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Jesus Christ Leads, Protects, and Supplies Purpose

May 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Shepherd Leads and Supplies Purpose

 by Mike Robinson

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths jesus shepherdof righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over (Psalms 23:1-5).

God seeks and values the gifts we bring Him—gifts of praise, thanksgiving, service, and material offerings. In all such giving at the altar we enter into the highest experiences of fellowship. But the gift is acceptable to God in the measure to which the one who offers it is in fellowship with Him in character and conduct; and the test of this is in our relationships with our fellow men. We are thus charged to postpone giving to God until right relationships are established with others. Could the neglect of this be the explanation of the barrenness of our worship? Matt 5:24 (G.C. Morgan).

 

Meaning, purpose, and happiness come when I:

A. Look to God’s word, follow Him and glorify Him alone

(2 Timothy 3:16-17; Luke 14:27).

B. Decide to focus on eternal things (Colossians 3:2).

C. Look for things in my life that need to be changed

(Psalms 119:11).

D. Ask others what my character flaws are in order to mature (Proverbs 15:22).

E. Be amazed about Jesus–Jesus died for His sheep (Galatians 2:20)!

F. Trust Jesus—believe in Him for all things (John 14:1;

Ephesians 3:20).

G. Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

H. Look to the Gospel (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

I. Remember happiness is not Hell (Matthew 25; Revelation 20-22).

 

Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20).

 

The Moral Law and the Gospel of Christ: Distinct But Not Separate

The predominant functions of the moral law and God’s commandments:

 

I. Restrain Evil.

 

II. Reveal Sin/our Depravity.

 

III. Assist in our sanctification.

One must not confuse and commingle law and gospel: God’s commands distinct from God’s promises. The law is not just the Old Testament inasmuch as the Old Testament contains the gospel and the gospel is not just the New Testament for the New Testament contains law. The law accuses. The law commands and demands. It’s what God expects out of His creatures in our thoughts, words, and works. For it is not the ten recommendations, it is the Ten Commandments. It is rigorous. The law doesn’t say just do the best you can. God does not grade on a curve. The final requires perfection or one does not enter Heaven. It demands one hundred percent, every moment, in thought, word, and deed. The good news is Christ has expiated the transgressions against the law for His sheep by grace through faith. The greatest good news is that Christ has made satisfaction for the sins, the mistakes, and the commandment breaking of His people.

The gospel has attained and acquired for all Christians, without any works or merit on our part, the forgiveness of sins and the imputed righteousness of Christ that avails before God and provides eternal life. The law is written on our hearts and the gospel comes from outside us from God’s grace (Galatians 3:10-12). Scripture reveals that the law is everything that demands perfect obedience to God and pronounces God’s curses on all transgressors (Romans 3:19). The law of God renders the whole world guilty before God’s holiness and reveals the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20-23).

How can one avoid Hell? Jesus taught that it is very simple, “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Do that every day, perfectly and live. Recall what Jesus said, “It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven than a camel to go through an eye of a needle.” In that particular instance the disciples were very perplexed. They said, “Lord who then can be saved?” Jesus responded by revealing to them, “With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Heaven is infinitely beyond the reach of sinful men. Men need God to do the impossible. And God has accomplished this through Christ and His vicarious death and resurrection. It is all solely by grace. Deny Christ and it is impossible for an imperfect man to be accepted into a perfect Heaven. One must have their imperfections and sins removed by the Cross of God’s Son.

The gospel offers acceptance from God, peace with Him, and salvation freely given to the sinner by grace through faith (Romans 1:16-17, 10:15; Acts 20:24; Ephesians 1:13, 6:15). The law is distinct from the gospel but not separate; there is a unity within the diversity. Distinct but not separate.

The inward area is the first place of loss of true Christian life, of true spirituality, and the outward sinful act is the result (Francis Schaeffer).

Both the law and gospel are in the whole of Scripture. The two pertain to men and women and must be taught side by side with distinction within the oneness of Scripture. Christians are to uphold the law with zeal and with truth through the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 7:7-14). Some contemporary Christians believe the law is not to be upheld. They argue that we do not need to do the commandments in today’s dispensation. These are antinomians. Anti means: against. The definition of noumos: Law. Hence an antinomian is against the law. If there is no moral law, there can be no hell and no punishment for lawbreakers. If the law is gone, you get rid of the absolute standards of right and wrong. You also get rid of hell, and you get rid of the need of the Savior too. If we are not lawbreakers we do not need to be saved.

 

The Life of a Christian

John 10:10-15 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

 

To live a life of obedience before God’s face you must:

 

1. Admit that the flesh is weak (Matt 26:41).

2. Pray for power and wisdom to overcome temptation and sin.

3. Avoid instruments, places, people, and circles that tempt you and where you previously fell.

4. Keep your focus on the Shepherd Jesus and His victory. He died for you and He leads you.

(1 Corinthians 15:56; Hebrews 12:1-2).

The church of Jesus Christ has plenty of programs, plenty of buildings, books, and trinkets. But what we need most are trained, mounted troops of God. Soldiers trained for sudden, daily charges against the gapping breaches in the enemy’s line opened daily by the Word of God. The church has advanced through slow, pounding bombardments as it has opened hospitals, orphanages, outreaches and care centers. We must become loving troops: aggressive, compassionate, merciful, and unlimbering the great theological guns from the portholes of the churches. The great gospel weapons: The pounding of the truth of justification and lifting high the standard of the triune God must be our goal. Exalting the person of Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King should be our passion. He is the unstoppable weapon of the church: Jesus Christ.

Christians must become impassioned disciples to run with Jesus. Our moral duty is to put off all the excuses, indifference, sloppiness, slothfulness, slouchiness, laziness, and sluggishness. One can’t be a Christian sluggard. A Christian can’t afford to be droopy, duff, or negligent, but diligent in obedience and worship. It is about honoring God as God.

If you are weak and weary:

•   Pray to God for power and grace.

•   Praise and glorify God Almighty.

•   Hence, if you are battle weary: Pray and praise.

Filed Under: Apologetics, Christian Theology Tagged With: ,

Jesus: His Love, Promises, and Our Duty

December 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Since Christ Keeps His Loving Promises Keep His Commandments

By Mike Robinson

justification imputation



And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory (1Timothy 3:16).


Since God keeps His promises, we should focus on Jesus. Christ is the Master in every realm known and unknown: the realms of nature, the church, the future, and the spiritual. Christ flung the stars across the cosmos; He is the Lord of the universe. Additionally, He is the ground of rationality, the Logos of all true philosophy, and the precision of mathematics. Jesus is the Captain of salvation for He overmastered sin, death, and the grave. He turned the darkness of death into the dazzling glory of the Resurrection. With Jesus no one needs religion to escape death’s grip; no one needs religion to be loved and accepted: Jesus is alive and He loves His own to the end.


Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him (1 John 3:1).


Jesus is all-wise, omnipotent, omniscient, and He is everywhere present; He is blessed and radiant in power and glory. He propitiates God’s judgment and wrath as He offers unconditional love to all His people. Jesus saves, redeems, protects, delivers and leads His people. Jesus, as God, accomplished the supreme purpose as the conqueror of darkness and wickedness. Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.


Contemplate the glory of Christ. Rejoice in the wonder of His person. Delight in His friendship. Thank Him for His forgiveness and love Him for His loveliness. With Jesus you do not need manmade religion. So focus on Jesus, live upon Jesus, walk with Jesus, and follow hard after Jesus as you obey His word out of gratitude; moreover, love Him for all He is and all that He has done for you.


Expressing Love to God


Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Jesus).


Packer offers the following practical applications for expressing our love to God:


 


To worship God is to recognize his worth or worthiness; to look God-ward, and to acknowledge in all appropriate ways the value of what we see. The Bible calls this activity “glorifying God” or “giving glory to God,” and views it as the ultimate end, and from one point of view, the whole duty of man (Ps. 29:2; 96:6; 1 Cor. 10:31). Scripture views the glorifying of God as a six-fold activity: praising God for all that he is and all his achievements; thanking him for his gifts and his goodness to us; asking him to meet our own and others’ needs; offering him our gifts, our service, and ourselves; learning of him from his word, read and preached, and obeying his voice; telling others of his worth, both by public confession and testimony to what he has done for us. Thus we might say that the basic formulas of worship are these: “Lord, you are wonderful”; “Thank you, Lord”; “Please Lord”; “Take this, Lord”; “Yes, Lord.” …This then is worship in its largest sense: petition as well as praise, preaching as well as prayer, hearing as well as speaking, actions as well as words, obeying as well as offering, loving people as well as loving God. However, the primary acts of worship are those which focus on God directly—and we must not imagine that work for God in the world is a substitute for direct fellowship with him in praise and prayer and devotion (James Packer, Your Father Loves You).


Make Note of the Power of the Gospel


During the Great Awakening through the work of God’s Spirit many people came to Christ; furthermore, by the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield America was transformed. One of the most curious fads that appeared during that period of revival was an unexpected interest in shorthand in the American colonies. Almost everywhere people had pens in their hands as they hurried off to a revival service. They took their feather pen, portable ink well, and paper to write notes as many attendees recorded the sermon in shorthand. This led to a viral surge of shorthand books being purchased. During this mighty revival people were talking about Jesus and running to and fro while hearing the Cross preached; these inexperienced scribes were endeavoring to record every word for later study and meditation.


The preaching of Jesus Christ crucified and risen with the justification that comes by God’s grace led to the greatest revival America has ever witnessed.


Justification


But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 4:5).


You say hold on a minute; I know what justification means: declared righteous. Why is it so important? When I hear this type of questioning, I can understand the reason Martin Luther said: “I feel sometimes that you are so slow to receive it; that I could almost take the Bible and bang it about your heads.” These truths are essential, yet often we don’t really embrace them and it seems we need it pounded into our hearts. Thomas Watson rightly noted that justification is the “very hinge and pillar of Christianity.”


Van Til pointed out that “the idea of grace is wholly out of line with the idea of autonomous man.” Paul declared: “Let God be true and every man a liar.” We should believe God and not any man that attempts to controvert God’s Word. By God’s grace through faith in Jesus one is justified, forgiven, and accepted by God. That’s good news.


    

  • And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6).
    • 

  • Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).
    • 

  • For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3).
    • 

  • But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 4:5).
    • 

  • For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, “Peace, peace!” When there is no peace (Jeremiah 8:11).
    • 



The Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness


God the Father sent His Son, who is sinless and perfect in character, to live a perfect life in accordance to God’s Law and sacrifice himself for the sins of mankind. The sins of the repentant sinner are cast onto Christ: the perfect sacrifice. Furthermore, salvation includes the gift of the “righteousness of God” (Rom. 3:21, 22; 10:3; Philippians 3:9). This is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 1:30). His life of sinlessness and perfect obedience to God’s law on this earth was required to give believers a perfect record in regard to the postive aspect of Justification (Christ’s active obedience). The need for a human life of perfect obedience to God’s law is one of the most important reasons that Jesus as God, had to become fully man (incarnate) and live as a man born of a virgin.


Romans 4:6 declares that God “imputes righteousness apart from works,” hence this righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer’s account. God forensically (legally) credits (imputes) the believer with the righteous acts that Christ performed as fully man on the earth. This is the great exchange: Christ gives his perfect holiness, righteousness in exchange for human sin. This is great news for sinners who by God’s grace alone turn in faith to God’s Son: Christ takes their sin and believers receive His perfect record of law keeping and His perfect righteousness. God credits believers with the righteousness of Christ solely through faith by grace alone. Justification forensically renders the believer righteous and gives him peace with heaven.


Justification


Without justification, the unbeliever lacks peace with God. We must never assert that there is peace, when there is no peace between the ungodly and God. Without justification by grace alone, there can be no real peace. Imputation is the biblical term for the positive element of justification. Through God’s grace by faith: The believer is judicially constituted as righteous. He is declared righteous. Christ preached in Matthew 5:48, “Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The law demands perfect obedience. This is a perfection equal to the Father’s perfection. Nobody except Christ has pulled that off, so we need a perfect righteousness that is not our own. We need to be justified by the works and righteousness of another. Justification is a forensic term which speaks of the Christian’s legal position before God. The believer is declared righteous despite his unrighteous deeds. The justified are given an alien righteousness. A righteousness that is not their own, but is imputed to the believer by faith alone. Not having a righteousness of our own insures that God gets all the glory.


We should delight in the good news of our justification and get stirred-up to teach others this stupendous truth: Christ came to save sinners. When we witness, we must hoist the person and work of Christ. After pressing the law on the heart of the wicked, share the gospel and justification with them. Pray that God changes their hearts, and that they cast themselves upon the person of Jesus Christ.


Obedience Motived by Gratitude


All Christians must understand that keeping God’s law doesn’t save their soul, but grace through faith in Christ alone saves them. And the Christian is to follow God’s law out of gratitude and love.


If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15).


I … believe that I am, by Christ, freely and fully justified and acquitted from all my sins … yet, methinks, I find my heart more willing and desirous to do what the Lord commands … than ever it was before I did thus believe (Edward Fisher; notes by Thomas Boston: Marrow of Modern Divinity: Covenant of works & Grace: The Ten Commandments).


The Christian is motivated to obey God’s word out of gratitude and love. The believer is to follow God’s law because he loves God and his fellow man. God is good and loving. This truth infuses obedient love into the believer’s heart, by the power and person of the Holy Spirit, through faith. If you love Jesus, you are called to follow His moral law. If a church loves Jesus, it is going to instruct and admonish its members to follow God’s law.


—————————————-


see my Devotional eBook Jesus the Great Logos HERE

		

		
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Law and Gospel Witnessing Tract
 
		
		
August 8, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			
Witnessing Tract


by Peter Torres


Interesting Q&A


“First, I want to thank you for picking up this Q&A from me!”


 


Q. What is Man’s biggest problem?


A. Man’s problem is that God is good, just, and holy.


That is a problem because we are not. The reason we are not is because we have broken God’s law, which is the only absolute standard of goodness. God Himself says that “acquitting the guilty is detestable,” so He can’t let us off.


Q. What is God’s law?


A. God’s law is based on His truthful, faithful, and loving character.


If you have ever lied, stolen, used God’s name in vain, hated someone, or had a sexual thought for a non-spouse even once (Jesus equated hating/lust with murder/adultery in the heart), you will be seen as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, murderous adulterer in God’s sight and considered guilty by His law.


Q. Doesn’t everyone fall short of God’s character?


A. Yes, of course. But that doesn’t excuse us.


We often think of God as a college professor who curves grades and compromises his standard in order to make his students and the effects of his teaching seem better. But this is a faulty analogy when it comes to a good, holy, and just God and His perfect moral standard.


Q. Do I really need a “Savior?”


A. Yes. This is why God sent His only Son, Jesus, and forsook Him on the cross.


There Jesus suffered God’s eternal wrath in the place of sinners. Your need of a savior is necessary and essential to be reconciled to God because He must maintain His just and holy character.


Q. What is the “Good News” aka the “Gospel?”


A. It is what God has done in Jesus Christ for those who believe. Jesus died for the sins of sinners by concurrently transferring our sins onto Jesus and transferring Jesus’s perfect, sinless, and holy life and righteousness to our account on the cross. He died, was buried, and raised physically on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).


Q. Is this only about whether I go to Heaven/Hell?


A. Not exactly.


What is utterly essential is your relationship and standing with God. What makes Hell “hell” is mainly having a severed relationship with God. Thus, Hell is not so much about a place of sulfur and fire than a place where God removes all His grace and restraints on human wickedness and there is nothing but unrestrained, non-stop evil. Remember, “Guilt” never goes away. That’s why separation from God is forever. We need forgiveness which is only granted by believing into Christ in this life; not only asking for it after we die.


Q. What can I do to be saved?


A. Essentially, there is nothing you can DO to be saved. But there are two things you will do to evidence that you have been saved by God. That is, after being humbled and broken by hearing God’s law, and being awakened by the wonderful news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you will repent (confess and believe that Jesus is who he claims he is: Lord and Christ), and believe (trust God’s promise to save you by His grace through your faith; not trusting in anything else but in Christ alone and His work on the cross to rescue your relationship with God). True “repentance” will also bring a natural desire to obey Christ’s teachings and a remorse for remaining sin.


Q. I have repented and believed. Now what? A. If this is truly the case, you have been “born again.” Glory to God, alone! Now, just as a newborn needs to grow and be nourished, those “born again” need to grow and be nourished in their relationship with God. We grow in love, joy, peace, and knowledge of the Lord Jesus through prayer and study of His word, as well as fellowship and discipleship with other mature believers. Contact me if you’d like discipleship.


Q. What about other religions or atheism?


A. Christianity is the only worldview that can justify or account for the universal, non-changing, and non-physical nature of the laws of logic. Without the Christian God who alone is universal, unchanging, and non-physical, the grounding and very use of logic (which underlies all belief, argumentation, and behavior) would be arbitrary. Much more can be said on this topic, but this must suffice for sake of space. Feel free to contact me for further dialogue on this.


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Many more questions and topics could be dealt with. I’d love to further interact with you on these topics if you are moved to inquire. These are too weighty of issues to be neglected over a misunderstanding or a neglect of proper research. I’m just a local guy, so don’t be shy. But please, don’t waste precious time when it comes to matters regarding your soul. “What good is it to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?” — Jesus Christ


Feel free and down load this tract and give it to others, email it, or post it on the net.


You can find Mr. Torres’ tract HERE


MyTracts.Blogspot.com | PTorres32@GMail.com


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Everything For Jesus: A Christian’s Joy
 
		
		
July 6, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			
All for Jesus


 Xerxes the king of Persia once boarded a boat. Later it began to sink because there were too many men aboard. The ship started sinking; sinking more and more; it appeared that all aboard would drown. But an officer called out to the shipmen: “Are you not willing to sacrifice and die for your king?” Suddenly almost all the men leaped out of the boat into the water and drowned in order to save their king.


The question for Christians: How much will you sacrifice for your King? Most Christians will not be called to forfeit their life for their faith, but how much will you sacrifice in order to serve others for your King?


   We should aim to serve King Jesus and love others since James calls an undefiled and pure religion one that helps the widows and the poor.


Jesus Came and Gave Himself for His People


Jesus comes to His sheep by His glorious grace through His Word and Spirit to save us. Jesus “gave Himself for me” (Titus 3).


Christians ought to ponder:


    

  • Trouble comes—but Jesus came.
    • 

  • Failure comes—but Jesus came.
    • 

  • Problems and pain come—but Jesus came.
    • 



And Jesus Christ comes to bring peace, joy, hope, and cheerfulness to all who trust Him (Romans 5:1 & 15:13). Today give Jesus full swing of your heart as He declares to you that He will pardon every sin; heal every wound; and overcome every trouble. Christ comes, swiftly, in a full gallop upon His victory horse to triumph for His people. Yearn for Him and you will find peace for your soul no matter how things unfold.




As the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for you, O God (Psalm 42:1).




Jesus has Conquered!


 Jesus is mighty to save; mighty in battle, mighty in reassurance, and mighty in conquest. We must abide in Jesus. In our shame, we must hurl ourselves upon Jesus. When we fall, when we are crowded-in by trouble, when we find ourselves desiring relief, we must turn to Jesus Christ and all the force of Hell’s fury will not pry the arms of Jesus from us; He’s master and Lord. He’s a saving Savior who will never let us go.


It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness (Charles H. Spurgeon).


 


If you have the chance see my new Devotional Apologetics E-book Jesus the Great Logos HERE

		

		
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Vanderbilt Opposes Christian Campus Groups a Historical Perspective: WSJ
 
		
		
May 11, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			
WSJ excerpt by John Murray


Last week, Tennessee legislators sent a message to Vanderbilt University: Religious liberty matters. Large majorities in both houses passed a bill to prohibit the school from interfering in the ability of student groups to select their own leaders and members, define their own doctrines and resolve their own disputes—or Vanderbilt risks losing $24 million in state funding.




The legislation follows Vanderbilt’s decision to stop recognizing campus religious organizations that require their leaders to accept certain religious beliefs on which they are founded. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Vanderbilt Catholic, Navigators and other groups—ministering to about 1,500 students—would effectively be moved off campus in the name of “nondiscrimination.”




Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has stated that although he opposes Vanderbilt’s policy, he plans to veto the bill because it is “inappropriate for government to mandate the policies of a private institution.” (Thirty-six members of Congress have urged the university to reconsider, stating that its exemption of fraternities and sororities but not religious groups “suggests hostility on the part of Vanderbilt toward religious student groups.”)




Ironically, the very freedom Vanderbilt administrators have to make their unfortunate decision derives from a 19th-century Supreme Court case that led to the proliferation of Christian colleges such as Vanderbilt, founded under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. …


A similar blessing took place this spring at Vanderbilt. Student leaders of the 13 religious organizations opposing the school’s policy began meeting at least twice a month to pray together. As World on Campus reported, “Even if they don’t succeed in persuading administrators to rescind the policy, [one student leader said he] believes they’ve already won the spiritual battle and learned the lesson God was trying to teach.” …


to continue reading go HERE


see the new eBook There Are Moral Absolutes: Proof for the Existence of God Here

		

		
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Jesus and Religion are on Opposite Spectrums? WSJ
 
		
		
January 20, 2012  By  4 Comments 
		

			
Excerpts By J.D. FITZGERALD




YouTube videos go viral all the time, but sermons rarely do. Enter Jefferson Bethke, a young “spoken-word” poet who recently posted the video “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” It has been viewed more than 10 million times in the past 10 days. The video opens with an eerie soundtrack and the phrase “Jesus>Religion” in a stark, white typeface. His poem begins, “What if I told you, Jesus came to abolish religion?”In a polished, hip style, he continues with such controversial assertions: “Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums.” And his grand finale: “So know I hate religion, in fact I literally resent it.”


Yet the Protestant response has been strong as well. Kevin DeYoung, a blogger at “The Gospel Coalition,” a popular Reformed Christian site, wrote that “amidst a lot of true things in this poem there is a lot that is unhelpful and misleading.”


Mr. Bethke, he notes, “perfectly captures the mood, and in my mind the confusion, of a lot of earnest, young Christians” who interpret the word religion to mean “self-righteousness, moral preening, and hypocrisy.” The problem, Mr. DeYoung notes, is this is not what religion is, and Jesus didn’t hate religion. Jesus was an observant Jew, Mr. DeYoung points out. Jesus clearly said he didn’t come to abolish the law or ignore the prophecies but to fulfill them. In fact he founded the church and instituted the sacrament of communion.


Stating that religions build churches at the expense of the poor, as Mr. Bethke does, turns a blind eye to the single greatest charitable institution on the planet. Blaming religion for wars ignores the fact that the greatest mass murderers in the 20th century—indeed in all of history—killed for nonreligious reasons. And advocating for a kind of Christianity that is free of the “bondage” of religion opens the door to dangerous theological anarchy that is all too common among young evangelicals and absolutely antithetical to biblical Christianity.


full WSJ article Here


——


I would note: Jesus’ half brother James liked religion: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.  Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:26-27).


see book: There Are Moral Absolutes here

		

		
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Fran Tarkenton on Tim Tebow & Does God Care Who Wins Football Games?
 
		
		
January 13, 2012  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			


Does God Care Who Wins Football Games?


After a moment of devotion, our team would all shout in unison, ‘Now let’s go kill those S.O.B.’s!’




WSJ excerpt By FRAN TARKENTON


After the “game-winning touchdown… Mr. Tebow went down to pray on one knee in his signature pose. Millions of viewers already knew the first words he would say whenever a reporter caught up to him for a postgame interview: “First of all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!”




Tim Tebow is not unique. Even on his own team, there are notably devout players like safety Brian Dawkins. In fact, the NFL has had a number of players who were outspoken in their faith. Think of quarterback Kurt Warner, who famously went from stocking shelves at a grocery store to a pair of league most-valuable-player awards and three Super Bowl appearances. Or Reggie White, one of the greatest defensive linemen of all time, who was also an ordained minister, nicknamed the “Minister of Defense.” The list goes on.


Religion certainly played a role in the game when I played. I grew up the son of a Pentecostal Holiness minister—we were charismatic before charismatic was cool. I was in church Wednesday night, Friday night, Sunday morning and Sunday night—every week of my childhood. I was there at the first-ever national camp for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, in Estes Park, Co., in 1956, along with everyone from legendary NFL quarterback Otto Graham to a young Don Meredith (although fellow quarterback Don and I didn’t make it to many of the meetings). When I went to the NFL, I needed special dispensation from the church to play on Sundays.


There were religious guys on both teams. If God gets credit for the win, does he also take blame for defeat?


For what it’s worth, my forays into hoping for divine intervention didn’t work out. I prayed fervently before each of the three Super Bowls we Minnesota Vikings played in. We played against the Dolphins, the Steelers and the Raiders. I don’t know about the first two games, but I was sure God would be on our side for the game against the Raiders! After all, they were the villains of the league, and it was hard to believe they had more Christians on their team than on our saintly Vikings. We lost.


Faith had a place in every locker room I was in. When I played for the New York Giants, team owner Wellington Mara, a devout Catholic, invited half the priests in New York City into the locker room before games. Sometimes it was hard to find my teammates among all the priests. I’m sure Mara hoped it would somehow help the team win, but it was never enough to get us into the playoffs.


Although faith has been a part of football so long, a player like Mr. Tebow can still be extremely controversial among fans and pundits. But seriously, isn’t it refreshing that the chatter around the NFL is about a great athlete with great character who says and does all the right things and is a relentless leader for his team—and not about more arrests and bad behavior from our presumptive “heroes”?


Tim Tebow is the story of this football season, and a great story it is.


——


What do yo think? In FB games, does God decree a win for those who are Christians or who pray most sincerely before the game?


 


Mr. Tarkenton, an NFL quarterback from 1961-1978, is the chairman and founder of OneMoreCustomer.com.


see Full WSJ article HERE


also see my new E-Book that refutes Atheism: Truth and the Reason for God HERE


 





		

		
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The Powerful Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards
 
		
		
December 31, 2011  By  2 Comments 
		

			
Selected Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards


 


I suggest the reader ponder these resolutions and prayerfully aim to live them. Your life will be godlier and your relationships will improve. Print this list out and read it often.




Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory

of God without any consideration of the time. … Resolved, to do

whatever I think to be my duty…

2. Resolved, To be continually endeavoring to find out some new plan

and invention to promote the aforementioned things.


(I have placed here only selected resolutions of Jonathan Edwards)

5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in

the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, To live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, Never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do if

it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if

nobody had been so vile as I … and prompt only an occasion of my

confessing my own sins and misery to God.

9. Resolved, To think much, on all occasions, of my dying, and of the

common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom,

and of hell.

11. Resolved, When I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved,

immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do

not hinder.

12. Resolved, If I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or

vanity, or on any such account, immediately to toss it aside.

14. Resolved, Never to do anything out of revenge.

16. Resolved, Never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to

his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real

good.

17. Resolved, That I will live so, , Never to do anything, which I

should be afraid to do, if I expected I would soon die.

18. Resolved, To live so, at all times … when I have the clearest

notions of the things of the gospel, and another world.

20. Resolved, To maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.

24. Resolved, Whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it

back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully

endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might

against the original of it.

25. Resolved, To examine carefully and constantly, what that one thing

in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God;

and so direct all my forces against it.

27. Resolved, Never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be

for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and

frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow

in the knowledge of the same.

33. Resolved, To do always what I can towards making, maintaining, and

preserving peace.

34. Resolved, In narrations, never to speak any thing but the pure and

simple truth.

36. Resolved, Never to speak evil of any, except I have some

particular good call to it.

37. Resolved, To inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I

have been negligent,—what sin I have committed,—and wherein I have

denied myself;—also, at the end of every week, month, and year.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and

year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.

46. Resolved, Never to allow the least measure of any fretting or

uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved, … so much as in the least

alteration of speech, or motion of my eye; and to be especially

careful of it with respect to any of our family.

53. Resolved, To improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and

happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus

Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to

him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I

confide in my Redeemer.

58. Resolved, Not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness,

and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love,

cheerfulness, and goodness.

60. Resolved, Whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of

order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within … I will

then subject myself to the strictest examination.

68. Resolved, To confess frankly to myself, all that which I find in

myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion,

also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help.

July 23, and August 10, 1723.


———————————–


Please Note: When you fail to fulfill a resolution or you fall short, always remember:


    

  1. You are saved by God’s grace and the righteousness of Christ has been imputed into your account. Everyone falls short. See Romans 4:5.
    2. 

  2. Admit your shortcomings and be determined to live the resolution because you love God and desire to live a godly life.
    3. 

  3. Pray and depend on Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
    4. 





 

		

		
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Francis Turretin Quotes
 
		
		
November 20, 2011  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			
Quotes from Swiss scholar Francis Turretin:




“And since new revelations are not to be expected after God has committed his whole will concerning the doctrine of salvation to the books of Scripture, what could be more derogatory to God, who has promised always to be with his church, than to assert that the books in which this doctrine is preserved have been corrupted so that they cannot be the canon of faith?”


 


“We deny that any supreme and infallible judge except Scripture need be sought with regard to external proof of the object, much less that the pope, who assumes such a task, is to be accepted. We believe that Scripture alone, or God speaking in it, is enough.”


More from Francis Turretin on the Sinfulness of Sin:


“Sin is desire, word, deed, contrary to the Law of God… As the sin of Adam was most heinous, so it could not but draw after itself the most dire effects both in himself and in his posterity.”


 


Francis Turretin the Rule of Duty


 


“God’s commands are not the measure of strength, but a rule of duty.  They do not teach what we are now able, but what we are bound to do; what we could formerly do and from how great a height of righteousness we have been precipitated by Adam’s fall.  Nor is it always true that precepts which cannot be fulfilled are unjust.  The intemperate man who has rendered himself callous by habit and cannot restrain himself from lust or drunkenness (habit being turned into nature) is still bound by the laws of sobriety and temperance.  So from the debtor (who has lost by gambling a large sum of money borrowed on interest) not in vain nor unjustly is the debt demanded nor has the creditor lost his right by the crime of the debtor. Since, then, man by his own fault has contracted an inability to obey God, not in vain nor unjustly does God demand from his the obedience which he owes.  It is not just that sin should be an advantage to man and he be irresponsible because he has corrupted himself by his own crime.”


 


Francis Turretin on Christ’s Voluntary Work


 


” …it was not unjust for Christ to substitute himself in our room, while lie is righteous and we unrighteous. By this act no injury is done to any one. Not to Christ, for he voluntarily took the punishment upon himself, and had the right to decide concerning his own life and death, and also power to raise himself from the dead. Not to God the judge, for he willed and commanded it; nor to his natural justice, for the Surety satisfied this by suffering the punishment which demanded it. Not to the empire of the universe, by depriving an innocent person of life, for Christ, freed from death, lives for evermore; or by the life of the surviving sinner injuring the kingdom of God, for he is converted and made holy by Christ. Not to the divine law, for its honour has been maintained by the perfect fulfillment of all its demands, through the righteousness of the Mediator; and, by our legal and mystical union, he becomes one with us, and we one with him. Hence he may justly take upon him our sin and sorrows, and impart to us his righteousness and blessings. So there is no abrogation of the law, no derogation from its claims; as what we owed is transferred to the account of Christ, to be paid by him.”


 


 


Turretin on the Justification of the Wicked


 


“The justification of the wicked, of which Paul speaks, Rom. 4:5, ought not to be referred to an infusion or increase of habitual righteousness, but belongs to the remission of sins, as it is explained by the Apostle from David. Nay, it would not be a justification of the wicked, if it were used in any other sense than for a judicial absolution at the throne of grace. I confess that God in declaring just, ought also for that very reason to make just, that his judgment may be according to truth. But man can be made just in two ways, either in himself, or in another, either from the law, or from the gospel. God therefore makes him just whom he justifies, not in himself as if from a sight of his inherent righteousness he declared him just, but from the view of the righteousness, imputed, of Christ. It is indeed an abomination to Jehovah to justify the wicked without a due satisfaction, but God in this sense justifies no wicked one, Christ having been given to us as a Surety, who received upon himself the punishment we deserved.”


See new Apologetic E-Book for all E-Readers including Nook and Kindle Here:


or Paperback: Truth, Knowledge and the Reason for God HERE


 


 


 


 

		

		
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Book Review: Systematic Theology (Vol. 1): Grounded in Holy Scripture and Understood in Light of the Church
 
		
		
August 9, 2011  By  Leave a Comment 
		

			
Systematic Theology (Volume 1): Grounded in Holy Scripture and Understood in Light of the Church (Mentor)) (v. 1) (Hardcover). Book review by Mike Robinson 


This is a marvelous time to write a vast and prepossessing book on Systematic Theology. We know a lot about the damage that the theologically-thin church has done to scripture-based Christian expression. It’s still unclear, though, whether the weak man-focused pillars of modern Evangelicalism are merely teetering, or about to collapse – and, if they do crumble, what will the Christ-centered voices within Evangelicalism do to shepherd the wandering sheep. In “Systematic Theology, volume 1″ by Douglas Kelly one discovers an important instrument to assist the church in securing underfed believers: A Bible-based Theology built within the context of church history from the well-spring of the Triune God. I read a plethora of books annually and in the last three years or more, this is the book I most enjoyed reading, rereading, and pondering (obviously excluding the Bible).



This is a supremely stupendous, phenomenal, and amazing work. Dr. Kelly (B.A. from the University of North Carolina, B.D. from the Union Theological Seminary, Ph. D. from the University of Edinburgh) has constituted a marvelous and comprehensive volume on Trinitarian dogmatics. This monumental work is utterly unique and captivating (Professor Kelly sites copious aspects of Church Fathers, Eastern Orthodoxy, The Roman Catholic, Scottish, Dutch, and French scholars including Popovitch, Mascall, T.F. Torrance, Duns Scotus and countless other unrenowned as well as eminent theologians and scholars), therefore it makes a outstanding companion to Reymond’s, Berkhof’s or Grudem’s works on S.T.


Herein is an outstanding theological resource that it is not a book on apologetics, nonetheless S.T. texts have underlying apologetic presuppositions. Kelly builds on T.F. Torrance’s thought: “What we are concerned with … here is the proper circular procedure inherent in any coherent system of thought operating with ultimate axioms or beliefs which cannot be justified or derived from any other ground than that which they themselves constitute. Thus … ultimate axioms … for which we can offer no independent demonstration, but without which the scientific system concerned, together with the knowledge it yields, would not be possible at all” (p. 20). One can see in Kelly’s pre-commitment the necessity of a transcendental starting point to make science and knowledge possible. Kelly then quotes Torrance on Michael Polanyi: “Polanyi reminds us in his Gifford lectures that we cannot convince others by formal argument, for so long as we argue within their framework, we can never induce them to abandon it. `Formal operations relying on one framework of interpretation cannot demonstrate a proposition to persons who rely on another framework’” (p. 59).


Kelly’s validation of theological truth claims are:


1. We do not step off the grounds where the living God has given Himself to be known (His word and Spirit), and hence:

2. We operate outside all framework of unbelief so as to call their inhabitants forth in faith and repentance into an utterly new paradigm (p. 60).


There is a fine chapter that discusses the Classical arguments for the existence of God. Kelly calls himself a sort of “peeping Thomist.” He also has an attraction for the ontological argument and covers that befittingly. The author engages Thomas, Kant, Hume, Reid, and Plantinga as he aptly defends theistic proofs against the onslaught of skeptics and modernists; nevertheless he doesn’t conclude that the theistic proofs are strong and solid, concluding that they have no “final value” (p. 99). He doesn’t interact or even mention Van Til’s apologetic; whereas he argues that “God’s truth is validated the same way it is revealed” (p. 59).


Vital Chapters include:


- Knowledge of God – Knowledge of the Triune God through Creation and Conscience

- The God Who Is: the Holy Trinity as One Lord

- What Kind of Lord He Is: His Sovereign Transcendence, Beauty, and Majesty

- God Makes Himself Known in the Covenant of Grace

- Many Citations from Patristic Theology – Work from a wide diversity of traditional theological thought

- How God is One Being and Three Persons.


Additionally Kelly refutes Darwinism as he demolishes it at its epistemic base and by exposing its self-stultifying rational framework. The reader is drawn closer to the triune God when the author goes on to exult in God’s majesty, beauty, and holiness. He covers the New Testament witness of the Trinity and discusses the implication of the baptismal formula Jesus gave His church.


This impressive volume is unlike any I have read (I own thousands of books) and all ministers, seminary students, apologists, and studious lay-people should purchase this remarkable S.T. presentation. Moreover there is very little direct Van Tilian influence (cited once in the Bibliography, not cited in the name index) or any mention of any other presuppositional theologian; Frame, Bahnsen, Poythress, etc. are absent from the bibliography and name index. Since Kelly uncritically quotes numerous unorthodox scholars, a new believer should not buy this work (mature believer’s should pick this outstanding volume up if they already own S.T. text from Berkhof, Hodge, or Reymond – it makes a wonderful complement to more comprehensive S.T.s).


The Bible literally shines with God’s majesty, but seven different Hebrew words and two different Greek words are used for the glorious concept of majesty. Our English translators therefore rendered nine different words in the original biblical languages with the grand anglicized Latin term `majesty’” (p. 343). Kelly’s work is splendid in its focus, powerful in its presentation, and arresting in its profundity.


Buy it, you will not be disappointed.


for Fresh Apologetic Resources go to:


http://mikearobinson.com/


http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Knowledge-Reason-God-Christianity/dp/1432765914

		

		
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