Doctrine.

"Indifferentism about doctrine makes no heroes of the faith."
-J. Gresham Machen

Oneness vs. Trinity

One could bring you to the baptism of Jesus were you would see Jesus being baptized, the Father Speaking, and the Holy Spirit descending, but for know, I'll steer away from the Gospels.

Instead lets go to Acts. I know a lot of Oneness people like using the book of Acts since it's "historical", and a practical way of walking out the gospel truths.

In Acts 7 we read about the first martyr of the Church. What we know of Stephen is little. He was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, He was of a good repute, and was willing to serve in the daily distributions of the church as was needed.

We also know from Acts 6 the he was full of grace and power, doing great wonders and signs among the people. We also know that his opponents could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

Luke gives Stephen a lot of space in Acts, he gives Stephen a chapter and then some. Stephen also gives the longest ‘sermon’ in the book.

Summary: Stephen was a man of God who was able by the Holy Spirit to do great miracles and preach/refute those who apposed the Gospel of Christ.

Now we come to the end of this godly mans life, he just finished a historical overview of Israel history, and then rebukes the Jews, which in a way, sentenced him to death. It is here we pick up.

Acts 7:54-60
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Remember this is a Historical account. Stephen is full of the HOLY SPIRIT, he looks up into heaven and sees the glory of God. JESUS is standing at the right hand of GOD, and then Stephen repeats this SON of MAN standing at the right hand of GOD.

There is three different ‘persons’: The Holy Spirit is in Stephen, Jesus/Son of Man (a term Jesus applied to himself in the Gospels) is Standing. Were is he standing? In heaven next to and at the right hand of God.

Remember this his a historical account of the Gospel being walked out in every day life within the early church. Stephen sees both the Son, and the Father in heaven, and is at the same time filled with the Spirit.

We see all three of the God head. The Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Notice All three are present at the first martyrs death. Stephen doesn’t see just God, or just see Jesus, he sees both.

Also notice the singular usage of the word God “Glory of God” and then the other Nouns used. Either this is a picture of God, filled with the Spirit, Jesus, God the Father, or you left to believe that the Spirit is just a force, Jesus isn’t really God since he only stands next to him in heaven.

Yes I agree that the word Trinity is not used in the bible, but what it represents is. Sometimes one needs to use extra biblical words to help frame a correct meaning of a biblical concept because words can be slippery things. For example: if I asked a Mormon, Catholic, Pentecostal, or a Jehovah witness are you a Christian the all would say yes. It’s only till they say Mormon, Pentecostal, or catholic that I now were their coming from and if they really are “in” the faith.

Mark:

Session One

The opening of Mark start off with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”. Gospel means good news, Mark is letting us know right away that what he is writing about is the good news of Jesus Christ.

It’s interesting that right away Mark ties in the Old Testament with the New in quoting Isaiah. Mark ties in the message of the good news with an older message, a message of promise a message of hope. The prophet Isaiah prophesied of a Messiah who would come forth after Gods messenger crying out in the wilderness “Prepare the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.”

John was the fulfillment of the prophesy. His ministry was one of repentance, calling on all to repent and confess their sins. Mark doesn’t come right out and say, “Johns the forerunner, but he tells us Johns doing his ministry in the wilderness and that he has proclaimed a "mightier one," who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. Isaiah words are a summery of the life of John the Baptist.

Notice that Mark emphasis that the ministry of Johns was inferior to Jesus. Mark tells us that Jesus is mightier then John, John is not even worthy of stooping down to untie Jesus sandals. Mark is writing his view of the gospel around 60-64 AD. Mark writes during a time of persecution of the Church under Nero, the Roman Emperor at that time. Mark may have been pointing out Johns lower status then Jesus do to a possible conflict about Johns Message and Jesus Message. We don’t know for sure but there are hints in Acts of John the Baptist teachings spreading as far as Ephesus without the knowledge of the fulfillment of Johns message, that is the good news found in Christ.

Paul in the book of Acts runs into some disciples of John, yet they didn’t know of Jesus (Acts19:1-3). They new only Johns baptism, a baptism that was meant to prepare their hearts to follow Jesus. Mark may of put this reference to John in his letter not only because Johns life intersects with Jesus, but also because he’s pointing out that Jesus was the focus of Johns proclamation. John is inferior to Christ, to the point that John himself even mentions, “after me comes he who is mightier than I…”

There may have been some disciples of John the Baptist, that Mark had in mind when writing similar to those faced by Paul in Ephesus. Mark may be here letting them know, that what they have is inferior to Christ and that even in the mist of persuction, they need to aline themselfs with Jesus, for it's in him that true forgivness is found.

The Gospel according to Mark:

Up and coming posts will deal with the Smallest of the four gospels. We are studying this book in our small group (which I'm not leading), but I still will be studying it as if I was. Which should be interesting considering my over loaded schedule. But to God be the glory and may we be counted faithful in are pursuit of knowing Him and making Him known.

So once again it's time to take up the sword and sharpen it for battle against my flesh and all of it's desires.

In Light of today's Dow Jones fall.

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
3"Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us."

4He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6"As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill."

7I will tell of the decree:The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel."

10Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

A Responce to Pyromaniacs blog on "Gifts"

(This is a response to Pyromaniacs blog which can be found here. The topic is "signs and wonders". This was posted as in the response part of their blog)

DJP

Mark Driscoll considers himself to be a charismatic with a seat belt, I would consider my self a continualist in a straight Jacket.

I can't see in the scriptures were the gifts have been done away with.

Does God still heal? Yes.
Does He still Speak? Yes. (I say yes because the bible still speaks) as far as the usual charismatic usage of prophesy I have serious doubts.

Does God still do wonders. Yes.
What's more wonderful then an unregenerate becoming regenerated? which is harder?

I like the word continualist mainly
because it distances one from Charismatics.

One thing is very clear, and that is that signs and wonders mean nothing in and of themselves. Paul tells us in II Thes. 2:9 that the Man of Lawlessness does SaW, but Paul mentions in II Cor. 12:12 that he did SaW. SaW don't necessarily validate the messenger, but it can.
Jesus himself didn't put any trust in them (John 2:24-24). People don't get saved because of signs and wonders. Its by His calling and electing in love.

Hence I usual sound more like a 'Christian' as Frank turk said in jest.

But in times like these I side with John Piper. (thats called name dropping.) And see no reason for the ceasing of the gifts today.

(35.minute mark for the above DG sermon)

John Piper

An excerpt from J.P's Desiring God's blog.

"My view of God was too small and my view of myself was too big. I misinterpreted, 1 Corinthians 13:12, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."...What Paul means is not that I will know exhaustively the way God knows me, but rather I will know accurately the way God knows me. The point is not that I won't have limits to what I know, but rather I won't have mistakes in what I know."

I remember studying through 1 Corinthians in school and coming up to 13:12 and not knowing what to do with it. John Piper here i believe hits the nail on the head. When I die, and stand in the presence of God, I'll still have limits to my knowledge, but what I know of him will be right, flawless.

I wish it was so now...come Lord Jesus!

"But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

There are times when I think, "Wow, I've really missed something". I ask myself the question, "do you really believe you have a "better possession, and an abiding one"?

To often this world has a foothold in my heart. whether it's money, trinkets, health or whatever...
I look at the early Church, the people Hebrews talks about, and see that they JOYFULLY accepted the plundering of their property, and I ask myself would I? And if not what does that tell me about myself?

It's in times of trials that our faith is really tested. I can say that I believe in the sovereignty of God in the easy times, but what about the hard? difficult times? I pray that God would allow me to stand in the day of trials, and that he would continue to strengthen my faith in his sovereignty before i walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

May Christ instill in us the Joy of that "better possession" the one that abides even in the hard times.

"May God strengthen our brothers and sisters in Orissa, India. May he grant them Joy in the mist of their sufferings and persecution, for they have a better possession and an abiding one."

Paul Washer-God's Love Undeserved

In Christ

John 15:5

I am the vine; you are the branches.
Whoever abides in me and I in him,
he it is that bears much fruit,
for apart from me you can do nothing.

Theres a couple of thoughts that have been brewing in my head over the last couple of mouths. It has to do with Believers in Christ. That is, every part of who we are is in Him. As I read through the gospels i see this over and over again. And it's the little phrase; in Christ, in him...who we are as Christians is rooted and grounded in Christ and his work, not our own.

In the Gospel of John (the above quote) Jesus himself mentions "in me" and "apart from me".
"In me" refers to those who call on Christ, those who have placed there lives in his hands because they were made alive and responded to Christ. "Apart from me" = nothing. Those who haven't put there trust in Christ, regardless of what they can "do", in reality aren't doing anything.

The main concept I've been pondering over is that every aspect of our life is in Christ. Paul talks about "even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ..." (Eph 2)
combine this with what Jesus says in John 15 you get a great concept of spiritual regeneration.
The reason one can do nothing apart from Christ is that there "dead", and it's only in Christ that one is made "alive".

John 1:4
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men." Jesus is the only one who in and of himself has life. I as a created being have borrowed life from God, yet Christ didn't have to borrow life since he was life. Jesus life, is the light of men, or another way of saying it is 'the light of the world.'

That's why in the epistles you see the contrast of light and darkness, before Christ came we lived in darkness, but those of us who respond to his grace have been "transfered" into the kingdom of light. And that "light we know have is spiritual "life" because we are in Christ. Apart from Christ there is no life and no light, and you can do nothing...

Lord Lord...

"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"-John 7:21-23

The Charismatics today would do well to hear the words of there Commander today, that is if He is there Commander and Lord.

This brings a sobering reminder that one can move in "power" (prophesying, mighty works, casting out demons) and still not be a child of God.

The question that should be asked is not, "Do you know Jesus" but, "Does Jesus know you?"

Timeless Truths. Sola Scriptura

"The Holy Scriptures are
our letters from home."

-Augustine

God is Sovereign

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Habakkuk: Through the eyes of the N.T.

1:5 “Look Among the nations, and see;

wonder and be astounded.

For I am doing a work in your days

that you would not believe if told.

Context:

Habakkuk is complaining to God, and is asking why Israel isn’t being punished for her unfaithfulness to His Law. God Response is that he is raising up Babylon/Chaldean's to bring punishment on the nation.

N.T. Acts

13:41 “Look, you scoffers,

be astounded and perish;

for I am doing a work in your days,

a work that you will not believe, even

if one tells you”

Context: summary.

Paul and Barnabas/companions, are in Antioch which is in the providence of Pisidia. On a Sabbath day they went to the synagogue, and while there they were ask if they had a word of exhortation for the people. Paul gives a historical rendition of Israels past, from Egypt to king David, and then proclaims Jesus as the fulfillment of that promise to David. Paul goes on to mention that the People in Jerusalem fulfilled the prophets by condemning Christ and had him crucified, but God raised him up from the dead.

(Acts 13:36-39)

“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruptions, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be know to you therefore, bothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed form everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about”

Paul goes into the O.T Quote.

Notice that what God said in Habakkuk was able to come about in their day, even though the captivity of the Babylonians was past…by about 500+ years?

What does it mean?

The Context of Habakkuk is one of unfaithfulness to the law of God, because of this God is bringing the fulfillment of the Law which is “the removal of Israel from Canaan.” Unfaithfulness is producing Judgment.

Paul here is using the Habakkuk quote in the same context. The people he his “exhorting” have a choice, believe in the fulfillment of the Law which is Christ, or judgment will fallow. Paul here is alluding to the final judgment which is worse then the physical judgment that Israel received at the hand of the Babylonians.

Paul is telling his Jewish brothers to believe in Jesus. Forgiveness of sins is possible through this man, he’s the fulfillment of the O.T Law. If anyone doesn’t believes he’s bringing upon himself judgment. Which what Paul tells the Jews in Acts 13:46 “…Since you thrust it aside (The Gospel) and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we are turning to the Gentiles.”

So the question for us is,
"what are we going to do with Jesus? are we going to reject him and thus bring judgment on ourself? Our are we going to embrace him, and receive forgiveness of sins that only can be found in Christ Jesus our Lord?"

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord Jesus."

Credo?

I was on a friend's blog today where he is doing single paragraph credo's (i believe.) I was reading them one by one, when his entry on July 15th caught my eye, "Credo-on Limited Atonement."

Heres an excerpt of his blog

"Instead of limited atonement,
some have re-labeled it as a definite atonement-
that is that Jesus died for a specific group of people.
These Calvinists point to the elect
as that “definite" group in favor of limiting the atonement.
On this one, I part company with historical Calvinists
and plead for 1 John2 where John writes that
Jesus did not only die for our sins but for the sins of
'the whole world'."

I have two comments to make about the above statement.

1. Definite atonement is a better word, for Christ died for his elect in a very definite way. He went to the cross for his bride, he was crushed by God the Father for their sins. Christ went to the cross to die for his elect. It was their sins that he paid for. Isaiah 53:11 states that Christ, 'will make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities'. Note it is the people whose iniquities are bore that are accounted as righteous. If Christ died for 'the whole world' in the same way, then all would have their sins bore by Christ and hence accounted righteous. Which the Bible clearly teaches otherwise.

2. Calvinists only use the phrase "Limited atonement" because if fits with the TULIP acronym.
Most of the opponents to Reformed Theology try to say that Calvinists limit what Christ did on the cross. We proclaim that Christ really saved sinners, that his work on the cross secured his elect. His sacrifice didn't just make it possible for people to come to him (hence guarantees nobody's salvation), but it made it certain that those he died for... would come.

Beliefs penetrate everthing!

It's interesting to see how beliefs are played out.

People today like to say beliefs are not important, it's what you do that matters. I remember sitting in a Sunday school class were the speaker was asking what is better; correct beliefs or right action. Then he proceeded to make a straw man against correct beliefs and then knocked it over in favor of right actions. The problem is you can separate them, beliefs and actions are two sides of the same coin.

What I believe comes out in every conversation, every meeting, in all areas of my life.

My point is, that if one has a wrong view of God, Salvation, Justification, the Church, the Bible, then it will become more and more evident the more you know someone. The more they talk the more the reveal what they believe, it doesn't matter the circumstances, place or topic. What they believe at their core will come out.

That's why as Christians we need to know Biblical Truth, we need to study to show our selfs approved of God, that we would not be deceived by false belief systems in the church or the world.

So I invite you to open up your Bible and read it, study it, memorize it. Let us not dumb down doctrine, but lets push on into the deeper truths of God's word. So that in the every day arenas of our life, Biblical Truth comes out.

That's just your opinion.

Don't you just love that Line? That's your opinion, your way of thinking, well, it's works for you but not for me...

In our post-modern world, to declare that your looking for truth is a praise worthy thing. But to say that you found it, well, how arrogant can you be. Thats so narrow minded.

Yet when someone asked me how I respond to statements above I just say, "It's not my opinion, it's Gods. He's has the only opinion that matters in this world.".

If truth be told there are a lot of things in the Bible that offend me. Yet, they are still true, and by God's grace I believe them and have learned to live with the fact that I'm not sovereign, God is. By God's grace over time, there are doctrines that I now hold dear, that I once was repulsed by. They have become sweater over time as I study more and more who God is, and what his word says.

So yes there is absolute truth, and no, it's not always fun to hear, yet it has the power to make you a child of God.

May Jesus come soon!

Atonement.

Last night I was reading in Wayne Grudems Systematic Theology and was once again brought to tears when pondering the Atonement. Chapter 27 of his Systematics is all about the Atonement of Christ. The part that I was reading was on the Cross, what happened there. He categorized it in four parts. 1.Physical Pain and Death, 2. The pain of bearing sin, 3. Abandonment, 4. bearing the wrath of God.

Each one worse then the next. As bad as the pain of the cross was Jesus took on our sins. All of his very being must of been repulsed by this, his whole life on earth he detested sin, in the pre-incarnate he hatted sin, and now he became sin. As if becoming sin wasn't bad enough, it caused him to be abandon. The closeness of the Father was was gone, he faced the guilt and punishment of million alone. finally he boar our wrath for us. He faced my eternal punishment and drank it dry, not only for me, but for millions of the elect.

"Then at last Jesus knew his suffering was nearing completion.He knew he had consciously borne all the wrath of the Father against our sins, for God's anger had abated and the awful heaviness of sin was being remove. He knew that all that remained was to yield up his spirit to his heavenly Father and die. With a shout of victory Jesus cried out, "it is finished!". Then with a loud voice he once more cried out, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And then he voluntarily gave up the life that no one could take from him, and he died. As Isaiah had predicted, "he poured out his soul to death" and "Bore the sin of many". God the Father saw "the fruit of the travail of his soul" and was "satisfied"." -W.G Systematic Theology

WOW.

Adam Wasn't Deceived.

One often hears that mankind was tricked in the garden by the serpent. Yet this doesn't square with the biblical facts. Adam willingly ate of the apple, he knew that the serpent was lieing.

I Timothy 2:14

...Adam was not deceived,
but the woman was deceived
and became a transgressor."

Eve believed the lie that the serpent was feeding her, "You will not die...you will be like God, knowing good from evil.". Adam was right there listening, he new that the snack was full of it. Adam new he would die, he new that this fruit wouldn't make him to be like God knowing good from evil.

So the question remains, "Why Adam!" why would you fall, what made you do it? how could an imperfect thought or actions arise in a perfect world, were sin had no dominion?

The question comes back to who is sovereign. Is God Sovereign or is Man? Did that Cross happen because of the Fall, or did the Fall happen because of the Cross?

"He chose us before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him."-Ephesians 1

"and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." Revelations 13

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