Todays Daily Bible Verse

Daily Bible Verse provided by Bible-Verses.net

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Great and Terrible is the Day of The Lord

It's been on my mind recently that when I write about God I tend to contrast two things. His great love and it's indomitable wrath. In fact, one of the names of my songs is that "Wrath". I released it awhile ago, but pulled it back because it wasn't quite right.

It was making me wonder how much I should focus on a thing; or was it that it's such a sharp contrast from what I see in the Christian music scene today. There's a lot of God is Holy, God is Great...Lift Up Your Face...all that is wonderful. Praise God that we sing about the attributes of God. For it is in that, that we find eternal joy. It is the chief end of man to worship God and enjoy that forever. I can remember when that idea would seem like a 'good idea' that I should think about *sometime, rather than food for my stomach.

In my perception, God's love is so great and to be greatly appreciated because his wrath is real! His wrath is revealed in sin and in sickness and disease and destruction and mayhem. And that, is just the first table of wrath. For a day has been fixed when he will pronounce final judgement and the wicked will eat from the second table of wrath and judgement. 

I sing about wrath for now because it's what I was most blind to. And in God's wisdom, he's using that attribute to reveal himself to me...that in my apostasy, he shows me a revelation of how he plans to use me. My sinful attributes and wicked condition are the exact inverse and valued in his kingdom inversely proportional. That is to say, that he uses me to seek out immature Christians and challenge them to grow. And apostate christians and challenge them to grow and turn back. Why? Because that's what I was. By God's long-suffering, everlasting kindness and totally unmerited favor, I've been bestowed the riches of his grace.

 

As Habakkuk the prophet says;

Though the fig tree produce no fruit, though the olive not be yielded, the fields have no crop, the herds not have any produce and the stalls be empty, I will trust in the God of my salvation...He has caused me to walk in high places!

Lo, we walk into such a time as this...I will trust, as my Father's Grace allows, and I will live by faith, inasmuch as I've been called by my Father to be righteous, set apart, holy and made one with him.

May you, by the hearing of the word of God be convicted and rise to a desire to serve him, which is only His doing...but that he might be gloried. Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Why I Am Thankful

  • I didn't have to register with the national church of China so that I could freely worship God (China)
  • I wasn't tried or convicted of being an illegal Christian (though,I don't resist the possibility) (China)
  • My wife wasn't raped, nor my children brutalized because I proclaim the gospel of Messiah (India/Pakistan)
  • I wasn't stoned to death for being a Christian (Iran)
  • I'm free to make mistakes and be set right by my creator (USA)
  • I have the freedom of religion rather than the freedom of belief (Russia)
  • Even amongst my peers, I can endure what little persecution I suffer and in Joy proclaim the gladness of my heart, that I am in Christ, He's in the Father, and we are ONE.
  • I'm thankful that I have the knowledge of God, that he teaches me His laws, His ordinances and precepts. That in spite of all persecution, no man can take what the Father has given. The most man can remove from me is my physical life.

So, as you approach tomorrow; don't think about what you need, think about what you can give to others. 

Peace, Love, Charity, Joy, Patience, Endurance, Long-Suffering, Loving-Kindness...

 

No Man on this Earth has suffered so greatly that he cannot bear to give instead of receive. Be like Christ, give of your love and you shall receive.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Imagine, by John Lennon: Covered By Joshua Barnes

I find this song to be the exact description in parallel language to the realities the human condition. This song is emblematic of the cognitive dissonance that has overtaken us; and most powerfully so, in song.

Imagine there is no heaven;

The opening line; he openly declares war on God. But, for a moment, let's assume he doesn't mean exactly what he says. Let's imagine there is no heaven for a second. What would this mean to humanity?

  1. You have no purpose.
  2. No Reward
  3. No life after life
  4. No place of peace and serenity that you'll ever experience other than the fluttering of a day gone by.

Imagining there's no heaven is not looking good so far.

It's easy if you try;

He's got that right.

No hell below us, above us only sky

It is interesting to me that he didn't start by removing the punishment aspect of a deistic view of the world, he chose rather to remove the reward. Of course, this makes sense that if you're too remove loving kindness, mercy and righteousness, you must also remove authority, judgement and penalty.

Imagine all the people, living for today

This is such a pretty song. It's too bad it's pure fecal matter. People do live for today, that's the problem. I choose to live for today when;

  1. We say there is no God
  2. We prioritize our own ego over someone else's
  3. When we murder
  4. When we steal
  5. When we covet
  6. When we lie
  7. When we prefer pleasure over discipline
  8. When we don't train our children
  9. When we have sex without any fear of consequence
  10. When we don't live up to our obligations
  11. When we are prideful

Sweet Lord, when he wrote this song, who exactly is he talking about? We all live for today.

Imagine there's no countries

 

Yes, no countries like Great Britain or America, where you're allowed to express yourself in song, though fecal oriented, expression none-the-less, free of repression from the country that you don't want.

Nothing to kill or die for

Ok, finally we start hitting something that makes sense, but it's connected with something that doesn't, so I can only assume complete and utter confusion.

I agree, I wish we didn't kill. And that killing was so repulsive, but to equate that with the idea that there should be nothing that we would be willing to die for?

You mean your child or your wife, or your beliefs are so unimportant that they are not worth dying for? Imagine...this is the people he wants to see. And it's not that big of a surprise to me...he believes there is no God and no penalty for his belief. Now, don't you want to imagine all of this with him? Ain't it great?

No posessions

No greed or hunger

sharing all of the world;

 

So it takes him to the end of the song to get to the part he should have started with. A love of mankind that is without warrant. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet John Lennon, crucified Christ in song so that he could have his reality. Imagine all the people, killing as one, Jesus Christ, so they could have what he offers.

This is the condition of the human heart apart from God.

 

Friday, November 12, 2010

I Know He's Angry

I'm listening to John Piper's series on Romans. http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/by-series/romans-the-greatest-letter-ever-written

I'm 2/3's of the way through it. I find it astonishing that it was delivered in 1998. It's as real and potent to me now as though it were the day it was said. God is real, and this is proof. I fully recommend that you listen to it.

 

Dear Daddy,

I know that you're angry:

he's angry with me

I don't desire God because I'm unrighteous

I cannot know Godliness because 

I'm in love with sin, I'm in love with

distortion and truth bending

I'm in love with my self-centered,

self-appointed, self-directed, god of self

who cannot know God, does not 

seek God and supresses the truth 

in unrighteousness.

Thanks be to God our Father

who in his mercy and by the washing

and renewing of His Holy Spirit

appointed us as sons for adoption

to be conformed to the image of His Son

Jesus Christ, whom he poured out

that we might be Justified. That we 

might be made righteous. Blessed is the man

whom God does not impute his sin to.

I'm not righteous, Christ is righteous and

his rightouesness has been given to me

without anything I could do or could have

done. I cannot repay. I stand in forever

adoration and thankfulness that my 

life is counted righteous, not because

I will it so, but because my Daddy did.

I love you Daddy and I'm very very very very sorry. Please forgive me, Joshy!

 

The gloriousness of this, is He has. He loves me and I love him. I praise him because it seems reasonable service owed only to the person who brought me back to life. He's my Hero, he's my Father, he's my God and I am his child and his portion. Praise be to God always.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Father I Will, By Your Grace & Mercy

I will be obedient despite my lack of understanding

I will listen despite my lack of hearing

I will believe without seeing

I will worship even though I want worship

I will defer though I prefer

I will lay my head low, though I would to raise it high

I will declare that you alone are God, there is none other

I'll not shrink back

I'll give mercy, help the infirmed, feed the poor, strengthen the weak

Though you slay me, I will serve.

Marked, Bought, Broken, Disciplined, Slave, of the one true God, who's Son Jesus Christ rescued from the wages of sin, and whose Holy Spirit receives all that is asked of the Father, that I might know and serve the God!

 

 

Man I've been busy

Seems like I don't get to touch this. I need to read my Bible.

 

 

I had an interesting experience; because I've never experienced anything like this before. I believe it was a dream from God.

Two days ago, as I was listening to Piper on Romans, I was thinking about how in some ways I don't remember what it felt like to be in bondage to sin; or dead. Or there was some sentiment of that. Not declarative, just pondering if I really remembered the hopelessness of it.

That very night I had a dream. In my dream I was uncontrollably engaged in my sin, but at a point I became aware that I was sinning against God but there was no hope. Like Sampson going to reach for his power, only to discover it was no longer there. The best word picture I can describe is the parable of the rich man and lazerus. I wasn't burning in hell, I was uncontrollably shaking because there would be no rescue from my sin. No matter how much I tried or desired, I could not free myself from it. It was like a straight jacket, writhing only made it worse. I could not escape it.

I woke up with a profound sense of awe, knowing that while I may forget in some sense what it was like to have no hope, I never want to be without hope of my eternal salvation.

 

Just one of those wow things.

 

Monday, November 1, 2010

What Did God Save Us From?

My Sunday school teacher asked us the question Sunday "what did God save you from?"

I was surprised at some of the answers and at the same time very thankful to God who has, without question offered me knowledge of him and his wisdom. What I say, I don't intend to offer with a sense of pride, but rather with a sense of trepidation, for the answer is as true in this moment as it was when I said it.

I heard the answer, sin, hell, relief from sins

I don't fully understand these answers in a sense. What is sin going to do to you? Hell is certainly a punishment that we're saved from, but to say that we're saved from the condition of punishment, rather than the punisher himself seems to, in sense and at least in my mind, demonstrate a very child like state of mind. Similar to my son who sometimes doesn't fear me, but rather being punished...I think we recognize that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge. This ofcourse leads to a loving and wonderful relationship with our creator.

In truth, God poured out his wrath on his Son, so that we would not have to face it.

God saved us from his wrath. Sin is a violation of the law which God put in place so that sin would increase all the more. God didn't create this so he could save polly pure hearts...he did not even spare his Son so that he could save the most wicked, the completely depraved, the fully undeserving so that Grace is Grace all the more. And he tolerates the wicked so that his chosen understand his mercy.

Yes, God saved us from HIS Wrath. Not going to hell is simply a by-product of what should be our ultimate fear, facing the wrath of The Almighty God. This is a fear so great that in Revelation, it says that men would rather be crushed by stones than to face the Lamb.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

There is one mediator between God and Man

I heard a comment today from someone who was trying to defend a position. The position is of some relevance in that in a certain respect it's a leading indicator of a persons world view. I think it's important, not only to understand your own world view, but be able to interpret others as well. In this I believe we test the spirit to see if it be of God. Some may say that this is not our duty, but I disagree. I think it may seem unkind or untoward, but the scripture is definite that we're not to have anything to do with apostates.

The comment was actually a quote of someone else. "Faith without common sense is fanaticism, and common sense without faith is rationalism". In fairness to both the quoter and the quoted, I'm not certain that this is the ACTUAL quote or if it's a paraphrase. So I can only deal with what I heard. In reference to and in the context of the original conversation, there is a coherent and consistent message. And so, I feel comfortable commenting on what I see as a clearly compatibilist and nearly pelagic viewpoint.

"Faith without common sense"

Where does faith come from? Well, according to Romans, it's the gift of God. What about common sense? Well, this is where we run into a bit of trouble. As the conversation was framed, the whole concept being presented is that man must in some way to take a common sense approach to what can lead some to fanaticism and others to rationalism. But I wonder does faith need common sense? And further more, what common sense would be useful to faith? And then, since we know that not all have the same level of common sense, what common sense would be appropriate? Since, fanaticism is the final and ultimate destination without it, one would be quite remiss to leave the station and not have what they need...lest they become a fanatic. I guess my ultimate question would be is what kind of common sense are we talking about? Are we talking about moderation, wise discipleship, being a respecter of other people's faith? It's the wording that gives the phrase it's meaning. What it doesn't say is;

Faith without common sense can lead to fanaticism.

Which is quite different than the original quote. Faith, without some mysterious, subjectively defined component leads to some other mysterious, subjectively defined condition.

"leads to fanaticism"

What kind of fanaticism I wonder? Is it the kind that walks into a temple and tips over well establish businesses and throws out the patrons? Or, the kind of fanaticism that calls the religious fathers and elites, vipers, hypocrites and white washed graves? Or perhaps in a final act, totally devoid of common sense, one gives their life for those who could never earn or deserve it and in some sort of depraved lunacy, decides to make those whom he chose part of his family? Yes, this sounds like common sense free faith...totally fanaticism.

Look it's this simple. You are not the author of what some call common sense. And if you're a fanatic, it's certainly by God's choosing. Neither would common sense in anyway, balance or prevent you from such a thing. Trying to separate your knowledge from your faith from how you act, would be like trying to separate the color from paint. However possible the mechanics of that process might be, it deteriorates the original substance from recognizability. They cannot be separated and maintain each as individual and complete at the same time.

So, then, how you act, how you think and what you do make up who you are. And that, instilled directly from God. Since we can't learn except that the Father allows it.

My point in all of this is simply this; however quaint and easy to digest this saying might be, it's devoid of any coherent substance. Because, it places God on the left, by calling him faith, depraved man on the right calling him rational, and enlightened man in the middle with the all powerful linchpin called, common sense. And this is the reason I call it pelagic, because man must perform his will and understanding to bridge the gap so that some bad condition shouldn't be arrived at.

Common sense won't keep you from fanaticism, nor can it prevent you from depending on rationalism. In the end, we depend on the one True God, who called us. Who made a covenant and intends to keep it. In these situations keep the scriptures in mind. Without this, all we have is rationalism and it is a god who cannot save.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Why I thought I tithed but now understand that I give

I, like most I'm sure, was educated about tithing. What it is, what it's for and why we MUST do it.

I've never really written on the subject and thought, since I want to think about this, meditate upon it, invite the Spirit to teach me, I would write. Come now Spirit, teach my willing heart.

The only basis for tithing I've ever found is in the old testament. However, the references for giving are everywhere. And of the 10% so often quoted? Well that's old testament too and as it turns out, that's not even referring to giving to your church. Consider this video and article.



Is tithing biblical? - DA Carson

SO, with that in mind, I want to consider whether or not I should be giving to my local church, saving the money to give to someone in need or just following the Spirits leading...I think part of the problem is the number of 10% is so easy to cleave ourselves against. Satan is able to easily and mathematically quantify how we don't measure up...may each of us be able to shed this desire to please God in righteousness, but fully accept our fallen nature and allow God the imputation of our righteousness that he might work his ways through us.

And this is my prayer, that God would lead me how and when and to the measure he desires me to give. For he has need of nothing. He owns the cattle on 1000 hills, and he also owns the hills. May God lead me to those in need. I hope for myself and for you that 10% is a number I never have to think about again.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Tolerant of In-tolerance?

In today's day and age, people are unlikely to outrightly call you a fool. It's not proper. Or so they say. No, tolerance is the mantra where suffering every idea, thought and action to exist is required and forced discernment is necessary. Calling a bad idea bad, is arrogant. For who are you to call me, or my idea bad?

This argument is just a sub-derivative of this cognitive dissonance that Satan has captivated so many with. You have two mutually exclusive ideas, yet a person holds them in complete harmony with one another. This of course only lasts until they arbitrarily decide that the ideas are no longer harmonious and one prevails over the other. Usually after violating some level of personal, and relative set of moral standards. e.g. you can call my a right wing religious whacko, but I can't say that someone is mentally retarded, even if they exhibit the condition of mental retardation. I can say relative morals because unless we all submit to one moral authority, then we have ourselves for the authority and as I can easily demonstrate, you are not my authority and I am not yours; thus, it's relative to ourselves.

Thus it's revealed to be tolerant or to label oneself tolerant is a confused state of mind. You are no more tolerant than I am an ostrich. I can say that because your tolerance denotes a sense of acceptance and tranquility, yet that can be easily disrupted if the right buttons are pushed. Then you are revealed to be quite intolerant and maybe in ways that you didn't even realize that you were intolerant. You may decide to be or be interested in being at peace with all men as much as it is within you to do so, and you do well do to do this, however, is not tolerance.

I can prove that no one is tolerant. You're all prejudiced and in some cased bigoted. Some of you literally hate with a level of hate that could kill. If all social barriers were removed you literally would kill. We've elected ourselves, democratically of-course, to the King of the Land of Me and all are loyalists to the crown. Dis-loyalists are considered hateful, arrogant, bigots, or at least rude and unkind.

What about letting people fail in their train of thought, allow them to learn from their mistakes and being willing to stand up for what you believe in? What is wrong with that?

Still think you're 'tolerant'?

Want to take my test?

1. Do you see or suspect terrorism when you see a practicing Muslim in Shiite garb, perhaps on a plane?
2. When you see a group of rowdy young black adults in the mall, grouped together, do you suspect malevolence?
3. When you see a white congressmen talking television, do you assume deception?
4. When you see children, do you assume innocence?
5. If an attractive woman or man is a distressed situation are you more or less likely to help them? That's a trick question, either answer demonstrates prejudice!

See you're not tolerant. You've been lied to. Now, will you tolerate me, or learn from your mistakes and get to the root of who you really are?

Once you do that, perhaps we can talk about how tolerance really looks.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

He Saved Us [NOT] On The Basis of Deeds

In Titus 3, Paul reviews his message to the Ephesians & Romans in Titus...making clear we're saved by grace. Yet, don't we still struggle with this?


Doesn't faith constitute a deed?
Doesn't acceptance constitute a deed?


Before we can answer that, we need to understand the fullest amount of what Paul is saying in Titus 3:5-7



Titus 3:5-7 (King James Version)


 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.



[Not by works of righteousness]


Certainly no one would say the evil deeds, even in the free will camp, could ever constitute a deserving or even prescriptive method for salvation, yet Paul sees the need to present to us that, if perhaps there were evil deeds, neuter deeds an righteous deeds, that not even righteous deeds that we have, or WILL do can possibly give us a posterity with Adonai.


[Which we have done]


Whether Self directed, inhibited, coerced or based on self determination...Paul makes clear that he's describing the personality of a person who believes the antithesis of this doctrine. They believe they are self-directed, in some way, earning the favor of God. Though, most modernists will disguise this in language.


[but]
(as if I were Paul) Not any of what I just said, in fact all of what I just said was wrong but I'm about to tell you the true, opposing viewpoint, from God.


What is about to proceed from Paul's mouth, Paul believes to be the exact truth, in contrast to the opposing viewpoint, which, if in small or great, that deeds, any deed, cannot and will never bring you into salvation with God.


[according to his mercy]
In accordance with, a contract with, set in order as a result of, built upon, decided due to...God's Mercy!


[he saved us]
Not because of what, who, how, or anything that can describe us, not even our faith, in accordance with his mercy, he saved us. Ofcourse, since this is not based on anything we can or will do, it can only be due to his mercy, and that, before we even knew him. This is truly a deedless regeneration...we lack nothing in being justified because it is not dependent upon us.


[by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit] 
Paul describes in utmost detail what is means, by way of process to be saved. It's the washing of the regeneration and the renewing that the Holy Spirit brings that is the true evidence of salvation. Not even righteous works?! Paul doesn't even mention works...the evidence is the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.


[that he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior]
God, not because of anything we could say or do, offer, pay back or work off, because of his MERCY, and out of the direction of his own wisdom, chose. Yes, chose, since it was he that shed the mercy on us, through his son Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Purposely through the shedding of blood to be a sacrificial lamb, a payment, once for all time, to those who believe. And what is the conclusion?


[that being justified by GRACE we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.]


The vehicle through which this is all accomplished is through Christ. Thus, the resulting conclusion is that we're justified. Automatically. Paul doesn't caveat this truth. He doesn't give you the subtext with an if then. He says to believers that God chose you, and he bestowed mercy, not because of you, but because of his mercy and exceeding loving kindness, not because of anything you did, or can do, or will do, but because he, in his wisdom decided this thing. Thus, through the process or regeneration, you come to know that Jesus Christ became for us a source of salvation to those who believe, resulting in justification.


So then faith is not a work that earns anything, and though righteous, it is not effective in the position of being prescriptive for salvation. Rather, it is the by product of the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. It is an evidence of the work that has already been completed for you, by Christ, at the cross. No, it is not a work.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Why You Must Believe In The Absolute Sovereignty of God To Be A Christian

It's not my intent here to be dogmatic, but by the nature of the title you can see that I'm going to take a strong stance.


In music, specifically blues there's this phenomenon called a 'call' and 'answer'. Usually it's two guitar virtuoso's trying to outdo one another to impress the crowd. Similarly there is a call and answer in God's methods.

The psalmist says that God's words are like honey on his tongue, and that he has learned to hate the wicked, and to learn God's laws, and that they are a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path. That's the answer.



God's words ARE like honey, because they are true, they are right and fixed by his own authority. He answered to no one, agrees with no one, compromises with no one, owes no one anything, nor can anyone counsel God. All good things come from Heaven. That's the call...and everyone he calls, answers.


So then, we must admit that God, by his own wisdom and authority, is in charge over everything. Including the most depraved part of us; our sin.


Why must we hold that view?; because to do anything else is to deny God his authority. Would you openly accuse God of not knowing something? Or would you even allow the thought to bear that there is something he's not in control over? You may appeal to mystery, and I accept that. But I do not accept that there is anything outside of God's control and to believe otherwise is to believe falsely about God. If you believe falsely about the most basic premise of his nature, how can down-level knowledge of his attributes be trusted in the way in which we live our lives? That's the question I ask myself. I say, you can't.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

If God...

If God leaves things for us to do, then why does he resist the proud?

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Absolute Power and Absolute Knowledge

This might be tough, please try to follow.


If God foreknows everything and God is all powerful, then, it follows that everything that occurs, occurs as a result of the following reason.


1. God plans it and is actively subduing the results
2. God plans against it, and is actively subduing the results
3. God allows it and is neither actively planning it nor actively restraining it, however he IS actively restraining his power/right to control it


In all cases, God must actively plan an action, or choose a course of action; even if that action is a planned inaction. Since he cannot be surprised and neither can his mind be stimulated with new information, in effect he plans to do nothing, he plans to do something, he plans to allow something by actively acting or actively restraining his power for his foreknown disposition.


The only thing that this theorem cannot account for at this time is if there is anything that God can passively not care about. Is such a thing possible when you know everything and everything is in submission to your power?


My view is that God is the first cause of all things. It doesn't seem possible for God to be uninvolved in anything.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Practice This Says Luther...

Practice this knowledge and fortify yourself against despair, particularly in the last hour, when the memory of past sins assails the conscience. Say with confidence: "Christ, the Son of God, was given not for the righteous, but for sinners. If I had no sin I should not need Christ. No, Satan, you cannot delude me into thinking I am holy. The truth is, I am all sin. My sins are not imaginary transgressions, but sins against the first table, unbelief, doubt, despair, contempt, hatred, ignorance of God, ingratitude towards Him, misuse of His name, neglect of His Word, etc.; and sins against the second table, dishonor of parents, disobedience of government, coveting of another's possessions, etc. Granted that I have not committed murder, adultery, theft, and similar sins in deed, nevertheless I have committed them in the heart, and therefore I am a transgressor of all the commandments of God.

Third Day's New Single Lift Up Your Face

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The Rule of First Cause, Cause and Effect and Links In a Bicycle Chain

After lunch today I was doing a brisk walk to start building up my stamina and hopefully beginning what will be a semi-permanent routine of exercise right after lunch to get my system going. I suffer from extremely bad acid reflux, brought on I believe, by super-stresses in my life. I hope this to aid in a resolution.


As I was walking I was considering the cause of my reasoning and desire to continue to consider the Sovereignty of God. It seems impolite to keep visiting a subject that you grasp, even if not fully.


But as I considered I voiced my reasoning "God, it's because it's everywhere!" Then started considering why others, perhaps, don't see it. As I was walking I saw a field of corn and here's where we'll end the narrative and begin the discourse.
---
You see a field of corn just as I do; you consider the implications of doing nothing and that cause having an effect that is measurable and repeatable. You also consider the cause of doing something to the corn and in likewise manner you consider your influence on such a thing. You consider that because you have done thus, it must be so that insofar as we can see, or perceive, our influence is both measurable and discernible, thus it exists, therefore it is real. And if real, doesn't my sentient soul tell me that I so decided to thus and it was done?


I can even apply the rule of first cause and say that I am the first cause of the planting and the reaping of this corn. And so too, you might be right. This thinking however is akin to a bicycle chain link, if it could talk, as it arrived at the first tooth in the sprocket it might say, "because I am thus, this bicycle will be propelled forward". And so it is true, that because the link is thus, hard, steel, and positionally in place to drive the bicycle forward, it is so. However, what this prideful and arrogant thinking will never consider is, how did you get there to be thus? How is it that you cannot consider links in the fore or aft of your position? How is that you've lost sight of what caused you to be thus and did such a thing occur? It cannot!


So too is the mind set on the flesh. God is the first cause of all things and there is no secondary cause. Likewise in the chain link example, we have limited if any, discernment of why we are thus, or what links precede or follow us as such, or positionally where we are in his plan. Yet, as the builder of all things, he causes his sheep to follow him and to do the works he's preordained, and those whom are goats, he causes to be rejected and to stumble and to be jealous and to remain condemned.


For the scripture says;
Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.



Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.


Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.



A link of all the verses about God's sovereignty

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Compare Your Experience With Dominoes & God's Sovereignty

I often grow frustrated with the sentiment that God has created us with a free, morally unimpeded, will of near absolute effectiveness. The most common resulting conclusion is the appeal to pity, not scripture, that God is not a puppet master, or a rapist, or neither has he created automatons with no independent thought or provocation of their own.

I grow indignant with the utter lack of experiential, or thoughtful comparisons in our own life, that we fail to apply fully to God in our desires, but rather fully in our limitations; we inadequately try to describe God. We use our own lack of comprehension, or omniscience to describe God's, or our own lack of omnipotence to describe Gods. How stupid and foolish!

As I read "Theology" by Vincent Cheung, I'm struck with this very human experience that entirely explains, in my opinion, what it must be like to be utterly in control of the object you desire, while it operates under your control, to perform a task which you've prescribed, without defect to the manner in which you prescribed it. And that, being perfect and good.

If ever you've played with dominoes, you've likely set them up in ornate rows, long columns of white ivory, or ceramic, all with the intent of one final goal. To knock them over. They serve many purposes, but apart from your hand and imagination they can do no other. Certainly they may be different in appearance, and some have slight variations in weight, but their differences do not impede your control over them in any way. It's a likely scenario that you enjoy and delight in the purpose that you have for them. In fact they serve you entirely. Your singular purpose is your enjoyment and to that end you've completely arranged them. And when you knock them over, do you enjoy the domino effect breaking down and ending what would have been a marvelous conclusion to all of our predetermined joy? Surely you do not enjoy the failure of your plan? Surely if it be in your control you would not let it fail for this would diminish your joy and the process must start again. OR, do you find the most joy when, in complete agreement with your predetermined desire for joy with your creation, the creation performs exactly as it was designed, planned and intended to. Yet surely there are minor imperfections in each domino and in each tip that falls the next piece...yet, the final goal is not deterred and you being fully in control, accomplish that which you set out to do. This is exactly what God's sovereignty looks like in practice.

One minor exception I would draw to be as complete as this author can be, God DID create you, specifically with your imperfections, and planned each fall, so that you, his child would ultimately come to realize his joy in a life in service to him, adopted as children, invited to be partakers, a chosen race, a holy nation, royal priesthood. Certainly a God, worthy of all of that, would have the sense to make sure his planned cannot be foiled or even delayed by the mindless and ignorant 'choices' of men.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Compatibilism - It's like bookends without knowledge

The mind is a maze and many of us will never fully map all the ideas that we have. There are probably some propositions we have that we'll never honestly consider on any other level than a superficial one....perhaps.

One of ideas that engages me so richly is this idea of compatibilism. It's a term, in theological circles, that describes the idea that contradictory theological positions can be rectified by the unifying bond of love, peace and harmony. And that differences of theological precision, even on essential doctrine are not important and probably not necessary for salvation. It doesn't state that all ideas are the same, or equal, in a sense, but in another sense it certainly under-girds that principle in it's practice. That is to say, that by words we assert that mutually exclusive ideas like predestination and free will are certainly not the same, but a salvific belief does not consider doctrine rather a belief in God as a primary and perhaps unilaterally effective position. True as this may be in a sense,  this idea reduces the beautiful sophistication and clear scriptural design of salvation written of in the Bible to simply a belief in God's existence, or more appropriately, his son, Christ. I find most commonly that those who are suffering from the disastrous effects of compatibilism have been led astray, taught not to read their bibles or search for knowledge of God but rather to blindly accept deep theological positions based on the quaint, easy to digest slogans of the pulpit and media outlets. Probably the most common, or obvious is "judge not". An easy test would be to ask them who created evil.

I think this idea is allowed to exist, at least in part, because people have not been taught to think thoroughly through who God says he really is. His word teaches clearly who He is, but for various reasons, we're afraid to share what that is. So, you train a person in the way they will go and in all their lifetime they may never depart from it. This gives rise to conversations where a person with their own mouth can say, "I believe that God is in control of everything"...to which the reasonable reply might be, "does that include your ability to sin?" and they follow, "well no. God doesn't create evil".

How Interesting! It seems that in their mind God IS in fact in control of everything, but then they run across this, seemingly contradictory, information about the attributes of God, to which they must deny the validity of their original proposition, thus revealing the premise of their understanding of who God is. For if he has control over your sin, then, isn't he sinning himself? God doesn't sin! And on both bookends of this propositional logic, they are correct, God IS in control of everything and he does NOT sin.

This person has neither thought fully through what it means to be literally in control of everything, especially considering the reality that God is all knowing, all powerful and ever-present, furthermore, probably has not fully read all of the attributes of God. For certainly if they had, they would know that they[the attributes] do not contradict each other. And what are they left with?

I would liken this condition to a set of bookends with no books in-between. A blind person could easily believe he had a fortune of knowledge in books, if he merely felt the bookends alone. He may even be proud of how often he thinks about those bookends, and tells other people about how beautiful they are. How often he wonders about, but never investigates, all the knowledge that must be contained between them. Or perhaps how often he might tell his friends in a tough situation that they should investigate the deep library of wisdom in between those bookends; contented himself in the knowledge of merely their existence.

This is what it's like to not read the entire Bible. This is what it's like to not make loving and knowing God your first and most important duty in this temporal life. It's like believing you have books in-between your bookends, or worse, being convinced of it.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Divine Revelation: Justice with empty principles

I've received, or been taught something, perhaps as recently as today. Right now my wife and I are facing a battle with how, where and to what extent we live. The battle takes many forms and we're far from walking the path of total righteousness. There is however this resonant harmony amidst the cacophony. Its what I think I'm coming to learn as being able to see Christ in the battle that you're engaged in; in that, I'm seeing what he's teaching me, about me, in this situation.


I have always operated with a profound sense of justice and need to execute the same. When you're young this manifests itself as "hey that's not fair" when you get older it turns into words like equitable, or just, some other more literate and adult sounding term, but mostly it's the same argument; "hey, that's not fair!"


What I realize is essentially the same principle but with a few layers. The first and most obvious now, is that when we cry out for justice, we're literally asking God to take away our mercy and send us to hell. Now that shakes me! The second level to that is how we should operate within ourselves and with others with regard to whose scale of just and unjust we should adjudicate. For if we use our own, it's destined to be a moving target, but God's then we are built upon the Rock. The desire for justice can be as large and grandios as the execution of our Savior on the cross, or as small and minute as being upset that you didn't receive what you thought was due. What a wide path of destruction! Both lead to death.


On the flip side, how can we account for the necessity of mercy in our lives and the lives of the people we come in contact with? Couldn't this be the same width? Showing of mercy, leading to life, for the killing of an innocent man, to showing mercy to those who short us in a personal relationship...maybe we were legitimately shorted, and we actually do deserve the thing in question. My answer is that we should show mercy always, in conversation, in work, in duty, in worship, in relationship, in business. What is the worst that could happen? That you're deprived of something that you're owed? Isn't God himself the arbiter of all things? Will he not repay? 


I dunno, my belief is that my speech and my dealing should be full of grace and mercy. To the point at which I'm counted a fool for being so willing to be taken advantage of. If a fool, I'm a fool for Christ, for I prefer to love God's creation and give of myself to it, than to deprive them of the joy that God has shared by the giving of his mercy to me. For certainly his mercy was not weak, invisible, or free, but came at a great cost. The greatest cost; how much less am I asked of and how little do I give, begrudgingly! I've lived in the complete opposite way, but now, perhaps now, I can live the way God intended...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Perceiving God: Walking in Holiness

You know I feel that there is a war on; it covers the Earth in every imaginable way and it's unceasing in it's pursuit of the chosen ones. The small seeds of this war are much like that of a dandelion, which in spring is a pretty yellow sheen and seems wonderful, but then it goes to seed it's wonder turns to pollution and unsightly ornamental devastation. So small, yet so unimaginably potent they are though, these seeds create and cultivate the lies coming straight from hell.

Something I've discovered recently is the mere psychotic suggestion of an idea immediately roots in fertile ground when you're not on your guard. Something as simple as a person you trust or love saying that God punishes you if you don't tithe. "He get's his money somehow!" The charlatan asserts, with his eyes on the god of money which he serves. I've heard preachers and teachers say that or some derivative of it. At the root of their theology, every single time is some measure of performance and prosperity doctrine.

When we haven't been classically trained or rooted in walking with God we have no defense for these mere suggestions by the evil one; who works and is at work in the false teachers everywhere! We casually let the stranger into our house, as though we were doing the right thing, (do unto others) and then, the stranger now has power over you, at least in some small way. I can say this, because the very next time something disastrous occurs to you, you may have or probably will wonder if that person you trusted was right! For the weak, they are right, and there is only one response! Blind obedience to a false scripture, to a false teacher and to false doctrine. Indebted to the idea that God must some how be so weak and inept as to "need" something from you, in order to bless you or make you his own. But even they don't know that!

So, you see, words are very powerful, sometimes even the uttering of words gives them power, if only in the mind of the listener. That is why I believe we need to be on Guard! Ready to give an account, able to provide a defense of the things which we believe and to have on the spiritual armor that Paul talks about in order to stave the fiery darts of the fallen one.

What does this lead me to? Well, in truth, we cannot even defend that which we are not obedient to, much more understand. God calls us to strict obedience, and how are we able to build obedience? By the faith that he gives us. In so doing we should desire to walk with him in the cool of the garden. For me, that's in his word, asking him to gently rebuke me and to teach me his ways. HE WANTS TO! That is so thrilling for me. Faith comes by hearing of the words of CHRIST! You can listen and read and comprehend that which the Father wants to you understand, but comprehension is just the smallest part of the equation. Obedience is the larger portion, because obedience needs to exist before comprehension, if ever, will occur. Don't you understand that if you say you don't like to read the Bible because it's boring, that you're really saying that "I don't believe God can/will illumine my mind, and further it's probably not up to him anyway!" In so doing you demonstrate a lack of faith, and further elevate yourself to the high office of KING! For you are NOT ONE.

It is when we listen, when we read, when we meditate, when in patience, fear and humility we bring things before God that we do not understand, hoping if but peradventure he might open our eyes; this is when we see God. This is when he opens us up and enlarges our heart. This is when he teaches us to be his adopted children!

If you haven't understood so far, your holiness is not your own. It's merely the expression of God's sovereign will for your life, the demonstration of his victory of evil and ultimately an expression of his love for you! It brings me the greatest joy to know my Father in Heaven, who was and is and is to come, has before the foundation of all things known and unknown, decided the preamble, body and conclusion of his servants life! For what are we to know but that which he tells us? And what can we understand but that which he gives us understanding? And what can we do but that which he has allowed? Has he left us to writhe  and to toil, hoping by if some possibility our performance can merit his holiness?! HOW CAN THAT BE? For by GRACE ARE YE SAVED! If saved, then set apart and if set apart, made holy. God does not save that which he does not intend to make holy. For how else could we know him, approach him or even worship him? Will God accept the praise of the wicked? He doesn't even hear their prayers!

What then? I believe that if we ask God to teach us his laws and show us to meditate on his ordinances, for those who are his, he will. Each to his own measure and by the fullness of the times that we might know the summing of all things Christ. In so doing he has created a child who walks in holiness with him.

Get in your Bibles, for God is certainly real!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Reflections on a Rainbow - Spurgeon

Reflections on a Rainbow

The bow is seen in the clouds.
The rainbow, the symbol of the covenant with Noah, foreshadows our Lord Jesus, who is the Lord's witness to the people. When may we expect to see the token of the covenant? The rainbow is only to be seen painted upon a cloud. When the sinner's conscience is dark with clouds, when he remembers his past sin and mourns and laments before God, Jesus Christ is revealed to him as the covenant Rainbow, displaying all the glorious hues of the divine character and declaring peace. To the believer, when his trials and temptations surround him, it is sweet to behold the person of our Lord Jesus Christ—to see Him bleeding, living, rising, and pleading for us. God's rainbow is hung over the cloud of our sins, our sorrows, and our woes, to prophesy deliverance. By itself a cloud does not give a rainbow; there must be the crystal drops to reflect the light of the sun.
So, our sorrows must not only threaten, but they must really fall upon us. There would have been no Christ for us if the vengeance of God had been merely a threatening cloud: Punishment must fall in terrible drops upon Him. Until there is areal anguish in the sinner's conscience, there is no Christ for him; until the chastisement that he feels becomes grievous, he cannot see Jesus. But there must also be a sun; for clouds and drops of rain do not make rainbows unless the sun shines. Beloved, our God, who is as the sun to us, always shines, but we do not always see Him—clouds hide His face; but no matter what drops may be falling or what clouds may be threatening, if He shines there will be a rainbow at once.
It is said that when we see the rainbow, the shower is over. It is certain that when Christ comes, our troubles withdraw; when we look on Jesus, our sins vanish, and our doubts and fears subside. When Jesus walks upon the waters of the sea, how profound the calm!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Attack Surface

God is great!

Every few days or better stated, every once and awhile I don't read my bible. I'll look at it, the little voice says, "You need to pick that up and read it!"

And I ignore that little voice. For instance this morning. I saw it, I thought, "nah, I'll be indoors all day, focused on preparing for my interview tomorrow, I'll be ok!"....

Two fights today, over petty nonsense. Certainly nothing worth arguing about, yet there it was.

 It's like I told my Dad tonight, A Psalm a day will keep Satan away!

Read your Bibles!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Shroud

There is this blackness, a cloud, murky vision and heavy feelings of misery, depression and silent anxiety that follows me. This is a relatively new phenomenon. Perhaps the sophistication of the affliction grows increasingly more, sophisticated. Perhaps as the sophistication of my faith grows, so too must the sophistication of the attack?

I'm reading a paper by Vincent Cheung. It's Awesome. It's self-titled Systematic Theology. One of the opening propositions is, "Theological reflection is the most important activity a person can perform". I find this to be true and what is striking about that, is, I am reminded instantly of a time when this was not true, though I may have stated in an abstract manner that I 'probably' agreed and believed that it was. Self deception is such a nasty disease, the old question begs; if you're confused, how would you know?

The depths of this shroud, as I call it, are seemingly limitless. The doubt, anxiety, anger and discouragement that overtake me are so strong, that at times I can barely breathe. That's not hyperbole.

Though my nightmare appears to have no end, there is in fact solace and comfort in the Lord. He is my portion in the land and not just aesthetically or intellectually. No, in reality. I find that when I'm plumbing the depths of the Euphrates, where the Angel of Destruction is waiting to be released, I can run to my Comforter. The scriptures are the Holy, Inerrant, Infallible breathed words of God himself; He is my creator, my God and my Master. It is when I open the crackling pages of the best selling book in the history of man and when I read His words that the supernatural takes place. The shroud is taken up like a stage curtain and what was one desperately black, deep and stifling as now revealed a wonderful picture to fix my gaze on. I see Christ, I see God and I know the Comforter and I am again free to worship is the spirit of peace and rest. God is real and I'm really his adopted son!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Guilt, Shame, Anger, Depression, Doubt...

Why do we feel bad as Christians?

Why do bad things continue to happen to us?

Why is it so mentally hard to follow Christ?

There are a few reasons I can think of, and this post is coming directly out of my own bouts with Satan or his crew.

First, let's answer the premise questions; These are usually the unasked questions but in fairness to our understanding and to give rise to that as the fullest possibility, we need to ask them before we get to the predicate, situational, conditional questions, such as the ones listed above.

Who is in charge here? Isa 45:5

God.

Who is the one who ultimately allows, or even causes us to be afflicted? Isa 45:7

God alone.

With that in mind, let's answer these question. God's children are bought with a price and are taken into possession by the Holy Father in order to procure us for his son. When we are bought, we are slaves and we're not in good enough spiritual shape, we're not fit for the King we're being presented to.

Everyone whom he receives, he scourges. This is a scourge:
A scourge is a whip or lash, especially a multi-thong type used to inflict severe corporal punishment or self-mortification on the back.

It looks like it hurts. I've found that it does hurt, but I prefer the training of my Father than the doubt of his presence.

What we can't fathom, sometimes, is that what we feel is actually the training of our Father. I've found that I can know that it's the training of the Father by measuring my response to the affliction. I can remember a time when I just complained about pain, dealt with shame and doubt as though they were equal with truth. It's when I'm in these places that I run to the scriptures. If we run to the scriptures we are demonstrating loyalty, understanding and worship of God. All of these things he deserves.

Ultimately, only he knows how much effort we need in order to make us more like him. We don't. So, it's easy to say, "Hey man, haven't I suffered enough?"

The answer to that question is. How much suffering for the cause and even the being of Christ, is enough?

I find that when I'm in these situations it's easy to forget that it is God who is training me, testing me, to see if I will follow him.

God does not, nor does he need to

Guilt you
Shame you
Make You Angry
Depress You
Or Cause you to Doubt

Those are Satan's tools! If you feel that, know that it is SATAN! Not GOD! Run to God! RUN!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Got Spurgeon? You're going to need a stomach of nails to read this!!!

GOD'S WILL AND MAN'S WILL

by Charles Spurgeon, 1862
"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." - Romans 9:16
"Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." - Revelation 22:17

The great controversy which for many ages has divided the Christian Church has hinged upon the difficult question of "the will." I need not say of that conflict that it has done much mischief to the Christian Church, undoubtedly it has; but I will rather say, that it has been fraught with incalculable usefulness; for it has thrust forward before the minds of Christians, precious truths, which but for it, might have been kept in the shade. I believe that the two great doctrines of human responsibility and divine sovereignty have both been brought out the more prominently in the Christian Church by the fact that there is a class of strong-minded hard-headed men who magnify sovereignty at the expense of responsibility; and another earnest and useful class who uphold and maintain human responsibility oftentimes at the expense of divine sovereignty. I believe there is a needs-be for this in the finite character of the human mind, while the natural lethargy of the Church requires a kind of healthy irritation to arouse her powers and to stimulate her exertions. The pebbles in the living stream of truth are worn smooth and round by friction. Who among us would wish to suspend a law of nature whose effects on the whole are good? I glory in that which at the present day is so much spoken against - sectarianism, for "sectarianism" is the cant phrase which our enemies use for all firm religious belief. I find it applied to all sorts of Christians; no matter what views he may hold, if a man be but earnest, he is a sectarian at once. Success to sectarianism, let it live and flourish. When that is done with, farewell to the power of godliness. When we cease, each of us, to maintain our own views of truth, and to maintain those views firmly and strenuously, then truth shall fly out of hand, and error alone shall reign: this, indeed, is the object of our foes: under the cover of attacking sects, they attack true religion, and would drive it, if they could, from off the face of the earth. In the controversy which has raged, - a controversy which, I again say, I believe to have been really healthy, and which has done us all a vast amount of good - mistakes have arisen from two reasons. Some brethren have altogether forgotten one order of truths, and then, in the next place, they have gone too far with others. We all have one blind eye, and too often we are like Nelson in the battle, we put the telescope to that blind eye, and then protest that we cannot see. I have heard of one man who said he had read the Bible through thirty-four times on his knees, but could not see a word about election in it; I think it very likely that he could not; kneeling is a very uncomfortable posture for reading, and possibly the superstition which would make the poor man perform this penance would disqualify him for using his reason: moreover, to get through the Book thirty-four times, he probably read in such a hurry that he did not know what he was reading, and might as well have been dreaming over "Robinson Crusoe" as the Bible. He put the telescope to the blind eye. Many of us do that; we do not want to see a truth, and therefore we say we cannot see it. On the other hand, there are others who push a truth too far. "This is good; oh! this is precious!" say they, and then they think it is good for everything; that in fact it is the only truth in the world. You know how often things are injured by over-praise; how a good medicine, which really was a great boon for a certain disease, comes to be despised utterly by the physician, because a certain quack has praised it up as being a universal cure; so puffery in doctrine leads to dishonor. Truth has thus suffered on all sides; on the one hand brethren would not see the truth, and on the other hand they magnified out of proportion that which they did see. You have seen those mirrors, those globes that are sometimes hung in gardens; you walk up to them and you see your head ten times as large as your body, or you walk away and put yourself in another position, a then your feet are monstrous and the rest of your body is small; this is an ingenious toy, but I am sorry to say that many go to work with God's truth upon the model of this toy; they magnify one capital truth till it becomes monstrous; they minify and speak little of another truth till it becomes altogether forgotten. In what I shall be able say this morning you will probably detect the failing to which I allude, the common fault of humanity, and suspect that I also am magnifying one truth at the expense of another; but I will say this, before I proceed further, that it shall not be the case if I can help it, but I will endeavor honestly to bring out the truth as I have learned it, and if in ought ye see that I teach you what is contrary to the Word of God, reject it; but mark you, if it be according to God's Word, reject it at your peril; for when I have once delivered it to you, if ye receive it not the responsibility lies with you.
There are two things, then, this morning I shall have to talk about. The first is, that the work of salvation rests upon the will of God, and not upon the will of man; and secondly, the equally sure doctrine, that the will of man has its proper position in the work of salvation, and is not to be ignored.


I. First, then, SALVATION HINGES UPON THE WILL OF GOD AND NOT UPON THE WILL OF MAN. So saith out text - "It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy;" by which is clearly meant that the reason why any man is saved is not because he wills it, but because God willed, accord to that other passage, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." The whole scheme of salvation, we aver, from the first to the last, hinges and turns, and is dependent upon the absolute will of God, and not upon the will of the creature.This, we think, we can show in two or three ways; and first, we think that analogy furnishes us with a rather strong argument. There is a certain likeness between all God's works; if a painter shall paint three pictures, there is a certain identity of style about all the three which leads you to know that they are from the same hand. Or, if an author shall write three works upon three different subjects, yet there are qualities running through the whole, which lead you to assert, "That is the same man's writing, I am certain, in the whole of the three books." Now what we find in the works of nature, we generally find to be correct with regard to the work of providence; and what is true of nature and of providence, is usually true with regard to the greater work of grace. Turn your thoughts, then, to the works of creation. There was a time when these works had no existence; the sun was not born; the young moon had not begun to fill her horns; the stars were not; not even the illimitable void of space was then in existence. God dwelt alone without a creature. I ask you, with whom did he then take counsel? Who instructed him? Who had a voice in the counsel by which the wisdom of God was directed? Did it not rest with his own will whether he would make or not? Was not creation itself, when it lay in embryo in his thoughts entirely, in his keeping, so that he would or would not just as he pleased? And when he willed to create, did he not still exercise his own discretion and will as to what and how he would make? If he hath made the stars spheres, what reason was there for this but his own will? If he hath chosen that they should move in the circle rather than in any other orbit, is it not God's own fiat that hath made them do so? And when this round world, this green earth on which we dwell, leaped from his molding hand into its sunlit track, was not this also according to the divine will? Who ordained, save the Lord, that there the Himalayas should lift up their heads and pierce the clouds, and that there the deep cavernous recesses of the sea should pierce earth's bowels of rock? Who, save himself, ordained that yon Sahara should be brown and sterile, and that yonder isle should laugh in the midst of the sea with joy over her verdure? Who, I say, ordained this, save God? You see running through creation, from the tiniest animalcule up to the tall archangel who stands before the throne, this working of God's own will. Milton was nobly right when he represents the Eternal One as saying,

"My goodness is most free
To act or not: Necessity and Chance
Approach not me, and what I will is fate."
He created as it pleased him; he made them as he chose; the potter exercised power over his clay to make his vessels as he willed, and to make them for what purposes he pleased. Think you that he has abdicated the throne of grace? Does he reign in creation and not in grace? Is he absolute king over nature and not over the greater works of the new nature? Is he Lord over the things which his hand made at first, and not King over the great regeneration, the new-making wherein he maketh all things new?
But take the works of Providence. I suppose there will be no dispute amongst us that in providential matters God ordereth all things according to the counsel of his own will. If we should, however, be troubled with doubts about the matter, we might hear the striking words of Nebuchadnezzar when, taught by God, he had repented of his pride - "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; he doth according to his will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou." From the first moment of human history even to the last, God's will shall be done. What though it be a catastrophe or a crime - there may be the second causes and the action of human evil, but the great first cause is in all. If we could imagine that one human action had eluded the prescience or the predestination of God, we could suppose that the whole might have done so, and all things might drift to sea, anchorless, rudderless, a sport to every wave, the victim of tempest and hurricane. One leak in the ship of Providence would sink her, one hour in which Omnipotence relaxed its grasp and she would fall to atoms. But it is the comfortable conviction of all God's people that "all things work together for good to them that love God;" and that God ruleth and overruleth, and reigneth in all acts of men and in all events that transpire; from seeming evil still producing good, and better still, and better still in infinite progression, still ordering all things according the counsel of his will. And think you that he reigns in Providence and is King there, and not in grace? Has he given up the blood-bought land to be ruled by man, while common Providence is left as a lonely providence to be his only heritage? He hath not let slip the reins of the great chariot of Providence, and think you that when Christ goeth forth in the chariot of his grace it is with steeds unguided, or driven only by chance, or by the fickle will of man? Oh, no brethren. As surely as God's will is the axle of the universe, as certainly as God's will is the great heart of providence sending its pulsings through even the most distant limbs of human act, so in grace let us rest assured that he is King, willing to do as he pleases, having mercy on whom he will have mercy, calling whom he chooses to call, quickening whom he wills, and fulfilling, despite man's hardness of heart, despite man's willful rejection of Christ, his own purposes, his won decrees, without one of them falling to the ground. We think, then, that analogy helps to strengthen us in the declaration of the text, that salvation is not left with man's will.


2. But, secondly, we believe that the difficulties which surround the opposite theory are tremendous. In fact, we cannot bear to look them in the face. If there be difficulties about ours, there are ten times more about the opposite. We think that the difficulties which surround our belief that salvation depends upon the will of God, arise from our ignorance in not understanding enough of God to be able to judge of them; but that the difficulties in the other case do not arise from that cause, but from certain great truths, clearly revealed, which stand in manifest opposition to the figment which our opponents have espoused. According to their theory - that salvation depends upon our own will - you have first of all this difficulty to meet, that you have made the purpose of God in the great plan of salvation entirely contingent. You have the put an "if" upon everything. Christ may die, but it is not certain according to that theory that he will redeem a great multitude; nay, not certain that he will redeem any, since the efficacy of the redemption according to that plan, rests not in its own intrinsic power, but in the will of man accepting that redemption. Hence if man be, as we aver he always is, if he be a bond-slave as to his will, and will not yield to the invitation of God's grace, then in such a case the atonement of Christ would be valueless, useless, and altogether in vain, for not a soul would be saved by it; and even when souls are saved by it, according to that theory, the efficacy, I say, lies not in the blood itself, but in the will of man which gives it efficacy. Redemption is therefore made contingent; the cross shakes, the blood falls powerless on the ground, and atonement is a matter of perhaps. There is a heaven provided, but there may be no souls who will ever come there if their coming is to be of themselves. There is a fountain filled with blood, but there may be none who will ever wash in it unless divine purpose and power shall constrain them to come. You may look at any one promise of grace, but you cannot say over it, "This is the sure mercy of David;" for there is an "if," and a "but;" a "perhaps," and a "peradventure." In fact, the reigns are gone out of God's hands; the linch-pin is taken away from the wheels of the creation; you have left the whole economy of grace and mercy to be the gathering together of fortuitous atoms impelled by man's own will, and what may become of it at the end nobody can know. We cannot tell on that theory whether God will be gloried or sin will triumph. Oh! how happy are we when we come back to the old fashioned doctrines, and cast our anchor where it can get its grip in the eternal purpose and counsel of God, who worketh all things to the good pleasure of his will.Then another difficulty comes in; not only is everything made contingent, but it does seem to us as if man were thus made to be the supreme being in the universe. According to the freewill scheme the Lord intends good, but he must win like a lackey on his own creature to know what his intention is; God willeth good and would do it, but he cannot, because he has an unwilling man who will not have God's good thing carried into effect. What do ye, sirs, but drag the Eternal from his throne, and lift up into it that fallen creature, man; for man, according to that theory nods, and his nod is destiny. You must have a destiny somewhere; it must either be as God wills or as man wills . If it be as God wills, then Jehovah sits as sovereign upon his throne of glory, and all hosts obey him, and the world is safe; if not God, then you put man there, to say, "I will" or "I will not; if I will it I will enter heaven; if I will it I will despise the grace of God; if I will it I will conquer the Holy Sprit, for I am stronger than God, and stronger than omnipotence; if I will it I will make the blood of Christ of no effect, for I am mightier than that blood, mightier than the blood of the Son of God himself; though God make his purpose, yet will I laugh at his purpose; it shall be my purpose that shall make his purpose stand, or make it fall." Why, sirs, if this be not Atheism, it is idolatry; it is putting man where God should be, and I shrink with solemn awe and horror from that doctrine which makes the grandest of God's works - the salvation man - to be dependent upon the will of his creature whether it shall be accomplished or not. Glory I can and must in my text in its fullest sense. "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy."


3. We think that the known condition of man is a very strong argument against the supposition that salvation depends upon his own will;and hence is a great confirmation of the truth that it depends upon the will of God; that it is God that chooses, and not man, - God who takes the first step, and not the creature. Sirs, on the theory that man comes to Christ of his own will, what do you with texts of Scripture which say that he is dead? "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins;" you will say that is a figure. I grant it, but what is the meaning of it? You say the meaning is, he is spiritually dead. Well, then I ask you, how can he perform the spiritual act of willing that which is right? He is alive enough to will that which is evil, only evil and that continually, but he is not alive to will that which is spiritually good. Do you not know, to turn to another Scripture, that he cannot even discern that which is spiritual? for the natural man knoweth not the things which be of God, seeing they are spiritual and must be spiritually discerned. Why, he has not a "spirit" with which to discern them; he has only a soul and body, but the third principle, implanted in regeneration, which is called in the Word of God, "the spirit," he knows nothing of, and he is therefore incapable, seeing he is dead and is without the vitalizing spirit, of doing what you say he does. Then again, what make you of the words of our Savior where he said to those who had heard even him, "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life?" Where is free-will after such a text as that? When Christ affirms that they will not, who dare say they will? "Ah, but," you say, "they could if they would." Dear sir, I am not talking about that; I am talking about if they would, the question is "will they?" and we say "no," they never will by nature. Man is so depraved, so set on mischief, and the way of salvation is so obnoxious to his pride, so hateful to his lusts, that he cannot like it, and will not like it, unless he who ordained the plan shall change his nature, and subdue his will. Mark, this stubborn will of man is his sin; he is not to be excused for it; he is guilty because he will not come; he is condemned because he will not come; because he will not believe in Christ, therefore is condemnation resting upon him, but still the fact does not alter for all that, that he will not come by nature if left to himself. Well, then, if man will not, how shall he be saved unless God shall make him will? - unless, in some mysterious way, he who made heart shall touch its mainspring so that it shall move in a direction opposite to that which it naturally follows.

4. But there is another argument which will come closer home to us. It is consistent with the universal experience of all God's people that salvation is of God's will. You will say, "I have not had a very long life, I have not, but I have had a very extensive acquaintance with all sections of the Christian Church, and I solemnly protest before you, that I have never yet met with a man professing to be a Christian, let alone his really being so, who ever said that his coming to God was the result of his unassisted nature. Universally, I believe, without exception, the people of God will say it was the Holy Spirit that made them what they are; that they should have refused to come as others do unless God's grace had sweetly influenced their wills. There are some hymns in Mr. Wesley's hymn-book which are stronger upon this point than I could ever venture to be, for he puts prayer into the lips of the sinner in which God is even asked to force him to be saved by grace. Of course I can take no objection to a term so strong, but it goes to prove this, that among all sections of Christians, whether Arminian or Calvinistic, whatever their doctrinal sentiments may be, their experimental sentiments are the same. I do not think they would any of them refuse to join in the verse -
"Oh! yes, I do love Jesus,
Because he first loved me."
Nor would they find fault with our own hymn,

"'Twas the same love that spread the feast,
That sweetly forced us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin."
We bring out the crown and say, "On whose head shall we put it? Who ruled at the turning-point? Who decided this case?" and the universal Church of God, throwing away their creeds, would say, "Crown him; crown him, put it on his head, for he is worthy; he has made us to differ;he has done it, and unto him be the praise for ever and ever." What staggers me is, that men can believe dogmas contrary to their own experience, - that they can hug that to their hearts as precious to which their own inward convictions must give the lie.


5. But, lastly, in the way of argument, and to bring out our great battering-ram at the last. It is not, after all, arguments from analogy, nor reasons from the difficulties of the opposite position, nor inferences from the known feebleness of human nature, nor even deductions from experience, that will settle this question once for all. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not accord to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Do me the pleasure, then, to use your Bibles for a moment or two, and let us see what Scripture saith on this main point. First, with regard to the matter of God's preparation, and his plan with regard to salvation. We turn to the apostle's words in the epistle to the Ephesians, and we find in the first chapter and the third verse, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will" - a double word you notice - it is according to the will of his will. No expression could be stronger in the original to show the entire absoluteness of this thing as depending on the will God. It seems, then, that the choice of his people their adoption is according to his will. So far we are satisfied, indeed, with the testimony of the apostle. Then in the ninth verse, "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in him." So, then, it seems that the grand result of the gathering together of all the saved in Christ, as well as the primitive purpose, is according to the counsel of his will. What stronger proof can there be that salvation depends upon the will of God? Moreover, it says in the eleventh verse - "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:" a stronger expression than "of his will" - "of his own will," his free unbiased will, his will alone. As for redemption as well as for the eternal purpose - redemption is according to the will of God. You remember that verse in Hebrews, tenth chapter, ninth verse: "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he might establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified." So that the redemption offered up on Calvary, like the election made before the foundation of the world, is the result of the divine will. There will be little controversy here: the main point is about our new birth, and here we cannot allow of any diversity of opinion. Turn to the Gospel according to John, the first chapter and thirteenth verse. It is utterly impossible that human language could have put a stronger negative on the vainglorious claims of the human will than this passage does: "Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." A passage equally clear is to be found in the Epistle of James, at the first chapter, and the eighteenth verse: "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." In these passages - and they are not the only ones - the new birth is peremptorily and in the strongest language put down as being the fruit and effect of the will and purpose of God. As to the sanctification which is the result and outgrowth of the new birth, that also is according to God's holy will. In the first of Thessalonians, fourteenth chapter, and third verse, we have, "This is the will of God, even your sanctification." One more passage I shall need you to refer to, the sixth chapter, and thirty-ninth verse. Here we find that the preservation, the perseverance, the resurrection, and the eternal glory of God's people, rests upon his will. "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day; and this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." And indeed this is why the saints go to heaven at all, because in the seventeenth chapter of John, Christ is recorded as praying, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am." We close, then, by noticing that according to Scripture there is not a single blessing in the new covenant which is not conferred upon us according to the will of God, and that as the vessel hangs upon the nail, so every blessing we receive hangs upon the absolute will and counsel of God, who gives these mercies even as he gives the gifts of the Spirit according as he wills. We shall now leave that point, and take the second great truth, and speak a little while upon it.

II. MAN'S WILL HAS ITS PROPER PLACE IN THE MATTER OF SALVATION. "Whosoever will let him come and take the water of life freely." According to this and many other texts the Scripture where man is addressed as a being having a will, it appears clear enough that men are not saved by compulsion. When a man receives the grace of Christ, he does not receive it against his will. No man shall be pardoned while he abhors the though forgiveness. No man shall have joy in the Lord if he says, "I do not wish to rejoice in the Lord." Do not think that anybody shall have the angels pushing them behind into the gates of heaven. They must go there freely or else they will never go there at all. We are not saved against our will; nor again, mark you, is the will taken away; for God does not come and convert the intelligent free-agent into a machine. When he turns the slave into a child, it is not by plucking out of him the will which he possesses. We are as free under grace as ever we were under sin; nay, we were slaves when we were under sin, and when the Son makes us free we are free indeed, and we are never free before. Erskine, in speaking of his own conversion, says he ran to Christ "with full consent against his will," by which he meant it was against his old will; against his will as it was till Christ came, but when Christ came, then he came to Christ with full consent, and was as willing to be saved - no, that is a cold word - as delighted, as pleased, as transported to receive Christ as if grace had not constrained him. But we do hold and teach that though the will of man is not ignored, and men are not saved against their wills, that the work of the Spirit, which is the effect of the will of God, is to change the human will, and so make men willing in the day of God's power, working in them to will to do of his own good pleasure. The work of the Spirit is consistent with the original laws and constitution of human nature. Ignorant men talk grossly and carnally about the work of the Spirit in the heart as if the heart were a lump of flesh, and the Holy Spirit turned it round mechanically. Now, brethren, how is your heart and my heart changed in any matter? Why, the instrument generally is persuasion. A friend sets before us a truth we did not know before; pleads with us; puts it in a new light, and then we say, "Now I see that," and then our hearts are changed towards the thing. Now, although no man's heart is changed by moral suasion in itself, yet the way in which the Spirit works in his heart, as far as we can detect it, is instrumentally by a blessed persuasion of the mind. I say not that men are saved by moral suasion, or that this is the first cause, but I think it is frequently the visible means. As to the secret work, who knows how the Spirit works? "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit;" but yet, as far as we can see, the Spirit makes a revelation of truth to the soul, whereby it seeth things in a different light from what it ever did before, and then the will cheerfully bows that neck which once was stiff as iron, and wears the yoke which once it despised, and wears it gladly, cheerfully, and joyfully. Yet, mark, the will is not gone; the will is treated as it should be treated; man is not acted upon as a machine, he is not polished like a piece of marble; he is not planed and smoothed like a plank of deal; but his mind is acted upon by the Spirit of God, in a manner quite consistent with mental laws. Man is thus made a new creature in Christ Jesus, by the will of God, and his own will is blessedly and sweetly made to yield.Then, mark you, - and this is a point which I want to put into the thoughts of any who are troubled about these things, - this gives the renewed soul a most blessed sign of grace, insomuch that if any man wills to be saved by Christ, if he wills to have sin forgiven through the precious blood, if he wills to live a holy life resting upon the atonement of Christ, and in the power of the Spirit, that will is one of the most blessed signs of the mysterious working of the Spirit of God in his heart; such a sign is it that if it be real willingness, I will venture to assert that that man is not far from the kingdom. I say not that he is so saved that he himself may conclude he is, but there is a work begun, which has the germ of salvation in it. If thou art willing, depend upon it that God is willing. Soul, if thou art anxious after Christ, he is more anxious after thee. If thou hast only one spark of true desire after him, that spark is a spark from the fire of his love to thee. He has drawn thee, or else thou wouldest never run after him. If you are saying, "Come to me, Jesu," it is because he has come to you, though you do not know it. He has sought you as a lost sheep, and therefore you have sought him like a returning prodigal. He has swept the house to find you, as the woman swept for the lost piece of money, and now you seek him as a lost child would seek a father's face. Let your willingness to come to Christ be a hopeful sign and symptom.
But once more, and let me have the ear of the anxious yet again. It appears that when you have a willingness to come to Christ, there is a special promise for you. You know, my dear hearers, that we are not accustomed in this house of prayer to preach one side of truth, but we try if we can to preach it all. There are some brethren with small heads, who, when they have heard a strong doctrinal sermon, grow into hyper-Calvinists, and then when we preach an inviting sermon to poor sinners, they cannot understand it, and say it is a yea and nay gospel. Believe me, it is not yea and nay, but yea and yea. We give your yea to all truth, and our nay we give to no doctrine of God. Can a sinner be saved when he wills to come to Christ? Yea. And if he does come, does he come because God brings him? Yea. We have no nays in our theology for any revealed truth. We do not shut the door on one word and open it to another. Those are the yea and nay people who have a nay for the poor sinner, when they profess to preach the gospel. As soon as a man has any willingness given to him, he has a special promise. Before he had the willingness he had an invitation. Before he had any willingness, it was his duty to believe in Christ, for it is not man's condition that gives him a right to believe. Men are to believe in obedience to God's command. God commandeth all men everywhere to repent, and this is his great command, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." "This is the commandment, that ye believe in Jesus Christ whom he has sent." Hense your right and your duty to believe; but once you have got the willingness, then you have a special promise - "Whosoever will let him come." That is a sort of extraordinary invitation. Methinks this is the utterance of the special call. You know how John Bunyan describes the special call in words to this effect. "The hen goes clucking about the farm-yard all day long; that is the general call of the gospel; but she sees a hawk up in the sky, and she gives a sharp cry for her little ones to come and hide under her wings; that is the special call; they come and are safe." My text is a special call to some of you. Poor soul! are you willing to be saved? "O, sir, willing, willing indeed; I cannot use that word; I would give all I have if I might but be saved." Do you mean you would give it all in order to purchase it? "Oh no, sir, I do not mean that; I know I cannot purchase it; I know it is God's gift, but still, if I could be but saved, I would ask nothing else.

"Lord, deny me what thou wilt,
Only ease me of my guilt;
Suppliant at thy feet I lie,
Give me Christ, or else I die."
Why, then the Lord speaks to you this morning, to you if not to any other man in the chapel, he speaks to you and says - "Whosoever will let him come." You cannot say this does not mean you. When we give the general invitation, you may exempt yourself perhaps in some way or other, but you cannot now. You are willing, then come and take the water of life freely. "Had not I better pray?" It does not say so; it says, take the water of life. "But had not I better go home and get better?" No, take the water of life, and take the water of life now. You are standing by the fountain outside there, and the water is flowing and you are willing to drink; you are picked out of a crowd who are standing round about, and you are specially invited by the person who built the fountain. He says, "Here is a special invitation for you; you are willing; come and drink." "Sir," you say, "I must go home and wash my pitcher." "No," says he, "come and drink." "But, sir, I want to go home and write a petition to you." "I do not want it," he says, "drink now, drink now." What would you do? If you were dying of thirst, you would just put your lips down and drink. Soul, do that now. Believe that Jesus Christ is able to save thee now. Trust thy soul in his hands now. No preparation is wanted. Whosoever will let him come; let him come at once and take the water of life freely. To take that water is simply to trust Christ; to repose on him; to take him to be your all in all. Oh that thou wouldest do it now! Thou are willing; God has made thee willing. When the crusaders heard the voice of Peter the hermit, as he bade them go to Jerusalem to take it from the hands of the invaders, they cried out at once, "Deus vult; God wills it; God wills it;" and every man plucked his sword from its scabbard, and set out to reach the holy sepulchre, for God willed it. So come and drink, sinner; God wills it. Trust Jesus; God wills it. If you will it, that is the sign that God wills it. "Father, thy will be done on earth even as it is in heaven." As sinners, humbly stoop to drink of the flowing crystal which streams from the sacred fountain which Jesus opened for his people; let it be said in heaven, "God's will is done; hallelujah, hallelujah!" "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy;" yet "Whosoever will let him come and take the water of life freely."

Charles Spurgeon, God's Will and Man's Will

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