Bible Study Notes http://dtbrents.wordpress.com My blog is a collection of my favorite Bible study articles. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:10:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ en hourly 1 http://www.gravatar.com/blavatar/2cc7f1814ddf774f2218156b8405627b?s=96&d=http://s.wordpress.com/i/buttonw-com.png Bible Study Notes http://dtbrents.wordpress.com The Simple Woman’s Daybook~November 9th Edition http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/1542/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/1542/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:02:33 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1542 ]]>

Monday, November 9, 2009

The Simple Woman’s Daybook~November 9th Edition

 

2cc7f1814ddf774f2218156b8405627b

A Gracious Home

Join Peggy and other daybook writers here. I hope you have a great week. Doylene

FOR TODAY… from Doylene’s daybook

Outside my window… it’s a little dreary looking. The leaves have fallen and left the trees looking bare.

I am thinking… what a wonderful time all of the family had at my granddaughter Adrian’s baby shower. She is having a girl and will name he Maddie. I can hardly wait for her to arrive.

I am thankful for… the strength the Lord gives me to accomplish my housework.

I am wearing… lounging pjs.

I am remembering… last Thanksgiving and how much fun the family had. I can’t believe it’s time for another one already. Time flies when you’re my age.

I am going… to the frozen food outlets to buy dinners and chicken to put in the freezer.

I am reading… The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall. It’s a beautiful book and I’m enjoying it very much. I won this book on the blog A Well Watered Garden.

I am hoping…to reach my goal of two lbs lost by next Monday. It’s not easy to lose weight for me.

On my mind… the trip to Branson on the 19th. I’m going with my sisters and Mama. We will have a great time.

From the learning rooms… Dakota and I start on the second DVD of My Baby Can Read. She’s doing a great job with her words. She enjoys it a lot.

Noticing that… my house has been neglected this last week. I’ve been in too much pain to stand for very long. I will start my back exercises today.

Pondering these words… A word fitly spoken in like apples of gold in pictures of silver. — Proverbs 25:11

From the kitchen… not much. I cleaned it and made coffee, oatmeal with cottage cheese and blueberries.

Around the house… Mason is sleeping, Dakota is playing with her toys making gleeful sounds.

One of my favorite things~ reading other ladies blogs. It’s like visiting their homes.

Please thank me for reading your blog on your blog. I love your comments and conversation. I read all the precious comments I get. They are very encouraging to me. Thank you for visiting my blog. Doylene

From my picture journal.. This is my daughter Darla and Dakota at Playworld.

at 5:24 AM

Posted in The Simple Woman's Daybook Tagged: Christian Blog, Christian Family, christian home, christian marriage, Martha Peace, Prayer, religion, The Simple Woman's Daybook~November 9th Edition, Writing ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/1542/feed/ 0 dtbrents 2cc7f1814ddf774f2218156b8405627b The Simple Womans Daybook http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/the-simple-womans-daybook-2/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/the-simple-womans-daybook-2/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:52:26 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1539 ]]>
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Monday, November 2, 2009


The Simple Womans Daybook

FOR TODAY…Nov. 2~09

Outside my window… the sun is shining brightly. It’s chilly this morning.

I am thinking… about what a great day the family had at Sage’s birthday party. It was at play world so every one had a lot of fun. Sage was one.

I am thankful … for a loving and supportive family who can depend on one another for love and support.

I am wearing… blue pjs

I am remembering… last year when Sage was born. I was lucky enough to see her birth. She is a beautiful baby. I want to see her more so she won’t cry when she looks at me.

I am going… to Mama’s Tuesday if Jerry isn’t off work. If he take a day off we are going to drive to the Ozarks for the day.

I am reading.. Silver Boxes by Florence Littauer

I am hoping..Dakota will have lots of fun today with me.

On my mind… is losing weight. I have gained ten lbs. I pray it doesn’t take ten years to lose it.

From the learning rooms… Dakota and I will be watching the My Baby Can Read DVD.

Noticing that… the trees that were glowing yellow last week are not glowing today.
Pondering these words… “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (Ephesians 6:18)”

From the kitchen… for lunch we will have veg beef soup that I made yesterday.

Around the house… I have a lot to do. I need to put the house back in order. Jerry wants to paint inside before Thanksgiving and buy new furniture for two of the bedrooms.

One of my favorite things~ is Adi spending the night with me. She stayed Friday night and was so good. She played games on the xbox. Janice and Hoppie gave her a real good game for children.

From my picture journal…

This is Sage. She will be one on the 5th of this month.

To read other daybooks or to join us in writing on go to~~ The Simple Womans Daybook

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

21 comments:

Karen said…
What a cute baby! Your vegetable soup sounds good. I enjoyed reading your daybook, and hope you have a terrific week! Karen

November 2, 2009 6:26 AM
Arlene said…
Your granddaughter sure is precious! What a joy to be able to enjoy her. Have a blessed week.

November 2, 2009 6:52 AM
ruth said…
Very cute baby!!!

I always look forward to Mondays to read your Daybook! And I enjoy my visit today. Thanks!

November 2, 2009 7:00 AM
One More Equals Four said…
What a precious baby! MMMM, that vegetable soup sounds delicious. I am trying to lose weight as well. I lost 10 pounds last year and have manged to put every bit of it back on…shucks! Good luck and have a great week!

November 2, 2009 7:38 AM
Shirley… said…
Sage is a beautiful name and she is a beautiful baby!

Have a wonderful week!

November 2, 2009 7:39 AM
Patty said…
Beautiful picture. I have Florence Littauer’s “Silver Boxes”. I read it several years ago and passed it along to my sister. She just gave it back to me recently. A great reminder of being careful with our words. May you bless and be blessed with “silver boxes” today.

November 2, 2009 11:11 AM
Love Bears All Things said…
I was able to see the birth of the Princess. It was a beautiful moment with my daughter. I’ll never forget how blessed I felt to be a part of it.
Sounds like you get to spend lots of time with your wee ones.
Have a blessed week. Getting new furniture will be fun.
Mama Bear

November 2, 2009 1:14 PM
LISA said…
Happy Birthday Sage!
Veggie beef soup sounds wonderful, yum.
Thanks for sharing your Daybook, have a blessed week.

November 2, 2009 7:54 PM
Blessings from Southwestern , Michigan said…
Happy Birthday to Beautiful Sage!
I Enjoyed your day book. Have a wonderful week.
~~Hugs~`
Blessings

November 2, 2009 8:13 PM
Gae said…
Dear Doylene,
I love the name Sage. I love unusual names. How wonderful to read your daybook. I didn’t get to mine this week- too hard with extra medical problems.
God Bless

November 3, 2009 5:37 AM
Stephani said…
Beautiful site. I had forgotten about Silver Boxes. I read it several years ago. A worthy read. You have a beautiful family and I can see a beautiful spirit.

November 3, 2009 6:19 AM
Karen said…
What a love, unique web design! And a very darling grandaughter:) Thanks for stopping by my place, Doylene.

November 3, 2009 6:17 PM
Brittany said…
Sage is a beauty! Her eyes are so striking!

Great Ephesians verse. Thank you for sharing it!

It was great to have you stop by my blog today! Thanks for following me! Please come by often. I am posting a super yummy bbq chicken pizza recipe tomorrow. :)

Hugs!

November 3, 2009 6:45 PM
Mrs. Santos said…
Hello Mrs. Brents:

Thank you so much for visiting our blog. Your Sage is very beautiful and it is so nice to hear about a family getting together. Most (all) of my family lives out of state and so I only get to “hear” about all the family gatherings. I’ve heard Silver Boxes is a good book, but haven’t read it…maybe it is at my library…I’ll see.

Happy Day to you and again, thanks for your visit and comments.

Mrs. Santos

November 3, 2009 7:21 PM
elm said…
OH… the dreaded 10… I will be working at so much more than 10 pounds just around the corner!! Baby is due Dec 3… and then it is eat eat eat to feed feed feed and it is so hard to condition yourself to lose that weight!!! Oh, well… it can be done, right?!!!

My mom was present to see the births of my first two children and it was so special. She has quite the bond with them – not that she doesn’t with any others, but those first two… ah, it is sweet to think she knew them from their birthday moment!

Thanks for stopping by the treehouse and jumping in the leaves with me!! :)

November 3, 2009 9:04 PM
Tracy said…
Sage is a pretty baby…love her name, too! Enjoyed your Daybook, Doylene. :)

November 4, 2009 6:14 AM
Michelle said…
Your granddaughter is a cutie!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog. And the starter did work. I’ll be blogging about it later today.

November 4, 2009 6:22 AM
Angi (Mistress_of_Mayhem) said…
Hi, Doylene!
I enjoyed reading your daybook. Sage is beautiful! I also read the previous post…thought provoking!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

Have a great week!

Angi

November 4, 2009 6:25 AM
Life at the Lake said…
Thanks for stopping by and reading my Daybook post. Your grandaughter is a cutie and I love those big eyes!! From just down the road a bit – have a blessed day! I’m in Greenwood : )

November 4, 2009 6:40 AM
Sparkle said…
What a cute little girl. :-)

November 4, 2009 10:44 AM
Jerralea said…
I enjoy Florence Littauer’s books, I haven’t read Silver Boxes, though.

Sage has the most beautiful blue eyes!

God bless you!

November 5, 2009 4:50 AM

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Posted in The Simple Woman's Daybook Tagged: Blog, Christian Blog, christian home, Christian Wife, Discipleship, family, God, home, Jesus, Journal, Life, love, religion, The Simple Woman's Daybook, Writing ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/the-simple-womans-daybook-2/feed/ 0 dtbrents My Photo NetworkedBlogs Doylene Tyler Brents I review for Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers A Wise Woman Builds Her Home To know HIM and make HIM known Bible Study The Biblicist! Visitor Award From Hope Faith by Warren Doud http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/faith-by-warren-doud/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/faith-by-warren-doud/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:40:11 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1536 ]]>

autumn015

Faith Belief and Believing One of the most important considerations in the Christian way of life is the subject of the believer’s faith. Several questions are always paramount in a person’s thinking about faith, such as: What is faith? How does a person exercise faith? How can we have stronger faith? You will occasionally hear a person say something like this, “I don’t believe anything that I can’t see or feel.” Or, “You really can’t prove that there is a God, or that Jesus was what He claimed to be; and I’m not going to believe anything that I don’t know is true!” When a person says that he refuses to believe anything that is not proved, he ignores the fact that everyone believes unproved facts every day. If people were not willing to place their confidence in unproved facts, the whole world would grind to a halt — no one would be able to move. In practice, a person employs the mental process of faith dozens of times every day, just to carry out life’s routines. Faith is a Standard Operating Procedure of human life. The discussion in this essay will show that God has made faith an integral part of human existence so that anyone in the world can have salvation and can experience Christian growth with all of its benefits and blessings. Because Bible study is, in part, a study of past events and of ancient writings, the first section of this paper is a discussion of the uses of faith in the study of history. The intention of the whole paper is, (1) to give a Christian added confidence in the use of faith, and (2) to provide a fairly thorough treatment of what the Bible says about the subject. Some of the ideas herein can be used effectively in witnessing to skeptics or to those whose ideas are hazy about salvation by faith. The second section shows how faith is used in learning Bible truth, and it includes a comparison between the three systems of learning, empiricism, rationalism, and faith. The third section deals with what the Bible says about how Christian faith is developed and strengthened. The fourth section contains an etymological study from the original Greek and Hebrew words used in the Bible which are translated as “faith” or as some equivalent. We shall see that as a mental activity Christian faith is no different from everyday faith. The unbeliever can use ordinary faith, the willingness to believe something, to accept the Gospel message and obtain salvation. The believer can use faith to acquire knowledge of Bible doctrine and to make application of those principles in his daily walk with the Lord. Faith and the Study of History A person who studies the past, and who writes about it, is continually involved with the concept of faith. First, he must decide which of his sources are reliable enough to be believed, for only with credible sources can the historian have any chance of reconstructing accurately an event or social situation. Then, the historian must express his thoughts in writing in a manner calculated not only to inform his readers but also to encourage their belief, their faith, in the propositions he sets forth. A careful student of history will have faith only in historians who meet his standards for honesty. The Common Historical Bias But there are many historians, and other people, of course, whose opinions about historical facts are colored by their religious and anti-Biblical prejudices. Many people have adopted a viewpoint which makes it impossible to view historical data objectively, especially data which deals with Biblical events and issues. This false viewpoint, a set of biased presuppositions, includes the following conclusions: • There is no personal God. • Therefore, there is no supernatural and miracles are not possible. • We live in a closed system, the earth with its human race, into which no outside force can intrude, nor over which any God has control. A skeptic holding these views approaches the study of the Bible “knowing”, for example, that Christ did not rise from the dead, because these things just cannot be. These conclusions themselves, however, amount to an exercise of strong faith, albeit in the wrong direction. Instead of beginning his study with the recorded historical data and an open mind, this individual precludes a balanced approach by a sort of metaphysical speculation. Valid Historical Methods All arguments and systems begin with presuppositions (even the Christian system). This does not mean that all presuppositions that one might adopt are equally desirable. In considering any important idea, it is better to begin with presuppositions of method, which will yield truth, rather than with presuppositions of substantive content, which assume a body of truth already. No study of the past has a right to assume a closed system of causation. Historical events are unique, and the test of their factual character can be the only acceptable documentary approach. What does the historian do, then, when he experiences a surprise which runs counter to all his expectations, counter to his convictions, against even his culture’s whole understanding of truth? Why, he must say that it is surely possible; because, for the critical historian, nothing is a priori impossible! It is not the objective of the historian to construct a history from preconceived notions and then to adjust it to his own liking, He must, rather, reproduce history from the best evidence, and let it speak for itself. History, then, is knowledge of the past based on testimony. And the plausibility, the believability, of history depends on the trustworthiness of the witnesses, not upon the erudition of the historian. History and Bible Study Studying the Bible in the 20th Century involves a great deal of intense historical scholarship. One begins by placing some confidence, or faith, in early Christian witnesses and authorities. This confidence may very well be tentative at first; and one may test each hypothesis thoroughly before going deeper into study, certainly before going out on a limb by making dogmatic statements. At each decision point in study, faith must be exercised. One does not have to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus Christ was Deity. What one does is weigh the evidence, evaluate the pros and cons. The results of careful study show that Christ must be who and what He claims to be. In fact, many people have begun studying the claims of Christ, intending to refute the Bible statements, only to end up confirming what they had originally set out to disprove! A criterion of absolute truth would wipe out all knowledge, because a person could never find a place to stand to begin his study. The Christian begins by accepting the proposition that the Bible is the Word of God. Then, as he learns each new doctrine, he makes decisions. First, he decides whether to believe the doctrine as he understands it. Then, he decides whether to apply the doctrine in his life through believing the teaching, by claiming the promise, or by obeying the commands given. As each new idea is tested and put into practice, it becomes part of the foundation for further learning and spiritual growth. HOW THE BELIEVER USES FAITH Faith Compared with Empiricism and Rationalism The Biblical concept of faith is that it amounts to complete confidence in something for which there is no empirical or rational proof available. “Faith is the substance of things in which one has confidence, the evidence of things not seen.” HEB. 11:6 A person is said to have faith in something if he has believed it without having had a physical demonstration of it or a logical explanation of the truth behind it. Saying this another way, a person who has believed something without having it proved to him has exercised faith. Faith is, therefore, distinguished from the two other methods of learning, empiricism and rationalism. Empiricism is a technical word which refers to the using of scientific methods to learn something or to prove something. The scientific method relies on the five senses for the proof of propositions. And each experiment produces either verification or refutation of the idea or point of view. A child who does not take his mother’s word for the fact that the stove is hot may attempt empirical proof by touching the stove himself. He receives immediate experimental verification of the truth of his mother’s statement. The term rationalism is used to describe the method of arriving at proof through the logical method. This is proof by logical process of reason. In rationalism, logic produces documentation or refutation of a point of view. Both empiricism and rationalism are very useful in learning; but neither is equivalent to faith. Faith Used in Learning Faith can also be described as a method of perception, or learning, which accepts an established criterion as the basis of reality. It is very convenient, and necessary, to use faith in this way. If we were to demand rational or experimental proof of everything stated to us, we would never get anything done. Suppose you were using a mathematics textbook which made the statement “The sum of the angles of a plane triangle is 180 degrees.” Using faith, you could accept that statement as a true fact, and you could build your study of triangles using this fact, even though you had not seen a formal proof of its validity. To insist upon proof of this statement, however, would mean that you would have to take a course in Geometry where the formal, logical proof of this statement is developed. But if you were a total skeptic (in the subject of triangles), you wouldn’t even be able to begin the geometry course, because you would not be able to accept the statement, by faith, that “the shortest distance between two points on a plane is a straight line”, one of the foundational axioms of plane geometry. You can see that faith is very useful, even indispensable, in every learning situation. To this point in the study of faith, then, we have developed a partial understanding of what faith is and how it is used. Faith is: • Complete confidence in something which is not subject to logical or experimental proof • Acceptance of an established criterion as the basis of reality The Christian’s Faith in the Bible The “established criterion” which the Christian accepts by faith is that the Bible is the Word of God. The Christian accepts the Bible as being what it claims to be, the “mind of Christ”. By adopting this presupposition, the believer has a basis from which to delve into the whole Bible with its hundreds of concepts vital to all aspects of human life. The faith system of learning Bible truth is the only fair way for man to know and approach God. No one can claim personal credit for having believed the Bible, because even a person of very low intellectual ability can believe and understand Bible truth. Therefore, the faith system for acquiring doctrinal knowledge is perfectly fair and compatible with Grace. It is the only method of learning which is commonly available to all members of the human race. The value of faith does not lie in the strength or intensity with which a belief is held. (Every confidence man depends upon his victim’s believing very strongly in lies.) The merit of faith lies, rather, in the idea or object which is believed. Faith is valid only when it has a valid object. Saving Faith has as its object the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary work on the Cross for man’s salvation, John 3:36; Acts 16:31. A belief in any other “plan” of salvation, however strongly and emotionally held, will prove to have been faith in an invalid and useless object, Acts 4:12. Living Faith has as its objects the facts, promises, and commands of the Bible, Matt. 4:4. Faith in Bible principles is the only method which will unlock spiritual truth, I Cor. 1:18 to 2:16. The believer who is growing spiritually receives continuous verification that the divine principles upon which he bases his life are perfectly valid, Eph. 4:11–16. HOW TO HAVE STRONG FAITH The strongest, best established faith is that which is the result of Christian edification, that process by which a believer is rooted and built up in his spiritual life, Col. 2:6,7. One of the most important results of Christian growth is the progressive increase in the believer’s ability to use faith. Several important factors in the development of Christian faith are listed here along with some representative Bible passages. • Faith requires the continuous intake of truth from the Word of God. “…faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God…”, ROM. 10:17. • Faith is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and requires the control of the Spirit for its function. “…the fruit of the Spirit is…faith…”, GAL. 5:22,23; EPH. 5:18. • Faith must be exercised daily by (1) using Faith-Rest principles in day to day living, “…we who have believed do enter into rest…”, HEB. 4:1–3; and (2) by using Faith Patience in all situations, “…the testing of your faith worketh patience”, JAMES 1:3. • Applied knowledge overflowing from the human spirit, which refers to all witnessing, requires the exercise of faith. “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith…”, EPH. 3:17-20. • Moving towards maturity includes the development of great faith. “…this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith…”, 1 JOHN 5:4,5; HEB. 11:6. • Daily occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ “completes” faith. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”, HEB. 12:2. • Undeserved suffering both tests and strengthens faith. “…the trial of your faith…”, 1 PETER 1:7,8. The Word “Faith” in the Bible In the Greek language of the New Testament there are five words which are rendered “faith” in the King James Version. They are: (pistis), noun, meaning “faith; faithful; reliable; that which is believed”, and, with the definite article, “doctrine” (pistos), adjective, meaning “dependable; inspiring of trust; believing” (pisteuo), verb, meaning “to believe; to be convinced” (peitho), verb, meaning “to obey (in the present tense); to be persuaded (in the aorist); to have confidence (in the perfect); faith (all tenses)” (pistoo), verb, meaning “to show oneself faithful; to feel confidence” In the Hebrew of the Old Testament there are ten words which are rendered in the King James Version as “faith” or as some equivalent idea of belief or trust. They are: AHMAN, verb, “to believe without merit” EIMOON, noun, “belief; faithfulness” EIMOONAH, noun, “truth; steadiness; doctrine; faith” AHMEIN, noun, “truth; doctrine” OHMEIN, noun, “faithfulness” EMETH, noun, one of the strongest words for truth BAHTAK, verb, the Faith Rest verb which was originally a word used by wrestlers for giving someone a body slam. See PSALM 37:3; 91:2. It means “to slam your troubles on the Lord”, and it means “faith” in the sense of the function of the Faith-Rest principles. This verb is used extensively in the Old Testament. KAHSAH, verb, PSALM 57:1, used of a rabbit fleeing from a desert fox and finding refuge in the cleft of the rock where the fox can’t reach him. Means “to believe” in the sense of finding refuge in the Word or taking shelter in the Lord. YAHKAL, verb, “to trust” in circumstances of pressure or suffering. JOB 13:15; LAM. 3:21,24. KAHWAH, used in the sense of binding or twisting strands of fiber together to make a rope. Threads which are weak in themselves are woven together into strength. The meaning is that we are weak and can be broken, but woven into the Lord and His Word, we cannot be broken. ISA. 40:31; LAM. 3:25.

Posted in Warren Doud Tagged: Bible, Bible Study, christianity, church, Faith, God, grace, Jesus, Life, religion, Warren Doud, Writing ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/faith-by-warren-doud/feed/ 0 dtbrents autumn015 Sovereignty and Responsibility http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/sovereignty-and-responsibility/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/sovereignty-and-responsibility/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:40:37 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1533 ]]>

http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/hole/Art/Sovereignty%20and%20Responsibility.html

F. B. Hole.

(Extracted from Scripture Truth Vol. 40, 1959-61, page 4.)

That God is sovereign and that man, though fallen, is a responsible creature, are two facts that stand out clearly in the Scriptures. It is when we study these two facts in their implications that we run into intellectual difficulties. It is easy to lay such stress on the one as almost completely to ignore the other. The two extremes are known as Hyper-Calvinism and Arminianism.

Hyper-Calvinism is that system of religious thought that sees little else in Scripture than God’s sovereignty in election. The responsibility of man is so little thought of, if not denied, that he is reduced to a mere puppet. He is a plaything in the hand of fate. If he is elect, he must be saved, come what may; if he is not, he must be damned, and there’s an end of it.

Arminianism, on the contrary, sees little else than the fact of man’s responsibility, often to the total exclusion of God’s sovereign and gracious work by His Spirit in the souls of men. Man is a free and unfettered being in the exercise of his own will: hence anything is lawful that will persuade him to exert the force of his will in the right direction.

The Hyper-Calvinistic spirit is fatal to all zeal and energy in the work of the Gospel. Those who possess it necessarily and logically decry such energy in every possible way. Men are spiritually dead: why preach to dead men? Why say, “Repent!” to men who can’t repent? or “Believe!” to men who can’t believe? Moreover, is not God able to look after His affairs? Does He require our busy interference in the saving of His elect? Supposing we compass sea and land in our zeal for souls, not one more than the elect will be saved; and if we fold our hands and do nothing, not one less than the elect will be saved. Masterly inactivity is then the only possible policy, and all the energy of the servants of the Lord is only so much unprofitable waste of time and breath.

One wonders sometimes why this kind of argument seems to be only used against evangelistic effort. If valid at all, it is just as valid against all forms of Christian service. Is not God able to care for the souls off His elect without our endeavours to edify them? Will not the sovereign work of the Spirit in building up their souls progress without the labours of pastors and teachers, or such small efforts as producing this magazine? The exponents of such ideas seem blind to the fact that they are cutting the ground from beneath their own feet.

At the present time the Arminian extreme is perhaps the more frequently held by truly Christian people. They feel the need of sinners and rejoice in the glad tidings of forgiveness through the crucified and risen Saviour. The great question now is, how best to get at sinners and persuade them into a definite act of their own will, in accepting Christ and choosing life. The more in earnest such Christians are, the greater the danger of their using questionable or even unscriptural methods. The great end which they feel they must reach, is considered by them to sanctify the means employed.

The practical results of this are very different from those of the other extreme. There all is stagnation: here all is movement and apparent success at the beginning. We are concerned however with the ultimate results. At the close of a large mission in London, a good many years ago, the pastor of a large chapel had over 50 names given to him of people who professed conversion. The pastor was a warm-hearted, evangelical man, but a year or so after he sadly confessed he could only regard one as truly converted. Thank God for the one! But how sad that nearly fifty should be led on to a wrong road in order to direct one into the right.

Let us by the grace of God maintain firmly both these great facts — God is sovereign in His gracious actings: man, though fallen, is a responsible creature and addressed as such. The truth of Divine sovereignty is plainly stated in Scripture. Read such passages as John 6: 37-44; Romans 9: 10-24; Ephesians 1: 4; 1 Peter 1: 2. Equally plain is man’s responsibility Read such passages as John 3: 16-18; Romans 2: 6-16; 1 Peter 4: 5-6, Let us then accept both, even if as yet we do not see far enough to discern exactly how they fit in with each other.

We may however discern this that man’s will, if he is left to himself never turns toward God. The fall has given it a permanent twist away from Him. This is definitely stated in Romans 3: 10-12. It is stated first of all that “there is NONE righteous;” that is, none “right with God.” Yes, we might say, that is true, but surely some people are more sincere and understanding than others, and so these get converted. Not so, for there is “NONE that understandeth.” This makes man’s plight much worse — nobody right, and nobody understands their desperate position. But again we might say, Yes, but surely some will have an innate sense — a kind of intuition — that they need God, and so begin to seek after Him. But once more, not so, for, “there is NONE that seeketh after God.”

This word, “NONE,” thrice repeated, closes every avenue of deliverance if man is just left to himself. God must intervene. In other words, God must exercise His sovereign action on a man’s behalf. He must work by His Spirit in the hearts of men’ if any are to seek after Him and His salvation. This He does, as pleases Him, when the Gospel is faithfully preached, since it pleases God, “by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1 Cor. 1: 21).

If any would say to us, If God in His electing mercy is pleased to save this one and that one, why should He not elect and save all? — we have no answer to give. What lies behind His decisions is not revealed to us, who are but His creatures; but He has revealed Himself to us in Christ, and so we are sure that what He decides is right, and ultimately all will see how right it has been.

Instead of seeking to probe into the secret of the Divine decisions and acts, which are beyond us, let us more diligently and fervently publish abroad the Gospel, since He has revealed that through this He is pleased to save those that believe, as the result of the work of the Spirit of God in their hearts.

Posted in grace Tagged: Bible, Christ, Christian, christianity, church, Discipleship, Election, Faith, God, Jesus, Life, Prayer, religion, Sin, Sovereignty and Responsibility. ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/sovereignty-and-responsibility/feed/ 0 dtbrents Danger of Teaching that Christ Died Only for the Elect http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/danger-of-teaching-that-christ-died-only-for-the-elect/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/danger-of-teaching-that-christ-died-only-for-the-elect/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:30:12 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1529 ]]>

joy_of_lord

http://www.baptistpillar.com/bd0080.htm

The teaching that Christ died only for the elect is commonly known as a belief in a “limited atonement” (some reformed men like to refer to it has “definite atonement”). It is the teaching that Christ died on the cross and paid the penalty only for the sins of the elect. He did not die for the ones who eventually will be in the lake of fire. Often it is worded as follows: “Christ died for all men WITHOUT DISTINCTION but He did not die for all men WITHOUT EXCEPTION.” This is a subtle game of semantics which makes it possible for them to say that He died for all without really meaning that he died for all. What they really mean is that Christ died for all kinds of people and all classes of people, but He did not die for every single person. That is, He died for Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, slave and free, male and female, etc., but it is understood that He died for only elect Jews and Gentiles, only elect rich and poor, etc. Dr. Paul Reiter has clearly and simply summarized the Scriptural teaching on this issue. FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE? HE DIED… 1. For all (1 Timothy 2:6; Isaiah 53:6).
2. For every man (Heb. 2:9).
3. For the world (John 3:16).
4. For the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
5. For the ungodly (Rom. 5:6).
6. For false teachers (2 Peter 2:1).
7. For many (Matthew 20:28).
8. For Israel (John 11:50-51).
9. For the Church (Eph. 5:25).
10. For “me” (Gal. 2:20).
One believer who was not committed to the belief that Christ died for all men made this remarkable concession: “If Christ really did die for all men then I don’t know how the Bible could say it any clearer than it does.” How true! It is evident that the extreme Calvinist must ignore the clear language and obvious sense of many passages and he must force the Scriptures and make them fit into his own theological mold. Limited atonement may seem logical and reasonable, but the real test is this: IS IT BIBLICAL? “What saith the Scriptures?” (Romans 4:3). In child-like faith we must simply allow the Bible to say what it says. Those who promote this erroneous doctrine try to tell us that “world” does not really mean “world”‘ and “all” does not really mean “all” and “every man” does not really mean “every man” and “the whole world” does not really mean “the whole world.” We are told that simple verses such as John 3:16 and Isaiah 53:6 must be understood not as a child would understand them but as a theologian would understand them. That is, we must re-interpret such verses in light of our system of theology. The true doctrine of the atonement could be stated as follows: The Scriptures teach that the sacrifice of the Lamb of God involved the sin of the world (John 1:29) and that the Saviour’s work of redemption (1 Timothy 2:6; 2 Pet. 2:1), reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:19) and propitiation (1 John 2:2) was for all men (1 Timothy 4:10), but the cross-work of Christ is efficient, effectual and applicable only for those who believe (1 Timothy 4:10; John 3:16). We could even say it in a simpler way: “Christ’s death was SUFFICIENT FOR ALL but EFFICIENT only for those who believe.” The cross-work of Christ is not limited but the application of that cross-work through the work of the Holy Spirit is limited to believers only ‘The extreme Calvinist would say that the cross was designed only for the elect and had no purpose for the “non-elect” (persistent unbelievers). But the death of God’s Son had a divine purpose and design for both groups. For the elect, God’s design was salvation according to His purpose and grace in Christ Jesus before the world began (2 Tim. 1:9; 2 Thess. 2:13). For unbelievers, God’s purpose and design is to render the unbeliever without excuse. Men are CONDEMNED because they have rejected the Person and WORK of Jesus Christ and refused God’s only remedy for sin (John 3:18; 5:40). Unbelievers can never say that a provision for their salvation was not made and not offered. They can never stand before God and say, “The reason I am not saved is because Christ did not die for me.” No, the reason they are not saved is because they rejected the One who died for them and who is the Saviour of all men (1 Tim. 4:10). They are without excuse. This issue is not merely academic. It is extremely practical. It affects the very heart of the gospel and its presentation. The gospel which Paul preached to the unsaved people of Corinth was this: “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:3). Do we really have a gospel of good news for all men (compare Luke 2:10-11)? In preaching the gospel, what can we say to an unsaved person? Can we say, “My friend, the Lord Jesus Christ died for you. He paid the penalty for your sins. He died as your Substitute”? One reformed writer said this: “But counselors, as Christians, are obligated to present the claims of Christ. They must present the good news that Christ Jesus died on the cross in the place of His own, that He bore the guilt and suffered the penalty for their sins. He died that all whom the Father had given to Him might come unto Him and have life everlasting. As a reformed Christian, the writer believes that counselors must not tell any unsaved counselee that Christ died for him, FOR THEY CANNOT SAY THAT. No man knows except Christ Himself who are His elect for whom He died” [emphasis mine] (Jay Adams, Competent to Counsel, p. 70). As C.H. Mackintosh has said, “A disciple of the high school of doctrine [extreme Calvinist] will not hear of a world-wide gospel–of God’s love to the world–of glad tidings to every creature under heaven. He has only gotten a gospel for the elect.” If the reformed preacher were really honest about it, he would need to preach his doctrine along these lines: “Christ may have died for your sins. If you are one of God’s elect, then He died for you, but if not, then you have no Saviour. I cannot tell you that Christ died on the cross for you because I don’t know this for sure. If you believe the gospel then this proves that you are one of God’s elect, and then it is proper to speak of Christ dying for you.” What an insult to the God “who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). The Apostle Paul was not so handicapped when he preached the gospel to the unsaved Corinthians. He clearly proclaimed that “Christ died for our sins [yours and mine!].” If Paul could preach that message, so should we and so must we!


Posted in God's Elect Tagged: Bible, christianity, church, Election, Faith, God, God's Elect, Jesus, Life, Prayer, religion ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/danger-of-teaching-that-christ-died-only-for-the-elect/feed/ 0 dtbrents joy_of_lord SEVENTY WEEKS OF DANIEL IN DISPENSATIONAL INTERPRETATION http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/seventy-weeks-of-daniel-in-dispensational-interpretation/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/seventy-weeks-of-daniel-in-dispensational-interpretation/#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:24:04 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1526 ]]>

salvation
J. Randall Price
Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks (Dan. 9:24-27) is part of the division of his book (chapters 7-12) that records visions of future earthly kingdoms (both human and divine). In the context of chapter 7, the archangel Gabriel explains to Daniel that seventy weeks are required to fulfill the petition Daniel has made concerning the restoration of Israel (vss. 3-19). Daniel’s prayer had been based on his observation (vs. 2) of the seventy years prophecy in Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10. Daniel is told of six restoration goals that will be accomplished during the seventy weeks (vs. 24), which the remainder of the chapter outlines in events to unfold in Israel’s subsequent history. Dispensationalism joins with most Christian scholarship in holding that the seventy weeks are to be interpreted as seventy weeks of years. This resulting period of 490 years (70 x7) is divided according to the text (vss. 25-27) as periods of seven weeks (49 years), sixty-two weeks (434 years), and one week (7 years). Dispensationalism is also in agreement with most evangelical scholarship in interpreting the context of this passage as messianic, with the coming of Messiah taking place after the sixty-two weeks (i.e., after the 7 weeks + the 62 weeks = 483 years). However, Dispensationalism (classical) is distinct in its interpretation of Daniel’s seventieth week (vs. 27) as future. With Israel’s rejection of the Messiah and His death taking place after the sixty-ninth week (vs. 26), the completion of the six restoration goals for Israel (vs. 24) are left for the seventieth week. If the seventieth week immediately succeeds the sixty-ninth week historically, then the expected restoration must be applied spiritually to the Church as a new Israel. Because Dispensationalism adheres to the principle of literal interpretation and recognizes the scriptural distinction between God’s program for Israel and the Church, it understands the historical completion of Israel’s restoration must take place in a future week. During this time (as described in vs. 27), there is a resumption of the messianic program for Israel with the overthrow of the Antichrist (the apocalyptic prerequisite to the establishment of the messianic kingdom).
This interpretation requires a prophetic postponement (older writers referred to this as a “gap” or “parenthesis”) between the events of verses 26 and 27. The revelation of a prophetic postponement in the fulfillment of the eschatological aspect of the messianic program is in harmony with numerous passages in the Old Testament that reveal the two advents of Christ (e.g.. Gen. 49:10-12; Deut. 18:16; 2 Samuel 7:13-16; Isa. 9:1-7; 11:1-2, 11; 52:13-59:17-21; 61:1-11, cf. Lk. 4:16-19; cf. 7:22; Zeph. 2:13-3:20; Zech. 9:9-10; Joel 2:28; cf. Acts 2:17; Mic. 5:2-15; Psalm 2:7-8, cf. Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5; Psalm 22:1-32; Psalm 34:14, 16; Mal. 3:1-3; 4:5-6; 53:10a, 11). Daniel’s concern is with his People (vss. 20, 24; cf. 12:1) and the restoration that Jeremiah predicted would come after the seventy year exile (Jer. 25:11-12; cf. 2 Chron. 36:21). Jeremiah’s prophecy of restoration (Jer. 30-33), like the prophecies of Isaiah (Isa. 40-66) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 33-48) included predictions of both immediate (post-exilic) restoration and future (eschatological) restoration. The post-exilic prophets understood this distinction, realizing that though they were enjoying a restoration under Ezra/Zerubbabel, the complete national/spiritual restoration had been delayed for the future. This is seen, for example, in one of the signal events of restoration – the rebuilding of the Temple (Hag. 2:3-9).

The six restoration goals of Daniel’s seventy weeks prophecy (vs. 24) may have a near fulfillment in the experience of the Nation (Messiah’s redemptive advent), but must wait for its complete fulfillment in the future (Messiah’s restorative advent). The postponement understoodbetween vss. 26 and 27 is the consequence of partial and complete fulfillment in the messianic program. The first phase of the messianic program accomplished spiritual redemption for ethnic Israel in the first advent of Christ (Matthew 1:21; cf. Luke 2:11). National rejection of Messiah (Matt. 23:37, cf. Acts 3:13-15, 17; 4:25-27), while fulfilling the promise of Gentile inclusion (Acts 15:14-18; Rom. 11:11, 25, 30), necessitated a second phase of the messianic program to apply spiritual redemption to Israel nationally (Acts 3:18-21; Rom. 11:26-29, 31) and complete the promise of national restoration (Matt. 23:39; Acts 1:6-7; 3:22-26; 15:16) which will be fulfilled at the second advent of Christ (Zech. 12:10-13:2; 14:3-11).
The Dispensational interpretation depends upon the validity of interpreting the seventieth week eschatologically. This is justified by the presence of numerous eschatological time markers, such as qetz (“end”), yashebitim (“cause to cease”), and kalah (“end”),’ad (“until”), and necheratzah tittak (“an appointed end”). These terms indicate that this section belongs to the same eschatological period, qualified later in Daniel as “the end-time” (cf. Daniel 12:4, 9, 13). This identification is enhanced by the presence parallel concepts between the two chapters (e.g., prayer for understanding, 9:2/ 12:8; desolation of Jewish people, 9:27/12:7; three and one-half year period, 9:27/12:7, 11; the abolition of sacrifice, 9:27/12:11; and the abomination of desolation, 9:27/12:11). Thus, Daniel’s prayer for an end to exile will be fulfilled in the eschatological age when all of the elements of his petition will be realized. Further confirmation of the postponement of the seventieth week and of a parenthetical period of history involving further exile and persecution for the Jewish people, is supported by the New Testament’s use of the seventy weeks prophecy. John McLean has demonstrated that the sequence of events of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew/Mark) and the judgment section of the Book of Revelation (chs. 4-19) reveal a structural dependence upon the seventy weeks prophecy.
Bibliography
H. A. Ironsides, The Great Parenthesis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1943), Alva J. McClain, “The Parenthesis of Time between the Sixty-Ninth and Seventieth Weeks,” Daniel’s Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960), 23-40, William Kelly, Daniel’s Seventy Weeks (Colorado: Wilson Foundation, n.d.), J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1971), pp. 239-250, Robert D. Culver, Daniel and the Latter Days. Revised ed.(Chicago: Moody Press, 1977), 144-169, “Daniel,” The Bible Knowledge Commentary. eds. John Walvoord, Roy Zuck (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1985) 1:1323-1375, John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), pp. 403-440, Frederick Holtzman, “A Re-examination of the Seventy Weeks of Daniel” (Th.M. thesis, Dallas Teheological Seminary, 1974), Paul D. Feinberg, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Daniel 9:24-27,” Tradition and Testament: Essays in Honor of Charles Lee Feinberg. eds. John S. and Paul D. Feinberg (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), pp. 189-222, John A. McLean, “The Seventieth Week of Daniel 9:27 as a Literary Key for Understanding the Structure of the Apocalypse of John” (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan, 1990), J. Randall Price, “Prophetic Postponement in Daniel 9 and Other Texts,” Issues in Dispensationalism. eds. W. R. Willis, John R. Master (Chicago: Moody Press, 1994), pp.132-165

Romans substituting  pigs for the agreed lambs for the daily sacrifice. It states that at that very hour the sacrifices were stopped and the Temple was destroyed immediately after. Some rabbis believed that the abomination that makes desolate (vs. 27) referred to Hadrian’s erection of a pagan temple on the site of the Jewish Temple after the Bar-Kokbha war (Rashi). As regards the Temple, some rabbinic interpreters (cf. Malbim) referred the last of the restoration goals of Dan. 9:24: “to anoint the most Holy [Place]” to the Third Temple, sinceTosefta Sotah 13:2 records that the Second Temple had not been anointed. The Sages also considered this anointing of the Holy Place to take place in relation to the restoration of the Shekinah and the Temple vessels. Mishnah tractate Yoma 21b recorded that the Ark of the Covenant with the Tablets of the Law, the altars, and the holy vessels were not in the Second Temple. These were to be revealed through the Messianic King at the time He would build and anoint the Third Temple (cf. Zech. 6:12-13).
Earlier rabbis apparently had understood the term mashiach in verse 25 literally as the Messiah. However, later rabbis (Rashi, Yossipon, ch. 47) interpreted the term figuratively as “one who is anointed” [with oil], “an anointed ruler.” Thus, no historical figure could be precisely determined and the rabbis offered various candidates: Cyrus, Zerubbabel, Nehemiah, a High Priest (e.g. Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak) or a descendant of Herod (Agrippa II). Nevertheless, it was Rashi’s opinion that the destruction of the desolator at the end of the seventieth week was expected to be the promised “King Messiah,” who would wage the final wars and the war of Gog and Magog. This accords with the futurist perspective of almost all of the rabbinic commentators that the redemption depicted for the seventy weeks was yet to be realized.
Bibliography
Jerusalem Talmud 4 vols. (Jerusalem: Kol Hazuyot Semurot mephali Yitzur vehutzah l’or, n.d.) [Hebrew], Babylonian Talmud 2 vols. (Brooklyn, New York: Vaad Hotzuas Sifrei Zupnik, 1976), [Hebrew], Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities. Trans. H. St. J. Thackery andJewish Wars. Trans. H. St. J. Thackery, Ralph Marcus, Allen Wilgren, L.H. Feldman. Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1930-65), Philip Blackman, Mishnayot 6 vols. (New York: The Judaica Press, Inc., 1964), Pinkhos Churgin, Targum Jonathan to the Prophets . The Library of Biblical Studies. ed. Harry M. Orlinsky (New York and Baltimore: KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 1983), R’ Sh’muel Masnuth, Midrash Daniel (Jerusalem: I. S. Lange & S. Schwartz, 1968) [Hebrew], R’ Avraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra, Perush HaKatzer (Commentary on Daniel), London: 1887 [Hebrew], R’ Solomon ben Yitzchak (Rashi), Commentary to the Bible (Jerusalem, 1956) [Hebrew], R’ Yitzchak Abarbanel, Mayenei HaYeshuah (Commentary on Daniel) [Hebrew], K.J. Cathcart and R.P. Gordom, The Targum of the Minor Prophets. The Aramaic Bible 14 (Liturgical Press, 1989), R’ Saadiah ben Nachmani (compiler), R’ Saadiah (ben Yosef) Gaon’s Commentary on the Bible [Hebrew], for the English reader: Rabbi Hersh Goldwurm, Daniel: A New Translation with a Commentary Anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic and Rabbinic Sources. The Artscroll Tanach Series. eds. R. Nosson Scherman, Meir Zlotowitz (New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., 1989), George W. Buchanan, Revelation and Redemption: Jewish Documents of Deliverance from the Fall of Jerusalem to the Death of Nachmanides (Dillsboro, North Carolina: Western North Carolina Press, 1978

forces in A.D. 68-70 who destroyed Jerusalem. In a dramatic departure from the traditional school, the symbolic school approximates the view of premillennialism and identifies “the prince that shall come” with the Antichrist and the “firm covenant” as one made in imitation of Christ and imposed on the masses (H.C. Leupold), or made to deceive people to follow him as God (C.F. Keil), but in any case is a covenant of terror and violence.
The difficulty with interpreting Christ’s being “cut off’ in the middle of the seventieth week again is present in the problem of resolving the statement of cessation of sacrifice and oblation as having occurred at this time. Recognizing that these sacrifices did not immediately stop with the death of Christ, but continued another forty years, amillennialists apply the meaning spiritually to either the “rending of the veil” in the Temple or the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel, both of which (in their view) delegitimitized the sacrificial system. Thus, according to Young, at Christ’s death Jerusalem “ceased to be a holy city” and its Temple was “no longer the house of God, but an abomination,” while the actual destruction of both was “but the outward manifestation of what had already been put into effect by our Lord’s death” (Daniel, 217-218). The New Testament, however, depicts a continued reverence for Jerusalem during the apostolic period as the center for the mother church (Acts 1:8; 15; Gal. 1:18-2:2) and the Temple as a place for Christian meeting (Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:12-13), ritual festival observance (Acts 2:1; 20:6), and even worship (Acts 18:18; 21:23-26; 22:17; 24:11, 17-18). Amillennialists generally conclude that while the terminus ad quem of the sixty-nine weeks is Christ, the terminus ad quem of the seventy weeks is unstated in the text. However, the destruction of the desolator at the conclusion of verse 27 is stated as the event that terminates the desolations of the last half of the seventieth week, apparently concluding the week itself. Again, the amillennial interpretation has difficulty reconciling this event with historical events, For this reason, Young (traditional school) advises against an emphasis on dates, while Leupold (symbolic school) abandons any historic fulfillment to the seventieth week.
Bibliography
Michael Kalafian, The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks of the Book of Daniel: A Critical Review of the Prophecy as Viewed by Three Major Theological Interpretations and the Impact of the Book of Daniel on Christology (New York: University of America Press, Inc., 1991), pp. 107-136, J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1973), pp. 383-388, Charles L. Feinberg, Premillennialism or Amillennialism? (Wheaton, Illinois: Van Kampen Press, 1954), John F. Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom (Findlay, Ohio: Dunham, 1959), Abraham Kuyper, Chiliasm or the Doctrine of Premillennialism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1934), C.F. Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Daniel. Trans. M.G. Easton in A Commentary on the Old Testament 10 vols. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1973), 9:336-402, Edward J. Young, The Prophecies of Daniel: A Commentary (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1949), pp. 191-222, The Messianic Prophecies of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1954), Philip Mauro, The Seventy Weeks and the great Tribulation. Revised ed. (Swengel, Pennsylvania: Reiner Publications, n.d.), H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1949), pp. 403-440, Oswalt T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1949).

Posted in Seventy Weeks of Daniel Tagged: Bible, Bible Study, christianity, Faith, God, Israel, J. Randall Price, Jesus, Life, prophecy, religion, Seventy Weeks of Daniel ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/seventy-weeks-of-daniel-in-dispensational-interpretation/feed/ 1 dtbrents salvation ISRAEL IN DANGER OF BEING BLINDSIDED BY TWO GRAVE THREATS http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/israel-in-danger-of-being-blindsided-by-two-grave-threats/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/israel-in-danger-of-being-blindsided-by-two-grave-threats/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:51:48 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1524 ]]>
Date: 10/7/2009 10:07:48 AM
Subject: two new grave threats to Israel
 

* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *

ISRAEL IN DANGER OF BEING BLINDSIDED BY TWO GRAVE THREATS

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By Joel C. Rosenberg

(WASHINGTON, D.C., October 7, 2009) — Thirty-six years ago this week, Israel was hit by a massive and devastating surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.

The warning signs that Israel’s enemies were gearing up to deal the Jewish State a death blow were there. Her leaders simply didn’t properly assess, interpret and respond to them. By God’s grace, Israel was saved from the brink of utter ruination. But it was close, and painful.

Today, Israel is once again in grave danger. By Iran’s nuclear threat, to be sure. But Israel is actually in danger of being blindsided by two new threats.

The first threat is the real and growing possibility that the United Nations will shift the nuclear spotlight away from Iran and on to Israel in an effort to force Jerusalem to disclose and dismantle its alleged nuclear weapons and join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Israel does not openly acknowledge having atomic weapons. But the U.N. Security Council could pass a resolution forcing Israel to allow international inspectors in. If Israel refused to comply, she could be subject to diplomatic isolation, crippling economic sanctions, and even international enforcement (that is, a coalition of nations ready to go to war over the issue, just as the U.S. led a coalition in 2003 to force Iraq to comply with U.N. resolutions regarding weapons of mass destruction.)

This is a scenario I’ve been warning about for years, including in my 2005 political thriller, “The Ezekiel Option.” But this is no longer fiction. IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei publicly raised this as a serious possibility Monday, saying, “Israel is the number one threat to the Middle East given the nuclear arms it possesses.” The Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens also had a must-read column in yesterday’s paper explaining how this scenario could come to pass in the not-too-distant future.

Keep in mind: President Obama is making global nuclear disarmament his top foreign policy priority. He just chaired a U.N. Security Council meeting to push this agenda. It is increasingly conceivable that he will try to force Israel to “play by the same rules” as everyone else and disarm unilaterally, even though Israel has never threatened to “annihilate” a neighbor. As I imagine in “The Ezekiel Option,” such a resolution against Israel could be introduced into the U.N. by Russia. The coalition against Israel could be led by Russia and Iran. Should this happen, we could begin to see the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39 come to pass in fairly short order. While it is too early to conclude that is what is happening now, it is not too early to intensify our prayers for the peace of Jerusalem, according to Psalm 122:6.

The second threat is the real and growing possibility that…

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THE JOSHUA FUND ACCREDITED BY NATIONAL FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ORGANIZATION

The following is a press release issued by the “ECFA” on September 18, 2009:

The Joshua Fund Accredited by National Financial Accountability Organization

WINCHESTER, Va. — The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) announced today the accreditation of The Joshua Fund of McLean, VA.

ECFA accreditation is based on the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardshiptm, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fund-raising.

The Joshua Fund joins a growing number of churches and evangelical organizations across America, supported by over 35 million donors that have earned the right to display the ECFA seal. When an organization is accredited by ECFA, it demonstrates its willingness to follow the model of biblical accountability.

“We are pleased to include in our membership a ministry committed to assisting the poor and needy in Israel in the name of Jesus Christ,” said Dan Busby, president of ECFA.

Founded in 2006, The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net) was founded to encourage Christians to pray knowledgeably and consistently for Israel and the Middle East. The Joshua Fund works with local, national, and international government officials, business executives, and religious leaders to help provide food, clothing, medical equipment and other relief supplies to those who are poor and needy, as well as to recent victims of war and terrorism.

To learn more about The Joshua Fund and their stewardship opportunities, visit ServantMatchtm, ECFA’s program that matches God’s servants with the stewardship options of ECFA members based on ministry sectors and categories. It is ECFA’s newest online feature that allows you to quickly and easily find giving opportunities.

ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA Standards pertaining to financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ECFA.org or call 1-800-323-9473.

– end of press release –

——————————-

As always, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, and brief you on how those projects are proceeding. We will also let you know about the kinds of projects we are developing for the future. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we gratefully welcome your support, and all financial gifts are tax-deductible in the U.S.A.

If you would like to make a contribution to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to “The Joshua Fund” and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18940 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

DESIGNATED GIVING: If The Joshua Fund is successful in raising our financial goal for a specific project for which you have designated your donations, all excess funds for that project will be applied to related projects or to the general fund of TJF.

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus — especially at this critical moment in the history of the epicenter.
To make a one-time, tax deductible gift of $250, $500, $1,000 or more to The Joshua Fund, please click here

 
To visit The Joshua Fund’s weblog — which includes project updates and prayer requests — please click here

 

 

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Posted in Joel C. Rosenberg Tagged: Bible, Christian, christianity, church, Election, Faith, grace, Israel, Jesus, Joel C. Rosenberg, Life, Politics, religion ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/israel-in-danger-of-being-blindsided-by-two-grave-threats/feed/ 0 dtbrents November APOCALYPTIC STORM BREWING IN MIDEAST http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/apocalyptic-storm-brewing-in-mideast/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/apocalyptic-storm-brewing-in-mideast/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:40:34 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1522 ]]>
//

Date: 10/5/2009 8:44:54 AM
Subject: apocalyptic storm brewing in Mideast

* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * *

APOCALYPTIC STORM BREWING IN MIDEAST

More on weblog:
* Transcript of interview on Glenn Beck Show last week
* Links to latest headlines, including IAEA chief calling Israel #1 nuclear threat
* Link to Joel’s new “Epicenter Team” on Facebook

By Joel C. Rosenberg

(WASHINGTON, D.C., October 5, 2009) — Events are moving so quickly in the epicenter it can be difficult to keep track of, much less understand the big picture. So here it is in a sentence: An apocalpytic storm is forming over the Middle East.

Consider the data points:

1. Iran has just been caught secretly building a 2nd uranium enrichment facilityon a military base in the religious capital of Iran, a city known as Qom;

2. A growing number of Western military analysts say the design of this new facility – and its secrecy, and location – clearly indicates it was being built by Iran for the purpose of creating nuclear weapons;

3. Iran has thus been caught in its third lie since 2002 with regards to building secret nuclear development facilities in Natanz, Arak, and now Qom;

4. Ahmadinejad refused four times during his NBC News interview last week to rule out the building of nuclear weapons;

5. A.Q. Khan – the father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons development program – has just admitted selling advanced nuclear weapons blueprints years ago to Iran for millions of dollars;

6. The latest IAEA report indicates Iran has enough low-enriched uranium (LEU) to produce enough high-enriched uranium (HEU) by 2010 to produce two nuclear weapons;

7. Iran has just spent the weekend testing “its most advanced missiles” capable of reaching Israel;

8. Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began his speech to the U.N. by praying for Allah to hasten the coming of the Islamic Messiah, which according to his theology requires the destruction of Judeo-Christian civilization as we know it.

9. Ahmadinejad spoke more openly about his End of the World theology during his U.N. speech than ever before;

10. Ahmadinejad was asked for the first time by an American reporter to describe his relationship with the “Twelfth Imam” and admitted on camera that he is communicating with this mystical Shia messiah;

Humanly speaking, war is coming. The West does not seem determined enough to stop Iran from getting the Bomb. So unless the Lord intervenes, Israel might soon feel compelled to launch a preemptive strike against Iran. It won’t be easy, and the entire region could go up in flames.
LEARN: For full analysis of the Obama and Ahmadinejad speeches — and to track the latest news and trends from Israel and the epicenter — please click here


LEARN: To purchase a copy of the “Inside The Revolution” documentary film on DVD from Barnes & Noble (35% off), please click here


PRAY: Join 107,000 other subscribers to Joel’s email alerts and receive the latest news and analysis from the Mideast, Joshua Fund project updates and prayer requests.


GIVE: Would you help The Joshua Fund bless Israel and her neighbors by making a tax-deductible donation of $25, $50, $100, or a monthly commitment? Please click here.


GO: Visit www.insidetherevolution.org to watch or listen to the 9/11 National Town Hall event and to find more resources on how you can go share the love of Jesus Christ with a Muslim and strengthen the Church in the Middle East.


GO: Join Joel’s “Epicenter Team” on Facebook for updates on where you can go see Joel speak and for prayer updates

THE JOSHUA FUND ACCREDITED BY NATIONAL FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ORGANIZATION

The following is a press release issued by the “ECFA” on September 18, 2009:

The Joshua Fund Accredited by National Financial Accountability Organization

WINCHESTER, Va. — The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) announced today the accreditation of The Joshua Fund of McLean, VA.

ECFA accreditation is based on the ECFA Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardshiptm, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fund-raising.

The Joshua Fund joins a growing number of churches and evangelical organizations across America, supported by over 35 million donors that have earned the right to display the ECFA seal. When an organization is accredited by ECFA, it demonstrates its willingness to follow the model of biblical accountability.

“We are pleased to include in our membership a ministry committed to assisting the poor and needy in Israel in the name of Jesus Christ,” said Dan Busby, president of ECFA.

Founded in 2006, The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net) was founded to encourage Christians to pray knowledgeably and consistently for Israel and the Middle East. The Joshua Fund works with local, national, and international government officials, business executives, and religious leaders to help provide food, clothing, medical equipment and other relief supplies to those who are poor and needy, as well as to recent victims of war and terrorism.

To learn more about The Joshua Fund and their stewardship opportunities, visit ServantMatchtm, ECFA’s program that matches God’s servants with the stewardship options of ECFA members based on ministry sectors and categories. It is ECFA’s newest online feature that allows you to quickly and easily find giving opportunities.

ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA Standards pertaining to financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ECFA.org or call 1-800-323-9473.

– end of press release –

——————————-

As always, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, and brief you on how those projects are proceeding. We will also let you know about the kinds of projects we are developing for the future. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we gratefully welcome your support, and all financial gifts are tax-deductible in the U.S.A.

If you would like to make a contribution to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to “The Joshua Fund” and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18940 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

DESIGNATED GIVING: If The Joshua Fund is successful in raising our financial goal for a specific project for which you have designated your donations, all excess funds for that project will be applied to related projects or to the general fund of TJF.

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus — especially at this critical moment in the history of the epicenter.
To make a one-time, tax deductible gift of $250, $500, $1,000 or more to The Joshua Fund, please click here


To visit The Joshua Fund’s weblog — which includes project updates and prayer requests — please click here

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November
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Posted in Joel C. Rosenberg Tagged: "Twelfth Imam, APOCALYPTIC STORM, Bible, Christian, Christian Family, Islamic Messiah, Jesus, Joel Rosenberg, Life, Obama and Ahmadinejad speeches, religion ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/apocalyptic-storm-brewing-in-mideast/feed/ 0 dtbrents November How the Bible Presents Discipleship http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/how-the-bible-presents-discipleship/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/how-the-bible-presents-discipleship/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:07:30 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1518 ]]>

But how does the Bible present discipleship? What’s the Biblical definition of a disciple? The word itself comes from the verb “to learn,” and so it simply means in its simplest form “learner,” “pupil,” “adherent to a system.” But you and I recognize that there are different degrees of commitment involved in learning something. You know that because you went through college perhaps, or some other kind of school. Some of you may have just taken a course and audited it—a minimum commitment—but you were there, you were a student, you were learning. Others of you might have gone for the whole enchilada, tried to get on the dean’s lisdiscipleshipt, graduated with honors—the ultimate commitment. There are learners at different levels of commitment.

We see this in John chapter 6. At the beginning of the chapter there is a multitude of people who are following Jesus out of curiosity basically, or perhaps even political motivations. And yet by the end of the chapter, there are only twelve who remain, twelve who are committed. In John chapter 6, believe it or not, John refers to those who turned away from Jesus as disciples, and says that Jesus knew that they didn’t believe (vv 60-66). So in the broadest sense, you see, a disciple is someone who is a follower, somebody who is learning from a system, and it may even be someone who doesn’t believe. Judas was one of the twelve disciples. Peter was one of the twelve disciples, but there is quite a difference between the two.

What I am saying is that I am cautioning you to be careful about how you define the term disciple, and not lock it in to a rigid definition. It is a fairly flexible term, as long as you have the idea of learning, pupil, or adherent. Theologically it can be a flexible term always determined more carefully by its context. In the New Testament we read about the disciples of Moses, the disciples of the Pharisees, the disciples of John the Baptist, and then, of course, there are the disciples of Jesus, which is the predominate use in the New Testament and the one that we are most familiar and comfortable with. So in its essence, a disciple is a follower, a student, a pupil, an adherent.

What also helps us to understand what a disciple is in the New Testament is the invitation that we see Jesus offering to people. He invites them to follow Him. He invites them with a synonymous term to come after Him. Now both these terms mean more than just a physical walking behind. Both these terms really denote, to the first century mind, the system of education and discipleship they had then, which was based on a Rabbi calling together a group of disciples who would share his life, who would travel with him, who would live with him, who would eat with him, who would stay with him, and basically share their lives and live with him. They didn’t sign up for Discipleship 101 not knowing who their professor was. They would either seek out the man they wanted to be like, or that Rabbi would seek them out and invite them into discipleship. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” when He said, “Come after Me,” I am convinced He was offering to those people a specific invitation, a pointed and direct invitation to take up a life of discipleship and to follow Him and to share His life.

The goal of discipleship also helps us understand what a disciple is. The best statement of the goal of a disciple is in Matthew 10:25. Here we read, “It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.” You see, the whole goal of a disciple is to be like his teacher. This tells us that being a disciple is a progression; it is a process. And if our teacher is Jesus Christ, it is interminable in this life. It’s never over until we are glorified and made like Him. So discipleship by its very definition is a process.

I am fond of saying that there is a sense in which every disciple is challenged to become more of a disciple. No matter where you are in your Christian life today, God wants you somewhere else tomorrow. That’s discipleship. And what He is asking you to do today is different from what He is going to ask me to do today. It’s a process that spans our lifetime, and nobody retires from it. The journey goes on.

III. The Differences Between Salvation and Discipleship

Now you will notice some of the differences between salvation and discipleship I have listed here and tried by indentation to show how they might be grouped. This basically, is going to form some of my comments about the problems I have with the Lordship view of discipleship.

Salvation Discipleship
Justification Sanctification
By grace By works
Through faith

Free

Christ’s love for me

Christ’s commitment to me

Christ’s cross for me

Eternal life

 Through faithfulness

Costly

My love for Christ

My commitment to Christ

My cross for Christ

Eternal rewards
An unbeliever’s response A believer’s response
Instantaneous Progressive
New birth Continued growth
One condition Many conditions
Inclusive Exclusive

We should notice the obvious differences and that we cannot merge the two. For example, eternal salvation speaks of justification. Discipleship speaks of sanctification. Our eternal salvation then, is positional righteousness, whereas discipleship is practical righteousness. We know that salvation is by grace through faith, and it’s free. But discipleship is by works through faithfulness, and it’s costly. Our eternal salvation depends on Christ’s love for me, Christ’s commitment to me, and Christ’s taking His cross for me. Discipleship involves my love for Christ, my commitment to Christ, and my taking up my cross daily for Him. The focus of eternal salvation is eternal life.  Discipleship, however, focuses on eternal rewards. Eternal salvation involves an unbeliever’s response. Discipleship involves a believer’s response. Eternal salvation is instantaneous, and a new birth. Discipleship is progressive and a continued growth. Eternal salvation depends on one condition: belief. Discipleship depends on many conditions, which I’ll mention later. Eternal salvation is inclusive of all. Discipleship is exclusive. So let’s break some of these down and talk about them by category.

A. Lordship Faith Confuses Justification and Sanctification

First of all, Lordship Salvation misses the mark for discipleship because it confuses justification and sanctification. We’ve said a lot about this already.[1] We won’t spend a lot of time here. Just as they confuse faith in their definition of faith, justification, and sanctification, so they do the same with discipleship. Justification is the declaration by God of our positional righteousness before Him, while sanctification is our progressive growth in righteousness and godly conduct, learning to live in obedience, learning to live up to our new position. But we cannot confuse the two. They are related, but they must remain distinct. How clearly that comes out in the Book of Romans where justification is clearly dealt with from 3:21 through chapter 5.  And when we come to chapters 6-8, we find a discussion of our sanctification. Isn’t it interesting that in the Romans the first command doesn’t come until 6:11? Why is that? Because obedience has nothing to do with justification, everything to do with sanctification. And so the commands don’t begin until 6:11.

B. Lordship Faith Negates Grace with Works

Another problem with Lordship Salvation is that it negates grace with works. What does Romans 11:6 say? “If it is of works, it is no longer grace.” Pretty simple. You can’t mix the two. It’s either by works or by grace. Lordship Salvation confuses the two. Free grace believes that it is through faith in Christ that we are eternally saved, but it is through faithfulness to Christ that we are made disciples.

Lordship Salvation talks about costly grace, but free grace says that there is only one kind of grace, and it is free. Discipleship is costly, but grace is free. John MacArthur says, “Salvation is both free and costly.”[1] How so? How can something be free and costly? Well, he says that it is a paradox, a seeming contradiction. No, it’s just bad theology, bad English, and bad logic. A cannot equal B. Is salvation costly? To God, yes. To Jesus, yes. But we have a word for that, and the word is redemption, which in its essence means to purchase or to buy. It implies cost. Let’s be more careful when we talk about salvation in its various terms and various perspectives. When we talk about eternal salvation and its cost, we talk about redemption, but the cost is not ours, it’s God’s, it’s Jesus’. He paid the price. But what does Romans 3:24 say about our redemption and the freeness of salvation? It couldn’t be clearer. Romans 3:24 says, “Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Free to us, costly to God. And the only reason we can have a free salvation is because God paid a tremendous price. So we don’t say that there is no price. We don’t deny that there is a cost to salvation. We just say that God paid it by His grace.

That’s the wonderfulness of our salvation. Salvation is free to us, but it cost Him something. To talk about “costly grace” is a contradiction in terms. We call that an oxymoron, like “military intelligence,” “Russian economy,” “Social Security,” or “Honorable Senator.” Those are oxymorons, contradictions. There’s no such thing as “costly grace.” Grace, by its very definition, is free. There is only one kind of grace. It’s absolutely free. We talk about “free grace,” and that’s a redundancy, but we have to do it because the debate has forced us to do it. We talk about the “Free Grace” movement. That’s kind of like talking about the “inerrant word of God.” Why do we have to say that? Or the “infallible, inerrant word of God,” or the “infallible, inspired, inerrant word of God.” All those are redundancies, but the debate that’s going on demands it of us. It’s a shame.

We believe that Christ’s love for us is what brings us our salvation. It is our love for Christ that is part of the discipleship process. In the same way, it was Christ’s commitment to me that took Him to the cross, and my commitment to Him that helps me to grow as a disciple. His commitment to me, that took Him to the cross, and He took up His cross and carried it down the streets of Jerusalem to Golgotha for me, and I am to take up my cross daily for Him in discipleship.

And then, we have eternal life versus eternal rewards. It’s amazing to me how many times Jesus Christ and Paul the apostle used rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ as a motivation for Christian living, as something to look forward to and to shape our lives by. It was so good to hear [Dr. Earl Radmacher’s] exhortation about keeping our eyes on the eternal significance of life in the Kingdom of God, because Jesus and Paul certainly did, and yet we hear so little teaching about that. And that is, for one reason, because Lordship Salvation has confused the two. They don’t like to talk about rewards, and so many rewards passages are interpreted as salvation passages. Discipleship truth is interpreted as salvation truth. We lose the beauty of the promise of rewards and eternal significance and kingdom life, and a whole section of Scripture is eviscerated.

C. Lordship Faith is Unrealistic in Its Expectation of the Unregenerate

Lordship Salvation confuses discipleship, which also results in an unrealistic expectation from the unregenerate. You see, the Lordship Salvation view of discipleship assumes a Christian response from unbelievers. But what would an unbeliever understand about carrying his cross? What would an unbeliever understand about loving God with all his heart? He doesn’t know God. Would we expect an unbeliever to give up all his possessions or be willing to? What kind of logic is it that demands of an unbeliever such sophisticated, mature Christian decisions that I am still grappling with in my own life? It just doesn’t make sense to expect from someone who is dead in his sin, to expect from someone whose mind has been veiled by Satan himself, to respond to God with a fully loving heart at the moment of salvation, to respond to God in total commitment and total submission, to be willing to suffer for Him.

We believe that obedience and commitment are a response to God’s wonderful grace, and that’s why Romans 12:1 is Romans 12:1 and not Romans 1:1. Paul had to wait until 12:1, so that he could say, “by the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice.” That’s why he waits until Ephesians 4:1 to exhort us to “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” He had to tell us about who we are before he tells us what to do. And yet we are so guilty of getting the cart before the horse and telling people what to do before we tell them what they are and why they should do it. Even we, who believe in free grace, will fall into that error. Listen to the words of Colossians 2:6 as well: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in Him.” There is a process; there is a progression. We receive Christ; we trust in Him as Savior. He comes inside of us. We now learn to walk with Him in fellowship.

This progression probably comes out best in Titus. You might want to look at Titus chapter 2. I don’t think it can be said any clearer of how salvation should result in discipleship, that they are sequential. Verse 11 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” The grace of God has appeared. Jesus has brought us salvation. That salvation teaches us as a consequence how to live a godly life. The word used for teaching there is a word that was used of training children. How appropriate, since the Christian life is a process of taking those who are not mature into maturity, from spiritual infancy into spiritual adulthood.

So it is unrealistic to expect the unregenerate to make mature Christian decisions. It takes the grace of God to teach us how to make those decisions and commitments. Did it ever occur to the Lordship Salvation person, for example, that someone who is drowning may just want to get out of the water, and not become a life-guard? Or become a missionary? When someone realizes that they are lost in their sins and they are destined to separation from God, what is their concern? A legitimate concern is to be saved from sin or separation. Some may be saved with a heart of gratitude, some may be saved with a loving heart. I don’t deny that these things can happen in an overlapping manner so that we can’t easily separate the two. Some people realize that when Jesus saves them they owe Him everything, and they should commit to Him, and they do so from day one. That happens. But probably, more likely, there are people like me, who coasted along for a good while before we really understood what the Christian life should be about and what God has done for us. And no matter how they start, God is going to continue to ask of them decisions and commitments along the way.

D. Lordship Faith Leaves You No Where to Grow

Lordship Salvation misses the mark in discipleship, because their understanding leaves you nowhere to grow. You see, if disciples are born not made, then there is nowhere to grow. We understand the conditions of discipleship, which are: love God with all your heart, love Him more than your mother, brothers, sisters, father, etc, deny yourself, take up your cross daily, follow Christ, be willing to commit all of your possessions, be willing to suffer for Jesus Christ, abide in His word. All these are conditions for discipleship that we find in the gospels.[1] Now if we believe that people must make those commitments in order to become a Christian, where does that leave them room to grow? But growth is expected. Peter said, “As new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby” (1Pet 2:2). He said, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18). Part of that growth is dealing with the reality of sin in our lives. How does Lordship discipleship leave room for the reality of sin in our lives? In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, no matter what you do with the carnal Christian there, he’s still a carnal Christian. He’s still undeniably a babe in Christ. There is growth that needs to take place. And when you get to 1 Corinthians 11:30, you see Christians that are living in carnality and abusing the Lord’s supper, and they die in their carnality. They are believers who have not submitted.

Lordship Salvation is not realistic in its expectations for Christian growth, nor is it realistic about the reality of sin in our lives. I think that the Bible is very clear that there is always another level of commitment that we are called to. That’s just the excitement of the Christian life. Life is an adventure with Jesus. I don’t know about you, but I’m quite an outdoors person and when I get to walking in mountains or the hills, I’m like a billy-goat. I’ve got to start climbing. I love a good view, and so I’ll climb. I was in Southern California this summer and I climbed up this one hill. But it’s awfully deceiving when you’re in the mountains sometimes, because you think if you just get up to that top you’ll have a beautiful view. And then you get up there and you find, “Well, I’m not really at the top, am I? There’s another ridge I didn’t see, and I’ll bet the view is even better up there.” So you go up to the next ridge and you say, “Boy, the view is beautiful up here.” But you know what? There’s still another ridge there, and so pretty soon you’re getting way up there. That’s what discipleship is like. God takes us to one level and life is exciting, but you know something? There’s another level to get to. There are greater challenges, greater rewards, greater excitement in store for us.

That’s how Jesus called His own disciples. When we study the process of discipleship and His calls and appeals to them in the gospels, we find that He called the disciples to be disciples, kind of like calling saved people to be saved. For example, in John chapter 1, we find Peter coming to Jesus Christ, and yet we see Jesus inviting the earliest disciples, including Andrew, to follow Him. So we are introduced to Peter and assume that Peter probably believed then, and yet we know that later in life, as told by Mark chapter 1 or Matthew chapter 4, that Jesus sees them by the sea mending their nets or fishing and He says, “Come follow Me.” Well, didn’t He already say that to Peter in John 1? Yes He did, but He needs to say it again. These men knew more about Him, so the commitment level needed to change.

What do you do with Luke chapter 5 when Jesus sees them again by the sea, and He says, “Follow Me”? Most people assume that this is a parallel account of Matthew chapter 4. I don’t. I explain the details in my dissertation.[1] But I think it is significant to note that the setting is different, the circumstances are different, they are doing different things, and yet Jesus says to Peter again, “Follow Me.” In fact, Jesus says to Peter a number of times, “Follow Me,” “Follow Me,” “Follow Me” throughout the gospels, and then you get to John chapter 21 and He tells Peter twice, “Follow Me.” Peter is surely a believer by now, isn’t he? Why in John chapter 21 does Jesus have to tell Peter to follow Him? Because He’s given him new revelation and He’s challenging him to a greater commitment based on that new content. He told Peter, “When you are older, you are going to be stretched out and you are going to be led where you don’t want to go,” referring to his manner of death. And then He said, “Now, you follow Me—Now that I’ve told you that you are going to die for Me, you follow Me.” Well, you see, “Follow Me” takes on a whole new significance to somebody who has just learned that he’s going to die. And then Peter sees John over there and asks Jesus, “What about him? What about this guy?” And Jesus says, “It’s none of your business. You follow Me.” Well, there’s another new revelation for Peter: God has an individually designed ministry for him, an individual calling for him. “Don’t worry about your brother, get on with what I’ve told you to do.” And He says again to Peter, “Follow Me.”

Do you want a model for discipleship? Look at Peter. That’s why Peter is so prominent in the Scriptures. He’s always the first apostle named, the spokesman for the group, an extrovert. An extrovert is someone who talks while he’s thinking of something to say. That’s Peter. But thank God that we are given the model of Peter to look at, because Peter wasn’t a perfect person, and it shows us that part of discipleship is learning how to fail. Discipleship is a journey, but that journey has setbacks and obstacles and we sometimes trip and fall, as Peter did. Yet during that whole account of Peter denying Jesus Christ, if you look at that account in John, you’ll see that word “follow” appears every now and then. “Are you a follower of that man?” “No, I’m not.”  Oh, yes, he was. He followed Christ secretly at a distance. It’s an amazing study. I’ve got seven sermons on Peter as a follower, but I’m not going to preach them all right now.

So Jesus appeals to Peter’s curiosity in John 1; He appeals to his devotion to duty in John 21. Jesus never lets up the pressure of discipleship. It is a progression. It is a process. It is a journey. It is a call to commitment. There is a sense in which a disciple is always challenged to become more of a disciple. So how can we say that all those discipleship commitments are involved in coming to Christ as Savior? What do you do with the secret disciples in John, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus? They were secret disciples, but it took time for them to come out. I hate to use that term with them, but it took them time to show their Christian faces. The process of discipleship goes on. It is never finished until glorification.

E. Lordship Faith Confuses the Gospel

Lordship Salvation misses the mark in discipleship, because it confuses the gospel. If discipleship and eternal salvation are equated, then according to their definition, there are many conditions for salvation. You must deny yourself, according to Luke 9:23, as well as take up your cross and follow Christ. Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life, he cannot be My disciple;” in Luke 14:33, “So, likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has, cannot be My disciple;” in John 8:31, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed;” and in John 13:35, “By this all will know that your are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

There are a lot of conditions for discipleship, but one condition for eternal salvation: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. So if we take Lordship’s definition for discipleship, doesn’t that confuse the gospel? Of course, it does. How could a person ever know that he or she is saved, ever know that he or she has met all those conditions? Assurance would become illusive—No, it would become impossible, absolutely impossible. How many of you have met those conditions satisfactorily to yourself or to God? If disciples are born and not made, then boy, they sure have to hit the ground running. They say only 2% of Christians in America are actively leading people to Christ. But Lordship Salvation people say that part of discipleship is fishing for men, and if you’re not fishing, you are not following. Well, there are a lot of Christians in that category aren’t there? I think they have just excluded themselves from the Kingdom of God.

F. Lordship Faith Makes Salvation Inaccessible

Lordship Salvation misses the mark also because it makes salvation inaccessible. Here we end up with the same concern that we have about Lordship’s understanding of faith: that they are taking away the hope of salvation from so many people. The gospel invitation is inclusive; it is “whoever,” “whosoever.” But discipleship is exclusive. Jesus said, “You can’t be My disciple unless…” or “Unless a man…” When it came to salvation, Jesus invited everyone. His arms were open wide. When it came to discipleship, He practically pushed people away.

I know a fellow who started a pretty intensive discipleship ministry to teenagers. He invited all the teenagers in several churches to come, and he promoted it heavily. Only a few teenagers came. He was greatly discouraged, wanting to quit. And I told him, “Wait a minute.  Let’s look at what you are trying to do. It’s the nature of discipleship. You will never have people flock to discipleship classes if you are doing it right.” People will not flock to suffer for Jesus, or to take up their cross, or deny themselves. That’s the nature of discipleship. It is very exclusive. In John chapter 6, Jesus whittled a crowd of 6,000 down to 12. Wouldn’t that have looked good on His resume? Imagine if He were to apply to many churches today: “Well, I managed to build a congregation of 6,000 down to 12.” That’s church growth, according to Jesus. Maybe we need to reexamine our views on church growth.

There is a difference between Jesus’ saying “Come to Me,” and “Come after Me.” I think there’s a technical difference here. Small words, but great significance. When He says, “Come to Me,” He’s inviting people to salvation. When He says, “Come after Me,” He is saying the same as “Follow Me,” or “Be My disciple.” I think it comes out in Matt 11:28-30 very clearly. What I see here is that He is actually extending both invitations. To those Jews who were lost in the hopelessness of a pharisaical system, burdened by the requirements of the law, He said in Matt 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” I think that is His invitation to salvation—“Come to Me…I will give you rest,” the “rest” of righteousness, the “rest” of peace with God and of reconciliation with God, the “rest” that the pharisaical system can not give under its burden of law-keeping. And then He says, “Take My yoke upon you.”  “Now that you’ve come, you take. Now that you’ve received, you learn from me,” He says. “For I am gentle and lowly of heart and you will find rest for your souls.” “Rest” speaks of the fellowship that can now be enjoyed with God, “for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The whole figure of a yoke implies obligation, commitment, and duty. I find both invitations here: “Come to Me,” and then “Take up and learn from Me.” I have no problem with the way that Jesus offered those invitations, but they are distinct. There is a big difference between believing and behaving, between receiving eternal life and taking up the cross for Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

I’ll just conclude with a few practical exhortations.

When we teach about discipleship, let’s be sure to keep it distinct from eternal salvation, but related. Jesus did say, “Go and make disciples” and the key verb in that passage, as you may know, is “make disciples.” The going probably implies the evangelism process, but His end result is that we are to make disciples of people. I believe that is why the Book of Acts uses the term “disciples” synonymously with “believers.” It’s bridging from the gospels where we are told to make disciples into what actually happened. People became enthusiastic followers of Jesus Christ. That’s the norm for the Book of Acts, with but rare exceptions that are noted. Discipleship should follow salvation, and salvation should flow into discipleship. How will that shape your ministry then? I saw a cartoon once of someone opening the nursery door in a hospital and a little baby is crawling out, and the nurse is saying, “Good luck!” Dr. Radmacher says that we could be jailed for child-abuse or child-neglect. What do we want to do with those who come to know Christ as their Savior? Do they understand what discipleship is? Do we want to lead them further?

We ought to learn to disciple from a grace perspective, to keep grace first. It is the motivation to follow. The heart of discipleship is not what we do, but who we are in Christ. Unfortunately, I have seen that most discipleship material begins not with who we are, but with what we should do, leaving the impression that if we establish a quiet time, if we establish a prayer life, if we read our Bibles regularly, or memorize a certain number of verses, then we are disciples. Those things are important. Those things may be very necessary for spiritual growth, but that’s not where God starts. He starts by telling us who we are in Christ. My friends, when somebody has the motivation, all the how-to’s and all the disciplines will work themselves out eventually. When I first became a Christian, I did not go to a church for about a year and a half, but I was so motivated by the love and the grace of God that I would stay up until 3 o’clock in the morning reading my Bible. I didn’t need anybody to check it off on a list for me. Give them the motivation. Give them the reason. Give them the goal. And then help them with the disciplines along the way.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. I was asked to write some discipleship materials, and I’ve written and finished the rough draft. I spent a lot of time thinking about the approach I wanted to use, because there are so many different approaches out there. What is the biblical approach? What I basically ended up doing was taking the Book of Romans and saying, “Here’s where we are going: This is what has happened to you. This is who you are. Now let’s talk about what you should do.” It makes more sense to me. It’s more biblical to me. Ground them in grace. Motivate them and fire them up with grace. People will find a way to pray. They will find a way to read their Bible.

A soldier at Ft. Hood, Texas, was looking forward to seeing his girlfriend in Chicago. Then they had a security breech, and they had to close the fort down. They wouldn’t let anybody in and they wouldn’t let anybody out. So he was greatly disappointed. Finally he decided, “I’m going for it.” He starts running toward the front gate, and the guard says, “Stop!” But he keeps running towards it and the guard says, “Stop or I’ll shoot!” The young soldier said, “Look, my mama’s in heaven, my papa’s in hell, my girlfriend’s in Chicago, and I’m gonna see one of them tonight!” You just give people the motivation; they’ll find a way.

Motivation is what is so lacking, I believe, in our Christian teaching. The motivation of the Kingdom, the motivation of rewards, the motivation of love, the motivation of grace, and the motivation of duty. If motivated, people will find a way. No wonder Jesus made love the first commandment. Maybe He knew what He was doing. He says, “You just love, and you’ll keep all the other commands.”

Learn to disciple from grace. Teach people who they are. Make that part of your discipleship process and materials.

Another application might be that Christians who coast should be taught that that is not pleasing to God. We have an obligation and a duty to tell people who are Christians that God wants them to move on in the Christian life and not to stay in spiritual infancy or to remain in their diapers. They should not be comfortable in their diapers. If they are, we should hold their diapers in their face, make them smell the smell, make them feel uneasy. Christians who coast are not appreciating the grace of God, and we need to talk to them about it.

Let me leave you with one thought: Christians have never changed the world—only disciples have. So what are you going to do about it? What commitments are you going to make? What is God asking you to do, where you are, on your journey today? How will you challenge people to go on to a productive and fruitful life of discipleship? The cost of discipleship is high, but the rewards are great!

[1] This article is from a message originally delivered March 31, 1999 at the Grace Evangelical Society’s fourth annual conference. It has been edited slightly for publication.

[1] John F. MacArthur, Jr., The Gospel According to Jesus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988), 21.

[1] Robert Lescelius, Lordship Salvation: Some Crucial Questions and Answers (Ashville, NC: Revival Literature, 1992), 65.

[1] Bailey E. Smith, The Grace Escape: Jesus as Savior and Lord (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991), xviii, 97.

[1] J. Wallis, “Many to Belief, But Few to Obedience,” Sojourners (March 1976): 21.

[1] J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1961), 73.

[1] See Charlie’s other message also delivered at the conference and published in the previous issue of this journal: “Why Lordship Faith Misses the Mark for Salvation,” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society 12 (Spring 1999): 21-35.

[1] MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, 140.

[1] See Matt 10:37-39; 16:24-27; Luke 9:23-26; 14:25-33; John 8:31. For a detailed discussion of these passages as well as the whole issue of Lordship Salvation’s understanding of discipleship and salvation, see Charles C. Bing, Lordship Salvation: A Biblical Evaluation and Response (Ph.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1991) GraceLife edition (Burleson, TX: GraceLife Ministries, 1997).

Posted in God Tagged: Bible, Christ, christianity, church, Discipleship, Faith, Jesus, law, Life, love, Matthew Mcgee ]]> http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/how-the-bible-presents-discipleship/feed/ 0 dtbrents discipleship WHAT IS GRACE LIFE http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/what-is-grace-life/ http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/what-is-grace-life/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:19:17 +0000 dtbrents http://dtbrents.wordpress.com/?p=1514 ]]>

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“For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 The Apostle Paul wrote these words hundreds of years ago and they are still true today. Christians are not under law. Christians are under grace. The Greek word for “under” (hupo) means “subject to the power.” People who Christ have forgiven are not subject to the power of the law. We are are free from the law. We are now subject to the power of Grace. What does that mean: subject to the power of Grace? Grace is charis. It means “unearned, unmerited favor.” The word is the opposite of erga, “works.” Paul explained it well when he wrote: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 Developing a positive, eternal relationship with God is a matter of thankfully receiving His gift, not of working to earn His favor. God gives His love and favor to everyone who comes to Him to receive His gift in the way He directs. It’s God’s Gift. He has the right to give it in any way He wishes. He wishes to give it freely, “not by works.” The Apostle Paul made it clear that God will not allow anyone to come to Him without coming by Grace. No one comes to God by works in this Dispensation of the Grace of God. If God starts our new lives by Grace and not works, does He then want us to live this new life by works and not Grace? Paul answered the question with a rhetorical question: “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:3) The Galatians had a problem. Some false teachers were trying to get the Christians there to live their life according to law, rather than Grace. Paul explained the purpose of the law so they would understand the purpose of Grace: “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” This is similar to what Paul later told the Romans: “you are not under law, but under grace.” We are not subject to the power of the law. The law is something to which a Christian should never return. Paul told the Galatians, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1) Paul was speaking in the context of Christians placing themselves under the law. It has long concerned us that modern-day Christians allow themselves to be pulled back under the law, just like the Galatians almost two-thousand years ago. That’s the horrible law-life from which we came before we received God’s Gift of Grace. We were supposed to leave that behind us when we placed our faith in Jesus Christ. God called us to live the wonderful GraceLife His precious Son died to give us. That’s what GraceLife means. The Heart of GraceLife The heart and core of GraceLife is Freedom in Christ. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1 Free in Christ! That’s what we are. Free men and women. And why are we free? Paul says “it is for freedom” that Christ set us free. Freedom is a great theme in Paul’s writings. Earlier in his letter to the Galatians, he wrote: “This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.” (Galatians 2:4). What was Paul talking about? Members of the Jewish congregation in Jerusalem had heard about Paul’s teaching that Jews and Gentiles did not have to be circumcised any longer. They no longer had to obey the Law of Moses. This angered and frustrated many. Several went to Antioch to see for themselves. Some taught the Christians that “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1) That was true to them in the Kingdom Dispensation, but not true in the Dispensation of the Grace of God that Paul preached. Paul went with the Jews to Jerusalem to set the record straight. That visit led to the understanding that Paul had a ministry of the Grace message to the Gentiles while James, Peter and John had a ministry of the Kingdom message to Jews. Paul understood what it was to be a slave to sin. He knew all people were dead in their sins and could only follow the ways of the world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air. He knew they could only gratify the cravings of their sinful nature and follow its desires and thoughts. (Ephesians 2:1-3) That’s the “natural” way of things. Paul also knew that in Christ people were set free from sin and became slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:18) Paul understood clearly why God had saved us: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” God does not want us to be slaves to sin any longer. There’s no need for it. We are FREE! Why would a former slave want to taste freedom and then run back to the shackles that once held him? Why? Doesn’t make any sense. But that’s exactly what Christians around the world do every day. They put themselves back into slavery. How? By believing the lies of Satan and the world. Too many Christians believe they aren’t good enough for God, that they don’t do enough for God, that God isn’t pleased with them unless they do certain religious things, that other Christians are better than them, that God will judge them if they don’t do the things other Christians tell them to do. As Paul wrote, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” (Galatians 5:7-8) Jesus told His disciples: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 The Kingdom disciples were free within the framework of holding to Christ’s teaching. Grace disciples are free within the framework of God’s Love and Grace. We have received “every spiritual blessing” because we are in Christ, not because of something we’ve done. The problems come into Christian’s lives as they put themselves back under the Law. Paul told the Galatian Christians: “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” Galatians 5:2-4 Christians feel guilt and defeat every day of their lives because of the lies of the world and, unfortunately, other Christians. Listen to what Paul wrote: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Far too many Christians are convinced they can only approach God through a particular doctrine, ministry, denomination or congregation. That’s NOT what it means to be “in Christ.” Paul wrote: “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:12 The secret of the GraceLife is that we are “in” Christ, He is “in” us and we are “in” God. We cannot live the Christian life. Only One Person can do that and that Person is Christ. Christ will “live” His Perfect Life in us. We can’t. He can and will. That Truth takes the pressure off us. We turn over our lives to the One Who can Live His Life through us. Paul understood clearly that living the Christian life has nothing to do with our heritage, history, strengths, talents or abilities. It has everything to do with Who we are in Christ. “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” Philippians 3:7-16 God has called us to live a Holy life. True. God created us in Christ Jesus to do good works. Again, true. The question before us is what’s the motivation to do these things. Is it fear and guilt? Is it that someone else said we’d better do it or else? Or is it Love and Grace? Yes, it’s God’s Love and Grace that motivate us. We serve God because we can, not because we have to. Every Christian should share Paul’s passion in this matter. It is the most important issue facing the Body of Christ today. What do we do while on earth and why? We live in Christ and He lives in us. We enjoy Him and He enjoys us. We share the Life of Christ in God. Christ will do through us what pleases Him as we “rest” in Him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 The yoke of the Law was heavy on the people of Israel. Jesus offered them a different yoke. It was a yoke of freedom and vacation. Paul warned the Galatians not to return to the yoke of the Law. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” What is the purpose of our Freedom in Christ? “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13 First, we must grasp the FACT that we are FREE! Second, we must understand why we’re free. God made us free. That’s fact. His Grace dictates that we are no longer under the supervision or power of the law and sin. We are under the control and power of His Grace. In what direction does God want us to go with our freedom? Indulging our sinful nature? No! God’s direction for us is the direction of serving others in love. For Christians hung up on obeying the Law, Paul reminded them: “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14 What happens to Christians who get hung up on sin, law and guilt? They destroy each other. Paul wrote: “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5:15 If you’ve been a Christian for even a few years, you’ve seen this. Christians tearing into each other like hungry lions. Why? Because they get hung up on sin and the law. It leads to guilt, frustration, anger and, eventually, hatred. It tears Christians and their churches to pieces as surely as we breathe to live. Satan accomplishes his goals through believers. He did it to the Galatians and he’s still doing it today. When are we going to wise up and see sin and law for what it is? It’s the terrible divider in the church. It’s what keeps us from enjoying God and each other. Love, given freely from a life lived free, is the Goal. It’s the essence of GraceLife: “to serve one another in love.” It’s what God’s Spirit will produce in us when we open ourselves to the freedom He has given us. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 Nobody can stand against the real work of God’s Spirit! It’s honest and real. It’s true. It is our strength and hope. It’s what makes a lasting difference in our world. How do we live a life of Love that meets the example of Christ? We ask Christ Who is “in” us to Love others through us. We can’t. He can! Exercising Spiritual Freedom in a Spirit of Love means we are “other-centered” and not “self-centered.” By that, I don’t mean we deny and denegrate ourselves. We are best able to serve others in love when we love ourselves. It is from a heart of self-love and appreciation of what we are “in” Christ that we can reach out to a world filled with people who do not love God, themselves or others. We have something very special to give them: the gift of God’s Love and Grace. We share that gift best when we are filled with God’s Spirit and overflow with the fruits of our relationship with Him. That comes from being “in” Christ and His being “in” us. Part of exercising our Spiritual Freedom is looking out for others. Paul told the Corinthians to “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” If you really love someone, you won’t do things that cause them to stumble and fall. You won’t purposely try to hinder their relationship with God. Love leads us to do the right things for ourselves and others. If we really love others, ministry becomes very easy. It’s not a struggle to do good things for people we love. The yoke of Christ’s ministry is easy. It’s time for Churches and Christians to revel in the Freedom God has given all of us, and then turn that freedom toward the world and serve it with all our strength out of free hearts filled with the Love and Grace of God. Now, that will make a difference! GraceLife(tm) is a name we chose in 1990 to express the purpose of our educational Christian effort. We publish information to help Christians live a Life of Grace. We also want to help unbelievers learn about God’s eternal love for them through His Son Jesus Christ. We hope you will enjoy GraceLife(tm) Studies, GraceAnswers(tm), and GraceThoughts(tm) in our Internet series. You are welcome to print out the Studies, Answers and Thoughts and share them with others. GraceLife(tm), GraceAnswers(tm), and GraceThoughts(tm) are Trade Marks of GraceLife(tm) Ministries. All materials are Copyrighted. “Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright ©, 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.” Return toThe GraceLife(tm) Menu Page for other studies about the Gospel of the Grace of God. Copyright © , Mark McGee , 1990-2000 / mamcgee@mindspring.com Last Updated: 12/20/1999

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