What a parable!!
The point i needed to see today was that all 10 were waiting for the bridegroom
I get angry at the shallow-ness of the pre-trip rapture position, but that
does no good. I need to love and speak the truth in Love.
But there will come a time, when you CANNOT go to someone else for "oil"
You must have your own supply, and not have let it "dissipate out"
Thank you Cossette for confirming this.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Rapture lies
the pre-trib rapture is a lie.
God's purpose for the true church is to rise up and be a loving, unshakable, support for the Jews as they endure the wrath of the anti-christ. Of course, by being a friend to them, the church too will be persecuted. Persecution brings purity, and coincidentally, Jesus is coming back for a pure spotless bride.
While I was running the other day, God gave me two illustrations. The first was that no one running a long race would want someone to give them a "ride" for the last 100 yards to the finish line. He would look at the person and go, "No, I don't want a ride, these feet were made to run the whole race all the way to the finish."
the second was, if your wife is pregnant and in the 9th month, about to bring to birth and go thru that travail, that would not be the time to say, "see ya hon, good luck with that whole birth thing, i'm going away for a month." The church is to be with the Jew during this horribly, beautiful time. Horrible because of all the death and destruction, beautiful, because satan is cast out of heaven and the church will be able to do marvelous things with free access to heaven.
God's purpose for the true church is to rise up and be a loving, unshakable, support for the Jews as they endure the wrath of the anti-christ. Of course, by being a friend to them, the church too will be persecuted. Persecution brings purity, and coincidentally, Jesus is coming back for a pure spotless bride.
While I was running the other day, God gave me two illustrations. The first was that no one running a long race would want someone to give them a "ride" for the last 100 yards to the finish line. He would look at the person and go, "No, I don't want a ride, these feet were made to run the whole race all the way to the finish."
the second was, if your wife is pregnant and in the 9th month, about to bring to birth and go thru that travail, that would not be the time to say, "see ya hon, good luck with that whole birth thing, i'm going away for a month." The church is to be with the Jew during this horribly, beautiful time. Horrible because of all the death and destruction, beautiful, because satan is cast out of heaven and the church will be able to do marvelous things with free access to heaven.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Romans Bible study 14 Chap 4:13-17
Romans Bible Study # 14
Romans 4:13-17
Sola Scriptura= Scripture Alone (Perspicuous)
13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
15for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17(as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Looking at verse 13 Everything that Adam lost by disobedience was restored to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus. So the command to Adam to “subdue the earth” will one day be brought to fruition. I thought of the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son. “Son everything I have is yours” the father tells the bitter, angry, older brother.
What will eternity be like? Does the title “heir of the world” hit home? Is it real to us, this incredible blessing that is so freely given? It should be becoming more and more clear that there is no way that we could “do” anything to be worthy of these incredible blessings. Being right with the perfect, holy God. Having peace with Him. Being made righteous. Being given the “world.” The thing that Satan, offers but cannot give, God gives to us, who truly believe. No, no one would conceive that the law could lead to this. We can’t follow the law for as long as it takes a thought to form in our mind, there is no way we can “perform” our way into this kingdom. We have access only through faith.
Verse 14 The law, an earthly system, can never gain access to such an amazing promise. Barth says, “Faith is faith, only when it is an ‘advance’, possible and comprehensible because it comes from God alone, and from God Himself. Faith is creative, only in so far as it is light from light uncreated; living, only when it is life from death; positive, only if by it men are grounded upon the groundlessness of God.” Basically the promise is supernatural and the means to gain the promise has to be supernatural too.
Verse 15 The law brings wrath, because we can not do it. So we fall short and the only thing awaiting us is wrath, separation from the holy God and eternal torment. The law, apart from faith, forms an obstacle to the inheritance of the kingdom. The law testifies to the reality of God, but it does not possess God. Faith is rid of all arrogance and aware of its own emptiness before the pure “No” of God. As Larry said on Sunday the choice is rather easy. Wrath or ‘heir of the world.’ So satan must be very ‘worldly wise’ because his strategy to blind so many and lead them to choose quick, temporary pleasures is working. The gospel of truth and life and eternal joy is losing on many fronts and it doesn’t make sense.
Verse 16 Since the promise is by faith it is open to all who are children of Abraham. The law would have been exclusive and limited, faith brings us all in.
Verse 17 Abraham was the father of one nation Israel, and another nation Arabs, but in the physical, he was not the father of ‘many nations.’ No, this sentence, spoken in Gen. 17:5 is a foretelling of the many nations of the ‘gentiles’ who would come into the kingdom, by faith. This faith is what “brings the known condition and status of human life into relation with the unknown God. Abraham is the father of us all “before God,” in His view, not according to the flesh.” Barth
Faith is our door into the kingdom of God. Faith looks at “dead” and says God can bring life to this. Faith looks at “does not exist” and says God can, with a word, call this into being. “Faith beholds life and existence where the man of the world see nothing but death and non-existence; and contrariwise, it sees death and non-existence where he behold full-blooded life.”
Sola Scriptura - “The Romish understanding of using both scripture and tradition had led to some false things coming in. So the reformers felt that tradition needed to be dropped and there needed to be a return to Scripture Alone as the ONLY thing necessary to give us an understanding of God’s will and what He requires of us. Probably the best argument for this is the teaching of Christ Himself. Christ rebukes the Pharisees for adding to and perverting the Scriptures.--Matt. 15:7-9; Mark 7:5-8; see also Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Josh. 1:7.
All Christians are commanded to search the scriptures, and by them to judge all doctrines and all professed teachers.--John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Gal. 1:8; 2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:21; 1 John 4:1,2.”
The reformers argument for, scripture alone, uses the word perspicuous a lot. Perspicuous - plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation. Their argument is because Scripture is perspicuous, due to the anointing of God, adding “tradition” just ‘muddies the water.
The truth as I see it is, there have been times when men have misinterpreted scripture and gone off the deep end, but, the idea of having men add traditions that are held up as equal to scripture leads to big-time errors too and those errors when held up as necessary for all the church to follow, become bigger than the errors of one man’s misinterpretation. If that man would humbly submit his interpretation to the ‘church’ he could then be corrected (or upheld) by others in the church who were holding fast to scripture, led by the Holy Spirit. Most, if not all, of the errors of personal interpretation would be handled if a humble spirit was displayed. So the refusal of a man to submit his interpretation to a church body, is a huge “red flag” that this is not the work of God.
Romans 4:13-17
Sola Scriptura= Scripture Alone (Perspicuous)
13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
15for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17(as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Looking at verse 13 Everything that Adam lost by disobedience was restored to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus. So the command to Adam to “subdue the earth” will one day be brought to fruition. I thought of the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son. “Son everything I have is yours” the father tells the bitter, angry, older brother.
What will eternity be like? Does the title “heir of the world” hit home? Is it real to us, this incredible blessing that is so freely given? It should be becoming more and more clear that there is no way that we could “do” anything to be worthy of these incredible blessings. Being right with the perfect, holy God. Having peace with Him. Being made righteous. Being given the “world.” The thing that Satan, offers but cannot give, God gives to us, who truly believe. No, no one would conceive that the law could lead to this. We can’t follow the law for as long as it takes a thought to form in our mind, there is no way we can “perform” our way into this kingdom. We have access only through faith.
Verse 14 The law, an earthly system, can never gain access to such an amazing promise. Barth says, “Faith is faith, only when it is an ‘advance’, possible and comprehensible because it comes from God alone, and from God Himself. Faith is creative, only in so far as it is light from light uncreated; living, only when it is life from death; positive, only if by it men are grounded upon the groundlessness of God.” Basically the promise is supernatural and the means to gain the promise has to be supernatural too.
Verse 15 The law brings wrath, because we can not do it. So we fall short and the only thing awaiting us is wrath, separation from the holy God and eternal torment. The law, apart from faith, forms an obstacle to the inheritance of the kingdom. The law testifies to the reality of God, but it does not possess God. Faith is rid of all arrogance and aware of its own emptiness before the pure “No” of God. As Larry said on Sunday the choice is rather easy. Wrath or ‘heir of the world.’ So satan must be very ‘worldly wise’ because his strategy to blind so many and lead them to choose quick, temporary pleasures is working. The gospel of truth and life and eternal joy is losing on many fronts and it doesn’t make sense.
Verse 16 Since the promise is by faith it is open to all who are children of Abraham. The law would have been exclusive and limited, faith brings us all in.
Verse 17 Abraham was the father of one nation Israel, and another nation Arabs, but in the physical, he was not the father of ‘many nations.’ No, this sentence, spoken in Gen. 17:5 is a foretelling of the many nations of the ‘gentiles’ who would come into the kingdom, by faith. This faith is what “brings the known condition and status of human life into relation with the unknown God. Abraham is the father of us all “before God,” in His view, not according to the flesh.” Barth
Faith is our door into the kingdom of God. Faith looks at “dead” and says God can bring life to this. Faith looks at “does not exist” and says God can, with a word, call this into being. “Faith beholds life and existence where the man of the world see nothing but death and non-existence; and contrariwise, it sees death and non-existence where he behold full-blooded life.”
Sola Scriptura - “The Romish understanding of using both scripture and tradition had led to some false things coming in. So the reformers felt that tradition needed to be dropped and there needed to be a return to Scripture Alone as the ONLY thing necessary to give us an understanding of God’s will and what He requires of us. Probably the best argument for this is the teaching of Christ Himself. Christ rebukes the Pharisees for adding to and perverting the Scriptures.--Matt. 15:7-9; Mark 7:5-8; see also Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Josh. 1:7.
All Christians are commanded to search the scriptures, and by them to judge all doctrines and all professed teachers.--John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Gal. 1:8; 2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:21; 1 John 4:1,2.”
The reformers argument for, scripture alone, uses the word perspicuous a lot. Perspicuous - plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation. Their argument is because Scripture is perspicuous, due to the anointing of God, adding “tradition” just ‘muddies the water.
The truth as I see it is, there have been times when men have misinterpreted scripture and gone off the deep end, but, the idea of having men add traditions that are held up as equal to scripture leads to big-time errors too and those errors when held up as necessary for all the church to follow, become bigger than the errors of one man’s misinterpretation. If that man would humbly submit his interpretation to the ‘church’ he could then be corrected (or upheld) by others in the church who were holding fast to scripture, led by the Holy Spirit. Most, if not all, of the errors of personal interpretation would be handled if a humble spirit was displayed. So the refusal of a man to submit his interpretation to a church body, is a huge “red flag” that this is not the work of God.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
travail before birth
death before resurrection
a short excerpt from a teaching by reggie kelly
The doctrine of Zion’s inviolability implies an unjustified optimism that reflects ignorance of what is necessary for the covenant to be fulfilled. It is the necessity of death before resurrection. We are offended at the lengths God will go, and must go, in order to bring again Jacob. We are ignorant of this for them, because we’ve not sufficiently known it for ourselves. There is a travail of the Spirit that forms Christ in the heart (Gal 4:19). As Paul said, “so then death works in us, but life in you” (2Cor 4:12). That is why Israel’s deliverance is often depicted as a birth that is preceded by travail (Isa 13:8; 66:8; Mic 5:3; Jer 30:6 etc.)
The reason for such tribulation is manifest (Acts 14:22). Fallen human nature cannot be conquered except by the inward work of the cross, applied by the Spirit, through the quickening of divine revelation. This is why Jacob must be brought to the end of his power (Deut 32:36; Dn 12::7) before the veil can be taken away (2Cor 3:16; Zech 12:10). How can it be different for the church? The veil is lifted and Christ revealed at the end of strength (“confidence in the flesh”). That is the pattern for all the true “Israel of God”. It is death before resurrection and travail before birth.
I was going to highlight a sentence but the whole thing is necessary.
Purify the sons of Levi, is our hearts cry.
a short excerpt from a teaching by reggie kelly
The doctrine of Zion’s inviolability implies an unjustified optimism that reflects ignorance of what is necessary for the covenant to be fulfilled. It is the necessity of death before resurrection. We are offended at the lengths God will go, and must go, in order to bring again Jacob. We are ignorant of this for them, because we’ve not sufficiently known it for ourselves. There is a travail of the Spirit that forms Christ in the heart (Gal 4:19). As Paul said, “so then death works in us, but life in you” (2Cor 4:12). That is why Israel’s deliverance is often depicted as a birth that is preceded by travail (Isa 13:8; 66:8; Mic 5:3; Jer 30:6 etc.)
The reason for such tribulation is manifest (Acts 14:22). Fallen human nature cannot be conquered except by the inward work of the cross, applied by the Spirit, through the quickening of divine revelation. This is why Jacob must be brought to the end of his power (Deut 32:36; Dn 12::7) before the veil can be taken away (2Cor 3:16; Zech 12:10). How can it be different for the church? The veil is lifted and Christ revealed at the end of strength (“confidence in the flesh”). That is the pattern for all the true “Israel of God”. It is death before resurrection and travail before birth.
I was going to highlight a sentence but the whole thing is necessary.
Purify the sons of Levi, is our hearts cry.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
wed class "sent ones"
Sent and sent ones
Apostle = “sent forth ones” english translation of greek
Missionary = “sent ones” latin translation
When the disciples come back from their first time being sent out by Jesus, they are anxious to tell Him all that they saw accomplished, all the miracles, and Jesus is a “wet blanket.” He says, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." The foundation has to be that you have been sent out, by God, so that, when the results are far less encouraging, like being stoned or driven out to the edge of town, you are not ‘shaken.’
Mat 10:40 "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
Mat 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Luk 4:26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
Luk 9:2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.
Jhn 1:6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Jhn 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work..
Jhn 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Jhn 5:30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jhn 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jhn 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
Jhn 11:42 "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me."
Jhn 12:45 "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
Jhn 17:18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
Jhn 17:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Jhn 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Act 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Act 13:3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Act 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
Apostle = “sent forth ones” english translation of greek
Missionary = “sent ones” latin translation
When the disciples come back from their first time being sent out by Jesus, they are anxious to tell Him all that they saw accomplished, all the miracles, and Jesus is a “wet blanket.” He says, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." The foundation has to be that you have been sent out, by God, so that, when the results are far less encouraging, like being stoned or driven out to the edge of town, you are not ‘shaken.’
Mat 10:40 "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
Mat 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Luk 4:26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
Luk 9:2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.
Jhn 1:6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Jhn 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work..
Jhn 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Jhn 5:30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jhn 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jhn 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."
Jhn 11:42 "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me."
Jhn 12:45 "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.
Jhn 17:18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
Jhn 17:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Jhn 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Act 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Act 13:3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Act 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Romans Bible Study Lesson 13 4:9-12
Romans Bible Study #13
Romans 4:9-12
Solo Christo= Christ Alone
9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." Gen.15:6
10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
Verse 9 and 10 The blessing pronounced on Abraham was many years before offering Isaac on the altar, in fact, Isaac wasn’t even born yet! The blessing of Chapter 15 of Genesis was also many years before the institution of circumcision in chapter 17. In fact, Ishmael was given the sign of circumcision also. He is not however included in the people of God, so he was a child of Abraham, but not in the line of the promise. He was a child of the bondwoman, not the free. Later on even though he has circumcision, he is sent out and not an heir like, Isaac. (Galatians 4:21-31)
So the inadequacy, of circumcision was being shown even then. It is not enough. It points to a truth, but it is not the truth.
The righteousness that is by faith is the true beginning of the positive relationship between God and man. Abraham at this point is pagan, uncircumcised and has done no ‘works’ to earn anything. God is the one who brings everything positive to this relationship, all we bring is death, and the acknowledgment of what we cannot do. All religions that have “a way” to God involving works are a lie, and would show themselves to be a lie by anyone who would honestly and truly attempt to “live” by them. Our inability to make ourselves “right with God” is not only understood and accepted in Christianity, it is almost “celebrated” as a truth that leaves us swimming in the ocean of God’s grace. Paul continues to “drain the pool” of any thought that we have some ‘part’ in salvation.
The ‘reckoning’ or ‘credited’ of righteousness is effected, in Abraham, by God, before circumcision. Paul trashes boasting by humans, he speaks of righteousness as a blessing, a gift.
Verse 11 “Sign” and “seal” are the two important words in this verse. Circumcision is not the foundation, it is a ‘sign’ pointing to what God had already done. It is a confirmation of what has taken place in the spiritual world out here in the concrete world. It is ‘religion’ and it is NOT essential. Our ‘works,’ our struggles to obey and live this life, are not the foundation, they are a sign that God has already done an amazing work of new birth in us.
Our obedience is not the foundation of our Christian life, otherwise we are completely rocked and lost every time we disobey. That is not the Christian life, our foundation is the faith that God has imparted and the fact that in our hearts a work has been done by God, that hates the sin, that wants to turn from it. His life has been imparted to us by faith. True religion is a set of steps that leads out of a dark hole and ends in fresh air and light. The mistake that is made is to “add to it” and ‘make it exclusive’ by erecting a building around the steps and saying that the building was the goal. The mistake that is made is “they loved their religion more than the God of their religion,” which is how the “hope” movie, described what happened to the Jewish religion, by the time that Jesus arrived on the scene. Faith is not exclusive, all can believe in God by faith. Circumcision which was meant to be a ‘sign’, gets twisted to become a ‘basis’ of being right with God.
There is a verse in a hymn that brings out this truth.
“He breaks the power of cancelled sin.”
The truth of the Christian life is that we are ‘walking out’ what God has done for us. He cancelled the sin, by faith. His life in us works to ‘break the power of sin’ over us, over time, thru many failures and stumbles and falls, each of which humbles us and reminds us of the source of our power.
Legalism is a bondage that says “I will break the power of this sin over me.”
Religions right place in all this is ‘between’ the amazing beginning of faith, God’s work done in us, it is a sign that that work has taken place, and it looks toward the end of faith, God’s final work of transformation, this mortal putting on immortality.
Verse 12 So Abraham is right with God, by faith, and those Jews who are circumcised have nothing unless they also have become right with God, by faith, like Abraham. And those who are uncircumcised can still rejoice and be right with God, totally outside of that because the foundation is “sola fide”, by faith alone!
Continuing our review of the 5 “Sola”s of the Reformation
Solo Christo! By Christ's Work Alone are We Saved
The Reformation called the church back to faith in Christ as the sole mediator between God and man. While the Roman church held that "there is a purgatory and that the souls there detained are helped by the intercessions of the faithful" and that "Saints are to be venerated and invoked;" "that their relics are to be venerated" -- the reformers taught that salvation was by Christ's work alone. As John Calvin said in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, "Christ stepped in, took the punishment upon himself and bore the judgment due to sinners. With his own blood he expiated the sins which made them enemies of God and thereby satisfied him...we look to Christ alone for divine favour and fatherly love!" Likewise the Heidelberg Catechism, Question 30 asks, "Do such then believe in Jesus the only Saviour who seek their salvation and happiness in saints, in themselves, or anywhere else? They do not; for though they boast of him in words yet in deeds they deny Jesus the only deliverer and Saviour: for one of these two things must be true that either Jesus is not a complete Saviour or that they who by a true faith receive this Saviour must find all things in him necessary to their salvation."
An added word about the baptism of infants.
This is an add on because the Presbyterian church and ‘Reformed’ churches take Romans 4:11 and other verses to support the baptism of infants. They say since circumcision is a sign and baptism is a sign and circumcision was given to male
babies at 8 days old, baptism could be administered to the ‘seed’ of the children of the new covenant. The argument falls apart when we acknowledge that the new covenant is not a relationship between God and a specific physical group of people. We are brought into the family, by faith, and an infant cannot, understand and express faith.
Romans 4:9-12
Solo Christo= Christ Alone
9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." Gen.15:6
10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
Verse 9 and 10 The blessing pronounced on Abraham was many years before offering Isaac on the altar, in fact, Isaac wasn’t even born yet! The blessing of Chapter 15 of Genesis was also many years before the institution of circumcision in chapter 17. In fact, Ishmael was given the sign of circumcision also. He is not however included in the people of God, so he was a child of Abraham, but not in the line of the promise. He was a child of the bondwoman, not the free. Later on even though he has circumcision, he is sent out and not an heir like, Isaac. (Galatians 4:21-31)
So the inadequacy, of circumcision was being shown even then. It is not enough. It points to a truth, but it is not the truth.
The righteousness that is by faith is the true beginning of the positive relationship between God and man. Abraham at this point is pagan, uncircumcised and has done no ‘works’ to earn anything. God is the one who brings everything positive to this relationship, all we bring is death, and the acknowledgment of what we cannot do. All religions that have “a way” to God involving works are a lie, and would show themselves to be a lie by anyone who would honestly and truly attempt to “live” by them. Our inability to make ourselves “right with God” is not only understood and accepted in Christianity, it is almost “celebrated” as a truth that leaves us swimming in the ocean of God’s grace. Paul continues to “drain the pool” of any thought that we have some ‘part’ in salvation.
The ‘reckoning’ or ‘credited’ of righteousness is effected, in Abraham, by God, before circumcision. Paul trashes boasting by humans, he speaks of righteousness as a blessing, a gift.
Verse 11 “Sign” and “seal” are the two important words in this verse. Circumcision is not the foundation, it is a ‘sign’ pointing to what God had already done. It is a confirmation of what has taken place in the spiritual world out here in the concrete world. It is ‘religion’ and it is NOT essential. Our ‘works,’ our struggles to obey and live this life, are not the foundation, they are a sign that God has already done an amazing work of new birth in us.
Our obedience is not the foundation of our Christian life, otherwise we are completely rocked and lost every time we disobey. That is not the Christian life, our foundation is the faith that God has imparted and the fact that in our hearts a work has been done by God, that hates the sin, that wants to turn from it. His life has been imparted to us by faith. True religion is a set of steps that leads out of a dark hole and ends in fresh air and light. The mistake that is made is to “add to it” and ‘make it exclusive’ by erecting a building around the steps and saying that the building was the goal. The mistake that is made is “they loved their religion more than the God of their religion,” which is how the “hope” movie, described what happened to the Jewish religion, by the time that Jesus arrived on the scene. Faith is not exclusive, all can believe in God by faith. Circumcision which was meant to be a ‘sign’, gets twisted to become a ‘basis’ of being right with God.
There is a verse in a hymn that brings out this truth.
“He breaks the power of cancelled sin.”
The truth of the Christian life is that we are ‘walking out’ what God has done for us. He cancelled the sin, by faith. His life in us works to ‘break the power of sin’ over us, over time, thru many failures and stumbles and falls, each of which humbles us and reminds us of the source of our power.
Legalism is a bondage that says “I will break the power of this sin over me.”
Religions right place in all this is ‘between’ the amazing beginning of faith, God’s work done in us, it is a sign that that work has taken place, and it looks toward the end of faith, God’s final work of transformation, this mortal putting on immortality.
Verse 12 So Abraham is right with God, by faith, and those Jews who are circumcised have nothing unless they also have become right with God, by faith, like Abraham. And those who are uncircumcised can still rejoice and be right with God, totally outside of that because the foundation is “sola fide”, by faith alone!
Continuing our review of the 5 “Sola”s of the Reformation
Solo Christo! By Christ's Work Alone are We Saved
The Reformation called the church back to faith in Christ as the sole mediator between God and man. While the Roman church held that "there is a purgatory and that the souls there detained are helped by the intercessions of the faithful" and that "Saints are to be venerated and invoked;" "that their relics are to be venerated" -- the reformers taught that salvation was by Christ's work alone. As John Calvin said in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, "Christ stepped in, took the punishment upon himself and bore the judgment due to sinners. With his own blood he expiated the sins which made them enemies of God and thereby satisfied him...we look to Christ alone for divine favour and fatherly love!" Likewise the Heidelberg Catechism, Question 30 asks, "Do such then believe in Jesus the only Saviour who seek their salvation and happiness in saints, in themselves, or anywhere else? They do not; for though they boast of him in words yet in deeds they deny Jesus the only deliverer and Saviour: for one of these two things must be true that either Jesus is not a complete Saviour or that they who by a true faith receive this Saviour must find all things in him necessary to their salvation."
An added word about the baptism of infants.
This is an add on because the Presbyterian church and ‘Reformed’ churches take Romans 4:11 and other verses to support the baptism of infants. They say since circumcision is a sign and baptism is a sign and circumcision was given to male
babies at 8 days old, baptism could be administered to the ‘seed’ of the children of the new covenant. The argument falls apart when we acknowledge that the new covenant is not a relationship between God and a specific physical group of people. We are brought into the family, by faith, and an infant cannot, understand and express faith.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Does James Contradict Paul?
Does James Contradict Paul?
Galatians 5:6b “but faith working through love.”
Paul understands that this faith, when it is true will result in a sacrificial, risk-taking, lay-down-your-life kind of love. But James is concerned that some were hiding behind, “I’m not perfect just forgiven” bumper-stickers; and were displaying a dead, or demon, or useless faith. Dead faith James 2:14-17: Demon faith James 2:19: Useless faith James 2:20.
James 2:23 and Romans 4:3 are quoting the same verse from Genesis 15:6. So both believe that justification is by faith, but James looks at the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice Isaac 12 years later as ‘proof’ of his faith.
James 2:24 “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
James 4:13-16 read
James recognizes that all is from God. It would be arrogant to say that “a person” is adding his works to faith and thereby has something to boast in.
So what we have here is two authors looking at the same transaction in different ways.
God and Paul and James are at McDonald’s at the counter, they have placed their order and now God is picking up the tab, paying for the whole thing. Paul begins to rejoice right then and there, My Meal is Paid For, Paid in Full, by God. Hallelujah!! James is standing back quietly not rejoicing until he is handed the actual meal, once the meal is in his hand, then he turns to God and expresses his thanks to God. Thank You for buying me this meal that I now hold in my hand.
For Paul “justification by works” means gaining a right standing with God thru the merit of works. For James “justification by works” means maintaining a right-standing with God by faith along with the necessary evidences of that faith. The works of love are necessary as evidence of the “faith” by which alone, God has reckoned you righteous.
Paul would say that the only thing that unites you to Christ is dependence on Christ. James would say the faith which truly justifies, never remains alone, but always works by love.
Paul is battling the lie that we have any part in being made right with God.
James is battling the lie that faith can be something that exists separate from the rest of your life and a person can go on being bad and doing great harm to the name of Christ.
Colossians 2:6 brings this all together. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,” Paul expects his readers to walk out there daily lives with the same deep dependence that they showed when they received Him by faith.
Galatians 5:6b “but faith working through love.”
Paul understands that this faith, when it is true will result in a sacrificial, risk-taking, lay-down-your-life kind of love. But James is concerned that some were hiding behind, “I’m not perfect just forgiven” bumper-stickers; and were displaying a dead, or demon, or useless faith. Dead faith James 2:14-17: Demon faith James 2:19: Useless faith James 2:20.
James 2:23 and Romans 4:3 are quoting the same verse from Genesis 15:6. So both believe that justification is by faith, but James looks at the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice Isaac 12 years later as ‘proof’ of his faith.
James 2:24 “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
James 4:13-16 read
James recognizes that all is from God. It would be arrogant to say that “a person” is adding his works to faith and thereby has something to boast in.
So what we have here is two authors looking at the same transaction in different ways.
God and Paul and James are at McDonald’s at the counter, they have placed their order and now God is picking up the tab, paying for the whole thing. Paul begins to rejoice right then and there, My Meal is Paid For, Paid in Full, by God. Hallelujah!! James is standing back quietly not rejoicing until he is handed the actual meal, once the meal is in his hand, then he turns to God and expresses his thanks to God. Thank You for buying me this meal that I now hold in my hand.
For Paul “justification by works” means gaining a right standing with God thru the merit of works. For James “justification by works” means maintaining a right-standing with God by faith along with the necessary evidences of that faith. The works of love are necessary as evidence of the “faith” by which alone, God has reckoned you righteous.
Paul would say that the only thing that unites you to Christ is dependence on Christ. James would say the faith which truly justifies, never remains alone, but always works by love.
Paul is battling the lie that we have any part in being made right with God.
James is battling the lie that faith can be something that exists separate from the rest of your life and a person can go on being bad and doing great harm to the name of Christ.
Colossians 2:6 brings this all together. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,” Paul expects his readers to walk out there daily lives with the same deep dependence that they showed when they received Him by faith.
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