John 5:25- The Words of Life

Passage

“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.” (John 5:25)

Jesus- Lunatic or Lord?

            The teachings of Christ are quite fascinating for any person yet incredibly glorious for Christians. No other life in the world has demanded as much literature toward study, teaching, and explaining who He was/is, what He commanded/commands, and what He did/does for humanity and His people. No one can intelligently deny that Jesus of Nazareth did not influence the whole of humanity with His unwavering convictions, shepherding care for the broken, and sharp words of warning for the self-righteous. Anyone would shortly learn that Jesus’ life was impactful indeed if they were to devote only a brief time studying the things He did and said. However, one other thing is also clear. Jesus left no room for middle grounds in His instruction. He did not come to be followed at a distance, and He did not come to say fascinating things about God for the entertainment of people. Jesus made some outstanding claims that absolutely cannot be ignored. They must be dealt with. They must be answered. Therefore it is of utmost importance to clarify that Jesus left but only two available responses to His hearers—embrace Him as Christ and Lord or reject Him as a liar and/or lunatic. These are the only appropriate responses Jesus set forth, and they still are today. And if one’s eternal soul hinges upon this response, one is able to deduce logically that the most important answer they will ever give is to the question, “What are you to do with this Jesus?” A brief examination of the gospel of John will help in answering.

Setting

            Because the gospels are accounts of the life of Christ with a particular target audience, there is a two-fold nature to the setting of each gospel—the setting in the life of Christ and the setting of the author and recipients. In-depth study of both these settings is required for accurate interpretation and application. Negating the interpretation of the text in either of the settings can result in obscuring the true meaning of the passage by bringing ones own presuppositions to the text, and that is no small issue.

            Like the other three gospels, the gospel of John does not explicitly name its author. However, there is more than convincing evidence to know that the beloved disciple is the author of the fourth gospel—the clearest being the confirmation of Irenaeus (C. A.D. 130-200). John MacArthur notes, “What makes his witness especially valuable is that Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the apostle John. Thus there was a direct line from Irenaeus to John, with only one intervening link.” (MacArthur, p.3) Such a direct confirmation of authorship demands authenticity.

            Numerous considerations place the date of the writing around C. A.D. 80-90. Firstly, in his gospel, John did not mention the fall of the temple of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) which means the writing must have been somewhat removed in time from the event. Secondly, dates in the second century are ruled out by the discovery of Papyrus Egerton 2 and Papyrus 52. (Carson, 82) These two facts along with others leave scholars concluding that the gospel was written in the last decade of the first century. But how can one know who the original intended readers were? A study of the purpose of John’s writing will help shed some clarity.

            John is the only gospel writer among the apostles to record a precise statement of the author’s purpose: “But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31) Therefore one is able to infer that John’s intention was both apologetic (“that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”) and evangelistic (“and that believing you may have life in His name”).

            Dr. John MacArthur confirms this in writing, “John’s Gospel is not only apologetic in its purpose, but aims in particular to evangelize Jews and Jewish proselytes.” (MacArthur, p.91) His conclusion is largely supported by the biblical quotations and allusions to the Old Testament throughout John’s gospel that presume an audience acquainted with the Old Testament. Examples include the snake in the desert (3:14), the manna from heaven (6:31), and a number of others. Likewise, there is no explanation offered of “the Son of Man’, ‘the Prophet’, nor of the devil. These, and a number of other comparable characteristics rule out the view that the Evangelist had a biblically illiterate readership in mind. Again, consulting Carson’s help, “If the work is evangelistic, and intended for those who enjoy some competence in what we today call the Old Testament, Diaspora Jews and proselytes to Judaism constitute the only possibility.” (Carson, p.91) The understanding of John’s intended audience will be especially helpful as one considers the outstanding words of Christ, what they meant in that time, and how they ought to be applied today.

            Secondly, the chronology of Jesus’ life ought to be considered. John, leading up to this point has already presented a wonderfully convincing argument for Christ’s Deity. Beginning in his prologue, he summarizes the incarnation of the Son of God by testifying to His Deity, His Pre-incarnate work in creation, and His eternal generation. Further along, John explains that Christ was rejected by His own, but to all who received Him, He gave the right to be children of God. The following three chapters of John are spent, as John MacArthur would say, “presenting the Son of God.” He is first presented by John the Baptist who testified of His coming. Then the presentation continues in Galilee through His first miracle (turning water to wine), next in Judea as He cleanses the temple and teaches Nicodemus. Afterward Christ is presented in Samaria where the first Samaritan believes (the woman at the well), and lastly Christ goes back to Galilee where he performs His second sign (healing the nobleman’s son). It is not long after these events that Jesus encounters His first persecutors.

            By chapter five of John, religious leaders had already caught word of Jesus of Nazareth and knew that He claimed to be the Christ. This is verified by John the Baptist’s earlier prophecy concerning Jesus as the Messiah.  The Jewish authorities were troubled at the Baptist’s teaching because they feared a popular uprising, which would have been brutally suppressed by the Roman officials and would have diminished the Sanhedrin’s religious power. Therefore before they had even encountered the man Jesus, their hearts were already hardened by their pride and self-righteousness. It is no wonder then that Jesus’ signs meant nothing to them except that they sought all the more to persecute and kill Him. Dr. Luke even recorded in His gospel concerning the unbelief of all of humanity, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31) This passage implies a question that the chosen text will clearly answer— “what then is the effective means by which one can be saved?” Or, “If even a miracle will not convince someone, what can quicken the heart of an unbeliever to believe in the gospel?”

Syntax/Sematics

            “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.” (John 5:25) These jaw-dropping, earth-shattering, universe-staggering words were spoken by the Savior Jesus in response to the first recorded opposition to His teaching. This verse is found in the middle of a section that asserts the Lord’s deity flowing directly from an altercation that arose when Jesus healed a crippled man on the Sabbath. The Greek word “aperkrinato” following the healing literally means, Jesus “answered” them. However, one will see firstly that Jesus was not guilty of violating God’s law but the Pharisee’s extraneous tradition. And secondly, and perhaps more interestingly, Jesus did not defend Himself by pointing out the distinction between God’s Law and man-made tradition. He responded in a far more radical way. Jesus pronounced that He was equal with God and carried the right to do whatever He pleased on the Sabbath. The consequence is one of the most overwhelming Christological discourses in all of Scripture.

            In the preceding verses of chapter five, Jesus maintains that He is equal to the Father in His person (v.17-18), in His works (v. 19-20), in His sovereign power (v.21), in His judgment (v.22), and in His honor. (v. 23) Because Jesus is equal to God in His person, He is worthy of praise. Because Jesus is equal to God in His works, He is able to forgive sins and save sinners. Because Jesus is equal to God in His sovereign power, He is directly involved in the sustenance of all of creation and able to speak life effectually into the dead hearts of men. Because Jesus is equal to God in His judgment, He has authority to judge both the righteous and the wicked accordingly. Because Jesus is equal to God in His honor, He is the only way to be reconciled back to God. There is no spiritual blessing apart from Christ.

            Verse twenty-five builds directly off of these equality claims. “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.” These words are prophetic in nature that they carry an “already, but not yet” feature to them. Jesus declares that the time “is now here…” but also “is coming…” when He will speak, and those who hear will live.

            The “already” portion points primarily to the action of the Son of Man imparting life. Just as Jesus has plainly stated that He is equal to God in His sovereign power, thus He is likewise able to effectually call sinners to repentance by the power of the Holy Spirit. This also carries the implication that salvation is only for those who have heard the gospel and have undergone a radical work of God regenerating their heart. John Calvin explains, “Thus the grace of Christ is a true resurrection from the dead. Now this grace is conferred on us by the Gospel; not that so much energy is possessed by the external voice, which in many cases strikes the ears to no purpose, but because Christ speaks to our hearts within by his Spirit, that we may receive by faith the life which is offered to us.” (Calvin, p. 206) Paul affirms this when he wrote in His letter to the Romans, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” Moreover, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14,17) It is the Word of Christ that produces faith by the power of the Holy Spirit—this is the only effective means of regeneration. Not signs, not philosophy, not church, not decisions, not the flesh, not the human will—but God and God alone! Just as the Apostle John wrote, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13, emphasis added) Additionally, as Jesus asserted “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” (John 5:26) Dr. Carson explains, “it is this eternal impartation of life-in-himself to the Son that grounds his authority and power to call the dead to life by his powerful word.” (Carson, p. 257)

            A Jewish reader could not have avoided contemplating Christ’s claims in light of Ezekiel’s prophesying in the Valley of Dry Bones over five hundred years prior. When Ezekiel was led to the valley he was asked by the Lord, “’Son of man, can these bones live?’ And [Ezekiel] answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’” (Ezekiel 37:3) And as Ezekiel prophesied over the bones the lifeless, useless items, were called to new life and obeyed at the very sound of God’s Word. And the Lord explained to Ezekiel, “’Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel… And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

            It would be no stretch whatsoever to examine Christian conversion in light of Ezekiel 37 and other passages such as the raising of Lazarus. George Whitfield, the fiery Methodist preached a sermon on Ephesians 2 likening sinners to the corpse of Lazarus who Jesus called forth from the grave.

Come, ye dead, Christless, unconverted sinner, come and see the place where they laid the body of the deceased Lazarus … give me leave to tell thee with great plainness, but greater love, that this dead, bound, entombed, stinking carcass, is but a faint representation of thy poor soul in its natural state… thy spirit which thou bearest about with thee is literally dead to God. Was he bound hand a foot with grave clothes? So art thou bound hand and foot with thy corruptions; and as a stone was laid on the sepulcher, so there is a stone of unbelief upon thy stupid heart… and thou art as unable to raise thyself out of this loathsome, dead state, to a life of righteousness and true holiness, as ever Lazarus was to raise himself from the cave in which he lay so long. Thou mayest try the power of thy boasted free will, and the force and energy of moral persuasion and rational arguments; but all thy efforts, exerted with never so much vigor, will prove quite fruitless and abortive, till that same Jesus, who said; “take away the stone” and cried, “Lazarus, come forth,” also quicken you. This is grace graciously offered, and grace graciously applied. (Matto, 1)

This is a most glorious picture of the grace of God extended to sinners. The fact that He would choose to save any is a wonder in itself. Yet He chooses to speak into the lives of sinners and raise them to new life in Christ. This ought to cause Christians to fall to their knees in the deepest of wonder and adoration, and praise the God of grace who’s saved them to Himself.

            The “not yet” portion of the text points primarily to the Son of Man imparting judgment. Consulting the verses preceding twenty-five will help shed some clarity here. When Jesus says, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son…” (v.22) there are three important strands coming together. Number one, Jesus is the apocalyptic Son of Man as referred in Daniel, Ezekiel, and other prophets. This title did not need to be explained to John’s original hearers because they were primarily Jewish proselytes bearing adequate familiarity with the Greek Old Testament. Jesus, as the Son of Man, is receiving form the Ancient of Days the prerogatives of Deity and a kingdom that entails total dominion. Secondly, The Son of Man belongs to humanity as he has walked where humans walk. It is the two of these features combined that make Jesus uniquely qualified to execute judgment. However, stopping here would be insufficient. Thirdly, it is important to note that judgment in the John’s gospel is inextricably bound in proceeding revelation. Judgment therefore descends because men love darkness rather than the light. They reject God’s revelation! Dr. Kostenberger explains, “[Christ’s] authority to judge becomes all the more understandable if it is based not only on his apocalyptic identity and his oneness with the human race, but also on the revelation he has so graciously imparted and which has so often been ignored and rejected.” (Kostenberger, p. 222) A day is coming when all humanity will be judged according to their deeds—and the only ones who will stand in confidence are those who are wrapped in the spotless robes of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Summation/Significance

            The argument of the text then and now is no different. John wrote his gospel “…so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31) both for his readers then and his readers now. And it is significant to note that Christ’s discourse in chapter five is exactly aligned with the holistic purpose of John’s gospel—to testify to the One true Christ and the salvation only in His name. So what can be inferred from these truths? After all, none of these words account for anything if they are not applied to the lives of readers. In fact, readers would be worse off after this essay if they did not obey what the Lord has commanded.

            The text’s implications are several. Number one, this leaves any unbeliever in the place of a necessary response. Again, as was stated at the beginning of the paper, Christ left only two possibilities with His teaching—accept Him as Christ and Lord, or reject Him as a lunatic. Cast yourself upon Christ, thoughts and all, and see whether He is not mighty to save. Or pridefully continue to attempt to earn your way into God’s favor and reject the free mercy offered in the merit of Christ.

             Secondly, this passage should drastically affect the way that Christian’s do evangelism. The Church ought to be less concerned with “decisions for Christ” and more concerned with the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. That concern will manifest itself in several ways. Prayer will be realized as an invaluable instrument for evangelism. If men and women were able to choose Christ by their own volition, there would be no need to pray to God for their conversion. However if God is their only hope of salvation, the fervent prayer of the Saints is essential in laboring for the Kingdom of God. Sadly, the majority of Church's today have voiced their position on this essential practice by neglecting to meet and pray. The reply to this question of prayer is too often an answer of silence or excuses. The neglect of prayer in evangelism is not a priority problem. It is a theology problem. If we only understood a fraction of how desperately we needed God to intercede for successful evangelism, we would be on our knees anguished for the lost every still moment. And we would diligent to make time for more of those still moments. in order for the miracle of salvation to take place, God must do the impossible. But we've neglected to consult the only One who is able to do the impossible, and this neglect of private and community prayer is directly tied to the spiritual famine that has swept the nation. 

           The passage changes evangelism also in teaching Christians to trust God’s Word. It is through God’s Word that He brought creation into existence. It is by His Word that He sovereignly directs the created order, and His Word is the primary means by which God speaks to His children today, and the primary means by which He conforms them to Christ. But how many churches today have the Word of God as their ultimate authority? How many churches today cherish the commands of God? How many churches today love the God of the Bible instead of a god of their own making? How many churches today have congregations that are students of the Word and are eager to grow in their knowledge of Christ and grow in holiness? Not enough. That is why there must be a call to reform the churches and purify them by discarding the vanity and worldliness that has crept in its doors for the sake of looking “relevant” or “popular”.

             The Saints must return to the essential truth of God’s Word and it’s total sufficiency. This is the most loving thing a Church can do. In fact, it is the Church’s lack of love that has caused it to stray from the Truth of God and be more concerned with image rather than holiness, with popularity rather than faithfulness. It is the sin of pride and self-love that has caused the Church to shrink in the face of opposition and cowardly overlook what God clearly despises in order to gain more members. It is obsession of self that drives pastors to love long lists of so-called “converts” so they can boast in what a good job they’ve done, when in fact they have done more damage than good to souls by forcing a “decision for Christ” upon spiritually blind and dead people.  And the popular objection is, “But we are winning them!” But winning them to what? A false assurance of salvation? A Jesus that leaves them in their sin? A Jesus that is Savior but not Lord? Surely this is not the discipleship Jesus had in mind. Christ came to take away sin, (John 1:29) He never came to get the majority vote at the expense of His glory. But this love of self and personal performance and dismissal of the Word of God has tainted the church for centuries. A.W. Tozer wrote of the same dilemma almost a century ago.

It is now common practice in most evangelical churches to offer the people, especially the young people, a maximum of entertainment and a minimum of serious instruction. It is scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend meeting where the only attraction is God. One can only conclude that God’s professed children are bored with Him, for they must be wooed to meeting with a stick of striped candy in the form of religious movies, games, and refreshments. (Tozer, p.130)

The church has forsaken its task of caring for the body by feeding the sheep, dividing the goats, and kicking the wolf in the teeth. But now the sheep are starving, the goats are being catered to, and the wolves are being invited in the doors. It’s a troubling scene indeed. Yet there is hope. There is only one way to reverse this sad state of affairs—by the very power of God through the proclaiming of the Word of God and the Spirit of God changing the lives of people. If God has used His Word throughout history to change the hearts of millions to love His ways, He is surely able to do it once more.

Conclusion

            Christians are called to be faithful and obedient. They are given the wonderful duty of proclaiming God’s Word—most importantly the gospel, which is able to raise the dead to life. But if one needs the affirmation of people in order to continue in this task they will fail. Indeed if Christ needed the affirmation of people during His earthly ministry He would not have saved anyone. That is why it is so foolish for the people of God to seek after the favor of man in an ungodly fashion. Yes, be kind. Yes, be generous. Yes, be courteous. But do not distort the glorious gospel of God to meet the preference of people. God loves us too much to change Himself for our liking. And if we genuinely love people, we will present to them the God of the Bible. The One, true, and living God.  This text teaches us to love the Word, teach the Word, and trust the Word which points us to Christ our Savior. And while so doing, pray without ceasing, remain a student of the Word, remember God's faithfulness, and trust the Holy Spirit of God that was able to raise even this dead sinner to new life.

           

Works Cited

Calvin, Jean, and William Pringle. Commentary on the gospel according to John. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1989. Print.

Carson, D. A.. The Gospel according to John. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press ;, 1991. Print.

Köstenberger, Andreas J.. John. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2004. Print.

MacArthur, John. John 1-11. Chicago: Moody Press, 2006. Print.

Matto, Ken. "Whitefield on Effectual Calling." Whitefield on Effectual Calling. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. <http://www.scionofzion.com/whitefield.htm>.

Tozer, A. W.. Man, the dwelling place of God. Harrisburg, Pa.: Christian Publications, 1966. Print.

Death to Life in Christ/Spiritual Autobiography

Spiritual Autobiography

            “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10

            This passage is arguably one of the most important passages in all of scripture, and it happens to be one of my favorites as well. I think one reason I enjoy this passage so much is because of its precision in outlining my own spiritual biography. In fact, I would assert that this text is an accurate description of every Christian’s conversion. It clearly depicts three key elements: The natural state of man, God’s glory displayed through His divine attributes and saving works, and the supernatural effects of His divine orchestration. It is important that none of these elements be left out in a conversion account because it would jeopardize proclaiming the gospel in the fullness of its glory. And because I am so strongly convinced of this, I’m going to use Ephesians 2 as my own outline.

            Using this passage will help the reader and myself in several ways. One, it will enable me to be vigilant in accurately articulating the work of God. Salvation in the life of a believer is a wonderful truth. It is indeed the most wonderful truth in all of creation. The magnificent doctrine of salvation is beyond doubt all about the work of God demonstrating the glory of God. That is precisely why Christians ought to think about, talk about, and preach the gospel so carefully and clearly. Secondly, this outline will help me organize my thoughts according to Holy Scripture. I’ve found over time in my walking with the Lord that my thoughts are of little worth if they are not directed by the Lord’s divine thoughts and words. His ways are higher than my ways, and I am in need of His grace and direction moment by moment, even when speaking about Him and His working in my life. Thirdly, although I do believe spiritual autobiographies and testimonies are wonderful things, God’s Word is sharper than any two edged sword. My words might be able to stir up positive or negative emotions in an individual, but God’s Word is able to pierce to the division of soul and of spirit, of joint and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) That’s something I am unable to do no matter how hard I try. Therefore let us begin to peak into the work of God in my life through the lens of scripture for the reason of encouraging your worship to the Lord.

How Dead is Dead?

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

            It is a difficult thing to imagine myself once as dead. To most people, that seems to be a bit drastic—perhaps over dramatic. That however, is the picture that God’s Word paints of the natural human condition. In fact, it goes on to say in other places, that I was a “child of the devil” (John 8), spiritually deaf to the word of God (John 5), spiritually blind (John 3) to His kingdom, ….not being able to do anything which would be pleasing to God. (Isaiah 64:6) Moreover it says in Romans that “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” And elsewhere, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” And if I’m truly honest with myself, these verses applied directly to me. I was not sick, I was not injured, I was not disabled, I was not in a spiritual sleep. I was dead, and I stunk like a corpse. And lying in that spiritual grave is where my story begins.

            I grew up in Graham, Texas, a small town ninety miles west of Fort Worth. Now I’m not an expert geographer, but I think you could rightly say that the town of Graham is the buckle of the Bible belt, and that culture certainly had its influences on my life. I grew up in church, and early on I did most of my chores, made good grades, didn’t listen to rap or hard rock, didn’t drink, smoke, or chew and didn’t date girls who do. I had it all together, or so I thought. I even prayed to ask Jesus into my heart when I was six! (That might be equivalent to Paul’s circumcision on the eighth day.) However, there was no convincing sign of genuine conversion, just a boy who paid lip service to Jesus but gave no devotion to Him whatsoever. I knew Jesus was a pretty important guy from church, and He was pretty serious because He died on a tree, and because He died I needed to do a lot more “good stuff” so I could be a better person. I thought Christianity was in essence, “Jesus died so I could work my way to heaven, and as long as I believed in Him then my working would work better.” Therefore I hosted Bible studies with my friends so I could improve and earn my approval with God and others, I volunteered to pray a lot in my youth group, but I neglected to pray in private. I memorized verses and said them proudly when I was called on, but never applied Scripture to my life. I kept a Bible on my bedside table so people could see it, but I hardly ever read it. In essence, I valued the public display of religion but neglected private devotion to God. I was a self-aware, self-righteous, self-centered, self-seeking, “Christian.” I was a slave to self. As “good” as I looked on the outside, there were only dead bones on the inside. I was the self-righteous Pharisee that Jesus constantly condemned. I abused God’s precious gifts for my own gain and own glory rather than looking to the only perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and finding my glory in Him.  God’s Word had no conviction in my life. I knew I needed to do better, but I thought my doing better would be good enough. Looking back I’m not sure if my lack of understanding was a result of sitting under poor teaching or a result of my spiritual deadness. Perhaps it was a combination of both. But these selfish acts camouflaged by noble things would prove to be illegitimate as my life progressed.

            When high school rolled around, I was the guy who tried to get along with everybody. My self-image was an idol early on, but athletics and women were soon thrown into the mix. I played golf like it was my job. I worshipped golf. I ate, drank, slept, and breathed golf. Self was still the object of my affection; it just had a different look. I played tournament after tournament, round after round, sharpening my skills so that I could play professionally. But once again, I chose to put my eggs in the wrong basket, and that basket proved to have its deficiencies. Sure golf provided some momentary satisfaction when all my putts were dropping and I had a shiny trophy in hand, but that was hardly ever the case. And because I made golf lord of my life, I was miserable. When golf was my lord, its satisfaction was never sweet enough. When golf was my lord, the good days were fine, but the bad days were awful and full of self-pity. There was no true security. Any moment something could happen that could strip me of my joy. Every second was a fight for approval, affection, and affirmation through hitting a white ball around a field.

            I mentioned girls earlier as well. This was also another form of my self-worship. When I got into high school, things started to change. Girls were no longer icky and gross. They all of the sudden were very attractive. Their physical features had mysteriously changed, and those new features drew my attention. Instead of wanting to run away from them, I wanted to run toward them so I could ask them their name and help carry their books to class. But helping girls carry their books was not really my problem. My problem was that I wanted to use girls. I wanted girls to like me back so I could feel good about myself. I did everything to get the affirmation and approval from women that I actually needed from God. It made me feel good when they laughed at my jokes, when I held hands with them, or even kissed them. I was all about it. I was all about me. And once again, I turned to worship created things rather than the Creator Himself.

            In the end, these false idols proved to fail me. The idol I made of women failed me when my girlfriend of two years, whom I professed my undying love, gave me the Heisman and found a much stronger, more athletic, better looking guy than myself. The idol I made of golf failed me literally every week. I never played a perfect round. I was never as good as I wanted to be. And even if I was the best, there was always someone nipping at my heels about to take the spotlight. And the chief idol of “self” never seemed to be satisfied. No matter how much I served my fleshly desires, it left me empty in the end.

            The picture that often fills my mind when I think back on my desperation is that of the prodigal son. I had, like him, sold my birthright, wasted every part of my life and squandered every blessing God had given me. I traded away His goodness in exchange for a short-moment of self-gratification. I was starving and longing to fill my stomach with anything—even the husks in a pig trough. Although I knew of God, I did not honor him as God nor gave thanks to him. I was futile in my thinking, and my foolish heart was darkened. Thinking myself to be wise, I was foolish and exchanged the glory of God for created things. (Romans 1:21-23)

GRACE IMMEASURABLE

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

             The salvation that God has grants His children in Christ can be described in many ways. Glorious, kind, merciful, just, gracious, powerful, miraculous… these are just a few words that come to mind. However I’m constantly drawn back to the word “mysterious.” Because if I sit long enough and reflect on the truths of salvation, I’m brought immediately to the question of “why?” Why did God choose me to be the object of His mercy? Why am I spared of the wrath that I deserve? And as I look for a motive within me for the answer to “why me?” all I discover is my sinfulness and helplessness. And as I contemplate His holiness I become more aware of my sinfulness. Therefore I’m convinced that there is no reason within me that I was chosen to be a child of God. My salvation can only be accredited to the depths of God’s love that He made known through Jesus Christ before I was ever alive. This is the very foundation on which my joy is built.

            Just as Edward Mote famously wrote, “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name”… not my feelings, not my insufficient repentance, not my brittle faith, not my inconsistent joy, nor my wavering hold of Jesus. None of these are adequate to give me peace or seal my pardon. All of these thoughts are of myself, and I know that I will never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But instead, the Holy Spirit has turned my eyes from self to Jesus. I’m reassured it is not my hold of Christ that saves me—it is Christ. It is not my joy in Christ that saves me—it is Christ! It is not even faith in Christ that saves, though that is the instrument; it is Christ’s blood and merits. The Spirit reminds me not to look so much to the hand to which I cling to Christ, but to Christ. Don’t look to my hope, but to Jesus, the very source of my hope. Do not look to my faith, but look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. It is what Jesus is, not who I am that gives rest to my soul.

            So as I continued to run in the opposite direction from God, God continued to relentlessly pursue me by His grace. And just as God’s grace won in the prophet Jonah’s life, so His grace also won in my life, and is continuing to win. The same God that won the hearts of pagan sailors from the captain on down, the sovereign God who appointed a great storm to confront Jonah and a great fish to swallow Jonah and save him from his disobedience, The God who employed a plant to serve as a lesson to soften Jonah’s heart, the Almighty God who changed the hearts of the lost city of Nineveh from the king on down, that same God was even able to pierce my heart of stone and give me a new heart of flesh.

            I honestly don’t have a moment in my life where I can look back and say, “that’s when I was converted.” I never had a dramatic or climactic turning point experience. What I do see when I look back, however, is a stubborn sinner whose heart was slowly but surely softened by hearing God’s Word. I look back and see God’s daily patience with me as I heard His Word yet neglected to apply it to my life. I see God’s mercy with me as I heard that my sin earned me death but still foolishly forsook His loving hand. I see God’s grace with me as he softened my heart of stone, and transformed it to a heart of flesh that was sensitive to His commands by the power of His Holy Spirit. And He is continuing that transformative work today!

FREED TO OBEDIENCE

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

            Salvation in Jesus Christ not only frees believers from the penalty of sin, but it frees them from the power of sin. If you leave out the latter, and emphasize only the former, you have a grace that leaves you in your sin and only gives licentiousness of reckless living. If you leave out freedom from the penalty of sin, and emphasize only freedom from the power of sin, you’re likewise given a deficient gospel that is works-based in nature. However, if we grasp hold of both these truths, the life, death, and resurrection of Christ is put in its proper place as the center of the gospel. Through His life and death He gave justification (Freedom from the penalty of sin), and through His resurrection He gives us the power to conquer sin exacted through the Holy Spirit. If Christ is only Savior and not Lord, you will miss the point. You will miss salvation. Salvation is about getting a new Boss. We are saved to good works. I am saved for good works.

            Though I fall short of God’s demands daily, and though I am far from being the man I ought to be, by God’s amazing grace I am not the man I once was. I look back every year and recount the Lord’s evident grace by the gradual heart change He brings in my sanctification. I am now a man living a new life. I’ve been given a rebirth by faith in Christ, and am now a bondservant to the Lord and Savior. Sure I continue to fall. Sure I mess up often. But that’s what the cross of Christ is all about. It is a reminder of all of our failure to meet God’s perfect standard, yet a mighty picture of His love in spite of us, and just how far He is willing to go in order to save His children. Therefore I am not my own. I was bought with a price—the precious blood of the Lamb. Jesus is my righteousness, and will be forevermore. For He is mighty to save, even a sinner such as myself.            

Genuine Salvation

          Salvation is a wonderful gift— in fact, the supreme gift in all of history. No man has ever come close to exhausting the glory of God in the economy of His salvific work.  The working of God to bring sinners back to Himself through Jesus Christ is in fact the greatest story ever told on every level. It is through this message that God empowered Paul to boldly say, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” in the face of his adversaries who called for his blood. It is through this very message that God strengthened the weak faith of Peter the denier and transformed him to be so brave as to take up his cross and die gladly for his Lord. It is through this very message that God encouraged John to write faithfully to the Church for decades and shepherd with patience, love and care for them until he was taken home. And it is through this very message that God sustains the Church of Jesus Christ, dresses His bride in holiness and consecrates her for eternal communion with Him.

            But how can anyone know for certain that he is a partaker of the gift of faith unto salvation-- saved indeed from the penalty and power of sin? In a world that is filled with tolerance, confusion, false doctrine, damning ideologies, relativistic philosophies, and a constant evasion of truth, it seems difficult to know if we can know anything absolutely. However this war of truth and error for believers is no new thing. It is not just a 21^st century dilemma. It has in fact been going on since the very establishment of the Church. Almost every apostle wrote about it. They warned their congregation of the dangers of false teachers who will claim a “higher knowledge” and will speak for selfish, sordid gain. They will claim to have special revelation from secret meetings with God and special visions. But these “teachers” are devoid of the spirit. They cannot lead anyone to the truth. They are not spiritual. They are not elevated. They are in fact fake.

            The apostle John wrote with unwavering conviction concerning these things because he knew how deadly false doctrine was (and still is) to the Church. Most likely during the late part of the first century, the apostle wrote 1 John to remind his hearers of the fundamentals of the Christian faith. He wrote to combat primarily the false teachings of the Gnostics who in summation claimed that physical matter was evil and spiritual things were good. This heresy carried the implications that Jesus did not really take on human flesh but was actually just a spirit. Or the other inference was that Jesus’ Spirit was not with Him at all times and most assuredly not during His crucifixion. Both of these heretical views annihilated the humanity of Jesus and the foundational Christian doctrine of Christ’s substitutionary atonement. (pp. 356, Simeon) But the Gnostics didn’t stop there. They also believed that the entire body of a person should be treated harshly, and/or that sin committed in the body had no effect on the spirit. This philosophy gave sanction to licentiousness and immorality and opposed the very reason that Christ came—to take away sins.

            Therefore, John wrote in plain matter of fact language to expose the evil of the Gnostic teachers and dissolve their ambiguous manmade principles. John argued with concrete evidence the unwavering Truth of God to dismantle the Gnostic’s house of cards. He urged his listeners to return to the basics of the faith—“…[That] which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands…” (1 John 1:1) In other places he employed comparison of black and whites, such as light vs. darkness (1:5, 7; 2:8-11), truth vs. lies (2:21, 22, 4:1), and Children of God vs. Children of the Devil (3:10). He obviously spoke in the plainest terms so that there would be no confusion. Moreover, John used the word “know” forty different times in his letter, which strongly indicates that he obviously wanted his readers to be certain of something. This “something” is asserted in verse thirteen of chapter five when he says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13) John wanted his readers to know that they possess eternal life. He wanted them to cherish the sweet treasure of assurance in Christ. But why is this matter so important that John would write am entire letter on testing genuine faith?  It would be a good thing to stop and examine a few of these reasons before moving on to the tests themselves.

            From the testimony of countless saints, and hopefully believers’ own testimonies, they know that assurance is a foretaste of heaven. As the famous hymn goes, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!” The assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ is a blessed hope that cannot be taken away. It brings forth fruit of joy, love and hope. John wrote in the opening of his letter, “And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:4) For a believer to possess any sort of Biblical joy he or she will possess some sort of assurance. But on the other hand, a lack of assurance is a treacherous thing. If one is not sure of one day being in heaven with God, then that only leaves one alternative. Therefore, someone who lacks assurance will surely be a victim of severe anguish and depression. For “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)

            Secondly, assurance prepares the Christian for hardships. D. M. Lloyd Jones noted that assurance “prepares people for persecution, trials and tribulations. But this is the way to come through it—that we know that we know Him; that we have this blessed assurance that ‘neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’” (p.182) Assurance of Christ and His perfect work is what steadies the path of a believer. It gives hope when things seem hopeless, and most importantly, it glorifies God when His child is confident in the perfect finished work of Jesus Christ.

            It must be acknowledged that assurance is irrefutably a Biblical doctrine. To think otherwise is to call into question the efficacy of Christ’s work! It is a trustworthy statement to say that salvation does not fail because our God does not fail. Therefore if God has begun a work in the heart of a sinner, He will see it to completion. After all, it is God’s mighty hand that saves, not the Christian who saves himself. This truth is the foundation of the Christian’s assurance. And although some may make it to heaven without full certainty of their salvation, they are commanded by God to make sure of their faith—to test if it’s genuine. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church urging them, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Elsewhere, Peter insisted to his hearers, “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you…” (2 Peter 1:10) This is God’s command, and all children of God must be obedient to His Word.

            John, in his first epistle, gives a handful of tests to examine whether one is in the faith. And though the list can be adjusted, ordered differently, or worded other ways, Dr. John MacArthur offers a useful outline to provide clarity and organization to the text. He lists eleven evidences of genuine faith: 1.) Fellowship with Christ and the Father 2.) Sensitivity to Sin 3.) Obedience 4.) Rejecting the evil world 5.) Awaiting Christ’s return eagerly 6.) Decreasing pattern of sin 7.) Loving the brethren 8.) Experiencing answered prayer 9.) Experiencing the ministry of the Holy Spirit 10.) Discerning Spiritual Truth and Error and 11.) Persecution. (p.1, “Saved without a Doubt”) For the sake of brevity, the paper will cover some of the tests that are believed to be of utmost importance.

            The first evidence of genuine salvation that the apostle spoke is fellowship with Christ and the Father. John wrote concerning Jesus, “the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:2-3) The apostle spoke in such a way to make clear that this fellowship goes beyond just an earthly acquaintance with Jesus. For how could anyone have an earthly acquaintance with the Father who is spirit? (p.1, MacArthur, “Is it Real?”) Therefore this fellowship is made possible by believers’ receiving the Holy Spirit who is given at conversion. Also, it is important to note that something about this fellowship is largely experiential. It is not cold, monotonous, tedious, theological jargon. It is not solely head knowledge. It is life with Christ. This is not to say that theology is not important. On the contrary all Christians are called to worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) It is our theology that informs us of the sweet fellowship we now have with God through Christ, and it is correct theology that promotes correct worship. Genuine fellowship is intimacy set on fire by truth. Lastly, John notes of this test “whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of him.” (1 John 5:1) The beloved apostle left no room for any salvation apart from Jesus. For anyone to suggest otherwise is to forsake God and call Him a liar.

            Secondly, 1 John declares that genuine believers will be sensitive to their sin. They will walk in the light. This is not to say that Christian’s will never sin, but when they do they will confess and repent. Believers walk in the Light because they have been given a new heart that loves the things that God loves and hates the things that God hates. Charles Spurgeon, a preacher in the 18^th century wrote concerning these things, “Think not, sirs, that the Christian needs to be flogged to virtue by the whip of the law! Dream not that we hate sin merely because of the hell which follows it! If there were no heaven for the righteous, the sons of God would follow after goodness, because their regenerated spirit pants for it…” (p.497) Christians understand they don’t have to sin any longer, and they don’t want to. The cross frees believers from the penalty of sin, and the empty tomb frees them from the power of sin. All regenerate Christians now have a choice to be obedient. But when a Christian does stumble, they know whom to draw near—Jesus Christ their Advocate with the Father. Unbelievers in contrast are oblivious to their sin. They think they are walking in the light when they actually walk in darkness. Their theology gives sanction to licentious reckless living because they have not been born of God and they love their sin. Their heart still desires to rebel and does not love the ways of God.

            The third and possibly one of the most sobering tests recorded by the apostle is the test of obedience. “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3) John said that if you want to know that you’re a Christian, ask yourself whether you obey the commands in Scripture. Adherence to the law of God does not produce salvation, but it will most assuredly bring forth assurance. It is safe to say on the other hand that assurance and disobedience don’t sleep in the same bed. The Christian who does not add to their faith is sure to lose sight of their being a forgiven person and is certain to fall into doubt of whether they’ve been purged of their old sins. (p.1, Begg) A failure to add to one’s faith will undeniably shake one’s assurance. Lloyd Jones is again helpful here as he noted, “So how interesting it is that John, who is described as the mystic, is the man who tells us that the way to test ourselves is not to seek for some mystical experience, but to examine our conduct and our lives!” Moreover he writes, “It is not mystical experience that enables us to say that we know Him; it is not feelings, not sensations, not visions, not thrills, nor the unusual. The test whereby we know we are His is this: are you keeping His commandments?” (pp. 188 Life in Christ, Lloyd Jones) For the sake of clarity, it is important to know that keeping his commandments is not putting a list of specific rules on the wall and doing your best to keep them. Rather, it means that the Christian is always concerned with living his life as fully as possible; that his or her great objective is to be pleasing in the Master’s sight. And lastly it should be observed that John does not say, “If you live this way, you are making yourself a Christian.” That would be legalism, which is precisely the deadly trap the Pharisees fell into, and also the false doctrine that every man-made religion professes. Rather, John is saying if you are a Christian, this is how you will live. We are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone.

            A fourth major proof of genuine salvation is rejecting “the world” and all that is in it. This statement has been misinterpreted and misapplied throughout a large part of history, so it is a good thing to stop and explain in order that one does not fall into the same error that the Gnostics did—thinking that all matter is evil. Rejecting “the world” does not mean that Christians should flee from all that is around them. It does not mean that believers need to move to monasteries, read the Bible in their room, and never talk to anyone again. Rejecting “the world” is a rejection of the evil practices and attitudes in the world. Denying “the world” during this time would have been refusing to take pleasure in the wicked, pagan, outwardly grotesque culture that surrounded Christians in the first century. And to bring this problem into a more modern context one might ask, “Have the cultural values changed much since then?” The answer is sadly, no they have not. So the material world itself is not inherently evil. When God created the world, he declared it good. And after He formed man and woman, he even said it was very good. But after The Fall, mankind was cursed for rebellion against God and was then wholly predisposed towards the evil of sin. All of humanity is still affected by this curse and now carries a sinful disposition in their heart until regeneration. Therefore, the evil in this world dwells inside the hearts of mankind who corrupt the blessings of God and choose to worship the creation rather than the Creator. (Romans 1:25) Furthermore, John writes, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16) These three maladies of mankind are the primary armaments Satan uses to build his kingdom of destruction. When he tempted Eve in the garden, the fruit appealed to her physical desires (lust of the flesh). Also the produce was good to look at, (the lust of the eyes), and Satan promised it would make her wise (the boastful pride of life). These are the very things that Christians are commanded to guard against so that they will not stumble into sin.

            A fifth important evidence of salvation is the Christian’s eagerly awaiting Christ’s return. In verses two and three of the third chapter of John the apostle writes, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3) Christians ought to love Christ so much that they eagerly await His return to see Him as He is and be made like Him. Three things happen in this passage: Christ appears, His people see Him, and they are instantly made like Him. What an honor it will be! The consummation of Christ is the Christian’s blessed hope and supreme joy. “Such a hope,” John MacArthur notes, “has ethical power. For John said it purifies the one possessing it.” Additionally, MacArthur explains, “This is a sensible hope leading to sensible living. It is not an inordinate kind of anticipation in which you are irresponsible with your earthly responsibilities. Being so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good is a contradiction in terms.” (p.1, “Is it Real?”) The anticipation of Christ’s return ought to stir believers on to holy living. It is a purifying hope. Christians ought to live out the miracle of salvation with fear and trembling waiting for the great day of glory.

            Another essential mark of a believer is that he or she will possess a love for the saints. Sadly, this mark is almost totally ignored within churches today. Some of the most unforgiving, bitter, grudge-holding people are attending church and claiming to be Christians. But John tells believers, “The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:10-11) Jesus Himself said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) If a Christian hangs their entire hope upon the grace and mercy of God, he or she ought to be able to extend that same kindness to others. The one who realizes they have been forgiven much (every genuine Christian) will love much. The one who has been forgiven little (the unbeliever who thinks he does not need God’s grace) will love little. Hence, the Christian will be quick to extend mercy and grace because the image of the cross will be seared in the scope of his vision.

            The last test of genuine salvation crucial to mention is a decreasing pattern of sin. 1 John 3:4-6 spells this test out clearly. “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.” The apostle notes two very basic truths: 1.) There are people who practice sin and lawlessness and 2.) Christ came to take away sins. Again, MacArthur is careful and clear explaining this test.

To say that someone had the work of Christ applied to him or her, yet continues in the same pattern of sin is to deny the very purpose Christ came, which was to take away sins. Continuing in sin is not consistent with Christ’s work on the cross. If a saved person could keep on sinning, that would mean Christ’s death—while having some efficacy in eternity—is in fact useless in time. Perish the thought! Christ’s death served the very useful purpose of taking away not only the penalty of sin, but also the pattern of sin in the believer’s life. (p.2, “Is It Real?”)

It is important to clarify that John is not saying a frequent occurrence of one particular sin in a person damns him to hell. No, he clarifies what he means by saying that a true Christian cannot practice lawlessness. The Greek term used (anomia) means living as if there were no law. (Reformation Study Bible, pp. 1934) Therefore it is the one who discards God’s authority that is the one who proves himself not to be a Christian. A genuine believer on the other hand is no longer enslaved to sin but is a bondservant of the Lord Jesus. A true believer may still sin, and could do so frequently, but frequent sin is not synonymous with practicing sin. The difference is that the Christian who sins frequently will be acutely sensitive to their transgression and will be miserable. But the one who practices lawlessness will have no remorse for sinning against God. Thanks be to God for giving His people a new heart that loves what is good in His sight!

            The gospel of Jesus Christ is a wonderfully glorious thing. It is all about the work of God demonstrating the glory of God. Its mysteries angels long to look into. Its splendor is impossible to embellish. That God would provide a way for sinners to be reconciled to Himself and call them His children is the paramount news of the universe. As C.J. Mahaney rightly put it, “The gospel is life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. It has more facets than any diamond. Its depths man will never exhaust.” (p.67) Therefore, Let the children of God marvel at His work. Let them be enamored with it. Let them be obsessed with the redemptive story and examine its splendor from every angle in order that they may all have the certain testimony with the beloved disciple, —“…[That] which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands…” (1 John 1:1) May the saints grow up to full maturity in the knowledge of Christ and be so filled with His love, peace, and assurance that God would be glorified for His illustrious work. Now, “to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:25)

Works Cited

Begg, Alistair. "Holding Firmly to the End, Part One, A." - Broadcasts. Truth For Life, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.truthforlife.org/broadcasts/2013/08/28/holding-firmly-to-the-end-part-one-a-/>.

Jones, David Martyn. Life in Christ: studies in 1 John. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 19931994. Print.

MacArthur, John. "Grace To You." Is It Real?. Grace to You, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. <http://www.gty.org/resources/positions/p06/is-it-real>.

MacArthur, John. Saved without a doubt: being sure of your salvation. Rev. ed. Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor, 2006. Print.

Mahaney, C. J., and Kevin Meath. The Cross Centered Life. Sisters, Or.: Multnomah Publishers, 2002. Print.

Simeon, Charles, and Jean Claude. Expository outlines on the whole Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1956. Print.

Sproul, R. C., and Keith A. Mathison. The Reformation study Bible: English Standard version, containing the Old and New Testaments. Orlando, Fla.: Ligonier Ministries ;, 2005. Print.

Spurgeon, C. H.. The treasury of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1962. Print.

Jonah- Sovereignty, Salvation, and Evangelism

Jonah, although a prophet to Israel, is not remembered for his ministry to Israel. Rather, the historical account of the prophet relates to his call to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh and his refusal to go.

Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was infamous for their cruelty. They prized brutality, and were the historical nemesis of Israel and Judah. Israel's distaste for Nineveh produced a rebellious and reluctant attitude in Jonah toward God's request for prophetic service.

The story of Jonah magnifies the power of God in salvation to change the hearts of pagans even through the reluctant preaching of a prophet. And it also illustrates the patience and forbearance of God with His children.

Please listen in...

Jonah: Sovereignty, Salvation, and Evangelism

Soli Deo Gloria

Romans 5:6-11 "While we were yet sinners..."

Latest sermon preached at Graham Bible Church over Romans 5:6-11. Click on the verse to listen in.

Grace and Peace.

Counting the Cost

            Recently I was given the opportunity to preach on the book of Jonah, and I’ll have to admit upfront, my words are insufficient, and they cannot do it justice. However, my time of study, research, and preparation proved spiritually rewarding, and I hope and pray that God used my words effectually for His harvest. It was/is a true joy and honor to speak on behalf of my King.

            In a particular part of the message, I challenged listeners by asking them the question, “what has it cost you to follow Jesus?” and in preparation; I was forced to ask myself the same question. I found it quite revealing to think on the matter, so I decided put together a Biblical list of what it ought to cost us to follow Christ.  I will confess firstly that I am not even close to paying these “costs” in full, and cannot say to follow my example as St. Paul urged his listeners. But by the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ I am making steps forward, and I hope that you will find admonishment and encouragement in my answers as we count the true cost of following King Jesus.

1.)  It will cost a Christian his/her self-righteousness. This is the very thing that Jesus condemned the Pharisees. Certainly the Pharisees did not lack zeal or discipline. They gave the entirety of their life to writing and interpreting the scriptures. They were the best of the best in their day. However, they knew nothing of what it meant to live in the favor of the Good Lord. A true Christian must cast away all his pride, all his conceit, all his high thoughts of self, and all of his own goodness. He must be content to go to heaven as a poor sinner saved by only by the free grace of God, owing all of his righteousness to the merit of Christ. The Christian’s trust is not in his morality, respectability, zealous prayerfulness, fervent churchgoing, disciplined Bible-reading. His trust is in the atoning blood of the Lamb. How precious will the words of the old hymn sound in his ear, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Christ is his only hope of righteousness.

2.)  It will cost a Christian his/her sins. He must be prepared to give up every custom and practice that is wrong in God’s sight. He must set is face against sin, wrestle with it, quarrel with it, prune himself of it, fight with it, crucify it, and labor to keep it down. All sins are his deadly enemies, and the true Believer will grow in hating every false way set before him. This may not be the popular teaching of the day, but let us observe that faith and repentance are inextricably bound together. Our Lord Jesus Christ and Paul the apostle always taught both together. Christ is willing to receive any sinner, but He will not receive them if they will stick to their sins.

3.)  It will cost a Christian his/her love of ease. The race towards heaven is one of peace paired with pain and trouble. Surely the Christian has peace, for He is in right standing with the King. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” But the Believer’s sanctification is one of continual struggle until he is called home. He must daily watch and stand on guard, putting on the full armor of God for spiritual warfare. He must be diligent over his time, Bible-reading, and prayer, and must be careful over his tongue, temper, thoughts, and imagination. The Christian life is surely not one of ease, but it is one of rigorous work through the grace of God that enables. No one drifts toward holiness. The Christian must be on guard at all times.

4.)  It will cost a Christian his/her favor with the world. The Believer must be content to be thought ill of by man if he is to please God. Jesus promised, “The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” The Christian must not be surprised to know that his opinions and practices are despised, mocked, and ridiculed. Rather, he should be intoxicated on the favor that has been shown him in Christ, and will spend his life proclaiming the good news of the gospel, even if the stakes are high.

This is a heavy list, and I by no means intend to discourage. Living for Christ is the most rewarding thing a human can do. A life spent in the service of Christ is the happiest life that a man can spend upon earth. I might ask who in their right mind can doubt that it is worth any cost to have his soul saved? When it comes to the eternal state of our souls, surely we ought to cling hastily to Christ and be quick to observe His blessed commands. J.C. Ryle once said, “A religion that cost nothing is worth nothing! A cheap Christianity without a cross, will prove in the end a useless Christianity, without a crown.” So then I ask you again, What has it cost you to follow Jesus?

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Mark 8:36