Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Trinity and the Gospel
It is not possible to properly communicate the gospel without talking about the Trinity. The Father has pronounced the verdict of death on rebellious man, which is the problem with which we must contend. The Son has paid the price of that verdict, dying for our sins. The Spirit communicates the benefits of that salvation to us, so that Jesus' death is not an abstract truth but a personal force in our lives.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Bearing Witness, Cont.
How do we bear witness?
It is not necessary to walk around central park with a sandwich board sign saying, "THE END IS NEAR".
It is not necessary to go door to door handing out pamphlets.
It is not necessary to go to seminary, be a missionary, or be in the professional ministry at all.
It is necessary to love the brethren, to reflect the grace that God has shown us to the world. It is necessary to forgive those that have wronged you. It is necessary to work hard to live a life of honesty, integrity, productivity and kindness. It is necessary to fellowship with the body of God's people on earth.
Doing these things, beginning to become what God has made us, bears witness to what it is that a person is supposed to be. When we begin to aim ourselves at the perfection that God intends for us, then we call attention to the great gap between what we are supposed to be and what we are now. This is a warning, to those content with what they are now and with those discontent, but unwilling to recognize the fundamental rebellion against God which is the problem. People's guilt over their own alienation against God is inflamed at the sight of one who is overcoming that alienation, by the power of God's Spirit. The condemnation of the world is seen that when the world sees the light, they prefer the darkness.
John 3: 19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
By God's grace, let us receive the forgiveness He has offered in the blood of Christ. Let us embrace the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Let us strive to be conformed to His perfect image. Let us die to the world, and live to Him.
It is not necessary to walk around central park with a sandwich board sign saying, "THE END IS NEAR".
It is not necessary to go door to door handing out pamphlets.
It is not necessary to go to seminary, be a missionary, or be in the professional ministry at all.
It is necessary to love the brethren, to reflect the grace that God has shown us to the world. It is necessary to forgive those that have wronged you. It is necessary to work hard to live a life of honesty, integrity, productivity and kindness. It is necessary to fellowship with the body of God's people on earth.
Doing these things, beginning to become what God has made us, bears witness to what it is that a person is supposed to be. When we begin to aim ourselves at the perfection that God intends for us, then we call attention to the great gap between what we are supposed to be and what we are now. This is a warning, to those content with what they are now and with those discontent, but unwilling to recognize the fundamental rebellion against God which is the problem. People's guilt over their own alienation against God is inflamed at the sight of one who is overcoming that alienation, by the power of God's Spirit. The condemnation of the world is seen that when the world sees the light, they prefer the darkness.
John 3: 19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
By God's grace, let us receive the forgiveness He has offered in the blood of Christ. Let us embrace the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Let us strive to be conformed to His perfect image. Let us die to the world, and live to Him.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Bearing Witness
The duty of the Christian is to bear witness to the truth. That is our role in God's economy, in God's plan for history in this age. The world is coming under judgment, and we as Christians must proclaim the truth of that fact.
We're not here to build big churches. We're not here to enjoy ourselves. We're not here to be loved by the world. We're not here to self-actualize. We're here to tell the world the truth about the reality of impending judgment. The world will hate us for that and try to destroy our witness. One of the most effective ways they can accomplish that is to convince us to compromise the truth of our witness by giving in to some degree to the lies of the world. So we need to remain true, keep our witness pure and endure to the end. This is what we're here for.
See Revelation 11.
We're not here to build big churches. We're not here to enjoy ourselves. We're not here to be loved by the world. We're not here to self-actualize. We're here to tell the world the truth about the reality of impending judgment. The world will hate us for that and try to destroy our witness. One of the most effective ways they can accomplish that is to convince us to compromise the truth of our witness by giving in to some degree to the lies of the world. So we need to remain true, keep our witness pure and endure to the end. This is what we're here for.
See Revelation 11.
