Am I Really a Christian?

As I mentioned in a previous post, we're using Wednesday evenings at First Southern to journey through a discipleship program called "Growing in Christ."

Our first series was "Am I Really a Christian?" based loosely on Mike McKinley's book that shares the same name. It focused on the need to examine ourselves spiritually and to look for evidence of being truly born again.

We recently concluded this first course, but it's not too late to follow along! All the handouts and even some of the audio recordings are available online. This would make a great self-guided study of basic Christianity.

Here's a complete list of the lessons:

"Am I Really a Christian?"

Growing In Christ, Course 1

Lesson 1:  Am I Really a Christian? (handout | request audio)
Lesson 2: More than a Name (handout | request audio)
Lesson 3: The New Birth (handout | request audio)
Lesson 4: Saving Faith (handout | request audio)
Lesson 5: Dead to Sin (handout | request audio)
Lesson 6: Finishing the Race (handout | request audio)
Lesson 7: Loving Others (handout | request audio)
Lesson 8: Contentment (handout | listen to audio)
Lesson 9: Assurance (handout | listen to audio)
Lesson 10: You're Not Alone (handout | listen to audio)

As you can see, some audio is available, though our podcast service has a limited data plan so I wasn't able to upload all of the lessons. The others are available by request. Just click on the link or leave a comment below and I can send you a copy of the other audio lessons.

Amazing love

But He was pierced because of our transgressions,

crushed because of our iniquities;

punishment for our peace was upon Him,

and we are healed by His wounds.

We all went astray like sheep;

we all have turned to our own way;

and the LORD has punished Him

for the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:5-6)

Here's a video that reminds us of God's amazing love demonstrated by sending Jesus to the cross.

Take time today to meditate on the work of the cross. God's love is amazing, and available to all who turn from sin and accept God's free gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of His Son.

Related posts:

• When was Passover?
• Christ our Sin-Bearer
• A timeline of Christ's Passion
• Look to Jesus

God never fumbles

Next Sunday, over 100 million people are expected to watch Super Bowl XLV, making it the most viewed TV event in American history.

Imagine the pressure on these players! They’ve spent every waking moment of their lives preparing for this single game, and it’s winner take all. Every play will be crucial. Every pass. Every rush. Every tackle. Every kick. A single play could change momentum and spell victory or defeat. One misplaced finger on the ball could result in a fumble. One misjudged pass could cause an interception.

This year’s matchup promises to be a good game, but in the end, it’s still a game. I’m so thankful that with the weightier matters of life -- like heaven and hell -- there’s no risk of a fumble. If God is carrying you in His arms, then your salvation is secure. He’ll never drop you or let the Enemy strip you out of His hands.

Jesus Christ our Good Shepherd says, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish – ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).

This is a wonderful promise for those who belong to Christ. Are you one of His sheep? Christ’s sheep hear His voice calling and follow Him. They admit they are lost and need to be rescued from sin. They trust in His atoning sacrifice, when He laid down His life for the sheep and then took it up again on the third day. Have you done this?

If you’re one of Christ’s sheep, then nothing can snatch you out of His hands! Satan can’t snatch you; the Destroyer is impotent against the power of God. Unbelievers can’t snatch you; they can mock and even threaten you, but they can’t lay a finger on your soul. Suffering can’t snatch you; even when life is most painful, God will help you persevere and walk by faith rather than sight.

As one man said, “It’s not finally our hold on Christ, but Christ’s hold on us. And praise God, he will never let us go!” What a comfort to know God never fumbles.

This article appeared in the Minister's Message of today's local newspaper, the Hi-Desert Star


Photo credit: kungfubonanza

Our identity in Christ

“For me, to live is _____.” How would you fill in that blank? What excites you? What gets you up in the morning? What occupies most of your thoughts, your time, your talents, and your treasure? Recently, I was reminded that as a Christian, my identity is found first of all in Jesus Christ.

I love being a husband, a daddy, and a pastor. I really enjoy hobbies like hiking, geocaching, reading, and stargazing. But most importantly, I want it to be said , “You can’t truly know Stephen Jones unless you know his Savior.” I want to be so acquainted with Jesus, so interwoven with Him, that our lives and identity are inseparable.

The idea of “union with Christ” appears many times in the New Testament in a tiny two-word phrase we often skim right past. It’s the phrase “in Him.” If you have surrendered your life to Jesus and trusted in His substitutionary death for your sin, then your life is already hidden “in Christ.” Ephesians 1:7 says “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” And 2 Corinthians 5:21 says the Father “made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” If you’re a Christian, then your identity is now wrapped up in
Jesus. You’re a little branch attached to the life-giving Vine.

This is the most wonderful news in the world! It means you can have assurance, because you now belong to Christ. You are His, and He is yours. There’s nothing you can ever do to earn or forfeit your salvation, because you’re already fused and fastened together with your Savior through faith. But there’s another implication to this. It means your life must be separate from the world. Your thoughts and behavior (walk) must be radically different than before you were saved. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6). “The one who abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

So, how does the Apostle Paul fill in the blank, “For me, to live is _____”? You’ll have to look up Galatians 2:20 to find the answer. But I’ll bet you can guess it has something to do with his identity in Christ. May the same be true of us.

Prosperity theology vs. poverty theology

Yesterday I watched a 15-minute interview between Mark Driscoll, Joshua Harris, and Francis Chan. Francis is preparing to leave a thriving ministry at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley to start a church plant in inner city L.A. In the meantime, he plans to spend some time in a third world country to gain a fresh perspective and see things apart from the hustle and bustle of American life. His goal in this whole endeavor seems to be to follow Jesus, to get back to early church life, and to strip away the misconceptions of how ministry should be done.

In the interview, Driscoll asks Chan some very penetrating questions: How do you know that in several years, you're not going to grow dissatisfied with this new endeavor as well? Is there a danger that we have exchanged the error of a prosperity theology with the error of a poverty theology? In other words, since we know God often sanctifies us through poverty, simplicity, and suffering, have we decided that riches, complexity, and health are intrinscially bad? Should we feel guilty or ashamed by these things and deliberately avoid them?

This conversation hits the nail on the head, and echos cautions made by Mark Dever to David Platt at the IX Marks at 9 seminar in Orlando last June. See also Kevin DeYoung's review of Radical, where he says,

We must do more to plant the plea for sacrificial living more solidly in the soil of gospel grace. Several times David [Platt] talks about the love of Christ as our motivation for radical discipleship or the power of God and the means for radical discipleship. But I didn’t sense the strong call to obedience was slowly marinated in God’s lavish mercy. I wanted to see sanctification more clearly flowing out of justification.

Most of us are still far from the danger of a poverty theology, and still have much to benefit from the almost prophetic lifestyle and ministry of Platt and Chan. But I appreciate Driscoll's warning against a Catholic form of asceticism that may be subtly at work here which could ultimately undermine the gospel itself.

Welcoming Christ from a distance

One of the highlights of my day is arriving home from work, walking toward the house, and seeing bright little eyes peering out the window with a nose smashed against the glass. Often there are shrieks and giggles as the kids scurry off to hide and surprise me. Daddy’s home!” my wife exclaims. Moments like this make me so thankful to be a dad.

It’s interesting that even before the door opens and I hug my family that a kind of ‘welcome home’ party has begun. We’ve greeted each other in our hearts, though still at a distance. And that is precisely how we should treat the return of Jesus.

Hebrews 11 describes many of the heroes of the faith who caught a glimpse of future joy, but didn’t immediately obtain it. Many endured great suffering in this present world. We learn of men and women like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Rahab. What these people shared in common was that all “died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (Heb. 11:13).

In other words, their noses were firmly pressed against the glass. The promises of God had become so real to them that they actually greeted them in their hearts. They gazed expectantly at the coming of Jesus the Messiah with all His promised blessing.

How’s your faith in God? Do you spend most of your time focused on the worries of this life, or on the hope of heaven? Are the cares of this world smudging the glass, or are you peering out expectantly at Christ’s return?

Remember, there is a free gift of salvation to everyone who will turn from their sin and trust in Jesus’ death. His rising from the dead is proof we can be forgiven and spend eternity with God. 1 Peter 1:8 says “though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” Does that perspective describe you?

Very soon, we will see Him with our own eyes, and all who have truly trusted in Jesus will get to spend eternity with Him. The welcome home party is about to begin!

This article first appeared in today's Minister's Message of our local newspaper, the Hi Desert Star.

God's wisdom revealed

Last week's Q&A and the previous week's message on Baptism are now available on our podcast site.

After this short detour from our regular exposition, we're heading back to 1 Corinthians next Sunday. We're getting ready to launch into chapter three, and I think it would be helpful to give a quick summary and review of the previous chapter:

"Preaching With Power" (1 Cor. 2:1-5). God not only chose the "foolish" message of the cross to save us (1 Cor. 1:18), but He also chose a "foolish" method of delivering that message. Rather than using the clever rhetoric and slick packaging available in Paul's day, God deliberately chose preaching -- a completely counter-cultural method -- to communicate gospel truth. We saw that just as in Paul's day, our biblical preaching must be plain, Christ-centered, humble, and yet powerful. You can listen to this sermon here.

"God's Wisdom Revealed" (1 Cor. 2:6-13). If God's message and method are so absurd, then who would choose to believe? Humanly speaking, no one. It's completely an act of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the "depths of God" to us. God's wisdom is infinite, and yet He has pulled back the curtain and allowed us to gaze into things once imperceptible. We should humbly praise God for what He has done in saving us through His Spirit. You can listen to this sermon here.

"Why Do So Many Reject Jesus?" (1 Cor. 2:14-16). Tragically, the natural man continues to reject the wisdom of the gospel and to live for himself. But the spiritual man, i.e. the man who has the Spirit of God living within him, now appraises the true value of the cross and actually shares the mind of Christ. You can listen to this sermon here.

We concluded our study of chapter two with several important applications:

• Don't boast. This is the whole point of Paul's argument in these early chapters. The gospel should deeply humble us. We've got no reason to boast and quarrel. We are all brought to an equal level at the foot of the cross. Where am I manifesting pride in my life? How does the gospel confront this?
• Don't budge. Our styles and preferences will vary according to culture, but no amount of style will ever make the gospel message more palatable to the unbeliever. We must staunchly defend the gospel and avoid anything that would water down the offense of the cross. Where have I been tempted to compromise in order to be accepted by others?
• Do pray. If God alone can change the heart through His Spirit, we'd better get on our knees and pray brokenhearted over the lost. Oh that God would open their eyes before it is too late! How can I improve the frequency and fervency of my prayers for the lost?
• Do prepare. The offense of the cross is not an excuse for unpreparedness. We must diligently learn the Scriptures, learn people, and learn common questions and biblical responses. We must be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us. Where do I feel uncomfortable or under-equipped in sharing my faith? What can I do to change?
• Do persevere. Don't grow discouraged because a person does not accept the gospel at first. Because the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16), we can expect that through repetition, perseverance, patience, and prolonged exposure to the gospel, that people will respond. With whom have I grown discouraged and wrongly given up hope?

Photo credit: Ted Winder

Cherish the gospel!

What do you most cherish in life? In ministry? What drives your private conversations, your small group discussions, your preaching? What gets the adrenaline pumping and stirs your heart with affection?

Is it the gospel?

While studying through 1 Corinthians, I've enjoyed reading some of D. A. Carson's paperback The Cross and Christian Ministry. The paragraphs below really caught my attention and invite deeper thought. It really summarizes the whole reason for movements like the The Gospel Coalition and Together for the Gospel, and hopefully the Great Commission Resurgence as well.

What it means to be 'spiritual' is profoundly tied to the cross, and to nothing else...

This lesson is especially important when so many Christians today identify themselves with some 'single issue' (a concept drawn from politics) other than the cross, other than the gospel. It is not that they deny the gospel. If pressed, they will emphatically endorse it. But their point of self-identification, the focus of their minds and hearts, what occupies their interest and energy, is something else: a style of worship, the abortion issue, homeschooling, the gift of prophecy, pop sociology, a certain brand of counseling, or whatever [we might add social justice here]. Of course, all of these issues have their own importance. Doubtless we need some Christians working on them full time. But even those who are so engaged must do so as an extension of the gospel, as an extension of the message of the cross. They must take special pains to avoid giving any impression that being really spiritual or really insightful or really wise turns on an appropriate response to their issue.

I have heard a Mennonite leader asses his own movement in this way. One generation of Mennonites cherished the gospel and believed that the entailment of the gospel lay in certain social and political commitments. the next generation assumed the gospel and emphasized the social and political commitments. The present generation identifies itself with the social and political commitments, while the gospel is variously confessed or disowned; it no longer lies at the heart of the belief system of some who call themselves Mennonites.

Whether or not this is a fair reading of the Mennonites, it is certainly a salutary warning for evangelicals at large. We are already at the stage where many evangelical leaders simply assume the message of the cross, but no longer lay much emphasis on it. Their focus is elsewhere. And a few, it seems to me, are in danger of distancing themselves from major components of the message of the cross, while still operating within the context of evangelicalism. It is at least possible that we are the generation of believers who will destroy much of historic Christianity from within - not, in the first instance, by rancid unbelief, but by raising relatively peripheral questions to the place where, functionally, they displace what is central. And what shall the end of this drift be?

We must come back to the cross, and to God's plan of redemption that centers on the cross, and make that the point of our self-identification. (pp. 62-64)

Oh may this be true in my life, my family, my ministry, our local ministerial, our denomination, and evangelicalism as a whole.

Photo credit: El Struthio

The foolish cross that saves

Imagine if we pooled the leading minds of every field to invent a new religion. All the Fortune 500 CEOs.  Presidents of our most prestigious Ivy League universities. Neuro-surgeons and astro-physicists. Artists, philosophers, and New York Times bestselling authors. All these people are gathered together and commissioned to invent a new religion. They would need to design a God and determine what he would be like. They would need to write a holy book and determine a whole system of ethics.

After much research and discussion, what would they come up with? It would be interesting to see if they could arrive at any consensus at all. But one thing's for sure: they wouldn't invent Christianity.

As we saw last Sunday, the message of a crucified Messiah defies all human wisdom and understanding, and yet it is the only message with the power to save us from sin. We saw three elements that make the gospel unique:

1. A pathetic cross (1 Cor. 1:18-23). To unbelievers, the cross appears 'foolish' (moria, from which we get our word moronic!). Devout Jews continue to stumble over the message of a cursed, crucified Messiah. Philosophy-loving Greeks find the message utterly absurd. In the first century, the Roman author Pliny called Christianity "a perverse, extravagant superstition.' Two thousand years later, Christopher Hitchens says, "Christianity is a wicked cult, and it's high time we left it behind." The US Army's recent decision to disinvite Franklin Graham from the National Day of Prayer is just one more proof that this world wants nothing to do with a crucified Christ who demands our exclusive faith.
2. A powerful Christ (1 Cor. 1:24-25). Though the cross is pathetic from a human perspective, to those who believe it is a powerful message that saves. The cross is powerful because Jesus conquered death, and because He can forgive and radically change us. The cross is wise because it was the only way to judge our sin and yet simultaneously show mercy. As the hymn says, that old rugged cross has a 'wondrous attraction' to us.
3. A profound cause (1 Cor. 1:26-31). Why would God use such an unconventional means to save us? So that we would have no cause for boasting. Christ will not tolerate proud people in His kingdom. When people trust in their own wisdom and good works, man gets the glory. But when we humble ourselves and look at a bloody cross for salvation, God gets all the glory. Thus, forever and ever, we will boast in the Lord and celebrate His sovereign grace in saving us.

Questions for thought and discussion:

• How do you know for sure you are saved? Are you relying on anything besides a crucified Christ?
• How did you view the cross before you were saved?
• Should we grow discouraged or stop sharing when people sometimes reject the Gospel?
• How do churches sometimes 'water down' the gospel or turn to pragmatic methods to make the cross more appealing to unbelievers?
• Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 again, noting every time Paul says 'to' or 'so that.' According to these phrases, why has God chosen to save through a cross?
• How does this gospel provide a powerful antidote against the pride and quarrels mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:11-12?

Sunday's sermon is available for free download on our podcast site.

Raised for our justification

According to a 2007 poll by George Barna, 75% of Americans believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ. What amazes me is not that 1/4 of Americans deny the resurrection (we would expect there to be skeptics today, just as there were in the time of Christ), but that 3/4 of Americans say they believe in the resurrection, and yet it makes no difference in most of their lives! For example, I noticed far more media hype about the iPad last week than the empty tomb of Jesus.

But if the tomb really was empty, it should radically alter our lives. Why does Easter matter? Because in Romans 4:25, Paul says that Christ was "raised for our justification." Without Easter, there is no justification. With Easter, we have the opportunity to be justified of sin. Last Sunday, I posed three questions about justification:

1. What is it? 'Justification' is an idea completely unique to Christianity. It is a legal term that means to acquit or pardon. It speaks not only of absolving guilt, but of being declared righteous by God. In the book of Romans, it serves as a bridge between the early chapters of condemnation (Rom. 1:18; 3:10, 23) and the later chapters of reconciliation (Rom. 5:11; 8:1). Justification is not something we can earn by works, but something we receive through faith. 
2. What does it look like? In Romans chapter 4, Paul gives us a model of justification by faith. He points us to Abraham, the "father of a multitude." For many years, Abraham waited on God to fulfill his promises (Gen. 12:1-3), and even when he was old and "as good as dead," he did not waver in unbelief (Rom. 4:19). Because he trusted in God despite his circumstances, "it was credited to him as righteousness" (Rom. 4:22). In other words, God justified him by faith.
3. What difference does it make? These things were not written merely for Abraham, but for us as well (Rom. 4:23-24). We have committed a heinous crime (sin). There is a heavy sentence for that crime (eternal death). But God has punished His Son in our place (the cross), and now declares us righteous through faith (justification). It is not enough to intellectually believe in the facts of Christ's death and resurrection, but to humble ourselves before God for our sin, and to look to the cross as our only means of pardon.

Questions for thought and discussion:

• What does it mean to be 'justified'?
• How do you think Abraham must have felt to wait 25 years for God to keep His promise?
• Read Genesis 21:1-5. Did God eventually give Abraham a son?
• Read Romans 3:24 and Romans 5:1. What is the only way a person can be justified? 
• According to Romans 5:1, what is the result of our being justified?
• Have you trusted in Christ -- not merely in your head, but in your heart?
• Write a prayer to God, thanking Him for His amazing work of raising Christ for our justification

Sunday's sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is available for free download.

A lamb led forth

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.  (Isaiah 53:7)

Every year at Passover time, a thousand remaining Samaritans gather on Mount Gerizim for the Samaritan Passover. Their custom looks much like it would have two thousand years ago, when the Jews brought their sacrificial animals to the altar in Jerusalem to atone for sin.

I had the privilege of witnessing the Samaritan Passover ten years ago, during my study time in Israel. With my own eyes and ears, I witnessed the lambs being led in, the spilling of blood, and the loss of life. It was an unforgettable experience. 

Why did God command such a gory practice in the Old Testament? Because of this timeless principle: the price for sin is death. And as the author of Hebrews says, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). Ultimately, the Son of God Himself would come to earth, take the form of a man, and be slain for our forgiveness. All the sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed to His death on the cross. So on this Good Friday, let us praise the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world!

Here's a short story I wrote ten years ago as I watched the helpless sheep and considered the Passover event from their perspective...

------

...My front left leg has been tied to this fence all morning. What I would do to reach that luscious patch of grass over there! It seems so close, yet so far away. Oh well. Such is the life of a sheep. Maybe I should sleep for a while until my Master comes to feed me...

...The sun hangs high overhead, and my stomach burns with the pangs of hunger. I've spent the last few hours just standing here alone in the courtyard, watching, waiting, listening, squinting through the blinding rays of the sun. An occassional beetle crawls by, or a fly pesters my face, but nothing out of the ordinary. I sure wish I could return to my flock, my family. Just one week ago, we grazed leisurely along the pastures of Mt. Gerizim. I wonder why were we brought into the city...

...It's mid-afternoon. At last, my weary body can find relief in the shade! But still, no water. Still, no food. Where could my Master be?! I've noticed some people gathering nearby, and there's a distinct scent of excitement in the air. I wonder what's going on. Oh, how I love surprises!...

...Many more people have arrived now, including some bothersome children. I wish these kids would just leave me alone! Half a dozen of them have kept pestering me for at least an hour -- jumping, yelling, and stomping, just beyond the reach of my shackles to ensure their own safety. What pitiful creatures. Meanwhile, the men seem to be gathering large olive branches and throwing them into nearby pits...

...It's late afternoon, and the men just finished pouring gasoline into the pits. Now they are throwing matches in... Whoa! look at those giant flames! What on earth is going on?! Could I be in danger, standing here in the corner of the courtyard?...

...Dusk is imminent. Many more people, robed in white, are flooding the courtyard. Great billows of smoke belch out of the fire pits, nearly suffocating me. As if the hunger and thirst weren't enough, my eyes are now stinging unbearably. A cacophony of human voices crescendo in song, and faintly in the distance, I hear the desperate cry of other sheep... But wait! Who is that approaching?! ... Master!! He's come to deliver me from this grevious nightmare!

...No, Master! There must be some mistake! Why have you brought me to the edge of the flame? Why do you trap me tightly between your legs? And why do you hold a dagger in your hand?!...

What is the Gospel?

I first learned about the upcoming release of What Is the Gospel? in January at the Truth & Life Conference. From the moment I heard of it, I have been intrigued and highly anticipating it. And from the sound of its endorsements, it's going to even exceed my expectations.

D.A. Carson says, “Read it, then buy a box of them for generous distribution.” But perhaps the best summary that expresses why I was immediately interested is written by J.D. Greer:

“‘Gospel-centeredness’ has become the new, vogue term for pastors and churches. Greg Gilbert does a masterful job in this book explaining what that gospel actually is. He shows us that many well-meaning churches have distorted the gospel through false teaching, and others have abandoned the gospel because of embarrassment or simply neglect. This is a profound analysis of the gospel, expressed in a poignant, relevant way. I am very grateful for Greg’s prophetic call to return to the straightforward message of the cross.”

To watch a short video, read a sample, or learn more about the book, click on Justin Taylor's blog here. Or, just go ahead and click here to buy one now (or a whole boxload, as Carson recommends).

The five points of calvinism

Pastor and hymn writer John Newton once said, "I am more of a Calvinist than anything else; but I use my Calvinism in my writings and my preaching as I use this sugar." Taking a lump, and putting it into his tea-cup, and stirring it, he added, "I do not give it alone, and whole; but mixed and diluted."

That seems to be a pretty healthy view of Calvinism in my opinion. The doctrines of grace are delightful, and if we are to be faithful to the Scriptures we must preach them. But like sugar they can come across too strong if served undiluted to God's people.

While I don't make Calvinism a hobby horse, I did decide recently to preach a 5-part series on the Five Points of Calvinism. But I decided not to couch it in those terms. I approached it instead as an inductive, "behind the scenes" look at our salvation. In this way, I hoped to elevate God's sovereign grace in salvation and challenge some common Arminian assumptions without using labels or arguments that might immediately raise alarm. I was thankful for the result and heard some very positive feedback from our church family.

Here are all five sermons with online audio and download links. I pray these will prove helpful and encouraging to the Body of Christ.

1. Dead Man Walking: Total Depravity (Eph. 2:1-3)
     listen online   download

2. God's Gracious Choice: Unconditional Election 
    (Eph. 1:3-6)
     listen online   download

3. Christ Our Sin-Bearer: Limited Atonement (1 Pet. 2:24-25)
     listen online   download

4. Saved by the Spirit: Irresistible Grace (Titus 3:1-7)
     listen online   download

5. God Doesn't Fumble: Perseverance of the Saints 
    (Jn. 10:27-30)
     listen online   download

Related posts:

• What is limited atonement?
• Does God elect some to damnation?
• Cautions for non-Calvinists
• A gentle rebuke to Calvinists

Saved by the Spirit

Having already looked the past couple weeks at the role of the Father and the Son in our salvation, we turned our attention last Sunday morning to the role of the Holy Spirit.

God the Holy Spirit was instrumental in the creation of the universe (Gen. 2:2), the inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Pet. 1:21), the virgin birth of Christ (Matt. 1:18), His public ministry (Matt. 3:16), and the resurrection (Rom. Rom. 1:4). But the Holy Spirit was also deeply involved in our salvation. In fact, without His miraculous, transforming work in our hearts, none of us could have been saved. Using Titus 3:5-6 as our main text, we studied the Spirit's work from two angles:

1. There is a complete change. Paul's phrase in v. 5, "washing of regeneration," pictures a dramatic rebirth, a divinely wrought change in our nature that produces a spiritual "bath." Simultaneously, there was a "renewing" that took place, meaning we were completely revived and transformed. This was not a mere remodel of our nature with a few cosmetic changes. It was a complete rebuilding. As the early church father John Chrysostom said, "For as when a house is in a ruinous state no one places props under it, nor makes any addition to the old building, but pulls it down to its foundations, and rebuilds it anew; so in our case, God has not repaired us, but has made us anew." This change, which took place solely by the mercy and kindness of God, is what suddenly caused us to desire faith and repentance.
2. There is a compelling call. The Bible also speaks of the Spirit's work in salvation as a "call" upon our hearts. Sometimes, the Bible speaks of a "general call" made freely to all who hear the preaching of the Word (Matt. 22:14). But the call we are speaking of here is a special, inward call (Rom. 1:6-7; 9:23-24). This call is not an audible voice, but a divine tugging upon our heart. It is God the Spirit drawing us and wooing us and reeling us in to Himself. This call is directly linked to our election (Rom. 8:29-30), and is just as powerful and irresistible as when the Creator rebuked the waves (Mk. 4:39) and raised the dead (John 11:43).

Questions for thought and discussion:

• How is the Father involved in our salvation? The Son? The Holy Spirit?
• Why do you think there is so little emphasis on the Holy Spirit today among many Christians?
• Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. Do you see evidence of this transformation in your life?
• Does regeneration mean we are now perfect and free from sin? cf. Rom. 6:12-18.
• What's the difference between the "general call" and "special call" of God?
• Write a prayer to the Holy Spirit, thanking Him for the work He has accomplished in your heart.

Sunday's sermon is now available for free audio download from our podcast site.

Christ our Sin-bearer

It’s late in the week, but I thought I’d go ahead and post on last Sunday's message to refresh our minds and prepare our hearts for worship tomorrow.

As we continue to study the work of God “behind the scenes” in our salvation, we looked last week at the atonement of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Thinking about the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in our salvation, Christ had perhaps the most central and visible part to play. In our text for the morning, 1 Peter 2:24-25, we saw three points:

1. Christ took our place. Borrowing heavily from Isaiah 53, Peter uses many pronouns in these verses to signify the work Christ did for us. It was our sin He bore. It was our healing He achieved. It was our life He accomplished in death. This was only possible because He was a perfect, spotless substitute for our sins.
2. Christ took our penalty. We took some time last week to really stop and consider what it meant for Christ to bear our sins. It meant that He took our full penalty and endured our curse, with all its physical, psychological, relational, spiritual agony. Here’s the quote I read by Wayne Grudem that captures so well just how much Christ must have suffered for us: “… to bear the guilt of millions of sins even for a moment would cause the greatest anguish of soul. To face the deep and furious wrath of an infinite God even for an instant would cause the most profound fear. But Jesus’ suffering was not over in a minute—or two—or ten. When would it end? Could there be yet more weight of sin? Yet more wrath of God? Hour after hour it went on—the dark weight of sin and the deep wrath of God poured over Jesus in wave after wave. Jesus at last cried out, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Why must this suffering go on so long? Oh God, my God, will you ever bring it to an end?” (Systematic Theology, p. 576) The thought of Christ’s penalty really is staggering.
3. Christ took our particular sins. We ended last week by asking, “for whom did Christ die? For all mankind, or specifically for the elect?” I shared several reasons for you to consider Christ’s atonement as being “limited." This includes Jesus dying for the sheep (Jn. 10:11), Him standing as the representative of a new people (Romans 5:12, 17-18), and the idea that His atonement really did accomplish its purpose in purchasing our redemption. I believe His death was infinite in value and sufficient to save all, yet His blood was applied only toward those whom God had chosen for the Savior to deliver. I then encouraged us all not to grow bewildered by this theological debate, but astounded at Christ’s finished work, and His promise of eternal life to all who will believe.

As Charles Spurgeon said, let us continue to “abide hard by the cross, and search the mystery of His wounds.”

Questions for thought and discussion:

• Am I trusting alone in the finished work of Jesus upon the cross?
• How should the cross “shrink us to true size,” as John Stott put it?
• According to 1 Peter 2:24, what is the purpose of our salvation? So that we might do what?
• What is one sinful pattern I need to “die to”?
• Write out a prayer to Jesus, thanking Him for the penalty He paid and atonement He bought with His own blood

Last Sunday’s sermon is now available for free download on our podcast site.

Tomorrow, we will look at the Holy Spirit’s role in our salvation. I’m very excited to share about the Spirit and His quiet yet very important part to play.

Related post:

• What is limited atonement?

Dead man walking

Last Sunday, we began a “behind the scenes” look at our salvation. We are considering how a person comes to Christ, and what role God plays in this dramatic event. The best place to begin is with the condition of the unbeliever apart from Christ. So we studied Ephesians 2:1-3 and discovered three points:

1. The Condition (Ephesians 2:1-2). The Bible says quite bluntly that we are “dead” without Christ. Because of our sin nature, there is absolutely no life in us. Other passages describe us as spiritually blind, deaf, enslaved, and in rebellion, and totally unable to please God (Romans 8:6-8).

2. The Consequence (Ephesians 2:3). The result of this terrible condition is that we are all under God’s wrath. We rightly deserve eternal torment in hell because of the heinous nature of our crime against God.

3. The Challenge. Here’s the dilemma. We are spiritually dead and racing down the broad road to hell. And there’s absolutely nothing we can do to fix the situation. Nothing. (We’re dead, remember). We cannot change our hearts any more than an Ethiopian can change his skin, or a leopard can remove his spots (Jeremiah 13:23). But here’s the good news: What is impossible for man is possible for God! By sending His Son, God has redeemed us and made us alive in Christ! (Ephesians 2:4-9).

Questions for thought and discussion:

• What does it mean that I am “dead in my trespasses and sins”?
• Do our “good works” earn favor with God? Why or why not?
• Have I trusted in Christ alone for forgiveness and eternal life?
• Read 1 Corinthians 2:4. Can our clever techniques ever draw an unbeliever to Christ?
• If Ephesians 2:2-3 depicts the lifestyle of an unbeliever, how could we describe the lifestyle of a believer?
• Write out a prayer of thanksgiving for what God has rescued you from, and what He has done for you.

Sunday’s sermon has been posted to our podcast site and is now available for free download.

Will the earth end in 2012?

I recently wrote this article which appeared in today's edition of our local paper, the Hi Desert Star...

The new movie “2012” is full of courage, sacrifice, and some great special effects, but could it be more than Hollywood entertainment? Could it be an actual preview of what is to come?

According to some experts, the Mayan calendar predicts that the world will end on December 21, 2012. Pretty serious stuff. Could it be true?

Whenever we hear of doomsday theories like this, it’s good to ask, “What does the Bible say?” Now maybe you’re wondering what makes the Bible any more reliable than the Mayan calendar. After all, isn’t the Bible just another book of ancient mythology? Great question. And I have two answers.

First, the Bible is trustworthy because it is God’s own Word. The divine author himself urges us to read and accept it. As it says in Revelation 22:6, “These words are faithful and true.”

Second, the Bible is trustworthy because it has already made hundreds of predictions that have come true. It has never once been wrong. Never.

So again we ask, what does the Bible say about the end of the world? The Bible says that before the world will end, one very important event must occur: the second coming of Jesus Christ. We don’t know if this will happen in 2012 or not. It might happen sooner, or it might happen later. It could literally happen at any time. No one, including the ancient Mayan civilization, knows when Jesus will return. All we know is that his return is certain, and that it will come suddenly, without any warning.

Jesus says, “Be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming…Be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will” (Matthew 24:42, 44).

Jesus is coming to judge the living and the dead. How can we be ready? By admitting we’re sinners and trusting that Jesus died and rose again to pay for our sin. As long as we truly know Him as Savior and Lord, we have nothing to fear. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

A movie like “2012” is purely fictional, but it does offer a good reminder. Life is short, and all of us need to prepare for what really is certain – the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The Purpose of John's Gospel

After spending two and a half years in the Gospel of John, I feel something of a bittersweet emotion nearing the end of the book. I hope for our people that as we have traveled along verse-by-verse and chapter-by-chapter, that it has increased our love for John's Gospel, but more importantly, that it has increased our love for Jesus Christ, who is the focus of the book.

I believe there is great value in studying the Word of God carefully, line upon line and precept upon precept. But there's also a danger of "staring at the trees and missing the forest."

In John 20:30-31, John helps us get the "big picture" of his Gospel, finally explaining why he wrote the book. We saw four points as we studied it together last Sunday:

1. John's Gospel is a record of signs. There is no way he could have recorded them all (Jn. 21:24-25), so John hand-picked seven of them and arranged the first half of his gospel around them: turning water into wine (Jn. 2:1-12); healing the nobleman's son from a great distance (Jn. 4:46-54); healing the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years along the Pool of Bethesda (Jn. 5:1-17); feeding over 5,000 people (Jn. 6:1-14); walking on water (Jn. 6:16-21); healing a man blind from birth (Jn. 9:1-34); and raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11). Every one of these was astounding. And the pinnacle of them all was Christ's own resurrection in John 20. What were these signs for?
   
2. The purpose of a sign is to point you to something. In this case, to Jesus Christ. A sign is a marker, a proof, an authenticating work. Jesus made seven bold "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John: I am the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35); the Light of the World (Jn. 8:12); the Door (Jn. 10:7-9); the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11, 14); the Resurrection and the Life (Jn. 11:25); the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn. 14:6); the True Vine (Jn. 15:1, 5). Every one of these was a bold and exclusive claim that Jesus was equal with Yahweh, the Great "I AM" of the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14). What proof did Jesus give? In addition to His own testimony (Jn. 5:31-32), Jesus called forward four other witnesses: John the Baptist (Jn. 5:33-35), Jesus' miraculous works or "signs" (Jn. 5:36), the verbal testimony of God the Father (Jn. 5:37-38), and finally, the Old Testament Scriptures themselves (Jn. 5:39-40). What more proof could Jesus have given? The evidence is overwhelming that He is truly the Messiah, the Son of God. The only reasonable thing to do is believe.
   
3. The result of these signs should be faith. This is not a mere intellectual assent, but a complete trust, a total surrender. It is pictured in a variety of ways throughout the Gospel (drinking of the water He gives, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, entering through the door, etc.). Everyone must make a choice. Either you choose to believe in Jesus, or you choose to reject Him (Jn. 3:36). There is no middle ground. Not choosing to believe is actually choosing not to believe.
4. The result of true faith will be eternal life. By trusting in Jesus, we can have eternal life (Jn. 3:15-16; 20:31). What a promise! This is John's desire for every reader of His gospel. He has written primarily that unbelievers will put their trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and receive the free gift of eternal life.

Questions for Thought and Discussion:

• Do you believe Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, Anointed One)?
• Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God (making Him equal with God, according to Jn. 5:18)?
• Are you living as though these statements are true? James tells us that faith without works is dead and useless, and will not save anyone (James 2:17-24)
  
• According to John 20:31, what is the result of genuine faith in Jesus Christ?
  
• How should this comfort us as Christians?
• Are you inviting and calling others to believe in Jesus?
• How does the world view Jesus today?
• How does this contrast with John's testimony?
• Give a one sentence summary in your own words of John's Gospel
• What is one key lesson you have learned in our study of this Gospel?

Sunday's sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is available for free download. I apologize for the audio cutting in and out during the message. We will try to resolve this problem before next week.

Jump, I'll catch you

Here's a beautiful picture of faith, from a sermon by John Piper...

Your daddy is standing in a swimming pool out a little bit from the edge. You are, let’s say, three years old and standing on the edge of the pool. Daddy holds out his arms to you and says, “Jump, I’ll catch you. I promise.” Now, how do you make your daddy look good at that moment? Answer: trust him and jump. Have faith in him and jump. That makes him look strong and wise and loving. But if you won’t jump, if you shake your head and run away from the edge, you make your daddy look bad. It looks like you are saying, “he can’t catch me” or “he won’t catch me” or “it’s not a good idea to do what he tells me to do.” And all three of those make your dad look bad.

But you don’t want to make God look bad. So you trust him. Then you make him look good–which he really is. And that is what we mean when we say, “Faith glorifies God” or “Faith gives God glory.” It makes him look as good as he really is. So trusting God is really important.

And the harder it seems for him to fulfill his promise, the better he looks when you trust him. Suppose that you are at the deep end of a pool by the diving board. You are four years old and can’t swim, and your daddy is at the other end of the pool. Suddenly a big, mean dog crawls under the fence and shows his teeth and growls at you and starts coming toward you to bite you. You crawl up on the diving board and walk toward the end to get away from him. The dog puts his front paws up on the diving board. Just then, your daddy sees what’s happening and calls out, “Johnny, jump in the water. I’ll get you.”

Now, you have never jumped from one meter high and you can’t swim and your daddy is not underneath you and this water is way over your head. How do you make your daddy look good in that moment? You jump. And almost as soon as you hit the water, you feel his hands under your arms and he treads water holding you safely while someone chases the dog away. Then he takes you to the side of the pool.

We give glory to God when we trust him to do what he has promised to do–especially when all human possibilities are exhausted. Faith glorifies God. That is why God planned for faith to be the way we are justified.

HT: Justin Taylor

The irony of the cross

He hell, in hell, laid low;

Made sin, He sin o’erthrew;

Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so,

And death, by dying, slew.

*Poem by S. W. Gandy, cited in D. A. Carson’s commentary, The Gospel According to John, p. 622.