The Most Important Thing

It doesn't matter if you're talking about Kevin Bacon, Global Warming, Cancer or "the most important thing" it is, as they say, all connected.

Just this morning I followed various blog links until I found a post at Blog In My Own Eye called The Most Important Thing. Here's a quote;

One of the themes that keeps recurring as I spend way too much time reading blogs is some variation of the question, "What's the most important thing?"

While discussions that follow in the posts and the comments are interesting - usually spawning a variety of answers and logic and texts to support them - I always come away with a nagging feeling of discontent. The issue of "the most important thing" is hardly ever resolved to anyone's satisfaction.

It makes me wonder if there is no single "most important thing."

What if there truly were no single "most important thing"? If there is no single one, then the sentence doesn't work... ok my first observation may not be all that helpful to anyone except those suffering from Cancer, who need the cure.

I found Mr. Brenton's post to be both entertaining and potentially useful for generating further discussion with regard to an all important subject - what IS the most important thing? Yes that's right, the more I write the words "the most important thing" the more important you'll consider this article to be. (I'm just seeing if that's true... I mean knowing the truth is the most important thing right?)

I'm part of a ministry that is being used by God to bring assemblies of believers into unity in the proclamation of the Gospel. We have studied the Scriptures and come away with the impression that the most important thing is that the Gospel be proclaimed. Keith ends his post in this way;

Maybe I'm just rationalizing in frustration. I gotta tell you, though ...

This possibility that "the most important thing may be different for people that God made different" is of some comfort to me.

Except for the overwhelming conviction that I spend way too much mind-preoccupying, opportunity-squandering, butt-numbing time reading and writing blogs about the most important thing.

... when I should be out, going and preaching and baptizing and making disciples and teaching and doing good like Jesus did.

What a great moment of clarity.

In his post Keith makes mention of some important Scriptures (are there any which are not important? I'm just saying... I'm just saying...) that show us that God doesn't appear to have a single ability or method for each and every one of us to operate in. I'm not sure I agree with how Keith presented the implications of this fact, but what I absolutely DO agree with him on is that this subject needs to be explored. God has given us one Spirit who commands, empowers and completes every good work we do. That is the "most important thing" in our work. In fact this most important thing will be the primary determining factor about our works at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

I don't want to get all charismatic movement-like, but for too long Christians have been trying to re-invent the Acts 2 Church by single office movements. IE for most of the last couple hundred years if you felt called to ministry you had a plethora of options including: the office of Pastor and Assistant Pastor, and Youth Pastor..... yes we had exactly 1 choice. Then we started to see that people could build organizations by calling themselves Apostles... or Prophets... and in most recently Evangelists.

The difference between the Acts 2 Church and each of these organizations, and I hazard to say our local assemblies too, is that the Acts 2 Church had all the offices working, and all the people working each in their own giftings together for one cause - to tell the world about The Christ so as to make disciples and baptise them as Christ has given us to do.

The most important thing? That we each work together in our own giftings for the edifying of the Body of Christ until we each come to perfection in Him so that as we evangelise the world we do it at the command of, empowered by, and in the assurance of the completion by God the Holy Spirit.

Just a couple of thoughts as I head off to my church this morning to have one of two tough conversations I expect to have this week... because I have to work in my giftings.

Prayer For The Church

I just bought Jeremy Riddle's latest album called "the now and not yet" from iTunes. There's a terrific song called "Prayer For The Church" on it. Love it. Here are the lyrics.

Where she is weak
Strengthen arms now, steady feet
That she would care for, she would seek
Welcoming Your lost and wounded sheep
Coming home to You

Where she is stained
Bring Your healing, bring Your rain
Wash away now her disgrace
'Till she shines in white, she radiates
She now mirrors You

(We're praying)
No more compromises, no more moral crises
Tonight may she move and act as You
No more small divisions
No more lack of wisdom
Tonight may she move and act as You

Where she is right give her courage for the fight
Full of salt now, full of light
Standing firm where truth and love collide
She remains in You

Now she's shining
Her light is blinding as she sings Your name
Now she's beauty
Up from the ashes, Your love is on her face

Where she is strong, keep her moving, pressing on
Bringing justice, righting wrongs
Demonstrating now Your Kingdom come
She's in step with You

Seven Doctrines Of Salvation

From Nap Clark.

The Gospel In One Minute Of Video

Is Your Preaching Exclusive?

Who or what does your preaching lead people to? Does it, or even MIGHT it, lead people to rely on themselves? To prove themselves? Does it, or even MIGHT it, lead people to trust in their belief? To trust in their own doctrine?

Does, or might it, or might even just allow the possibility of someone trusting in someone or something else other than Christ Jesus?

The Bible makes worship, glory and salvation out to be very exclusive things. If you claim to preach the Bible, does your preaching match this same exclusivity?

More thoughts at The Demonstration.

A unique and solemn experience

Saturday I headed off to London Ontario to be with my best friend and ministry partner Cory. He and his wife have suffered the loss of their newborn son Judah Elias. Without getting into a lot of detail this is the second child they have lost just after birth. If you're reading this and you're a Christian you're called to pray for this family. Particularly for the mother.

The family have been being a unified and strong witness to the truth of the hope we have in Christ throughout these very tough days. Part of this witness was that they wanted a strong, clear presentation of the Gospel at the funeral service. Cory asked me to do this for him.

It's the first time in a very long time that I've been nervous in front of a group of people. I've just sort of put it together that I was nervous because most of the people I was speaking in front of actually were saved Christians who have as high, or maybe even higher view of Scripture than I do.

I think this is the first time I've been asked to speak to such a group and I must confess it's a bit intimidating. Thankfully things went well and I the Lord was in it.

Please continue to pray for these dear people.

Jesus Was Deeply Moved

We like to think force Jesus to be the god we have in our mind, the god we think He ought to be or must be.

The truth is that Jesus is the God that is.

How many times have you heard that Jesus was deeply moved, or felt great compassion for those who were crying because of Lazarus' death?

John 11:32-37

³²When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.

³⁵Jesus wept.

³⁶Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

³⁷But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?

The Lord Our God surely is compassionate but the words here about Him being "deeply moved" are about anger, agitation, and indignation than they are not compassion. Death is the "last enemy" 1 Cor 15:26 and the Lord God was angered by death. We shouldn't be so quick to agree with those who refused to see Him for Who He is.

Who is your "God Of The Moment"?

Genesis 50:15-21

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” ¹⁶ So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ¹⁷ ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.”’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
¹⁸ Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
¹⁹ Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? ²⁰ But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. ²¹ Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

In the moment things can seem like they will destroy us. People and Satan mean things for evil but we have to remember that the God of the Universe, and all Time, means good for those who love Him.

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Notice, if you will, how Joseph acts in the moment, knowing that God is truly God of the whole story? He offers mercy and soothes fear. He operates in trust and love.

We can do the same thing. I think there is maturity, well beyond what I experience normally I admit, in operating in the moment with the God of the whole story also being the God of the moment. What I mean by that is, acting like Joseph, or Abraham. Working through each moment knowing that God has His hands on the whole story and that it will be worked for good no matter what's going on right now.

When Blessing Overtakes You

I started writing this blog because I had started to get some things figured out about God. It's absolutely amazing how far the Lord has take my family and I in such a short time. Over these four years I've gone from facing what looked like sure destruction to victory after victory. Last October I returned back to what looked like a hopeless fight against those who sought to destroy me in my workplace. I'm very good at seeing how hard things could be, and I tend not to see how surpassingly powerful the God of the universe is.

I confess He is surpassingly powerful above all things. He is merciful beyond what I could begin to explain. His grace is towards those who humble themselves to call on Him.

Psalm 107 says it better than I can.

¹ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
² Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
³ And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

⁴ They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
⁵ Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
⁶ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
⁷ And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
⁸ Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
⁹ For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

¹⁰ Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
¹¹ Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
¹² Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
¹³ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
¹⁵ Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶ For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

¹⁷ Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
¹⁸ Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
²⁰ He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
²¹ Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
²² Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.

²³ Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
²⁴ They see the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
²⁵ For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
²⁷ They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
²⁹ He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
³⁰ Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
³¹ Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
³² Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.

³³ He turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
³⁴ A fruitful land into barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
³⁵ He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
³⁶ There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
³⁷ And sow fields and plant vineyards,
That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
³⁸ He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
And He does not let their cattle decrease.

³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
⁴⁰ He pours contempt on princes,
And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
⁴¹ Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
And makes their families like a flock.
⁴² The righteous see it and rejoice,
And all iniquity stops its mouth.

⁴³ Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Faith is trust, not devotion or desire

Salvation in Christ Jesus is by Grace, through Faith.

Grace is unmerited favour, or someone doing something for you that they are neither compelled to do nor you deserve.

Faith is trust that is specific. To have faith in something I need to trust it, and it's working on my specific behalf. It must be trust worthy and effectual.

The extreme Reformed position is that a person must be devoted to Christ to be saved. However, devotion does not match the meaning of Faith. It is dedication, or consecration as Dictionary.com puts it. Not trust.

The GES position would have faith be desire. I desire to be saved. So I will believe Jesus for the fulfilment of my desire.

One goes beyond faith, the other falls short of it.

It comes down to reconciliation. We are reconciled to Christ when we repent to trust Him. Both devotion and desire are natural workings of the Spirit in the life of a Believer. Neither is the basis for Salvation.

Just a quick thought. I've been very busy trying to get the manuscript finished.

Just in from the "Trust your eternity to scientists" department.

One must attempt to retrain one's self from giggling.

Science Daily is reporting that just because they teach you something in graduate school doesn’t make it right.

OK try as I might... I just have to giggle. I love this next bit too...

This confirms suspicions that have been around since the 1990’s, and likely plays havoc with global models of climate change

Yes.. people trust Science to tell you that people evolved from soup and that there is no God.... at your own peril. Doesn't the fact that they can't tell you what the weather is going to be like on Saturday give you pause when they tell you how warm it was 50 million years ago? Or that we're all going to live on boats if we don't stop driving cars?

Operational Science is fantastic because you repeat things and verify them. Any science that isn't operational is a faith. Since it's often a faith that exists solely to refute another faith it is seldom ever a rational faith.

Finishing touches on my first manuscript.

As I sit here my eyes keep glancing over at my printer, which needs a new toner cartridge. Sitting in the tray is the manuscript of my first book. I've poured over the pages for more hours than I can count. I've let other people read it, hopeful yet dreading their eventual comments. Right now I need to read it one more time. I hope to find no lingering errors or failings. If that is how it turns out, then I'll be sending it off to the publisher and I will officially be a published author.

I'll be revealing more about this book in the coming weeks, but for right now I just wanted to post about an odd feeling. The pages are turned down. I know this is the last step. I don't want to turn them over yet.

Considering implications

I sat down with a good friend and Brother in the Lord this week. We ended up having a disagreement about James 2. My Brother is a wonderful man but he is not used to having his theology examined, or examining that of someone else.

The topic was faith and works, but we had a hard time getting past terminology because he was not used to letting context and usage determine meaning. I'm no superhero of the scriptures by any stretch of the imagination, but this conversation has led me to really consider the implications of how we teach people in the Church.

These conversations are not about who "wins" or who is "right" they are about our ability to submit to the Scriptures. Do you have theology that informs your reading of the Word? You're probably in error.

We truly need to start teaching the Brethren to read and understand the Scriptures for all doctrine. The ready answer needs to be forgotten, and the ability to find a proper answer needs to be remembered.

Tripping TULIP Part 7: Conclusion

Please find Part 6 here.

My closing thoughts on modern Calvinism’s TULIP: What more can I say? I have not created some infallible refutation of TULIP. Much greater theological minds have created much better works I’m sure, though I have not read them. I know people will continue to argue these doctrines, both for and against, as long as we endure in this life. I would love to see the Pastors and other officers of the Church stand up and bring the Body into unity in Christ instead of allowing so much wrangling about man’s systems of theology. It could be that God is going to do that, I cannot be sure.

What I can confidently say is that I have completed this article with nothing other than several translations of the Bible, two source articles describing TULIP, some Greek helps, and Darby’s translation notes (not commentary and not overview just his notes on the translation). I didn’t need to study up on the arguments against TULIP to come to the findings I have. I did not read ahead in the articles but have gone through them in order responding as I went. This is the confidence that one can have when their sole purpose is to find out what the Scriptures say and believe it.

If the Scriptures would have indicated that TULIP is true, I would have been convinced and I would have said so. However, though a multitude of proof-texts were provided by the source material, not even one of them actually supported the doctrines they were cited for when read in context.

It must be noted that it is much easier to tear apart someone else’s theology than it is to accurately describe truth. It is no small feat to put together articles such as those I have used as sources. The authors were doing what they could, and they are to be commended for their effort. My work here has not been to do anything but show that TULIP is not an accurate representation of what the Scriptures say. I have not given a teaching to replace TULIP, such can be found in the Scriptures however. My work was relatively easy.

The great tragedy of systematic theology is students of these systems learn what the system says and then finds that confirmed in verses of the Bible. I do believe that we should BE “systematic” about our study, but not locked into a “system.” I hope that makes sense. One Brother who briefly reviewed this series noted to me that he taught Systematic Theology for years. My comments, previous to his notes, were overly harsh. We need to BE systematic, but just not rely on what has been determined to be part of the system.

The student of the Word studies the whole Word of God allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. This consistently means he or she can’t always answer questions quickly, there are very few “packaged answers” for people who study the whole Word consistently. TULIP allows people to hold to many things without ever having learned them from Scripture. That may be good enough for mankind, but God wants us to show ourselves approved rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

Tripping TULIP Part 6: Perseverance of The Saints

Please find Part 5 here.

Here’s what GraceNET has to say about this doctrine: Once God has saved elect sinners, he continues to keep and preserve them by his power and grace and will never let them go. Thus, they persevere to the end and can never be lost. If God did not do this, we would inevitably turn back again to the world, because of the sin that is around us and within us. Thus God enables his children to continue in faith and obedience throughout their earthly lives, then to pass into God's presence forever.

This doctrine is not to be taken as a license to go on sinning, as if the believer is free to act in any way he chooses now that he is eternally secure in Christ Jesus. The true believer will show signs of a growing desire for holiness and an increasing loathing of sin. The one who attempts to use the grace of God as an excuse for sinful living is in all probability not a true believer, for where there is spiritual life, the fruit of the Spirit will become evident.

Scripture references: 1 Peter 1:5; James 4:6; Philippians 1:6,19; John 6:39; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 8:8; Galatians 5:13-26

My initial thoughts on TULIP’s Perseverance Of The Saints: It is clear in Scripture that the believer is “Eternally Secure” and this means that if someone is saved through faith in Christ they are in fact eternally saved. Nothing can change the fact that they have been “baptized into” Christ’s death and resurrection. Romans 6.

The issue with this doctrine is not that it teaches security, but the method of the security. What does Scripture say the wages of sin is? What does Scripture say will happen to the soul that sins? Sin brings forth what? Death, death and death. Christians do not get changed into people are good enough for Salvation, and then are kept that way through the power of God’s Spirit. It is evident that the most devote Christian still sins. Sin requires death. The Christian, having placed his faith in the Christ of the Gospel, has been baptized into Christ’s death. In this the Christian has died in accordance with the Law of Sin & Death. Ezekiel 18 We have died, in Christ, in accordance with the just requirements of the Law. So now the Law has no hold on us. We have died in accordance with it already, having been found guilty.

Since we have died, the price has been paid. That cannot change, therefore we are eternally secure. While Limited Atonement hides the true issue that it is believed a person must be “good enough” to be saved, the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints openly displays that a person must continue to be good enough in order to finally be saved. The Calvinist will take issue with that statement, saying that God will maintain the goodness of the true convert by good works and faithfulness unto the end.

The author’s words about the difference between true believers and those who are not true is performance. The Calvinist will claim that salvation is “all of God” and “only by Grace” but then will focus the rest of their life on how “good” they are. They look for security in themselves and not in the finished work of Christ.

Our security comes from the same question that Paul asked the Corinthians who had come to reject part of the Gospel they had received – is this Gospel true? If it is true then we have the greatest hope, if it is not then we have all of us preached and believed in vain. Our security, and assurance must only come from the fact that Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead on the third day all in accordance with the Scriptures. Salvation truly is all of God because He did it, not us, and there’s nothing we can add to what He finished. Ours is simply to have faith in Him having done that for us.

The Spirit surely does work in believers to change them and conform them into the image of Christ, but this is not how God keeps people saved. People stay saved because Christ really did die for their sins.

The problem is illustrated nicely right in the title of the doctrine. Christians are “preserved” unto Salvation we do not “preserver” unto it.

Let’s look at the Scripture references used by GraceNET:

1 Peter 1:5

The inheritance is kept or reserved, the believers are being guarded. This does not state that the believers are being guarded from sinning so much that they would have to loose their salvation. It says merely that believers are being guarded. This is the preserving that God does for us. This passage does not talk about the performance of the Believer, either enhanced by God or not, therefore it does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

James 4:6

This is a rebuke about personal failure in the life of the Believer, and instruction on how to gain victory again. It does not say that God keeps Christians from sin so they will be saved in the end. It instructs Christians on how to overcome the sin they so easily fall into. Therefore it does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

Philippians 1:6,19

Verse 6 is a promise of God’s continued discipleship of the Believer unto the end. This Salvation is deliverance from the chains Paul was in. Paul knew his call, and knew that God would deliver him so that he could finish it. The rest of the chapter is witness to this fact. Neither of these verses even suggest that God’s method for keeping a person saved is through perseverance. Thus these do not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

John 6:39

We have discussed this statement by Christ several times. There is no need to repeat. This does not indicate that God’s method for keeping someone saved is through perseverance. Thus it does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

John 10:28-29

This is security but it does not speak of the method of security, except to say that no one is able to take the sheep from God. It surely does not indicate that the sheep become very good sheep and so they stay saved. Thus it does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

Romans 8:38-39

Again this is security. It doesn’t say that God will keep these things from happening in the Believer’s life, but that they do not have the power to separate us from Him. This is preserving, not persevering. Thus it does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

Romans 8:8

Nothing done in the flesh can please God. This is true, of course because it is written in the Word of God, but people don’t stay saved by pleasing God. We do not “earn” or “maintain” our salvation, either by ourselves or through the effective working of the Spirit in our lives. We are saved on the basis of the Gospel and that is it. Anything else makes God a liar when He says that the Gospel is His power unto Salvation. Thus this verse does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

Galatians 5:13-26

My first thought at seeing this reference was joy at seeing a citation that didn’t pick and choose verses here and there in a chapter.

The whole point of this teaching by the Apostle is that Christians must live in the Spirit, not their flesh. The doctrine under discussion indicates that God keeps Christians from living in their flesh and instead has them persevere faithfully unto the end. The very first verse of the citation invalidates the doctrine. Verse 13 is instruction not to use our liberty as excuse. If we have liberty then we do not need to have God ensure we stay on the straight and narrow. It is because we can, and often do, stray off the straight and narrow path that the Apostle was led by the Spirit to write this instruction to us. It is dishonoring to God every time we stray. Our flesh wants nothing but to stray, but the Spirit of God living in us wants nothing but fellowship with God. We choose which we abide in, and the results are either God honoring or dishonoring. This doesn’t say we are kept living in the Spirit so that we “persevere” but that we must choose to in order to be fruitful. Thus this passage does not support the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints.

My closing thoughts on TULIP’s Perseverance of the Saints: Mankind in the flesh tends to look for fleshy things to find confidence and security in. God is absolutely clear that it is impossible to please Him except by faith. When we look to ourselves for proof of our salvation we are not having faith. We are not trusting that He who began a good work with complete it to the end. Are you saved? Have you believed the Gospel – yes or no? Is the Gospel your hope for salvation - yes or no? If you died right now would your salvation be absolutely secured no matter what things you’ve done in life, even your life as a believer – yes or no? All yeses and you are saved because God said you would be and I’m not going to argue with God Almighty Who cannot lie. If you said no to something then you have some issue of misunderstanding at best which means you need discipleship. Or you have not trusted God at worst which means you are not saved.

If the Gospel is true then nothing about us has anything to do with being saved.

Please find the conclusion here.