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Concluding thoughts on the posts from this week

10/31/2014

We have spent the week considering Scriptural witness to some topics that have been argued throughout the last 2,000 years. I really don’t believe that my handful of blog posts will change the views of every reader. What I have hoped to show is that there is ample evidence in Scripture for those who do hold these views.

   I realize that much of what I have written isn’t the majority consensus in my denominational tradition. I know I am in the minority, and I am fine with that. I know there have been many Baptists that have held and do hold the same beliefs on these things.

   I also know that even if there are differences of opinion and disagreements on these matters, we can still love and support one another as followers of Christ. We can still encourage each other to dig into Scripture and test all of our views and positions by the authority of Scripture.

   We are not ultimately saved by our theological views, traditions, like, and dislikes. We are saved by the work of Christ and for the glory of God. Theology is extremely important, and my desire it to be as theologically correct as I can possibly be.

   However, any of can get so wrapped up in our theology that we lose sight of our first love. Look at Rev. 2:1-7 and see that God did commend the Church at Ephesus for their tenacious grip on truth. However, it caused them to go astray in that they lost sight of Christ and their obligation to show love for one another.

   If these posts have caused you to dig into the Scripture to support your beliefs, even if you disagree with what I have written, then my goal has been accomplished. You have studied God’s word and sought to test what I wrote by Scripture.

   Sadly we live in a day where people don’t really know what they believe or why. If this week has changed any of that for you, praise the Lord!

   While we do not have the capacity, as finite creatures, to fully and exhaustively understand all of the ways and plans of our infinite Creator, we can trust Him. He will always do what is right and just! He is holy and cannot deny His own nature. He alone is worthy of praise, adoration, and worship!

   soli Deo gloria

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By what means is Salvation accomplished? - Part 5

10/31/2014

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This is the fifth and longest post in this series, and I want to return in this post to where I began in the first post. In the first post on 10/27/14, I stated that Southside considered Jesus’ words in John 10:11-15 in our worship service on Sunday, 10/26/14. In that text, Jesus stated that He laid down His life for the sheep.

   In that sermon, and in the first blog post, I referenced a statement by John Owen. I will provide that statement and interact with it in this post. I ask you to bear in mind what we have considered in all of the posts in this series. They have direct relevance and impact on what Owen is saying and what Scripture teaches. (I have repositioned the statements in this quote for the sake of space. I have also numbered Owen’s statements. These numbers do not appear in the original text. I also include some brackets to make Owen’s meaning a little clearer hopefully.)

   John Owen, from The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, states:

“The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:

1)      All the sins of all men; 2) All the sins of some men, or 3) Some of the sins of all men.

In which case it may be said:

That if the last (#3) be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.

That if the second (#2) be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.

But if the first (#1) be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?

You answer, ‘Because of unbelief.’

“I ask, ‘Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not?’ If it be [sinful], then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did [die for this sin of unbelief], why must that [sin of unbelief] hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!" (John Owen)

   This is a very powerful argument from logic as it relates to what Jesus intended to accomplish and actually accomplished when He died. Let’s look at each argument and try and tie the ideas from this series together.

   If in Jesus’ death, He literally died in the place of sinners and paid their sin debt, and if He died for all people indiscriminately, then all people will be saved. God cannot punish Jesus for sin and turn around and punish sinners for the same sins. That would violate His justice and righteousness.

   Therefore, if Jesus did literally die in the place of every person that has ever lived and will live, then every person will be saved. That is Universalism, and it has been condemned by the Church traditionally. It has gained popularity in our day in some circles, and especially in the world. However, if Scripture is true that there will be people in hell for eternity, then Universalism cannot be true. Therefore, this first position MUST be rejected.

   We will now turn our focus to the other two positions. In all honesty, we have been considering those two positions all along. Either Jesus died for all of the sins for His people, or He died for most all of the sins of all people. There is no other view. Both of these views limit the design of Jesus’ death. You cannot get around this fact!

   If Jesus died for most of the sins for all people, then what He accomplished is limited. That is, the effect of His death is dormant unless and until a person exercises faith by his/her own power. We have shown in the other posts that this is impossible because of the Fall.

   If Jesus died for all of the sins of some people, then all those for whom Jesus died will be saved. He came to the earth, lived a righteous life for them, and died in their place for all of their sins. While His death is more than sufficient to atone for every single sin of every single person who ever lived or will live, that was never God’s intention and design. Had it been His intention, He would have saved everyone. In that case, we would be back at Universalism.

   To state it again, either Jesus’ death was limited in effect or by the number of those to whom it is applied. If it is limited in effect, then He died for no one in particular but died only to make salvation possible for all who would exercise faith by their own choice and power. In this case, Jesus’ death is limited until the person exercises faith. In all reality, as we have already said, the person isn’t truly saved by Jesus. They are saved by themselves when they exercise faith. At best Jesus is “co-Savior.” Jesus’ death made salvation possible, but each person makes it actual and effectual by the exercise of faith.

   If Jesus’ death was limited by the number of those for whom God intended it, then Jesus’ shed His blood for those given Him by the Father. He actively obeyed every aspect of God’s Law for His people and earned a righteous standing for them. He also presented Himself as the atoning sacrifice for all of their sins. When He said it is finished, He really meant atonement had been made, and God’s wrath was satisfied. This substitutionary work accomplished everything God intended, including the purchase of faith for all of those chosen by the Father. Jesus, and Jesus’ work alone, is what saves sinners.

   As we have done in every post, let’s turn now to Scripture and notice what it says:

When the angel appeared to Joseph in Matthew Gospel account, notice what the angel told him: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)

Mark 10:42-45 – “Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”

Mark 14:22-24 - “And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.’”

Isaiah 53:11-12 - Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Ephesians 5:25-32 - "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church."

Hebrews 9:24-28 - Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

   Here are texts that clearly speak to Jesus’ bearing the sins of many, not every single person in the history of mankind. Again, if Jesus died for every person and actually accomplished atonement, then every person will be saved.

   “But what about all of those texts that speak of Jesus dying for all men or everyone?” some may ask. Typically the context will clearly show that what we think the texts intend may not really be what they intend after all. In other words, we see a word, run with it, and create ideas that the text may not teach. Let me illustrate.

   Hebrews 2:9 - We see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

   Now when we see a verse like this we assume, and understandably so, that the writer intends “everyone” to be understood as everyone in the world that has lived or will ever live. People then form the idea Jesus literally died for everyone in the history of mankind indiscriminately.

   Going back to Jesus’ accomplishment on the cross, I hope you see why such a belief would be difficult to hold. However, even more powerfully and clearly from the context, we can see that the writer clarified exactly what he meant. Look at what continues after the verse above.

   Hebrews 2:10-18 - For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, 'I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.' And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, 'Behold, I and the children God has given me.' Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

   Confusion on this issue could be cleared up if instead of stopping at verse 9, one kept reading. If the reading continued, the reader should see exactly to whom “everyone” refers. It refers to “many sons who are brought to glory,” “those who are sanctified,” “brothers” [of the One who died], “brothers” in the midst of the congregation, “the children given” by God to the One who was to die, “the offspring of Abraham,” “the brothers of the One who died,” and “those people for whom propitiation was made.”

   The writer isn’t referring to everyone in the world; he is referring to everyone God intended. Every son, every brother, everyone who is a true child of Abraham by faith, and “everyone given by the Father,” is the intention of the writer. Three Old Testament passages are quoted to bolster that! (I noted those with bold italics.) You see that instead of teaching some sort of a universal idea of substitution, it actually teaches the fact of Jesus dying for a specific people.

   Consider 1Timothy 2:3-6 - This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

   Did Paul really mean that God desires all people, every person in the history of mankind, to be saved? If so, why not allow Jesus to die for them and atone for their sins? That would guarantee it. Why are some people born in parts of the world that never hear the Gospel? If God desired their salvation, why not put up a cosmic billboard to state the Gospel?

   Consider one other passage here, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. It states:

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

   According to Paul, the lawless one will be empowered by Satan and will perform false signs and wonders. Those who are deceived by such perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved. Did you pay attention to what it said next? Therefore, God sovereignly allowed delusion to take control over their minds so that they would believe the truth but believe what is false! They will be condemned because they reject the truth. While we cannot fully grasp all of the details of this passage, one thing is unmistakable. God sovereignly chose to allow blindness to take control of these truth-rejecters to the point that they would not be saved.

   Now if God earnestly desires every person in the history of mankind to be saved, why does He allow blindness to keep those in 2 Thessalonians from being saved? If “all people” in 1 Timothy means every single person, then it flat out contradicts 2 Thessalonians. Can you see the problems this would cause with the trustworthiness of Scripture?

   Let’s look at 1Timothy 2 again, this time adding verses 1-2 in.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

   What a difference context makes! Paul urged supplications, prayer, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Did Paul mean we pray for every single individual that has ever lived or will live? The context seems to clearly says, “No.” If you keep on reading, he says, “for kings, and all who are in high positions.” Probably at this point in history, Nero was in power. He was no friend to the Church. Instead of the Church praying to God to strike him and other such rulers dead, Paul encourages Timothy to tech the people to pray for kings and rulers in high positions. Why?

   It is a good thing. God sent Jesus to die for people from all walks of life. He didn’t just die for the materially poor. He didn’t just die for ethnic Jews. He didn’t just die for men. He died as a ransom for all sorts and classes of people. It was for rich, middle class, lower class, Jew, Gentile, men, women, slave, and free. God is redeeming people from every tribe, language, people, and nation (Rev. 5:9-10).

   Let’s now look at a favorite of many people to use in objecting to these things, and honestly, one I used to use frequently.

   2 Peter 3:9 - “God is not willing that any should perish but all come to repentance.”

   Boy how I used to quote this verse. I would quote it to bolster my belief that Jesus died indiscriminately for every single person and was doing all He could possibly do to save people. (Mind you. This was before I understood all of the texts and ramifications I have shared with you. I simply quoted part of a verse, snatched out of context, to put forth what I had always believed.)

   For this text, I would ask you to open your Bible or look at it later. I will not quote every relevant idea. 2 Peter 1, Peter begins this epistle by addressing it to Christians. He says, “"Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (v. 1)." He is clearly writing to Christians. This is absolutely vital to understand and keep in mind.

   Throughout chapter 1, Peter constantly used specific nouns and personal pronouns in this address. He speaks of “us,” “you,” “yours,” “brothers,” “we,” and “our.” All of these refer to Christians!

   In chapter 2, Peter makes a transition. He begins speaking of false prophets, false teachers, and those who listen to such workers of evil. He begins using “they,” and “them,” repeatedly. This shows that Peter isn’t including these lost and evil people as part of those in chapter 1. He is setting up an “us and them” dichotomy.

   In chapter 3, he does still use some of the “they” references, but he also utilizes the chapter 1 references of “us” and “you.” This must be traced, especially in this chapter, because both are present.

   Now, lets’ look at verses 8-10 of 2 Peter 3. They state:

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

   Peter begins with the first word, “But.” He is showing a contrast with what he just said. In verse 3 Peter began speaking of scoffers that question the return of Christ. He continues that until verse 7. Peter contrasts the scoffers with these Christians. Remember 1:1? He tells these believers not to assume that God views time as we do. God is eternal and not bound by time. He is patient and longsuffering. He isn’t slow to fulfill His promises. He is always on time.

   Now pay close attention to what he says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (This is the ESV, but the KJV still echoes in my mind. It says God is longsuffering toward usward.” It is the same idea.)

   Toward whom is God patient? Peter says “you,” or “usward.” To whom does this refer? It refers to the Christians to whom Peter writes! That cannot be argued. He then says “not wishing that any should perish.” Based on the context of this book (in the “us/them” dichotomy,) as well as the very same verse, does Peter seem to be saying, “God is not willing that any single, solitary person should perish,” or does he seem to be saying “God is not willing that any of you or any of usward should perish?”

   If you say any, single, solitary person, you ignore and destroy the context for the entire epistle, as well as the principle of interpreting anything in context. Instead of that, Peter is saying God is longsuffering toward you Christians, whom He purchased with His own blood and keeps by His own power, and is not willing that any of you should perish. The context then flows into the next phrase. He wants all of His people to come to repentance. God is patient, and Christ won’t return until all His people repent and are saved. He is not willing that any of them should perish.

   If you still think he means any person, without discrimination, go back to 2 Thessalonians above and harmonize that with this passage. You will find yourself in a quandary.

   One more consideration is in order before we end this post. In John’s Gospel, we see that Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (1:29). God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (3:16). God sent His Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him (3:17). These are popular verses to quote. However, we must ask ourselves, “Does the word, ‘world’ always means every single person?” If it does, what do we make of other passages in John?

6:63 – “The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Does Jesus give eternal life to every single person in the world?

8:26 – “I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” Did Jesus personally declare to every single person in the world, physically and bodily, what He heard from the Father? We have no evidence that Jesus ever met the Apostle Paul face-to-face. How did Jesus speak to every single individual then?

John 12:19 – “So the Pharisees said to one another, ‘You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.’” Did every person in the world begin following Jesus? That is what the Pharisees said.

John 12:47 – “If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” If Jesus came to save every single individual, then why isn’t every single person saved? If He bore their sins, as we have shown, then He intended their salvation.

   I hope you see what I am trying to illustrate. There are various meanings of the word “world” in Scripture. Many commentators and scholars have noted that there are up to 8 different meanings of the word “world” in John’s Gospel alone! Thayer’s Greek Lexicon is just one of those sources.

   I realize this has been the longest post yet, and I will not do another one on this issue that is close to such length. As a matter of fact, I intend only one more. It will be from a personal, pastoral standpoint.

   More than anything I hope you have seen that these issues are not just preferences. There are real, multiple scriptural references involved. We cannot and must not write them off or ignore them if we want to show ourselves faithful workmen that want to be approved because of the way we approach, view, and handle God’s holy word (2 Tim. 2:15).

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By what means is salvation accomplished? - Part 4

10/30/2014

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In yesterday’s post we considered what the Old Testament had to say about God’s sovereign right to make distinctions and choose to bestow salvation to whosoever He wills. We saw how He was just and righteous to choose Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, the Jews, etc. in working about His eternal purposes. Because all humanity has sinned and become guilty, no one can make a legitimate claim that God owes anything to them. This is foundational and fundamental to all of Scripture. Any good gifts that God gives, He does so by and because of His grace alone!

   More than likely, no one being introduced to these ideas has bristled as much because there is a broad acceptance that God chose to work through the Jews in the Old Testament. The problem arises for many when the New Testament is considered. Why is it that people have no problems with God’s sovereign choice in the Old Testament but become hostile at the thought when the New Testament is considered?

   As I have been doing, I want to allow Scripture to speak. Don’t accept what I say because I can provide arguments for it. Don’t just accept what you have always heard or been taught unless it is based on what Scripture clearly says. The issue is God’s word, not what we have always thought, heard, or been taught.

   The first passage I want to provide is the longest. It speaks to some of the things we said yesterday about God’s sovereign right to make distinctions, and He did that in the patriarchs. I will point out just a few key truths concerning this lengthy passage.

Romans 9:6-29 - But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad--in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” And as Isaiah predicted, "If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

   Just a few comments before more Scripture passages are put forth. I have emphasized a portion of this passage although all of it is relevant. God has a purpose of election that started with Abraham and continues. God doesn’t choose because of works but because of His own choice in bestowing a sovereign call. He chooses to bestow mercy on some and give others what they have earned. This distinction doesn’t come by human will or human exertion but because of God alone who is sovereign in the way He bestows mercy. He is not unjust because no one deserves mercy. By its very definition, mercy is not something deserved! God has a sovereign right to give and withhold mercy. He doesn’t give all ethnic Jews mercy. He doesn’t give all Gentiles mercy. He calls forth Jews and Gentiles in the establishment of a people for Himself. If God did not do this, all people would suffer the same fate as wicked Sodom and Gomorrah!

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 - The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

   The Jews and Gentiles not chosen and called by God think the word of the cross is folly and count it a stumbling block. They judged it by their sole, natural abilities. However, to those Jews and Gentiles that have graciously received the effectual call of God, the cross is the power of God and wisdom of God.

Ephesians 1:3-14 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee[d] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Philippians 1:29 - It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. (The ability to believe in Him was granted by Him.)

Colossians 3:12-17 - Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 - We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 - We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

2 Timothy 1:8-9; 2:10 - Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Titus 1:1-3 - Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior.

James 2:5 - Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

1 Peter 1:1-5 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

2 Peter 1:3-4, 10 - His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promise…brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election.

2 John 1, 13 - The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. The children of your elect sister greet you.

Romans 8:28-33 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?

Romans 11:5-6 - At the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. [This does speak of ethnic Jews in the context, but it certainly shows that God’s ways haven’t changed. He chooses and calls according to His grace and not on the basis of works.]

Revelation 17:14 - They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

   Even Jesus made statements such as:

John 13:16-20 - Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

John 15:16-20 - You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

John 17:6-9 - I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

   I fully realize that I have provided you with numerous passages, but that was my main goal. Can we really deny or ignore the overwhelming message in the New Testament? You may have just thought that this was an Old Testament concept, but the reality is that the New Testament is much more explicit about election. If you choose to disbelieve or deny it, you go against the clear, explicit truth in God’s word.

   As I shared a few posts ago, our main concern is never to try and determine who the elect are before preaching and spreading the Gospel. Our call is to go forth into all the world preaching the good news and calling people to repent and trust Christ. We must leave the results to the sovereign, powerful work of God’s Spirit.

   One more passage should illustrate this clearly. It shows the promise of the Gospel and how God effectually calls people unto Himself.

Romans 10:12-15, 17 - There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

   Any and every person who calls on God for salvation will be saved. That can and will happen only when God sends preachers to preach His word. As the word is shared in the General Call given by human instruments, the Holy Spirit sovereignly empowers the words to extend the effectual call of God. The dead sinner is made alive, given eyes to see, ears to hear, and a desire for salvation. The sinner then calls on God for salvation.

   It is in this way, and this way alone, that God gets all praise and glory for the salvation of sinners! Be noble like the Bereans. Search Scripture to see if these things are so!

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By what means is Salvation accomplished? - Part 3

10/29/2014

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In this series of posts I have been laboring to show what Scripture says about the ideas we have been examining. There have been numerous books, articles, and treatises written dealing with these positions and ideas. However, my goal has been to leave off considering these other writings because I want us all to turn our eyes to see what Scripture says. I commend further study to you in other works if you really want to delve into a deeper understanding all of the arguments brought forth.

   Let’s review briefly what we have seen up to this point. First we considered how salvation is accomplished. We considered this question: “Is it by our acceptance of Christ’s work, or is it by the work of Christ in the shedding of His blood?” These questions may appear at first glance to be the same, but they are not. The first idea would contend that Jesus came and died in order to make salvation possible for all who believe. However, the actual death of Christ saved no one in particular. That person who is saved must make the work of Christ effectual by exercising faith. This exercising of faith is what the sinner does in and by his own power. At the end of the argument, whether it wants to be admitted or not, Christ’s work isn’t really the deciding factor in salvation. It is the person saving himself/herself by the exercise of faith. Christ isn’t ultimately the Savior; the individual person is.

   The other view is that Christ actually saves sinners by His work as their Substitute. He came and earned righteousness for His people. He took the place of His people on the cross. He absorbed the full wrath of God against sin for every one of those whom the Father gave Him (John 6:37-39; 17:6-12). Jesus purchased everything necessary for the salvation of His people, including the very faith that receives His work. Jesus actually atoned for sin and redeemed His people by His blood. Christ is the Savior, not man.

   You can see that one view exalts man and his ability; the other view exalts God and His amazing grace. People try to cloud the issue, but when you boil the arguments down, you cannot truly escape the fact that these are vastly different messages. Either God saves sinners by the work of Christ alone, or sinners save themselves by their work of exercising faith. One view is good news, and the other is not.

   In our second post we considered why the first view described above, namely man saves himself by the choice he makes in his own natural ability, is simply at odds with Scripture. We noted that man is in dire straits because of the fall. Every fiber of his being is under the influence of sin. The biggest problem he faces isn’t Satan or the world. It is the fallenness in his own breast; that is man’s great dilemma. His mind is at odds with a holy, righteous, sovereign God. What fallen man wants is to earn His own way; he doesn’t want God to save in His sovereign, gracious way. Man’s greatest need, before he will ever accept the work of Christ and view Christ as precious, is a new nature, a new mind, and a new heart. Left to his natural ability and natural choice alone, no one will ever be saved because no one desires it. That is what Scripture says!

   At this point, many people see the direction of the argument. If no person has the natural, inherent ability to be saved, but some are saved, who is the One who makes the determination who is saved? Scripture is very clear on this issue. The real question for each of us is, “Will we let Scripture say what it does or would we rather Scripture say what we want it to say?” Let’s again look at Scripture to see exactly what it says.

   Immediately after the Fall, we see a sovereign distinction being made. Genesis 3:15 states, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” There are two seeds described, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. The ultimate fulfillment of the seed of the woman is Jesus. He bruised the head of the serpent. However, we see that God made a distinction here between two lines or seeds.

   When we trace this thought throughout Scripture, we see it time and again. I will highlight just a few instances. Out of all of the pagans in the world, God chose Abraham to be the patriarch of His people. Out of Abraham’s sons, God chose Isaac and not Ishmael. Out of Isaac’s sons, God chose Jacob, not Esau. Out of Jacob’s sons, God chose Judah and not the other sons. God chose David and rejected Saul as King. Out of all of the nations of the earth, God established and chose the Jews to be His people. Why did God do this? Scripture answers this question.

Deut. 7:7-10 – “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face.”

   God chose Israel because of His love, mercy, grace, and promises made to Abraham. God sovereignly chose Abraham and gave Him great and precious promises. These promises go all the way back to the Garden of Eden where God promised a coming Redeemer that would crush the head of the serpent. God would bring His promised Messiah through this earthly lineage.

   Did God owe anything to the Egyptians? Did He owe anything to the Amalekites, Amorites, Hittites, etc.? The answer is NO! In all honesty, what did He owe to the Jews? He owed them nothing! He owed Adam and Eve nothing. They all, as well as we all, have broken His laws, turned to our own way, and become self-absorbed, self-focused, self-centered, arrogant, prideful, etc. If God did not save anyone but judged and condemned us all, we could not bring an accusation against Him.

   Nevertheless, God sovereignly chose to bestow mercy and grace. He chose to make gracious promises, and then He providentially and sovereignly began fulfilling these promises. How glorious is our God! What should amaze us is not that He doesn’t save everyone but that He saves anyone!

   Although our culture screams, “Thou shalt not discriminate. You must treat everyone equally. Everyone deserves the same respect and opportunities. Etc.,” we dare not impose that upon God and Scripture. God is NOT bound by our sense of right, wrong, justice and injustice.

   In speaking to the wicked in Psalm 50, God says, “These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself (v. 21).” Numbers 23:19 says that God is not a man that he should lie or son of man that he should change His mind. Isaiah 40:18 states that God has no comparison or likeness with which to compare Him. That means we should never try to form our own ideas, views, or conceptions and then seek to hoist them upon God or box God in by our sense of right and wrong.

   The Bible overwhelmingly teaches that God is holy, righteous, good, just, and yes, sovereign. Look at just a small sampling of Scripture:

Job 9:12 - Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

Psalm 115:3 - Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Psalm 135:6 - Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.

Daniel 4:34-35 - His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

   Is God not sovereign to make distinctions? Is it not His prerogative to look at all of guilty humanity and choose to raise some up and leave others to live with the consequences of their own actions and choices? Does God owe any rebellious, sinful creature anything other than judgment? Did not God warn Adam and Eve about the results of disobedience being death? Does not God tell us the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)? When we freely choose to ignore His commands and sin, how can we turn around and say God owes us or anyone else a thing?

   “Ah yes,” you say, “but what about second chances?” Does God owe second chances? He does graciously give people second, third, hundredth chances. He is patient and longsuffering, but does He owe them? Is He obligated?

   Look at it from a human perspective. Is a convicted child-molester owed the right to work in pre-school? Is a convicted felon, like a Robber, owed the right to own a gun? Is a convicted thief owed the right to oversee and manage your household goods and finances? Would you not use discrimination in these situations? Has not the person in each illustration forfeited certain privileges by breaking the law? How much more have sinful creatures forfeited any claim of rights or obligations in the courtroom of God? If God chose never to save anyone, He would still be completely just, holy, and righteous because all mankind is guilty of breaking His law and spurning Him, His glory, and His holiness.

   “I thought God treated everyone the same across the board,” someone may ask. Let’s consider this again from a human analogy. Do you treat everyone the same? Do you treat every man or woman you know in the same manner you treat your spouse? How do you think my wife would feel if I treated every female the way I treat her? How about your children? Do you treat every child you know or have known exactly the same way you treat your own kids? Do you see how normal and common distinctions are, and we make them all of the time. Is it not God’s right to do this also?

   As I close this post, I can imagine many people may have never really considered these texts or thoughts before. Objections rise, and I fully understand that. This all used to be new to me. I am going to close with Scripture quotations and allow God the last word. Please direct your objections to Him because it is His word against which you are objecting, if you are objecting.

Isaiah 45:5-12 - I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things. 'Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout'; I the Lord have created it. Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’     or ‘Your work has no handles’? Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?’ or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’ Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: 'Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,     and I commanded all their host.

Romans 9:20-21 - But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

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By what means is our Salvation accomplished? - Part 2

10/28/2014

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In this post, I want to consider a foundational truth to all of Scripture. This truth directly correlates to the topic we began considering yesterday, and it is this: “What is the ability of natural man since Adam’s fall, especially as it relates to salvation?”

   This doctrine is extremely relevant because if Christ’s death was intended to only make salvation a possibility for all people, then it flies in the face of what we considered yesterday and what we will consider today. This view contends that for someone to be saved they must use their own inherent, natural abilities to believe and come to Christ. In other words, Christ did His part by shedding His blood. Now it is totally up to you. You must make up your own mind, exert your own will, make your own choice, and accept or reject. You have all power and ability in and of yourself.

   While this view described above is the majority report today, a vital truth is often overlooked. If salvation is left up to each, individual, fallen person, no one will ever be saved! In our attempts to preserve our desire to have a say, we completely overlook our greatest hindrance to salvation, our fallenness!

   That is hard for mankind, even those in the Church that should know what the Bible says, to accept. After all, our culture, and sadly the probable majority within the Church, believes that man is completely unfettered in his natural abilities. This erroneous view is accepted because of either biblical ignorance on the matter or outright denial of clear scriptural teaching.

   As we did yesterday, let’s look at a host of passages that describe man in his fallen, natural state. (I emphasize what Scripture declares by underlining these descriptions.)

Genesis 6:5 - The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Psalm 14:1-3 - The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Psalm 51:5 - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me

Psalm 58:3 - The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth

Romans 3:9-19 - What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written,“There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; Their feet are swift to shed blood, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And the path of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God.

Romans 5:6-10 - For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Romans 6:6-7, 17-20 - Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Romans 8:6-8 - For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 - But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 - If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Ephesians 2:1-3, 5a - And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. We were dead in our transgressions.

Colossians 1:21 - You were formerly alienated and hostile in mind

Colossians 2:13 - You were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh.

   These are just some of the passages that speak to our condition after the fall and before salvation. (Please bear with me while I sum up these verses.) After the fall, man's heart and thoughts were only wickedness continually (Gen 6:5). No one does good, not even one. No one seeks God. No one understands God. All have turned aside. All have become corrupt. (Ps. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:9-18). Man is conceived in sin (Ps. 51:5) and goes astray from the womb (Ps. 58:3). We are all guilty for breaking God's law and are accountable to Him (Rom. 3:19-20). We were ungodly, powerless, and enemies of God (Rom. 5:6-10). Before God frees man, man is a slave to sin (Notice four times in this passage above Paul says we were slaves to sin - Rom. 6). Our natural minds are hostile towards God. We cannot even incline our natural minds to God. We cannot please God in the flesh (Rom. 8:6-8). The natural man does not and cannot accept spiritual things because they are foolishness to him (1 Cor. 2:14). We are blind to the truths of the Gospel (2 Cor. 4:3-4). We are dead in our sins (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13) and are children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). Our minds are alienated from and hostile towards God (Col. 1:21).

   Listen to the words of Jesus from John’s Gospel:

John 3:3 - Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:5 - Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:19 - This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

John 6:43-44 - Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:63, 65 - It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.

   Far from this being flattering to the pride of natural man, these passages, and others like them in Scripture, show us that we are in dire straits spiritually. Left to ourselves, we perish. Our mind, heart, nature, and every fiber of our being are enslaved to sin and affected by sin. We are enemies of God because we don’t want Him naturally. We do not want to submit to His rule. We do not have the power to be born again. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that we cannot come to Him unless the Father draws us by His supernatural power and effectual call. Our flesh profits nothing!

   Now, return to my earlier statement. If Jesus came and shed His blood only to make salvation possible for all those who naturally wanted salvation, who will be saved? No one will be saved because no one naturally desires salvation! Our fallen nature is the problem! God must take out hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh (Ezek. 36:25-27). We need new natures. We need new desires.

   Therefore, I again state that when Christ died, He did so with a specific intention in mind. He actually came and bore the sins of His people. He became their Substitute. He earned the righteousness they need to be acceptable to God, and He bore the full penalty for the sins they deserve. He made real atonement. He actually secured everything that is needed for their salvation, including the faith that will be granted them to believe and come to Christ. That is amazing grace!

   Someone may ask, well, who are God’s people? God’s people are all the ones who come to Him in faith alone looking to Christ alone for salvation. You see we are never called in Scripture to somehow determine beforehand who are God’s people and who are not God’s people. We are called to carry the Gospel into all the world and proclaim it. We are called to give the general call for sinners to repent and trust Christ.

   God, and God alone, is the One who gives the effectual call through His Spirit. It is through this call that spiritual life is given to the dead sinner. The nature is changed and a desire for salvation is supernaturally created.

   The response is that the once dead, hostile sinner now desires Christ and comes to Christ trusting in His work as the only means of salvation. It is in the manner, and this manner alone, that gives all glory to God for the redemption and transformation of sinners.

   soli Deo gloria – To God alone be the glory!

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By what means is salvation accomplished?

10/27/2014

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  I wanted to take at least one, probably a few more posts, to consider an issue that can be quite controversial. This is related to an issue we at Southside considered in the morning sermon on October 26 where Jesus stated that He laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11-15).

   In that sermon, I introduced some thoughts of John Owen from his classic, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. In a single statement, that book could be summarized in this manner: It seeks to answer the question of what Christ actually accomplished when He died on the cross.

   This issue, what God purposed and Christ accomplished in His death, has been an area of great debate, and sometimes even fights and splits within churches. It is sad when Christians disagree to the point of fighting and splitting. There are times where a split would be justified, but even during those times, it could and should be done in such a way that is reflective of God’s glory, goodness, love, and compassion.

   I would dare say, however, that an issue, such as the one we are now considering, calls for patience, gentleness, care, and precision. We must seek to have a good, clear, and proper understanding of biblical theology and doctrine. However, not everyone learns at the same pace, comes from the same background, and is mature as a believer. Therefore, instead of seeking to be arrogant, argumentative, divisive, etc., we should be patient and gentle with each other as we seek to have an accurate understanding of Scripture. However, we cannot and must not sacrifice truth on the altar of a false sense of peace and tranquility.

   This is a doctrinal issue that calls for us to have precision in our thinking and minds that are teachable. Too often we hold and defend positions that are familiar to us because that is what we have always thought, heard, or believed. These dear doctrines may be correct, but they may not necessarily be correct. Just because we have always held and defended a position doesn’t guarantee by nature it is right. As I shared yesterday, the person raised as an Atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, etc., has always had a belief system or worldview propounded to him or her. However, that doesn’t mean it is correct. If so, it destroys the nature of objective truth because these views are in conflict with one another, as well as in conflict with the Bible.

   Now, with all of that said today, I want to offer a few passages from Scripture for you to consider. These have been chosen for a reason. Read the passages below and look for a word or phrase that ties them all together.

Romans 3:23-25 - All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Romans 5:8-10 - God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Ephesians 1:7 - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Ephesians 2:13 - Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ

Colossians 1:19-20 - In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Hebrews 2:14-15 - Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Hebrews 9:12-14 - He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 10:19-20 - Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.

Hebrews 13:12 - Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 1:1-2 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood.

1 Peter 1:18-19 - You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

1 John 1:7 - If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Revelation 1:5-6 - To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

   I certainly hope you saw that word and or phrase that was included in every passage quoted. The blood or blood of Christ was the linking key for all of these texts. The blood of Christ is shorthand for His life and death. It isn’t simply a drop or more of blood gleaned from a cut. It is the sacrificial working of Jesus as a Substitute whereby His life was laid down to the point of death.

Paul, Peter, John, and the writer of Hebrews all specifically speak of the blood of Christ. Within the epistles other phrases are also used to refer to His work but were not included here because, again, I chose only the ones that specifically mentioned the word “blood.”

   Even Jesus spoke of eating His body and drinking His blood. Eating His body and drinking His blood are the means of receiving eternal life. The ones who do this will live forever and be raised on the last day. The way to have union with Christ and have eternal fellowship with the Father and Son is through the body and blood of Jesus (John 6:41-59).

   To summarize all these texts: God redeems us, justifies us, accepts us, saves us, cleanses us, equips us, feeds us (spiritually), reconciles us, brings us near, keeps us, and frees us from sin because of the blood of Christ. It is the work of Christ, and His work alone; that is the reason! It is the blood of the Son of God that secures these glorious, God-given blessings.

   Nowhere does it teach in Scripture that our faith is the reason we are saved ultimately. There is no doubt that faith is necessary. Faith lays hold of and rests upon what Christ has done. Faith is the means or link that unites the work of Christ to His people. However, the faith that we have and exercise is a gift from God to us.

   Ephesians 2:8-9 - By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

   The Hebrews 13:20-21 text above says that the blood of Christ has purchased all we need and has equipped us to do that which is pleasing to God.

   As we draw this post to a close, answer the question: How are we saved, reconciled to God, redeemed from the penalty, power, and presence of sin, justified, sanctified, and glorified, cleansed, brought near to God, etc?

   Is it because Jesus performed an act that didn’t really save anyone in particular but made salvation a possibility? Is it because He now stands begging and pleading for us to exercise our own natural ability and save ourselves by making the right choice? Is the real and definitive difference-maker in our lives an act that we do?

   I would strongly argue that as popular as that scenario in the previous paragraph may be, it is flawed. The Bible nowhere teaches that concept. What it does teach, as I have overwhelmingly shown by numerous quotations, is that all of the salvation blessings come to us by and because of the blood of Christ. Even my ability to believe and accept Christ’s work is a purchased possession by Jesus on the cross. I have no reason and cause to boast. I say with the Apostle Paul:

   God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:27-31)

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Failure and Success: Crowds at Any Price - A.W. Tozer

10/26/2014

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O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge-by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith....--1 Timothy 6:20-21

The crowds-at-any-price mania has taken a firm grip on American Christianity and is the motivating power back of a shockingly high percentage of all religious activity. Men and churches compete for the attention of the paying multitudes who are brought in by means of any currently popular gadget or gimmick ostensibly to have their souls saved, but, if the truth were told, often for reasons not so praiseworthy as this....

Our constant effort should be to reach as many persons as possible with the Christian message, and for that reason numbers are critically important. But our first responsibility is not to make converts but to uphold the honor of God in a world given over to the glory of fallen man. No matter how many persons we touch with the gospel we have failed unless, along with the message of invitation, we have boldly declared the exceeding sinfulness of man and the transcendent holiness of the Most High God. They who degrade or compromise the truth in order to reach larger numbers, dishonor God and deeply injure the souls of men.

The temptation to modify the teachings of Christ with the hope that larger numbers may "accept" Him is cruelly strong in this day of speed, size, noise, and crowds. But if we know what is good for us, we'll resist it with every power at our command. The Size of the Soul, 117-119.

"Lord, deliver me from this temptation. Give me a deep, unshakable commitment 'to uphold the honor of God in a world given over to the glory of fallen men'—whether I achieve crowds and success or not. Amen."

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Failure and Success: The Great Goddess Numbers - A.W. Tozer

10/26/2014

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Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.--1 Corinthians 3:12-13

The emphasis today in Christian circles appears to be on quantity, with a corresponding lack of emphasis on quality. Numbers, size and amount seem to be very nearly all that matters even among evangelicals. The size of the crowd, the number of converts, the size of the budget, the amount of the weekly collections: if these look good the church is prospering and the pastor is thought to be a success. The church that can show an impressive quantitative growth is frankly envied and imitated by other ambitious churches.

This is the age of the Laodiceans. The great goddess Numbers is worshiped with fervent devotion and all things religious are brought before her for examination. Her Old Testament is the financial report and her New Testament is the membership roll. To these she appeals as arbiters of all questions, the test of spiritual growth and the proof of success or failure in every Christian endeavor.

A little acquaintance with the Bible should show this up for the heresy it is. To judge anything spiritual by statistics is to judge by another than scriptural judgment. It is to admit the validity of externalism and to deny the value our Lord places upon the soul as over against the body. It is to mistake the old creation for the new and to confuse things eternal with things temporal. Yet it is being done every day by ministers, church boards and denominational leaders. And hardly anyone notices the deep and dangerous error. The Set of the Sail, 153.

"Oh Lord, convict us! Forgive us! Deliver us! Amen."

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Failure and Success: Quantity Rather Than Quality - A.W. Tozer

10/21/2014

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But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness-God is witness.--1 Thessalonians 2:4-5

Time may show that one of the greatest weaknesses in our modern civilization has been the acceptance of quantity rather than quality as the goal after which to strive....

Christianity is resting under the blight of degraded values. And it all stems from a too-eager desire to impress, to gain fleeting attention, to appear well in comparison with some world-beater who happens for the time to have the ear or the eye of the public.

This is so foreign to the Scriptures that we wonder how Bible-loving Christians can be deceived by it. The Word of God ignores size and quantity and lays all its stress upon quality. Christ, more than any other man, was followed by the crowds, yet after giving them such help as they were able to receive, He quietly turned from them and deposited His enduring truths in the breasts of His chosen 12....

Pastors and churches in our hectic times are harassed by the temptation to seek size at any cost and to secure by inflation what they cannot gain by legitimate growth. The mixed multitude cries for quantity and will not forgive a minister who insists upon solid values and permanence. Many a man of God is being subjected to cruel pressure by the ill-taught members of his flock who scorn his slow methods and demand quick results and a popular following regardless of quality. The Next Chapter After the Last, 7-8.

"Lord, I'm concerned this morning for pastors who are huge successes in Your eyes-because of their faithful, quality-oriented service-but who see themselves as failures because the 'quantity' doesn't seem to come. Open our eyes, Lord, to evaluate our success or failure by Your standards, and be encouraged. Amen."

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Sermons Are “Fair Game” in Houston — The Real Warning in the Subpoena Scandal

10/20/2014

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FRIDAY • October 17, 2014 - The scandal over the subpoenas issued to several Houston-area Christian pastors continues, even after the city refiled legal documents, removing the word “sermons” from the demand. They have clearly not removed the scandal from their city, and from the administration of Mayor Annise Parker. As the mayor’s own comments make abundantly clear, she stands at the center of the scandal.

When news broke earlier this week that the attorneys working for the City of Houston had issued subpoenas to pastors for sermons, I was fairly certain that some mistake had been made. When the actual text of the subpoena came to me, I could hardly believe my eyes. Here was a legal demand, sent to Christian pastors in the name of one of America’s largest cities, to surrender “all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO (an anti-discrimination ordinance), the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession.”

That subpoena is nothing less than ruthless thuggery, exercised by an elected public servant and her city attorney. And that thuggery has been done in the name of the people of Houston, Texas.

The controversy started when Mayor Parker, often described as the first openly gay mayor of a major American city, led the effort to adopt an anti-discrimination law that, among other things, allows transgender persons to file a complaint and bring charges if they are denied access to a bathroom. Several Houston-area pastors were involved in an effort to rescind the ordinance. They participated in a petition drive that would have put the question before voters, mobilizing their congregations on the issue. They were able to get more than the required number of signatures on the petition, but the city attorney ruled many of the signatures invalid due to technicalities. The city attorney intervened after the appropriate city official had already certified the petitions as adequate. This set the stage for the lawsuit, and the lawsuit set the stage for the subpoenas.

The subpoenas set the stage for the current controversy. The very fact that the subpoenas were issued at all is scandal enough — none of the pastors is even party to the lawsuit. But the actual wording of the subpoenas is draconian — almost unbelievable. The attorneys working for the city demanded all sermons “prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession” on matters that included, not only the mayor and the ordinance, but homosexuality and gender identity.

This is a breathtaking violation of religious liberty — and it is political thuggery at its worst. Make no mistake: A major American city has subpoenaed the sermons of Christian pastors. And those sermons were to include anything that touched on homosexuality or gender identity.

The scandal that erupted brought, as expected, efforts on the part of the mayor and the city attorney to dismiss and to distance themselves from the subpoenas. First, the mayor declared that the subpoenas had actually been prepared, not by the city attorney’s office, but by outside lawyers working pro bono for the city. That is a meaningless distinction, since the fact remains that the subpoenas were issued on behalf of the city. Next, the mayor acknowledged that the language of the subpoena was “overly broad.”

“There’s no question the wording was overly broad,” Mayor Parker said, “But I also think there was some deliberate misinterpretation on the other side.”

This led New York magazine reporter Katie Zavadaski to describe criticisms of the mayor as “hysterical allegations.” But it is the mayor and the city attorney who are confusing the facts here, and it is the same two leaders who cannot get their stories straight.

At 12:21 a.m. on October 15, Mayor Parker posted the following on Twitter: “Always amazed at how little fact checking is done by folks who like to hit the retweet button.”

But, less than an hour later, Mayor Parker posted this: “If the 5 pastors used pulpits for politics, their sermons are fair game.” Fair game? Do the residents of Houston, Texas have any idea what their mayor is doing in their name? Do chills not run down the spines of Houstonians when they are told that sermons deemed by their own mayor to be political are “fair game” and when the subpoenaed sermons included anything that touched on homosexuality and gender identity?

This is one of those situations that looks worse the more you look into it.

The city attorney, David Feldman, also sent very ominous signals. He seemed to agree that the language of the subpoenas had constituted an over-reach, but he had also defended the subpoenas as legitimate. On Tuesday he told reporters: “If someone is speaking from the pulpit and it’s political speech, then it’s not going to be protected.”

Thus speaketh the city attorney of Houston Texas. You have been warned.

Houston’s mayor and city attorney stalwartly defend their right to demand that pastors surrender their pulpit messages.

On Friday, city officials announced that papers had been refiled to avoid use of the word “sermon.” But the change in no way removes the offense, nor does it even exempt sermons from the subpoena. As Mike Morris of the Houston Chronicle reported earlier today: “Though the subpoena’s new wording removes any mention of ‘sermons’ — a reference that created a firestorm among Christian conservative groups and politicians, including Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who accused Parker of trying ‘to silence the church’ — the mayor acknowledged the new subpoenas do not explicitly preclude sermons from being produced.”

Once again, you have been warned.

The debacle in Houston can indeed be a catalyst for “hysterical allegations.” No ministers are yet in jail. No pulpit has been silenced. No church doors have been bolted shut.

But the reality is hysterical enough. This is the kind of intimidation that would be expected somewhere in secular Europe or perhaps in the former Soviet Bloc. But we are talking here about Houston, Texas.

This is the kind of scandal that would lead most elected officials to backtrack like crazy, but Mayor Annise Parker is standing her ground, even as she tries to escape the heat by a mere change in the coercive language. What she is doing amounts to raw political intimidation.

At this point, it is five Houston pastors who are feeling the heat. But these subpoenas stand as a direct warning to every pastor, rabbi, minister, priest, and imam in America. You or I could be next.

This is how religious liberty dies. Liberties die by a thousand cuts. An intimidating letter here, a subpoena there, a warning in yet another place. The message is simple and easily understood. Be quiet or risk trouble.

But the subpoenas in Houston now alert us all to the fact that trouble is now inescapable.

Will the people of Houston stand idly by as this thuggery is done in their own name? When the mayor of their city refers to sermons as “fair game?”

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Concluding thoughts on the posts from this week

By what means is Salvation accomplished? - Part 5

By what means is salvation accomplished? - Part 4

By what means is Salvation accomplished? - Part 3

By what means is our Salvation accomplished? - Part 2

By what means is salvation accomplished?

Failure and Success: Crowds at Any Price - A.W. Tozer

Failure and Success: The Great Goddess Numbers - A.W. Tozer

Failure and Success: Quantity Rather Than Quality - A.W. Tozer

Sermons Are “Fair Game” in Houston — The Real Warning in the Subpoena Scandal

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