The Impeccability of Christ

THE IMPECCABILITY OF CHRIST:
DID THE LORD POSSESS A SIN NATURE?

I humbly present this short post to my brothers and sisters in the Lord with the desire that it will challenge them to think deeper on an issue that is very important for our understanding of our Savior, and thereby our better appreciation for His sacrifice. I know that people have been arguing over whether Christ was able to sin for a very long time. Until recently, however, I did not realize that this was a belief held by people who in all other ways seemed committed to sound doctrine.

The question of whether Jesus could have sinned, of course, goes hand in hand with the question of what it means when the Scripture says that Jesus “was tempted as we are.” I hold to the view that the temptations of Christ were not as ours and that at no point did He ever struggle with the question of whether or not to give in to sin. In addition, I stand firm upon the doctrine of the impeccability of Christ and as such I reject the claim that He could have ever sinned.

A quick word before we move on. First, the doctrine of the impeccability of Christ does not just teach that He did not sin...that there was no sin in Him, but that He could not sin. Not that He ever desired to do so and was unable to do it, but that He never sinned because His very nature made it so that He had no desire to sin!

The other thing I wish to mention is that while I hold fast to my conviction that Jesus was not tempted in the same manner that we are tempted, this is not a doctrinal matter for me. I admit that I could be wrong on this issue, but I have yet to see any overwhelming biblical evidence that contradicts what I believe. I see no reason why my holding to this belief should put me outside the boundaries of Scripture any more than it should do so for someone who disagrees with me on this issue. On the doctrine of impeccability, however, I maintain that the only biblical option is to embrace it. I say again, Jesus never sinned nor could He have sinned.

Before we turn to Scripture, I want to make one quick point...and I will do so by asking this question. Thinking back to the title of this post...did it offend you? I certainly hope it did. I hope that to ask the question of whether or not Jesus possessed a sin nature makes you upset because this addresses one of the key points that I wish to make. For Jesus to have been able to sin, He would have required a sin nature, would He not? And was Jesus not born of a virgin in order that He might be born free of the curse of man? Was this not prophesied from the very beginning (Genesis 3:15)? One might hear the rebuttal that Adam and Eve were likewise not born with a sin nature and yet they still sinned, and that therefore Christ also could have sinned. I would reply, however, that neither Adam nor Eve possessed the divine nature of God...neither one was God made man. Jesus was fully human, without a doubt. But He was also fully God. His two natures were not in conflict, but completely and perfectly united, so that even while wrapped in frail humanity, He was infused with the power of divinity...nay, He was and is divinity! Remember that we are not speaking of Greek mythology here, where demigods possessed were half man and half god...no, Jesus was the God-man. God in the flesh. The mistake too many people make is that they want to treat each one of His natures as if they are separate and unable to influence each other. Jesus' divine nature was there along with His human nature, so that were we to assume that His human nature could have desired to sin, His divine nature would not have permitted it! As one author said, whom I am unable to credit due to my inability to remember who it was, Jesus' human nature did not act independently of His divine nature! And yes, Adam sinned in the garden, but assuming he received forgiveness for his sins and we will see him in heaven (which I think is true), will he be able to sin then? Will we? When we inhabit our resurrected bodies or live in our glorified ones, will we have the ability to sin? If not, why not?

Do you see that it is our messed up view of what it means to be truly human that confuses us? We look at ourselves and think Jesus had to have been able to sin because He was like us...but we should instead look to Him and realize that we will one day be just like Him in His humanity! Perfectly human. To sin is not a natural trait of humanity, only of fallen humanity. Jesus was born human, but brothers and sisters, take care that you do not suggest He was born with that nature common to fallen man, for He was not!

Hebrews 13:8

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

This is one of those verses that supports the doctrine of the immutability of Christ. In other words, Jesus never changes. Think about it. Was Jesus able to sin before the Incarnation? Can He sin now? Well then why would you even want to suggest that He could sin when He walked upon the earth? Especially in the light of the absence of any passage that specifically says He could have done so? The inspired words of Scripture clearly state that He's always been the same from the very beginning. In other words, from before the foundation of the earth! Dare we contradict the Word itself?

Hebrews1:1-4

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the
express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

Again, this verse speaks to the very nature of Christ. He was, throughout time, the very brightness of the glory of the Father and the express image of His person! In all ways He is the Person of the Triune whom we can look upon without any fear of dying. Such a countenance as is His is free of any desire to sin...

Brothers and sisters, let us be clear. What dare we suggest when we state that Jesus could have sinned? Do we suggest he lusted after women? If the ever misunderstood Hebrews 4:15 says what the defenders of His peccability maintain, then does that mean that the pedophile can turn to Christ in the full confidence that our Lord understands his weaknesses because He experienced it? How hateful a thing to say, yet in some way it must be believed since the one who holds to that position maintains that this is the clear meaning of the verse! But what if instead of this, the verse speaks in respect to the weakness of the human flesh as Jesus knew it...in the things that are common to man. The weaknesses thereby referred to would be the weakness of the body, for He tired as easily as the next man. The weakness of hunger, for He knew pangs of hunger just as we do, and the devil tempted Him through this weakness. Does it follow, however, that Jesus must have wanted to give in to temptation? What if it is as A.W. Pink says, that “[t]his text teaches that the temptations of Christ were 'without sin' in their source and nature, and not merely, as the passage is sometimes explained, that they were 'without sin' in their result. The meaning is not, that our Lord was tempted in every respect exactly as fallen man is-by inward lust, as well as by other temptations—only He did not outwardly yield to any temptation; but that He was tempted in every way that man is, excepting by that class of temptations that are sinful, because originating in evil and forbidden desire.”

In other words, we may be tempted and consider giving into the temptation because our very natures are sinful, not yet fully sanctified. Christ, however, did not have this sin nature and
thereby did not ever consider giving into temptation.

Look at it this way: James 1:13 says that we should “let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”

So Jesus, being God, could not be tempted by evil. This verse reveals a tension that exists in the very concept of temptation. For you see, I can easily say that I am tempted to lust by a beautiful woman. I must struggle to not sin when the temptation of a provocatively dressed woman comes before me. So I am being tempted by her presence, and am being tempted in my desires. This is exactly what James continues with in verse 14, where we read that “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”

You see in this a clear distinction in the concept of temptation. If I struggle to overcome a particular temptation to sin, it is because of my base desires! If, however, somebody places a magazine of nude women within my reach, I may be tempted in the sense that something or someone is attempting to entice me, but I am NOT being tempted in the sense that I must struggle within my being. There is no inward struggle simply because this is not one of
the temptations with which I can be actually enticed. So in this sense, I have not been tempted...while being tempted! Another way of phrasing this would be to say that I can be tempted and not succumb to temptation in any form whatsoever.

Jesus, being God in the flesh, was dead to sin, and could not sin.

A final thought: Returning to the concept I introduce above regarding temptation, I found two definitions in the dictionary:

1. Temptation is “an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions, for various reasons: legal, social, psychological (including feeling guilt), health, economic, etc.”

2. Temptation “also describes the coaxing or inducing a person into committing such an act.”

I have no problem stating that Jesus was tempted in the second sense...but I stand firmly against the idea that His temptation falls into the first category!

This is all I have time to write for now. I think I shall continue to study and flesh out a longer paper on this issue, but I wanted to take the time to write this brief thesis in order to put it up on my blog tonight. I welcome any questions or concerns regarding this, and I hope everyone takes it in the spirit of love with which I have written it.

God Bless!

"Preaching for God's Glory" by Alistair Begg

ISBN #978-158134-123-2

Preaching is something I've always wondered about...wondered in the sense that I ask myself whether this is something I feel called to do. I know that I love teaching the Word, and every day when I read the Bible I ask myself how I could present what I've read to somebody else. I've never yet been able to provide myself with an answer to this important question though. Until now.

After reading reading this little booklet by Alistair Begg, (there are only 47 pages) I have discovered that while I love the Word of God, it is the teaching aspect I love most of all. I do not, however, have the temperament to be a true under-shepherd for the people of God. More on this later.

In this very helpful book, aimed at those in the ministry, Begg makes a strong case for expository preaching being the most biblical manner for pastors to teach their flocks. And by expository he does not necessarily mean that week after week one should teach verse by verse through books of the Bible. In fact, he says that “[t]eaching the Bible in this way should not mean a lack of variety. In fact, the variety inherent in the Bible itself should be present in our preaching. Expository preaching need not be limited to exhaustive and exhausting studies through books of the Bible. Ninety percent of what I do is careful study of particular Bible books, but we can also do character studies or a series on the parables in Luke or on key Christian doctrines and tackle each of them in an expository form. For example, in preaching on the matter of temptation we can expound the first half of James 1 rather than pulling together material from all over the Bible. We serve our people best when we make clear that we are committed to teaching the Bible by teaching the Bible!”

This practice he refers to of pulling verses from all over Scripture in order to fit the message of the preacher is something that particularly annoys me personally. It is the message of our God that I want to hear, and I will hear it best when the Word is put in its context! When preachers use the method of “cherry picking” it is too often because they themselves have a message they want to impart rather than because of wanting to present what it was they learned through their careful study of the Word.

There are benefits too, in preaching the Word in an expository manner. In chapter four, Begg mentions the following:

1. It Gives Glory to God Alone: Expository preaching gives glory to God, which ought to be the ultimate end of all we do.

2. It Makes the Preacher Study God's Word: Expository preaching demands that the preacher himself become a student of the Word of God.

3. It Helps the Congregation: Expository preaching enables the congregation to learn the Bible in the most obvious and natural way.

4. It Demands Treatment of the Entire Bible: Expository preaching prevents the preacher from avoiding difficult passages or from dwelling on his favorite texts.

5. It Provides a Balanced Diet: Expository preaching assures the congregation of enjoying a balanced diet of God's Word.

6. It Eliminates Saturday Night Fever: Expository preaching liberates the preacher from the pressure of last-minute preparation on Saturday night.

One of the things I appreciated about that very last point was that Begg pointed out how liberating it can be for a preacher to always know what he will be preaching..and preaching in an expository manner insures that the preacher never lacks material! I remember how at a church I used to attend, the preacher and his staff would go on a yearly retreat where they would plan out the series for the coming year. Why they needed a whole week of camping to determine this is beyond me, but I suspect a weekend (if that!) would have been sufficient if expository preaching had been the norm rather than the exception!

Begg's booklet also points out the types of preachers that too often arise when a preacher does not practice expository preaching, including the cheerleader, the psychologist, and the entertainer. He discuses these and others briefly...and unless you are so privileged as to attend a church where the pastor is commited to expository preaching, you will too readily recognize your own preacher on this list!

Although written for those in the ministry, I highly recommend this book to everyone! After all, us laypeople are called to be students of the Word also, and to study it carefully we should approach it with all of the reverence it deserves.

So how do I know I am not called to the ministry? Simply because in teaching the Word of God I already have my ministry. I may not be currently teaching in a Sunday school class, but I am privileged to teach to my kids and their friends once a month during our sword-tag events. I also have started teaching my younger son through the Psalms as often as possible in the evenings, and by the grace of God I am able to teach through my interaction with co-workers and through my blog. Pastors, however, have a more distinct calling than teaching...though that is it's most important function in my mind. In addition to their teaching, pastors must also minister to a myriad of other spiritual needs among the flock. They must be gentle as needed and stern when required to be. Above all, and I may be wrong here, they have to walk gently and be somewhat political. I know myself too well to think that I could do all of these things! Whether right or wrong, I see things pretty much in black and white. So I conclude that I am not called to the ministry in this sense, but I still must fulfill my own calling as best as I can...as should we all!

Please, my brethren, read this book. It will only take you a couple of days if not one day...and you'll be blessed by it and come to appreciate your pastors if they practice expository preaching. If they don't, then you will be able to exhort them to do so! Good luck with that. :)

God Bless!

"The Life of Arthur W Pink" by Iain H. Murray

isbn #0-85151-883-4

I have long been an admirer of the works of AW Pink and after reading this biography on him I have become an admirer of the man himself. The biography itself was exceptionally written, as one would expect from any work by Mr. Iain H. Murray. What I like most about the biography, however, is the fact that while Murray has written very respecftully of his subject, he cannot be said to have written overly admiringly of Pink. On the contrary, he has painted a complete picture of the man, warts and all. In areas where Murray felt the need to point out possible mistakes that he felt Pink made regarding decisions in ministry, he still presented all the facts of the situation, allowing the reader to come to his or her own conclusions.

I have always felt that we as Believers should spend some time reading biographies of godly men and women, that we might be encouraged in our own walk and grow in our appreciation for the saints of God that came before us. The life of this particular man is one I maintain should be studied by the saints...and this specific biography is the one to begin with. I highly recommend it.
Having said this, I would like to share some of what I read, just to provide you with the necessary inducements! :)

The first thing, the best thing, is the narrative of Pink's conversion. It is a beautiful account, and all such accounts should fill the people of God with thankfulness over the mighty Sovereign work of salvation. We should always rejoice when a soul is redeemed! Here, then, is the account:

"He was now twenty-two years of age, and ...deeply involved in the occult..." Murray goes on to say that "[h]is father always waited up until his son returned from meetings late in the evening and to Arthur's annoyance often accompanied his 'Good-night' with some brief but telling word of Scripture. ONe such evening, in the year 1908, as Pink hurriedly passed his father and dashed upstairs to his room, the text which he received was, 'There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death' (Prov. 14:12). As he shut the bedroom door...the text remained with him and so disturbed his concentration that work was impossible." Murray next goes on to quote from some very good friends of Pink: "He, A.W.P., told us that he could no longer reject the God of the Bible and began to cry unto the Lord in prayer, convicted by the Holy Spirit and his power to bring a soul to see his lost condition and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. His early training [from his parents] taught him about our Lord, but now, like Paul of old, was the appointment with a Holy Sovereign God. For almost three days he did not leave his room to join the family, but his father and mother prayed, and in late afternoon on the third day A.W.P. made his appearance and his father said, 'Praise God, my son has been delivered.'" (from page 10-11)

Two things on this passage: 1) What a testimony to the love of parents! His father never gave up praying for his son, despite the fact that at this time Pink was involved in spiritualism. What a reminder for those of who have children to remain faithful to the teaching of our children. And when the teaching is done with and they have entered adulthood, if thay have not come to faith, then we must pray for their salvation regularly. Only the Calvinist has the full assurance that God can answer such a prayer, for the Arminian must of necessity believe that all God can do is plead with the sinner. 2) This passage also provides a cautionary note for those who have attacked AW Pink for his strong beliefs. I know of some who refuse to refer to him as a brother in Christ, and who post hateful videos against this saint on YouTube. Why? Because he was a Calvinst and not ashamed of it. O what a divisive thing is this Calvinism...its very existence infuriates those who love their free will more than the holy God of the Bible! If after reading this narrative of Pink's conversion, and knowing about the stalwart life he lead in the service of Christ, one can still deny that he was a true servant of the Most High...then there are serious heart issues with that person!

As I've already mentioned, Murray is a very fair biographer with no axe to grind. Although he opposes many of Pink's doctrinal conclusions (though he is quick to suggest many of these were due to Pink's early misunderstandings) and his final almost hermitical existence, he praises his subject where he feels it is merited. Ultimately, he concludes with this passage, in which he begins with a letter received by Pink:

"Your own history is very staggering," a friend once wrote to him. "It is most mysterious that your mouth should be closed as to a public oral ministry." Now, half a century later, we may see alittle more of its meaning and give thanks to God. The present write [Murray] can do no better than concur with the opinion that Dr. Belcher gave at the conclusion of his biography of our subject:

He feels he is not worthy to tie the shoe strings of a man such as Arthur W. Pink. That was not the conviction of this writer when he began his long study of Pink, though even then he had a respect for him. That is the conviction of the writer now as he has got to know the man and his heartbeat through his many writings."

I can now certainly add myself to this conviction. The man I knew as an author of worthy writings I have come to love as a brother in Christ...no, as a superior in the faith. To think that God has periodically given us men such as Pink is a measure of His love for the church.

Ultimately, the best I can say as to the power of Murray as a biographer is that he managed to bring to life the man he wrote about. When I came to the last days of Arthur W. Pink, just yesterday morning, I cannot deny that I shed tears. I actually felt as if a dear loved one had passed on. Throughout the day, as I thought over this peculiar response on my part, I realized that it was because Pink came alive for me in this biography. Though I knew he had passed on to be with the Lord in the year 1952, still I had followed the path of his life from his younger days, and so when the moment came I felt such a loss. I have now added his name to the list of men I plan to spend some time chatting with when I reach heaven myself!

Our Faith & Our Works: A Study of James 2:14-19

Today was our sword-tag meeting and aside from my two older boys we had 4 additional teens show up, one of them a new one who came with another member. He enjoyed himself and wants to come next time! Three other boys who normally come were not feeling well and did not make it, and then two others have stopped coming...I'm not sure why but I suspect it has to do with parental dislike of my teaching and/or company!

Regardless though, the following is the lesson I presented today for the boys who came. The teaching period went really well, with questions asked and most of the kids taking part in the discussion. I pray the Lord will use what I present to lead these kids to a faithful walk.

Well, here is the lesson:

Our Faith & Our Works:

A Study of

James 2:14-19

Our text today is from James 2:14-26, but first I'd like us to look at a very powerful passage found in Matthew 7:21-23. Here we read the following:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

Jesus is emphatically saying that there are and will be people who do things in His name, and even appear to believe themselves His followers, who are actually headed straight into everlasting hell. Indeed, He refuses them entry into heaven and they complain about this...His reply? I never knew you! Note the ending of verse 23..."you who practice lawlessness!" The works they did, the wonders of which they speak, it was all lawlessnes!

Ask: Why? (Discuss)

Let us set this passage aside for a moment. We will return to it soon, but let us now look at our main text.

Read James 2:14-17

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

James appears to be questioning the idea that faith alone can save you, doesn't he? Yet one of the battle cries of the Reformation was Sola Fe! (Faith Alone). This was a clear cry for a return to the biblical concept that your works cannot save you, that only the work of Christ on the cross is able to save anyone. This is one of the principles upon which the Protestant churches (the true ones anyhow) base their teachings. How do we reconcile these words from the pen of James, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself! First of all, remember that there are no contradictions in the Word of God. One of the most important principles of Bible study is that the Scriptures interpret the Scriptures. In other words, we rely upon the whole Bible to help us make sense of any particular passage.

It has often been said that the simplest reading of Scripture is the best. And while there is much truth in that, I say to you that it is the reading of Scripture that aligns correctly with the "whole counsel of God" which is the best! Simplicity is not always best, and such readings often lead to some pretty serious error, including the idea that you can lose your salvation and that Jesus was divine but not God. No, little brothers, when you study any passage of Scripture, seek to understand it in light of other passages. Test it against other portions of Scripture, and then you will find its meaning.

Let us then examine these words of James. You have likely already picked up on it, but one clue is found within this very passage.

The question is asked, what good is it to say you have faith if there is no proof? Encountering people in trouble and saying "I will pray for you" but not doing anything to help them here and now, when you have the ability to do so, is not very helpful. It may give you a pious feeling to say it, but it has not really been helpful! Note that James likens this to a faith without any works. It is as useless to say "I will pray for you" to a naked hungry person as it is to say you have faith but no fruit. You have a faith that is not genuine...it is dead.

Saying "be warmed and filled" does not actually warm or fill a person does it? So saying you have faith but never doing the works that MUST come from a saving faith actually fails to save you. In other words, faith WILL produce works...a lack of works is a pretty good indication that your faith is pretty dead.

Before we proceed, do not misinterpret what I am saying in regards to prayer. I am not saying it is useless to pray. Neither am I saying that if you come to faith but have no works you lose that faith. On the contrary, I want to show you that James is teaching that if your faith produces no works it was never true, genuine, and saving faith. We will see this much more clearly in the next few verses.

Read James 2:18-20

"But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?"

Interesting narrative here. Someone may well object to James and he has the rebuttal at hand. He has said in the previous verses that faith must be combined with works in order to truly save. Again, not that the works assist the faith in saving us, but that the two must exist together. He has addressed those who say they have faith, even as they fail to produce any works. Now someone may say "I have works!" Yay. They think this has saved them...that good works aside from trust in God is sufficient. Now comes the classical reply:

"Show me your faith without works"

Ok...you say you have works. Where is your faith? How come you to know what faith is? And don't point to works as proof of your faith!

"and I will show you my faith by my works"

Tit for tat. Try to show me that faith without pointing to any works...I will rest upon my faith because of my works!

Little brothers, it is important that you understand this distinction. It is crucial. You see, on the one hand there is someone who says they are doing works because it might save them. But what are they lacking? Faith! Now James says to them that point to his works and replies that his works are a manifestation of his faith! Just as having faith without works points to a dead faith, so works without faith points to a useless labor!

In fact, he then says:

"You believe that there is one God. You do well."

If you are basing your eternal security upon believing, generally, in God, you are acting foolishly! It is not believing IN God that saves you, it is believing HIM!

"Even the demons believe- and tremble!"

Oh what a relevation is given here to us! What a warning about what our faith must rely upon! The demons know Jesus! Remember that the demon possessed man in Acts 19:15 knew Paul and knew Jesus! But what does it matter if they believe? Are they saved? Of course not! Why not?

Their belief, their faith if you will, is an acknowledgment of their existence but NOT of the authority of God. There is no faith that God is true! There is no rest in His promises!

Let us look again at Matthew 7:21-23

Ask) Can someone address this passage now, in light of what we've learned today?
Ask) Why does Jesus say to these workers of wonders that He does not know them?

(Discuss)

I urge you, little brothers, examine your lives that you might not find yourselves someday wondering why Jesus does not recognize you. Do you claim to have faith? Then make certain that it is a living faith!

Close in prayer

Challenging Assurance & Contextualizing Scripture

I hope the title here did not startle and make you think I'd started embracing heresy! :)

I found these videos during my break and thought I'd post them. They are really really good so I hope you take the time to view them and to be challenged by them.

Arthur W. Pink: Various Quotes

Some of you dear readers know that I am reading Arthur Pink's biography written by Iain H. Murray. I am on page 247 but wanted to share some of what I've read. This book is taking me longer to read because it is so good I find myself re-reading chapters! :) In addition to this, much of what Murray relates about Pink just makes me pause to meditate on the Word...yes, it's that good!

Anyhow, here are just a few quotes from yesterday's and today's readings:

"In preaching to the unsaved I never did anything more than I do in my articles: presented the truth of God so far as I knew it, and left the Holy Spirit to applyh and bless it as he saw well." - from page 174

This quote struck me powerfully because when I was teaching Sunday school at a SBC church a couple of years ago, the Sunday school director told me I needed to start my studies out with a joke in order to get people's attention. That I was just jumping into review from the previous week and right into the passage for the current week and this was not a good way of teaching. He also said it was MY job to provide application...NOT the Holy Spirit!! I wish I could go back to that time and been more forceful in my reply to him.

"...Christendom is reaping today the evil sowings of the last two or three generations, particularly the unscriptural 'evangelistic' methods that have been employed- the demand for visible 'results', the lusting after numbers. Thousands have been pressed into 'making a profession' and rushed into 'joining the church'." - from page 175

"We have no sympathy whatever", he writes, "with the bald and unqualified declaration, 'Once saved always saved.'" To illustrate the reason for his disagreement he quotes " a publication by a widely-known Bible institute" in which the writer speaks of his visit to a murderer in prison awaiting execution, in the following words: "I had no right to offer him a pardon from the State...but I could tell him of the One who took his place on Calvary's cross. Thank God! I found that man clear on the plan of salvation, for years ago under the ministry of ...he had accepted Jesus as his personal Saviuor. But through the years he had grown cold and indifferent: he had lost his fellowship with his Lord, not his salvation. And the result was a life of sin." Such a statement, Pink argued, was a flat contradiction in terms. "The Saviour is the Holy One of God who saves His people "from their sins" (Matt 1:21) and not in their sins: who saves them from the love and dominion of their sin...Divine salvation is a supernatural work which produces supernatural effects. It is a miracle of grace that causes wilderness to blossom as the rose. It is known by its fruits. It is a lie to call a tree good if it bears evil fruit. Justification is evidenced by sanctification. The new birth is made manifest by a new life." - pg. 178

Following this, Murray quotes A.W. Tozer, who was a contemporary of Pink.

"The doctrine of justification by faith - a biblical truth,and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self-effort- has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such a manner as actually to bar men and women from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may now be "received" without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver. The man is "saved" but he is not hungry and thirsty after God."

Imagine the anguish Tozer and Pink would be in were they to see the church of OUR age!!!

One final quote, this one on God's sovereignty. This was written to a man who accused him of spending too much focus on the issue:

"Probably 95% of the religious literature of the day is devoted to a setting forth of the duties and obligations of men. The fact is that those who undertake to expound the responsibility of men are the very ones who have lost the "balance of truth" by ignoring very largely the Sovereignty of God. It is perfectly right to insist on the responsibility of man, but what of God? - has He no claims, no rights? A hundred such works as this are needed, and ten thousand sermons would have to be preached throughout the land on this subject, if the "balance of truth" is to be regained...Surely there is far more danger of making too much of man and too little of God, than there is of making too much of God and too little of man."

I hope these quotes convict and exhort us to greater study and reverence of God.

God bless!

My Random Thoughts for Today

Well it is late and my family and I just finished a game of Settlers of Cataan, a wonderful game normally, except for tonight. It was not wonderful this evening because yours truly was shamefully defeated...I actually had the lowest score I've ever had! :(

I listened to two sermons by Al Mohler today. As some of you may know, in 2008 Dr. Mohler started a series on the Apostles Creed, and one of the sermons I listened today was preached on November 11th, 2008, and it was on "The Holy Catholic Church and the Communion of the Saints." As is always the case with his sermons, this one was really really good. You can find it here if you are interested in listening to it. The other one I heard was on Deuteronomy 6. My biggest challenge is in deciding which one I liked best! :)

I was looking over the November 2008 issue of Christianity Today and in their "quotation marks" section found the following quote: "Crusade is a dramatic word, while 'Penn Students for Christ' leaves us to decide what we are about." This quote came from the University of Pennsylvania's chapter leader for the Campus Crusade for Christ group! Apparently a number of chapters throughout the country are changing their name. Makes sense to me. I mean, we don't want people to think we are sold out for Christ do we? Seriously though...since when do WE decide what we are about as Christians? I'm pretty sure that God is in charge of that decision...don't you think? Maybe these chapter members need to actually read their Bibles and stop caring what others think.

This is it for tonight! I hope and pray that this Lord's Day went well for everyone and that you had the opportunity to worship our awesome God, the only One worthy of our devotion.

God Bless!

Sunday Morning Report

Our pastor this morning began a new series on doctrine called "What We Want To Believe." We will be looking at the doctrines of the historic Christian faith and setting out what we as a church adhere to. Because the church is relatively new, about five years, and there are a large number of new attenders, the elder body decided it would be good for everyone to know where we stand doctrinally. It will be a way to define for people what the biblically allowable positions are within the church, and what someone who is interested in teaching must NOT teach against. As a new person myself, and as one who desires to teach above all things, I am looking forward to these sermons, and if the one preached today is any indication of what the others will be like, then I will be heartily fed in the coming weeks! :)

A word on the title. Pastor Jason said he'd chosen this title because we Christians don't live as if we actually believe what we say we do. For example, we say we believe the Bible is God's Word...yet the Bible too often collects dust on our shelves or our night stand. Too true. We say we believe in the existence of hell...yet too often we fail to share the life saving message of the Gospel with anyone! Ouch. I hate when pastors act like they have to teach truth like this...who do they think they are?!? :)

So this first message was on the doctrine of the Bible. As a preface, our pastor shared a story of a friend of his from his college days who, through his own foolish actions, was almost killed by a train. After the event, the pastor asked him why he would do such a thing, and his friend replied that he'd only been trying to have fun. The point being, of course, that too many people today just want to have fun, and don't realize their life is in danger...of hellfire! As he shared this I was reminded of a recent verse I read from Proverbs 14:12, which says that "[t]here is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." The world thinks it is right to seek material goods as a main focus of life...it thinks that having it all in this world is all that matters because it is all we have. But this way of thinking leads to death. What seems right to a man is not what God has declared IS right.

As far as the doctrine of the Bible, our pator shared four characteristics of it which our church believes:

1) Scripture is authoritative:

"...all the words of the Bible are God's words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God."

This is self explanatory and I daresay any self-professing Christian who denies this needs to closely examine him/herself to determine why they believe themselves to BE Christians!

One thing our pastor pointed out and which I completely appreciated was that you cannot persuade or convince someone to believe this truth. No, this must be granted to a person by the Holy Spirit. Without the work of the Spirit, a person might believe as the demons believe (James 2:19), but they will not believe unto salvation! A good text for support of this is found in Hebrews 4:12, which says that "...the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

2) Scripture is clear:

"...means that the Bible is written in such a way that its teachings are able to be understood by all submissive people who will read it seeking God's help."

I liked that our pastor pointed out how the fact that there are disagreements among Believers is NOT due to any lack of clarity in the Word, but due entirely to us! Whether it be sin in our life or a failure to completely seek the counsel of the Word, the failure to understand is due to us.

3) The Necessity of Scripture:

"...means that the Bible is necessary for knowing the Gospel, for maintaining spiritual life, and for knowing God's will, but is not necessary for knowing that God exists or for knowing something about God's character and moral laws."

To paraphrase our pastor...do we need the latest fad? The newest research? We cry out to know God's will when His revelation for our life is in our very hands! The Bible teaches us how to live our lives out, whether at work or at home or at church. We do not need anything else!

4) The Sufficiency of Scripture:

"...means that Scripture contains all the words of God He intended His people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it contains everything we need God to tell us for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and for obeying Him perfectly."

Brothers and sisters...we need NO other revelation! As the pastor said, the cults are characterized by a reliance upon "new" revelation, and this new revelation always involves false teachings! I want to add something the pastor mentioned at the beginning of the sermon, which I wanted to save to add here because of its appropriateness: "...if you come up with something new, you are probably a heretic!"

I can't wait 'til next Sunday!

The Fellowship of God's People

Everyone who has been a Christian for some time knows what it is like to become disappointed with the local church. I know of people who have become so disillusioned that they have stopped attending any church and instead hold "church" in their homes for their own families. You may be tempted to think this is a laudable thing, but allow me to say that it is not. It is, in fact, a sin. In this short piece I would like to share with my dear readers why I hold to this position and why I cannot do anything but speak against this disturbing practice among too many professing Believers.

Before I do so, however, do not think for one moment that I believe family worship is wrong. Far from it! The family that engages in this practice, in addition to their corporate worship with other Believers is doing a very good thing. They are to be commended and I wish I could be numbered among them, but it is not so. My greatest failing as the head of my home has been in my lack of consistent home study with my family. May the Lord who has forgiven me help me to be more responsible in the future!

About those who refrain from attending church, if any of you are reading this, I exhort you to turn away from this foolishness and find the best church you can and serve in it. While it is true that we are all ministers of the Lord, it is also true that some are specifically called to be teachers in the church of God. Many men, while good servants of the Lord, are not qualified to teach anything more than the rudimentary basics of the faith. They do their families a disservice when they think they will fill the role of teaching elder, deacon, and everything else rolled into one! But as in all things, let us examing the Word of God for the final determination in this issue. It matter not one iota what you and I think or how we feel about the issue...all that matters is what the Word of God says!

The best known passage, the one most often quoted, is of course Hebrews 10:23-25, which says that we should "...hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

However strongly they who have removed themselves from church attendance feel about the issue, the writer of Scripture (ultimately God Himself!) cautions the Believer NOT to forsake the assembly! What a tragedy, brothers and sisters, to see that even the infant church knew of this issue! An even bigger tragedy is that generation after generation, down to our present one, has continued to make the same mistake...to continue to sin against the clear teaching of the Word of God! Look closely at the passage...we are to come together to stir one another to love and good deeds! This is not referring to a mom, a dad, and their kids...no, this is the family of Believers! All of those of us who are born again, spiritually awakened by the Holy Spirit! We are to gather together in a local assembly!

Look also at Acts 2:40-42, which reads as follows:

"And with many other words he [Peter] testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."

This is the record of the first sermon of the church of Jesus Christ! And of those formerly lost sheep who were saved, they stayed home on the Lord's Day. Oh wait...no they didn't! They continued in fellowship, a fellowship consisting of learning the doctrine given unto them, a fellowship consisting of the breaking of bread, which is why potlucks are so important! Just kidding on that last one...though they are. The breaking of bread refers to the observance of the Supper! And finally, dear brethren, they fellowshipped that they might pray together. Unless you who stay at home have appointed elders called upon by the Holy Spirit AND meet with more than just your immediate family, you are in disobedience to the clear teaching of Scripture! Remember that Acts 6:1-4 tells us that there some who are called to serve tables (deacons) and some who are called to the ministry of the Lord (elders). Staying at home does not permit us to serve as we are called...nor does it allow us to be served as we might need!

This last is something we dare not ignore. Indeed, in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 we read the following:

"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Brothers...you who have removed your families from the assembly, do you dare to proclaim yourself exempt from the hearing of the Word preached by one who is called to do so? These shepherds are there to convince us, to rebuke us and exhort us...do not hate that which God has provided for us!

One final verse I'd like to share is from Proverbs 18:1, which reads as follows:

"A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment."

Brothers and sisters...is this you? Have you isolated yourself from the people of God out of some sinful desire? Be honest...is it the added sleep that attracts you? Is it the freedom from someone to exhort you? Turn away from this and do not disdain the church of our Christ! Do not think I do not know what it is to feel disappointment in a church. I do. I left a church where a pastor flat out refused to discipline a member of his staff who was walking in sin, refusing out of some misplaced notion of loyalty to a staff member...forgetting his first loyalty was to the purity of the church for which Jesus Christ died. Without a shadow of a doubt, leaving that church was the right thing to do. But upon leaving that church my first concern was to begin finding a new church for my family. To find a body of Believers with whom to join so that I could eventually find my place to minister. Not going to church was NEVER an option. How could it ever be an option for the Believer?

If you are reading this, and you are one who has removed themselves from assembly with the saints, I plead with you to repent and return to the fold. Do not hoard the gifts you have been given by refusing to use them for the edification of the church.

God Bless.

It's Not Your Theology Stupid, It's You Being Stupid...hmmm, I Think Not!

The other day during my lunch break I listened to a sermon by Dr. Bill Heinard, Sr. Pastor of Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Heinard was preaching at Southern Seminary on March 27th, 2008, and his text was Genesis 39:1-9.

While I liked most of what he had to say, there was one part that I disagreed with and I wanted to briefly share here why that was. He was discussing humility and integrity and said that he knew some men who were almost proud of having been asked to leave a church because of doctrinal issues. While I agree nobody should take pride in this, Dr. Heinard said that these men and others are "not fired for theology, but for being stupid." He maintained that it was them not being honest with their congregations from the beginning that got them fired. I don't, of course, know the particulars of the men he referred to, but I do know that the current president of the SBC once said that candidates should be open with search committee's if they are Calvinist. Now, why this should even be an issue I don't know...why not tell Arminians to be honest about their Arminianism?

At any rate, Dr. Heinard is either clueless or purposefully trying to confuse, because most times when a man is let go due to his theology it is because his listeners disagreed with him...not because he was stupid. It is NOT stupid to teach and preach the Word of God, which like it or not tends to sound pretty much like what we call Calvinism! Or does Dr. Heinard believe we should stop praying for the lost? What about asking God to change hearts?

So I disagree with Dr. Heinard and I think he did a disservice to these men he referred to as friends of his. If they were truly stupid then they should not have been in a position of teaching...but if they were fired for believing what is clearly taught in Scripture, then they have nothing to be ashamed of.

Finally, though, I caught a possible glimpse into what Dr. Heinard feels is truly worthy of focusing on. He said later on that "[his] theology ought to make [him] love people." I agree and disagree. Yes, we will have a love for the lost when we love God...but our theology should make us love GOD! All of our theology needs to point us to the One, because Scripture points us to Him. Anything else is man-centered and unworthy of us who claim to serve Him.

God Bless

"The Expository Genius of John Calvin" by Steven J. Lawson

isbn# 978-156769085-9

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I was given this book for Christmas by my sister in law. It is a short book of about 139 pages if you include the appendixes (sp?), and it is intended to be the first book in a new series of profiles titled "A Long Line of Godly Men." Among the men to be featured in future volumes you will find Martin Luther, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon. A truly impressive list if you ask me! Whether Mr. Lawson will author all of them I do not know but I suspect he will not.

Well, if I wanted to make this a very short review I would simply say, "WOW! Great book, go out and buy it now!." I do, however, wish to say just a tad more, and so I will. :)

Despite the title, this book is not intended primarily for pastors or future pastors. I do not think so anyhow. Truth be told, I feel the book is aimed at someone like myself...the layperson. I feel this way because as I read the book it seemed to me that it stood as a challenge and a warning for us to seek out pastors who are zealous for the preaching of the Word. To seek out men who love the Word and who will joyously teach through it verse by verse. Isn't it sad that so few do this?

In this book Lawson does a wonderful job of showing how devoted Calvin was to the Word. He paints for his reader a picture of a man whose highest ambition was to faithfully exposit the Word of God. Beginning in chapter two, Lawson discusses Calvins: view of the pulpit, his preparation for preaching, his ability to make practical applications, and especially his high view of God. There is one part I really like, where Lawson says that Calvin did not feel he needed to make the Scriptures relevant...they ARE relevant! Amen to that!

I cannot emphasize enough how much I feel every Believer should read this book. I will end with this quote from Calvin, cited on page 50 of the book in a chapter entitled "Zeal for God's Glory."

"The majesty of God is...indissolubly connected with the public preaching of His truth...If His Word is not allowed to have authority, it is the same as though its despisers attempted to thrust God from heaven."

Indeed it is. If, like me, you admire John Calvin, you will come away with a deeper appreciation for this giant of the faith. If you are one of those misinformed ones who for ill conceived reasons has a low opionion of Calvin, then you will learn to respect and admire his zeal for the glory of God. As Lawson concludes, "May it be in this day that expositors in every place preach for the glory of God alone."

Incidentally, I have just started reading "The Life of Arthur W Pink" by Iain H. Murray and all I can say is I can't wait to read some more! :)

God bless!

How to Respond to Heresy- A Quote from John Calvin

As many of you know, I have been reading a book called "The Expository Genius of John Calvin" by Steven J. Lawson for some time now. It is really quite the excellent book but I have been distracted much lately by some bothersome fiction books that demanded too much of my attention. Well today I picked up Lawson's book again and I found this little gem on pg. 77:

"When it comes to heresies and wicked perversions of the truth which distort everything, we should react as if we have been punched or stabbed in the stomach or neck. For in what does the life and well-being of the church consist, if not in the pure Word of God? If someone came and poisoned the meat which we needed for food, would we tolerate it? No, it would make us strike out! The same reasoning applies to the gospel. We must always raise our hands to defend the purity of its doctrine, and we must not allow it to be corrupted in any way whatever."

Oh that God's people would treasure His truth's this much!

I should be finished with this little book in a couple of days, at which point I will post a small review of it.

God bless