Nov 20 2009

Choose Life


“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”
(1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

Jesus Christ died for sinners in that he took their sins upon him and paid for them by suffering God’s wrath and dying on a cross by bloodshed. He was the sacrificial lamb offered to God for the sins of the world, (“the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”).  His perfect life lived fulfilling the law by perfect obedience and his substitutionary and sacrificial death were authenticated by his resurrection from the dead.

Jesus fully satisfied God’s demand for perfect obedience, for a holy life, one with no sin. He took the punishment for sin by giving his own sinless life to suffer and die under the penalty of sin and for sin. His resurrection defeated our common enemy death, and his life is now our life, we can live forever because he lives.

Because of what Christ has already accomplished  God can declare a wicked sinner “just” and not violate his justice, his holiness, or compromise his hatred of sin. Those who trust Christ and what he has done on their behalf have eternal life and forgiveness of sins, now, and a promised future with Christ after their days on earth are done.

This is the very good news!

Doing right, being right, acting right saying the right things, belonging to the right church, being born in the right family, having the right heritage and a million other things cannot do for you what Christ alone can do. Church attendance, holy communion, baptism, confirmation, confession, and every other ritual are meaningless unless in back of them and supporting them is a personal trust in Jesus Christ and his work for sinners like us.

Have you, or will you, turn from your own way to living Christ’s way? Are you depending on Jesus and him alone to forgive you and give you eternal life? If so you should tell a friend who is a Christian, or a minister, the local pastor, or chaplain that you want to follow Christ. You should be baptized at once by immersion reenacting  Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and by doing so you will be saying to a watching world “I am dying to myself and my ways and I am going to live for Christ in the new life he has given me”. You should join yourself with a group of people who love Jesus and want to do his will and who can help you grow in grace and in knowing Jesus even more.

If you do not trust Christ you are rejecting him and the sentence is death.

“the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

You have before you a life or death choice. You can accept the gift of eternal life or reap the wages of sin and die, it is your choice. I hope you have or will choose life.

for Jesus,

Royce

Nov 18 2009

On Christian Conversion


A gracEmail came to my inbox that was so concise, so truthful, I decided to share it here.

A gracEmail subscriber writes that he “went forward” as a young man to be saved at an evangelical church. Several years later, he was immersed by a minister of a different Christian fellowship. Now he wonders, “What does it mean to experience conversion anyway?”

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In reading the Book of Acts, I am impressed that Dr. Luke most frequently reports what we call conversions by saying that people “believed” or “believed on the Lord.” Sad to say, I do not know any folks today who regularly talk that way. Most evangelicals say that people “got saved” or “accepted Christ.” Others report that people “obeyed the gospel,” “were baptized,” or “became members of the church.” Luke does not use any of those terms by themselves in the book of Acts to report conversions during the first gospel generation.

What must one know in order to “believe on” the Lord Jesus? Primarily, according to reports in the Book of Acts, that God raised Jesus of Nazareth from among the dead. That fact, in turn, gives mind-boggling meaning to his otherwise senseless death. Jesus’ resurrection means that God has given him the positions of Lord, Christ (Messiah), Prince of Life and final Judge, and to believe on Jesus is also to embrace those declarations as true. This calls for a change in mindset (repentance) to reflect a new purpose, direction and manner of life (discipleship}. And, as part of the conversion process, Luke repeatedly says that new believers were baptized,giving visible expression to their repentance and faith, and openly signalling their commitment to follow Jesus Christ.

All this is rooted in Jesus’ charge to his first disciples to be his coworkers in mission (“commission”), as reported by Matthew (28:18-20), Mark (16:14-16) and Luke (24:44-47). According to the three Gospel-writers, Jesus specified that his followers proclaim internationally the good news (Mark) that the Messiah foretold by the Hebrew prophets has come, and that he has suffered and risen from the dead (Luke). Through him, those who repent are promised forgiveness of sins (Luke). Such believers (Mark) or disciples (Matthew) are to be baptized (Matthew, Mark), then are to be further instructed in everything that Jesus himself had taught (Matthew). This all is part of the conversion process, which, in the larger sense, is really an ongoing transformation that continues as long as we live.

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© 2009 by Edward Fudge. You may reproduce, redistribute and forward this gracEmail without further permission but only in its entirety, without change and without charge.

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Edward doesn’t fudge on the truth. Well said my friend.

Royce

Nov 17 2009

Remedy for the post Christian blahs


“When I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3.4)

Why are many referring to the United States as “post Christian”? Why are few Christian groups experiencing growth with respect to new believers? Why are young people staying away from their parents churches in droves?

Could it be that we have not believed and practiced these two passages of Scripture? I believe so. In view of this glaring truth we should ask ourselves some tough questions about our churches, our ministries, and ourselves.

Some churches have a mission statement. Wouldn’t 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 be a good one? …Would it be true?

The good news about Jesus is of “first importance”. Everything, every person, every plan, every program, every ministry, is less important than the good news about Jesus. …Is it this way at your church? Your ministry? Your life?

A few observations about Paul’s declaration.

  • He preached what he had received, the good news about Jesus.
  • His only plan was to share that message with everyone possible.
  • His only resource was God’s power and provision.

If we are to follow Paul’s example we must

Make a decision to focus on the gospel only.

“For I decided to know nothing among you but Christ and him crucified.”

Rely only on God’s power and not our own.

“…and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power”

Make seeing men and women trust Christ alone our primary goal.

“that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”

There is no alternative plan for reaching the lost. Methodology, the shape and scope of ministries, and church models must be build around these basic gospel centered principles or they will not make ungodly people fit for heaven.

Royce

 

Nov 17 2009

Not So Obvious Lessons From John 17 #2


As I began reading and thinking my way through this great chapter again I wrote a post “Not So Obvious Lessons From John 17” focusing on Jesus words as he was praying “I do not pray for the world” and the implications of why he said that and what it means to us today as believers.

This lesson comes from the part of Jesus prayer in John 17 verse 24.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Jesus’ request for those first followers and for you and I who believed because of their witness (John 17:20) is that we see his glory. His glory is the infinite appreciation of all that he is. His grace, mercy, faithfulness, love, compassion, truthfulness, justice, holiness, and every other eternal attribute are summed up in a word, Glory! So to see his glory is to see him as he is, to understand and acknowledge, and appreciate and bask in, and be fully satisfied in who he his.

Jesus’ glory is a love gift (John 17:24) from the Father. No stronger case can be made for the deity of Jesus than that God the Father in eternity before creation shared every attribute, every facet of deity with the Son, and thus his glory, all born of love. God is love and the manifestation of that love in creation, in salvation, in justification, in sanctification, and in glorification is glorious, all of his works display his glory.

This brings me to the second aspect of this simple but spectacular portion of Jesus’ prayer. Jesus intends to share his glory with us!

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:22-23)

This declaration corresponds to Paul’s words in Romans

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans:29-30)

How can it be that the Creator God would share his glory with you and me who are flawed to the core? This is why. The redemptive work of God in Christ is so perfect, so complete, that sinners can be counted righteous, and in God’s sight be so infused with the whole of who he is that they are able to share in his glory, the full manifestation of all that he is. And this too is a love gift. Jesus has given us his glory

“so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23b)

When I begin to get my mind around this truth, (God loves me as much as he loves Jesus!) I can begin to comprehend the glory of God and the expression of his glory in the saints, you and me.

I’ll end with this.

“Declare his glory among the nations,his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (1 Chronicles 16:24)

To God be the glory..

Royce