Two Kinds of People

There are times when things culminate into simple distinctions. In the climax of the classic Clint Eastwood Western film “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly,” Blondie (Clint’s character) and Turco (Eli Wallach’s character) are finally standing near the buried treasure they have been looking for, when Blondie says to Turco:

“You see in this world there are two kinds of people my friend: those with loaded guns and those who dig.” – “You dig.”

Realizing his position, Turco picks up a shovel and starts digging.

In the Bible, Jesus tells Nicodemus, a Pharisee, that at the climax of history on the last day, there will be two kinds of people. In the most famous verse in the Bible, Jesus says:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)

In this verse, Jesus tells us who those two kinds of people are: there will be those who have faith and believe in Jesus, which will ultimately lead them to having eternal life, and there are those without faith or belief who will perish eternally. Jesus is saying believers can look forward to a new eternal life while unbelievers can look forward to eternal spiritual death.

Later on, Jesus further describes these two kinds of people and what will happen to them:

²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.²⁵ “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. ²⁷ And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:24-29)

Jesus said that the person who believes will be resurrected to life, the other kind of person (those who do not believe) is technically dead already and will be resurrected to judgment.

The question we should be asking is: which of these two kinds of people are we? I pray that you would consider Jesus Christ, have faith and believe in him as the Son of God who came to save us from our sins.

As Jesus said:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)

Understanding Christianity and Islam

Many today are looking to understand the basic differences between Christianity and Islam. Dr. Michael Horton of Westminster Seminary California discusses the relationship between Christianity and Islam in 3 videos. In the first video below, Dr. Horton explains the basic differences between Christianity and Islam. In the second video, Dr. Horton explains the differences between the Bible and the Koran. In the third video, Dr. Horton explains how Christians can love their Muslim neighbors.

Part 1



Part 2:



Part 3:



For further reading, below is a link to Dr. Horton's article entitled "Christ & Islam":

http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1372&var3=main&var4=Home

Are Mormons Christian?

The Mormon faith (formally known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) has been in the news recently, due to the Presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney. However, other well known politicians and celebrities are Mormons, including Senators Harry Reid and Orrin Hatch, TV Personality Glen Beck, Business Consultant Steven Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People), and well known Television and Music personalities Donny & Marie Osmond. There has been some discussion of late in the media regarding what the Mormons believe. In 1997 and in 2007, former President Jimmy Carter described Mormons as Christians. More recently, Pastor Robert Jeffress (friend of Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Perry and Pastor of the 10,000 member First Baptist church of Dallas TX) called Mormonism a "cult." On April 24, 2012, CNN reported that Pastor Joel Osteen said Mitt Romney was a "Christian," and that he sees Mormons as "brothers in Christ."  So, the question is, are the Mormons just another denomination of Christianity like the Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, etc., or are they a completely different faith altogether?  Is there some good evidence out there for comparing what Mormons and Orthodox Christianity believes?

Below are links to some great blog articles that give a clear picture of what Mormons believe and how it differs, and is quite unlike Orthodox Christianity:

Joe Carter, Editor of the Gospel Coalition, has an nice article entitled: The FAQs: Are Mormons Christian?

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/04/24/the-faqs-are-mormons-christian/

Justin Taylor, VP of Editorial at Crossway Books, has an article entitled: An FAQ on the Difference between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/08/30/an-faq-on-the-difference-between-mormonism-and-biblical-christianity/

Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing MI, has an article entitled: Mormonism 101 

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2011/10/13/mormonism-101/

Denny Burke, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has an article entitled: Is Mormonsim a Cult?

http://www.dennyburk.com/is-mormonism-a-cult/

Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has an article entitled: Mormonism, Democracy, and the Urgent Need for Evangelical Thinking

http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/10/10/mormonism-democracy-and-the-urgent-need-for-evangelical-thinking/

Finally, there is an article co-authored by a Mormon and an Orthodox Christian that is interesting as it contains opposing views. Bruce D. Porter is a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Gerald R. McDermott is Jordan-Trexler Professor or Religion at Roanoke College. The article is called: Is Mormonism Christian?

http://www.firstthings.com/article/2008/09/003-is-mormonism-christian-31

Finally, there are some good videos by Bobby Conway, the "One Minute Apologist," which discuss the differences between Christianity and Mormonism featuring Richard Howe and Norman Geisler:

What About the Body?

Last year, one of the guys in my men’s Bible study asked the question: “Was Jesus’ physical body raised from the dead and why is that important?” The following is my attempt to answer that question.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the pivotal doctrine of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection, the Apostle Paul tells us that we are still dead in our sin (1 Cor. 15: 13-14). There are some however, who claim to believe in the resurrection, but deny that the physical body of Jesus was raised from the dead. Some of these persons include Jehovah Witnesses, who claim that Jesus was raised as a spirit; a sort of spiritual resurrection. Why is it important that Jesus rose bodily from the dead? Below are some reasons which point to the importance of believing in Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead:

• The definition of the word Resurrection in the Bible always refers to the physical body in the Hebrew and Greek languages, unless it is used figuratively. Hebrew and Greek Lexicons confirm this.

• Jesus taught that his physical body would be raised from the dead and that he would raise it. In John 2:19-22, Jesus tells the Jews “destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” claiming that his body would be raised from the dead after three days. John mentions that the disciples recalled this after Jesus’ resurrection.

• Jesus proved his bodily resurrection by appearing directly to his disciples. In John 20:24-28, we read that Thomas refused to believe in the resurrection unless he could see and touch Jesus. Jesus then appeared and allowed Thomas to touch him. Thomas did see and touch Jesus, and became a worshipper instead of a doubter when confronted with the risen Christ.

• Jesus corrected the Disciples’ error about his resurrection. In Luke 24: 36-49, Jesus appeared to the disciples. They immediately thought they had seen a ghost, or spirit being. However, Jesus corrects them, asking them to examine and touch him; saying that a ghost does not have flesh and bones as Jesus had. To make the point even stronger, Jesus ate with them. Jesus dispelled the error that he was a spirit and showed that he had a physical body.

• The Disciples were dramatically changed after many multiple appearances. Luke further tells us in Acts 1:3-4 that Jesus gave the apostles many convincing proofs that he was alive during the 40 day period after his resurrection. John tells us in 1 John 1:1 that the Apostles not only saw and heard, but also handled or touched the glorified, resurrected Jesus physically. Paul tells us in 1 Cor 15: 6 that there were over 500 witnesses to the resurrected Christ. The post resurrection appearances of Jesus to his disciples convinced them so dramatically that they were changed from fearful cowards into fearless Apostles, willing to die for the Gospel.

• Belief in the historic doctrine of the Resurrection is a spiritual necessity. In 1 Cor 15:17, Paul says that if Christ is not raised, then our faith is in vain and we are still in our sins; we would still be condemned if Jesus weren’t raised from the dead. In Romans 10:9, Paul tells us that if we confess with our mouth Jesus Christ and believe with our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved.

Some questions arise regarding the resurrection. Below are listed some of them along with a response:

• In John 20 and Luke 24, Mary Magdalene and the disciples failed to recognize the resurrected Jesus. Jesus also appeared to his disciples in a room where the door was locked. Does this mean that Jesus was a spirit or in some unrecognizable form? No. Luke 24:16 states that their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus. Jesus prevented the disciples from recognizing him until He wanted them to. Also, in his glorified form, Jesus had the ability to appear at will wherever he chose. The fact that he appeared in the room doesn’t mean he had to be a spirit. There is no Bible reference that indicates Jesus passed through a door; he simply willed his presence to be there physically in the room with his disciples.

• In 1 Cor 15: 44, Paul uses the description “spiritual body.” Is a “spiritual body” a spirit? No. First, Paul attached the word “body” to his description. Second, Jesus’ glorified body was unlike anything we are familiar with. 1 Cor 15:50 states that Christ’s body was of “flesh and bones,” therefore it was tangible body, not a non-corporeal spirit. Also, if Jesus was really a spirit, then it could be argued that making his disciples think he had a physical body was deceptive on Jesus part.

• In 1 Cor 15:45, why does Paul describe Jesus as a “quickening spirit?” Paul was not saying Jesus is a spirit; he is describing the authority Jesus has to raise the dead. In John 5:21, Jesus has the power to quicken, or give life to whomever he wills. John further states in verses 25-29 that Jesus will be involved in raising or resurrecting all flesh, one of his functions as God the Son.  

• 1 Peter 3:18 says that Christ was “quickened by the spirit”…does this mean that Christ was raised a spirit? No. This verse and Romans 8:11 tell us that the Holy Spirit was involved in Christ’s resurrection. Jesus himself said he was involved in his own resurrection (John 2: 19-22 and John 10:18), while Peter confirms that the Father was involved in raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 3:26). Therefore, all three persons of the Trinity were involved in the resurrection.

As Jesus said in John 11:25”I am the resurrection and the life.” The glorious truth and promise of the resurrection is that we, as believers, will be like the resurrected Christ someday (1 John 3:2) This is reason to hope in the future. May we, like the disciples, no longer fear death, for we too will conquer death itself through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Bibliography: Walter R. Martin, Essential Christianity (Santa Ana CA: Vision House, 1980), pp. 59-65.

What to Say When Someone Says "The Bible Has Errors"

Jonathan Dodson, pastor of Austin City Life Church in Austin Tx, has a good article supporting the reliability of the Bible, entitled What to Say When Someone Says "The Bible Has Errors." Go to the link below:

http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com/what-to-say-when-someone-says-the-bible-has-errors/

The page also has the article available for download in pdf format. Use this link below:

http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com/wp-content/plugins/post2pdf-converter/post2pdf-converter-pdf-maker.php?id=586

Seven Statements Jesus Made About Himself

A lot of people have different opinions about who Jesus is. However, the best evidence of who Jesus is comes directly from Jesus himself. Jesus made seven statements about himself that are recorded in the Bible. No one else in history ever made the kind of statements that Jesus made. Here they are:

1. Jesus repeatedly said that he came down from heaven. The Gospel of John contains at least six instances where Jesus said this. Jesus didn’t just say that he saw heaven, but that he originated and came down from there.
2. Jesus said that he alone is God. In John 10: 30-33, Jesus says the he and the father are one, making himself equal with God. We further read that this is exactly why the Jews (Pharisees) wanted to kill Jesus and was so vigorously opposed by them.
3. Jesus said that his miracles proved that he was God. In John 10: 36-39, Jesus points to his miracles as proof of who he is.
4. Jesus says he is without sin. In John 8: 46, Jesus asks who would convict him of sin, implying his sinless and holy nature. This is an astonishing claim, as we are all aware of our own faults. Jesus says he has none.
5. Jesus says he could forgive sin. In Mark 2: 5, Jesus tells the paralytic man his sins are forgiven. The Pharisees heard this and a debate ensued, as they said that only God can forgive sins…and they were right.
6. Jesus said he is the only way to Heaven. In John 14: 6, Jesus says that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one can reach the Father in heaven except through him. Salvation then, is not by means or works of man or any religions; salvation is only by and through Jesus himself.
7. Jesus predicted that he would be killed and that he would rise bodily from the dead. Jesus predicted his own death and bodily resurrection in John 2 and Mark 10:33-34.

The question for us today is: who do you think Jesus is? Jesus asks us this question in Matt 16:15 when he says “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus invites us to repent and come to him in faith for only the life he can give….eternal life.

Bibliography:

Mark Driscoll, sermon entitled “Vintage Jesus”, given at the Crystal Cathedral, August 23, 2009. The entire message is available at this link:

http://www.crystalcathedral.org/hour_of_power/messages/detail.php?contentid=3748

The Preeminence of Christ

On June 9, 2011 I posted an article called "Which Jesus Do You Believe In". That article discussed who the writer of Hebrews says Jesus is, compared with what others say Jesus is. The Apostle Paul had a similar view of Jesus as the writer of Hebrews. Paul had been a persecutor of Christians and complicit in the murder of the first Christian martyr, Stephen. However later, Paul had a dramatic face to face meeting with Jesus on the Damascus road that forever changed him and his view of who Jesus was. Writing to the Church of Colosse from a Roman prison around 60 AD, Paul’s letter was intended to counter what was being taught about Jesus by false teachers. In Colossians 1: 15-20, Paul quotes from what scholars think is an early Christian hymn. In one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible, Paul explains who Jesus Christ is this way:

^{Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,  for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.  Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.  For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,  and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. (Col 1: 15-20, NLT Bible)}

From these verses, Paul describes the following characteristics of Jesus:

1. Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. If you want to know who God is, look at Jesus. Similarly, the writer of Hebrews called Jesus the very character and nature of God imprinted (stamped) in human flesh (Heb 1:3).

2. He existed before anything… Jesus existed before anything, therefore Jesus is eternal.

3. … is supreme over all creation. The word supreme in verse 15 is the Greek word prototokos, which means firstborn (the one who inherits all of the father’s possessions and authority, like a prince who becomes king upon the father’s death) or the preeminent one. Jesus is preeminent over all creation. Only God can be preeminent over creation.

4. Through him God created everything. Everything that exists was created by God through Jesus. Likewise, the Apostle John says that Jesus created everything that was created (John 1:3). This verse also indicates the separate divine personality of the Son to the Father (the Trinity).

5. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see. Jesus created angels and all of the heavenly realms.

6. Everything was created through him and for him. Not only did Jesus create everything, everything that Jesus created is specifically for him and for his glory. Everything belongs to him. We belong to him. Only God can have this kind of authority.

7. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Jesus not only eternally existed before creation, Jesus holds all of creation together at this very moment. The reason we are alive at this moment and why anything that we know exists at all is because of Jesus. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus upholds the universe by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). This kind of power is unimaginable; it is the power of God.

8. Christ is also the head of the church. As the divine Son of God who willingly became a man in order to come to Earth and give himself to save human beings from the penalty of sin, Jesus is the head of the church and is the one who the church worships.

9. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. Jesus is described as supreme over all who rise from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection means that death itself and the power of sin is conquered and makes a believer’s resurrection possible.

10. So he is first in everything. Jesus is first and supreme in everything as creator, sustainer, and savior. Therefore, we should place Him first in everything.

11. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ. When Jesus came to Earth, he was both God and man, a perfect human being who had all the fullness of God in him.

12. and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. God took the initiative to save human beings from sin and make a way to pay the penalty of sin by means of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. God poured out his wrath for sin upon Jesus on the cross. The creator acted to make a way of salvation for the creation he made, and forever break the power of sin and death.

As we look forward to Christmas this season, let us remember who Jesus really is. He is the eternal creator and sustainer, the one who created us for his glory. He is the one who holds everything together and is the exact image of God. This is why there is salvation in no other. Because of who Jesus is and what he has done for us, he alone is worthy of our worship. Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life, a life that only Jesus makes possible.

Grace and Truth at Penn State

Most people that heard of the unfolding events at Penn State University last week were horrified and saddened. It seems that a University President, Athletic Director, Head Football Coach, and Assistant Coach apparently would not take decisive action necessary to investigate, follow-up and/or stop the alleged sexual abuse of children by one of their own. Conflicting emotions took hold of many on the campus. Some reacted angrily to the removal of their beloved coach, who had up to this point been a pillar of virtue. Others rallied to remember the victims. Sometimes God allows the horror of sin to be revealed or shakes our world in order to direct our attention to Him.

For me, the one light shining in the awful darkness of this sad situation was the Penn State and Nebraska football teams gathering for prayer prior to the game on Saturday. Below is a video of Nebraska Running Back Coach Ron Brown leading prayer for both teams prior to the game.

Below is Coach Brown's press conference after the game, where he explains why the teams prayed and what Grace and Truth are. Coach Brown is a Christian who is not afraid to share his faith or the hope that he has in Christ.

A Chosen People



Winters in Chicago can be particularly difficult, even though our city is one of the best prepared for it. Along with only 8-9 hours of daylight, we can experience many days of overcast along with the snow and cold. And when the sun finally does shine, the temperature usually drops to near zero degrees Fahrenheit. Early last February was particularly difficult, when we had a blizzard which brought 60 mile per hour winds and two or more feet of snow. It took a couple days for most people to dig out, then the temperature dropped and we had even more misery.

Winter days seem to accentuate the difficulties of everyday life. The guys in our small prayer group at church were going through some particularly difficult times during this period: one was going through home foreclosure, another was experiencing a drop in business and difficulties with a son, and another had a sick wife. It was during this gloomy and depressing time that we came across the Bible passage of 1 Peter 2: 9-10, where Peter is giving encouragement to believers going through hard times, which says:

"…. for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.　Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy."

The words in this passage are very encouraging for a believer. It says we are a chosen people; God in His mercy, chose us. It says we are royal priests; unlike the Israelites of the Old Testament, we can approach God and the throne of grace as a priest because Jesus Christ’s sacrifice had torn the veil of the Temple between mankind and God. As believers, we are God’s own possession; He will not let go of what belongs to Him. In gratitude for what He has done for us, we will want to tell others of how God brought us out of spiritual winter of darkness and death, and into His marvelous light and eternal life. As believers, we can rejoice for we now have an identity as God’s chosen possession, a God who knows us by our name, a name that He has written in the Book of Life from before the foundation of the world. And all of this is because we have received God’s mercy through faith in what his Son, Jesus Christ has done for us, something we could not do for ourselves.

May these words encourage you as they encouraged us during the dark, cold, gloom of winter.

 

What Is Your Pin?

Near the end of the film Schindler’s List, World War Two is drawing to a close. With liberation by Allied forces imminent, 1100 Jewish factory workers gathered to honor Oskar Schindler, the man who had helped them escape the Nazi death camps. The Jews presented Schindler with a gold ring, made from a gold tooth given by one of the Jews, in appreciation for what Schindler had done for them. Moved by their gesture, Schindler comes to a moment of self-realization: he didn't deserve their honor because he could have saved more people using the many resources that he had wasted in the past. Removing a gold Nazi lapel pin from his jacket that he had worn for many years, Schindler realized that he could have saved two more people with it. Schindler is overcome with shame that he had held back something so small that could have been used to save a life.

Often times, we go through life thoroughly convinced that we are doing everything possible to give of ourselves to others. Living the American dream, we are often consumed with family, friends, work, and hobbies. But there are times, like with Oskar Schindler, we come to the realization that most of what we are doing, while not necessarily bad, is usually self centered and self serving. Recently, Kevin Conway, a missionary with Church Resource Ministries, told my Saturday Morning men’s group that the plight of the people in Croatia & Bosnia so moved him that he gave up his home, business, and career to serve God in the former Yugoslavia. Kevin also asked us to consider this question: Like Oskar Schindler, what is your pin? What are you holding back from God that could be used to save the lost?

Dr. John Piper, Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis MN has a free on-line book (in .pdf format) that helps us think about this question: it is called Don’t Waste Your Life. The book is available free at the link below:

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/online-books/dont-waste-your-life

A Letter to His Flock From the Imprisoned Iranian Pastor

Youcef Nadarkhani is a Christian Iranian Pastor, who is currently in prison awaiting execution by the Iranian government. You see, it is illegal to be a Christian in Iran. Many are trying to put pressure on the Iranian government to stop the execution. Recently, the Iranian Government has released propaganda (shades of Josef Goebbels, the Nazi propagandist) stating that Pastor Youcef is not being executed for being a Christian, but rather for being a rapist and thief. This is in spite of all the documentation regarding the trial. I guess when you are used to lying as often and as regularly as the Iranian government does, it is hard to keep your stories straight. This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 5: 11-12, where He says:


"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

From what Jesus says above, it sounds like Pastor Youcef is in good company.
Below is a letter written by Pastor Youcef to his flock over one year ago while imprisoned. When I read this, the Apostle Paul's prison epistles came to mind. I hope you are as encouraged as I am by Pastor Youcef's courage and abiding in the Lord. The letter sounds authentic; an Iranian propagandist couldn't write this.
_____________________________________________________________________________　

This is a letter from Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani written from prison in Iran earlier this year. Pastor Youcef currently faces the death sentence for apostasy – conversion from Islam to Christianity – and is waiting for the court’s final verdict. Please continue to pray.
This message has been translated from Farsi to English.

Dear brothers and sisters, Salam

In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I am continuously seeking grace and mercy to you, that you remember me and those who are bearing efforts for his name in your prayers.

Your loyalty to God is the cause of my strength and encouragement.
For I know well that you will be rewarded; as it’s stated: blessed is the one who has faith, for what has been said to him by God, will be carried out. As we believe, heaven and earth will fade but his word will still remain.

Dear beloved ones, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of a few verses, although you might know them, So that in everything, you give more effort than the past, both to prove your election, and for the sake of Gospel that is to be preached to the entire world as well.

I know that not all of us are granted to keep this word, but to those who are granted this power and this revelation, I announce the same as Jude, earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

We are passing by special and sensitive days.They are days that for an alert and awake believer can be days of spiritual growth and progress. Because for him, more than any other time there is the possibility to compare his faith with the word of God, have God’s promises in mind, and survey his faith.

Therefore he (the true believer) does not need to wonder for the fiery trial that has been set on for him as though it were something unusual, but it pleases him to participate in Christ’s suffering. Because the believer knows he will rejoice in his glory.

Dears, the " judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

Therefore those who are enduring burdens by the will of God, commit their souls to the faithful Creator. Promises that he has given us, are unique and precious. As we’ve heard he has said: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you"

How can it be possible for a believer to understand these words?
Not only when he is focusing on Jesus Christ with adapting his life according to the life Jesus lived when he was on earth? As it is said " O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail."

Have we not read and heard: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Many attempt to flee from their spiritual tests, and they have to face those same tests in a more difficult manner, because no one will be victorious by escaping from them, but with patience and humility he will be able to overcome all the tests, and gain victory.

Therefore in the place of Christ’s followers, we must not feel desperate, but we have to pray to God in supplication with more passion to help us with any assistance we may need.
According to what Paul has said: In every temptation, God himself will make a way for us to tolerate it.

O beloved ones, difficulties do not weaken mankind, but they reveal the true human nature.

It will be good for us to occasionally face persecutions and abnormalities, since these abnormalities will persuade us to search our hearts, and to survey ourselves. So as a result, we conclude that troubles are difficult, but usually good and useful to build us.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must be more careful than any other time. Because in these days, the hearts and thoughts of many are revealed, so that the faith is tested. May your treasure be where there is no moth and rust.

I would like to remind you of some verses that we nearly discuss everyday, (Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.) but as long as our human will has priority over God’s will, his will will not be done.

As we have learned from him in Gethsemane, he surrendered his will to the father, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
What we are bearing today, is a difficult but not unbearable situation, because neither he has tested us more than our faith and our endurance, nor does he do as such. And as we have known from before, we must beware not to fail, but to advance in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, And consider these bumps and prisons as opportunities to testify to his name. He said: If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

As a small servant, necessarily in prison to carry out what I must do, I say with faith in the word of God that he will come soon."However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Discipline yourself with faith in the word of God. Retain your souls with patience. For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly.
May you are granted grace and blessings increasingly in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.

Yusef Nadarkhani
Lakan Prison in Rasht
2/June/2010

Source: http://cyberbrethren.com/2011/09/30/a-letter-to-his-flock-from-the-pastor-imprisoned-by-the-iranians/

Departing From the Gospel

In the Saturday Men’s Bible Study that I attend at my church, the first lesson in our Galatians Study Guide by John MacArthur was departing from the Gospel. In the opening verses in Galatians 1: 1-9, we read where the Apostle Paul is addressing the churches he founded in Galatia, that he is gravely concerned that they have abandoned the Gospel message that they learned from Paul for another, or counterfeit gospel. The question for us is: how can we, like the Galatians, know the true gospel from the false gospel?

US Treasury Agents are law enforcement professionals who protect our nation’s currency by stopping counterfeiters. These agents receive special training in how to recognize a genuine versus a counterfeit bill. This training involves the Treasury Agent becoming so very familiar with what an original bill looks like, that they are immediately able to recognize a bill that is different.

In the same way, we should become very familiar with the true gospel, so that we are not confused or fooled into believing a counterfeit. Some people have only known a counterfeit and not the original gospel. What is the genuine gospel?

The genuine gospel compared with a false gospel can be summed up this way:

• Genuine Gospel: Faith/belief in Jesus Christ + zero (nothing) = Salvation
• Counterfeit Gospel: Faith/belief in Jesus Christ + works (something else) = Salvation

The "works" in the counterfeit gospel include law keeping, rituals, partaking in sacraments, good deeds, church membership, tithing, etc. Basically works are anything we do that adds to what Christ has done, or are things that prevent us from depending completely on Christ alone for our salvation. All other religions and belief systems involve some type of works/salvation system. Only the true gospel of Christianity is by faith alone in Jesus Christ and what he has already done for us.

Our study guide referenced Romans 3: 19-28. These verses contain a detailed theology of salvation by grace through faith alone.

• Verse 22 says the righteousness of God is by faith in Jesus Christ.
• Verse 24 states we are justified (declared innocent) freely (without cost on our part) by His grace.
• Verse 26 states that God is the justifier (judge that declares us innocent) of the one who has faith in Jesus.
• Verse 28 states that man is justified apart from (excluding or not involving) deeds of the law (good works or rules).

Remember the true gospel: Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day. Our repentance (turning away from sin in a new direction) & faith in his sacrifice alone for forgiveness of sins is what saves us.

Justification: The Heart of the Gospel

Justification is an important word in the New Testament; it means to be declared innocent (or not guilty) by God. The basis of our justification is by faith in Christ alone for salvation. I recently found a good article on Justification on the Ligonier Ministries blog that I wanted to share:

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by Nathan Bingham, Ligonier Ministries

For the Apostle Paul, the doctrine of justification was the heart of the gospel (Rom 1:17; 3:21-5:21; Gal. 2: 15-5:1). Martin Luther declared that justification was the doctrine by which “the church either stands or falls.” R.C. Sproul’s mentor John Gerstner goes further in reminding us that it’s not only the church that stands or falls by this doctrine, “but the individual also.”

As justification is so important, it’s necessary that we have a clear understanding of what this doctrine teaches. While reading Galatians in the The Reformation Study Bible recently, I appreciated the clear and succinct explanation offered in its theological article on justification.

Justification is God’s act of pardoning sinners and accepting them as righteous for Christ’s sake. In it, God puts permanently right their previously estranged relationship with Himself. This justifying sentence is God’s bestowal of a status of acceptance for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 5:21).

God’s justifying judgment seems strange, for pronouncing sinners righteous may appear to be precisely the kind of unjust action by a judge that God’s own law forbids (Deut 25:1; Prov. 17:15). Yet it is a just judgment, for its basis is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. As “the last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45), our representative head acting on our behalf, Christ obeyed the law that bound us and endured the punishment for lawlessness that we deserved, and so “merited” our justification. Our justification is on a just basis (Rom. 3:25, 26; 1 John 1:9), with Christ’s righteousness reckoned to our account (Rom. 5:18, 19).

God’s justifying decision is in effect the judgment of the Last Day regarding where we will spend eternity, brought forward into the present and pronounced here and now. It is a judgment on our eternal destiny; God will never go back on it, however much Satan may appeal against the verdict (Zech. 3:1; Rom. 8:33, 34; Rev. 12:10). To be justified is to be eternally secure (Rom. 5:1-5; 8:30).

The necessary means of justification is personal faith in Jesus Christ as crucified Savior and risen Lord (Rom. 4: 23-25; 10:8-13). Faith is necessary because the meritorious ground of our justification is entirely in Christ. As we give ourselves in faith to Jesus, Jesus gives us His gift of righteousness, so that in the very act of “closing with Christ,” as older Reformed teachers put It, we receive the divine pardon and acceptance we can find nowhere else (Gal. 2:15, 16; 3:24).

Source: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/justification-heart-gospel/

Jesus Heals the Paralytic

Mark 2: 1-12: When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven." But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!" Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, "We’ve never seen anything like this before!" (NLT Bible)

The paralytic was totally helpless. We are not told in this passage whether he was a paraplegic or a quadriplegic, only that he was so helpless and that it required his friends to carry him on a mat in order for him to go anywhere. No wheelchairs, scooters, or medical care existed. In the ancient near East, paralysis was a condition that would probably lead to death sooner rather than later.

The people that amaze me in this passage are the paralytic’s friends. They believed that Jesus could do something for their paralytic friend. They believed it so strongly that they were willing to carry their helpless friend all the way to the house where Jesus was. It must have been hard, carrying the dead weight of the paralytic on his mat, but the friends did it. Not being deterred by the crowds at the house where Jesus was, the friend’s faith was such that they improvised and carried, even lifting the paralytic up to the roof of the house, where they opened a hole in the roof and lowered the paralytic down into the house in front of Jesus. Amazing.

The text then tells us that Jesus saw their faith, the faith of the friends and the paralytic. Jesus immediately responded to seeing their faith by declaring to the paralytic that his sins were forgiven. The question that comes to my mind here is: Why did Jesus declare that the paralytic’s sins were forgiven instead of healing him?

I believe the answer to the question is that the paralytic’s greatest need was forgiveness of sins rather than to be physically healed. The paralytic symbolizes the human race. Like the paralytic, we humans are in a hopeless and helpless condition, due to our sins. Our sins condemn us to death and an eternity without God. It was also a teaching moment for Jesus. The religious teachers recognized this when they questioned Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, rightly pointing out that only God can forgive sins. However, they missed Jesus’ point. By forgiving sins, Jesus was indicating that he IS Messiah, the righteous and divine Son of God. This passage is a clear, unmistakable indication of Jesus’ divinity. Jesus reinforces the point by telling the religious teachers that as the Son of Man, He had the authority and divine identity to forgive sins. Jesus then heals the paralytic as a demonstration of that authority. The response of the crowd to the healing was that they praised God.

The question for us today is: Like the paralytic and his friends, do you have the faith to come to Jesus for forgiveness in your helpless and hopeless condition? Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. He gave himself as a sacrifice for your sins on the cross. He will forgive your sin just as He forgave the paralytic. When you repent and believe, you can have your sins forgiven and you can have a relationship with the Living God and have hope for the future in Eternity. Ask Jesus to heal and forgive you today.

Please contact me if you would like to talk to someone about your decision, if you have any questions, or you would like to discuss this Good News.

Dave Moore

Five marks of revived churches

J. I. Packer, writing in God in our Midst (Ann Arbor, 1987), pages 24-35, proposes that, among the variety of God’s ways, five constants appear in all biblical revivals:
1.  Awareness of God’s presence: “The first and fundamental feature in renewal is the sense that God has drawn awesomely near in his holiness, mercy and might.”
2.  Responsiveness to God’s Word: “The message of Scripture which previously was making only a superficial impact, if that, now searches its hearers and readers to the depth of their being.”
3.  Sensitiveness to sin: “Consciences become tender and a profound humbling takes place.”
4.  Liveliness in community: “Love and generosity, unity and joy, assurance and boldness, a spirit of praise and prayer, and a passion to reach out to win others, are recurring marks of renewed communities.”
5. Fruitfulness in testimony: “Christians proclaim by word and deed the power of the new life, souls are won, and a community conscience informed by Christian values emerges.”

Ray Ortlund

Source: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2011/08/19/five-marks-of-revived-churches/

Are There Many Ways to God?

Many people today are uncomfortable with the idea of absolute truth. Like Oprah Winfrey, they think that there are many ways to God. Not only do most people believe there are many ways to God; they think that anyone who believes there is only one way to God is somehow less spiritual, narrow-minded, or even bigoted and racist. However, their insistence that there is no absolute truth or that there are many paths to God in and of itself, constitutes a theological truth claim just as narrow as any other. It is also a self-refuting claim, because if all truth claims are valid, then so is the contradictory claim that says there is only one way to God.


Jesus himself answered the question of how to reach God in various Gospel accounts, but none more clear and unequivocal than this one:

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)


As author C.S. Lewis observed, Jesus’ claim to be the way, the truth, and the life; the only way to the Father meant that He (Jesus) was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord.


Christian author Paul E. Little in his book How to Give Away Your Faith addresses objections that people have to Jesus being the only way to God. He says:

• Our sincerity or intensity of faith cannot produce truth.
• Faith is no more valid than the object of the faith.
• Completely contradictory truth claims cannot be simultaneously true.
• All other religions deny that Jesus is the only true God.
• All other religions say that individuals must somehow merit salvation by their own works.
• Jesus himself repeatedly defined who he was and how salvation is obtained.
• God himself has the right to define the terms of a relationship with him.

I would invite you to consider the truth claim of Jesus: that as the virgin-born, incarnate Son-of-God, He is the only way to the Father, and that the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for sin and His bodily resurrection from the dead are a testimony to the truth of who He is and how we can be reconciled to God.


The Apostle Peter, who denied Jesus three times prior to the resurrection, made this bold, narrow statement to the Jewish Leaders who had put Jesus to death:
　
"For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."(Acts 4:11-12)

For additional reasons to believe that Jesus is the only way to God, check out this video by Dr. Bobby Conway, Pastor of Life Fellowship Church in Charlotte NC:

Can You Know For Sure That You're Going To Heaven?

Can You Know For Sure That You're Going To Heaven? This is a question that many people are asking. Erwin Lutzer, Pastor of Moody Memorial Church in Chicago IL, answers this question in the video below:

What Not to Wear

If you have a wife or teen/young adult daughters like I do, you have probably seen this program. The show begins with a woman, wearing her favorite clothes (which are out of date or worse), seeing nothing wrong with her clothes or appearance, and totally oblivious to what others think. Then, she walks into a room surrounded by mirrors and bright lights, exposing every detail of her appearance, good or bad (mostly bad). Suddenly, two fashion consultants, Stacy and Clinton, walk in and give their caustic critique of the woman’s clothing. Such is the typical opening of the cable television program What Not to Wear. The woman eventually realizes her bad fashion, the old clothes are taken away, and an entirely new and complimentary wardrobe is provided completely free. All is well.

Dr. Philip Ryken, current President of Wheaton College (IL) and former pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia PA, says that the show What Not to Wear is like a modern parable of salvation. We are like the woman wearing what not to wear, clothed in our sinful nature. When we are confronted with the light of the gospel and God’s holiness, we are fully exposed for what we are. In spite of our sinful, hopeless condition, God takes the initiative and acts to take away our iniquity and gives us the “new clothes” of His righteousness, entirely by His grace.

Similarly, famous British Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) describes how God’s transforming grace clothes the believer in  righteousness:

"Christ has delivered us from the power of the serpent who opened our eyes and told us we were naked, by covering us from head to foot with a righteousness that adorns and protects us so that we are comfortable in heart and beautiful in the sight of God and are no more ashamed." (Spiritual Warfare in the Believer’s Life)

For Dr. Ryken’s entire chapel message on “What Not To Wear” (one of the best I have heard on God’s gift of transforming grace), click on the link below:

http://www.wheaton.edu/WETN/All-Media/Chapel/Undergraduate/101020Ryken?lightbox=true

Dare to Be A Sinner

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a German Theologian, Pastor, and martyr. In his book “Life Together,” he explains why Christian Community is important for many reasons, including for Christian spiritual growth. Bonhoeffer notes that religious or pious people are “shocked” when a sinner is discovered in their midst, and do not permit sinners in their fellowship. What happens as a result is the sin of the pious is hidden, resulting in their remaining alone in their sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The absurd thing about this is that the Bible says we are all sinners, so the fact that someone is a sinner shouldn’t come to anyone’s great surprise. How and why should we, as sinners, come to God? Bonhoeffer explains:

"You are a sinner; a great, desperate sinner; now come as the sinner that you are, to the God who loves you. He wants you as you are; He does not want anything from you, a sacrifice, a work; He wants you alone. My son, give me thine heart (Prov. 23:26). God has come to you to save the sinner. Be glad! This message is liberation through truth. You can hide nothing from God. The mask you wear before men will do you no good before Him. He wants to see you as you are, He wants to be gracious to you. You do not have to go on lying to yourself and your brothers, as if you were without sin; you can dare to be a sinner.“

The solution, according to Bonhoeffer, is do not worry about what others think; come directly to the God that is full of grace, who freely forgives.

quote from Life Together, 1954 Harper & Row, pg 111

Her Blood Cries Out: Casey Anthony, Caylee, and the Justice of God

Caylee Anthony

At the link below is the best commentary I have read on this very sad story:

http://www.patheos.com/community/philosophicalfragments/2011/07/07/her-blood-cries-out-casey-anthony-caylee-and-the-justice-of-god/