Galatians 1

Paul, an apostle thru Jesus, sends grace/ peace to the believers of Galatia and glory to God. He is amazed that the people have deserted the true Gospel of grace. He admonishes them not to follow other gospels, no matter who proclaims them (even an angel - Islam??)

Then he begins to biographically sketch why they should trust that the Gospel he preached to them is true and that those spreading rumor about him and the faith should not be believed.

The Gospel Paul gave was not of his making or for his gain, it was revealed to him by Jesus in a conversion experience that came after years of persecuting Christians to the fullest extent.

The Father called Paul before birth and Jesus set him apart as an apostle to the Gentiles. Then, Paul went and traveled on his own before coming to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and James. He only stayed for a short time before traveling the Greek world again, while those in Judea only heard rumor of him.

Salvation Lost

This was an email reply that I recently made to a co-worker who asked me about Hebrews 9 and eternal security. I hope I was able to give an answer for my hope in a loving way. I have to work at the "loving way" sometimes...lol.

I am totally bewildered on how anyone could use Hebrews 9:22 as a proof text for losing ones salvation. It seems to be part of a larger discussion in chapter 9 that is dealing with how the holy tent, the holy items, and the blood sacrifice of the Mosaic covenant are foreshadowing symbols of the true redemption bought by Christ thru his blood and his subsequent intercession to the Father in the true holy place, heaven.

Verse 22 reads: "...without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." That is true. If Christ had not died for sin, if he had not poured out his blood and became sin, then we never would have been forgiven and made holy before God. What that has to do with "falling away", I don't know.

When I hear people tell me that you can lose your salvation, I reply with Romans 8:38-39. After explaining how God has adopted us as his children and how we should hope for our future glory, Paul culminates with the statement that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Verse 39 is clear: "...nor anything else in ALL creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

However, this goes back to our debate on Calvinism and Arminianism. I believe that 'once saved, always saved" because I believe that God does the saving apart from any works of mine (see Ephesians 1 and 2). That position seems untenable for the libertarian free will theologian.

In fact historical Arminianism argues that a believer can "choose" to reject God the same way they "chose" to accept him. I am not talking about committing a sin that causes one to be "unsaved." That is a Roman-Catholic belief. I am saying that Arminian theologians would tell you that you may deliberately push God away after you have accepted him.

The strange thing is...modern evangelicalism, up until the 21st century has seen the synthesis of the two positions. People like Billy Graham believe that you choose God (Arminianism) but that he holds on to you once you are in the family (Calvinism). I think that this 20th century blending of the two theological systems is illogical.

But times are changing, the Calvinistic or Reformed beliefs of the past are coming back into the spotlight. More and more people are seeing that the biblical accounts explaining our salvation and the nature of God are best worked out in the writings of men like Augustine of Hippo, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Spurgeon, and contemporaries like Piper and Driscoll.

Having done more research into the issue, what I found is Hebrews 10:26-31. Look that up and you will see how it might be misread as applying to Christians today. I think that people who interpret the passage as being proof for losing your salvation are reading out of context.

We must remember that the book of Hebrews was written by a Jew to Jews to get them to understand what exactally Christ did. Most books of the NT are written to Gentiles, this one is not.

So - in context I believe that the "we" of verse 26 is the Jews specifically and not modern Christians. Furthermore I interpret the thoughts here to basically say:

"Before God revealed his Son, the Messiah, to us...we Jews had special status with God thru the Mosaic covenant. God passed over our sins in his grace as he anticipated the coming of the Christ which would remove sin for those who trusted the Messiah. Now, Christ has come and if we continue living in the past by spurning the Son of God and clinging to the law and the traditions, we will be rightly judged with a judgement far worse than the death prescribed under the old covenant. We will be put into the fire. That is a scary thing."

This seems like a fair, contextual summary of what is being said here. One thing is for sure: it cannot be saying that once we are saved, if we sin, we will be lost. Why?

In addition to the Romans 8 passage I gave you earlier, read John 10: 27-30. In these red letter verses, Jesus says that his sheep know him, he gives them eternal life, and "...they will never perish...no one is able to snatch them out of my hand." That is pretty clear. No ambiguity in that statement. Once he saves us, we are in the family.

I think most people who object to eternal security do so because they cannot reconcile the idea that you can be saved, then do whatever sins you want, and still go to heaven. I understand their worry at a theology like that. The thing is, the bible doesn't teach that. The bible teaches that when we are saved the old self is killed and shed off and the Holy Spirit dwells within us to change our hearts and renew our minds that we might not desire to do the things of the flesh anymore. This new birth sets us on the road to being more sanctified and closer to resembling Jesus every day. And with that biblical message there is great hope that we who have been called and justified will persevere to the end by God's hand alone.

On the road to Galatia

I thoroughly enjoyed my first few posts on this website. In them I summarized the Letter to the Ephesians, one chapter at a time, in 100 words per entry.

Putting the words of God, thru Paul, into such a concise format helped me to dig into the primary focus of the chapters. I pray that the summaries are accurate enough (and powerful enough) that you might be able to see how they apply to your own walk of faith with the Lord Jesus.

So, since I felt much success with that last endeavor - I am embarking into a similar journey with the Letter to the church at Galatia. Please stay tuned for a new entry every other day (or so) intermixed with continuing thoughts about other important issues.

Psalm 51

We studied this as our sermon text in church Sunday...awesome Scripture from the Old Testament describing our sin and God's mercy. From the ESV of course.

Psalm 51

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51:1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

The Protoevangelion

The very first preaching of the "good news" is by God the Father in Genesis 3:14-15. In this passage we can see that a decendent of Adam will come to do what our federal head could not: live holy, resist temptation, and destroy the devil/ his works. However, we also see that this future redeemer will do so at a price to himself, a pain that does not kill (at least forever) but that will be agonizing all the same.

The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”

How wonderful it is to reflect that as soon as Adam and Eve sinned, our God was there with the gospel message to provide hope and a promise of future grace. This should remind us that as adopted heirs, whenever we sin and despair - God is there with grace and mercy provided in the message of the cross, the resurrection, and the coming glory of Christ's return. There is comfort in this passage for me as I see the providence of God in his redemptive plan displayed in the first few pages of the Bible. I hope that you will find comfort in it also.

Whats your Translation?

I believe that words matter. The decisions that an author makes as he decides what words to use and how to place them together in his work are essential to the ideas that are being communicated.

In this context I think we all need to be aware of the different Bible translations out there, how they bring the original texts to life, and how we decide on a version for our personal use.

There are three general translation philosophies used to transform the Greek and Hebrew versions into English.

The first is the "Idiomatic" translations. This is a liberal paraphrase of the original texts used to make the Bible accessible in modern vernacular, usually designed for those who have not read the Bible before and who are intimidated by the perceived academic nature of Bible study. The Living Bible and The Message are examples of this method.

The second view is the "Dynamic Equivalency" translation. In these versions the original languages have been re-penned using a "thought for thought" philosophy that attempts to understand the main point behind a sentence and subsequently to render it in English. The popular New International Version is the standard bearer in dynamic translation. The New Living Translation can also be considered in this category although it has some leanings towards a paraphrase translation at times.

Third, the "Formal Equivalency" method of translation is a virtual "word for word" In this version the original words are translated as closely as possible to retain as much original intent as possible. The Kings James Version was the mainstay of this philosophy for a very long time, but its clunky 17th century language has seen it being replaced by the New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version.

So, how did you choose your Bible version? Did someone give it to you? Did you even realize there were different versions? Does it matter which one you use?

I think that the version you choose should be a thoughtful decision based on what you intend to do with the Bible. If you intend to place it on a shelf for dust collection, then who cares? If you plan to read a portion of it a few times a year then a paraphrase or a dynamic translation may be sufficient. However, I believe that if you seek to dig into God's Word and study what he is revealing and communication about Himself and His plans for you, a formal equivalency translation is necessary.

Ultimately, I hope to one day be able to pursue a MDiv. and receive formal linguistic training in Greek and Hebrew so that I may read the texts in the original languages. Until that day comes however, rest assured that I will be delving into my ESV and I hope you will too. Take a look at one HERE.

Eschatology

My take:

Jesus is coming back, in power and glory, to end this age with the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

Every day is a day closer to this return.

Any views which hold divisive and dogmatic certainty surrounding particular details of Jesus Second Coming are unprofitable speculation, because the timing and exact details of His return are unclear to us.

Matthew 24:30-31
"Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

(thanks to Acts 29)

Dad, I'm watching you

This shook me up and has helped me recommit to fatherhood again.

Gimp

I am on "sabbatical" due to my gimpy left hand. As it recovers I will resume blogging. Thanks for your prayers.

Forgiveness

One of the things I seriously struggle with is forgiving. I know that it is a key component of walking with Jesus. Nevertheless, my flesh is always at war with me on the issue and I often harbor resentment and anger for far too long.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that the blood of Jesus (which was shed on the cross as a sign of the New Covenant) is specifically for the forgiveness of sin (v 27-28). It was by his death as our substitute that he took the punishment we deserved and simultaneously, as we were clothed in his righteousness, all of our sins were erased from Gods ledger.

Seeing as how we didn't deserve that forgiveness in any way, shape, or form...it is a wonderful act of grace and mercy. I am so thankful for Gods love to me through Christ. Redeemed and secure, the challenge is now to be a representation of my Savior as long as I wait for my glorification in heaven.

But, what about when we are wronged unjustly? What if the other party is unwilling to apologize? In the case of an extreme wound, like rape or the murder of a dear loved one, how do we act?...

Again in Matthew we read, we should forgive 7 times 70! In the parable of the unforgiving servant (18: 21-35), Jesus makes clear that it the function of one of his disciples to forgive. How can we elevate ourselves above God by refusing to forgive the worst sins against us when he has graciously forgiven all of our evils against him?

Friends, even as I struggle with this in my daily life, I ask you to join me in being conscious about our level of forgiveness. Not begrudgingly or out of a sense of duty, but rather because of the overflow of joy that comes from knowing that God has been so merciful to us.

Ephesians 6

Children must obey their parents so that life will go well for them. Dads must lovingly instruct and discipline their kids.

Slaves should obey masters and be good servants from their heart to show Christ’s image to others. Masters should treat slaves with respect acknowledging that God is the only true Master.

All believers must realize that our enemies are not the fellow humans around us, rather we are at war with the devil, sin, and evil. So we should gird ourselves with the protection offered by truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and our salvation. Additionally, we should fight an offensive battle against these foes with the Word of God, which is our sword in earnest prayer.

Ephesians 5

As Jesus loved us and sacrificed for us, so should we sacrifice and live for God in love. We must stay away from immorality. No one who lives an evil life can be of God. Instead we should be thankful as we walk in the light and expose the evil around us. Don’t get drunk, rather sing and praise God!

The mystery of marriage is that it demonstrates the relationship of Jesus and his church. The wife (church) submits to the husband (Jesus) in respect for his headship. In return, the husband loves the wife as he loves himself…sacrificially.

Church?

I struggle alongside others to define the church as I seek for a home church for my family. Recently, I read Mark Driscolls definition. I like it.

The local church is a community of regenerated believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. In obedience to Scripture they organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for preaching and worship, observe the biblical sacraments of baptism and communion, are unified by the Spirit, are disciplined for holiness, and scatter to fulfill the great commandment and the great commission as missionaries to the world for God's glory and their joy.

Ephesians - 4

As we have been called by God, we have also been urged and enabled to begin living lives pleasing to him. As we strive towards a mature faith, we are encouraged by leaders whom God has selected for the purpose of steadying us aganist the forces of this world.

As we listen to the truth spoken in love we can walk away from the darkness of sin and flesh into put on our new self, which is a representation of Gods holiness. We should seek to be kind to each other and forgiving as we have been forgiven.