaches that God will Himself "keep" them by His power (Jude 1:1; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). This is not the heresy. What is heretical is that many separate this doctrine from it's Biblical context.
Confess and Believe
Typically those who teach this doctrine take Romans 10:9-10 out of it's context. Paul says all a person must do to be saved is confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead. What they forget, or do not know, is that culturally speaking, a Roman who confessed Jesus, and not Cesar, was Lord, cast a public death sentence upon themselves. The Romans were forced to bow to Cesar and confess him as lord or they would be punished. Christians who refused to do so were tortured, and often murdered. This, being common knowledge, forced a person to "count the cost", as Jesus taught all seekers to (Luke 14), before they insincerely confessed Him as Lord. To confess Jesus (as) Lord must involve repentance. Biblically it involves acknowledging one's sinfullness, and choosing (with all their heart, and as much as is possible in their imperfect state) to part ways with sin.. that they might know God's holiness for themselves.
Some Who Profess He's Lord Will Perish in Hell
Let us also not forget that Jesus refers us to the Judgment seat, in Matthew 7:21-23, where people who unshamedly call Him Lord are cast out of His presence and into eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth. Romans 10:9-10 must be balanced and understood in the context of all of Scripture. To isolate it is to misunderstand it.
The Work of God in His Elect
To separate God's preserving work, in His children's lives, from His sanctifying work, is to misunderstand the saving work of God. In other words, according to the Bible, the evidence that a person is truly born-again is that God is continously at work perfecting their soul. This work is not simply an inner work though, but is evidenced by God-glorifying fruit seen in their lives. The idea that a person can be born-again, and yet continue in a pattern of worldliness and disobedience, is heresy. It is false teaching. And this false teaching is wreaking havok in the church.
Dealing With Men's Souls
When a person lives in sin and negates the things a true Christian loves to do, it is the duty of Christians to warn such a one; to admonish them. But what we shouldn't do is assume that person in saved. When we assume they're saved- whether they're our children, close friend, co-worker, etc.- we will be inclined to go a route that may do them only harm.
An unsaved person needs to understand:
Who God is,
Who they are in light of who God is,
What sin is,
What judgment is,
What Jesus has done for His people,
And what God demands of all people in order to be saved. This is Gospel-preaching 101.
When we approach a person who may have only fooled us into thinking they're saved (and likely fooled themselves), and try to coerce them (a goat) to behave like a sheep, we prevent them from the only power available to liberate them and set them on fire for Jesus... the Gospel. If they have never had a revelation of their own desperate, sinful state; if they know nothing, in their soul, of the holiness and wrath of God; if they believe they're born-again because they mimicked an evangelical rite or "asked Jesus to come into their heart", but have never known repentance of sin, then we do them no good to admonish them as a brother or sister in the faith. We only hurt them.
God Sanctifies His Children
The work of sanctification does not occur in only some Christian's lives. Their exists no justification and assurance of salvation apart from sanctification and growth in holiness. None. The Scriptures speak repeatedly of the marks of a believer:
"If you abide in My Word, then you are My disciples indeed" (John 8:31). To abide is to remain. It's describing perseverance in the study of, meditation upon, and application of the Word.
"The gate is small and the path is narrow that leads to life, and few find it" (Matthew 7:14). The gate is small= faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The path is narrow= the Christian life is diametrically opposed to the world's way of living. Few find it= those who have entered the gate are known by their being on the narrow path.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29). Really this passage seals the deal. How do we know all Christians will be known by their growth in holiness, which God accomplishes by working in and through us? God has predestined it to be so.
"If anyone be in Christ he is a new creature; old things have passed away, behold all things are new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). This couldn't spell it out better. New creature= new desires, new ambitions, new thoughts, new nature, new path.
Are They A New Creature?
The person who is not a new creature cannot, Biblically, have assurance of salvation. If we help satan in deceiving them into believing they're saved, when they aren't, we dishonor God and His Word. How can we know they're saved? "A tree is known by it's fruits"- that's what Jesus said. Those who are growing in holiness; who are sensitive to sin; who love the Savior; who study the Word... these people, by the Spirit's working in them, will have assurance because they will see the marks of new birth in their lives. And when they doubt, we must encourage them to look to the Savior and His work on their behalf, which includes His sanctifying work in them.
OSAS, as it is taught today, is a perversion of the Scriptures. We should seek to avoid it. It is plaguing many circles in Cristendom, and is bringing blasphemy upon the name of God. How you ask? Because we are telling these goats they're saved because they prayed and asked Jesus into their heart, though there is never Biblical grounds to give such assurance, we have millions naming the name of Christ and living like devils. The world sees it and mocks the church and her God. Such heresy must be purged. And these false converts must be warned, as well as properly instructed in the truths of the Gospel. Jesus said, "Unless a man forsake all he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). This demand stands today. We can try to alter it, but it will not change reality. We can try to water that truth down, but it will not serve to reach the lost. God will honor His Word preached rightly and in the power of His Spirit. He has ordained to call His elect to Himself through the preaching of the Gospel. If you wish to see the lost converted, look to the means God has given you, and no other. Coercing a goat to act like a sheep does harm to the glory of God. Are you guilty in this matter?
Consider this, those goats people, often church leaders, convince are saved and sealed, are typically living in sin right? Well, this being the case, we should be excercising church discipline if they refuse to repent of their sin/s. This means, if we want to treat them like sheep, we are commanded to judge them and throw them out of the church in hopes that they will repent (1 Corinthians 5:12). Now, if they're admittedly goats, and therefore not numbered with the saints, then our relationship to them as the church would be significantly different. Something to chew on.
Lastly I want to praise God for the revival of sound doctrine in the land. Hearts are being stirred. Fire is burning, the Gospel is being understood and preached, and Jesus is being glorified. Perseverance of the Saints preached in the light of the doctrines of repentance, faith, regeneration, conversion, and sanctification, is a glorious truth to herald! Herald it rightly brethren!
Thomas
The popular, contemporary doctrine OSAS is far different from the historical doctrine of the Perseverance, or Preservation, of the Saints. Preservation of the Saints is a doctrine that was taught by most classic Bible teachers. For the sake of any reading this who may not know a lot of the backround, or who aren't too familiar with the terminology, I'm gonna keep this simple.
OSAS
This modern teaching, by most of it's adherents it seems, states that a person, upon making a profession of faith, is forever secure. It presupposes that all professions of faith are the genuine evidence of God's re-creating work of the new birth. It assumes that every person who claims they want to "accept" Jesus as their Lord and Savior are infallibly born-again and redeemed. This, brothers and sisters in Christ, is simply not true. If a person is truly born-again the Bible teaches that God will Himself "keep" them by His power (Jude 1:1; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). This is not the heresy. What is heretical is that many separate this doctrine from it's Biblical context.
Confess and Believe
Typically those who teach this doctrine take Romans 10:9-10 out of it's context. Paul says all a person must do to be saved is confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead. What they forget, or do not know, is that culturally speaking, a Roman who confessed Jesus, and not Cesar, was Lord, cast a public death sentence upon themselves. The Romans were forced to bow to Cesar and confess him as lord or they would be punished. Christians who refused to do so were tortured, and often murdered. This, being common knowledge, forced a person to "count the cost", as Jesus taught all seekers to (Luke 14), before they insincerely confessed Him as Lord. To confess Jesus (as) Lord must involve repentance. Biblically it involves acknowledging one's sinfullness, and choosing (with all their heart, and as much as is possible in their imperfect state) to part ways with sin.. that they might know God's holiness for themselves.
Some Who Profess He's Lord Will Perish in Hell
Let us also not forget that Jesus refers us to the Judgment seat, in Matthew 7:21-23, where people who unshamedly call Him Lord are cast out of His presence and into eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth. Romans 10:9-10 must be balanced and understood in the context of all of Scripture. To isolate it is to misunderstand it.
The Work of God in His Elect
To separate God's preserving work, in His children's lives, from His sanctifying work, is to misunderstand the saving work of God. In other words, according to the Bible, the evidence that a person is truly born-again is that God is continously at work perfecting their soul. This work is not simply an inner work though, but is evidenced by God-glorifying fruit seen in their lives. The idea that a person can be born-again, and yet continue in a pattern of worldliness and disobedience, is heresy. It is false teaching. And this false teaching is wreaking havok in the church.
Dealing With Men's Souls
When a person lives in sin and negates the things a true Christian loves to do, it is the duty of Christians to warn such a one; to admonish them. But what we shouldn't do is assume that person in saved. When we assume they're saved- whether they're our children, close friend, co-worker, etc.- we will be inclined to go a route that may do them only harm.
An unsaved person needs to understand:
Who God is,
Who they are in light of who God is,
What sin is,
What judgment is,
What Jesus has done for His people,
And what God demands of all people in order to be saved. This is Gospel-preaching 101.
When we approach a person who may have only fooled us into thinking they're saved (and likely fooled themselves), and try to coerce them (a goat) to behave like a sheep, we prevent them from the only power available to liberate them and set them on fire for Jesus... the Gospel. If they have never had a revelation of their own desperate, sinful state; if they know nothing, in their soul, of the holiness and wrath of God; if they believe they're born-again because they mimicked an evangelical rite or "asked Jesus to come into their heart", but have never known repentance of sin, then we do them no good to admonish them as a brother or sister in the faith. We only hurt them.
God Sanctifies His Children
The work of sanctification does not occur in only some Christian's lives. Their exists no justification and assurance of salvation apart from sanctification and growth in holiness. None. The Scriptures speak repeatedly of the marks of a believer:
"If you abide in My Word, then you are My disciples indeed" (John 8:31). To abide is to remain. It's describing perseverance in the study of, meditation upon, and application of the Word.
"The gate is small and the path is narrow that leads to life, and few find it" (Matthew 7:14). The gate is small= faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The path is narrow= the Christian life is diametrically opposed to the world's way of living. Few find it= those who have entered the gate are known by their being on the narrow path.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29). Really this passage seals the deal. How do we know all Christians will be known by their growth in holiness, which God accomplishes by working in and through us? God has predestined it to be so.
"If anyone be in Christ he is a new creature; old things have passed away, behold all things are new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). This couldn't spell it out better. New creature= new desires, new ambitions, new thoughts, new nature, new path.
Are They A New Creature?
The person who is not a new creature cannot, Biblically, have assurance of salvation. If we help satan in deceiving them into believing they're saved, when they aren't, we dishonor God and His Word. How can we know they're saved? "A tree is known by it's fruits"- that's what Jesus said. Those who are growing in holiness; who are sensitive to sin; who love the Savior; who study the Word... these people, by the Spirit's working in them, will have assurance because they will see the marks of new birth in their lives. And when they doubt, we must encourage them to look to the Savior and His work on their behalf, which includes His sanctifying work in them.
OSAS, as it is taught today, is a perversion of the Scriptures. We should seek to avoid it. It is plaguing many circles in Cristendom, and is bringing blasphemy upon the name of God. How you ask? Because we are telling these goats they're saved because they prayed and asked Jesus into their heart, though there is never Biblical grounds to give such assurance, we have millions naming the name of Christ and living like devils. The world sees it and mocks the church and her God. Such heresy must be purged. And these false converts must be warned, as well as properly instructed in the truths of the Gospel. Jesus said, "Unless a man forsake all he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). This demand stands today. We can try to alter it, but it will not change reality. We can try to water that truth down, but it will not serve to reach the lost. God will honor His Word preached rightly and in the power of His Spirit. He has ordained to call His elect to Himself through the preaching of the Gospel. If you wish to see the lost converted, look to the means God has given you, and no other. Coercing a goat to act like a sheep does harm to the glory of God. Are you guilty in this matter?
Consider this, those goats people, often church leaders, convince are saved and sealed, are typically living in sin right? Well, this being the case, we should be excercising church discipline if they refuse to repent of their sin/s. This means, if we want to treat them like sheep, we are commanded to judge them and throw them out of the church in hopes that they will repent (1 Corinthians 5:12). Now, if they're admittedly goats, and therefore not numbered with the saints, then our relationship to them as the church would be significantly different. Something to chew on.
Lastly I want to praise God for the revival of sound doctrine in the land. Hearts are being stirred. Fire is burning, the Gospel is being understood and preached, and Jesus is being glorified. Perseverance of the Saints preached in the light of the doctrines of repentance, faith, regeneration, conversion, and sanctification, is a glorious truth to herald! Herald it rightly brethren!
Thomas
I'm Going to Die Tonight
Have you ever lived a single day of your life the way you would if you knew that day were your last day on planet earth?
Sheep are dumb indeed.
This is such an easy concept to consider, and such a hard one to commit to living. Oh if it were in my power I'd cause you to see each moment as being as significant as it is! Friend, I wish I lived this way more often as well. Few things pour cold water in our faces like persecution and hardship. Extremely impoverished Christians seem to pray more fervently. Believers who live in areas where they could be murdered for their faith seem to live more intensely. Do you wish you lived your Christian life more intensely? with a more singular focus?
Call me psycho but I pray God allows persecution to come and invade our land. Not because I want to see people suffer; but because I want to see the true Church of Jesus Christ flourish.
Will Not God Hear Them?
Do you know how many saints have been praying for revival in our land? Tons. Because of the internet I am able to meet some of them, and read others prayers and work. A remnant pleads persistently with their Master for fire to fall from heaven, to purge sloth and apathy. Lip service prevails; sacrificial living is scarcely found. Things that are well and good are abused and become weights (Hebrews 12:1-2); things that are essential in the life seeking to "imitate God" are neglected and forgotten. If God chastens us severely, if He IS chastening you severely, it is for your joy. Fullness of Joy is the presence of Jesus consuming a life. You will only taste of His sweetness when you embrace the life of a Jesus follower.
Break Free from the American Dream
The West gulps down fantasy jargon all the day long. Its a tease and nothing more. A mirage and nothing less. Find the right person and you'll be happy. Pursue the right job and you'll be content. Make enough money and you'll have fun. Buy lots of toys and joy will be yours. Look attractive and sexy will satisfy. blah blah blah blah blah. Christians fall for this even when they know it's not true. They just join Jesus to the mix. With Jesus a good wife will make me happy. With Jesus central, a nice job will make me content. Now that I have Jesus, having money will be fun fun fun. You got your Jesus, church friends, nice youth group for the kids, cool toys at home, bookshelf full of blasphemous movies; and life is, or will be, good. Right?
Im not against most of the things I listed above. Not at all. Im just against any of those things being a pursuit of anyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus. Pursuing those things will leave you with little to no desire for serious prayer. Spending your life on those things will prevent you from joining Jesus in His global mission to call home His elect. Wasting your life on trifles will dumb down your zeal for the glory of God. With reference to Works, Jesus spoke harshly to professing Christians in Laodicea, in the book of Revelation. He said they were lukewarm and not hot, and that He would Judge those who were lukewarm if they did not repent. I dont care if you believe once saved, always saved and you're good to go; if the consistent pattern of your life, with regards to works, is one of lukewarmness, Jesus will judge you. Please repent if thats you.
Awake O' Zion
You might not be called to go to North Korea, but do you seriously think the only way for you to know you are is if you are made to by God? Some people wait until God makes them do things and then they confirm it was a calling. Are we not called to pray and fast and be hot? Is it right to wait for God to send fire when He's provided the means for us to live with zeal now? Do you think everyone who has went on the foreign mission field did so because they had a deep joy when they thought about it? Whatever happened to suffering being the road to glory? and sacrifice being the mark of a disciple? Do we seek luxury when our Master lived as He did?
Jesus knew exactly who would believe and who wouldn't; did that temper His passion for sacrificing time and resources in order to love and evangelize the lost? You'd think, given how so many Christians live in the West, that Jesus would have lived comfortably, and simply avoided wasting His time with those He knew weren't gonna repent.
That His Name be praised
Ever thought of adopting a clan and being used of God to bless and nurture orphans? Ever considered learning a new language and culture to bring the Gospel where Jesus isn't named? Have you ever prayed about selling all you have and giving the money to a God-glorifying cause? Have you ever considered how God might want to use you to reach your city? Have you ever spent an entire night with God, asking Him how you might best redeem your time on a daily basis? Have you ever desired His name be praised that strongly?
We all have different callings; in each of them we should strive to magnify the worth of Jesus to the glory of God as effectively as we are able to. Not redeeming the time means you're wasting it; and wasting your time means you're probably living in a way you wouldn't live if you knew today were your last day on the earth. Redeem the time. Revival starts now. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. Choose the path of sacrifice and love.
Sheep are dumb indeed.
This is such an easy concept to consider, and such a hard one to commit to living. Oh if it were in my power I'd cause you to see each moment as being as significant as it is! Friend, I wish I lived this way more often as well. Few things pour cold water in our faces like persecution and hardship. Extremely impoverished Christians seem to pray more fervently. Believers who live in areas where they could be murdered for their faith seem to live more intensely. Do you wish you lived your Christian life more intensely? with a more singular focus?
Call me psycho but I pray God allows persecution to come and invade our land. Not because I want to see people suffer; but because I want to see the true Church of Jesus Christ flourish.
Will Not God Hear Them?
Do you know how many saints have been praying for revival in our land? Tons. Because of the internet I am able to meet some of them, and read others prayers and work. A remnant pleads persistently with their Master for fire to fall from heaven, to purge sloth and apathy. Lip service prevails; sacrificial living is scarcely found. Things that are well and good are abused and become weights (Hebrews 12:1-2); things that are essential in the life seeking to "imitate God" are neglected and forgotten. If God chastens us severely, if He IS chastening you severely, it is for your joy. Fullness of Joy is the presence of Jesus consuming a life. You will only taste of His sweetness when you embrace the life of a Jesus follower.
Break Free from the American Dream
The West gulps down fantasy jargon all the day long. Its a tease and nothing more. A mirage and nothing less. Find the right person and you'll be happy. Pursue the right job and you'll be content. Make enough money and you'll have fun. Buy lots of toys and joy will be yours. Look attractive and sexy will satisfy. blah blah blah blah blah. Christians fall for this even when they know it's not true. They just join Jesus to the mix. With Jesus a good wife will make me happy. With Jesus central, a nice job will make me content. Now that I have Jesus, having money will be fun fun fun. You got your Jesus, church friends, nice youth group for the kids, cool toys at home, bookshelf full of blasphemous movies; and life is, or will be, good. Right?
Im not against most of the things I listed above. Not at all. Im just against any of those things being a pursuit of anyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus. Pursuing those things will leave you with little to no desire for serious prayer. Spending your life on those things will prevent you from joining Jesus in His global mission to call home His elect. Wasting your life on trifles will dumb down your zeal for the glory of God. With reference to Works, Jesus spoke harshly to professing Christians in Laodicea, in the book of Revelation. He said they were lukewarm and not hot, and that He would Judge those who were lukewarm if they did not repent. I dont care if you believe once saved, always saved and you're good to go; if the consistent pattern of your life, with regards to works, is one of lukewarmness, Jesus will judge you. Please repent if thats you.
Awake O' Zion
You might not be called to go to North Korea, but do you seriously think the only way for you to know you are is if you are made to by God? Some people wait until God makes them do things and then they confirm it was a calling. Are we not called to pray and fast and be hot? Is it right to wait for God to send fire when He's provided the means for us to live with zeal now? Do you think everyone who has went on the foreign mission field did so because they had a deep joy when they thought about it? Whatever happened to suffering being the road to glory? and sacrifice being the mark of a disciple? Do we seek luxury when our Master lived as He did?
Jesus knew exactly who would believe and who wouldn't; did that temper His passion for sacrificing time and resources in order to love and evangelize the lost? You'd think, given how so many Christians live in the West, that Jesus would have lived comfortably, and simply avoided wasting His time with those He knew weren't gonna repent.
That His Name be praised
Ever thought of adopting a clan and being used of God to bless and nurture orphans? Ever considered learning a new language and culture to bring the Gospel where Jesus isn't named? Have you ever prayed about selling all you have and giving the money to a God-glorifying cause? Have you ever considered how God might want to use you to reach your city? Have you ever spent an entire night with God, asking Him how you might best redeem your time on a daily basis? Have you ever desired His name be praised that strongly?
We all have different callings; in each of them we should strive to magnify the worth of Jesus to the glory of God as effectively as we are able to. Not redeeming the time means you're wasting it; and wasting your time means you're probably living in a way you wouldn't live if you knew today were your last day on the earth. Redeem the time. Revival starts now. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. Choose the path of sacrifice and love.
Did you know that there are people God hates?
Though I know this intimately, and have, God is re-informing me of just how unaware of His attributes and characteristics people, including some Christians, are. This fact saddens me. Im certainly not the expert, but the Bible is so clear it is horrifying to know how misinformed so many are. People do not hate the god of America; the god created by men. Professing Christians have deceived the masses for so many years, the God of Scripture is scarcely heard of. The god worshipped and spoken well of by them is not an angry God. He is not a God who commands they repent. He is not the God of the Old Testament who says He will tear sinners into pieces (Psalm 50:22); nor is He the God of the New Testament who only looks joyfully upon that religion which seeks holiness of life (James 1:27). The god of America isn't holy, nor does He demand holiness. Far from it, He is more or less indifferent towards sin; He simply desires a "personal relationship with people". Blasphemy! The God of the Bible will not receive anyone who loves their sin too much to desire complete separation from it (Luke 14:33).
Do you love your parties and your sexual talk and your obscene movies so much you'd rather cling tightly to them than be reconciled to God?
Do you believe God will allow you who engage in drunken parties to inherit His kingdom? He promises He will not: "Be not deceived...no drunkards...will inherit the Kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Do you who fool around sexually with people you are not married to think God doesn't care? Do you trick yourself and believe you're alright? God says otherwise: "For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience" (Colossians 3:5-7).
Oh do you have any idea what will happen to you when you die? Are you so calloused and ignorant that you dont even fear the wrath of God. God created the mountains, and the oceans. The vast universe was spoken into existence; such is His power. And do you not fear Him properly? Please stop lying to yourselves! Stop putting these realities off and lying to yourself. God will judge you and He will not have the slightest bit of pity upon you. The Scriptures I have cited are from the Old Testament and the New; God has not changed. He demands you forsake all your gross sins.
God is not all-love. He is equally Just, Holy, and Righteous. The Bible says He "hates all who practice sin" (Psalm 5:5). If you habitually commit sin, then you practice it; and if you practice sin, God hates you with an intense and perfect hatred. His hatred is just, and it is directed towards you. Stop wasting your life on things that are only gaining for you an eternal dwelling with satan and His demons. You have earned hell, it is your due wage...and you will be paid come Judgment Day.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed to you. Repent from your sin and entrust your life to Jesus Christ. God has made a way for you to be saved and re-created. God has the power to change you and to accept you into His family; He has done this out of undeserved love. You deserve hell and judgment, but God extends mercy if you will repent and trust in Jesus. Flee to the arms of the Savior while there is time. What if God were to cause you to wreck your car tonight and die. Are you prepared to meet Him? What if you were hit by a car tonight as you walk along the road, or out by your house. Are you ready to stand before the Judge? Be ready friend! There is no greater thing to be ready for then that Great and Terrible Day we'll have in God's Courtroom.
Easter reminds us of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His death paid our sin debt, and His resurrection vindicated Him and proved His offering was accepted. He is our only hope; and He stands willing to forgive! He calls to you today: "Come to Me. Repent and believe the Gospel". His resurrection grants us sure footing; it guarantees that all whom He receives now and re-creates to live like Him, He will also one day receive into glory! Would you be received into glory today if you died? Be sure of it.
Bow yourself before the Triumphant Lord Jesus Christ, and cry out to Him until He fills your heart with His love and joy. Don't put it off till tomorrow. You may not get a tomorrow. The god propagated by many is very different from the God of the Bible. He's not real. The only God is the God of Scripture. The God who has revealed Himself to man, and appointed a Day when He will judge the world. His discipline and judgment has fallen, and does fall upon America even now. Don't be fooled. He is alive, well, and watching all. This God, Jesus Christ, stands ready and willing to pardon, just as He does ready and willing to crush His enemies (Psalm 2). Which side of the line do you stand on?
"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God"
(Hebrews 10:31)
Do you love your parties and your sexual talk and your obscene movies so much you'd rather cling tightly to them than be reconciled to God?
Do you believe God will allow you who engage in drunken parties to inherit His kingdom? He promises He will not: "Be not deceived...no drunkards...will inherit the Kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Do you who fool around sexually with people you are not married to think God doesn't care? Do you trick yourself and believe you're alright? God says otherwise: "For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience" (Colossians 3:5-7).
Oh do you have any idea what will happen to you when you die? Are you so calloused and ignorant that you dont even fear the wrath of God. God created the mountains, and the oceans. The vast universe was spoken into existence; such is His power. And do you not fear Him properly? Please stop lying to yourselves! Stop putting these realities off and lying to yourself. God will judge you and He will not have the slightest bit of pity upon you. The Scriptures I have cited are from the Old Testament and the New; God has not changed. He demands you forsake all your gross sins.
God is not all-love. He is equally Just, Holy, and Righteous. The Bible says He "hates all who practice sin" (Psalm 5:5). If you habitually commit sin, then you practice it; and if you practice sin, God hates you with an intense and perfect hatred. His hatred is just, and it is directed towards you. Stop wasting your life on things that are only gaining for you an eternal dwelling with satan and His demons. You have earned hell, it is your due wage...and you will be paid come Judgment Day.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed to you. Repent from your sin and entrust your life to Jesus Christ. God has made a way for you to be saved and re-created. God has the power to change you and to accept you into His family; He has done this out of undeserved love. You deserve hell and judgment, but God extends mercy if you will repent and trust in Jesus. Flee to the arms of the Savior while there is time. What if God were to cause you to wreck your car tonight and die. Are you prepared to meet Him? What if you were hit by a car tonight as you walk along the road, or out by your house. Are you ready to stand before the Judge? Be ready friend! There is no greater thing to be ready for then that Great and Terrible Day we'll have in God's Courtroom.
Easter reminds us of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His death paid our sin debt, and His resurrection vindicated Him and proved His offering was accepted. He is our only hope; and He stands willing to forgive! He calls to you today: "Come to Me. Repent and believe the Gospel". His resurrection grants us sure footing; it guarantees that all whom He receives now and re-creates to live like Him, He will also one day receive into glory! Would you be received into glory today if you died? Be sure of it.
Bow yourself before the Triumphant Lord Jesus Christ, and cry out to Him until He fills your heart with His love and joy. Don't put it off till tomorrow. You may not get a tomorrow. The god propagated by many is very different from the God of the Bible. He's not real. The only God is the God of Scripture. The God who has revealed Himself to man, and appointed a Day when He will judge the world. His discipline and judgment has fallen, and does fall upon America even now. Don't be fooled. He is alive, well, and watching all. This God, Jesus Christ, stands ready and willing to pardon, just as He does ready and willing to crush His enemies (Psalm 2). Which side of the line do you stand on?
"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God"
(Hebrews 10:31)
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