The Gospel of Reconciliation

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV)

This quote from John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied.

"This accomplished work of reconciliation is the message committed to the messengers of the gospel. It constitutes the content of the message. But the message is that which is declared to be a fact. Conversion, it ought to be remembered, is not the gospel. it is the demand of the gospel message and the proper response to it. Any transformation which occurs in us is the effect in us of that which is proclaimed to have been accomplished by God. The change our hearts and minds presupposes the reconciliation."

Thanks be to God, who accomplished reconciliation through the blood of Christ on our behalf. May we ever stand in awe of His grace and mercy towards undeserving sinners!

How Much Do We Have To Hate Them Not to Proselytize?

Note the description of the man that gave him the Bible - sincere, complementary, SANE, and not defensive. You might say, "Shouldn't we defend the gospel against an atheist?" Yes but not in a way like someone just talked about your momma in middle school. We have been given the Truth and are to sanely interact with those that do not have the Truth. Thank God for the man who was used by God to reach out to Penn. How many of us would be humble and willing enough to do the same? Let this be a wake up call to all of us!

Thanks to the PyroManiacs for posting this first.

The Bible is Better than Being There

From Desiring God by Tyler Kenney.

When it comes to knowing and believing the truth, are we worse off today than the Israelites who heard God speak from heaven or the apostles who physically sat at Jesus’ feet when he taught?

Or could having the Bible be better than actually being there when its events took place?

Here are 3 reasons we’re better off with our Bibles.

1. Scripture interprets the biblical events for us.

First-hand exposure to the historical acts of God isn’t always the best path to understanding. When Jesus foretold his death and resurrection to the disciples—even giving details about how he would be flogged, spit upon, killed, and raised on the third day—Luke states clearly that “they understood none of these things” (18:34). The disciples were unable to grasp what he said, though they heard the very words of Jesus.

We, on the other hand, the readers of Luke’s Gospel, know exactly what Jesus meant. We have the event interpreted for us in Scripture, clearly shown to be the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies and an accurate prediction of the events that would soon take place.

That’s not to say that Scripture is better just because it contains more facts. Even after witnessing Christ’s death and resurrection, and having him stand in their midst and show them his scars, the disciples still doubted. They didn’t understand what was going on even though all the historical facts were right in front of them.

What they needed was help to process and place those facts within the framework of God’s revelation. Thus Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” and showed them from the Old Testament the significance of what they were witnessing (see Luke 24:36-48).

Like the disciples, we need an interpretation of history in order to grasp God’s meaning in it. We need someone with understanding to take the data, select the significant things said or done, and portray them in an understandable way.

This is precisely what Scripture is: a selective (John 21:25) yet entirely sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3-4) depiction of what God has done.

2. Scripture’s interpretation is inspired.

No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

We need an interpretation of the past, but we don’t want just any interpretation. We want the Holy Spirit’s. We want an explanation by God himself that accurately conveys the true significance of what he has done and then penetrates our stubborn hearts with it.

Because the Holy Spirit inspired it, Scripture has the precision and power to teach people in a way that supersedes what they could ever learn on their own through direct exposure to the events. As Jesus says,

It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.… When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. (John 16:7, 13)

3. Scripture appeals to our inner being.

One danger of having front row seats to God’s actions in history is that we could confuse our response to the mode of revelation with our response to the meaning of it.

We would certainly marvel to hear the Father speak through a thundercloud or to see Jesus walk on water. But we could easily come away from such events with only a natural thrill, rather than any spiritual apprehension of what they meant.

Scripture guards us from this danger simply by being a book. It wasn’t written to wow our physical senses, but, rather, as an appeal to our spiritual sense.

Wouldn’t God know the best way to reveal himself in order to build an authentic body of believers?

Yes. So he inspired men to write, “that [we] may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

What Difference Does Believing This Make?

There are at least two effects of realizing that we are better off with our Bibles than with a time machine to the past.

1. More appreciation for having the Bible.

Rather than using Scripture as a tool for conducting our own analysis of historical events, we can read it as already being its own perfect analysis. The investigation has been done (Luke 1:1-4). We don’t have to “wish we’d been there.” We have what we need in the text.

2. More encouragement to share the Word.

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man is in hell pleading with Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to convince his still-living brothers to repent.

But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead’ (Luke 16:29-31).

We don’t need supernatural signs to have an effective witness. We just need to present the Word of God. It is supernatural in itself and more powerful to convince hard-hearted sinners than anything else.

Behold His Glory

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
- Psalm 19:1-3

Tonight, as I gaze into the moon lit sky only feet from the ocean I am consumed with the glory of God. I have been at the beach for nearly 10 days now and have seen the coming and passing of a full moon. Along with this constant cycle of the moon, the tide has changed as well. On arrival the tide was out in the morning and high in the afternoon and evening. Once the full moon appeared the tide reversed with its height in the morning and recession in the evening. What a wonder creation is! In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. What a profound phrase. Not only did God create the heavens and the earth but He did so with purpose (telos). Foremost for His own glory and then to sustain life for mankind so that we in response to a glorious God, would glorify Him. God did not only create the heavens and the earth but sustains it, or even better, is sovereign over all of it. Everything has been designed for a specific purpose and was set forth by God to accomplish and also sustained by God to continue in that purpose. The moon does not only reflect the light of the sun to bring light upon the darken earth but is the tool by which God orchestrates the tides of the ocean. Amazing! Do I dare say that I understand the workings of all of nature? Not at all. But I do dare say that I know God is sovereign and in Him can I trust not only to be the Creator of all things but the sustainer as well.

Why is this of importance? If God is the Creator of all things then He has created you and I. If when God creates, He creates with purpose/intention/telos , as with the moon and the tides then He has created us for a purpose. If God is the sovereign sustainer of all things then we are only here by His mercy and grace. To not to respond to such a majestic and glorious God with worship and a surrendered life would be as unfathomable as the sun refusing to shine. He is the reason we are here and the greatest treasure to behold. The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and they are calling us to come and worship with our lives. Take a moment to see the glory of the sovereign God.

STOP IT!

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? - Romans 6:1-2

I saw this clip on another blog relating it to the topic I wish to expound. While the clip is quite hilarious, there is a seriousness to it. The blog I found it on related the prescription given by Bob Newhart to "Stop it!" to God's declaration to the believer on dealing with sin. How is the believer to be in relationship to sin? We are to "Stop It!" Just as it was repeated within in the clip with every excuse or reasoning, so God's Word continually commands for us to stop sinning time after time.

Romans 6 declares that we are dead to sin because of our unity with Christ and His death burial and resurrection. Throughout the rest of the book of Romans, believers are directed to seek holiness of life and mind (12:1-2). In each of the epistles, Paul addresses the issue of sin and encourages the believer to be rid of it at all costs. In Colossians 3 we are told to put to death the members/desires of the flesh and to put off (completely leave behind) the old man and its desires. Not only is this a common theme found in Paul, but it is the constant reproof of our Lord. Jesus when encountering those living in open sin tells them to go and sin no more. It is interesting to see that the one being addressed does not turn to Jesus and begin to make excuses like "I cannot help it", "I am compelled to do it," or "it's just too hard." While those that encountered Jesus were left without excuse, most of us today pull out any excuse to try to justify or reason away our sins but we, just as those before us, are without excuse. If we are Spirit-filled, regenerated, justified, being sanctified, and awaiting to be glorified then we are completely without excuse before God and man when we sin. Sin is the very reason which Jesus died. This does not show forth a lacking on God's part but a tremendous fault on our part. It is our own unbelief of who God is, what He has done on our behalf, His promises for us and His sufficiency that breeds the temptations we encounter. Our idolatry for the false pleasures and treasures of this world exhausts our love for God causing us to be left with nothing to offer Him. When it comes down to it we must ask ourselves: What/Whom do I love the most? God or the things of this world? What am I trusting for what I need/desire? If we are not reading His Word, seeking His will through prayer and in constant submission (dying daily) then the war against sin will never be won. Psalm 119:11 says " I have stored your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Store up His Word, Seek His will and when it comes to sin just Stop It!

New Question!

Have you ever questioned why God only provided one way? Or have you ever had someone ask you that or argue that there cannot be just one way? It is a tough question to handle, especially in our pluralistic culture, but I believe if we understand who God is and who we are then we and everyone else should be asking another question: Why did God provide any way of salvation? The video below explains everything:

Are All "Open Doors" a Confirmation from God?

It has often been said, "If God opens a door you should go through it" or "if God makes a way, take it." While that sounds encouraging and very pastoral, is it biblical? I have struggled with this concept ever since I surrendered my life to God for ministry. The picture painted by this phrasing leads me, if not others, to believe that if a door has been opened there is your answer without any problems and/or confusion. In my experience this has not been the case. Along the way it seemed as though I had rusty doors that may have been cracked a little but needed a good pulling to get open and others were wide open with a tripping hazard as I went through. As I encountered such situations I began to wonder if I could open a door myself or if God would allow me to open a door of my own choosing.

Biblically man is fallen because of sin. That means he is dead spiritually (can do nothing to please God), his health is fallen (prone to deterioration), his intellect is fallen (cannot fully understanding things truly without God's illumination) and his will is fallen (desires to sin or live contrary to God's will). The Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it (Jeremiah 17:9). This being so, when we come to decisions in life, as discerning or biblically minded as we may be, can we still choose wrongly/selfishly even if it appears to be a supposed open door? First we must understand the how the "door" gets "open." Most Christians would say that it is God that opens the door and if there is such a thing as a door, I would agree that it is God who opens it. The problem is whether that door being open is a confirmation from God or not? If it is not a confirmation from God then what is it? I propose that it is God letting us, at times, chase after our own desires (for good or for worse). Some may think that sounds bad of God but it is really the fault on our side. Think about it; if you pray and pray for something and God has revealed to you that it is better that you don't have or do whatever you have been praying about and you continue to ask for it and then He allows it even to your detriment, who is at fault. We are! God said no therefore the answer is no. Remember the purpose of prayer is not to get God to do what we want Him to do but to get us in alignment with His will and purpose for our lives. This being so, then it would be fair to say that not every "open door" (though some are) that we come across in life is God saying this is what I want you to do.

Two examples: The first is Balaam from Number 22-24. As crazy as the story of Balaam is (especially the talking donkey), he is an example of this problem of whether or not an "open door" is a yes from God or Him letting us go our own selfish ways. Balaam is a false prophet from Pethor with the ability from God to curse people. The Israelites were securing the lands of the Transjordan and the Moabites were fearful that they were next to be conquered. The king, Balak, knowing of Balaam's ability to curse, sent his messengers to him with a bride to come with the king and curse the Israelites. Balaam told the messengers that he had to ask God if he could go and God responded no for he could not curse Israel, whom He had blessed. Balaam tells the messengers and they return to the king and he sends them back with a higher offer for Balaam's assistance. Balaam, intrigued by the money and knowing the answer from God was no, again tells the messengers that he had to ask God. Knowing Balaam's greedy heart, God told Balaam to go (an open door) but that he could not curse Israel. The next verse in the passage says that God was angry that Balaam went with them and was against him from that moment. What can be taken from this? Though there was an "open door" placed before Balaam to go with the Moabites, it was not what God wanted and He was against Balaam afterwards. God, if we ignore His answers to our prayers, will "open doors" for us, giving us what we want (for the worse).

The second example is Israel before they had a king. Throughout its history before having a king, Israel had been ruled by judges and prophets but they were not happy with the way that God had founded their nation. The last prophet to lead the land was Samuel and as he aged, his sons did not following in his ways and the Israelites demanded a king like the other nations around them. The Lord in response, said to Samuel that they were not rejecting him but that they were rejecting God Himself. Then He tells Samuel to warn them of what would come along with a king. Refusing to listen to Samuel the people continued to demand a king, so God told Samuel to appoint a king. From that moment on we can see a steady downfall of the nation through the ways of their kings. Just as Balaam had asked and gotten the answer no so the people of Israel were going against God's desire for them but He allowed them to have what they wanted (opened a door) for the worse. We, sometimes, do the same things. We see the ways in which the world is prospering and we want our spiritual lives and church to be the same way, so we set out in prayer asking God to provide this success and when we get "no" from Him, in our selfishness we press on ahead and open the door ourselves (with God giving us over to what we want).

When we come across a decision (fork in the road) in life we MUST do several things. First we must examine ourselves. Is this a decision or open door that I want to go through of selfish motives or is it something that can only be done in humility with the strength of God? We must discern our hearts because they even deceive us. Make sure that you have not pushed the door open yourself when God closed it in the first place. Secondly we must seek God in prayer. Not just once but without ceasing until we are given the peace of God of a "yes, no, maybe later." Thirdly, we must get godly not friendly counsel from those that have been there and done it (and done it well to the glory of God). Lastly we must be in His Word to know what God is like and how we are to live. In concluding: Are all "open doors"a confirmation from God that you are doing what He wants? We have seen that not all are Him saying yes but rather some, by our fault, are opened because God is allowing us to do what we want because we would not listen to Him. This is the hard part of life and I have found especially hard in ministry. Everything in ministry can be seen as doing what God wants but many times we do things because we want to and to make us happy or look good to others. So please be discerning, examine yourselves, study the Bible and pray, Pray, PRAY!