WORD OF THE DAY From The Pastor's Study

Libertarian Free-Will

(Latin liberum arbitrium)

The belief that the human will is free from any necessitating constraint (necessitas coactio). This is often referred to as “the power of contrary choice.” In this, whatever decisions are made, its alternative decisions are viable options. The alternative to libertarianism is fatalism, divine determinism, or self-determinism. The reformers believed that the faculty of the will is free (vonutas), but this will is in bondage to its nature, as all wills are. The reformers rejected both libertarianism and fatalism, seeking a mediating position that allows the will to be free, but does not allow its liberty to act out of concert with its nature.
See Michael Patton’s article: What Do You Mean by “Free Will”?

Everyone Must Be a Theologian (pt. 2) by John H. Gerstner

Everyone May Be a Theologian Without Being Saved!"But," the layman exclaims, "do you mean to tell me that if I do not have the knowledge of God I shall perish, and that if I do have the knowledge of God I will live forever? Do you mean to tell me that if I am a lay theologian all is well with my soul, whereas, if I am not, I am doomed forever?"No, I have not said that exactly. Let me call your attention to what I actually did say, and then let me add a comment relevant to one of your questions. I did say that without the knowledge of God there is no eternal life, but only eternal death. That is true. And I did say that if we do not know God and Christ we will perish. That also is true. However, it needs to be brought out now that there is knowledge, and then there is knowledge. The knowledge of which Scripture speaks so approvingly we may call "saving knowledge." But we gather from other passages of Scripture which have not yet been cited that there is also a false knowledge that, far from being saving knowledge, is actually damning knowledge.But we are ready now for a closer consideration of this theme. Therefore let me lay down this statement, and devote the rest of this chapter to demonstrating it: A layman may have knowledge of God and not be saved, but he can never be saved without knowledge of God.There is much to show that a layman may have theology without having salvation. For one thing, the Bible says in many places that persons frequently have a knowledge about God but do not know God. Thus, for example, the Scripture exhorts us to be not only hearers of the Word, but doers as well (James 1:22). This implies that it is possible to hear, learn, or know with-out doing. It goes on to tell us that only the doing of the Word profits us anything, again carrying the implication that persons may hear the Word and understand it without actually doing it, and therefore without its being profitable.Again, in Romans 1:18 Paul speaks of those who hold the truth in unrighteousness. That is the same as to say that some persons know God--and indeed in this very context Paul does speak of knowing God--and yet do not worship Him, nor are they being saved by Him. So we learn that while their knowledge is sufficient to condemn them, they are not saved by it.In the parable of the sower and the seed recorded in Matthew 13, our Lord tells us of differing responses to the presentation of the gospel. While the wayside soil represents those persons who seem virtually not to hear what is preached or to learn what is taught, still the other two types of useless soil represent persons who do hear and do understand, but who nevertheless do not bring forth fruit. Thus the shallow, rocky soil represents a person who receives the Word, as Jesus says. He receives it with gladness, and even seems to respond favorably to it for a while; but when he is beset by difficulties he repudiates the knowledge which he does have.So we see in his case an individual who knows, but does not do; who understands the way of salvation, but does not attain to salvation. The thorny soil represents a person who understands, and apparently even very deliberately understands and accepts the message, but whose knowledge is crushed out in the subsequent con-test between that message and his lusts represented by thorns in the soil. But there can be no doubt that he not only has knowledge, but deep and penetrating and not merely superficial knowledge. Nonetheless his knowledge is choked out and the man does not obtain to salvation.There are many other instances of the possibility of knowing the truth without being saved. But we will take just one, that of the Pharisees, and use it as our prime exhibit. The layman will immediately say, "Ah, but the Pharisees were religious teachers and cannot fairly be called laymen."This I admit, but I will also go on to insist that my point is certified all the more by the fact that the Pharisees, as professional theologians, had even greater knowledge than laymen could be expected to have, and yet they perished.Remember, I am attempting to show that it is possible to have theological knowledge without being saved. If I can show that one who is regarded as a professional--who has far more religious knowledge than a layman may be expected to have--may yet perish, how much more evident is it that any knowledge that a layman can reasonably be expected to obtain can by no means guarantee his salvation? Jesus approved of the Pharisees in many ways because they attempted to honor Moses' law, and often succeeded; they attempted to teach his precepts to the people. However they came under Christ's withering indictment, "Woe unto you, Pharisees, hypocrites," so often that we are led to believe that as a class these highly knowledgeable individuals were not practitioners of their science, and were therefore doomed to condemnation. In Matthew 23:33 Jesus said to them, "How can you escape the damnation of hell?"

WORD OF THE DAY From The Pastor's Study

Dittography

[dih-taw’-gruh-fee]

(Greek dittos, “double” + Greek graphos, “written”)
A term used by textual critics which describes the unintentional duplication of material in the transcribing process of the Scriptures. Often a scribe would accidentally write a word or sentence twice. This could happen for many reasons (fatigue, misplacement of marker, or negligence in copying). A dittograph is relatively easy for a text critic to recognize and correct. A dittograph is relatively easy for a text critic to recognize and correct.

Everyone Must Be a Theologian By Dr John H. Gerstner

Christian laymen, the average persons sitting in the pew on a Sunday morning, sometimes think they need not be theologians. That, however, is a very great mistake. They do need to be theologians--at least they should be amateur theologians. In fact, that is the one vocation every man is obliged to follow. A layman does not need to be a plumber, a carpenter, a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a laborer, or a housewife.

These are all possibilities, but not necessities. A layman may be one or the other of these as he chooses. But he must be a theologian. This is not an option for him, but a requirement!A Theologian Is One Who Knows About GodWhy do we say that a layman must be a theologian? Well, let us first realize what a theologian is, that is, an amateur theologian. A theologian is a person who knows about God. A lay theologian is a person who has a true knowledge of God which he understands in non-technical, non-professional, non-academic terms. However, such a person is truly a theologian.Is it not clear why a layman must necessarily be a theologian? Is there anyone, layman or otherwise, who does not need to know God? Does the Scripture not say, "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3)? It is no mere option, then, with a layman whether or not he will be a theologian, or whether he will have eternal life or not; it is not an option with him whether he will know God or not.

The knowledge of God is necessary to eternal life. And if eternal life is necessary for every man, then theology is also necessary for every man.If a theologian is a person who knows God, then, by reverse reasoning, a person who is not a theologian is a person who does not know God. There is no shame in a layman's being told that he does not know carpentry, or plumbing, or medicine, or law, or teaching, or the ways of a housewife; but there is surely the greatest of shame in a layman's being told that he does not know God. Furthermore, there is more than shame: there is very great danger! The Scripture says that to live apart from God is death. And just as John 17:3 says that it is life eternal to know God and Christ, John 3:36 says that they who do not believe in Jesus shall not see life and, furthermore, that the wrath of God abides on them: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.""Well," the layman may say, "look here, you've slipped in a new term on us.

That last passage talks about faith and not knowledge. It says that unless a person 'believes' in the Son. It does not say anything there about knowing Jesus." True, the passage does not use the word "know." It speaks about "belief" or "faith" rather than "knowledge" or "reason." But have you ever believed in someone or something about which you knew nothing? Is it possible to have faith in Christ unless we know who Christ is? Is it not clear, then, that this passage, though it does not state expressly the necessity of the knowledge of Christ, certainly states it implicitly? So we say that if a person does not have a knowledge of God and Christ it is not only a shame, but a peril to his soul, not only in this life, but in the eternity which begins at death.

There Are Only Two Religions By John MacArthur

CLICK HERE.......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSQZAZUkijk&eurl=http://bloodtippedears.blogspot.com/2008/04/john-macarthur-there-are-only-two.html

WORD OF THE DAY From The Pastor's Study

homoousios
Gk. “of the same substance” “consubstantial”

This is the Trinitarian term that expresses a belief that Christ is of the same substance or nature as the Father. This word was central to the forth-century debate between Athanasius and the Arians. Arius believed that Christ was of “similar substance” to the Father (homoiousios), but not of the “same substance” (homoousios). The two positions were separated by one letter in Greek, an iota. Thus the common phrase “it doesn’t make one iota of difference.” The Council of Nicea (325) believed that Christ shared in the exact same essence as the Father and therefore adopted the term homoousios to describe the relationship between the members of the Godhead. This concept was further developed by the Cappadocian fathers and further applied to all three members of the Trinity at the Council of Constantinople (381).
See: Creed of Nicea

The Heidelberg Catechism, This Lord's Day week 17

Q45: What benefit do we receive from the "resurrection" of Christ?

A45: First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, that He might make us partakers of the righteousness which He has obtained for us by His death.[1] Second, by His power we are also now raised up to a new life.[2] Third, the resurrection of Christ is to us a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.[3]
1. I Cor. 15:15, 17, 54-55; Rom. 4:25; I Peter 1:3-4, 212. Rom. 6:4; Col. 3:1-4; Eph. 2:53. I Cor. 15:12, 20-21; Rom. 8:11

Q46: What do you understand by the words "He ascended into heaven"?

A46: That Christ, in the sight of His disciples, was taken up from the earth into heaven,[1] and continues there in our behalf [2] until He shall come again to judge the living and the dead.[3]
1. Acts 1:9; Matt. 26:64; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:51
2. Heb. 4:14; 7:24-25; 9:11; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 4:103. Acts 1:11; 3:20-21; Matt. 24:30

Q47: But is not Christ with us even unto the end of the world,[1] as He has promised?

A47: Christ is true man and true God. According to His human nature He is now not on earth,[2] but according to His Godhead, majesty, grace, and Spirit, He is at no time absent from us.[3]
1. Matt. 28:202. Matt. 26:11; John 16:28; 17:113. John 14:17-18; 16:13; Eph. 4:8; Matt. 18:20; Heb. 8:4

Q48: But are not, in this way, the two natures in Christ separated from one another, if the manhood is not wherever the Godhead is?

A48: Not at all, for since the Godhead is incomprehensible and everywhere present,[1] it must follow that it is indeed beyond the bounds of the manhood which it has assumed, but is yet nonetheless in the same also, and remains personally united to it.[2]
1. Acts 7:49; Jer. 23:242. Col. 2:9; John 1:48; 3:13; 11:15; Matt. 28:6

REFORMATION NOW! CONFERENCE........ Rev. Charles J. Paul

Truth Matters, Inc. is pleased and proud to announce the first annual Reformation Now! Conference to be held in Morgantown, Pennsylvania on September 26-27, 2008. This year's theme is Reverence for God: What's it All About?

Truth Matters is a ministry that has two major goals: defending the truth found in God's Holy Word, and actively confronting Biblical untruth wherever it is found. Truth Matters is an organization made up of people who have been redeemed by Christ, who support one another in loving fellowship, who hold to historic reformed tenants, and who are called out of the world to actively contend for the truth found in God's Holy Word.

Truth Matters founders Rev. Charles J. Paul and Joseph Morrison established the Reformation Now! Conference in order to help foster their desire to see a modern day reformation take place in our time.

Due to the intimate nature of this event, seating is limited to the first 100 participants, so register early. To register, or to learn more about the speakers and schedule CLICK HERE http://www.truthmattersinc.org/reformation_now_registration_info.html

Do We Need More Secular Songs In Church? This Post is from Josh at Truth Matters

It is almost too common today to hear of churches that sing secular songs during their Sunday worship. The most recent in my memory is a local church that sang a John Lennon song during their Sunday worship service. Yes, a song written by a man who denied Christ and is now under God's eternal wrath in hell. Watch this video and ask yourself...should we allow secular music in church or seperate ourselves from it? Is it alright to compromise just a little? If so, where then do you draw the line? John Lennon is okay but AC/DC is not? I guess that is a bad analogy since there are quite a few churches that perform AC/DC songs during their services too

.***WARNING - This video is very graphic and disturbing - ***

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO......................http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQcb_Hoa0Fw&eurl=http://bloodtippedears.blogspot.com/

WORD OF THE DAY From The Pastor's Study

Justification

Pron. [just-eh-fi-kay-shun]
From the Greek word (dikaioo), “to declare/make righteous.”
The act by which God declares a sinner to be just on the basis of the righteousness of Christ alone. According to Romans 1:18-3:28, justification is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works or merit.
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Open Theism

Also referred to as free will theism and openness theology, is the belief that God does not exercise meticulous control of the universe but leaves it “open” for humans to make significant free will choices that impact their relationships with God and others. A corollary of this is that God has not predetermined the future. Open Theists further believe that this would imply that God does not know the future exhaustively. (ref. theopedia).
Proponents of this view are Gregory Boyd, John Sanders, and Clark Pinnock.
Download a debate between James White and John Sanders on this topic here…or view Michael Patton’s discussion on Sovereignty here.

By Nature We Bend Towards That Which is False By AW Pink

Quoting AW Pink . . .
The Lord's command in Mark 4:24 is "take heed what ye hear". Corrupt nature is thoroughly in love with error and will more readily and eagerly receive false rather than true doctrine. Should any dispute this statement, we would refer them to Jeremiah 5:31: "the prophets prophesy falsely and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so". Said Christ unto the Jews, "because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not" (John 8:45): what a commentary on fallen human nature - had He preached lies they would have promptly received Him.
Alas, what is man: he will run greedily after something new and sensational, but is soon bored by the old story of the Gospel.
How feeble is the Christian, how weak his faith, how fickle and unstable the moment he is left to himself. Peter, the most courageous and forward of the apostles in his profession, denied his Master when challenged by a maid. Even when given a heart to love the Truth, we still have "itching ears" for novelties and errors, as the Israelites welcomed the manna at first, but soon grew weary of it and lusted after the fleshpots of Egypt.
Real and urgent then is our need to heed this command,"Beware of false prophets."

Advice for Sabbath-keeping By Rev. Rick Phillips

Having preached a sermon that touched in part on the Christian Sabbath (the text was John 5:9-18), I followed it up with a pastor's letter that gave advice to those learning to keep the Sabbath. I though it might be of benefit to our readers here as well.

I am persuaded that the Fourth Commandment, establishing the Sabbath observance, remains in effect for Christians. Not all Christians agree on this and some think Sabbath-keeping is a form of legalism. I am persuaded that this is mistaken, since Sabbath-keeping is one of the Ten Commandments, since the Sabbath ordinance is rooted not in the old covenant but in creation (see Gen. 2:2-3), and since as a sign and foretaste of God's eternal rest in glory, it is still needed on this side of Christ's Second Coming. As Hebrews 4:9 states, "There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God."

The Fourth Commandment says that on the Lord's Day "you shall not do any work" (Ex. 20:10). This means that each of us should rest from whatever is our typical work. Students should set aside their books; businessmen should set aside their business; housewives should set aside their chores. We are to rest from our normal labor. Isaiah 58:13 adds that we are to refrain "from doing your pleasure on my holy day... not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly." This tells us that the day is to be set aside for worshiping, fellowshipping with God, and enjoying his spiritual blessings.

I know that many do not have experience in observing the Sabbath, so the idea is intimidating. The question is raised: "What are we supposed to do all day?" It is a good question and I would like to offer some practical advice:

· Our Lord's Day should normally be framed by morning and evening worship. If we simply do this, our Sundays will be generally structured around God and His blessings.
· This means that the key time is between the two services. A little planning and structure will make a big difference. For instance, the family may have its main meal after morning worship, and include more extended family prayers and singing. One of the best things to do is to get together with one or more families for this meal, using the time for especially spiritual fellowship.
· What about singles or widows? It is good to get together with friends for the Lord's Day meal. When I was a single new believer in Philadelphia, a group of us would spend the day together and then go together to evening worship. Often one would have a guitar and we would sing, we would spend time in prayer, and we would simply enjoy our Christian fellowship. Those are precious memories to me.
· The Lord's Day is a good time for devotional exercises. The family might read a Christian book together, set aside time for personal devotional reading, or spend time in hymn or psalm singing.
· Husbands/fathers should be especially concerned that their wives get rest and refreshment on the Lord's Day. Perhaps Dad might take the kids so that Mom can spend some time with the Lord or read a book. Perhaps he might prepare a meal so that Mom can rest.
· Some of us may be able to use the Lord's Day for acts of gospel mercy, such as visits to those in the hospital or shut-ins. As Jesus makes clear in John 5:, we are not violating the Sabbath by doing the work of the gospel.
· You can't sit still for five hours, so children especially will need exercise and activity. If they are going to attend evening worship, they are going to need to go to the playground - this is perfectly consistent with a day devoted to God. I find an afternoon nap to be a useful way of preparing for evening worship, too!
· Do not become legalistic about the Lord's Day. There are some kinds of work that are appropriate for the Sabbath, such as my work as a minister, the work of doctors and nurses, and others who do works of gospel ministry, mercy, and basic necessity. Still, how important it is that we be able regularly to worship in the church. Freeing up our Sundays as often as possible is one of the most important things in our lives.

Lastly, let me plead with you not to be intimidated by an emphasis on Sabbath-keeping. I am persuaded that God has given the Lord's Day as an essential component of our spiritual lives - therefore it is my duty to teach it. So if you have not practiced Sabbath-keeping, I urge you to think about making some changes in this direction. Simply adding one of the above activities between the Sunday worship services will have a big effect on your Lord's Day. You may not do it perfectly, but our gracious God will bless you. Let's not be legalistic or prideful about the Lord's Day, and let us not have a judgmental spirit among one another. Please do not fear that you will be judged for not observing the Lord's Day exactly as others do, and please do not judge others for differences of conviction or practice. But let us zealously seek the blessings that God offers through our devotion to him. He promises to those who call the Sabbath a delight:

You shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father (Isa. 58:14).

Inward, Upward, or Outward? By John MacArthur

If the average evangelical congregation were surveyed concerning the primary purpose of the church, it is likely that many diverse answers would be given.
Several purposes, however, would probably be prominent.


A large number would rank fellowship first, the opportunity to associate and interact with fellow Christians who share similar beliefs and values. They highly value the fact that the church provides activities and programs for the whole family and is a place where relationships are nurtured and shared and where inspiration is provided through good preaching and beautiful music. A favorite verse for such church members is likely to be, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
At a level perhaps a step higher, some Christians would consider sound biblical teaching to be the church’s principal function, expounding Scripture and strengthening believers in the knowledge of and obedience to God’s revealed truth. That emphasis would include helping believers discover and minister their spiritual gifts in various forms of leadership and service. Like fellowship, that too is a basic function of the church, because God “gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4: 11-13).
Adding a more elevated level, some members would consider praise of God to be the supreme purpose of the church. They emphasize the church as a praising community that exalts the Lord in adoration, image, and reverence. Praise is clearly a central purpose of God’s people just it has always been and will always be a central activity of heaven, where both saints and angels will eternally sing praises to God. “Worthy, Thou, our Lord and our God,” sing the twenty-four elders lying prostrate before God’s throne, “to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and are created” (Rev. 4: 10-11; cf. 5:8-14).
All of those emphases are thoroughly biblical and should characterize every body of believers. But neither separately nor together do they represent the central purpose and mission of the church in the world. The supreme purpose and motive of every individual believer and every body of believers is to glorify God, and the supreme way in which God chose to glorify Himself was through the redemption of sinful men. It is through participation in that redemptive plan that believers themselves most glorify God.
Nothing so much glorifies God as His gracious redemption of damned, hell-bound sinners. It was for that ultimate purpose that God called Abraham, that in him “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). It was never the Lord’s intention to isolate Israel as His sole focus of concern but rather to use that specially chosen and blessed nation to reach all other nations of the world for Himself. Israel was called to “proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day” and to “tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples” (1 Chron. 16:23-24; cf. Ps. 18:49). Like her Messiah, Israel was to be “a light to the nations so that [the Lord’s] salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6; cf. 42:IO-12; 66:19; Jonah 3:1-10).
Likewise, the great mission of the church is to so love, learn, and live as to call men and women to Jesus Christ. As sinners are forgiven and are transformed from death to life and from darkness to light, God is glorified through that gracious miracle. The glory of God is manifest in His loving provision to redeem lost men. He Himself paid the ultimate price to fulfill His glory.
If God’s primary purpose for the saved were loving fellowship, He would take believers immediately to heaven, where spiritual fellowship is perfect, unhindered by sin, disharmony, or loneliness. If His primary purpose for the saved were the learning of His Word, He would also take believers immediately to heaven, where His Word is perfectly known and understood. And if God’s primary purpose for the saved were to give Him praise, He would, again, take believers immeidately to heaven, where praise is perfect and unending.
There is only one reason the Lord allows His church to remain on earth: to seek and to save the lost, just as Christ’s only reason for coming to earth was to seek and to save the lost. “As the Father has sent Me,” He declared, “I also send you” (John 20:21). Therefore, believers who are not committed to winning the lost for Jesus Christ should reexamine their relationship to the Lord and certainly their divine reason for existence.
Fellowship, teaching, and praise are not the mission of the church but are rather the preparation of the church to fulfill its mission of winning the lost. And just as in athletics, training should never be confused with or substituted for actually competing in the game, which is the reason for all the training.

Church as It Was Meant to Be By John MacArthur

In many respects, the contemporary church in America looks more like a large corporation than like anything described in the New Testament. Even church leaders sometimes bear a closer resemblance to CEOs and corporate executives than to humble, tender shepherds. Sadly, the good news — that a sinner can find forgiveness for sins before a holy God by placing his trust in and committing his whole life to Jesus Christ — is often eclipsed by “success”-oriented programs and an interest in the bottom line.

As a result, many churches have become nothing more than entertainment centers, employing tactics that effectively draw people into the church, but are incapable of truly ministering to them once they come.
God never intended the church to be like that. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.” Notice the Lord’s one condition to that great promise: “I will build My church” (emphasis added). Christ’s guarantee is valid only when He builds the church His way. When you follow His blueprint, you can be sure that He is doing the work through you and that nothing, not even the gates of hell, can stop Him.
So, what’s the blueprint? A logical place to start is at the beginning with the first church — the church at Jerusalem. It began on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit filled 120 believers who had gathered for a prayer meeting. The Lord added 3,000 souls later that same day (Acts 2:41). Those fledgling believers didn’t know anything about building a church. They had no precedent; they didn’t have a book on the church; they didn’t even have the New Testament. Yet it was built Jesus’ way, and as such it’s the model for the church today.
Back to the Blueprint: Bible Study, Fellowship, and Prayer
Acts 2:42 gives the blueprint they followed: “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Those are the vital elements that make up the actual function and life of the church — and all of that in just one verse!
Here’s an obvious starting point: A church built to the Master’s plan will begin with the right raw material — a saved congregation. Verse 41 identifies the church as being made up of “those who had received [Peter’s] word,” and “were continually devoting themselves.” The church at Jerusalem was filled with true Christians — those who continually adhered to apostolic teaching.
If the church is to be built Christ’s way, it will be redeemed and therefore empowered by the Holy Spirit. An unsaved membership, devoid of the Holy Spirit, has no capacity to overcome self will, personal agendas, and the love of sin. Only believers have divine power to put those things off and so manifest the Spirit of God.
While the early church didn’t have a New Testament, they had God’s Word in the form of the “apostles’ teaching.” The church at Jerusalem was committed to receiving that Word. Doctrine is the basis of the church — you can’t live out what you don’t know or understand. That’s why Paul instructed Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:2-3). That time has come. If your church isn’t teaching the truth straight from the Bible, how will you recognize error when it comes? How will you grow? Don’t ever allow anyone to stand in the pulpit who isn’t committed to leading the congregation through a deep, penetrating study of God’s Word.
The central focus of the early church’s fellowship was the breaking of bread — the Lord’s Table. It was the most fitting symbol of their fellowship since it reminded them of the basis for their unity — salvation in Christ and adherence to apostolic doctrine. If you share those things as common ground with other believers, then the Lord’s table — communion — is the most appropriate symbol of your fellowship too.
We eat and drink in remembrance of Christ’s self-sacrificing love that took Him to the cross. In your fellowship, make it your habit to practice the same kind of love Christ demonstrated toward you. Practically speaking, you can always give your life to those God brings across your path. Do you habitually pray for fellow believers? Are you encouraging them, edifying them, meeting their physical needs? Do you love them enough to confront them when they are sinning? Those are the marks of true Christian fellowship. It is church as it was meant to be.
Acts 2:42 says the believers continually devoted themselves to prayer. Sadly, the same devotion to prayer is often neglected today. Churches can pack pews by offering entertainment, but when a prayer meeting is held, only a faithful few trickle in. The early Christians remembered the Lord’s promise: “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). As they demonstrated dependence on the Lord, the results (Acts 2:43-47) were astounding.
Built to Scale: Wonder, Love, and Joy
What happens when true believers remain under biblical teaching, in a spiritual fellowship, and in devotion to prayer? Acts 2:43 says, “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe.” “Awe,” the Greek word for fear, speaks of a sense of reverence. It is reserved for special times when people are struck with wonder because of something divine or powerful that defies human explanation.
Your church ought to be able to instill awe in your community. That first church certainly did. Verse 43 says everyone was in awe of them because “many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” Though the miracles and wonders of the apostolic times are no longer necessary now that God’s Word is complete, God’s power remains on display. What could be more miraculous than giving life to people who are dead in sin? He heals people of their hurts, puts broken homes back together, and brings people out of the bondage of sin to Christ. In short, He transforms lives. When the church follows God’s design, He will do marvelous and powerful things in individual lives before a watching world.
The early church was full of love — they “had all things in common” (v. 44). There was ownership in the early church – believers didn’t live in a commune — but no one owned anything to the exclusion of someone who had a need. The Greek verbs in verse 46 translated “began selling” and “were sharing” show that they were continually selling and sharing their resources as needed. That kind of sacrificial love is the result of the Lord’s work in obedient believers who follow His blueprint.
The Lord blesses those who labor according to His plan. First, He fills the obedient church with gladness (v. 46) and praise (v. 47). How can you not be happy when you see God at work in your midst? How can you keep from rejoicing when you watch God use your church to make an eternal impact in the world? Second, He adds to their number. Acts 2:47 concludes by saying that “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
I want to see the church grow, and I know you share that desire. My prayer is that we will let God build the church His way as we await our Lord’s return. If you want to make the most of your church, just follow the blueprint, and encourage your church leaders to do the same.

The Heidelberg Catechism, This Lord's Day week 16

Q40: Why was it necessary for Christ to suffer "death"?

A40: Because the justice and truth [1] of God required that satisfaction for our sins could be made in no other way than by the death of the Son of God.[2]
1. Gen. 2:172. Heb. 2:9; Rom. 6:23

Q41: Why was He "buried"?

A41: To show thereby that He was really dead.[1]
1. Matt. 27:59-602. John 19:38-42; Acts 13:29

Q42: Since, then, Christ died for us, why must we also die?

A42: Our death is not a satisfaction for our sin, but only a dying to sin and an entering into eternal life.[1]
1. John 5:24; Phil. 1:23; Rom. 7:24-25

Q43: What further benefit do we receive from the sacrifice and death of Christ on the cross?

A43: That by His power our old man is with Him crucified, slain and buried;[1] so that the evil lusts of the flesh may no more reign in us,[2] but that we may offer ourselves unto Him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.[3]
1. Rom. 6:6-8; Col. 2:122. Rom. 6:123. Rom. 12:1; II Cor. 5:15

Q44: Why is it added: "He descended into hell"?

A44: That in my greatest temptations I may be assured that Christ my Lord, by His inexpressible anguish, pains and terrors, which He suffered in His soul on the cross and before, has redeemed me from the anguish and torment of hell.[1]
1. Isa. 53:10; Matt. 27:46; Psa. 18:5; 116:3

WORD OF THE DAY

Sensus Plenior

Lat. “fuller sense” or “fuller meaning”The principle of interpretation which seeks the fuller meaning of the text that was not necessarily understood by the biblical author. There is much debate among exegetes as to whether a text can have a fuller meaning and if this fuller meaning can be distinct in nature from the meaning of the human author. This concept is especially applied with reference to when a New Testament author quotes from the Old Testament.

WORD OF THE DAY

Exegesis

n. pron. [ek-se-jee-ses]

from the Greek exegeisthai, meaning to explain or interpret.
With respect to biblical interpretation, it involves the process of critical analysis of the given text to produces direct, logical conclusions (utilizing the who, what when, where, why method). It often involves the evaluation of the original texts of the Bible (OT-Hebrew, NT-Greek).
Read why good exegesis does not always produce good theology.

Who Needs A Creed? by Mark Johnston

When I was at Primary School in the British state school system many moons ago, it was still the norm not only to teach pupils the Apostles' Creed, but also to have them recite it in class. Looking back on that experience brings many thoughts to mind.
On the one hand, it is almost incredible to think that a state education system could require all pupils to learn such an overtly Christian statement of faith by heart. It would be inconceivable today - as much because it meant learning something by heart as for the fact it happened to be Christian. But on the other hand, the act of standing and reciting the creed had something of the feel of the daily act of pledging allegiance to the flag must have for many American school children. The words rolled of our tongues, but with little or no understanding of their meaning, or true appreciation of their significance. My guess is that the same is true for many churches where the practice of reciting the creed is still in vogue today and that raises the question, 'Who needs a creed?'

The answer to that question from many in the broad sweep of Christendom, would probably be, 'Not us!' Such ancient documents are seen at best as outdated and at worst an irrelevance in an age that is more interested in the present than the past and in which the very idea of beliefs that are fixed is tantamount to sacrilege. That may be the majority view - in a de facto, if not conscious sense - but that does not mean it is right. The church is always confessing its beliefs whether it realises it or not; the issue is whether or not they reflect belief that is authentically Christian. There is a perennial need for such views to be challenged, ultimately for the sake of the gospel.
That has come home to me more than ever in the congregation and community I serve on the edge of inner city London. Within the church there is an entire cross-section of people from all sorts of backgrounds. At one end of the spectrum there are those who are well-grounded in the Faith after years of teaching and study. At the other end are those who come along to Sunday services and mid-week groups who haven't got the faintest clue of what Christianity is all about. And there is everything else in between! On top of that there is the local parish: a diverse community with all shades of religious belief and none at all. People generally are suspicious about church - especially a church that has the word 'evangelical' on its sign. So where does one begin to address such an array of needs? Let me suggest a number of ways the creed can help.
It Helps us Wrestle with the Challenge of Articulating the FaithThe very notion of 'creed' immediately suggests the idea of expressing belief. In the barest sense it is an expression of truth in abstraction: 'This is what Christians believe...' but historically there was more to it. The Latin verb credo from which 'creed' is derived carries a more personal and existential connotation. Hence several major creeds begin with the words 'I believe in...' - in the sense of placing confidence in, or relying on particular truths. The Apostles' Creed spells out the truths a person must believe in if he or she is to be a Christian.

Its history says a lot about its purpose. Even though legend had it that the original authors of this statement of faith were the twelve Apostles - each one contributing one of its twelve constituent parts - the reality is that it evolved from a number of earlier statements of faith. The main antecedent was the so-called Old Roman Creed; but that in turn seems to have been an evolution of two other documents: the Epistula Apostolorum and what has come to be known as Der Bazileh papyrus - probably part of an Egyptian communion liturgy. Each in their own historical setting was an attempt to articulate the faith crisply and clearly for seekers and catechumens.

Those who framed these various statements of faith were simply following the pattern found in Scripture itself. From the simplest article of faith found in the Great Shema - 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.' (Dt 6.4) - right through to the Carmen Christi of Philippians, the Bible has multiple examples of its teachings being summarised and confessed. Its teaching has to be systemised if it is to make sense.

Martin Luther commends the Apostles' Creed by saying, 'Christian truth could not possibly be put into a shorter and clearer statement.' Philip Schaff says, 'As The Lord's Prayer is the Prayer of prayers, the Decalogue the Law of laws, so the Apostles' Creed is the Creed of creeds.' The challenge it presents to the church in the 21st Century is to use it as a framework for expressing these time-honoured truths that are essential to Christian faith for the world of our day.
It Provides a Tool for Teaching the FaithIt has been said that the Apostles' Creed was the Alpha course, or Christianity Explored course of its day. That isn't far from the truth. Successive generations have come up with their own tools for presenting the main teachings of the Bible, but the Apostles' Creed is the mother of them all. It sets the principle and provides a paradigm for what needs to be taught.

J.I. Packer's book, I Want to be a Christian (1977), is a fairly recent example of how the Creed can continue to function in a contemporary church setting as an effective teaching tool today. He uses it as a framework for exploring each tenet of faith it contains, in such a way as to lead young Christians to see the essence of what is meant, but at the same time providing pointers to those who want to dig deeper.

At an even simpler level, the simple practice of memorising the creed and reciting it publicly still has enormous merit - especially in an age when memorising anything is deemed passé. In the syllabus of what every child ought to learn by heart, the Apostles' Creed must take its place alongside the Books of the Bible, Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer as one of its core components. And if adults haven't got there yet, it's never too late to start.
The creed is a wonderfully versatile tool for instruction. It has a use with children, seekers, new converts and those who realise that no matter how long we may have been in the faith, familiar truths always have fresh depths to be explored.

It Makes us Focus on the Heart of the FaithThere is always a temptation to get lost in the minutiae of what the Bible teaches - as is seen in all too many of the distractions and controversies of the New Testament Church and the church generally throughout its history. Nowhere was that more damaging than in the church at Corinth and Paul's response to their distractedness is timeless. He reminds them of what he had taught them in the first place: 'What I received I passed on to you as of first importance...' (1Co 15.3) - here are the core teachings that form the bedrock of the Christian Faith.

So as the Creed spells out the sum of saving knowledge for the early church, it takes us first and foremost to the God of the Bible in all his uniqueness and glory. His uniqueness lies in the fact that he is Trinity and his greatest glory is seen in the salvation he provides at such extraordinary cost through his own Son. Grasping this is the theological equivalent of finding the holy grail of science: the theory of everything.

In an age when evangelical Christianity is rapidly losing its way in a maze of 'steps to salvation' and myriad books and sermons on the 'how to' of the Christian life, the creed brings us back to the heart of both the gospel and the faith: God himself.

It Guards the Gospel against Distortions of the FaithHistorically, creeds have had a double function: to serve as both a fence and a foundation. They serve as the latter in that they crystallise the essence of all a person needs to know for life and salvation - that inevitably is more than just a 'simple gospel'. In that sense they provide a foundation for the church, since the church is the community of the redeemed and is built on the teaching 'of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone' (Eph 2.20). The Apostles' Creed encapsulates positively what the essence of that teaching is.

The sad reality of course is that the community of the redeemed has been plagued, not merely from without, but more often from within by distortions of that teaching. So creeds have been formulated to provide a fence to guard the church against such aberrations. It is noteworthy that the most insidious distortions of the faith that threatened the church in the early centuries of its existence concerned the doctrine of God himself - whether as Trinity, or in the mystery of the incarnation. It is understandable, therefore, that the Apostles' Creed is particularly concerned to secure that fence, given the era in which it was framed.

It would be nice to think that almost twenty centuries later, the church no longer needs to go over these elementary teachings of the faith again; but it does. Whether through the assault of Open Theism or that of well-meaning ignorance, the truths enshrined in the Creed still need to be guarded and the Creed itself continues to be a most effective way to do so.
It Shows the Need for Personal FaithPerhaps the greatest threat of all to the church and the teachings on which she stands in every generation is that of sliding into nominalism. Paul warns Timothy that the Last Days will be characterised by those (in the church) who have a 'form of godliness' but who deny its power (2Ti 3.5). He warns against them in the strongest possible terms.

It's a danger that lurks most subtly in the Reformed community where we are inclined to lay great store on scholarship and precision. It can be paradise for the kind of people who Paul is warning about - especially those who delight in controversy. The essence of Christianity that is authentically Reformed is its concern for authentic experience. The experiential Calvinism of the Reformation and Puritan eras was driven by the conviction that all truth leads to godliness. The study of theology can never be merely academic. The first three words of the Creed embed that conviction at the very centre of the truths it goes on to confess. It is only as we declare our belief in this God and all that he has done that we can actually know him along with all the benefits he promises in the gospel. There is a piety reflected in the Creed that is the key to understanding its truths and making them live for the church and all its members. The piety of genuine personal faith.

Reformed Theology By James Montgomery Boice

Reformed theology gets its name from the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation, with its distinct theological emphases, but it is theology solidly based on the Bible itself. Believers in the reformed tradition regard highly the specific contributions of such people as Martin Luther, John Knox, and particularly John Calvin, but they also find their strong distinctives in the giants of the faith before them, such as Anselm and Augustine, and ultimately in the letters of Paul and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Reformed Christians hold to the doctrines characteristic of all Christians, including the Trinity, the true deity and true humanity of Jesus Christ, the necessity of Jesus' atonement for sin, the church as a divinely ordained institution, the inspiration of the Bible, the requirement that Christians live moral lives, and the resurrection of the body. They hold other doctrines in common with evangelical Christians, such as justification by faith alone, the need for the new birth, the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ, and the Great Commission. What, then, is distinctive about reformed theology

1. The Doctrine of Scripture.
The reformed commitment to Scripture stresses the Bible's inspiration, authority, and sufficiency. Since the Bible is the Word of God and so has the authority of God Himself, reformed people affirm that this authority is superior to that of all governments and all church hierarchies. This conviction has given reformed believers the courage to stand against tyranny and has made reformed theology a revolutionary force in society. The sufficiency of Scripture means that it does not need to be supplemented by new or ongoing special revelation. The Bible is the entirely sufficient guide for what we are to believe and how we are to live as Christians.The Reformers, and particularly John Calvin, stressed the way the objective, written Word and the inner, supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit work together, the Holy Spirit illuminating the Word to God's people. The Word without the illumination of the Holy Spirit remains a closed book. The supposed leading of the Spirit without the Word leads to errors and excess. The Reformers also insisted upon the believers' right to study the Scripture for themselves. Though not denying the value of trained teachers, they understood that the clarity of Scripture on matters essential for salvation makes the Bible the property of every believer. With this right of access always comes the responsibility of careful and accurate interpretation

2. The Sovereignty of God.
For most reformed people the chief and most distinctive article of the creed is God's sovereignty. Sovereignty means rule, and the sovereignty of God means that God rules over His creation with absolute power and authority. He determines what is going to happen, and it does happen. God is not alarmed, frustrated, or defeated by circumstances, by sin, or by the rebellion of His creatures.

3. The Doctrines of Grace.
Reformed theology emphasizes the doctrines of grace, best known by the acronym TULIP, though this does not correspond to the best possible names for the five doctrines.

T stands for total depravity. This does not mean that all persons are as bad as they could possibly be. It means rather that all human beings are affected by sin in every area of thought and conduct so that nothing that comes out of anyone apart from the regenerating grace of God can please God. As far as our relationships to God are concerned, we are all so ruined by sin that no one can properly understand either God or God's ways. Nor do we seek God, unless He is first at work within us to lead us to do so

U stands for unconditional election. An emphasis on election bothers many people, but the problem they feel is not actually with election; it is with depravity. If sinners are as helpless in their depravity as the Bible says they are, unable to know and unwilling to seek God, then the only way they could possibly be saved is for God to take the initiative to change and save them. This is what election means. It is God choosing to save those who, apart from His sovereign choice and subsequent action, certainly would perish.

L stands for limited atonement. The name is potentially misleading, for it seems to suggest that reformed people want somehow to restrict the value of Christ's death. This is not the case. The value of Jesus' death is infinite. The question rather is what is the purpose of Christ's death, and what He accomplished in it. Did Christ intend to make salvation no more than possible? Or did He actually save those for whom He died? Reformed theology stresses that Jesus actually atoned for the sins of those the Father had chosen. He actually propitiated the wrath of God toward His people by taking their judgment upon Himself, actually redeemed them, and actually reconciled those specific persons to God. A better name for "limited" atonement would be "particular" or "specific" redemption.

I stands for irresistible grace. Left to ourselves we resist the grace of God. But when God works in our hearts, regenerating us and creating a renewed will within, then what was undesirable before becomes highly desirable, and we run to Jesus just as previously we ran away from Him. Fallen sinners do resist God's grace, but His regenerating grace is effectual. It overcomes sin and accomplishes God's purpose.

P stands for perseverance of the saints. A better name might be "the perseverance of God with the saints," but both ideas are actually involved. God perseveres with us, keeping us from falling away, as we would certainly do if He were not with us. But because He perseveres we also persevere. In fact, perseverance is the ultimate proof of election. We persevere because God preserves us from full and final falling away from Him.

4. The Cultural Mandate.
Reformed theology also emphasizes the cultural mandate, or the obligation of Christians to live actively in society and work for the transformation of the world and its cultures. Reformed people have had various views in this area, depending on the extent to which they believe such a transformation possible

But on the whole they agree on two things. First we are called to be in the world and not to withdraw from it. This sets reformed believers apart from monasticism. Second, we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoner. But the chief needs of people are still spiritual, and social work is no adequate substitute for evangelism. In fact, efforts to help people will only be truly effective as their hearts and minds are changed by the gospel. This sets reformed believers apart from, mere humanitarianism.

It has been objected to reformed theology that t anyone who believes along reformed lines will lose all motivation for evangelism. "If God is going to do the work, why should I bother?" But it does not work that way. It is because God does the work that we can be bold to join Him in it, as He commands us to do. We do it joyfully, knowing that our efforts will never be in vain.

Take Up Your Cross By Walter Chantry

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." (Luke 9:23, 24)

Only one entrance may be found to the Kingdom of God. There is a narrow gate set at the head of the path of life. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). No one with an inflated ego can squeeze through the door. There must be self-effacement, self-repudiation, self-denial even to become a disciple (a student) of Jesus Christ.

Our Saviour made his demand quite clear by explicitly requiring self-denial. He then re-emphasized the point by using a vivid illustration of renouncing one's self―an illustration he would soon seal with his blood, "Let him deny himself, and take up his cross". Six times in the Gospels our great Prophet refers to his followers' taking up a cross. It was one of his favourite illustrations of self-denial. At other times he would speak of selling all, or of losing one's life.
"Cross" is a word that first brings to our minds the picture of our Lord on Calvary. We think of him bleeding while fastened to an instrument designed to inflict an agonizing death. Then perhaps we expand the idea of taking up a cross by thinking of Stephen who was stoned to death, or of Peter and John, who were beaten and put into prison, and of other martyrs across the ages. In the light of such courageous physical suffering, the Christian at ease may say to himself, "I don't have any cross to bear". Perhaps this repeated demand of Christ even brings alarm to your consciences as you read it over and over in Scripture.

Some who call themselves "Christian" in fact have never taken up their crosses. Being ignorant of the experience of self-execution, of self-denial, they are of necessity strangers to Christ. Our Lord himself intended his illustration and his demand to deepen alarm in such individuals. If this is your condition, then there can be no relief to conviction but in taking up your cross and following him.
Others, however, are true servants of Christ but feel a sense of dismay through a misunderstanding of our Lord's demand. It is quite possible to have taken up your cross and not to know it. Careful examination of our Lord's meaning will then be an encouragement.
In either case, the subject is vital to you. Your Master's life was dominated by a cross. He has called you also to a life with a cross. This clear gospel note is so easy to forget in flabby Western society. With a great chorus of custom, advertisement and temptation this world is beckoning you to a life of self-indulgence. Your flesh is drawn to that appeal, and will fall in with the world's suggestions. But the Lord of glory has called you to a life of self-denial, to a cross.

The demand of bearing a cross is universal. It is made of all who follow Christ, without exception. Our Lord addressed these words "to all", not to a select few who walked nearer to Christ. Mark 8:34 indicates that this mandate was not issued to the twelve alone. It was spoken 'when he had called the people unto him with his disciples'. The cross is required for "any man" who will go after him. There are no peculiar cases released from this necessity. Repeatedly our Lord was emphatic that none could be considered his disciple in any sense unless he bore a cross. "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38). Again in Luke 14:27 our Saviour turned to a multitude following him, to insist, "Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple". It is an absolute impossibility to be a Christian without self-denial. Whether you live in a Christian land or in a culture hostile to God's Word, you must bear a cross. The only way to avoid the cross is to follow the world to hell. As verse 24 explains, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it". The "for" indicates a connection with the preceding verse. Religion without self-denial will not endure the judgment.

It is this most obvious aspect of our Lord's teaching which has been forgotten or ignored by modern evangelism. Anxious to bring sinners to life, peace and Joy in the Lord, evangelists have failed even to mention that Christ insists upon denial of self at the outset. Having failed to pass on our Lord's requirement, and forgetting it themselves, evangelists have never questioned whether their "converts" with self-centred lives are true followers of Christ. Assuming that it is possible for a man to be self-indulgent and yet heaven-bound, Bible teachers look for some way to bring ego-centric men to a higher spiritual plane. Then self-denial is taught as the requirement for a second work of grace. But our text will show that unless a man lives a life of self-denial, he has not received a first work of grace.

Those who save texts demanding a cross for "the deeper life" have cheated their hearers in evangelism. Without a cross there is no following Christ! And without following Christ there is no life at all! An impression has been given that many enter life through a wide gate of believing on Jesus. Then a few go through the narrow gate of the cross for deeper spiritual service. On the contrary, the broad way without self-denial leads to destruction. All who are saved have entered the fraternity of the cross. Christ's summons to a cross is perpetual. Self-denial is not an initiation-fee, once paid and for ever forgotten. Old Christians as well as new converts must bear a cross. One's cross is not a disposable item of Christian experience but a life-long burden in this world.

This conversation apparently took place after Caesarea Philippi. It was near the end of our Lord's earthly ministry. Almost three years earlier, Jesus had called the disciples. We read a partial account of the call in Luke 5. When they began to follow the Messiah, there was a painful price of a cross to be weighed. For Peter it was leaving a beloved father and abandoning a good fishing business in a quiet village. For Matthew it was turning his back on the lucrative tax bureau he directed. Throughout more than two years there was the painful experience of poverty, tumult and disgrace in following the Master. Now, as they near the completion of their training, our Lord holds before them the expectation of a cross. Whether you have walked with Christ one year or forty, you must deny yourself still.

You will notice that the text uses the word "daily". For a true believer the cross is ubiquitous, lifelong, a daily weight. There is but one depository of the cross, that is the cemetery. We shall not carry the pain of self-denial into the celestial city. But our Lord holds out no hope that the cross will cease to afflict us in this life. It is "daily", for "any man". You must ask yourself, "Am I bearing a cross today?"

As has been suggested, the cross is painful. The term "cross" has lost all significance if the element of dreadful suffering is taken away. Our Lord endured the most cruel pangs ever inflicted upon a man. But we must recognize that the cross represented inward as well as outward pains. To our perfect Lord the inward torture of the cross was far greater than the outward.

Hebrews 12:2 teaches us that Jesus "endured the cross, despising the shame". The shame was much more painful to his noble dignity than were the nails and the bleeding to his body. Some have failed to estimate what the cross was to him: the confusion of being made sin before the Father, the embarrassment before his enemies of open judgment by a righteous God. The shame of nakedly identifying with filthy transgressions before men, angels and God, cut his sensitive soul to the quick.

Inward suffering must be the focus of our Lord's teaching in this passage. Our cross is not merely physical suffering. Stephen was not stoned "daily", yet the Saviour said we must bear a "daily" cross. Even in the worst of times apostles were not imprisoned "daily". There is a cross to bear on the best of days as well as on the worst. Peter carried a cross during civil peace as well as in times of strife. A failure to comprehend that inward pain is the worst part of the cross has led some believers to misunderstand our Lord's demand of a daily cross. It is this misunderstanding which may lead to unnecessary alarm and dismay when true saints read our Lord's demand. You may bear a cross unseen by all but your heavenly Father. How often a pastor is surprised to learn of the cross borne by members of the congregation, through trials never imagined by him.

The deepest pains of the cross are not publicly visible.
Furthermore, taking up your cross is an intentional act. In every passage which records our Lord's mention of a cross for his disciples, he commands them to "take it up". The Lord does not force a cross upon any man against his will. He does not strap the cross to a man's back. There are great afflictions for God's people which are imposed by providence. Irresistible sufferings may be the hand of chastisement or of refining mercy. These are trials but not crosses. A cross must be taken up by the one whose self is to be denied painfully.
It was a voluntary submission on Christ's part which brought him to Calvary. "No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself" (John 10:18). Armed soldiers could not seize him. The Son of God delivered himself into their custody. just so is the daily cross of his disciples. It is the conscious choice of a painful alternative motivated by love for Christ. It may be preceded by an inward struggle similar to that which our Lord knew in Gethsemane. But it is a voluntary choice.
Lastly, the taking up of a cross is mortal. It is deadly. Death on the cross may be very slow, but a cross has one objective―it ruthlessly intends to bring death to self. Two parallel ideas in verses 23 and 24 show us that our Lord has this in mind. "Let him deny himself". Put to death self-importance, self-satisfaction, self-absorption, self-advancement, self-dependence. And "whosoever will lose his life for my sake". That's it! Death to self-interest because you serve Christ's honour! Even capitulation of those things which men call legitimate interests, for God's glory!
It is now apparent that Jesus' figure of bearing a cross is an elaboration of his demand for self-denial. Bearing a cross is every Christian's daily, conscious selection of those options which will please Christ, pain self, and aim at putting self to death. It is a teaching for the recruit, not merely for the seasoned warrior. It is a requirement for entering the army of God, not merely a call to an elite corps of super-saints with a deeper life. Yet it does hold the clue as well to deepening maturity in Christ. At each stage of growth, more self-denial is required, more painful blows to self, more reckless decision to serve the Lord Christ with consequent abandonment of one's own life.
The shadow of the cross falls upon all those vital aspects of Christian experience which perplex true hearts. If only the cross were understood, many complaints would be silenced which murmur against God's providence. Many a counseling session in the pastor's study would be cut short by applying the meaning of the cross. It answers so many questions, not easily but profoundly.
If you have struggled to worship the Almighty, you will have learned that there is no satisfying communion with the Most High without a cross. Our Saviour arose a great while before it was day to draw near to his Father. Having no central heating, it is no stretch of the imagination to think that he shivered while his metabolism was still sluggish in early morning hours. Perhaps he felt the pain of prying his eyes open, for he was a true man who had spent long days and nights instructing the ignorant, convincing the gainsayers and healing the sick. He did not have a good night of sleep before his secret hours of worship. Perhaps he had to stand lest he fall asleep. Perhaps these struggles led to his sympathy for his disciples in the Garden. When they slept spirit is instead of praying, he gently said, "The willing but the flesh is weak". Oh, he had felt the weakness of human flesh!

A cross greets the Christian who is determined to rise early to meet his God. It begins with the alarm clock. Self desires another hour of sleep. It is only reasonable to remain in bed since the baby woke up twice last night. But if the love of Christ burns in your soul, you would rather inflict pain on yourself than plunge into the demands of business at home and office, and end the day with the sad realization that you had not been with him in quiet at all. Furthermore, to rise early in the day you must deny self of pleasant social evenings which tend to last into late hours.
And when you have managed to bring yourself to your devotions, stubborn self intrudes still. Thoughts of your affairs demand attention from your mind so that honest contemplation of the glory of God is crowded out. A thousand selfish interests prevent true prayer from ever beginning. Our Lord taught us that prayer begins when the heart cries "Hallowed be thy Name". It cannot be uttered until self-interest is ruthlessly yanked from the soul as a tooth is from your jaw. This is painful and pinching.

Preachers meet sad-eyed saints who would like them to recommend a good book on devotions, I something to pick up my drooping spirits'. The place of private retirement has grown dull or unrewarding. Often behind the request is a desire to find a new secret to approaching God's courts, a little device or an easy step back to the place of joyful fellowship with God and the Lamb. There are no such books or devices. You must bear a cross! Take aim on self. Set your sights on putting self to death. Deny self! Fast! Rise earlier! Cry with a fresh uniting of all your energies for the one purpose of knowing the Lord. And tomorrow? The cross will be there again. And if you do not choose to inflict pain on self, you will relapse once more into coldness. You will withdraw to a distance from the Lord.

Some poor creatures have stopped seeking the joys of God's presence. Perhaps you have assumed that God will not show you his glory. On the contrary, he delights to make himself known. But there is a cross at the threshold of the secret place of the Most High. To come under the shadow of the Almighty you must put self to a slow, agonizing death.
The long shadow of the cross will follow you from your home to your field of service for the Lord. Faithful witnesses to Christ face dreadful pains. When you arrive at your shop, fellow workers may be gathered in a corner laughing and slapping shoulders. You know you dare not approach to join in. The subject of the good humour is filthy. During the day, as serious opinions are discussed, there is an opportunity to give the biblical view on issues of sin and righteousness or the purpose of life. But each time you speak, you have seen rejection of yourself with your views.

Each testimony for truth makes you more unwelcome. Will you be bold for truth today?
Christians are sensitive. We want to be liked and accepted. It is pleasant to be agreeable and peaceful. It is our longing to become more intimate with fellow men. Some brutes witness with an attitude of "I don't care what anyone thinks of me". That is to be callous, not gracious. As God's grace quickens in us love for men, a sense of courtesy is heightened, a longing for gentleness and peace is increased. But with all of this our Lord's honour is at issue in the discussion. The eternal welfare of men's souls hangs in the balance with their understanding of truth.

What must the Christian do if he is to witness? He must consciously choose words that pain his own social consciousness and love of peace. He must purposely drive the wedge between self and fellow workers deeper! There are no easy steps to witnessing! No painless, unembarrassing methods! You must bring men to see that they are filthy sinners under the wrath of God who must flee to Christ for mercy. That is offensive. And there is no way to coat it with honey.

When a young woman explains the gospel to her mother, she may almost anticipate the cool reception. Whichever way the truth is presented, implied is the life-long error of mother. It is all a denial of her religion, her views, her life-style from a daughter. It cuts her heart like a knife. Yes, but when the sword of the Word cuts mother's heart, a sensitive daughter has at the same time chosen to drive spikes into her own flesh. Self has had to be crucified. Two hearts are broken, not merely one.

As the cross casts a shadow over worship arid witnessing, its shades also fall upon all service to God. Questions like, "Will you teach a Sunday School class?" become, "Will you relinquish tranquil and amusing evenings which follow frenzied days in the office? Will you sacrifice relaxation seriously to study God's Word in preparation for the class? Will you spend scarce time to pray for your students?" Each duty assumed for the good of the Church imposes restrictions elsewhere.

An image of the cross is discernible everywhere in the Christian life. Our Lord was not speaking in hyperbole when he set before us a daily cross. To turn from it is to revert to the broad way which leads to destruction.

"It Is Written": Establishing The Authority of the Old Testament By Chad VanRens

2 Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof and training in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This text teaches far more than just the inspiration of Scripture. It teaches that all of scripture is profitable for training the godly in righteousness. There is no teaching or commandment of scripture which is unprofitable or invalid for the Christian. Even the ceremonial and dietary laws of the Old Testament, the purposes of which were only temporary and are no longer to be observed has use to the Christian when their figures are properly understood. The Lord Jesus left a dire warning for any who would try to teach that the Law has no bearing on the Christian or those who would say, (for example) that "the Ten Commandments are obsolete". He warned that not one jot or tittle of the Law would ever pass away and that those who relaxed the least of it's commandments and taught others to do so would be least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is today a prevailing teaching that the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments) is obsolete, and is replaced with a law consisting only of the commands that are repeated in the New Testament. This is a teaching found in Dispensationalism and another teaching which has come to be known in modern times as New Covenant Theology (or NCT).
New Covenant Theology in particular argues that Moses was the giver of the Law - the Ten Commandments, in the Old Testament, and Christ is the giver of the Law on the New Testament. This is an odd chain of reasoning considering the fact that God gave the Law to the Israelites. Moses was only the messenger. Furthermore it cannot be shown from the New Testament where Christ gives a new Law to obey which cancels out the Ten Commandments. Nor can any place from the Epistles be shown to support this. Even a cursory reading of the New Testament and a survey of how the Law is used by the writers of the Epistles will not support such a statement.
The Lord Jesus himself as well as all of the writers of the Epistles express the authority of the Old Testament in it's entirety and this is simply assumed by them as they teach the people of God. "It is written" is the constant refrain of the New Testament and the authority upon which doctrine is established. James in his Epistle says that if a man transgress the Law in one point he is guilty of all the Law. He simply assumes that the Law is still binding. Clearly when James writes he means to reference the Decalogue and beyond. James in verse 8 of chapter 2 directly quotes Leviticus 19:18 for authority and links the failure to fulfill the command of Leviticus 19:18 as a failure to keep the whole law.
To assume then that only the commands repeated in the New Testament were binding would be absurd and in fact undermines the teaching of the Apostle Paul that all scripture is profitable for doctrine and training in righteousness. In a brief survey of the Epistles and limiting study to just texts that give direct commands for Christian conduct - one will able to find no less than twenty direct quotations from the Old Testament ranging from the books of Moses, the Psalms and the Major and Minor Prophets used to support the writers' command to the Christians reading his Epistle. There are countless more references - by way of allusion.
Paul writes in 1 Cor 6; "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." Surely Paul's authority to make such a claim is because the Old Testament scriptures teach that such is the case.
Furthermore we are told by the Apostle Paul that the Old Testament scriptures were written for our benefit. Paul commands that we support those who minister the Word of God with our giving by citing Deuteronomy 25:4 and says that his command comes from the authority of God's Law. In 2 Cor 9:8-12 Paul says; "Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain'. Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?"
Paul's statement speaks for itself. The validity of his teaching is based on the fact that it is written in the Law of Moses. The authority of the Law is simply assumed. He need not repeat every single command in order for it to still be binding. In fact those who would argue that the Decalogue is obsolete and replaced with a new law will find themselves in opposition to the scriptures. In Eph 6:1-2 Paul says; "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." It is impossible to claim the obsoleteness of the Decalogue when the Apostle actually cites the 5th commandment as a commandment directly from the Decalogue saying that such a command is good because it's actually one of the commandments.
The Lord Jesus knew that it is the tendency of men to find an excuse for carnal disobedience and he repeated all the commands of the Law and the Prophets in one fell swoop by saying "I have not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets" and left the following warning; "Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Mark Dever and the FIVE CALL'S

Mark Dever's teaching on the temptation to improve upon the gospel. This talk was built upon five “calls” that are dangerous to the gospel—five ways churches may be tempted to adapt or shrink or expand the gospel message in order to make it more palatable.

The First Call - Make the gospel public. The question here is: what is the gospel about? This call is all about our mission. These people believe the gospel is to save not individuals but the structure of our society (and here Dever suggested N.T. Wright as an example of a person who does this). They ask How much of the kingdom will we see before Christ returns? But we will never by our actions bring in the culmination of the kingdom of God because this waits for the return of Christ. To get the church to focus on repairing passing structures in a world under the curse of God, is to cause churches discouragement and to distract us from the work of bringing God glory by preaching the gospel and seeing people converted and reconciled to God. As Christians we need to preach the gospel and preach it as we’ve received it.

The Second Call - Make the gospel larger. The question here is: did Jesus come only to save our souls? What is at stake here is the core of the gospel. People here think through a Christian worldview, which is great. But implications of the gospel are sometimes referred to as part of the gospel. This is not so great! These are people who would affirm what we mean by the gospel but they would want to say more. Dever mentioned Chuck Colson as a person who is an example of this. We must always be clear to distinguish between the core of the gospel and its results.

The Third Call - Make the gospel relevant. The question here is: how will people be saved? This affects our outreach and what it will be like. It’s an issue of contextualization. Many people begin with the idea that the gospel appears irrelevant to people. But the gospel already is relevant to every person on earth. We do not need to make it any more relevant than it is! Our call is to give the message faithfully trusting that it is relevant.

The Fourth Call - Make the gospel personal. This is an individualism that ignores the role of the local church. This is true of people from Harold Camping to George Barna. Our participation in a local congregation normally validates or falsifies our claim to trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ. What message allows you to think you’ve accepted it if you don’t in a committed and Christ-like way love your brother? Many people today ignore the fundamental congregational centeredness that is so critical to the biblical understanding of church. A wrongly personalized gospel leads to a wrongly personalized church. Being vague about the church can hurt our understanding of the gospel. There is a personal component to the gospel, of course, but it is not a call to radical individualism.

The Fifth Call - Make the gospel kinder. Here the question is Why does God save us? It has long been assumed that the purpose of the gospel is to save the greatest number of people from hell. The follow-on to this is that we should do whatever we can do to save whoever we can, but where we go wrong is not just in ensuring people hear the gospel but trying to make sure that they make a visible response to it. But our responsibility is for faithfulness in preaching the message, not in ensuring that others accept it.

The long and the short is simple. We need to preach the gospel as it has been given to us. We do not change it, modify it, grow it, shrink it or do anything to make it better. Our task is simply to take it the way it has been given to us and to believe in its power to affect lives.

CONVERSION OF THE CHURCH BY THE WORLD, Part 2

Host: Noah Hutchings
Guest: Rev. Bailey Smith
Rev. Bailey Smith, former pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Oklahoma, and well-known Christian evangelist, details how the moral decline of the United States has influenced and contributed to the moral and spiritual corruption now found in the Christian church.

CLICK HERE................http://www.swrc.com/ministry/schedule/audiofiles/ram/2008/april/april1508.rm

Jeremiah Burrough's Summary of the Gospel

The gospel of Christ is the good tidings that God has revealed concerning Christ. As all mankind was lost in Adam and became the children of wrath, put under the sentence of death, God, though He left His fallen angels and has reserved them in the chains of eternal darkness, yet He has thought upon the children of men and has provided a way of atonement to reconcile them to Himself again. The second Person in the Trinity takes man's nature upon Himself, and becomes the Head of a second covenant, standing charged with sin. He answers for it by suffering what the law and divine justice required, and by making satisfaction for keeping the law perfectly.


This satisfaction and righteousness He tenders up to the Father as a sweet savor of rest for the souls that are given to Him. And now this mediation of Christ is, by the appointment of the Father, preached to the children of men, of whatever nation or rank, freely offering this atonement unto sinners for atonement, requiring them to believe in Him and, upon believing, promising not only a discharge of all their former sins, but that they shall not enter into condemnation, that none of their sins or unworthiness shall ever hinder the peace of God with them, but that they shall through Him be received into the number of those who shall have the image of God again to be renewed unto them, and that they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.That these souls and bodies shall be raised to that height of glory that such creatures are capable of, that they shall live forever enjoying the presence of God and Christ, in the fullness of all good, is the gospel of Christ. This is the sum of the gospel that is preached unto sinners.*****From Gospel Conversation (c.1657) and reprinted by Ligonier Ministries in 2006.

Jeremiah Burroughs was one of the most popular preachers in London during his time there. He was one of the Independent members of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, and a Congregationalist. He spent 6 years at a small country church (St. Margaret's, Tivetshall), which is still standing and in use. During his time in London, he preached the mornings at the church in Stepney, outside of London, where William Greenhill preached in the afternoon. In the afternoons Burroughs preached at St. Giles Cripplegate.

CONVERSION OF THE CHURCH BY THE WORLD, Part 1

CONVERSION OF THE CHURCH BY THE WORLD, Part 1
Host: Noah Hutchings
Guest: Rev. Bailey Smith
Rev. Bailey Smith, former pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Oklahoma, and well-known Christian evangelist, details how the moral decline of the United States has influenced and contributed to the moral and spiritual corruption now found in the Christian church. http://www.swrc.com/ministry/schedule/audiofiles/ram/2008/april/april1408.rm

John Piper - Expositional Preaching

CLICK HERE......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsL3w0zFj2g&eurl=http://bloodtippedears.blogspot.com/2008/04/john-piper-expositional-preaching.html

Church Discipline? "But That's Judgmental"

Quoting Martyn Lloyd Jones . . .
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves". But how is that to be taken? I cannot beware of "false prophets" if I am not to think, and if I am so afraid of judging that I never make any assessment at all of their teaching. These people come in sheep's clothing; they are very ingratiating and they use Christian terminology. They appear to be very harmless and honest and are invariably very nice. But we are not to be taken in by that kind of thing; beware of such people. Our Lord also says, "Ye shall know them by their fruits"; but if I am not to have any standard or exercise discrimination, how can I test the fruit and discriminate between the true and the false? So, without going any further, that cannot be the true interpretation which suggests that this just means being free and easy, and scripture can not be telling us to have a flabby and indulgent attitude towards anybody who vaguely uses the designation Christian. That is quite impossible.
This view, however, is held so tenaciously that we must not even leave it at that. We must go further and put it like this: the Scripture itself teaches us that judgment has to be exercised in connection with affairs of the Government. It is Scripture which teaches us that judges and magistrates are appointed of God and that a magistrate is called upon to deliver and pronounce judgment, that it is his duty to do so. It is part of God's way of restraining evil and sin and their effects in this world of time. So, if a man says he does not believe in police courts he is contradicting Scripture. It does not always mean the use of force, but judgment has to be exercised, and for a man not to do so, or to be unprepared to do so, is not merely to fail in fulfilling his duty, it is to be unscriptural.
But you also find the same teaching in the Scriptures with regard to the Church. They show very clearly that judgment is to be exercised in the realm of the Church. This is worthy of an entire study on its own, because, owing to our flabby ideas and notions, it is almost true to say that such a thing as discipline in the Christian Church is non-existent today. When did you last hear of a person being excommunicated, or of a person being kept back from the Communion Table?
Go back to the history of Protestantism and you will find that the Protestant definition of the Church is, that "the Church is a place in which the Word is preached, the Sacraments are administered, and discipline is exercised". Discipline, to the Protestant Fathers, was as much a mark of the Church as the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments. But we know very little about discipline. It is the result of this flabby, sentimental notion that you must not judge, and which asks, "Who are you to express judgment?" But the Scripture exhorts us to do so.This question of judging applies, also, in the matter of doctrine. Here is this question of false prophets to which our Lord calls attention. We are supposed to detect them and to avoid them. But that is impossible without a knowledge of doctrine, and the exercise of that knowledge in judgment. Paul writing to the Galatians says, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.' That is a clear pronouncement. Then you remember what the apostle has to say in 1 Corinthians 15 about those people who were denying the resurrection. He says the same thing in 2 Timothy 2 when he says that some deny the resurrection, saying it is past already, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; and he again expresses judgment with regard to that and exhorts Timothy to do so. In writing to Titus he says, A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject.' How do you know whether a man is a heretic or not if your view is that, as long as a man calls himself a Christian, he must be a Christian, and you do not care what he believes?
Then go on to John's Epistles, John the apostle of love '. In the First Epistle he gives his instructions with regard to the false teachers and the anti-Christs who were to be avoided and rejected. Indeed, in his second Epistle, he puts it very strongly in these words: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.' You see what the apostle is saying. If a man comes to you who does not hold the true doctrine, you must not receive him into your house, you must not bid him God speed and provide him with money to preach his false doctrine. But today it would be said that that is a lack of charity.
As a Christian, I should always have this general effect upon men before I have this specific effect. Wherever I may find [in myself something different about me along these lines, it] should have its effect; and that in turn ought to lead men and women to look at me and to say, "There is something unusual about that man". Then, as they watch my conduct and behavior, they begin to ask me questions. Here, the element of light [of the world]' comes out; I am able to speak and to teach them. Far too often we Christians tend to reverse the order. We have spoken in a very enlightened manner, but we have not always lived as the salt of the earth. ... The two things should always go together...

The Heidelberg Catechism, This Lord's Day week 15

Q37: What do you understand by the word "suffered"?

A37: That all the time He lived on earth, but especially at the end of His life, He bore, in body and soul, the wrath of God against the sin of the whole human race;[1] in order that by His suffering, as the only atoning sacrifice,[2] He might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation, and obtain for us the grace of God, righteousness and eternal life.
1. I Peter 2:24; Isa. 53:122. I John 2:2; 4:10; Rom. 3:25-26; 5:6; Psa. 22:14-16; Matt. 26:38

Q38: Why did He suffer "under Pontius Pilate" as judge?

A38: That He, being innocent, might be condemned by the temporal judge,[1] and thereby deliver us from the severe judgment of God, to which we were exposed.[2]
1. Acts 4:27-28; Luke 23:13-15; John 19:42. Psa. 69:4; II Cor. 5:21; Matt. 27:24

Q39: Is there anything more in His having been "crucified" than if He had suffered some other death?

A39: Yes, for thereby I am assured that He took upon Himself the curse which lay upon me,[1] because the death of the cross was accursed of God.[2]
1. Gal. 3:13-142. Deut. 21:22-23; Phil. 2:8

Conformed or Transformed?

READ Romans 12:1-2
If you want a little snapshot of what the world considers “normal,” just glance at magazine covers near the grocery store checkout. You will find racks of lies, rumors, indecency, adultery, and betrayal. A movie star leaves his wife for another woman. A pop-singer mom loses custody of her children because of drug use. Young girls are taught their self-worth is based on outward appearance.

These don’t sound like traditional family values, do they? But as a culture, we aren’t shocked by what we see. Even worse, we enjoy it.

We read articles and watch TV shows about such perversion, as if intoxicated by the “glamour” of such lifestyles. We fill our homes with a million little pictures of this distorted reality and then pack it neatly away when it’s time for church. Sadly, some of us are living two separate lives.

The one we show God, and the one we show the world.Romans chapter 12:2 confronts us with this contradiction head-on. As you think about the images above, consider the words of the apostle Paul.He said “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so you may prove what the will of God is, which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Is your home being conformed to the world, or is it being transformed by the Holy Spirit? Would others see you as a blind follower of culture’s ambitions? Or would they see the “good and acceptable and perfect” will of God in your life? Be honest with yourself as you talk to the Lord today.