Tag: Jesus Christ

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The Dream of Hans

Upon earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University at Erfurt, young Martin Luther was set to begin studies for his doctorate to eventually become a lawyer. His father Hans wanted his son to not only be a lawyer, but also to become a successful lawyer. This would mean that Martin would be able to take care of his parents when they were old.

Dr. R.C. Sproul explains that Luther seemed to encounter a crisis every five years. The first of these “crises” happened in 1505 when an event occurred in which Luther’s life would be irrevocably changed.

Following a visit with his family in Mansfield, Luther was returning to Erfurt. He encountered a violent thunderstorm. Lightning struck so close to him that he feared for his very life. At that moment, he cried out to St. Anne, the patron saint of miners and exclaimed, “Help me, St. Anne, and I will become a monk!”

St. Anne was supposedly the mother of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Superstition during Martin’s day taught that St. Anne would bring protection and prosperity to those who worked in the mines. This was Martin’s theological background.

As Pastor Erwin Lutzer explains, “And so it was—partly to fulfill this vow and, most assuredly, because of his own inner turmoil—that Luther went against his father’s wishes, left the university in Erfurt, and entered the Augustinian monastery in the same city.”

When physically entering the monastery, Martin was asked what he sought. He responded, “God’s grace and your mercy.” Martin would now begin a rigorous and disciplined regimen of living which he hoped would satisfy the longing in his soul. More than anything, Luther sought relief from the guilt he felt because of his sins.

What about you? What rigorous regimen have you pursued to satisfy the longing in your soul? Is it good works, community involvement and financial generosity? Or are you going with whatever works to silence the nagging conviction that you are not right with God.

Repent of your sin and receive Jesus Christ and his righteousness as your own. This is the only way to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) and to satisfy your soul’s longing for peace with God.

Have a blessed day. Soli deo Gloria!

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The 5 Solas

The Protestant Reformation’s enduring legacy, and that of Reformer Martin Luther, centers upon the doctrines of the “solas.” The Reformers believed and taught these five truths and they remain indispensable to the health of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the authentic growth of the church.

Why? It is because these five tenants did not originate with the Reformers of the Reformation. On the contrary, the Reformers rediscovered truth God had given in Scripture and which had long been buried by the church. Therefore, the “solas” are to be continually studied, embraced, taught, and defended as God’s eternal truth in a fallen, temporal, and worldly culture.

A brief description of each “sola” is appropriate.  In April 1996, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals held its first major meeting of evangelical scholars. The Cambridge Declaration, first presented at this meeting, is a call to the evangelical church to turn away from the worldly methods it has come to embrace and to recover the Biblical doctrines of the Reformation. The Cambridge Declaration explains the importance of regaining adherence to the five “solas” of the Reformation. The fine “solas” are as follows:

  • Thesis One: Sola Scriptura
    We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured.We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian’s conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.

 

  • Thesis Two: Solus Christus
    We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ’s substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.

 

  • Thesis Three: Sola Gratia
    We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God’s wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques, or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerate human nature.

 

  • Thesis Four: Sola Fide
    We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God’s perfect justice.We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ’s righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.

 

  • Thesis Five: Soli Deo Gloria
    We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God’s glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone.We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment is allowed to become alternatives to the Gospel.

 

As any Christian should realize, the 16th century Protestant Reformation was anything but a tempest in a teapot. It was a cataclysmic event which shook the then known world, and continues to do so today. May we continue to hold fast to the truths of Scripture, especially the Five Solas.

Be strong and courageous!

Soli deo Gloria!

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The Word, The Gospel, & Preaching

“And this word is the good news that was preached to you” (I Peter 1:25).

The Apostle Peter was concerned with three primary things, according to I Peter 1:25, for the believers to whom He was writing. So should the church today. These three things were the Word, the good news of the gospel, and preaching.

The Word is the Greek word ῥῆμα, rhema, which is a particular portion or unit of Scripture. Peter was adamant that the source of our preaching/teaching must be a portion taken from the Bible. In the context, the word which literally belongs to and comes from the Lord, which refers us to Isaiah 40.

The particular portion, or topic, to which the apostle was concerned was the good news of the gospel. The phrase “good news” (εὐαγγελίζω; euangelizo) is the good news that God exists, sin exists, One Savior exists and salvation exists by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

This good news is to be preached. Inherent in the word euangelizo, or good news, is that this gospel is to be announced. Its message is not to be changed or altered in anyway and is to be communicated with our entire being. This is the message for which Peter, and the Apostle Paul, among many others were martyred. It is the treasure for which God has entrusted to our care (2 Corinthians 4).

May these three primary components of the early church be found in our churches, beloved. It anything else becomes the reason for which we do ministry, we have lost the biblical vision from God.

Soli deo Gloria!

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Good News

“And this word is the good news that was preached to you” (I Peter 1:25).

Whether you are a pastor of a local church, a missionary serving the Lord where He has called you, a Sunday school teacher who faithfully prepares each week to deliver a lesson to children or adults, a youth volunteer who drives a bus for an activity, or someone involved in another facet of church, or para-church ministry, God has called each of us to communicate God’s Word. The Bible is to be the focus of all we do for the Lord.

Recently, ministries have tried various ways to attract various numbers of people. High energy music will build a church some say. Others opt for sensational and exciting events to draw a crowd. Zip lining anyone? Still others maintain the fog machines, dark walls in the auditorium, elaborate platform lighting and pastors dressed in skinny jeans and t-shirts is what ministry is all about.

I have recently spoken to several friends of mine who are involved in traveling music ministries. These people are committed to having a Bible based ministry. Yet, they have told me that throughout the country, they see churches making decisions which trouble them. They have seen crosses removed from church auditoriums and various other things I have already made mention for the singular purpose of attracting more people. In short, the philosophy of ministry has become “the ends justify the means.”

Even more than the change in architectural or worship service styles and activities, many church leaders are moving toward a philosophy that the Scriptures no longer are the primary focus of ministry. Whatever is done does not have to be in submission to Scripture. Therefore, services are held, and decisions are made by church leadership, that may even be disobedient to the Scriptures.

The Apostle Peter was concerned with three primary things, according to I Peter 1:25, for the believers to whom He was writing. So should the church today. These three things were the Word, the good news or the gospel, and preaching.

May these primary components of the early church be found in our churches, beloved.

Soli deo Gloria!

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Remaining Forever

24 “for all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” (I Peter 1:24-25).

The truth Peter shares is not solely from his inspired mind. The apostle in vs. 24-25 echoes what the Prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 40:6-8.

Perhaps this epiphany occurs at different times for different people, but as I entered  my sixth decade on this planet I realized that the time I have yet to live on earth is less than that what I have already lived. Sobering thought. The lyrics from the Broadway Musical Fiddler on the Roof rush to the forefront of my mind: “Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset, swiftly fly the years.”

The Prophet Isaiah heralds the message from God that all flesh or life, may be compared to the grass or flowers of the field. No matter how hearty or beautiful they are, they both wither and die. So it is with people; no matter who they are.

The turning point to this humbling, stop me in my tracks, realization is that there remains on this earth one certainty. That certainty is that “the word of the Lord remains forever.” Every promise God has made, every truth He has revealed will never falter or fail. They will endure because God endures, and because God endures, all those who are in Christ will also live for eternity with Christ.

This life here on earth will soon come to an end for all of us. The only question is where, when and how. But for those in Christ, the conclusion of life here on earth translates to the commencement of life forever in heaven. This is what God has promised and His word stands forever.

May this cause each of us to live today with eternity in view.

Soli deo Gloria!

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Born Again Through the Living Word

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God”(I Peter 1:22-23).

Holy living requires a heart which desires purity. Psalm 119:9 says, ““How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word.” You cannot have one without the other. It is cause and effect. Obedience to God and His Word results in purity and holiness of soul and body. This is to be a daily discipline.

The reason for this discipline Peter speaks of in vs. 22 is because God has regenerated our souls, vs. 23. We have been born again (John 3:1-8). God has given us a new birth through the preaching of the gospel (John 1:12-13). The cause for any real change in our lives is because God has given us a spiritual re-birth.

This is not a mortal or physical birth which eventually results in physical death. Rather, this is a spiritual birth which is imperishable (ἄφθαρτος; aphthartos) or immortal. It will never die.

Lest there any confusion as to how this new birth occurs, Peter makes sure we understand that our new birth is only by or through the living and abiding word of God. God’s Word, or truth, is actively alive and eternal (Hebrews 4:12). The Apostle Paul declared that faith in Christ came by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

Our entrance into the kingdom of God is solely a work of God. Our obedience once we are a member of the kingdom is a cooperative work between us and God. In either situation, God receives all the glory (Galatians 6:14; I Corinthians 10:31-33).

Soli deo Gloria!

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Obedience

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God”(I Peter 1:22-23).

Holy living requires a heart which desires purity. Psalm 119:9 says, ““How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word.” You cannot have one without the other. It is cause and effect. Obedience to God and His Word results in purity and holiness of soul and body. This is to be a daily discipline.

One pastor writes, “As trials refine faith, so obedience to God’s Word refines character. One who has purified himself by living according to God’s Word has discovered the joy of obedience.”

Obedience (ὑπακοή; hypakoe) is paying attention to the truth. God’s Word (John 17:17). Much like guarding your heart (Proverbs 4:23-27), holy living by obedience to God is our responsibility. Thankfully we are assisted by the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:12-13). It is a cooperative effort, but we must not be slack or uncommitted to our responsibility.

Commitment to obedience results in brotherly love (φιλαδελφία; philadephia) or an affection for a fellow believer. Sincere (ἀνυπόκριτος; anypokritos) means that our love is to be genuine. This means a lack of pretense or show. God calls us to love one another sincerely and to not pretend to do so. We are also to love earnestly (ἐκτενῶς; ektenos). This means eagerly and continuously.

Unfortunately, Christians hurt Christians. It happens. Perhaps, it even happens a lot. However, while we may not have any control over other Christians hurting us, we certainly have control of whether or not we hurt other Christians. If we want to be pure, we begin by being obedient to God’s Word which results in holy behavior.

Let’s begin today!

Soli deo Gloria!

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Faith & Hope in God

20 “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (I Peter 1:20-21).

In today’s world, all roads lead to God. Religious pluralism says that all religions are equally valid and therefore true. The prevailing worldly wisdom is that it doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you have a faith which is sincere. However, the Bible teaches otherwise.

The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Salvation is exclusively through the person and work of Christ. His person refers to His eternal existence as God (John 1:1-3), and His virgin birth (Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25). His work focuses on His sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), His substitutionary death on the cross (I John 4:7-11; Romans 5:1-10), and His resurrection from the dead (I Corinthians 15). Jesus is the only mediator between God and man (Acts 4:12; I Timothy 2:5).

It is through Christ that we see the Father (John 1:18; Hebrews 1:1-4; John 6:46; 14:9). It is through Christ alone that we trust, depend, are committed to, and worship God the Father. It is God the Father who Peter says raised Jesus from the dead as did the Holy Spirit (Romans 1:1-6).

As one pastor has written, “It is through Christ, whom the Father resurrected (cf. v. 3) and glorified in His Ascension (John 17:5; Heb. 1:3) that people may come to know and trust in God. As a result of God’s eternal plan and priceless payment for sin, faith and hope can be placed in Him.”

There are but two religions in the world. First is the religion of human achievement and there are many religious systems which are under this category. The second is the religion of divine accomplishment and this solely focuses on the person and work of Jesus Christ who reconciles sinners unto God.

Where is your faith? Is it in what you can accomplish, or rather what Jesus Christ alone has already accomplished?

Soli deo Gloria!

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No Plan B

20 “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (I Peter 1:20-21).

We must never presume that the death of Christ on the cross for sinners was an afterthought by God following the fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). The atonement was not a Plan B.

Rather, God tells us through Peter that Jesus Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary and sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection was foreordained or predetermined by God before the world was even created. Christ was chosen as the Redeemer of the elect in eternity past (John 17:24). This is an additional motivation for believers to live their lives for the Lord’s glory.

As one commentator writes, “Redemption was no afterthought, or remedy of an unforeseen evil, devised at the time of its arising. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:28-33; 9:6-26; 11:5-28; 16:13; Colossians 3:12; I Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 1:1).

In these last times, which is always referring to the days between the first and second coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2), the person and work of Christ is revealed to all. We are to make Him and His work known (Matthew 28:19-20). Why? Because there is eternal life in none other (John 14:1-6; Acts 4:12).

Charles Wesley described the eternal plan of God through Jesus Christ in these words.

He left His Father’s throne above—
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me!                                                                      Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Soli deo Gloria!

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The Motivation of Gratitude

“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (I Peter 1:17-19).

What should be the predominant reason we serve the Lord during our time here on earth? For many, it is because they are convinced that if they don’t, they will lose their salvation. They become entrapped on a performance treadmill that is spiritually and physical exhausting with no hope in sight that one has done enough.

Biblically, our motivation to serve the Lord should be one of gratitude. Our gratefulness originates from the understanding that God purchased, redeemed and set us free from our empty and useless life we inherited from those who lived before us.

How did God do this? Peter reminds us that it was not with what the world considers valuable. The most precious metals in the world, silver and gold, could never hope to buy what God possesses. As valuable as gold and silver is, it ultimately perishes (I Peter 1:7). Our human wealth and sincere works can never enable sinners to acquire the gift of salvation.

Our redemption was accomplished through the costly and highly valuable sacrificial and substitutionary death for us by Jesus Christ on the cross. Peter compares Jesus to the Passover Lamb (I Corinthians 5:7; Exodus 12:3; Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29). As God redeemed Israel from their bondage in Egypt by the blood of the Passover lamb, so too does God redeem sinners by the precious blood, or violent death, of the sinless Lamb who is Jesus Christ.

As hymn writer Twila Paris wrote:

Oh, Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God
I love the holy Lamb of God.
Oh, wash me in His precious blood
My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

Let us all live and honor the Lamb of God today. He is truly worthy.

Soli deo Gloria!