Resequitur
Javier
clboltOne of my good friends the other day had posted a status on Facebook that said ” I have a Crush on Jesus.”. Which I know her well and I know that she was just joking around when she posted that comment. But it reminded me of a few things that the The Lord has been speaking to me about, and it forces me to ask some questions and check my heart.
1. Are we simply just “Crushing” on the LORD? When He commands us to Love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30; Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
2. Does the love we have for our Sovereign Savior include fear and reverence to His majesty and His power? (Proverbs 3:6-7)
3. Are we worshiping the Lord in Spirit and in Truth? (John 4:24)
Something God has opened my eyes to lately is that no matter what He does in the wise council of His perfect and Sovereign will, He is WORTHY of worship and praise. We really get this picture of Jesus in Revelation (Rev 5:12).
Another thing I have realized is that everything we know about Him, comes from Him. What we know about the Lord is because He has revealed it to us. The reason we know Jesus is because God revealed the Son to us. Not even our Faith comes from us, It is from The Father who has given it to us. ( John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8) It is God’s Grace and His Grace alone. It is Sola Gratia. That is the only difference between the Sheep and the reprobate.
The same God in Isaiah 10:1-14 who used the Assyrians as His “Rod of Anger”(verse 5) to discipline Israel for their godlessness, and then turned around and punished the Assyrians for their arrogance that resulted from the LORD hardening their heart (Verse 12).
This is the God we worship. The Triune God. God is one Being existing in Three Persons. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Each person equal in essence and nature. This is Whom we worship. Let us praise Him with every aspect of our lives, and have reverence and fear as well as Love for Him.
- Realize that we need a relationship with Him
- But Let this relationship carry a weight that cannot be described as “crushing” or anything that brings Christ down to something He is not.
Filed under: The Issues
So I just very recently tried to apologize to an enemy of mine, who apparently does not know Christ. We have had some strong issues in the past, which both of us are in the wrong. I have repented of doing the things that I have done, but he does not know Christ and therefore the burden is not on him to do the same.
I am writing this in annoyance because he will not hear my apology. With God as my witness I have tried to apologize and he will not have it, yet friends of mine say “I should know better”. There is only so much that I can do. The strength to have mercy is not from me. It is from The Lord. If it were from me I would have never apologized in the first place. There is only so much a man can do with unregenerate men.
1. Pray that God will have Grace on them as He has had for you
2. Preach the Gospel to them.
3. Develop relationship, and if not possible continue praying.
Children of wrath do not follow God’s perscriptive will, and in their rebellion, it is possible that they will prefer to keep you an enemy on their “list”. I will not have any more interactions with this person because he wants to remain my enemy. It is my hope and prayer that God will crush this person in their rebellion and give him the desire to follow Him. It is not our job to “make converts”. It will be the Holy Spirit’s job to regenerate this person and make them aware of their sins to repent of them.
But as for me, to follow God’s perscriptive will, I must continue to repent of my sins, humble myself, and pray for him, even though he is my enemy. Tough love is the route I must take here, because loving him as I would a brother is not an option at this point. Join me as I pray for this person and myself.
God will be glorified whether he repents or not.
Filed under: The Issues
Shiachat crybabies. I was banned today, probably for saying Imam Mehdi is in hell. I’m sorry, I’m a Christian, what else would they expect? That he’s sippin a margarita with Muhammad on a fluffy cloud while women dressed in full garb (hijab and all) are fanning them until his ‘return’ ? Muslims are the religious drama queens. (I hope this doesn’t cause an embassy to burn).
I’m a Calvinist, and by Calvinist I mean one who affirms the soteriological position of one John Calvin. Historically speaking this position was affirmed by the Synod of Dordt in response to the Remonstrants who sought to ratify the soteriological position of the Reformed Church at the time. I’m a ‘new Calvinist’ apparently, I’m a ‘new Calvinist’ because I’ve been branded by the ‘Old Calvinists’ as a ‘new Calvinist’ I don’t know exactly what it means, indeed the definition remains aloof.
The definition seems to be pitted against another, after all, Baptist, and Reformed (another example) have argued that ‘new Calvinism’ is a departure from historical confessional Calvinism or blended with ‘worldliness’. So, us ‘new calvinists’ have to be branded either as a conglamoration of paganism with Christian truth, or non-Reformed ecclesial bodies with Reformed soteriology.
One, R. Scott Clark has fought for the definition of Calvinism so much that the amount of posts about how ‘new Calvinists’ are not real Calvinists has already created a bitter taste it my mouth so much that he can take the name back. I don’t want it, you can have it. Another, Baptist minister Peter Masters of Spurgeons old church has called the new Calvinists syncretists because of Christian Hip Hop with Reformed lyrics, or flashy lights during worship service. Indeed, both have offered sharp critiques. The reason I write this is because I’m almost disappointed at the seemingly graceless attitude that has been taken by the ‘Old Calvinists’.
So, whatever it is it sure ain’t Calvinism! Granted the Baptist (Masters) and the Reformed (Clark) would also argue over who is truly Reformed amongst themselves.
First, let me make this clear I don’t agree with what a lot of what Mark Driscoll said about why ‘new calvinism’ is better. One of the reasons is that to compare Old Calvinism to New Calvinism fails to take into account historical context. Old Calvinism fought more with Rome than with Rob Bell, Old Calvinism despised the Pope and his blasphemies and not Rick Warren and his compromise. Indeed, the contexts are different and the theological atmosphere is different. While we can encounter vestiges of Rome in Warren, Rob Bell and most Evangelical Arminianism its not profusely Romanist. So that we cannot fault Old Calvinism for what it didn’t do, indeed New Calvinists should learn (and they do) from Old Calvinists.
Secondly, new Calvinism didn’t come out of a vibrant American Christian community that proclaimed the Gospel and spoke truth into a dark society. New Calvinism was birthed out of a depraved, immoral and doctrinally dark age of American Christianity. We can fault much of this on the revivalism and Arminianism of Finney. The inability of ministers to defend the church of God at that time shines through in the fruits of this doctrinal dark age we have endured in America for the last few decades. New Calvinism didn’t come out as a response to Old Calvinism, rather it arose out of the doctrinally depraved American Evangelical culture. Indeed, we all know of Horton’s book Christless Christianity where he cites that the de-emphasizing of doctrine doesn’t only exist in the more mystical, or experiential churches but rather exists also in the staunchly Reformed, Baptist and Lutheran churches. So, that New Calvnism arose out of a church that took its focus off of doctrine and became the metaphorical trendy fourteen year old girl, who wants to look cool, please her friends, has developed text message arthritis – oh and loves American Idol.
Finally, I find the issue petty. Its akin to the new ‘five pointer’ who just discovered God’s sovereignty in salvation and wants to make everyone a Calvinist, its the guy who needs to be kept in a cage, the guy who calls everyone else an Arminian and perhaps goes too far. Its when a Calvinist becomes a Hyper Calvinist, when they demand strict doctrinal precision to every doctrine they affirm. Indeed, if I’m a new Calvinist the old Calvinists are the New Hyper Calvinists.
If you say that Christ died for every human being the same way, then you have to define the nature of atonement very differently than you would if you believed that Christ died for those who believe.
These are reasons I do not believe in unlimited atonement
- In one case you would believe that the death of Christ did not save anybody; it only made all men savable. It did not remove God’s Punitive wrath from anyone but instead created a place where people come and find mercy ONLY if they could accomplish the New Birth and bring themselves to faith without God’s irresistible grace. If Christ died to save all men in the same way, then logically you would have to say that he did not purchase regenerating grace for those who are saved
- If you believe that Christ died to save all men the same way, then the benefits of the cross cannot include the mercy by which we are brought to faith, because all men would be brought to faith if Christ died for all men the same way. But We Know They Are Not!
If the mercy by which we are brought to faith (irresistible grace) is not part of what Christ purchased on the cross, we are left to save ourselves from:
- The hardness of heart
- The bondage of sin
- blindness of corruption and wrath of God
We need Salvation from all three
A couple more reasons I do not believe in Unlimited Atonement is:
- In unlimited atonement, it limits the nature and value and effectiveness of atonement JUST so it could be said that it was accomplished even for those who die in unbelief and are condemned
- In this explanation the atonement is a powerless opportunity for men to save themselves from the terrible plight of depravity.
God Bless
Filed under: The Issues
In a typical debate with a Muslim, a Christian will encounter various citations of secular or unbelievers who disparage the text of the New Testament. This is obviously unfair in debate, after all there are various oriental scholars who are liberal and can be cited as unbelievers who disparage the text of the Quran. Many Muslims will cite people like the Jesus Seminar who disagree that any of what was believed then was believed now, and hardly any of what is attributed to Jesus is actually genuinely what Jesus said. People like Bart Ehrman are used profusely in debate in order to make the case against Christianity, however; what would a Muslim do when a Christian cites hostile unbelievers who existed prior to Bart Ehrman or the Jesus Seminar? There are various quotes of unbelievers who can be cited in order to support the doctrines of the Christain faith in the early developmental period of the Christian church. Since Muslims would like to accept unbelievers as legitimate means of establishing a case against the Christian faith, then Muslims should even more accept citations closer to the time of the first century by unbelievers as well. Since unbelievers like Pliny the younger, Josephus speak of a faith that is in stark contrast to the Islamic view of God, then these unbelievers would even more serve as evidence against Islam and for Christianity. But of course they will not like these sources, they will mine any liberal text, any liberal Christian in order to support their assertion that Christian was in fact, Islam in the first century.
Aside from the overt idolatry by the media and our society, not much interested me about the death of Michael Jackson. I was not impressed by his music, I wasn’t impressed by his record sales. Of course this is just me. I mean, I could care less for much of what is called entertainment today. Michael Jackson fed the entertainment hungry society.
Now, I’m only a twenty something, but I’m disillusioned by our endless cravings for entertainment. I can’t stand MTV, I don’t like VH1, and I’m not the biggest fan of pop culture in general. I can’t stand people who have to be constantly spoon fed entertainment as if that is what life is about. I can’t stand this lack of self control that our generation has when it comes to needing entertainment. You can find it on your cell, get it on your laptop, watch it on your TV. We need more! Give me more! Like a crippling crack addiction we cannot get enough, we need some more. We run back to our vendor for a fix. Gimme, gimme, gimme!
This tendency seems to plague us in all of life, for example in the workplace, supervisors will go to deep ends to make work ‘fun’ for employees, after all we must feed our incessant cravings for ‘fun’ right? Even at work. If we’re not having fun, then we’re not going to get anything done. This attitude is stupid. It suffers from a realization that not all things are fun. Its just a fact of life. There are times to have fun, but its not always fun time.
At his funeral Michael Jackson was canonized as a saint by the rhetoric filled racist Rev. Al Sharpton (I’m sorry, did I just reverse the rhetoric?). Apparently, he did many good things. Now of course, we know that Michael changed his physical features and was plagued by constant accusations of child abuse. Lets ignore that for now. He did get us all to sing kumbaya and could grab his crotch while twitching his legs, oh and lets not forget the moonwalk! Someone even went as far as to say that he was like Jesus! After all Jesus united everyone didn’t he? I guess that person didn’t read about how Jesus divided the pharisees? Or when he spoke about dividing the wheat and the chaff?
You see this wouldn’t have happened had Americans understood that leisure is not the chief end of man, but of course sinful depraved humanity doesn’t understand this. What we do is exalt things instead of God. This funeral, this irrational, erratic preoccupation with the death of Michael is only because we are an entertainment hungry society. We can’t get enough. We’re hooked. Michael was an entertainer, he fed us he gave us our daily bread. So, when we lose him we mourn. We lost what? A dancer, and a singer? Does he deserve high honors and praise?
Who cares about the death of a pop-star when there is a revolution in Iran? Who cares to read “OMG News” on yahoo, when a tsunami was just reported? Who cares!? We do! Say the Americans. We love entertainment, and don’t you dare take away our idol! Oh, and don’t bring this up to any typical American, if you do remember you’re the ‘nerd’.
In the end, the death of Michael Jackson and its aftermath is a symptom of our social decay. Its a sign of American priorities. Obamunism is coming, but Michael died. Revolution in Iran, but Michael died. A meteor is going to annihilate the earth, but Michael died! Jesus Christ returned…but Michael died!
Filed under: The Issues
Yuck
The Lord has made something known to me that I have totally ignored for the past few years.
In talking with a fellow brother in Christ (not from around here) and reading Scripture, and an awesome book, It has become apparent to me that I am a bitter man with a wall over my heart. The wall is for the purpose of not allowing those around me to access my personal feelings whether it be fear, pain, anxiety, pride, joy , anger, discontent, infatuation etc.
The wall is made with false emotions that turn people away so they will not search any deeper, and instead become annoyed or angry with me and not search any deeper to the root of the problem. The main material of this wall is Cynicism. Others include: Withdrawal, Communication breakdown, Ungrateful attitude, and Open Rebellion.
This by no means is me bragging on my sin, because right now I am living in Sin. Sin that has been caused with my lack of assertive behavior. The Sin of Omission.
I have let the hurt from being rejected, transgressed against, walked on, pushed around, verbally abused, and humiliated invade my heart and my mind without being dealt with.
Instead I chose to allow these things to happen and be a CNG or Christian Nice Guy- A guy who does not deal with problems in a masculine fashion, who instead harbors bitterness instead of being assertive and Christ Like.
So in all this I am left with this huge wall, that seems unbreakable, around this bitter, rejected (Thanks to the wall I’ve built) heart. From this bitter heart comes bitter fruit, from this bitter fruit comes a bitter taste in the mouths of all of my friends and everyone else who comes in contact with me.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:31-32, NIV).
In being convicted of this by The Spirit, It is time to rip this rotten part of me out, and to be purified by the Word. Christ has made me New.
Father, Turn an ear to me
I have been bitter because of those who have transgressed against me. But Lord this offers me no excuse. In my lack of forgiveness, and Mercy, and Love to my brother
And Obedience to you, Sin has taken camp in my heart. God, Rip me apart from it. Cleanse me of this impurity, CRUSH this barrier I have around my heart and give me the desire of Your Heart. The Desire to make Christ known to the nations starting here. Lord this must be dealt with first. I lay these things down to YOU, Yeshua The Anointed One. The One who bore these things out at the cross. You have taken them and Crucified them along with the old me at the cross. Father God, hear my plea, BECAUSE of what Your Son Yeshua, The Anointed One, The Messiah, Jesus has done on the Cross, The Death I deserved, and the punishment I deserved… Forgive me Father, In The Name of Jesus Christ I pray through fellowship with The Spirit
Amen
