I've started re-reading the gospel of John and paying special attention to it from a fresh new perspective. I am noticing things in it that I've never seen before and want to show how clearly the doctrines of grace are spread through out this book.
The first few verses that really caught my eye were v: 11-13
It says that the Lord Jesus, "came to His own", He is God the Creator from whom all things "came into being" and He came in the flesh among His creation. However, "those who were His own did not receive Him". His own, mankind and the nation of Israel, did not recognize Him nor did they receive Him as Messiah as a whole.
"But as many as received Him", those who did "believe in His name" were given "the right to become children of God". Some DID believe in Him - notice the word 'many' which will come later in Mark's gospel rendition - "He came to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mk 10:45) These 'many' have believed and received Him.
Notice also that those who became the children of God, were not born:
1) "of blood" - not through family, nor of physical inheritance, not because the parents were believers, not because they belonged to the chosen people of God
2) "nor of the will of the flesh" - not because of anything in us that desired Him nor because we wanted to believe in Him, for "those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh" (Rom 8:5) and "those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom 8:8)
3) "nor of the will of man" - can it be more clear that it's not due to the 'free will' of man, that man has anything within his will that would freely and completely choose Him? Without God's intervention, our wills are incapable of choosing Him.
BUT OF GOD:
Man cannot and will not believe in God without a work of the Holy Spirit in his heart. Belief in Him, receiving Him, becoming a child of God - all are bestowed by God, by His grace alone and not because of anything found in man.
Praise Him for His marvelous grace!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Theology
We need to be reminded that studying theology is not about obtaining vast amounts of intellectual knowledge in order to puff oneself up. We don't study theology because we love it (we do!) or because we are captivated by it (we are) and because it's thrilling (it is) to study it. I love this quote by Sinclair B. Ferguson:
"The goal of theology is the worship of God. The posture of theology is on one's knees. The mode of theology is repentance."
"The goal of theology is the worship of God. The posture of theology is on one's knees. The mode of theology is repentance."
Monday, April 21, 2008
What's the Big Deal?
I know you might be wondering: "What's the big deal about so-called Calvinism? About the doctrines of grace? I believe it to be true - I agree with most points. What is so different or so compelling about it that you border on fanaticism?"
I've been wanting to write something to share this but can't seem to find the words, nor the time. However, I found an article by Piper that reflects my feelings about how these doctrines have changed my life. How they have transformed the way I view God, view salvation, view my sinfulness, view my place in this world. It changed the way I worship, the way I pray, the way I view circumstances and events. It changed the way I thank Him, the way I don't thank me, the way I study and look and feel about the Scriptures. My heart is burning within me, I want to talk to you about Him but sometimes don't know how - because I want to burst with the wonderful knowledge of it all. It's too wonderful for me!
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2002/1519_Ten_Effects_of_Believing_in_the_Five_Points_of_Calvinism/
In fact, nothing is more important to me than knowing God. The One, True God of the Bible. I have grown up with a misdirected, watered-down version of the gospel - which in some cases is not the gospel at all. Ask me about it. Let's chat. I am not eloquent in my explanation but can assure you that what we've traditionally considered right is not worthy of Him. I'm not undermining what you believe or think. I'm not judging your passion for Him or your love of Christ. Surely you love Him. I'm writing about ME and what I've experienced.
Modern-day, American Christianity has turned into a pop-culture, trendy, feel-good, self-serving, money-venture reminiscent of the group of thieves in front of God's Holy temple. It's produced Christians who are secure in self-convinced assurance, man-made quips and a God who is 'safe'. Perhaps you think I'm exaggerating? For years, I've wondered: if the Holy Spirit is as powerful and life-changing as the Bible claims, wouldn't the Christian, as the temple of this Holy Spirit, be completely transformed? What is all this wishy-washiness in my life? Why the dryness? Why the laziness? Why the weakness? Why the disinterest?
We are sinners. The more I learn about God and His Word, the more I tremble before Him. How inadequate, how unable, how truly lost I am without Him!! I can NOT dig myself out of some of the deep pits I've dug, how much less can I dig myself out of my spiritual bottomless pit! You know that picture of the sinner who God wants to save, the picture of God holding out the ticket, the life-jacket, the hand that saves and Julie, reaching up in order to take it, accepting it, asking and willing to receive it? That's the picture we have of a sinner being saved and our responsibility to reach out our hand and take it. Well, that's giving us too much credit.
The true picture is more like this: I am completely dead in my sins. I was born dead. In fact, I'm so dead that I stink. I have absolutely no power in me to even reach out. To even call out to Jesus, Lord save me! As one person said it, I'm more like the man "at the bottom of the ocean in the Marianas trench, more than thirty-five thousand feet deep. The weight of the water on top of him is six tons for every square inch. He has been there for a thousand years and the sharks have eaten his heart. In other words, the man is dead and is totally unable to ask any lifeguard to save him. If he is to be saved, a miracle must occur. He must be brought back to life and to the surface, and then he can ask the guard to rescue him."
I'm rotting in the grave and then it's the Lord Jesus, who calls out, "Julie, come forth!" Am I alive the moment I take the first step? The moment I put one foot in front of the other? No, I'm alive when He breathes life in me, when the Holy Spirit infuses His power that gives me the strength to even put one ounce of energy into that dead corpse.
Can I tell you something? The gospel that is proclaimed - as sincere as it may be - and even as much as God still produces true believers, of that I have no doubt, - the proclaimed gospel nowadays is somewhat 'goatish'. What I mean by that is that the gospel as many know it has produced 'goats' instead of true 'sheep'. I'm grieved to consider that there will be many who believe they are saved and at the last day will say, "Lord, Lord." But the Lord will say, "I never knew you." I believe there are many, who are psychologically convinced they are saved, have some form of behavioral modification, moral improvements and even have inner moments of peace, joy, happiness, love etc. They have 'tasted' the heavenly gift and have been made a partaker of the Holy Spirit and the blessings He produces - yet, they are not truly saved. Be aware that it is not 'fruit' when you stop smoking, drinking, cursing and watching horror movies. These are all things that can be mustered up even in an unregenerate life. I have more to say on this, not to leave you hanging but this deserves a post all on its own. Let us examine ourselves. Do we truly believe? What do we truly believe? Who do we truly believe in? What evidence is there that shows that we truly believe? It's a frightening and humbling exercise. Let me tell you.
It's such a big deal. It's an all-encompassing deal. Let's talk about it. Blog about it. Email about it. Whatever it takes to hash it out so that we look at God as the Sovereign, Sufficient, Supreme God that He truly is. He is the Big Deal.
I've been wanting to write something to share this but can't seem to find the words, nor the time. However, I found an article by Piper that reflects my feelings about how these doctrines have changed my life. How they have transformed the way I view God, view salvation, view my sinfulness, view my place in this world. It changed the way I worship, the way I pray, the way I view circumstances and events. It changed the way I thank Him, the way I don't thank me, the way I study and look and feel about the Scriptures. My heart is burning within me, I want to talk to you about Him but sometimes don't know how - because I want to burst with the wonderful knowledge of it all. It's too wonderful for me!
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2002/1519_Ten_Effects_of_Believing_in_the_Five_Points_of_Calvinism/
In fact, nothing is more important to me than knowing God. The One, True God of the Bible. I have grown up with a misdirected, watered-down version of the gospel - which in some cases is not the gospel at all. Ask me about it. Let's chat. I am not eloquent in my explanation but can assure you that what we've traditionally considered right is not worthy of Him. I'm not undermining what you believe or think. I'm not judging your passion for Him or your love of Christ. Surely you love Him. I'm writing about ME and what I've experienced.
Modern-day, American Christianity has turned into a pop-culture, trendy, feel-good, self-serving, money-venture reminiscent of the group of thieves in front of God's Holy temple. It's produced Christians who are secure in self-convinced assurance, man-made quips and a God who is 'safe'. Perhaps you think I'm exaggerating? For years, I've wondered: if the Holy Spirit is as powerful and life-changing as the Bible claims, wouldn't the Christian, as the temple of this Holy Spirit, be completely transformed? What is all this wishy-washiness in my life? Why the dryness? Why the laziness? Why the weakness? Why the disinterest?
We are sinners. The more I learn about God and His Word, the more I tremble before Him. How inadequate, how unable, how truly lost I am without Him!! I can NOT dig myself out of some of the deep pits I've dug, how much less can I dig myself out of my spiritual bottomless pit! You know that picture of the sinner who God wants to save, the picture of God holding out the ticket, the life-jacket, the hand that saves and Julie, reaching up in order to take it, accepting it, asking and willing to receive it? That's the picture we have of a sinner being saved and our responsibility to reach out our hand and take it. Well, that's giving us too much credit.
The true picture is more like this: I am completely dead in my sins. I was born dead. In fact, I'm so dead that I stink. I have absolutely no power in me to even reach out. To even call out to Jesus, Lord save me! As one person said it, I'm more like the man "at the bottom of the ocean in the Marianas trench, more than thirty-five thousand feet deep. The weight of the water on top of him is six tons for every square inch. He has been there for a thousand years and the sharks have eaten his heart. In other words, the man is dead and is totally unable to ask any lifeguard to save him. If he is to be saved, a miracle must occur. He must be brought back to life and to the surface, and then he can ask the guard to rescue him."
I'm rotting in the grave and then it's the Lord Jesus, who calls out, "Julie, come forth!" Am I alive the moment I take the first step? The moment I put one foot in front of the other? No, I'm alive when He breathes life in me, when the Holy Spirit infuses His power that gives me the strength to even put one ounce of energy into that dead corpse.
Can I tell you something? The gospel that is proclaimed - as sincere as it may be - and even as much as God still produces true believers, of that I have no doubt, - the proclaimed gospel nowadays is somewhat 'goatish'. What I mean by that is that the gospel as many know it has produced 'goats' instead of true 'sheep'. I'm grieved to consider that there will be many who believe they are saved and at the last day will say, "Lord, Lord." But the Lord will say, "I never knew you." I believe there are many, who are psychologically convinced they are saved, have some form of behavioral modification, moral improvements and even have inner moments of peace, joy, happiness, love etc. They have 'tasted' the heavenly gift and have been made a partaker of the Holy Spirit and the blessings He produces - yet, they are not truly saved. Be aware that it is not 'fruit' when you stop smoking, drinking, cursing and watching horror movies. These are all things that can be mustered up even in an unregenerate life. I have more to say on this, not to leave you hanging but this deserves a post all on its own. Let us examine ourselves. Do we truly believe? What do we truly believe? Who do we truly believe in? What evidence is there that shows that we truly believe? It's a frightening and humbling exercise. Let me tell you.
It's such a big deal. It's an all-encompassing deal. Let's talk about it. Blog about it. Email about it. Whatever it takes to hash it out so that we look at God as the Sovereign, Sufficient, Supreme God that He truly is. He is the Big Deal.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Bible Ribbon Markers
Link to allthingsbookish.com or my blog: http://allthingsbookish.blogspot.com/ to see FaithMarks.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Doctrinal Whirlwind in 2007
The past 9 months have been full of confusion, revelation, realization, transformation. I thought that I knew and understood what I believe in and then I experienced my deep-seated belief system come tumbling down as the very foundation got shaken. Starting with the Romans study in BSF and the lecture in Romans 9-11 - I have been passionately and compulsively studying the doctrine of grace otherwise commonly known as Calvinism. I hate to label things because while studying I realize that I am studying Scripture and trying to interpret Scripture with Scripture not just interpret Scripture through the lens of some human interpretation. How difficult it's been! I have been shaken up because my very view of God seems to be faulty! The more I am studying the higher my view of God - however, it's been a mix of a sense of awe, terror and reverence - for God really is the AWESOME, All-powerful and Sovereign God that I claimed to believe in.
I have no problem with the first part of the TULIP - namely Total Depravity. It is clear in the Bible that man left to himself would not choose God - there is none righteous, none who does good, none who seeks Him. Although we are not all living in our totally depraved state, the Bible is clear that without His grace and mercy, we would not even have the desire to seek Him. There is nothing good in us apart from Him. To me, this is clear - over and over again.
Unconditional election - Or more like, Sovereign Election - This too seems very well supported scripturally but it's tough to understand. Some are chosen by God to be saved. He chose us before the foundation of the world to be His. This doesn't mean that God foreknew who would choose Him therefore He elected us. That would truly put the power in man's choice - his free will - but that really supplants God. Man will choose therefore God elects? The order seems wrong doesn't it? The word foreknow doesn't even apply to knowing ahead of time an action - rather, it talks about foreknowing someone, foreknowing the relationship with His elect, fore-loving His own, if that makes sense. Over and over again, Scripture tells us that God chooses us, God calls us, God gives us the faith to believe and God draws us to Him. I have always thought that yes, God does draw us to Himself but from then on it's up to us to accept or receive His gift of eternal life. This is partly true in that we have the responsibility to believe or reject the Lord Jesus but this cannot happen without the Holy Spirit working in us.
Limited atonement - or as someone put it, definitive atonement? This is to say that Christ died for the elect and only the elect. That the power of His death was not an umbrella atonement that covers the sin of all mankind - and it's up to the individual to go under the 'blood' so to speak in order to be saved. When Jesus died, was His death sufficient to forgive sins and atone for the sins of all who believe? Of course! But saying that Jesus' death did atone but we have to choose to accept really nullifies the efficacy of His blood. He paid the price for sinners, therefore there is no more debt. However, there are those who have died and have gone to hell because they have refused to believe - therefore, the penalty was paid twice - once by Christ and once by the sinner. All that to say that Jesus died to save those whom the Father gave to Him. He didn't die for all mankind. Isn't that so different than what I grew up with? It's hard to swallow but I have scripture to back it up.
Irresistible Grace - I prefer effectual grace - is that when God calls us in Christ and gives us the faith and the desire to receive - we are compelled to believe, compelled to receive. Because He has given us the faith necessary to believe we're able to. There's more to be said on all this but for now, just a summary!
Last but not least, the perseverance of the Saints. This not only includes the common understanding of eternal security, "Once saved, always saved." It's so much more than that!! It has to do with truly being born again, truly being sealed with the Holy Spirit, truly adopted into the family of our Heavenly Father and then God preserving us until the end. There is eternal fruit that manifests itself in the life of a true believer. I often did wonder how a person can really be saved and then go on and on in sin. I found that to be so inconsistent with what I was reading in Scripture. This is now making sense. We hear of those who claimed to be a believer who became a muslim or atheist. We hear of those who were in the missionary field and then forsook the Christian faith that took them there. Of course, true believers can fail and even carry on in sin temporarily but a true believer will not persist living in that sinful condition.
There's so much for me to write! I will be recording some of my thoughts in the next little while. If you're reading this, leave me a comment!
I have no problem with the first part of the TULIP - namely Total Depravity. It is clear in the Bible that man left to himself would not choose God - there is none righteous, none who does good, none who seeks Him. Although we are not all living in our totally depraved state, the Bible is clear that without His grace and mercy, we would not even have the desire to seek Him. There is nothing good in us apart from Him. To me, this is clear - over and over again.
Unconditional election - Or more like, Sovereign Election - This too seems very well supported scripturally but it's tough to understand. Some are chosen by God to be saved. He chose us before the foundation of the world to be His. This doesn't mean that God foreknew who would choose Him therefore He elected us. That would truly put the power in man's choice - his free will - but that really supplants God. Man will choose therefore God elects? The order seems wrong doesn't it? The word foreknow doesn't even apply to knowing ahead of time an action - rather, it talks about foreknowing someone, foreknowing the relationship with His elect, fore-loving His own, if that makes sense. Over and over again, Scripture tells us that God chooses us, God calls us, God gives us the faith to believe and God draws us to Him. I have always thought that yes, God does draw us to Himself but from then on it's up to us to accept or receive His gift of eternal life. This is partly true in that we have the responsibility to believe or reject the Lord Jesus but this cannot happen without the Holy Spirit working in us.
Limited atonement - or as someone put it, definitive atonement? This is to say that Christ died for the elect and only the elect. That the power of His death was not an umbrella atonement that covers the sin of all mankind - and it's up to the individual to go under the 'blood' so to speak in order to be saved. When Jesus died, was His death sufficient to forgive sins and atone for the sins of all who believe? Of course! But saying that Jesus' death did atone but we have to choose to accept really nullifies the efficacy of His blood. He paid the price for sinners, therefore there is no more debt. However, there are those who have died and have gone to hell because they have refused to believe - therefore, the penalty was paid twice - once by Christ and once by the sinner. All that to say that Jesus died to save those whom the Father gave to Him. He didn't die for all mankind. Isn't that so different than what I grew up with? It's hard to swallow but I have scripture to back it up.
Irresistible Grace - I prefer effectual grace - is that when God calls us in Christ and gives us the faith and the desire to receive - we are compelled to believe, compelled to receive. Because He has given us the faith necessary to believe we're able to. There's more to be said on all this but for now, just a summary!
Last but not least, the perseverance of the Saints. This not only includes the common understanding of eternal security, "Once saved, always saved." It's so much more than that!! It has to do with truly being born again, truly being sealed with the Holy Spirit, truly adopted into the family of our Heavenly Father and then God preserving us until the end. There is eternal fruit that manifests itself in the life of a true believer. I often did wonder how a person can really be saved and then go on and on in sin. I found that to be so inconsistent with what I was reading in Scripture. This is now making sense. We hear of those who claimed to be a believer who became a muslim or atheist. We hear of those who were in the missionary field and then forsook the Christian faith that took them there. Of course, true believers can fail and even carry on in sin temporarily but a true believer will not persist living in that sinful condition.
There's so much for me to write! I will be recording some of my thoughts in the next little while. If you're reading this, leave me a comment!
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