If there one major point I have tired to make over the past few weeks it is the fact that we can add nothing to the finished work of Christ, that Jesus paid it all.
Back in the first century many of the first Christians came to faith in Christ with no knowledge real in depth knowledge of scripture. Al they knew about was Jesus’s death on the cross and bodily resurrection. I dare anyone to tell me that they weren’t saved just because of their lack of knowledge of a particular “ology” or “ism” that came later.
They new nothing about predestination, limited atonement, 7 sacraments, prosperity, or other doctrines of men.
They knew only this, the core of our faith is the cross of Christ and his resurrection. On the cross with His arms spread wide in effect saying:
"Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. NIV
Rev:22:17
The core of our faith is the resurrection, without which we would have nothing and our faith is useless.
1 Cor 15:17
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins" NIV
This is pretty much all the early Christians knew and understood. It was all they needed as it is the essential, core part of Christianity.
Romans 10:9
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." NIV
There is nothing else you need to do to be saved. You don’t need to work, but the Holy Spirit will draw you to serve where you are needed. Putting your faith in motion is very different than working for your salvation, period, end of story.
Here is my video of the week, as usual I request that you listen closely to the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0QeT4xI2yA
Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pary.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Christianity At Our Core - Imputation
All Bible believing Christians should be aware of the Doctrine Imputation and what it means. For those who don’t know it means that Christ took all of our sins to the cross, he became sin, so that when we put our trust in him as Lord and Savior our sins are removed and in turn we become his righteousness. This was at the heart of the Protestant Reformation.
Roman Catholics consider this to be heresy and certain liberal theologians choke on this doctrine as well. They believe that Christ plus works leads to salvation, that the finished work of Christ was not enough. REALLY?????
Consider this:
2 Corinthinans 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” NIV
For those who deny imputation given this scripture can only do so through mental gymnastics and scripture twisting, good luck with that. Try to explain away Romans 5:18,19 while you are at it:
“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” NIV
Anyway you cut it, any term you call it, the bottom line is Christ paid it all, we can do nothing to add to our righteousness, or pay anything extra toward our salvation.
Lets end this here, once and for all with Eph 2: 8,9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”
The only work we are required to do is receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
Acts 16: 29-31
“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” NIV
When the modern day Pharisees say "now you must do this", "and now you must do that", sit them down and show them these scriptures. The odds are they never read them or have closed their minds to understanding, instead placing their faith in some “ology” or “ism” rather than the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Then, pray for them.
Video of the week which follows today's discussion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcSnYTjHmiY
Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.
Roman Catholics consider this to be heresy and certain liberal theologians choke on this doctrine as well. They believe that Christ plus works leads to salvation, that the finished work of Christ was not enough. REALLY?????
Consider this:
2 Corinthinans 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” NIV
For those who deny imputation given this scripture can only do so through mental gymnastics and scripture twisting, good luck with that. Try to explain away Romans 5:18,19 while you are at it:
“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” NIV
Anyway you cut it, any term you call it, the bottom line is Christ paid it all, we can do nothing to add to our righteousness, or pay anything extra toward our salvation.
Lets end this here, once and for all with Eph 2: 8,9:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”
The only work we are required to do is receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
Acts 16: 29-31
“The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” NIV
When the modern day Pharisees say "now you must do this", "and now you must do that", sit them down and show them these scriptures. The odds are they never read them or have closed their minds to understanding, instead placing their faith in some “ology” or “ism” rather than the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Then, pray for them.
Video of the week which follows today's discussion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcSnYTjHmiY
Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.
Friday, June 10, 2011
At Our Core – Beware of Legalism Part II
I’m sorry for the silence. For some reason I have had writers block the past few weeks.
This week I want to discuss briefly the sanctification process. This is typically the long, slow, lifelong process of being molded into the image of Christ . Some of us progress faster than others, there is no shame as long as the process is in a forward direction.. Don’t compare yourselves to others or let anybody intimidate you into doing things you are not called to do. The “thou shalts” of church people or of a controlling elder or pastor is typical “people stuff”, legalism in the form of religion. We need to be wary and gain discernment as we struggle during our walk.
On the other hand, let us revisit James again:
James 2: 17
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." NIV
James is not saying if you are not working you are not saved. This is instead a plea to put your faith in motion. You shouldn’t just sit on your faith.
As you progress in your sanctification process you will know what you should be doing to help forward the Gospel message. Don’t let anybody pressure you with statements like “ you really need to stretch yourself”, or “ If you are comfortable you are not progressing”, and the worst is, “what do you mean you won’t do …..?” “Are you truly saved?”. Yep, that is the spirit of Pharisee in all it’s gory glory when you are confronted with this kind of garbage.
I also covered Sanctification a little bit last year: Please see the blog entries here:
http://thealterofgod.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-sanctification-walk-sound-familiar.html
http://thealterofgod.blogspot.com/2010/06/sanctification-walk-part-ii.html
Remember this, while the road may be narrow, it is not impossible. When you go through trials don’t let the Pharisees question your salvation. Instead remember the words of Jesus:
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." NIV
Yes, we will have trouble. Sorry, God is all about building character, the Bible is full of examples. So, don’t let anybody question your salvation when you have problems or struggle, instead take heart in knowledge that Christ has overcome the world.
Until the next time, may the LORD Bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.
This week I want to discuss briefly the sanctification process. This is typically the long, slow, lifelong process of being molded into the image of Christ . Some of us progress faster than others, there is no shame as long as the process is in a forward direction.. Don’t compare yourselves to others or let anybody intimidate you into doing things you are not called to do. The “thou shalts” of church people or of a controlling elder or pastor is typical “people stuff”, legalism in the form of religion. We need to be wary and gain discernment as we struggle during our walk.
On the other hand, let us revisit James again:
James 2: 17
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." NIV
James is not saying if you are not working you are not saved. This is instead a plea to put your faith in motion. You shouldn’t just sit on your faith.
As you progress in your sanctification process you will know what you should be doing to help forward the Gospel message. Don’t let anybody pressure you with statements like “ you really need to stretch yourself”, or “ If you are comfortable you are not progressing”, and the worst is, “what do you mean you won’t do …..?” “Are you truly saved?”. Yep, that is the spirit of Pharisee in all it’s gory glory when you are confronted with this kind of garbage.
I also covered Sanctification a little bit last year: Please see the blog entries here:
http://thealterofgod.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-sanctification-walk-sound-familiar.html
http://thealterofgod.blogspot.com/2010/06/sanctification-walk-part-ii.html
Remember this, while the road may be narrow, it is not impossible. When you go through trials don’t let the Pharisees question your salvation. Instead remember the words of Jesus:
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." NIV
Yes, we will have trouble. Sorry, God is all about building character, the Bible is full of examples. So, don’t let anybody question your salvation when you have problems or struggle, instead take heart in knowledge that Christ has overcome the world.
Until the next time, may the LORD Bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Christanity At Our Core - Beware of Legalism
Unfortunately the spirit of Pharisee is alive and prevalent to this very day.
I implore my brothers and sisters to focus on Christ and the core of our faith so that you will be well grounded and will not have any problems wading through all of the “ologies” and “isms” of men.
There are many who come to salvation who are told they still have work to do or are told that “now you have to do,,,,” or that “now you should be doing…..” . Run from those who say you must do, have to do, or should do anything else other than receiving Christ as savior.
There are misguided theologies that teach “faith without works is dead” meaning one is not saved unless they work. It appears to me that is not what James is saying here:
James 2: 17
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Whenever you run into this scripture twisting, run for the hills and find someplace else to attend. Lifting verses out of context to create a pretext is dangerous. Always use scripture to resolve scripture. For example:
Eph 2: 8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
We are saved by grace, not works. James implores us to put our faith in motion and does not say that we have to work to be saved. The difference is HUGE. Paul in Ephesians drives this point home.
Look to the words of Christ to see the only real work required for salvation:
John 6 28:29
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
So, if we do the following it means game, set, match as we are justified before our living GOD and our salvation is secure:
Romans 10: 9
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Don’t let anybody sell you on anything different and don’t let anybody confuse Justification with Sanctification which has been at the root of discourse since the reformation.
None of these statements are meant to imply that we should rest on our “Blessed Assurance” and do nothing. Au contraire! As James implored, put your faith in motion.
Listen to the words in this song by Josh Wilson, my video of the week, as preparation for next weeks message:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B1Lv8k5pEc
Until then, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.
I implore my brothers and sisters to focus on Christ and the core of our faith so that you will be well grounded and will not have any problems wading through all of the “ologies” and “isms” of men.
There are many who come to salvation who are told they still have work to do or are told that “now you have to do,,,,” or that “now you should be doing…..” . Run from those who say you must do, have to do, or should do anything else other than receiving Christ as savior.
There are misguided theologies that teach “faith without works is dead” meaning one is not saved unless they work. It appears to me that is not what James is saying here:
James 2: 17
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Whenever you run into this scripture twisting, run for the hills and find someplace else to attend. Lifting verses out of context to create a pretext is dangerous. Always use scripture to resolve scripture. For example:
Eph 2: 8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
We are saved by grace, not works. James implores us to put our faith in motion and does not say that we have to work to be saved. The difference is HUGE. Paul in Ephesians drives this point home.
Look to the words of Christ to see the only real work required for salvation:
John 6 28:29
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
So, if we do the following it means game, set, match as we are justified before our living GOD and our salvation is secure:
Romans 10: 9
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Don’t let anybody sell you on anything different and don’t let anybody confuse Justification with Sanctification which has been at the root of discourse since the reformation.
None of these statements are meant to imply that we should rest on our “Blessed Assurance” and do nothing. Au contraire! As James implored, put your faith in motion.
Listen to the words in this song by Josh Wilson, my video of the week, as preparation for next weeks message:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B1Lv8k5pEc
Until then, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Christianity At Our Core – Good Friday
Today is the day we commemorate the death of our Lord and Savior. As Dr. J Vernon McGee would say “this is where the rubber meets the road, where our faith gets it traction so to speak”, it’s the day we look squarely at the core of our faith. This is the day Jesus was born for, this is what he came for, to carry our sins to the cross so that we will become his righteousness, a sin covering that allows us to come before Holy God.
2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Today is only the beginning. Sunday is the day we commemorate the resurrection, when Jesus rose from the dead. Without these two events our faith is in vain.
1 Cor 15:17
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Let us take time this weekend to meditate and reflect on these events which is THE core of our faith. The “ologies” and “isms”, the traditions of men, the edicts of the religious, the rantings of the self righteous, have no meaning and no impact, only the cross of Christ and his glorious resurrection, THE GOSPEL, has impact.
This is from a song most recently done by Casting Crowns that was originally an old Hymn from the Presbyterian Hymnal that sums up very well what this weekend, what our faith is all about.
Living he Loved Me
Dying he saved me
Buried He carried my
My sins far away
Rising he justified, Freed me forever
One day he's coming o Glorious day
Until the next time, May the LORD bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.
2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Today is only the beginning. Sunday is the day we commemorate the resurrection, when Jesus rose from the dead. Without these two events our faith is in vain.
1 Cor 15:17
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Let us take time this weekend to meditate and reflect on these events which is THE core of our faith. The “ologies” and “isms”, the traditions of men, the edicts of the religious, the rantings of the self righteous, have no meaning and no impact, only the cross of Christ and his glorious resurrection, THE GOSPEL, has impact.
This is from a song most recently done by Casting Crowns that was originally an old Hymn from the Presbyterian Hymnal that sums up very well what this weekend, what our faith is all about.
Living he Loved Me
Dying he saved me
Buried He carried my
My sins far away
Rising he justified, Freed me forever
One day he's coming o Glorious day
Until the next time, May the LORD bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Christianity – At our Core Part II – Overwhelming Proof
Many times we will be asked why Christians believe that Christ rose from the dead. It’s an absurdity they say, a fairy tale, no one has ever risen from the dead. How can we possibly, 2000 years later, still believe this core truth? It’s quite really simple when you think about it. It comes down to human nature and the fact that nobody dies for a lie.
All of the Apostles were martyred with the possible exception of John. Stephen was the first recorded martyr of the church. (Acts 7). What did he witness that convicted him to point of being stoned to death? The resurrection? He could have been one of the many to witness Christ after the resurrection, or even could have been one of the followers endowed by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Nobody knows for sure but what we do know he was executed, stoned to death for his beliefs. If any of these people were lying do you think for one moment that they would have recanted? Yes, they would have, the moment torture started. Not one did!
Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul the apostle was a mass murderer of members of the early church prior to his conversion. Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus and he wrote much of the New Testament in the form of letters(epistles) that much church doctrine is derived from. Do you really think he went through years of torture and torment and eventually died for a lie? How about his testimony about Stephen?
Acts 22 19-20: “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him." NIV
These are undeniable witnesses.
How rapidly the church grew in spite of the persecution it was under, that it grew under the point of the sword, not at the point of the sword, i.e it wasn't forced, is another stunning testimony to the validity of our faith.
Think about it, pray about it and take heart, for our faith is based on something that is well documented by biblical and extra-biblical sources; the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
My video of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w6YG2NZguc
Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus Name I pray
All of the Apostles were martyred with the possible exception of John. Stephen was the first recorded martyr of the church. (Acts 7). What did he witness that convicted him to point of being stoned to death? The resurrection? He could have been one of the many to witness Christ after the resurrection, or even could have been one of the followers endowed by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Nobody knows for sure but what we do know he was executed, stoned to death for his beliefs. If any of these people were lying do you think for one moment that they would have recanted? Yes, they would have, the moment torture started. Not one did!
Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul the apostle was a mass murderer of members of the early church prior to his conversion. Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus and he wrote much of the New Testament in the form of letters(epistles) that much church doctrine is derived from. Do you really think he went through years of torture and torment and eventually died for a lie? How about his testimony about Stephen?
Acts 22 19-20: “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him." NIV
These are undeniable witnesses.
How rapidly the church grew in spite of the persecution it was under, that it grew under the point of the sword, not at the point of the sword, i.e it wasn't forced, is another stunning testimony to the validity of our faith.
Think about it, pray about it and take heart, for our faith is based on something that is well documented by biblical and extra-biblical sources; the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
My video of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w6YG2NZguc
Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus Name I pray
Friday, April 8, 2011
Christianity - At Our Core
With Easter Sunday coming upon us I was led to meditate and write about the core of my faith, our faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our LORD.
Echoing this core truth somewhere along the line Charles H Spurgeon was asked about his theology and he summed it up in four words “Christ died for me” .
Paul goes deeper here:
1 Cor 15: 12-14
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
It is really simple, if Christ did not die for our sins and did not rise three days later our faith is empty, void of any meaning. Worse yet, Paul follows this up with:
1 Cor 15: 15-19
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
You see, for all of the man made “ologies” and “isms” based on secondary and tertiary issues, if Christ did not die and did not rise our faith is null and void.
So the next time somebody tells you that your faith isn’t strong enough, or that God pre-selected who would be saved, or that you can lose your salvation, ask them what that has to do with the core of our faith.
You see, the very core of our faith, of our salvation rests here:
Romans 10: 9
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
It’s really pretty basic; simple; beautiful; perfect.
Here is an Easter Song if there ever was one. Meditate on this, it goes right to the core:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xODpgyqGCYM
Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.
Echoing this core truth somewhere along the line Charles H Spurgeon was asked about his theology and he summed it up in four words “Christ died for me” .
Paul goes deeper here:
1 Cor 15: 12-14
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
It is really simple, if Christ did not die for our sins and did not rise three days later our faith is empty, void of any meaning. Worse yet, Paul follows this up with:
1 Cor 15: 15-19
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
You see, for all of the man made “ologies” and “isms” based on secondary and tertiary issues, if Christ did not die and did not rise our faith is null and void.
So the next time somebody tells you that your faith isn’t strong enough, or that God pre-selected who would be saved, or that you can lose your salvation, ask them what that has to do with the core of our faith.
You see, the very core of our faith, of our salvation rests here:
Romans 10: 9
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
It’s really pretty basic; simple; beautiful; perfect.
Here is an Easter Song if there ever was one. Meditate on this, it goes right to the core:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xODpgyqGCYM
Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.
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