PROCLAMATION (Romans 10:14-17)
"But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?" (Romans 10:14)
Darrell L. Guder says:
“God gave his Spirit at Pentecost to enable the witness of the church, and that witness is to go out to the end of the earth. The church does not really have a choice here: evangelization is its necessary obedience. Only in this way will God accomplish his purposes. That necessity becomes a constraint, a driving energy, a focus of obedience that makes Christians into witnesses wherever they are.” (Be My Witnesses, 142)
People will be saved because we proclaim the gospel, brothers and sisters, and that’s an awesome responsibility and a humbling and exciting realization. People will be saved because I proclaim the gospel…not because of my powers of persuasion or because of how much I know…but because the grace and power of God are unleashed through the proclamation of the gospel. And the same is true for all of us…not just for me, the preacher, but for all of us…for all of us. People will be saved for eternity because we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Wow! What power we wield when we discipline our lives and open our mouths and become Christ’s witnesses in the world. People are saved through of our testimony and witness to Jesus Christ…what he has done for the world and for me…because, like me and like you, others receive the grace of God and come to faith in Christ through the proclamation of the gospel.
Election bears the fruit of faith and salvation, brothers and sisters, only through the hearing of the gospel story…only through the proclamation of the gospel does one receive the grace of God that leads to salvation and come to faith in Jesus Christ.
For “how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?...Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”” (Romans 10:14, 17)
All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved, brothers and sisters. Believe this good news and proclaim it courageously so that others may live in its peace.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
ELECTION (Ephesians 1:3-10)
"he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will," (Ephesians 1:4-5)
John Calvin says:
“We call predestination God’s eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he willed to become of each [person]. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is foreordained for some, eternal damnation for others. Therefore, as any[one] has been created to one or the other of these ends, we speak of [them] as predestined to life or death.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 926)
The doctrine of election, brothers and sisters, is a controversial doctrine, but it is a thoroughly biblical doctrine.
The pattern of God’s activity in scripture, I believe, overwhelmingly reveals that God is a God who elects unconditionally…who chooses his people according to nothing more than the good pleasure of his will...that God calls and people are compelled to respond to his call. The pattern of God’s activity in scripture reveals that before we chose God, God chose us. “He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).
Brothers and sisters, we are saved by grace, and grace is God’s power, freely and unconditionally wielded…not out of constraint, obligation, or duty…not because we deserve it or have earned it…not because God foresaw that we would come to believe in Christ…because then it would no longer be grace, but because God loves us and because it pleases him to do so. God freely chose us in Christ from before the foundation of the world to be his children.
Being elected for salvation by God is how salvation begins. In the order of salvation, election comes first, brothers and sisters, because salvation is always, always, always initiated by God. God’s election of his people is the first step in the process of how we receive the grace of God, come to faith in Jesus Christ, and are saved by God.
God chooses us.
"he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will," (Ephesians 1:4-5)
John Calvin says:
“We call predestination God’s eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he willed to become of each [person]. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is foreordained for some, eternal damnation for others. Therefore, as any[one] has been created to one or the other of these ends, we speak of [them] as predestined to life or death.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 926)
The doctrine of election, brothers and sisters, is a controversial doctrine, but it is a thoroughly biblical doctrine.
The pattern of God’s activity in scripture, I believe, overwhelmingly reveals that God is a God who elects unconditionally…who chooses his people according to nothing more than the good pleasure of his will...that God calls and people are compelled to respond to his call. The pattern of God’s activity in scripture reveals that before we chose God, God chose us. “He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).
Brothers and sisters, we are saved by grace, and grace is God’s power, freely and unconditionally wielded…not out of constraint, obligation, or duty…not because we deserve it or have earned it…not because God foresaw that we would come to believe in Christ…because then it would no longer be grace, but because God loves us and because it pleases him to do so. God freely chose us in Christ from before the foundation of the world to be his children.
Being elected for salvation by God is how salvation begins. In the order of salvation, election comes first, brothers and sisters, because salvation is always, always, always initiated by God. God’s election of his people is the first step in the process of how we receive the grace of God, come to faith in Jesus Christ, and are saved by God.
God chooses us.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
RESURRECTION (1 Cor. 15:50-57)
"Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
John Calvin writes:
“Let us, however, consider this settled: that no one has made progress in the school of Christ who does not joyfully await the day of death and final resurrection. Paul, too, distinguishes all believers by this mark [Titus 2:13; cf. II Tim. 4:8], and Scripture habitually recalls us to it whenever it would set forth proof of perfect happiness.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 718)
Resurrection is the aspect of our eternal salvation that will only be made effective in us at the time of Christ’s return, brothers and sisters…at the sounding of the last trumpet…at the time of the end of this present darkness and the beginning of the new heavens and the new earth.
Only then will we be truly free from the effects of sin and the power of death.
Only then will God raise our bodies from the grave…from the ground…from the sea…from dust and ashes…and clothe us with imperishability.
Only then will our eternal salvation be complete.
This is the salvation to which all who are weary with sin…who desire to be in the presence of the Lord God…who want to live and serve him faithfully…who carry a heavy burden of guilt and sin…this is the salvation to which we look forward with great anticipation. This is the salvation that we long for…the resurrection of the body, when crying and mourning and death will be no more…when tired, weak, frail, broken, sin-filled bodies will be made new.
Resurrection, for those who believe, is the future culmination of our eternal salvation. I will be raised imperishable. I will be resurrected. I will be saved.
"Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
John Calvin writes:
“Let us, however, consider this settled: that no one has made progress in the school of Christ who does not joyfully await the day of death and final resurrection. Paul, too, distinguishes all believers by this mark [Titus 2:13; cf. II Tim. 4:8], and Scripture habitually recalls us to it whenever it would set forth proof of perfect happiness.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 718)
Resurrection is the aspect of our eternal salvation that will only be made effective in us at the time of Christ’s return, brothers and sisters…at the sounding of the last trumpet…at the time of the end of this present darkness and the beginning of the new heavens and the new earth.
Only then will we be truly free from the effects of sin and the power of death.
Only then will God raise our bodies from the grave…from the ground…from the sea…from dust and ashes…and clothe us with imperishability.
Only then will our eternal salvation be complete.
This is the salvation to which all who are weary with sin…who desire to be in the presence of the Lord God…who want to live and serve him faithfully…who carry a heavy burden of guilt and sin…this is the salvation to which we look forward with great anticipation. This is the salvation that we long for…the resurrection of the body, when crying and mourning and death will be no more…when tired, weak, frail, broken, sin-filled bodies will be made new.
Resurrection, for those who believe, is the future culmination of our eternal salvation. I will be raised imperishable. I will be resurrected. I will be saved.
Monday, September 7, 2009
SANTIFICATION (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8)
"Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification..." (1 Thessalonians 1-3)
Beverly Roberts Gaventa writes:
“Paul’s strategy is a bit reminiscent of the mother who stands at the door and calls out as her child scampers off to play, ‘Behave yourself! Remember you are a Smith!’ Without ever being explicitly told what it means to be a Smith, the child learns that her behavior is to be consistent with that identity….They may even hear an additional warning, “We are not like the Blakes! Don’t act like them! Behave! ” (Interpretation: First and Second Thessalonians, 54)
Sanctification is the process of change and growth and transformation where I become like Jesus through the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is the process of becoming what I am…becoming Christian…becoming like Christ. The more like Jesus Christ I become, the more holy I am…the more faithful I am…the less disobedient and sinful I am. Sanctification is the process that I, as a Christian, undergo so that I can be saved from myself. Through the process of my sanctification, I am being saved from my own sinful nature. I am being remade…refashioned…recreated…into the image of God in Christ.
The power and influence of sin are being destroyed in me. The power and influence of Jesus Christ are being increased in me. I am becoming what I already am…united with Christ. I am being sanctified. I am being made holy. I am being saved.
"Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification..." (1 Thessalonians 1-3)
Beverly Roberts Gaventa writes:
“Paul’s strategy is a bit reminiscent of the mother who stands at the door and calls out as her child scampers off to play, ‘Behave yourself! Remember you are a Smith!’ Without ever being explicitly told what it means to be a Smith, the child learns that her behavior is to be consistent with that identity….They may even hear an additional warning, “We are not like the Blakes! Don’t act like them! Behave! ” (Interpretation: First and Second Thessalonians, 54)
Sanctification is the process of change and growth and transformation where I become like Jesus through the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is the process of becoming what I am…becoming Christian…becoming like Christ. The more like Jesus Christ I become, the more holy I am…the more faithful I am…the less disobedient and sinful I am. Sanctification is the process that I, as a Christian, undergo so that I can be saved from myself. Through the process of my sanctification, I am being saved from my own sinful nature. I am being remade…refashioned…recreated…into the image of God in Christ.
The power and influence of sin are being destroyed in me. The power and influence of Jesus Christ are being increased in me. I am becoming what I already am…united with Christ. I am being sanctified. I am being made holy. I am being saved.
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