Unchanging Eternal Truth

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Biblical Authority, Christ, christianity, christians, Death, Disobedience, Doctrine, God, God's Word, Hell, Jesus Christ, Knowledge, Last Days, Only Son of God, Preaching, Salvation, theology, Truth, Word of God

10 out of 10 people die. Do you know where you will go when you die? There are only two choices: Heaven or Hell. Have you ever told a lie? What does that make you? Have you ever stolen anything? What do you call someone who steals? Have you ever looked at a person with Lust? Jesus says that anyone who looks upon another person with lust is already guilty of committing adultery with them in their heart. Have you ever hated someone? The Bible says that if you hate someone, you are guilty of murdering them in your heart.

How are you doing so far? Think you’re a good person? God says there is no one good, not one. So, if God, who is just, judges you guilty or innocent based on your answers to just these 4 Commandments, how do you think He will judge you? If God is just (and he is), you have broken His law, so He will have to judge you guilty. So then, that being the case, will you be sentenced to Heaven or Hell?

Well, the answer is Hell. Because a Righteous Judge cannot let a lying, murdering, lusting thief go unpunished any more than any just Judge could let the same go free. So you will be sentenced to Hell. Now that’s the bad news. Here’s the good news:

God paid your “fine” for you. He sent His Son to pay your sentence for you, in that Christ was completely without sin, and was punished in your place, so that you could be free through Him. He took your sentence (someone has to pay for your crimes against a Holy God, and no sinful human can). So, through Christ, your sentence can be commuted. BUT…you have to repent (realize the abomination of it, apologize and turn from your sin) to God and then surrender your life, your will, your heart to Jesus Christ and follow after Him. Next, get a Bible (ESV is good), read it and do what it says. Then, you can have eternal life in Heaven with the One Who created you in the first place, for His glory.

I highly suggest that you do that. You will be spending eternity in one place or the other….and Hell is a place where the worm never dies and the smoke of your torment will rise up forever and ever.
Repent, Surrender to Christ, and be saved. Don’t wait. You are not guaranteed even one more breath. And that last one will be the difference between Heaven and Hell, God as Father or God as Righteous Judge.

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Let Grace Define Your Pursuit of Holiness

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apologetics, Biblical Authority, Blessed, Christian, christianity, christians, church, Disobedience, God's Word, Jesus Christ, Knowledge, obedience, Overcoming, Solid Scripture, theology, Titus, Truth, Word of God

Reblogged from Desiring Virtue:  http://desiringvirtue.com/

Okay gals…..now for one that speaks specifically to us as women of God in Christ. Lemme be the first to say….Thanks Lord, I am SO undeserving (that’s an understatement and a half) and You are SOOO Merciful! Remember to study and APPLY the whole counsel of God. Knowledge without application is merely a vain pursuit of worldly “holiness”, and obedience is the hallmark of the fruit of salvation. We are to rightly divide the word of Truth and then apply it to ourselves before it is applied to anyone else, and then use it to be able to tell what’s what with any given situation. The Word is what gives the regenerated wisdom and discernment for all issues in life. We cannot live without it! ~AGM †

Posted On: 26. 07. 13 | 3 Comments

There is a great temptation to come to the Word of God and view it as a mere rule book for the Christian life. After all, it contains a plethora of commands and instructions for the people of God. We can easily find ourselves focusing on all of the things we can do and immediately apply to our lives. Meanwhile, beautiful, gospel-saturated passages of Scripture quickly become small blips on our spiritual radar as we hastily grasp for more ways we can practically live a more “Christ-like” life. The futility of this type of Bible study is that it tempts us to view the pursuit of holiness as a work we must accomplish on our own rather than a natural fruit of the salvation provided to us by Jesus.

The book of Titus is a prime example. Here in this tiny little letter we have some of the sweetest descriptions of our salvation and sanctification in all of the Bible, and yet, they are often overlooked in favor of the more tangible and “applicable” commands found throughout the letter. We can easily become weighed down by the lofty demands for holiness it makes on our lives and neglect the life-giving gospel truths it claims make holiness possible.

But not today. Today, you and I are going to begin our exploration of one of the most beautiful passages of all of scripture (if you could truly say such a thing) and see how it impacts our ability to obey the lists of commands surrounding it!

These lists literally fill Paul’s letter to Titus–lists that set extremely high standards for the people of God. The young Titus is called to exhort the churches of Crete (the island where he is ministering) to hold fast to sound doctrine and to live in a distinctly Christian manner. Their lives are to be set apart from their surrounding culture: they are to be godly, pure, and above reproach. It is important that they do so, because their lives are to be a reflection of Christ to the unbelieving world around them. Their conduct within society can either help the spread of the gospel or hinder it.

We women find a very useful–and at the same time daunting–explanation of how we are to behave within our families and society for the glory of God (2:3-5). It is daunting because we are by nature sinful, self-centered, and self-worshiping creatures. Virtues like self-control, temperance, kindness, and love do not come naturally to us and yet Paul says that we are to cultivate these characteristics in our lives so that the word of God may not be reviled!

How is it possible that we who were once enemies of God can now bring glory to the gospel of Jesus Christ? How is it that we who were once dead in our trespasses and sins can now honor the Lord through our way of living? How can we hope to act any differently than the women of the world around us? How can we deny our natural, sinful flesh and keep from slandering, being enslaved to alcohol, and instead live lives of reverence, kindness, self-control and love, diligently working and submitting to our husbands as Titus 2:3-5 commands us?

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people…” (Titus 2:11)

Paul triumphantly exclaims that just as the sun rising over the horizon floods the previously black sky with brilliant rays of light, so the grace of God–in the life, death and resurrection of Christ–has appeared to our lost and perishing world! The promise first given to Adam and Eve after they rebelled against their Creator–the promise of a Savior who would rescue their race from the control and penalty of sin–has come and given salvation to all who will accept it.

Salvation has come to us.

Our God stepped down into time and into our world. He become a man and was tempted as we are and yet did not sin. He lived a perfect life, full of the virtues we so desperately desire. He willingly gave himself up to be crucified and there, on the cross was judged by God the Father for the sins of every man who would ever call upon his name for salvation. After paying the penalty for our sins, he was raised from the grave, conquering death and securing eternal life for all of the elect.

This is the grace of God that appeared and changed everything for us.

“Yes! Praise God!” I can hear you saying, “But how does this wonderful gospel impact the way I read Titus 2:3-5? How does it impact how I apply all of the other weighty commands found in scripture?”

To answer these questions we must seek to understand and remember the two primary ways in which we have been saved by Christ: we have been saved from the penalty of our sins and the reign of sin.

He Saved Us from the Penalty of Sin

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13 & 13 ESV)

Let us not forget, You and I were deserving of eternal condemnation for our sins. We stood as guilty, vile offenders in the cosmic courtroom of God. We failed to live according to his standard and most certainly failed to keep the commands found in Titus 2. We did not love as we ought, we did not submit to our husbands as we ought, we did not live self-controlled lives, and yet because of Christ, we will never receive the punishment our sins deserve. None of the ways we failed to live up to the image of a perfect Titus 2 woman will be counted against us because they were counted against Jesus on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sins so that we never will.

Now, we understand that this is true of our past before we repented and believed, but what about our present? What about all the times we will fail to meet these requirements in the future? We still struggle to keep these commands and often fail to live as we ought to, but dear sisters, we need not live in fear that God will ever look upon us in disapproval or anger ever again. When he looks at us, he does not see our failures, but instead, he sees our Savior. He sees Christ–the holy, perfect, virtuous Christ.

Because we need not fear his wrath or disappointment, we are free to pursue the virtues listed in Titus 2 without despairing each time we fail. His grace has appeared and covers each of our transgressions: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Our Heavenly Father continually looks upon us in love because of what Christ has done.

He Saved Us from the Reign of Sin

For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:18-23 ESV)

Let us also not forget that before coming to Christ there was no way for us to please God in our efforts to obey him. Seeking to cultivate virtues like kindness and purity was futile because our souls were enslaved to sin and bent toward rebellion. Even our most concerted efforts toward godliness were marred by self-worship and self-interest. It was only until we received the grace of God that we could walk in newness of life and joyfully pursue righteousness. It is only because of this grace that appeared that we can now pursue the qualities found in Titus 2:3-5. We must remember what we have been saved for.

When Christ paid the penalty for our sins, he didn’t just forgive us, he freed us. Like prisoners we were once chained to sin, but now Jesus has broken those chains and eternally connected us to himself. Through him, we have gained the ability to pursue righteousness and live in a manner that pleases our Heavenly Father. The word of God tells us that the fruit of our salvation is our sanctification. This means that though we were once slaves to our fleshly, sinful natures, we are now at war with them. What’s more, the promise of God is that we will be victorious in this war through the grace of God!

This marvelous truth encourages and strengthens our souls as we read through a weighty list of virtues like those contained in Titus 2:3-5 because we know that our fight against the flesh is not futile. Though the battles are hard and we often find ourselves giving in to temptation, there is a way of obedience made possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We can seek to be pure, we can seek to be kind because our Savior has made a way for us to do so.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all…” 

And so we find in this one little statement a breadth of truth that our souls desperately need to be reminded of. We have been (and continue to be) forgiven for our sins and we have been saved from the reign of sin in our lives through our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

We can shine like lights in the darkness of our world, pursuing righteousness and displaying the character of Christ, because his marvelous grace has shone into our souls, defeating the darkness and bringing what was once dead to life again.

– See more at: http://desiringvirtue.com/2013/07/let-grace-define-your-pursuit-of-holiness/#sthash.s5ie4HWN.dpuf

Why the World Hates Genuine Christianity and all True Christians

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Bible, Biblical Authority, Blessed, christianity, christians, Doctrine, God, God's Word, gospel, Last Days, Overcoming, Preaching, Salvation, Torture, Truth, Word of God

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Mike Ratliff: http://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/

13 Καὶ μὴ θαυμάζετε, ἀδελφοί, εἰ μισεῖ ὑμᾶς ὁ κόσμος. (1 John 3:13 NA28)

13 Do not marvel brothers if the world hates you. (1 John 3:13 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

There are many ministries in our time that are run by people who have either forgotten that friendship with the world is a sin or they are deliberately overlooking it. If a ministry operates in such a way that the world loves it then there is at least one missing component within it. That of course is obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture is clear that Christians cannot be friends of the world. Why? Satan is the one who dominates the evil world system, which is in rebellion against God (John 14:30). Therefore, the world not only hates Jesus, but also those who follow Him. This hatred is also focused toward the Father because He sent Jesus to testify against it. Now, since this is true and clearly taught in Sacred Scripture, what does this say about those ministries who work overtime to accommodate the secular and to appeal to temporal ways and means?

18 Εἰ ὁ κόσμος ὑμᾶς μισεῖ, γινώσκετε ὅτι ἐμὲ πρῶτον ὑμῶν μεμίσηκεν. 19 εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἦτε, ὁ κόσμος ἂν τὸ ἴδιον ἐφίλει· ὅτι δὲ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου οὐκ ἐστέ, ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, διὰ τοῦτο μισεῖ ὑμᾶς ὁ κόσμος. (John 15:18-19 NA28)

18 If the world hates you, know that before you that it has hated me. 19 If you were of the world, the world would have loved its own, but because you are not from the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you. (John 15:18-19 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

The word hate in this passage is a form of the Greek verb “μισέω” or “miseō.” Jesus is telling us that those who hate Christians actually “detest” them. This hatred is prone to lead to persecution. He then tells us that those who “μισέω” Christians hated Him first. Who hates Christians and our Lord? It is the world. This is the Greek word “κόσμος” or “kosmos.” This word refers to space not time. The “κόσμος” is the sum total of the material universe, the beauty in it; the sum total of persons living in the world.  In other words, this is the temporal or secular.  It is the world system. Jesus is saying here that those who belong to Him are no longer part of “κόσμος.” No, they are now new creations and have been saved out of it. This is why it is so tragic for Christians to be in love with the “κόσμος” to the point they take on its ways and mind set.

Jesus tell us that the “κόσμος” loves those who are part of it, but since Christians are not they are hated because Jesus chose (ἐξελεξάμην) them out of it. The Greek word “chosen” is “ἐκλέγομαι” or “eklegomai,” is the root of ἐξελεξάμην. This is an interesting word. It means to speak intelligently; to choose, select, choose for oneself, not necessarily implying the rejection of what is not chosen but giving favor to the chosen subject, keeping in view a relation to be established between him and the object. Jesus says the He has “ἐκλέγομαι” believers “out of” the “κόσμος.” The Greek word translated as “out of” is “ἐκ,” or “ex.” This speaks of the primary object formerly being in one object, but is now separated from it either in respect to place, time, source, or origin.  What is this saying that salvation causes for the believer? We must never overlook the fact that our salvation came as a result of Christ choosing us out of the world. Salvation has actually separated us from being part of the world. We are no longer “of the world.”

20 μνημονεύετε τοῦ λόγου οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν· οὐκ ἔστιν δοῦλος μείζων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ. εἰ ἐμὲ ἐδίωξαν, καὶ ὑμᾶς διώξουσιν· εἰ τὸν λόγον μου ἐτήρησαν, καὶ τὸν ὑμέτερον τηρήσουσιν. (John 15:20 NA28)

20 Remember the saying, which I told you: ‘A slave is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. (John 15:20 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

The Greek word for slave here is “δοῦλος” or “doulos.” A “δοῦλος” is one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another. His or her will is altogether consumed in the will of the master. Master or Lord is the Greek word “κύριος” or “Kurios.” This is the word most translated as “Lord” in the New Testament and in the Septuagint. It means Lord, master, or owner. Jesus is the “κύριος” of His “δοῦλος,” and they should not expect that they would escape persecution if He is persecuted by the “κόσμος.” Conversely, those who listen to Christ will listen to His disciples as well.

21 ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ποιήσουσιν εἰς ὑμᾶς διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασιν τὸν πέμψαντά με. 22 Εἰ μὴ ἦλθον καὶ ἐλάλησα αὐτοῖς, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἴχοσαν· νῦν δὲ πρόφασιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. 23 ὁ ἐμὲ μισῶν καὶ τὸν πατέρα μου μισεῖ. 24 εἰ τὰ ἔργα μὴ ἐποίησα ἐν αὐτοῖς ἃ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἐποίησεν, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἴχοσαν· νῦν δὲ καὶ ἑωράκασιν καὶ μεμισήκασιν καὶ ἐμὲ καὶ τὸν πατέρα μου. 25 ἀλλ’ ἵνα πληρωθῇ ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτῶν γεγραμμένος ὅτι ἐμίσησάν με δωρεάν. (John 15:21-25 NA28)

21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name because they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I did not come and speak to them they would not have sin, but now they do not have a cloak around their sin. 23 The one hating me hates my Father also. 24  If I had not done the works among them that no one else did, they would not have sin, but now they have both seen and have hated both me and my Father. 25 But that the word written in their law may be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without cause.’ (John 15:21-25 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

No one is sinless my brethren. If Jesus had not come those who rejected Him would not be sinless. Our Lord is telling us that His coming incited the most severe and deadly sin, which is the rejecting and rebelling against God and His truth. Their rejecting of Him as the Messiah was deadly for them. They hated our Lord without a cause. The“κόσμος” hates His people without a cause as well.

26 Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ παράκλητος ὃν ἐγὼ πέμψω ὑμῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται, ἐκεῖνος μαρτυρήσει περὶ ἐμοῦ· 27 καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτυρεῖτε, ὅτι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἐστε. 1 Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῆτε. 2 ἀποσυναγώγους ποιήσουσιν ὑμᾶς· ἀλλ’ ἔρχεται ὥρα ἵνα πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας ὑμᾶς δόξῃ λατρείαν προσφέρειν τῷ θεῷ. 3 καὶ ταῦτα ποιήσουσιν ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὸν πατέρα οὐδὲ ἐμέ. 4 ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἡ ὥρα αὐτῶν μνημονεύητε αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν. Ταῦτα δὲ ὑμῖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὐκ εἶπον, ὅτι μεθ’ ὑμῶν ἤμην. (John 15:26-16:1-4 NA28)

26 ”When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. 1 ”These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 ”They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 ”These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 ”But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.  (John 15:26-16:1-4 NASB)

My brethren, the “κόσμος” hates all who belong to Christ. However, genuine Christians have the Holy Spirit. What does He do? He proceeds from the Father. He bears witness about Christ. He causes believers to bear witness as well. The Greek word for “bear witness” is “μαρτυρέω” or “martureō.” It essentially means to testify. In this context our Lord is saying that the Holy Spirit testifies about Him and genuine believers testify about Christ in the “κόσμος.” They tell of the excellent greatness of Christ and why He came and had to die on the cross. They testify about the dire need of people to be saved from the consequences of their sins. This incites the ire of the “κόσμος” because it is seen as a direct attack on it. Jesus does not sugar coat this. He tells us that persecution will come on all who testify about Him. This is not talking about those who have created a world friendly Jesus who accuses no one and simply wants everyone to have their best life now. No, the “κόσμος” loves that Jesus. However, they hate the one found in the Bible. It is Him we must preach and then not be surprised when the “κόσμος” “μισέω” us.

Soli Deo Gloria!

She Strengthens Me

Tags

Biblical Authority, Blessed, Christ, christianity, christians, Doctrine, eternity, Jesus Christ, Knowledge, Marriage, Scripture, Word of God

I just read this and had to reblog it…..for all you wives who need to know that there are truly godly men who “get it”, who get what the Bible means about living for Christ and being in God’s marriage because they have hearts that have been regenerated through Jesus Christ….read this and remember, God gave you to your husband. God knew what He was doing, and God appreciates everything that you do to obey HIM, even if your husband is not walking with Christ. He uses the unregenerate husband to grow us and to conform us to His image, and to teach us to obey in ALL things, and the difficulty of being married to a man who’s god is foundationally himself with Jesus tacked on, is a real good way to learn that. A hard way, a sad and most times lonely way, but a good way nonetheless. Ultimately, the Lord is your Husband, and He is faithful and righteous and just. And sometimes, He brings articles like this along just to remind us that when HE saves a man, He makes a whole new heart, a new creation, and a deep desire to honor Him, in life and in marriage. So hold on to your faith, and know that everything that you do is for the Lord in your marriage (even if your husband is, um, well…a bad one), and is never wasted or unseen, and your reward is waiting for you. And, be encouraged…..God makes godly men out of the most ungodly, and the ones who are obstinate and who never truly repent, He Himself takes care of you and will never leave you as orphans. Meanwhile He is working in YOU through all of it. So if your husband is truly walking with Christ, praise HIM, and if he is not, just keep praying for God to break him and bring him soundly to Himself in repentance and surrender, and keep your focus on Jesus and in obeying the Lord. I really have to say…It’s good to see a man really love his wife and appreciate her as God’s true gift to his life. God bless Tim Challies! Enjoy! 🙂 ~AGM†

• Tim Challies    07/24/13

A short time ago I wrote about how I had learned to embrace my dependence upon my wife and to celebrate my need of her. The Lord provided me with a helper for an obvious reason: I need help. There is still part of me that hates to admit this. I value independence and self-reliance and other such dubious virtues. Admitting dependence and need comes hard to me. Yet as life goes on, that need and that dependence become increasingly obvious to me and, undoubtedly, to those around me.

Just a few weeks ago I was at an event and due to speak just a few minutes later. Yet I found myself in my hotel room, in a state of near panic, unable to conceive of how I would cross that room and open that door. This isn’t quite the norm for me, but it also isn’t all that unusual. I called Aileen who immediately knew what to do: She spoke truth to me, reminded me of what I had been called to do and assured me that I could do it; she prayed with me and she prayed for me. And then everything was okay again. I felt like a building that had been about to topple, but then someone dug underneath it and poured a new foundation. It was still leaning a little bit, but now it was resting on something strong enough to support it. Or like an athlete (that metaphor is kind of a stretch for me, I know) who managed to hobble across the finish line only because he had someone else to run beside him, to cheer him on, to give him a shoulder to lean on.

And I realized in that moment that one of the most significant ways Aileen helps me is by strengthening me. She gives me strength I simply do not have without her. It drew me to this exploration of the word helper that appears in Susan Hunt and Ligon Duncan’s Book Women’s Ministry in the Local Church:

God ‘helps’ by defending the weak (Exodus 18:4), seeing and caring for the suffering (Ps. 10:14), supporting (20:2), shielding and protecting (33:20), delivering from distress (70:5), rescuing the poor, weak, needy, and afflicted (72:12-14), and comforting (86:17). These are strong, relational, nurturing, compassionate words. They are covenant words. They characterize our relationship with God and with one another.

Supporting, delivering from distress, rescuing the weak, comforting: those are exactly the ways in which Aileen comes alongside me and helps me. These are exactly the things she does for me and the things she delights to do for me. These are the things I need her to do.

She helps me in other ways, of course. As we divide out the various responsibilities of life and family she takes the primary role in caring for and nurturing the children, for example. God has made her in such a way that she is naturally inclined to do this better than I can. A woman makes a better mom than a man does and she helps me by being an excellent wife and mother. I have always valued the ways in which she is complementary to me, in which God has made the two of us to fit together through our differences. But I think I have valued these things at the expense of other things—things that are of equal or even greater importance.

The help I have come to value in a whole new way is not only the kind that arises naturally from our complementary make-up and roles. Rather, I have come to celebrate that she brings strength to my weaknesses and competency to my deficencies. She helps where my character is weak, my maturity low, my ability inadequate. This is where I have come to be increasingly dependent upon her, to rely on her help, through those “strong, relational, nurturing, compassionate words.”

It has been difficult for me to accept this. My pride has been protesting, but there has been freedom in admitting it and celebrating it. The simple fact is, God provided a wife to help me because I am weak and in my weakness I need help, I need strength. She, the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7), strengthens me.

---

(One clarification: I said in my previous article that a wife has a subordinate role to her husband. I meant subordinate as in “a person under the authority of another” and not “a person innately inferior to another.” I had assumed this would be obvious, but some people questioned it. In this way her role is parallel to the trinitarian role of the Holy Spirit who willingly takes on that subordinate role in order to be the helper.)

http://www.challies.com/christian-living/she-strengthens-me

What is Moral Inability? by Mike Ratliff

Tags

apologetics, Biblical Authority, christianity, CINOS, Disobedience, Doctrine, false converts, False Gospel, false-prophets, holy god, knowing god, Last Days, Salvation, theology, Truth, Word of God

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Mike Ratliff: http://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/

19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. (Joshua 24:19 NASB)

When my faith was young, Joshua’s statement in Joshua 24:19 seemed puzzling. Of course, I was a member in some churches that did their best to ignore anything resembling deep theological study. I remember a Q&A session with one of my former pastors in which this passage was read (not by me) then he was asked to explain it. The answer was that this was just an abstraction not to be taken literally and not to be applied to the Church age. Let’s take a closer look.

In answer to Joshua’s challenge, the people had said, in affect, “We will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” But Joshua knew them too well to trust them, and reminded them that they were undertaking, what they could not perform. They did not believe him, but cried, “No, but we will serve the LORD”; but their history after this proved the truth of Joshua’s warning. God’s word knows us better than we know ourselves. God’s omniscience sees each part of our being as an anatomist sees the various portions of the body, and he therefore knows our moral and spiritual nature most thoroughly. A watchmaker is the best judge of a watch; and he who made man has the best knowledge of his condition and capacity, which is that the unregenerate cannot serve God.

This inability is not physical but moral. The unregenerate nature is fallen. It is not of God, but of sin. This fallen nature blinds people for it is isolated from knowing God and His ways. Some may say that the unregenerate could serve God if they liked; but in that “if” lies the hinge of the whole question. Man’s inability lies in the complete lack of moral power so to both desire and will as actually to perform. Some may also say that since this is so then how can God hold them accountable? The Word of God states that moral inability is actually Man’s fault.

23 ”Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.  (Jeremiah 13:23 NASB)

God’s nature, His Holiness, renders perfect service impossible to depraved people as Joshua stated to the children of Israel. The best they could render as unrenewed men would lack heart and intent, and therefore must be unacceptable. Without love and faith men cannot please God. What are the prayers, alms, and worshippings of the unregenerate?

15 ”So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. (Isaiah 1:15 NASB)

Of course, in our day with the demand to be called Christian by people who refuse to submit to the Lordship of Christ, we must ask, “what of of their religiosity?” What about their “worship” and their “churchgoing?” The law of God is perfect, comprehensive, spiritual, far-reaching: who can hope to fulfill it? If a “look” may commit adultery, who shall in all points keep the law? The carnal mind is inclined to self-will, self-seeking, lust, enmity, pride, and all other evils.

7 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, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  (Romans 8:7,8 NASB)

Let men try to be perfectly obedient. They will not try it. They argue for their ability, but they cannot bring themselves to exert it. I know that there are some reading this piece right now who are beginning to boil in anger because you see that proclaiming these truths discourages people and drives them to despair. They say that if we preach this then we will be discouraging people from being Christian. However, the truth is still the truth my friends. It is more likely that someone will invent a perpetual motion machine than it would be to find a fulfilled hope of perfect obedience by those who have already sinned. Expecting holiness from sinful people is foolishness. Therefore, we must proclaim these truths for in doing so the only ones who genuinely call upon the name of the Lord are those who have come to the end of themselves.

By preaching moral inability we are instruments in the hands of God to discourage people from seeking to be reconciled to God through self-righrteousness. It is a deadly thing to believe oneself to be a Christian because he or she is not as bad as other people. Self-righteousness is a proud refusal of mercy. It is a rebellion against grace. Self-confidence and self-reliance are the enemies of the Saviour.

We must preach the truth of moral inability because God works within these truths to discourage reliance upon ceremonies or any other outward religiousness. These truths bring assurance to the hearts of men that religiosity cannot suffice. It also discourages people from seeking every other way of self-salvation by shutting them up to the faith in the Lord Jesus, which is the best of things.

To those reading this who know not God, the unregenerate, I have a message for you. Before you can serve God you need a new nature. which only the Spirit of God can create in you. Your old nature, your sin nature, cannot serve the Lord. Think of the fouled water from a sewer. Can that water be pumped into a fountain and be drinkable? Of course not! Just the same with us. Unless God touches us by His grace unto regeneration, there is no new nature, and therefore, no salvation. This salvation brings reconciliation between you and God. God actually transforms you from being His enemy. In this will be forgiveness, friendship, and mutual delight. God and you must be made friends through the Mediator, who is Christ Jesus. If this does not happen then you cannot be the servant of God.

This reconciliation through the Lord Jesus Christ brings acceptance. Unless you are accepted then no matter how religious you are you cannot please God. Only a perfect righteousness can make you accepted by our Holy and jealous God. Only through Christ Jesus can one be justified in God’s eyes.

Once you have been accepted into the beloved, you will receive continual aid and comfort from God. We must have this to keep us in “the way.” None of us can remain in it on our own. We must be preserved by Him.

9 ”He keeps the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a man prevail. (1 Samuel 2:9 NASB)

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.  (Jude 1:24-25 NASB)

Despite what some accuse Christians of these days, the genuine believer knows that he or she cannot serve God just as they are. We trust Him as He manifests Himself in Christ Jesus. This keeps us from trying to serve God through “works” righteousness. It keeps us from neglecting service because of sin. Yes, we still sin and our enemy tells us that since we failed here and there that we should just give up trying to serve God. Nonsense! We come to Christ just as we are. Yes, we fail, but what we must do then is seek the throne of grace, confess our sins, and repent. Then we get back into serving Him. Doing it this way enables us to serve Him on better principles.

This new life in the new nature is effected by the Holy Spirit who indwells all regenerate believers. Unless He is in us then we will not only never be fit for heaven, we cannot enter in. His presence in us and His changes wrought in us enables us to serve our Lord, which we will do forever.

Soli Deo Gloria

Lawless Gospel

Reblogged from Berean Wife:

This really bears close inspection and attention, hence I shall beat this gong until I have no breath left in me. There are FAR too many CINOS abounding these days. And it seems they are lost to the lie that they are not lost…but God can work miracles and use anything to draw men and women soundly to Himself…He can break through the strongest lie, and the most duplicitous fraud that Satan will have us believe…may He use this to break through to those that He knows need genuine salvation, yet comfort themselves in what is the false. 

John 9:41…”Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

II Corinthians 13:5…”Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test?” 

I John 1:5-10….”This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.“

I John 3: 4-10….” Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.“

Jesus is clear on genuine salvation: John 14:15….””If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 8:42…”Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.”

http://biblehub.com/john/14-21.htm    http://biblehub.com/john/14-23.htm    http://biblehub.com/john/15-10.htm

If you do not obey Him, if you are living pretty much as you were before “salvation”, then the truth is that you are not really saved. Can’t be. Jesus makes all things new, a new creation…rebirth through HIM. Not behavior modification, trying harder, even believing what the Bible says and agreeing (even the demons believe and tremble, and since they work so hard to promote the counter to what the Bible says, they surely must agree that what God says is true, too.) This is for all the marbles, folks. Only Satan wants unreborn hearts to think they are somehow reborn, because it leads to “I never knew you”. But God wishes no man perish. And so, please, with whatever honesty you can muster about yourself (yeah, we all tend to think we’re okay, even when we were NOT saved….so this is not different) examine yourself…any fruit that GOD calls fruit? Are you still slobbering at the altar of pride? Or do you focus on daily dying to self, obeying what the bible says, even if you don’t “feel like it”? Is what GOD thinks of you, how GOD assesses you what you go by, and that by His word, in context (not “PR’d” by your inner PR man)…..it is what we all are called to. How often is the Lord on your mind, in your life, in your choices, in your behavior? How much are you actually disciplined by Him? Convicted of the unholy garbage still mucking up your heart? How often does His word actually APPLY to you and how you live and think? I can go on, but I think you get the idea…how much is He really there?  ~AGM †

The gospel message is, in itself, simple. Paul explains the gospel in two verses in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Jesus Christ died on the cross on Calvary to pay the debt which we owe for our sins. He was buried and lay dead in a borrowed tomb for three days. But, on the morning of the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead. After 40 days, Jesus ascended back into heaven where he now sits at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus Christ was crucified in order to pay a debt that you and I could never pay for ourselves – the sin in our lives which has separated us from the presence of God.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (NIV)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a call to follow Him in obedience. It is not just a plea to make a “decision for Christ” or to pray the “sinner’s prayer.” The gospel of Jesus Christ frees people from their sins. But it also confronts and condemns the hypocrisy of those who are only outwardly religious. The gospel of Jesus Christ is an offer for forgiveness and eternal life to those who would repent of their sins. But it is a rebuke to those who do not live a life in pursuit of righteousness and holiness.

Matthew 23:25-26 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” (NIV)

We all know of people who have made a “decision” for Jesus Christ at some point in their life, and who may have even attended church for some period of time, but then have fallen away from the faith. Where is the evidence of the pursuit of holiness in this person’s life? Were they really saved? In 1991, a major denomination in the United States began a “decade of harvest”, and garnered some 294,000 “decisions” for Christ in the first year. Only 14,000 of the people remained in the church at the end of the decade.

However, many people who make “decisions” for Christ don’t fall away. They become a nominal member of the local church and perhaps even moderately involved in the activities of the church. But the lives of these people do not indicate that there has been any real change. While they may attend church, the focus of their lives and passions remains unchanged and fixed on worldly things: worldly music, worldly television, worldly movies, worldly dress, alcohol, drugs, pornography, and promiscuous sexual activities. But more than all these worldly things, their life has not been surrendered completely to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And sadly, the modern evangelical church gives these people assurance of their salvation because there is never a call for anyone to make a radical examination of their lives to make sure they are truly in the faith.

James 4:4 “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (NIV)

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (NIV)

How is it that we have filled the church with people who are outwardly religious but do not pursue a life of righteousness and holiness? It is because of the insipid gospel message that has been preached in the typical evangelical church today. We invite people to become Christians by extending them the love of Jesus Christ without ever telling them why they need Jesus Christ. The good news of the gospel message is foolishness to those who don’t know they are sinners; in fact, it is offensive to insinuate that a person needs to be saved from their sins when they do not comprehend that they are a sinner. The average person, if asked why they think they are going to heaven when they die, answers “because I’ve been a fairly good person. God is a God of love and he would never condemn me to hell. I’m not a serial killer.” The average person has no clue how disgusting their “acceptable” sins are before a holy God.

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (NIV)

Isaiah 64:6-7 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.” (NIV)

Jesus’ words about eternal life give hope to believers, but give warning to those who take salvation lightly. The cost of following Jesus Christ is high, the way is narrow, and few there are who truly find it. Many who think they have called Jesus as Lord in this life will find that he really never was their Lord and will be barred from entering the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 9:23-25 “Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (NIV)

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (NIV)

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (NIV)

The modern church, by and large, ignores these warnings. The normal view of what is required for a person to be saved has grown broader and shallower. The portrayal of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross in preaching and witnessing has become indistinct. Anyone who claims to be a Christian can find a church willing to accept a profession of faith, whether or not the person’s behavior shows any evidence of a changed life or a commitment to obedience to Jesus Christ. In this way, faith has become merely accepting some facts about Jesus Christ instead of a life surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:22-24 “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (NIV)

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (NIV)

We should learn from the pattern used by Jesus Christ. On two different occasions, proud, arrogant men asked him “How can I have everlasting life?” What did Jesus point them to? He pointed them both to the Law. (see Luke 10:25-37 and Luke 18:18-23) One of these men was an expert in the Law who hated his neighbor. The other man was a rich, young ruler who loved his money more than righteousness. And to both of these men, Jesus pointed to the Law as the way to eternal life. Not because the Law could save them, but because they were not convicted that they were sinners. Peter uses this same pattern in his messages in the book of Acts. In his messages, he first points his hearers (particularly the proud, arrogant Jewish leaders) to the sin of rejecting and murdering Jesus Christ, then he tells them to repent. To overlook sin in presenting the gospel is sure to result in producing a church filled with false converts.

Romans 3:19-20 “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” (NIV)

Read the words of Martin Luther, the great Christian reformer from the 16^th century, on the need for teaching the Law. “And last of all, which I should never have foreseen or once suspected, Satan has raised up a sect such as teach that the Ten Commandments ought to be taken out of the church, and that men should not be terrified by the Law, but gently exhorted by preaching the grace of Christ.” Did you notice how Luther described a church that does not teach the Law in such a manner that people don’t come under a conviction of their sins? He calls then a sect created by Satan.

When the presentation of the gospel message is devoid of the conviction of sin, another reason must be found for sinners to respond to the gospel. Modern evangelism, therefore, presents the gospel message as a “life enhancement” tool. “Come to Jesus”, the so-called modern gospel says, “and you will find peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and everlasting happiness.” While all these things are true, this presentation of the “gospel” betrays those who respond to it. There are two different themes of what happens to the person who is “saved” by a gospel that does not first convict of sin.

First, this “gospel” message betrays us when times of trouble or persecution come. The person who expects nothing but peace and joy in this life finds that being a Christian also brings mocking and derision from the world. And this person also finds that troubles don’t go away just because they have become a Christian. Cars still break down. Bills still pile up. People still get cancer and die. This person becomes disillusioned and embittered against the gospel because it hasn’t given them the peace and joy it promised and they disappear from the church.

Second, this “gospel” message betrays us when temptation comes. The person who has “accepted” Jesus Christ without being convicted of sin sees no problem in compromising between God and the world. Church becomes a Sunday morning experience, and only when there is nothing better on the calendar. In this way, many so-called Christians today are trying to serve two masters – Jesus and the world. And Jesus has told us that this is impossible. If this describes you, Jesus says you must hate one of these masters. Which master do your actions indicate you hate?

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (NIV)

This shallow understanding of salvation and the gospel message stands in stark contrast to what the Bible teaches. The call to follow Jesus Christ is founded on the fact that the sinner must repent of their sins and yield their lives to the authority of Jesus Christ. But the so-called “gospel” message which is preached today in the modern evangelical church is devoid of teaching about the depravity and sinfulness of each person. We teach about the love of Jesus to save people from their sins without ever telling people that they are indeed sinners.

Romans 3:10-18 “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (NIV)

What, then, sets apart true faith from the “easy-believism” that is so prevalent in the church today? Or, in other words, how can I know what it means to be truly saved? The following paragraphs define nine distinctives of a biblical understanding of the gospel of salvation. These distinctives revolve around the fact that Jesus is not only our Savior, but is also our Lord.

First, the Bible teaches that the gospel does not call sinners to faith without also calling them to repentance. Repentance is turning away from sin and turning toward a life of righteousness and holiness. Repentance is a change of heart and a change of behavior. Without a repentant heart, there can be no salvation.

Acts 2:37-38 “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)

Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (NIV)

Second, the Bible teaches that salvation is a work of God. Those who believe are saved, not by their own effort, but by the grace of God. Faith is a gift from God, not a work of man. There is nothing which you can contribute to your own salvation. Therefore, true belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior cannot be short-lived or defective, it must endure forever because it is a work of God and not a work of man.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

Third, the Bible teaches that the object of the faith of the Christian is Jesus Christ himself, not a creed or a tradition or a prayer. Faith therefore must involve a personal commitment and a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, all true believers follow Jesus just as sheep follow their shepherd. If our faith lies in a commitment card or saying the “sinner’s prayer” or being baptized, then our faith rests in sinking sand. Our faith must rest squarely on Jesus Christ and nothing else in order to be saved.

John 10:24-30 “The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (NIV)

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (NIV)

Fourth, the Bible teaches that true faith inevitably produces a changed life. Salvation includes a transformation of the inner person. The unbroken pattern of sin and rebellion against God cannot continue in the life of a person who is born again. What are some characteristics that you would expect to see in the life of a person who has been born again? They follow Christ, love other Christians, obey God’s commandments, abide in God’s word, do good works, and continue in the faith. (For an excellent discussion on the evidence of faith, read the book of 1 John.)

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (NIV)

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (NIV)

Fifth, the Bible teaches that the gift of eternal life also includes all that is required to live a life of godliness. It is not just a free ticket to heaven. If you have been saved, you have been given everything you need to turn away from sin and to strive forward in living a life of righteousness.

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (NIV)

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (NIV)

Sixth, the Bible teaches that Jesus is either Lord of all or he is not your Lord at all. Faith in Jesus Christ demands unconditional surrender. Eternal life is not given to those whose hearts remain set against Jesus Christ. The summons to submission is at the heart of the gospel invitation.

Romans 6:16-19 “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.” (NIV)

Seventh, the Bible teaches that those who truly believe will love Jesus Christ. And in that love, they will long to obey him in all things.

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (NIV)

Eighth, the Bible teaches that our behavior is a test of our faith. Obedience is evidence that our faith is real. A person who remains unwilling to obey Christ in all things does not evidence true faith.

1 John 2:3-6 “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (NIV)

Ninth, the Bible teaches that true believers may occasionally stumble and fall, but they will never turn their back on their faith. Those who turn completely away from the Lord show that they were never really saved.

1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (NIV)

The truth is, most people who read this page think they already are a Christian. And sadly, most people who read this page really are not. The greatest need for evangelism is within the walls of the church today. This presentation is a call to examine yourself. Better today than on the day of judgment. If you think that you have been a victim of “easy-believism”, I encourage you to carefully consider the two articles linked below.

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (NIV)

http://www.bereanwife.net/index.php/2008/07/03/six-signs-of-a-false-conversion/

http://www.bereanwife.net/2008/07/03/ten-christians-god-will-not-allow-into-heaven/

A recent film inside a Mormon temple detailing rituals and doctrines

A slight detour from the ongoing topic…but this is important for you to see. If you or anyone else believes that the Mormons are Christians…if this doesn’t clear that lie up for you, then you are simply willfully deceived. Many have no idea of what that group is really all about, many do and don’t care….so for those who truly want to know the truth about the Mormon cult…this reblog is for you! In these days of deception, willing and otherwise, it is imperative that the truth be spoken. Pass this on. May no one be taken in by Satan’s deceitful counterfeit, namely the Mormon “church”…..BTW, extra points for answering this correctly: Just who IS the “Jesus of Latter Day Saints”?? Hint: It is not the Jesus of the Bible, but a man. Please warn others about this cult. It is dire.

agnus dei - english + romanian blog

VIDEO by Newnamenoah – the 8 minute video clip. See full film (1 hour 16 min) at the bottom of this post.

An intriguing look at Mormon beliefs that shows that the Church of Latter Day Saints has a whole ‘nother gospel, and it is certainly not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is pretty uncomfortable to watch how Mormonism borrows from Christianity and Judaism, yet denies the most central tenets of both religions. In Mormonism, the god Elohim is not all knowing (makes for a pretty weak god) and Michael is believed to be equal to Jesus. Some weird rituals are alarming, like where man calls on God “Oh God, hear the words of my mouth” and then Satan shows up and says, “I am the God of this world”. Five minutes later, everyone in the room is wearing the same sort of “apron” and chanting “Oh God, hear the…

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But we’re NOT disjointed!

After a slight diversion…..back to the second the most important relationship you will ever have (your relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord being number one)….the marriage relationship you have with your spouse. Y’know, God created marriage as a living picture of His relationship with His elect, the Bride of the Bridegroom….Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. To the unregenerate world that watches, marriage is to reflect God’s heart and covenant for and with His children, while it brings Him glory. Paul says it is a mystery we will never fully fathom, and it is given enough attention in the Bible to encompass the entire Old and New Testaments. From Genesis to Revelation, God speaks of marriage and of it’s many reflections of HIM. God gives us His examples of how to live and honor Him within a marriage. He even speaks of how to obey and glorify Him in an adulterous marriage (think of the fickle Israelites, Gomer, um…us!), and what faithfulness really means. Don’t you think we should give our marriages at least that much attention if it is so important to the One who created it, and then offered our sinful fallen souls salvation so we could be made right with Him and be welcomed, now a spotless bride through Christ, into His presence? Yep…I do, too. So with that in mind, a reblog from Drawn From the Mire, continuing where we left off there….AGM †

http://drawnfromthemire.com/2013/07/15/but-were-not-disjointed-marriage-monday/

In the last post, I discussed an illustration Richard Baxter made about lack of love in marriage. He compared marriage to a human body, and lack of love in marriage to that body having a bone out of joint. Here is what he said:

“If love be removed but for an hour between husband and wife, they are so long as a bone out of joint; there is no ease, no order, no work well done, till they are restored and set in joint again. Therefore be sure that conjugal love be constantly maintained.”*

After some discussion and contemplation over the week, I’d like to toss out my two cents on a few related points:

1.) Lack of love can be manifested in many ways.

A marriage need not be completely devoid of love, or hopelessly on the brink of divorce, to be considered disjointed. Times of disharmony, lack of affection, and disunity are all disjointed times to some degree.

Lack of love is the opposite of biblical love (see 1 Corinthians 13). A marriage that lacks love is therefore characterized during those disjointed times by impatience, unkindness, jealousy, boasting, arrogance, rudeness, irritation, and/or resentment. Those lacking love rejoice at wrongdoing and do not rejoice in the truth. Those lacking love don’t bear, believe, hope or endure all things.

So, until reconciliation occurs, a marriage relationship is disjointed to some degree during any season of impatient, snippy, irritated comments. It’s disjointed if one spouse is perpetually arrogant, though conflict is avoided by both. It’s disjointed if one spouse rejoices in wrongdoing, or rejects the truth. It’s disjointed when spouses are hurtful and unkind with their words, even if in jest, or even if not directly to one another but to others around them.

My point being this: we must not pridefully claim to walk in perfect marital harmony just because our marriage isn’t engaged in all-out war or on the brink of disaster.

Lack of love, or having a proverbial bone out of joint, is as simple as resenting your spouse because you wash the dishes every night andhe doesn’t. That doesn’t necessarily spell disaster, but it does impair the relationship until it is dealt with, however small that impairment may seem.

This is one reason Baxter said that such negative effects are there “if love be removed but for an hour between husband and wife”. In this fallen world, these little dislocations happen frequently — that’s why we must work to maintain our marital love.

2.) If one is used to being in joint, it is extremely noticeable when one’s bone comes out of joint.

I recently re-injured my back…it was extremely noticeable!! I had finally reached the point in physical therapy and recovery that for months I had felt no discomfort whatsoever, so when the re-injury occurred, I noticed immediately. Before my recent recovery, my back had hurt pretty much all the time for over a decade. I had grown used to the ‘normal’ amount of pain I felt every waking moment, and only really took note of the ‘very bad’ days on which the pain was debilitating.

Couples who are used to living in harmony most days – who have learned to be patient with one another, strive to be kind, put their spouse first – are usually quick to recognize the pain of a dislocation.

(Now, I don’t mean spouses who are immature and selfishly sensitive to ‘every little thing’, intended or not – and rail at their spouse with accusations. I mean spouses who, after a seemingly small disagreement or comment, feel the resulting disharmony – and, longing for reconciliation, immediately seek the help of the Great Physician, admit their wrongdoing, talk about what needs to be talked about, forgive, and by God’s grace walk forward with their spouse in harmony once again.)

Conversely, couples who live in a perpetually disjointed relationship often only take notice of extremely painful dislocations, ignoring, dismissing, or even no longer noticing the less severe disharmony which they have accepted as ‘normal’.

3.) “Getting used to” being out of joint is ridiculous.

Imagine that your best friend dislocates her right elbow. Maybe someone caused it – or maybe she caused it herself. Regardless, the next time you see her, the bottom half of her right arm dangles loosely from its joint. You can see that the dislocation causes her great pain, and you know that if it is left out of joint physical complications can occur. You urge her to go to the doctor. You even offer to drive her to the E.R. immediately.

Yet, astonishingly, she refuses to seek medical attention. She admits that it is out of joint, and painful, but argues that the injury is no big deal. She adapts her life to what she has accepted as a disability, avoiding tasks and positions that bump or move her arm and cause pain in that area. She learns to write with her left hand. She finds a way to lie in bed just right so that the pain doesn’t keep her awake.

She complains often about the pain, understandably, but she blames her responsibilities for making her elbow hurt so. The laundry, the cooking, and the driving…they all cause such sharp pain in her elbow. Yet, she still refuses medical attention — even denying at times that the dislocation itself could actually be causing the pain.

After enduring the pain for many months, she reaches the point that she concedes that this dislocation was, indeed, a bigger deal than she thought. To your bewilderment, she continues to refuse medical attention! Now she argues that the dislocation will be too difficult for a doctor to treat, and that even if a doctor could treat her, the treatment would be too painful.

Ridiculous, isn’t it??

Yet, how many times do married couples living with a disjointed, loveless (at least to some degree in some area) relationship do this very thing?

– Dismiss a proverbial bone out of joint as no big deal.

– Refuse to go to the Physician for help.

– Avoid certain topics of conversation, because those topics might aggravate the dislocation.

– Avoid certain places, situations, or interactions with each other, because they might aggravate the dislocation.

– Blame the pain on everything that aggravates the dislocation, or reminds them of the dislocation, or might have been around when the dislocation occurred — while pretending like the dislocation isn’t there, or isn’t the cause of their suffering.

– Refuse to go to the Physician for help.

– Insist that the pain and symptoms aren’t problems at all, and that they don’t indicate that a dislocation is present.

– Refuse to go to the Physician for help.

– Invent creative ways to live their life so that they can try to pretend the injury never happened.

– Insist that the Physician can’t help, or that even if He could, the process would be too painful.

– Refuse to go to the Physician for help

Ridiculous. Foolish. Heartbreaking.

4.) Dislocations require medical attention, and the Great Physician can help.

No amount of self-help books, positive affirmations, pep-talks, denial, venting sessions with friends, yoga, screaming sessions, pillow-punching, chocolate, or even good old-fashioned resolve will heal a disjointed relationship. Nor will they give you a new heart. Nor will they enable you to truly walk in love. There isn’t an at-home, do-it-yourself quick-fix for sin and its effects, and striving to find or make one will leave you defeated. Because of Common Grace, some of these things might yield some temporary external results, but true healing comes only through Christ.

Only Christ, who saves us from the punishment of sin, can save us from sin’s power. Only His grace, poured out on believers by the Holy Spirit, can turn our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh, stirring a new desire to follow His ways – to love the Lord our God with everything in us and love our neighbor (and our spouse) like we love ourselves.

If you don’t know Him, you can turn to Him now.

If you have rejected Him, you can turn to Him now.

{If you don’t know what I mean, or want to discuss what it means to turn to Christ, email me: drawnfromthemire (at) gmail (dot) com}

If you know Him, if you are His child who is born-again by the power of the Spirit through repentance and faith in Christ’s sacrifice for you, then you have been provided far more than freedom from the eternal punishment of sin!

You are now able to abide in Christ, wear the Armor of God, and by His power and grace overcome sin in your heart and life. You are now able to pray for wisdom, pore over the Word, and joyfully receive its Truth and direction in your heart. You have a Great Physician ready to help. Ready to put bones back into place. Ready to nurture you and your marriage so that both bear good fruit to His glory.

Disjointed? Run to Jesus.

*Baxter, R., & Orme, W. (1830). The Practical Works of the Rev. Richard Baxter: Volume IV (117). London: James Duncan.

You are that man!

Considering that it seems the majority of professing Christians either continue to live like the world, are biblically illiterate, or both….I think this excellent article by a wonderful brother in Christ is in order. The heart is deceitfully wicked above all else, and we are all more than capable of letting it deceive us daily…so don’t listen to your “heart”….hold yourself up to what the word of God says, praying to rightly see how you truly are (without your inner “PR” man answering for you), and honestly ask yourself this question: “Am I that man?”….imaginary fruit won’t count when you are at the throne….neither will imaginary salvation.~AGM †

Uncommon Faith

Have you ever been confronted with sin in your life?  How have you reacted to someone that loves you enough to point this out to you?

Your reaction tells you a lot about yourself.

Did you get angry?

Did you become defensive?

Did you deny it, or accuse them of being self-righteous?  That’s an old favorite.

Did you notice that I said someone “loves you” enough to risk your relationship to tell you about your sin?  Did it mean they are without sin?  Of course not, we all sin, but don’t pull “judge not…” out of your hat, unless they are accusing you of something they are embroiled in themselves.

2 Samuel 12:5-9  So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!  And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he…

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Love For a Bible Not Read: A Call For Biblical Literacy

R. Albert Mohler Jr.

July 12, 2013

While America’s evangelical Christians are rightly concerned about the secular worldview’s rejection of biblical Christianity, we ought to give some urgent attention to a problem much closer to home: biblical illiteracy in the church. This scandalous problem is our own, and it’s up to us to fix it.

Researchers George Gallup and Jim Castelli put the problem squarely: “Americans revere the Bible — but, by and large, they don’t read it. And because they don’t read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates.” Researchers tell us that it is worse than most could imagine.

Fewer than half of all adults can name the four Gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. According to data from one research group, 60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. Americans may demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in the courthouse, but they seem unable to remember what exactly they are.

According to 82 percent of Americans, “God helps those who help themselves,” is a Bible verse. Those identified as born-again Christians did better — by one percent. A majority of adults think the Bible teaches that the most important purpose in life is taking care of one’s family.

One poll indicates that at least 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. Another survey of graduating high school seniors reveals that more than 50 percent thought Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. A considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham. We are in big trouble.

How can a generation be biblically shaped in its understanding of human sexuality when it believes Sodom and Gomorrah to be a married couple? Many who identify themselves as Christians are similarly confused about the gospel itself. An individual who believes that “God helps those who help themselves” will find salvation by grace and justification by faith to be alien concepts.

Christians who lack biblical knowledge are the products of churches that marginalize biblical knowledge. Bible teaching now often accounts for only a diminishing fraction of the local congregation’s time and attention. The move to small group ministry has certainly increased opportunities for fellowship, but many of these groups never get beyond superficial Bible study.

This really is our problem, and recovery starts at home. Parents are to be the first and most important educators of their own children, teaching them the Word of God. Parents cannot franchise out their responsibility to the congregation, no matter how faithful it may be.

Churches must recover the centrality and urgency of biblical teaching and preaching.

We will not believe more than we know, and we will not live higher than our beliefs. The many fronts of Christian compromise in this generation can be directly traced to biblical illiteracy in the pews and the absence of biblical preaching and teaching in our homes and churches.

This generation must get deadly serious about the problem of biblical illiteracy, or a frighteningly large number of Americans — many church members included — will go on thinking that Sodom and Gomorrah lived happily ever after.