Who created the beast of Arminianism?

Is Christ the only way to heaven?

For some this question is pretty easy, for others very complex. It is also very divisive for those who make a bold claim of exclusivity. I would venture to guess that most of the people you come into contact with on a daily basis have an opinion on this. But my guess would be that even those with strong opinions haven't really thought this through.

This question seems to show up during political campaigns where candidates claim a certain denomination in the Christian faith. Barack Obama recently was asked this question with a group of Christian leaders. Unfortunately, the answers were closed to the public... pretty convenient.

So what makes this such a bold statement? In the bare-bone facts, by saying such a statement that Christ is the only way to heaven it strikes at one's own beliefs. You have just challenged everything they believe. In fact, many think this is very arrogant to believe you have figured out the way to heaven.

So this makes Christianity seem very arrogant and pompous. Granted there are those in the church that don't make this easy to explain, but Christianity is anything but arrogant. Here is why.

Christianity that is found in the teachings of the Bible give zero glory to the believer in Christ. The person who is a recipient of grace did nothing to warrant receiving grace. Christians who see who they are in light of the great and holy God acknowledge their wretched ways and proclaim they are nothing without Him. Isaiah 64:6 says, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." So any Christian that is arrogant about their salvation is speaking error that contrary to Bible. The central message of the Bible is God is holy (set-apart) and man is anything but holy! The only way for man to be holy is to have that holiness given to them by Christ. So even when a Christian acts holy and shows fruit of righteousness it is from an outside source. NOT THEMSELVES!

Christians should proclaim the cleanliness of God. Christ was the spotless lamb that never sinned in this sinful world. He was able to withstand temptation to the greatest degree and walk to the cross perfect. We as sinners have nothing to boast about since we are sinful, spotted lambs, and fall into temptation regularly.

So what about this arrogant claim of Christ being the only way to heaven? What needs to be emphasized here is that we don't make this statement. We have no authority to make it true. Remember, all our acts are filthy rags. But it is the spotless Lamb who makes this claim when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except by me." (emphasis mine)

Those who hate the claim of exclusivity of Christianity has a problem with the One who made that claim. The problem is with the Scriptures and with its claims. Any Christian (or one who thinks they are, but are not) that boasts in "finding Jesus" or "found the truth" doesn't understand Christian orthodoxy. Christian theology has always made the claim that we are the ones who are lost and Christ sought us out. We were the rebels, the devils, and the enemies.

But now we have been reconciled with God and our sins have been paid in full. We now boast only in the glorious and forgiving Triune God of the universe! The exclusivity of Christ is a claim that Christ made, we just proclaim what has been revealed.

Time magazine published an article recently about some interesting findings. The poll suggests that more and more so-called Christianity is becoming more willing to accept a plurality of ways to heaven. This article is interesting and disturbing. Whether these findings are true or not, it makes my heart uneasy. Click here to read the article.

Who is the Real Jesus?

The following article is a sermon excerpt from Tim Keller's sermon "Who is the Real Jesus?"
Enjoy!

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." (Matthew 11:2-6)


...you have to make sure you do not try to understand yourself before you understand Him ... Because over the years I have talked to many people who are trying to find out whether Jesus is real. Lots of people explore: Is Jesus real? Is Christianity for me?

And almost always, virtually always they go about it differently, because John the Baptist has a problem, He has a big problem. He is in prison. He is about to be killed. His life is hanging by a thread and yet when he goes to Jesus Christ he says nothing about his problem at all. He doesn’t say, “If you’re the One get me out of here. Then I will know.

Instead he says, “Are you the one?” he is utterly different than the thief (remember there were two thieves on the cross on both sides) and the first thief, the scornful thief (we call him in history. The one thief looked at Jesus Christ and said, “If you are the One, get us out of here, then we will know.” See it’s very simple. In other words, “prove you are the one by solving my problem.”

And over the years virtually everybody I have ever seen who comes to Jesus and approaches this question and wants to sort of look into Christianity, they always have a problem-centered approach to Jesus. They want to know whether Jesus is going to give me the power and support to live the way I want to live. Let me give you four common examples. Someone says:

1) I am thinking about becoming a Christian, or I am thinking about Christianity and want to know whether it is true, but I am struggling. I want to be a doctor and I don’t whether I will make it through med-school. Will Jesus help me get through med-school? Or

2) I am struggling because I have a bad marriage and am thinking of getting a divorce. What is the Christian view on divorce? Will I be supported?

3) I have a problem with self-esteem. I have a problem with guilt. I have been in a lot of abusive relationships. If I come to Jesus, will he make me fell good about myself?

4) I am gay, and I want to know that if when I come to Christianity, will I be supported or will I be condemned?

What is Jesus answer to those four questions? They are actually all the same. You know what his answer is? Not yes, not no. He says that they are the wrong first question because the reason the thief was wrong and John was right. The reason the thief says I want to know what you are going to do about my life before I give myself to you.

I want to know whether you are the messiah by the way in which you support me. In other words, the thief says, if you let me live the way I know I should live then I know you are the one … and John the Baptist just says, “Are you the one?”

And the reason that John is right and the thief is wrong, is not because John is more spiritual, but because he is more sensible. And that is this. The thief, and everybody who asks one of those four questions assumes they already know how their life should be lived, who they really are, and how the world out to go before they know whether he is the Author of life …

Whether He is the One your heart was built for. How in the world can you assume that you know who you are and what you need before you even know if you were created or were an accident? How can you know who you are and what you were made for before you know whether you can communicate with and know the creator of the universe?

John would never, ever say I know I need to be out of prison. Therefore, are you the one? Spring me. You know what John says? He is saying, if I am on my own of course I need to get out of prison, I mean that is the only way I will be happy. But if you’re the One whatever you ask of me will be a tiny thing compared to what you will give me.

Whatever sacrifice you ask of me will be nothing compared to the glory that will be mine. Whatever you decide is right for me will be consummately wise, utterly practical, perfectly right. John is not such a fool as to say how can I know what is right for me and wrong for me before I know whether this guy is the creator of the universe and the Lord of my life?

Let’s not be spiritual, lets’ be sensible. If Jesus is who He says he is, then you are someone utterly different than who you think you are now. And if he is not who He says he is, he can’t help you a bit. It makes no sense to say, if you are who you say you are, will you let me live my life the way I know I should live? It makes no sense at all.

Listen, one of the reasons why a lot of people have been searching for Jesus and have been inquiring about Jesus and have not got any answers, and they are still in doubt and still in confusion, is because if you think about it, the thief’s question is not a question, it’s an order.

It’s a threat. Look, when you come to Jesus with conditions when you come and say well I would be interested in believing in you, I would like to be a Christian maybe, but I want to know, will you spring me, will you help me, will you do this. In other words, I do not want to know if you want something different for me.

You are not asking for information, you are giving an order. Yeah, I will have a relationship with you as long as you do what I know needs to be done. And yet that makes no sense at all. Do you see? The reason a lot of people say I have been searching for Jesus but haven’t got many answers is … asking Him questions but not getting any answers, but you know what, the reason you are not getting any answers is because you are not really asking him a question.

You’re not asking for information. If you come with conditions then you don’t really want to know who he is. You don’t want to know. You’re not open. John’s question shows us you have to start by saying “Are you the One” and that is where everything starts because before I know that I can’t know anything else. “Are you the one?” it begins there.

Once I know that it will change my perspective on everything else. It will change my perspective on prison, it will change my perspective on marriage, it will change my perspective on sex, it will change my perspective on being a doctor. Everything will be changed. How in the world can I ask him a question with an assumption before I know the answer to the thing on which everything else hinges?

No, no, no. You come with conditions; you don’t really want to know. The first thing John shows us is that you cannot possibly understand yourself before you understand Him. You won’t be able to understand self before you understand him and therefore you mustn’t come with any conditions.

The Rebellion of Nudity and the Meaning of Clothing

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By John Piper April 24, 2008

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The first consequence of Adam’s and Eve’s sin mentioned in Genesis 3:7 is that “the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

Suddenly they are self-conscious about their bodies. Before their rebellion against God, there was no shame. “The man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). Now there is shame. Why?

There is no reason to think that it’s because they suddenly became ugly. Their beauty wasn’t the focus in Genesis 2:25, and their ugliness is not the focus here in Genesis 3:7. Why then the shame? Because the foundation of covenant-keeping love collapsed. And with it the sweet, all-trusting security of marriage disappeared forever.

The foundation of covenant-keeping love between a man and a woman is the unbroken covenant between them and God—God governing them for their good and they enjoying him in that security and relying on him. When they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that covenant was broken and the foundation of their own covenant-keeping collapsed.

They experienced this immediately in the corruption of their own covenant love for each other. It happened in two ways. Both relate to the experience of shame. In the first case, the one viewing my nakedness is no longer trustworthy, so I am afraid I will be shamed. In the second, I myself am no longer at peace with God, but I feel guilty and defiled and unworthy—I deserve to be shamed.

In the first case, I am self-conscious of my body, and I feel vulnerable to shame because I know Eve has chosen to be independent from God. She has made herself central in the place of God. She is essentially now a selfish person. From this day forward, she will put herself first. She is no longer a servant. So she is not safe. And I feel vulnerable around her, because she is very likely to put me down for her own sake. So suddenly my nakedness is precarious. I don’t trust her any more to love me with pure covenant-keeping love. That’s one source of my shame.

The other source is that Adam himself, not just his spouse, has broken covenant with God. If she is rebellious and selfish, and therefore unsafe, so am I. But the way I experience it in myself is that I feel defiled and guilty and unworthy. That’s, in fact, what I am. Before the Fall, what was and what ought to have been were the same. But now, what is and what ought to be are not the same.

I ought to be humbly and gladly submissive to God. But I am not. This huge gap between what I am and what I ought to be colors everything about me—including how I feel about my body. So my wife might be the safest person in the world, but now my own sense of guilt and unworthiness makes me feel vulnerable. The simple, open nakedness of innocence now feels inconsistent with the guilty person that I am. I feel ashamed.

So the shame of nakedness arises from two sources, and both of them are owing to the collapse of the foundation of covenant love in our relationship with God. One is that Eve is no longer reliable to cherish me; she has become selfish and I feel vulnerable that she will put me down for her own selfish ends. The other is that I already know that I am guilty myself, and the nakedness of innocence contradicts my unworthiness—I am ashamed of it.

Genesis 3:7 says that they tried to cope with this new situation by making clothing: “They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Adam’s and Eve’s effort to clothe themselves was a sinful effort to conceal what had really happened. They tried to hide from God (Genesis 3:8). Their nakedness felt too revealing and too vulnerable. So they tried to close the gap between what they were and what they ought to be by covering what is, and presenting themselves in a new way.

So what does it mean that God clothed them with animal skins? Was he confirming their hypocrisy? Was he aiding and abetting their pretense? If they were naked and shame-free before the Fall, and if they put on clothes to minimize their shame after the Fall, then what is God doing by clothing them even better than they can clothe themselves? I think the answer is that he is giving a negative message and a positive message.

Negatively, he is saying, You are not what you were and you are not what you ought to be. The chasm between what you are and what you ought to be is huge. Covering yourself with clothing is a right response to this—not to conceal it, but to confess it. Henceforth, you shall wear clothing, not to conceal that you are not what you should be, but to confess that you are not what you should be.

One practical implication of this is that public nudity today is not a return to innocence but rebellion against moral reality. God ordains clothes to witness to the glory we have lost, and it is added rebellion to throw them off.

And for those who rebel in the other direction and make clothes themselves a means of power and prestige and attention getting, God’s answer is not a return to nudity but a return to simplicity (1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:4-5). Clothes are not meant to make people think about what is under them. Clothes are meant to direct attention to what is not under them: merciful hands that serve others in the name of Christ, beautiful feet that carry the gospel where it is needed, and the brightness of a face that has beheld the glory of Jesus.

Now we have already crossed over to the more positive meaning of clothing that God had in his mind when he clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins. This was not only a witness to the glory we lost and a confession that we are not what we should be, but it is also a testimony that God himself would one day make us what we should be. God rejected their own self-clothing. Then he did it himself. He showed mercy with superior clothing.

Together with the other hopeful signs in the context (like the defeat of the serpent in Genesis 3:15), God’s mercy points to the day when he will solve the problem of our shame decisively and permanently. He will do it with the blood of his own Son (as there apparently was blood shed in the killing of the animals of the skins). And he will do it with the clothing of righteousness and the radiance of his glory (Galatians 3:27; Philippians 3:21).

Which means that our clothes are a witness both to our past and present failure and to our future glory. They testify to the chasm between what we are and what we should be. And they testify to God’s merciful intention to bridge that chasm through Jesus Christ and his death for our sins.

Young, Restless, Reformed. A review from a pumped-up Calvinist.

So I am reading this book and trying my best to try and put it down. Reading stories how people my age are swinging back to the reformed faith is exciting. I remember in college feeling like I was the only one that was a Calvinist. Now I am reading the ones that I was fighting between the years of 1997-2000 have been "born-again" in the reformed delivery room. They are finally hearing something with some meat.

I know that some of you reading this may get a little offended by the following statements: but those in their teens, 20's & 30's are flat-out sick of the church that preaches how to be moral. How to have a good marriage in 5 easy steps; a topical sermon (& pathetic one at that) on sex; a sprinkle of Scripture here and there; and finally a sermon that is 12-15 minutes long, is just not that good. It just doesn't grip us. These budding Calvinists see that Scripture has a lot more to offer... let me further that statement; God has a lot more to offer!
This book just re-energized my beliefs that true hope really comes from biblical theology that is reformed. It is the only way to approach Scripture. It is the only theology that puts God high on the throne and man at the foot of the cross.

And then my grandmother died. The book was put down for a few days as we buried that lovely saint of our Lord Jesus Christ. The beautiful lady (grandma) that taught me so much of what Christ-centered, the Sovereignty of God, and how gorgeous the Scriptures can be... had died. Why? Why had she died? Sin. And if she could communicate to us today she would say, "I was ordained to die on April 24th, 2008." She would also say that she was chosen to be one of Christ's sheep before the foundations of the world. She loved reformed theology and preached the truth until sin had killed her body. You see this grand theology can rejoice that my grandmother was predestined to eternal life while in the same breath affirm she was predestined to die of cancer. To me... the reformed faith brings great comfort. To know that her whole life was in the grip of an almighty hand, both good and bad, is extremely comforting. God is sovereign... GOD is Sovereign... GOD IS SOVEREIGN!

So this book just pushed me into laughter at the stories that were told, it also pushed me into adrenaline as stories of that are reaching so many by Calvinistic soteriology (theology of salvation). It also pushed me in awe of our God. Story after story of broken people lead to the Lord with God-centered, Christ-centered, and Spirit-centered teaching is inspiring.

The journalist, Collin Hansen took 2 years of traveling throughout the country interviewing pockets of Calvinistic theology that is rumbling like a soon-to-be California earthquake. It is ready to explode and I can't wait for our church to be apart of it. Hansen goes to Yale (it used to be a hot-bed for rich biblical theology) to Minneapolis with John Piper (you NEED to read his stuff) to Gaithersburg, Maryland where charismatics are becoming reformed! There are even pockets of hip-hop/rap theology that are beat-boxin to John Calvin.

I read of an account where a pastor in a large non-denominational church in California developed reformed convictions. His youth began asking to read Jonathan Edwards (a reformed giant during the 1st Great Awakening) and John Calvin (not the inventor of Calvinism... umm the inventor is God, but one who systematized it so brilliantly). This gave me chills as I remember one of our youth asking, "Can we study about limited atonement?" (Limited Atonement is the 3rd point in the 5 points of Calvinism) This movement is not a movement like ripped-jeans from Hollister that will soon be replaced, but a budding revival. This is what I am praying for anyway. This reformed movement can simply fade like a worn ball-cap, but I am very confident it may very well be the tip of an iceberg. Wouldn't that be amazing?

So I finished the books minutes before I started typing and I want to encourage you to snag this book. But before you do, you might want to grab some reformed theology. See what in the world we are talking about here. You might have no idea what reformed/Calvinistic/Augustinian theology is... and that's ok. What is not ok, is if that understanding remains static. I would be happy to help you get your hands on some solid books.

Reformed theology will give you a God you could never have imagined. A God that is so grand and awesome you will stand up in awe of His glory and also want to bow before His majesty. Make no bones about it... we serve an awesome God. Wouldn't it be incredible if we actually knew and understood how awesome He really is?
Young, Restless, Reformed is a must read. A+

Two Cheers for the Resurgence of Calvinism in Evangelicalism: A Wesleyan-Arminian Perspective

Below is an article by an Arminian (one who rejects the claims of Calvinism) and the positive remarks he makes regarding the resurgence of reformed theology. I have only put half of the article on here. If you would like to read the rest click here
ENJOY!

The rise of what is popularly termed “Calvinism” or “Reformed theology” among younger evangelicals is well known. Here are a few observations from a sympathetic (albeit quite unconvinced) observer.

I. Two Cheers

The first cheer: These “New Calvinists” care about theology. They really care. A lot. They understand that doctrine matters for the life of the soul – and for the life of the church. They read voraciously, they discuss passionately, and they write prolifically. They understand that there are important existential and pastoral implications, and they want to see a “pattern of sound doctrine” become deeply ingrained in their personal, familial, and ecclesial lives.

They have a strong commitment to the authority of Scripture, and they want to know God as he reveals himself – and not as we might like him to be. They take seriously, and defend energetically, such doctrines as substitutionary atonement and the classic Protestant account of justification. Moreover, (to understate things drastically) they care about the doctrine of divine sovereignty. Ours is a context in which these doctrines are considered unimportant – ours is also a context in which these doctrines sometimes are charged with being sub-biblical and even non-Christian. What’s not to like about seeing so many people care so much about theology? And what’s not to appreciate about seeing so many people completely committed to worshiping God as he graciously reveals himself to us?

These New Calvinists care about theology. A lot. More importantly, though, they care about God. They exhibit passion for God – they want to know his greatness and revel in his grace. Theology for them is anything but a parlor game; nor is it only a means to some supposedly greater end (as in: “well, people in our churches are dissatisfied with their level of understanding, so let’s market more depth”). Theology is important because it is all about God: knowing, worshiping, glorifying, and enjoying him.

This brings me to my second cheer: these New Calvinists care about holiness. To know God is to know that God is holy. The New Calvinists get that, and they want their lives to be in step with him. They are anything but content with a soteriology that reduces redemption to a cosmic I-pass or “get out of hell free” card. No, they know that God is holy, and they know that to walk with the Holy One is to be transformed. Thus they know that the doctrine of sanctification matters, and they pursue holiness vigorously. Some of them offer testimonies in which they describe their “discovery of divine sovereignty” in language similar to the way some Christians in the Wesleyan tradition refer to a “second definite work of grace” or “second crisis experience.” And all of this for good reason: they read the Puritans and (especially) Edwards. They know that holiness matters. They get it. And I, for one, appreciate it.

"Young, Restless, and Reformed" I am trying to put it down!

But i just can't. I will put my own book review of this book, but in the meantime here is a review about the book.

"Young, restless, and reformed" is a 2 year study by Collin Hansen that takes a look at a resurgence of Calvinistic Theology among young people. Why is it so attractive? This book attempts to answer that question. Here are a few reviews that i have come across... my review will come later:

From places like John Piper’s den, Al Mohler’s office, and Jonathan Edwards’s college, Christianity Today journalist Collin Hansen investigates what makes today’s young Calvinists tick.

Church-growth strategies and charismatic worship have fueled the bulk of evangelical growth in America for decades. While baby boomers have flocked to churches that did not look or sound like church, it seems these churches do not so broadly capture the passions of today’s twenty-something evangelicals. In fact, a desire for transcendence and tradition among young evangelicals has contributed to a Reformed resurgence.

For nearly two years, Christianity Today journalist Collin Hansen visited the chief schools, churches, and conferences of this growing movement. He sought to describe its members and ask its leading pastors and theologians about the causes and implications of the Calvinist resurgence. The result, Young, Restless, Reformed, shows common threads in their diverse testimonies and suggests what tomorrow’s church might look like when these young evangelicals become pastors or professors.

“Collin Hansen invites us on a voyage of discovery, learning how our restless youth are discovering anew the great doctrines of the Christian faith. Weary of churches that seek to entertain rather than teach, longing after the true meat of the Word, these young people are pursuing doctrine. Discover how God is moving among the young, the restless, and the Reformed.”
Tim Challies, author, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment; blogger at Challies.com

“Young, Restless, Reformed is the product of some outstanding research. This book will help the reader gain valuable insight into the growing Reformed movement in America.”
Jerry Bridges, author of The Pursuit of Holiness

“Collin Hansen has uncovered a fresh movement of young Christians for whom doctrine fuels evangelism, kindles passion, and transforms lives. Read it and rejoice.”
David Neff, editor-in-chief, Christianity Today media group

“A number of strategic ministries have been quietly upholding the doctrines of grace, planting churches, seeing people converted, teaching the whole counsel of God. It is time for quiet gratitude to God and earnest intercessory prayer that what has begun well will flourish beyond all human expectation.”
D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“This lively account is must reading for ministry leaders working with young adults. A wake-up call to baby boomers to move beyond the superficial faith they taught their children and to grow with them in the knowledge and love of God.”
Douglas A. Sweeney, Associate Professor of Church History, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Can you lose your salvation?

(The following article was pulled from monergism.com)

Can a Christian lose his or her Salvation?

One major debate within Christian circles is the question of whether or not a Christian can lose his or her salvation. Arminians argue that true believers can sin so much that they lose their faith and perish. Some Christians respond by arguing that once a person professes faith in Jesus, he is eternally secure in his salvation and—even if he commits complete apostasy (“falls away”) and vocally rejects Jesus Christ—will still go to heaven, for “once saved, always saved.” In light of the biblical doctrine of predestination, how should we understand the security we have under God’s care? There have been three main approaches to the question:

1. Classic Arminianism

• One must persevere in faith to be saved.

• True believers can lose their faith.

• Those dying without faith in Christ are condemned.

“The believer who loses his faith is damned.”

2. Antinomianism

• One need not persevere in faith to be saved.

• True believers can lose their faith.

• Those who lose their faith are saved, since they once believed.

“The believer who loses his faith is saved.”

3. Classic Calvinism

• One must persevere in faith to be saved.

• True believers cannot lose their faith, since it’s God’s gift.

• Those dying without faith in Christ are condemned.

• Those who “lose” their faith never had it to begin with.

• God will preserve true believers and they will be saved.

“The ‘believer’ who loses his faith never really had it—or at least it wasn’t in Jesus.”

Proponents of the first two approaches quote biblical references, but each must strain to explain away the other group's biblical data. How can an Arminian read Romans 8, then tell true believers that they may screw up and go to hell??? Then again, how can Charles Stanley read Hebrews 6 and 10 and tell unbelievers who once professed faith not to worry, that they will be saved??? Any true biblical teaching must “fit” with ALL the biblical data, without pitting one text against another and without having to explain away a single “jot or tittle” of God's inerrant Word. I believe that only the classical Calvinist model takes into account all of the biblical data.

Arminians are right when they say the Bible teaches that only those who persevere will be saved, and they’re right in accusing Antinomians of easy-believism and cheap grace. Antinomians (they wouldn’t use the term) are right in telling committed believers that they are secure in Christ and “once saved, always saved.” But both of these views are wrong is assuming that a true believer can lose his faith and fall away from Christ. Faith is “a gift of God—not by works, lest any man boast.” Paul was confident that, since Christ had begun a good work in believers, He would continue that work until completion (Phil. 1). John said that those who fell away were never really true Christians, since true believers don't leave the faith (1 John 2:19).

Scripture teaches that believers must persevere until the end, but also that believers will persevere until the end by God's grace. As the Westminster Assembly concluded, Christians might temporarily yield to Satan's temptations, even to excess, but like Peter when he denied Christ three times, God will still restore and preserve the faith of the Christian, a faith which God gave in the first place! Peter went on to be chief among the apostles! Two biblical principles must be held side-by-side:

1. You Must Persevere until the End: God's Requirement of His People

God does not merely command us to begin to believe for a time, and then fall away. He requires us to continue to believe until the end, living lives of repentance and covenant faithfulness. Granted, He does not ask for a perfect faith, but He does ask for a real faith, one that produces real, lasting change.

• Colossians 1:21-23

• 1 John 1:5-10; 3:3-6

• Hebrews 10:26-31

• Hebrews 12:1

2. You Will Persevere Until the End: God's Preservation of His People

We will persevere because God preserves us. God will keep us from falling—not one will be lost of all those who belong to the Son. True believers are not able to leave Christ, for Christ is at work within them.

• John 6:38-40

• John 10:28-29

• Romans 8:28-39

• Philippians 1:4-6

• Philippians 2:12-13

• 1 John 2:19

This first set of texts cannot be used to refute the second (Arminianism); nor can the second set of texts be used to refute the first (cheap grace). The point that makes the two compatible is the biblical teaching that faith (while commanded of everyone) is a gift from God to His elect. If faith is simply a human action of a free will, then it can be lost. But if saving faith is God's gift, then it cannot be lost. Can professing Christians fall away? Yes, and they will perish. Can true Christians fall away? No, for they are kept by the invincible power of God in Christ. The Bible teaches us that professing Christians who leave the faith were never truly believers (1 John 2:19; and notice the qualification even in Hebrews 10:39).

I hope this article helps those who struggle with this question.

Why is reformed theology growing interest amongst young people?

Lately, there seems to be growing interest in the resurgence of Calvinism and Reformed Theology among the younger generation of Evangelicals. Persons from within Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism, as well as outsiders, are taking note, and wondering what could be fueling the phenomenon. I was recently approached by someone asking for possible reasons or motivations underlying this resurgence among younger evangelicals, and after a little deliberation I came up with five motivations that I see at work, as listed below. I am sure there are others, but these seem highly instrumental to me. What do the rest of you think?

1. Dissatisfaction with the theology and religious environment of our parents. The milieu in which we grew up was characterized on the one hand by a high-stress, high-guilt, man-powered striving after sanctification, evangelism, etc., that left a great deal of burned-out and disillusioned Christians all around us. On the other hand, the services and worship were often characterized by a frivolity and superficiality that left us unsatisfied and longing for more substance. The combination was virtually unsustainable for the long term. We were constantly
striving to obey a long list of rules and standards, by our own efforts, feeling the crushing weight of guilt for our many failures, for all the unevangelized people around us whom we passed on the streets without sharing the gospel, and whose blood was therefore on our hands, and so on. And then, on Sunday, to be recharged and equipped for another week of will-motivated strivings, we sang a handful of trite and trivial choruses. It just didn't cut it. When Reformed doctrine came into the picture, it was the most liberating and captivating thing that could be imagined. All of a sudden, my salvation, sanctification, acceptance with God, and so on, wasn't dependent on me. God was responsible for my salvation, from beginning to end. I
didn't produce faith from my own dead and hardened nature in the first place, even that was a gift of God; and what God had begun, God would finish. And then, in proportion as my view of myself diminished, my view of my Savior increased, to such an extent that gazing on his manifold perfections truly was an unending source of delight and nourishment for the Christian race. My rest became my strength, my despair in myself became my confidence in Another, my
confidence apart from my works became the motivation by which my works abounded as a labor of love and not a torture of guilt.

2. Desire for a rootedness and connectedness with the historic faith. We also became quite dismayed over the fragmentation of the Evangelical Church, the consumer-minded, individualistic shopping for the denomination, worship style, and points of doctrine which are “right for you,” which is so characteristic of the American protestant culture. The Reformed
tradition has a rich legacy of unbroken doctrinal tradition from the days of the Reformers, who
themselves labored to show their connectedness and continuity with the Church fathers and apostles.

3. The resurgence of Puritan literature. There is no greater motivation to become Reformed than reading the light-and-heat writings of Edwards and others, who evinced a doctrinal depth, exegetical precision, and ardor of heart like no one else. Banner of Truth Trust, J. I. Packer's intros and popularizing, etc., are having a tremendous impact.

4. John Piper. He is probably the major reason that there is such a high percentage of Reformed Baptists in the modern resurgence. But many paedo-baptists also love him and have learned much from his passionate and articulate recasting of Reformed Theology for the
Church of today.

5. The internet (and Monergism in particular). Monergism was the website which introduced me and many of my friends to the Reformed worldview, and it continues to have an impact on our thinking, studying, etc. Just the growing availability of reliable resources on the internet has been phenomenally helpful, and sites like Monergism, where all the best contemporary and classic resources of historic Christianity are available at the click of a button, has greatly facilitated the desire to be "always reforming" (semper reformanda).

Demons have a knowledge of God... HUH?

Yep, demons certainly know God. Let me explain.

There is a vast gulf between the knowledge of God and to personally know God. The difference is the relationship status. I have a knowledge of the President, but I do not know him personally. Demons know God, but only do they know Him outside the saving relationship of Jesus Christ. Only His saints cry "Abba Father" or in other words "Daddy." No demon would ever call God their daddy, nor do they have a relationship that is personal. Now, don't get me wrong... IT'S PERSONAL! but that personal business will be squared away in their destruction. (Actually, it was conquered on Easter, but we will get to that in a minute)
We have to know that demons are pretty intellectually sound when it comes to their knowledge of God. They know all the grand powers and sovereignty that God commands. They know His deity, they know the implications of the atonement, they know exactly what happened on Easter and they know theology pretty well. And appropriately, they know their ultimate fate, but they don't care. That is the difference They want to bring down as many people as they can with them. They know how God operates and they certainly know the meaning of the cross. But again, they certainly don't cherish that Easter morning. For us, Easter morning is a celebration of victory, but for the demons... it's a striking reminder of their death blow.
Now here is where it gets personal. Anyone who is outside the "Abba Father" or "Daddy" relationship is in the same boat with the demons. This is hard for us to comprehend since we know many friends, family, and loved ones that are rejecting the love of Christ on Calvary's tree, but being on the Lord's side means being against Satan and his army. Strikingly, the opposite is true: not being on the Lord's side means being with Satan and his army. This is the hardest part about being a Christian (in my humble opinion). Seeing so many not fully embrace the cross of calvary for the forgiveness of sins is heartbreaking. I am brought to tears at this reality. And it is only by grace that you and I have had our eyes opened. So I only boast in the cross... for I have nothing in myself to boast of. I boast in my Father in heaven who is so grand! I boast that our Father who art in heaven is my Daddy.
This Easter weekend, reflect on this wonderful relationship that He has with us. He cares for us with intensity! Did God merely tell of His love... nope, He showed us.

John 3:16 For God loved us so much that He gave His only Son Jesus Christ. That whosoever believes in Him should not join in the army of the demons, but have an everlasting relationship with God almighty... who will call Him Daddy. (Paraphrase mine)

Happy Easter to the Saints of our crucified and RISEN SAVIOR! Amen and Amen.

Seeker Sensitive Pastor: Real Men of Genius

Either I am a "study to much on church movements" type of guy or you too will think this video is hilarious. Hope you enjoy... if you are offended by this video, I echo a blog I recently read that says, "Lighten up!"
Click Here to view video

Please read this... it should change your perception of your Christianity.

The Acid Test of Being a Christian

by Dr. Tim Keller

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is." (1 John 3:1-3)

The mark of knowing God is that you see God's love for you as a miracle. Notice this [text]: it says "how great". In the old King James it says "behold, what manner of love." Here it says, "how great a love" [NAS]. There is a Greek word that is used here that they are translating as "great" and the problem with the word is that it is an idiom. Idiomatic expressions are very hard to translate literally. We have an idiomatic expression: "its raining cats and dogs." Ok so if you are trying to translate that into Cantonese, German or into Japanese -- if you just say literally in those languages "it's raining cats and dogs" they will look at you: "what are you talking about?" You will have to find an idiomatic expression that is parallel or coordinate to that. Literally it says "behold, what country this love comes from" What this statement is really saying is "from what planet... how unreal...off the scale".

Remember there was a movie called "The Fisher King"? You wouldn't since hardly anybody saw this. Amanda Plummer plays this really klutzy, mousy, wallflower who has no friends. Robin Williams takes her out. At the end of the day he takes her in and says "I want to talk to you". She says "no, no, if you got to know me you would not like me. I am tired of rejection ... it was nice to go out. But everyone who gets to know me doesn't like me, so thanks." And Robin Williams says, "I do know you. I know that you think you are awkward. I know that you think you are clumsy. I know that you are kind of clumsy but I want you to know that I know who you are and I love you, and I will never leave you and I will never or forsake you." And she looks at him and its as if she is looking into the heart of what she thought was an enemy and she sees there understanding and love and she says, "Are you real?". This is a miracle that you love me.

[like this movie] This is saying, here is the way you can tell whether you are a Christian or just a moral person ... a Christian or a religious person. A real Christian is a person who says, "it is an absolute miracle that God's loves me. "It's just a miracle that I am a Christian." This is actually an acid test; let me just lay it on you here at the end. There are two kinds of people that go to church: there's religious people and real Christians. And the way you can tell the difference is that a Real Christian is somebody who sees everything that comes as a gift. In other words a real Christian sees that you are totally in debt to God, but a religious person is someone who is working hard and making an effort and trying to be good, going to Bible studies and just saying "no" everywhere, and denying themselves a lot of pleasures, and so forth, and a religious person is someone who is trying to put God in their debt. That is the difference. A religious person is someone who is trying to save themselves through their good works. A religious person is somebody who thinks they are putting God in their debt since they have tried so hard. A Christian is somebody who sees themselves as in God's debt.

Here is the acid test: If you are a Christian you have a spirit of wonder that permeates your life. You are always saying "how miraculous", "how interplanetary", "how unreal". You are always looking at yourself and saying, "me a Christian ... incredible, miraculous, unbelievable, a joke!!! " but a person who is trying to put God in their debt - there is none of that spirit of wonder at all. For example, when you show up to get your paycheck. I am assuming that most of you work hard for your money. When you show up for your paycheck do you say "Ah, BEHOLD!!!, you've paid me, you've given me money!!! Oh!! Are you real?." No, you don't do that, you say "of course you paid me, I worked." If you ask a religious person who does not understand the grace of God. you say, "Are you a Christian?" They say "Of course I am a Christian, I have always been a Christian. Sure I am a Christian. " My friends, if you are a Christian there is no "sure" about it and there is no "of courseness" about it, not a bit.

The acid test is your spirit of wonder stays there even when things go bad. You see when things go bad, when problems happen, here you can tell the difference between a moralist and a Christian. A moralist says, "what good is all my religion, what good is going to God, I have tried hard to be a Christian, I am trying hard to be obedient to God, and what good is it? God owes me." And you see you get mad. You say, "I have been trying hard and look what's going on in my love life, look what's going on in my career", and you get bitter. Why? because God owes you. But A Christian keeps that spirit of wonder. A Christian may say "my career has not gone too well, my love life has not gone too well, it's astonishing... Its amazing that God is as good as He is to me. Its all grace. Its all grace. That spirit of wonder. That sense of being a miracle. That everything that comes to you being an absolute mercy. That is an acid test. In fact, in some ways I have made a dichotomy that is unrealistic. Christians, to the degree that you behold the free grace of God, to the degree that you meditate on it and you let it become a holy fire in your heart, to the degree you experience and behold the love of God, to that degree you are going to find that to difficulties you will be able to say "oh well, my Father must have a purpose here because He loves me, and besides that, He does not owe me a good life. He owes me a far worse life than I've got." You can handle anything. And when good things come you will say "Behold! what a miracle" And the very fact you can get up in the morning and say, "I am a Christian. Who would have thought it?" There is a spirit of wonder about you, and if you have lost that you are slipping back into moralism, you are slipping back into thinking "well I guess what it means to be a Christian is just to do." Here is Christianity:

And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

The wonder is a mark that you know the Lord. The ability to handle anything with that sense of almost childlike wonder. That sense of being a miracle. That tells you that you know him.

Let us love and sing and wonder,
Let us praise the Savior's Name!
He has hushed the law's loud thunder,
He has quenched Mount Sinai's flame.
He has wash'd us with His blood,
He has brought us nigh to God.

Excerpt from the Sermon Series: Beholding the Love of God: Knowing that We Know God - 1 John 3:1-3" Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA)

Brand New Statistics on American Christianity!

A massive new study of the American religious landscape reveals big changes and powerful trends shaping the future. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life surveyed 35,000 Americans in one of the largest research projects yet undertaken.

The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey report is over 140 pages long, but the Pew Center for Research has provided a helpful summary. Among the major findings:

• Most Americans (78.4%) identify themselves as Christians of some sort. This Christian majority seems to be a settled fact for some time to come, with trends such as Hispanic immigration bolstering these numbers.
• America's Protestant majority -- a mainstay of American life from the colonial era to the present -- is in decline and Protestant Christians will soon become a minority. The survey revealed that only 51.3% of Americans now identify as Protestants.
• Evangelicals are now the largest single group of American Christians (26.3%).
• Roman Catholics (23.9%) are the second-largest Christian grouping, though almost a third of those born into Catholic homes no longer consider themselves as Catholic. In all, almost 10% of all Americans are "former Catholics."
• Mainline Protestant churches and denominations continue to lose membership and now represent only 18.1% of the population.
• Buddhists (0.7%) outnumber Muslims (0.6%).
• Mormons (1.7%) and Muslims report the largest families.
• Those identifying as "unaffiliated" represent a fast-growing segment of the population (16.1%), including atheists (1.6%), agnostics (2.4%) and "nothing in particular" (12.1%).
• At least 27% of families are interfaith to some extent. The percentage rises to 37% if spouses of different Protestant denominations are included.
• Among younger Americans (ages 18-29) almost a quarter claim no religious affiliation.
• The Midwest is the most representative region of the country, while Evangelicals are concentrated in the South.

Here is a particularly important section of the report:

More than one-quarter of American adults (28%) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion -- or no religion at all. If change in affiliation from one type of Protestantism to another is included, roughly 44% of adults have either switched religious affiliation, moved from being unaffiliated with any religion to being affiliated with a particular faith, or dropped any connection to a specific religious tradition altogether.

The first wave of media reports pointed to this section of the report, while pointing to the larger issue of religious diversity and the growth of "nothing in particular" as a response. The "switching" phenomenon was a leading focus of the report summary, with Pew researchers arguing that "religious affiliation in the U.S. is both very diverse and extremely fluid."

What are we to make of this? The report is a credible and extensive review of the American religious landscape. Taken as a whole, the data point to big changes on the horizon. The loss of a Protestant majority will lead to further adjustments in the cultural worldview. Clearly, America is more of a mission field than ever before.

There are some caveats about the research as well. These affiliations are self-reported, meaning that some of the individuals may have little affiliation, knowledge, or commitment behind these identifications. Nevertheless, that has always been a limitation on these surveys.

The issue of "switching" should attract a great deal of interest. In one sense, this is the inevitable product of religious liberty and religious diversity. But it also reveals that many Americans are looking for something they have not found in the tradition and affiliation of their childhood.

Even so, the research methodology probably understates this phenomenon. A member of a liberal Presbyterian church who switches to a conservative Presbyterian church is still a constant Presbyterian in the survey.

Evangelical Christians and churches should look at this report closely. There is a wealth of data here that helps to define the mission field we face in America. There are danger signs. Here are several points of concern:

• Our evangelism is not keeping pace with growth in the population. Evangelical churches are growing, but falling behind in the task of reaching Americans with the Gospel.
• We are losing many young people and many of those who switch from evangelical identity switch to "nothing in particular."
• Evangelicals are accustomed to being part of a Protestant majority, but that majoritarian posture is about to be taken away (and already has been in some communities).

All this reminds us of the complexity of our context and the immensity of our challenge. We cannot look at this data with mere interest. These numbers represent real people who desperately need to hear the Gospel -- and to see authentic Christianity made visible.

Prosperity is garbage!

Oh that we would have the same passion for ANYTHING that replaces the gospel of Christ!
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=faf0159744aecaf5c732

PART 2 Idolatry on Sunday Morning

Article from www.worshipmatters.com

I tried to come up with a shocking title for these posts to alert us to the difference between a “professed” God and “functional” god. That is, the God we say we believe in, and the god that actually governs our desires and actions. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, idolatry can be active in my heart even as I’m outwardly worshipping God. That’s a sobering thought. Whenever I think I can’t worship God unless “X” is present, I’m making a profound statement. If “X” is anything other than Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, I’ve moved into idolatrous territory. Idolatry is always evil, but the idols we pursue aren’t necessarily evil things. They are evil for us because we value them over God. Pages could be written on each of the potential idols I’m about to cover. Most, if not all of them, touch on areas that can and should be used with discernment to serve God’s people as we gather to sing His praise. Some of them are more important them others. But all of them are meant to exalt God, not replace Him. Music – Musical styles for congregational worship have caused quite a stir in recent years. Actually, they’ve been causing a stir for centuries, and for good reason. Music is a powerful medium that can affect us positively or negatively. However, the root of the division is often (though not always) people insisting they know what kind of music God likes. It hasn’t helped that “new music proponents” are often arrogant, insensitive, selfish, and impatient. However, we can make an idol out of what’s old and familiar as easily as we can make one out of what’s new and creative. Music must be wisely chosen for its ability to serve both the lyrics and the congregation in order to truly honor God. But thinking that we need a certain type of music to truly engage with God is, at its root, idolatry. Tradition – Every church, even those that claim to be non-traditional, has traditions. A tradition is simply something you’ve done more than once. Can traditions serve God’s purposes in the church? Absolutely! Paul encourages the Thessalonians, ““So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Th. 2:15, ESV1 Thessalonians 2:15 [15]who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind (ESV)

This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.

) But are our traditions today equal to Scripture in authority? Absolutely not! Every generation is responsible to examine whether or not the traditions they’ve inherited (or are seeking to establish) are biblical and truly help people exult in God’s worthiness and works. The complementary idols of familiarity and comfort are often revealed in the words, “We’ve never done it that way before.” Creativity – Lest this list seem one-sided, NEWNESS can also be an idol. We’re convinced that some fresh, different, never-been-done-before idea will make our congregational worship more effective. Or powerful. Or appealing. Maybe it’s lighting…or a new stage set up…or a video clip…or candles…or banners…or “interactive artistic activity.” Creativity is never our goal in worshipping God. It’s simply a means to the end of displaying and seeing the glory of Christ more clearly. New forms or mediums of communication can give us a different perspective, causing the truth to have a greater impact on us. But if we walk away from a time of corporate worship more affected by our creativity than our Savior, or think that the Word of Christ is old news, God help us. I’m aware what I’m writing may offend some. I pray that’s not the case, although what we perceive as an “offense” might be the Spirit’s conviction. It could just as well be my poor communication. But this I know: God is committed to receiving all the glory, honor, and praise each time we gather as His people, redeemed through His Son’s atoning sacrifice. He will have no rivals. “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” (Is. 42:8, ESV) Each time we meet to worship the triune God, HE should be the all-consuming center of our attention and affections. His greatness and splendor should become bigger in our minds, hearts, and wills. His desires and commands should become more precious to us. Jesus Christ and His atoning work should be more glorious and amazing to us. Tomorrow, I’ll share more idols I’ve found myself worshipping on Sunday mornings. In the mean time, I pray you’re encouraged by the Father’s costly love for us.

Idolatry on Sunday Morning

This article is from www.worshipmatters.com
Here is part 1 of this article:

So these nations feared the LORD and also served their carved images. (2 Kings 17:41a ESV)

What is our greatest hindrance in worshipping God? We could come up with a number of potential answers.

“Our worship leader isn’t very experienced.”
“The services are too planned/spontaneous.”
“The songs are too complex/simple.”
“The band/orchestra/organist/guitarist sounds bad.”
“There are too many new/old songs.”
“Our church is too big/small.”

Ignoring for a moment that all these statements refer to a meeting context, they reveal a profound misconception about the hindrances to true worship. Contrary to what we might think, our greatest problem doesn’t lie outside us, but within our own hearts. It’s the problem of idolatry.

The passage above from 2 Kings describes a situation that existed when Samaria was resettled by the king of Assyria. It’s a situation which can potentially exist in our church services today. We can fear the Lord externally, engaging in what we perceive to be all the proper elements of worship – singing, giving, praying, kneeling, listening to God’s Word, etc. – and be actively serving false gods in our hearts. God makes it clear in Exodus 20 that he will not tolerate any competition for the allegiance and affections of our hearts. “You shall have no other gods before me.” That succinctly describes idolatry.

When someone mentions idolatry, we can picture some tribesman in New Guinea bowing down to statues of wood or metal, and think, “Thank God I don’t struggle with THAT.” Idols, however, are far more pervasive, insidious, and deceptive. Idolatry is attributing ultimate value, authority, or supremacy to any object other than God.

We foolishly think idols can provide for us what only God can give. They tempt us every day, all day. It’s not surprising, then, that even my ten year old daughter, Mckenzie, deals with idols. One of her primary idols is “not taking showers.” Otherwise known as the idols of control and pleasure. She confessed to Julie and me today that for the past three days she’s only been pretending to take a shower. (For some reason, most ten-year-olds find taking showers as appealing as scratching a chalk board for ten minutes.) After working through a tearful confession with my wife, and learning of her discipline (no playing with friends for three days), we talked about her heart. I explained to her that not taking a shower was an idol for her. She thought that remaining dirty would bring her happiness. Instead it led to deceiving those she loves the most and dishonoring the God Who created her for His glory. And it definitely didn’t deliver on the happiness promise. Ultimately, idols never do.

THE REBELution

Every now and again something comes along that I can't help but get excited about. The conference "The REBELution" is one of those things! On Saturday April 5th, they will be coming to Charlotte for an all day conference for teenagers & their parents. To the right of this page you will see a video... this is their 2008 promo video.

These 2 guys, Alex and Brett Harris, are the brothers of Joshua Harris. Yes, the same guy that wrote the book, "I kissed dating goodbye." They are challenging youth to "Do Hard Things." In our society we limit our youth to a mediocre life and mediocre goals. This conference will challenge you to take the plunge of doing something of great worth. The Scriptures say in 1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no one despise you because of your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." What a challenge!!!! This conference seeks to guide you in fueling the passion that you have as a teenager.

There will be an article in the Project Gazette with the vast details in this Sunday.

*By the way, you can view all past Gazettes by going to www.smpca.com/youth.php?cat=30

I hope you will buck the system of allowing youth to stand idle while the rest of us shape the world. You have the Holy Spirit in you... what are you waiting for?
www.therebelution.com

Why Calvinism? Why now?

The article below comes from: www.spurgeon.wordpress.com

1. Because Calvinism is biblical. No system of theology has better (notice I did not say ‘perfectly’) displayed a consistently biblical framework. If you want to be consistent with Scripture, Calvinism is your system. Because of this, Calvinism is a firm confrontation to theological reductionism (those who build theological systems from only parts of Scripture). We must deal with themes like God’s sovereignty, our depravity, His election, etc. These Calvinistic themes are carried throughout the Old and New Testaments.

2. Because Calvinism is tested. The greatest theological minds in church history were Calvinists. Augustine, who predates Calvin by centuries, laid a foundation Calvin could easily build on (“Augustine is totally ours!” Calvin once wrote). After Calvin, men like Jonathan Edwards and John Owen stand atop the list of theological elites who were Calvinists which should not surprise since the Puritan movement itself was “a kind of vigorous Calvinism” (Joel Beeke, Meet the Puritans). John Bunyan was a Calvinist. Mathematical genius and philosopher Blaise Pascal was a Calvinist. Great evangelists like David Brainerd and George Whitefield were Calvinists (Whitefield frequently preached of election to non-believers). Calvinist theologians include B.B. Warfield, J. Gresham Machen, Charles Hodge, Cornelius Van Til and the other early Princeton Seminary leaders. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Francis Schaeffer were Calvinists. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon equated Calvinism with the gospel itself. Representing several denominations, many contemporary Evangelical leaders are Calvinists (Al Mohler, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, C.J. Mahaney, Joshua Harris, R.C. Sproul, Ligon Duncan, John MacArthur, J.I. Packer and Mark Dever). A ministry producing some of the most powerful sermons and worship music goes by a very Calvinistic name, Sovereign Grace Ministries. And this is just a sampling. For centuries (right up to 2007) Calvinism has caught the eye of the brightest theological minds, evangelists, preachers, philosophers and musicians.

3. Because Calvinism is a relevant worldview. We are not talking merely about theology and doctrine! Calvinism puts every detail of this world – not in the hands of mere men or fate or luck – but in a personal God who is working all of world history towards one final goal. To say it another way, “there is nothing casual nor contingent in the world.” So what does a Calvinist look like? B.B. Warfield wrote, “He [the Calvinist] has caught sight of the ineffable Vision, and he will not let it fade for a moment from his eyes – God in nature, God in history, God in grace. Everywhere he sees God in His mighty stepping, everywhere he feels the working of his mighty arm, the throbbing of His mighty heart.” Calvinism is a worldview that embraces music, art, history, natural sciences, medicine, politics, economics, labor and race relations. Fittingly, McGrath closes his biographical account of Calvin with these words: “Although Calvin lies buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in Geneva, his ideas and influences live on in the outlooks of the culture he helped to create” (p. 261).

4. Because Calvinism brings reverence and trust in God. According to Calvin, without reverence towards God and worshipping Him as the giver of all things, we cannot know God. Understanding God is not about scholarship and academic degrees but of piety, submission and love towards God. A true study of Calvin and Calvinism will help us foster these godly characteristics.

5. Because Calvinism protects the church. Whether we are talking about open theism, theological liberalism, religious relativism, emergent church movement, church-growth methods, new perspectives of Paul or misunderstandings of the fundamental differences between the gospels of Evangelicalism and Roman Catholicism, Calvinism will keep our attention on Scripture. In the book The Doctrines of Grace, Boice and Ryken write, “The pathway from Calvinism to liberalism – and even atheism – is well worn, and it usually passes through Arminianism” (p. 66). Churches who preach a god unable to sovereignly manage the world to his own glory become vulnerable to the most grave errors.

6. Because Calvinism brings comfort. When life is tough, there is no comfort in a powerless god. Only when we understand God to be firmly in control of our pain and discomforts can we say with Job, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” And only then can we say with Paul, “All things work together for the good of those who love God.” Only a sovereign God can comfort us in our deepest trials.

7. Because Calvinism is high. If you want to grasp God, you must stand on the highest plateau to get a glimpse of his majesty. Steven Lawson’s newest book reminds us that Calvinism is where “The lofty truths of divine sovereignty provide the greatest and grandest view of God” and “The doctrines of grace serve to elevate the entire life of the church.” Calvinism forces us to climb higher than we imagined, to see bigger things then we thought possible, and elevates the worship and reverence of the church beyond the routine and mundane.

8. Because Calvinism is cool. That’s right. Last Fall Christianity Today called Calvinists, “Young, Restless and Reformed,” which is another way of saying Calvinists are now the cool kids in school. Seriously, people can see through the wafer thin glazing of seeker sensitive church growth movement. Confusing conversations and open theism simply will not do. Christians want the mighty God of Scripture. One who sits high and exalted, who shakes the heavens and whose right hand controls every detail of life to His own glory and to the good of believers. Calvinism is very relevant today.

My body hurts... but you should see the slope!

This past weekend we took our bodies up the slopes only to allow our bodies to be exposed to the hard ground. There were times when I felt like I was traveling 45 mph and when I hit the ground it confirmed my speed. Nonetheless, the ski trip was a blast. No injuries and everyone seemed to have a great weekend. But there is a price to pay for a trip like this.
You see I am almost 30 and my body is no longer going up the lift in ability, but rather coming down off the mountain of youth. It really seems like my body is wasting away in stamina, speed, and ability. I am certainly not over the hill, but I am learning how this body is not what it used to be.

The apostle Paul was also very aware of his body and the decaying results of sin. "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day." As a believer, this should become more evident each and every day. Our sanctification is rooted in the upward climb of godliness. As we consider the pages of Scripture daily we will become aware of that our lives need to change. As we walk with the Spirit each day, we will see genuine change in our lives. We long to be more like Christ and long to serve Him in every aspect of our broken lives. The inward man is being renewed day by day. What a comfort! Our inward man is being changed.

I think back 10 years ago when my life changed for the Lord and I see that I was in desperate need of an extreme makeover: sanctification edition! I was a mess. I served the flesh and the things of the Lord didn't concern me. I praise the Lord for the changes He has made in these 10 years, but I step back today and see there is much more to change. But there is a contrast to all of this. At 19 my body was at it's best. I wasn't phased by a 2 hour basketball game, I could pull all nighters without any problem, and I could ski all day and bounce back the next day. Today, my body is not what it used to be. I am wasting away. And things are only getting worse.

There will be a day that my body gives up and will not recover. There is an end to this flesh here on earth. I will join the rest of those 6 feet under. But one thing is for certain... my inward man will be at his strongest. As my outward man is wasting away, my inward man is growing stronger and stronger. He longs to be like Christ and longs to serve Him in ALL aspects of his life.

Is this happening to you? Do you find your inward man changing? Is he longing to be conformed to the Scriptures? All saints of the Lord will change. All saints of the Lord will have this contrast... the body is weak, but the Spirit is willing. Change today for the Lord. Search deep at the core of your being and see the sanctifying change that your inward man is longing for!

Finally, do not lose hope on this outward man either. He will be renewed as well. This past week I attended a funeral. While the body was placed in the ground, I was aware that while death had come to the body, the spirit lives. And one day, the body will be renewed gloriously. Christ will come back and will bring all those saintly bodies to glory and restore
EVERY
SINGLE
ONE OF THEM!

Do not lose hope dear Christian... for as your body wastes away, the inward man is being renewed. Praise be to God who delivers us, strengthens us, renews us, and changes us.

How about this for your next devotion?

When one's heart is turned to the Lord, it was the Lord who did the turning. When repentance is in one's heart, it was the Lord's work that brought you through the act. When faith was exercised, it was the faith of our Lord who gave it to you. When you enter in His kingdom, you will have nothing to boast about except in God. The late Dr. Kennedy said this, "In heaven you nothing to boast about in ourselves... In hell, we have no one to blame but ourselves." The glory has and WILL always be in and for God. We have nothing to offer God that would have Him say, "Boy, I need him/her in my kingdom." I take that back... we offer God rebellion, greed, selfishness, hatred, murder, adultery, and the like. Now that is credibility of the worst kind. God doesn't choose us for our good (which is filthy rags in God's eyes) but He chooses us based on His love. We have NO PART in this process. Period! "I have decided to follow Jesus" is a misleading hymn. How could we have decided to follow Jesus when we already choose death? So while living in our death, He rescued us from the jaws of hell. The Arminian perspective gives glory to man, Calvinism gives glory to God.
Praise God for whom ALL blessings flow,
praise Him all creatures here below,
praise Him above ye heavenly host,
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
A true biblical hymn... all of Him, none of us!
May your life sing of these praises.

*Below are Scriptures that teach this great doctrine.
Go through these in your next devotional time with your God.

1. By God. 1Ki 18:37; Joh 6:44; Ac 21:19.
2. By Christ. Ac 3:26; Ro 15:18.
3. By the power of the Holy Spirit. Pr 1:23.
4. Is of grace. Ac 11:21,23.
5. Follows repentance. Ac 3:19; 26:20.
6. Is the result of faith. Ac 11:21.
7. Through the instrumentality of
a. The scriptures. Ps 19:7.
b. Ministers. Ac 26:18; 1Th 1:9.
c. Self-examination. Ps 119:59; La 3:40.
d. Affliction. Ps 78:34.
8. Of sinners, a cause of joy
a. To God. Eze 18:23; Lu 15:32.
b. To saints. Ac 15:3; Ga 1:23,24.
9. Is necessary. Mt 18:3.
10. Commanded. Job 36:10.
11. Exhortations to. Pr 1:23; Isa 31:6; 55:7; Jer 3:7; Eze 33:11.
12. Promises connected with. Ne 1:9; Isa 1:27; Jer 3:14; Eze 18:27.
13. Pray for. Ps 80:7; 85:4; Jer 31:18; La 5:21.
14. Is accompanied by confession of sin, and prayer. 1Ki 8:35.
15. Danger of neglecting. Ps 7:12; Jer 44:5,11; Eze 3:19.
16. Duty of leading sinners to. Ps 51:13.
17. Encouragement for leading sinners to. Da 12:3; Jas 5:19,20.
18. Of Gentiles, predicted. Isa 2:2; 11:10; 60:5; 66:12.
19. Of Israel, predicted. Eze 36:25-27.
Torrey, R.A.: The New Topical Text Book : A Scriptural Text Book for the Use of Ministers, Teachers, and All Christian Workers. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos research Systems, Inc., 1995, c1897. Torrey embraced covenant theology (in contrast to Moody's dispensationalism) and was critical of the emotional and manipulative methods of revivalism.

A Day in the Life of a Humble Calvinist

The article/blog below is from a blog called "Humble Calvinism." Hope you enjoy:

Calvinism is big. It’s a worldview that embraces God’s sovereignty over every event in world history. God is over the shifting of political powers, the immigration of people, the establishment of cultures, natural calamities, and even down to the fact that you are reading this right now. By nature, Calvinism is concerned with everything because God is concerned with everything. So how can we allow the biblical theology of Calvinism and the Cross to penetrate our daily living so that dry, stoic, intellectual Calvinism becomes living and breathing Humble Calvinism?

Well, one of my dear friends has helped me see what this looks like. Tom Fluharty is an incredible artist. His talents are phenomenal. But even more phenomenal is God’s grace that allows him to focus his mind, will and affections on Gospel in his daily devotional times. I get to read some of these journal articles that he sends my way on occasion. I wanted to share a recent journal entry.

We’ve been talking recently about God’s abduction. Sinners like us don’t want God. We all naturally turn away from Him, fail to do anything to glorify Him, and thus we all become worthless to Him (Rom. 3:12). God must abduct us! He must chose for us something better than we’ve chosen for ourselves. This thought caught the attention and affections of Tom in his recent journal entry. This is what he wrote,

Kidnapped 1.20.07

I was abducted, snatched from a street corner one drunken Summer night. Snatched from the kingdom of darkness and immediately translated to the kingdom of the Most High King. A radical abduction that instantly changes or transforms the heart. Rather it’s a heart transplant by the great heavenly heart surgeon. Won over not wooed. Not an invitation, an abduction. Life came down on 8th st 5th Ave N.Y.C. The glory of God came to Greenwich Village to fill a wretched man, turning him into a lover of God. Deal no more with unreality. You poor soul wallowing in unfulfilling lust and drunkenness. Glory has comes. I have seen a great light. I have beheld His glory. Thank you Lord. I am now the temple of the radical living God. Thank you Lord for the past 22 1/2 years!

“Won over not wooed. Not an invitation, an abduction.” That thought flows from a radical, Humble Calvinism. Tom encourages me through his example. Our communion with God should be saturated with the Cross, saturated with an awareness of our depravity, the personal election of God, God’s strength to uphold us and the glory of God’s sovereign majesty! This is a reminder that Humble Calvinism should transform every area of my life, and even show itself in my journal entries. We build off theology. But let’s not stop by saying “Isn’t it amazing that God elects sinners?” Let’s move beyond this and say, “Isn’t it amazing that God elected such a sinner as I when I was … ?” Humble Calvinism must penetrate our hearts and reveal itself in how we worship the Sovereign Lord and this will show itself in our daily journals.

Music that speaks to the soul and the EAR!

Recently, a grassroots movement has taken place in reformed music. More and more churches have found great talent inside their congregations that give birth to new (from old... I'll explain) & fresh godly music. By searching the writings of the giants of the faith they have discovered that simple and profound statements can be used to worship our Lord. Most of these tunes are ripped from the pages of old hymn books. You may remember a blog a few days ago about young people searching for songs that have meaning, theology, and worth. I am one of those "young" people... although I am not so sure the youth of SMPCA would categorize me as "young."
This movement has really taken shape as more and more churches are following the pattern of these musicians. They have gone into prayer books (Valley of Vision), lost hymnbooks (The Gasby Project), and well known hymns (Beneath the Cross of Jesus) and added new tunes while maintaining the rich lyrics. In the past couple years, I have fell in love with this genre. And so I encourage you to dive right in and see the depths of godly worship that can be had by the believers of Christ.
I have put together some of the music that you may want to consider getting. Below are some links that you can go and listen. Hope you enjoy!

Valley of Vision: you may remember at each communion service we read from this book. (In Feb. they are selling each CD for $6!)
http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Resources/Music/ValleyOfVision.aspx

This is a free download of one song.
http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=M4220-07-51

These are by far the best in my option. Their latest iGrace V "Wake Thy Slumbering Children" is their best one yet!
http://www.igracemusic.com/music/index.htm

This is a church outside Birmingham, AL. They produce their own music from old hymnbooks they recover. I have a few of their CD's and recommend them highly.
http://www.redmountainchurch.org/rmm/alb/albums.html

There are plenty more out there that I have yet to discover, but this should get you started. Hope you find them as nourishing to the soul as I have.

Liberation Free Will: what are we really praying for?

Excerpt from John Feinberg, No One Like Him: The Doctrine of God, Foundations of Evangelical Theology, pp. 705-706.

If I [believe in libertarian freedom and] plead with God to remove my friend’s illness, that is not absurd, for God can answer that prayer without negating anyone’s freedom. But what about the request that God change the attitudes and actions of my friend’s tyrannical boss? What about petitions that ask God to move those processing applications for graduate school to accept my friend? Or what about prayers that ask God to keep my enemies at work from bothering me? And what about pleading with God to save a dear relative or friend? In all of these cases, what am I asking God to do, if libertarian free will obtains? I am either asking God to override others’ freedom, or I am asking him to move them to do something freely in spite of the fact that my belief in libertarian free will means that I believe Gold cannot get anybody to do anything freely. If I truly value libertarian free will as much as libertarians say they do, why would I ask God to override it just because of my petition? . . . Libertarians may be asking God to try to persuade their friends, but I repeat that God can only guarantee their persuasion by casual determinism, and that abridges libertarian free will.

On the other hand, if I am not asking God to override someone else’s freedom, then I’m asking him to do something which I believe he cannot do (make it the case that someone else does something freely). I may ask him to try to persuade the person, but I know that without God overriding their freedom, he cannot guarantee that they will change. In fact, since at the moment of free decision making nothing decisively inclines their will, regardless of what God or anyone else does or says, the matter may be hopeless. In light of such problems with interceding with God to change someone’s incompatibilistically free actions or attitudes, there is good reason for anyone committed to libertarian free will who understands the implications of the position to think twice before offering intercessory prayers of the kind mentioned. In fact, prayer to change either our or others’ actions seems problematic.

With libertarian free will many prayers make no sense. . . . …Consider petitions about ourselves that do involve our free will. Suppose we ask the Lord to help us be more faithful in Bible reading, prayer, and witnessing. Or suppose we pray that the Lord will help us treat our family or neighbor better. I maintain that if libertarian free will obtains in our world, these are to a large degree absurd requests. For what are we asking God to do? In order for me to be more faithful in Bible reading, prayer, and witnessing, won’t I have to decide to do these things? But if I have libertarian free will and am allowed to exercise it, how can God fulfill my request? If he doesn’t override my libertarian freedom, he cannot guarantee the fulfillment of my request. So what am I asking him to do? Override my freedom? Make it the case that I freely decide to do these things? But here libertarians tell us that, if God brings it about that we do anything, we don’t do it freely. It seems that God cannot be certain to grant my request unless he overrides my freedom, but why would God want me to engage in these spiritual exercises because I’m forced to do so (according to my libertarian free will, I would be forced, but God wants my love and devotion freely!)? Shouldn’t I, then, petition myself in an attempt to convince myself to do these things? After all, only I can freely effect what I choose to do, given libertarian free will. But if I did petition myself, wouldn’t that usually mean I had already decided to do these things, and if so, the petition becomes unnecessary? I submit, then, that unless I really want God to override my freedom, what I ask him in these cases is absurd. If he doesn’t tamper with my libertarian free will, he can’t do what I ask; only I can, but petitioning myself engages me in the further absurdities mentioned.