Monthly Archives: November 2010

What is meant by Divine Election?

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Let me start by saying that although much misunderstanding and controversy surrounds this subject, the doctrine of election should not be something that divides us as Christians. To walk this out practically requires a great deal of maturity, because emotions can often be ignited when this issue is discussed. This though should be our starting point as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Here’s a quote from the Prince of Preachers, C. H. Spurgeon. “We give our hand to every man that loves the Lord Jesus Christ, be he what he may or who he may. The doctrine of election, like the great act of election itself, is intended to divide, not between Israel and Israel, but between Israel and the Egyptians, not between saint and saint, but between saints and the children of the world. A man may be evidently of God’s chosen family, and yet though elected, may not believe in the doctrine of election. I hold that there are many savingly called, who do not believe in effectual calling, and that there are a great many who persevere to the end, who do not believe the doctrine of final perseverance. We do hope the hearts of many are a great deal better than their heads. We do not set their fallacies down to any willful opposition to the truth as it is in Jesus but simply to an error in their judgments, which we pray God to correct. We hope that if they think us mistaken too, they will reciprocate the same Christian courtesy; and when we meet around the cross, we hope that we shall ever feel that we are one in Christ Jesus.”

So if the doctrine is controversial, why even discuss it? Well first of all, if you think about it, most of the doctrines at the heart of the Christian faith are controversial. Not everyone who names the name of Christ embraces the Trinity, the full Deity and humanity of Christ, the substitutionary atonement of Christ, or justification by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone – but these truths need to be heralded because although they are controversial to some, and not everyone likes to hear these things, we’re convinced they are the clear doctrines of the Bible. Continue reading →

The Day the War Ended

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I came across this quote, taken from R.C. Sproul’s remarkable book “The Holiness of God” where Dr. Sproul recounts one of his earliest memories – the final day of the Second World War:

I remember the sultry summer day in 1945 when I was busy playing stickball in the streets of Chicago. At that time my world consisted of the piece of real estate that extended from one man-hole cover to the next. All that was important to me was that my turn at bat had finally come. I was most annoyed when the first pitch was interrupted by an outbreak of chaos and noise all around me. People started running out of apartment doors, screaming and beating dishpans with wooden spoons. I thought for a moment it might be the end of the world. It was certainly the end of my stickball game. In the riotous confusion I saw my mother rushing toward me with tears streaming down her face. She scooped me up in her arms and squeezed me, sobbing over and over again, “It’s over. It’s over. It’s over!”

It was VJ Day, 1945. I wasn’t sure what it all meant, but one thing was clear. It meant that the war had ended and that my father was coming home. No more airmail to faraway countries. No more listening to the daily news reports about battle casualties. No more silk banners adorned with stars hanging in the window. No more crushing of tin soup cans. No more ration coupons. The war was over, and peace had come to us at last. Continue reading →

The Shepherd and the Sheep

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“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” – John 10:14-16, 26-28

“I have other sheep not of this fold…” (v. 16).

There are many people in the world besides those who have already become Jewish converts (“this fold”), who are referred to as His sheep. There are numerous motives for reaching out in evangelism, and for preaching and praying for lost people everywhere. One of them is the sure knowledge that the Shepherd has other sheep, and they will respond to the Gospel. It was precisely this truth that encouraged the apostle Paul when he was downcast in Corinth:

“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9-10) Continue reading →

Is God Narrow Minded?

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Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12

One of the main objections people have to the Christian Gospel is this issue of exclusivity: that the Christian proclaims that only in Jesus Christ is salvation to be found. Certainly it would be less objectionable if Jesus was merely presented as simply one of the many ways to God. Yet it needs to be pointed out that it is not the Christian who came up with this idea, but the claim comes directly from Jesus Himself. Because of this, either Jesus is the Way to God as He said, or else He is a liar and a deceiver, and not even one way to God… or perhaps even worse, just a stumbling, bumbling itinerant preacher of the first century who just had no idea what he was talking about.

Lets think about this idea of there only being one way to God by looking at it from a hypothetical perspective. Follow the logic of Dr. R.C. Sproul as he writes the following in his book “Reason to Believe”:

Let’s suppose that there is a God who is absolute in His holiness and righteousness. Suppose He freely creates mankind and gives each human being the gift of life. Suppose He sets His creatures in an ideal environment with the freedom to enjoy the wonders of the entire creation. Then let’s suppose that God imposes one small restriction upon them, and warns them that if they violate that restriction, they will die. Would such a God have the right to impose such a restriction with the penalty of forfeiture of the gift of life if His authority was violated? Continue reading →

The Wind Blows Where It Wishes

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In the early verses of John chapter 3, the absolute necessity of being born again (or born from above). Unless a man is first born again (regenerated) he can never enter or even see the kingdom of God. Jesus stresses the fact that this new birth is not merely an optional extra. It is imperative. Jesus said, “You must be born again” (3:7).

Jesus didn’t tell Nicodemus what he must do to be born again. Why? Because it was not within Nicodemus’ power to perform this miracle. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6) Flesh can only reproduce flesh. It takes the Spirit to regenerate the human spirit. This miracle of regeneration cannot be achieved by human effort, or by self performed surgery.

The new birth is not the improvement of the old nature, but the creation of an entirely new one. It is a birth, a new birth, and like the first one we experienced, it did not occur because of our decision to be born. Our will was not a factor in any way. We were born as a result of the will of others – that of our parents, and of course, God’s will to create us using the means of human, physical intimacy. Continue reading →

Arm Yourselves

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Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. – 1 Peter 4: 1, 2

Peter has mentioned suffering numerous times already in this letter but here he takes the concept even further by stating that a right attitude towards suffering literally arms ourselves in the battle with the world, the flesh and the devil. Peter is talking here about the spiritual warfare that each Christian is engaged in. Christians are in a war, whether they realize it or not – not with people – we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against what is motivating people, spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12). The warfare is spiritual and not physical, though it is definitely as real and intense as any war fought on a battlefield.

Think about the words Peter uses here, especially the phrase “arm yourselves.” Its as if he is saying to God’s people, “get your swords ready in hand,” or “make sure all the members of your family has access to a gun.”

Again, he is talking in spiritual and not physical terms but lets not miss the point here. He is telling us to arm ourselves. People do not need to do that if they are meant to simply relax and spend their lives in some sort of spiritual recliner. Its as if he is saying, “Dad’s make sure you have a loaded gun handy… while you are at it, get one for your wife so she can defend herself.. and don’t forget the kids, they need weapons too. Oh and don’t forget single people, or the elderly.. or the young people.. no one can be left out… the battle is on… everyone needs to have access to weaponry.”

Can we get a mental picture of this? I hope so, because without exaggeration, this is the kind of intense imagery that Peter is employing here in the use of these words. Continue reading →

Miscellaneous Quotes

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I like to collect worthwhile quotes and in recent days gathered the following on various different themes, including the cross, Christian ministry, the holiness of God and divine election:

“Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy; but the Father, for love!” – Octavius Winslow

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly that God’s love is the source, not the consequence, of the atonement. . . . God does not love us because Christ died for us; Christ died for us because God loved us. If it is God’s wrath which needed to be propitiated, it is God’s love which did the propitiating.” – John Stott Continue reading →

I Love The Trinity

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I love the Trinity. That’s because I love God, and God is a Trinity.

Very few people have a firm grasp of the concept of the Trinity. It is important therefore to determine what we as Christians mean by the term. The doctrine of the Trinity, stated simply is that there is one eternal being of God, and this one being of God is shared by three co-equal, co-eternal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is therefore one in essense and three in personality.

It is necessary here to distinguish between the terms “being” and “person.” It would be a contradiction, obviously, to say that there are three beings within one being, or three persons within one person. There is no contradiction though because that is not what is being said at all. Though the Trinity is mysterious, what we can say is that there is one eternal, infinite being of God, shared fully and completely by three persons, Father, Son and Spirit – one what and three who’s.

All the major cults today (Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Latter Day Saints or Mormons, etc.) contend that Christians have simply made up the concept of the Trinity, saying that the term is not even found in the Bible. Though it is true that the actual term cannot be found in Scripture, I would have to say, “so what?” for not even the word “Bible” is found in the Bible! Continue reading →

One Hour on Sola Gratia

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I very much recommend this recently recorded 1 hour podcast where my friend, Dr. James White is interviewed on the vital subject of Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), one of the five main slogans of the Protestant Reformation, explaining what it is both historically and biblically. There is also some interesting discussion concerning some of the modern day counterfeits to the biblical teaching on God’s grace. The interview with Dr. White can be heard here.

Which Study Bible Do I Most Recommend?

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Let me try to answer this question in two phases. First of all, the translation of the Bible text.

TRANSLATION

Our generation is so blessed. In contrast to former periods in history where access to the word of God was very rare, there are many good Bible translations available to us in the English language today. How we thank God for this. It is simply a fact of history to say that many have paid the ultimate price (forfeiting their very lives) so that we would have access to the word of God in our native tongue. Continue reading →