Monthly Archives: January 2011

Identify Yourself…

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I came across this short article by John Piper just now and thought.. you know.. that’s worth passing on to readers here too. He wrote:

We are Christians. Radical, full-blooded, Bible-saturated, Christ-exalting, God-centered, mission-advancing, soul-winning, church-loving, holiness-pursing, sovereignty-savoring, grace-besotted, broken-hearted, happy followers of the omnipotent, crucified Christ. At least that’s our imperfect commitment.

In other words, we are Calvinists. But that label is not nearly as useful as telling people what you actually believe! So forget the label, if it helps, and tell them clearly, without evasion or ambiguity, what you believe about salvation.

If they say, “Are you a Calvinist?” say, “You decide. Here is what I believe . . .”

I believe I am so spiritually corrupt and prideful and rebellious that I would never have come to faith in Jesus without God’s merciful, sovereign victory over the last vestiges of my rebellion. (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 3:1–4; Romans 8:7).

I believe that God chose me to be his child before the foundation of the world, on the basis of nothing in me, foreknown or otherwise. (Ephesians 1:4–6; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29–30; 11:5–7)

I believe Christ died as a substitute for sinners to provide a bona fide offer of salvation to all people, and that he had an invincible design in his death to obtain his chosen bride, namely, the assembly of all believers, whose names were eternally written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. (John 3:16; John 10:15; Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 13:8)

When I was dead in my trespasses, and blind to the beauty of Christ, God made me alive, opened the eyes of my heart, granted me to believe, and united me to Jesus, with all the benefits of forgiveness and justification and eternal life. (Ephesians 2:4–5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 2:29; Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 16:14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9)

I am eternally secure not mainly because of anything I did in the past, but decisively because God is faithful to complete the work he began—to sustain my faith, and to keep me from apostasy, and to hold me back from sin that leads to death. (1 Corinthians 1:8–9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:25; John 10:28–29; 1 John 5:16)

Call it what you will, this is my life. I believe it because I see it in the Bible. And because I have experienced it. Everlasting praise to the greatness of the glory of the grace of God!

Understanding Islam

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The 2010 God and Culture Conference on Apologetics took place some months ago at the Oakbrooke Bible Church, Waterford, Michigan, USA. The 5th Conference session was on the subject of Islam by Dr. James White and contained a great deal of valuable information (packed into 50 minutes).

Dr. White has spent much of the last 5 years studying Islam in depth, including the daunting task of learning Arabic. This has proven to be remarkably helpful in preparing him for the public debates he has had with leading Islamic apologists in the USA, the United Kingdom and Australia.

A portion of the talk may be disturbing to some as it includes an Islamic “alter call” as we hear people becoming Muslims as they are guided through the necessary confession in Arabic – and it is certainly uncanny to notice the similarities between this and much that takes place in Christian services today. As I say, the session on Islam is the 5th talk in the list found here. I recommend it very highly.

Divine Election – Two Illustrations

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God reserves the right to dispense His grace and mercy as He sees fit. When certain angels rebelled, God provided no redemption for their treason, and heaven did not even blink for a second – but the adoration of God continued unabated. The elect angels around the throne continued in one accord saying, “holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!”

God is always just when He dispenses justice. It is never wrong for a Judge to be just. This is true even in human courts. We could never have a judge removed from the court because we found him to be just.

Imagine the courtroom scene as the Judge declared a man guilty for a crime he had commited and sentenced him in accordance with the law. As we see this taking place in front of us, we shout out, “Excuse us Judge, but you cannot condemn that man or pass sentence on him because that is just!” How foolish that would be. We would be laughed out of court.

In the biblical scenario seen in Scripture, God has devised a way for Him to show forth His attributes of justice and of mercy. Both aspects of His character will be glorified, and this is a big deal to God. The showing forth of the splendor of His attributes matters greatly to God. It is perfectly right for the perfection of His being to be seen, hallowed and extolled. Verse 18 through to the end of the Romans 9 chapter articulates this in detail.

In the case of man, all of us have committed cosmic treason against a thrice holy God, and yet, in unspeakable mercy, He has chosen to redeem certain hostile rebels, saving them from His fierce, just and holy wrath.
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