Sin Is What Sinners Do

Sin is what sinners do.

There are several false teachers out there who claim that you are a sinner because you have sinned. They deny the doctrine of original sin. However, the true fact of the matter is that you sin because you are a sinner. While lying does make you a liar, the reality is that you lie because you are a liar. You do what you are and you are what you do.

The person you are in your secret life, the person you are when no one else is around to see you, that is the true you. You are what your life is characterized by. When no one else is around to see you, is your secret life characterized by looking at pornography and lusting after other women? Then you are an idolater and an adulterer at heart, and the Bible makes it clear that you will not enter the kingdom of God. If your secret life is characterized by habitual sin, you are not a Christian—no matter how strongly you may protest. If someone came up behind you without your knowing and watched everything you did and said, would there be evidence that you were truly a Christian? You only confess Jesus because you want fire insurance; you want to be saved from the penalty of sin, the punishment of eternal torment in hell, but you do not want Jesus. You have no love for Jesus and do not want Him to be Lord of your life. You only want Jesus if He allows you to live your life the way you want to—sin and all. Read your Bible, man or woman. It condemns you on every page. You are not a Christian. You do not belong to Christ.

Jesus said that in order to be His disciple (to be a genuine Christian) you need to count the cost of what it means to truly follow Him (Luke 14:25-35). You have never done that. The Bible says that everyone who names the name of Jesus must depart from all sin (2 Tim. 2:19). You have never departed from it, nor have you ever repented of it. The book of Romans says that if we live according to the flesh and its desires, we will die, but if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the flesh, we will live (Rom. 8:13). You are not a sin murderer, you are a sin enabler. You make excuses for your sin as if God will allow you to hold onto it. The Bible teaches no such thing. The Bible declares that Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). The message John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles preached was to "Repent!" and to bear evidence that demonstrates your repentance.

Whatever Became of Sin?

There are ministers, priests, and rabbis who never talk about sin. There was a time when the minister of God's Word preached the whole counsel of God. Today, many pulpits are silent on the sin question. Sin has become fashionable and therefore acceptable. When sin gets its victim into serious difficulty, the psychiatrist and psychologist tell him/her that he/she is "sick." The church needs to face the fact of sin squarely. Many people will admit they are a sinner without knowing how, why, or what makes them a sinner. Well, I think it is about time we dealt with sin head on. It is time for a bit of a rude awakening.

The first commandment says that we are to have no other gods beside the God of the Bible. The second commandment says that we are not to have or make any idols out of anything. Has God always been first in your life? Have you honoured Him with your every breath? Have you thanked Him for everything that you have and are? Or have you simply used His name as a four-letter curse word to express disgust, which is called blasphemy? We are worshipers by nature, but most often we choose to worship anything but the God of the Bible. We may not bow down to and worship a golden calf, but worship is more than just this. Anything that takes up more of your time than the God of the Bible has become your god, and the time spent with that thing is the evidence of your worship. The loss of self-control over one's emotions and the acts of obsessive insanity toward a person (favourite musician) or thing (favourite sports team) is also evidence of your worship. Worship is recognized in many ways. In our culture, even those who do not think that they are religious are worshiping something—usually self. If you always have to be the center of attention, you are worshiping the concept and idea of fame, as well as self.

In our culture, some of our greatest forms of worship are self, sex, and loads of cash. Look around you and you will see that it is true.

1. Self is our god. How many people are self-centered, self-reliant, self-obsessed, and living for self? Culture tells us "It's all about you," but that is a lie. Nobody seems to care about each other any more. They have become unloving and uncaring.
2. Sex is our god. Look at our sex-saturated world and how everyone is chasing after sex, and yet they are still not satisfied. Sex permeates everything around us from the magazines to the advertisements to the television shows to the movies. People are getting more brazen about sex, doing it in public without concern for who sees them and how it will affect those who see (such as children).
3. Money is our god. You know the pursuit of money is a god when people's lives revolve around chasing that almighty dollar. Even though they have enough to be content with, it is never enough. They need more and more and more. Yet, the happiness they are chasing after still eludes them.

Quite often in our sick, perverted and twisted world, the last two go hand-in-hand. Are you aware of just how many women out there willingly sell their body for cash by having sex with a complete stranger who just happens to offer them a couple hundred or thousand dollars (and the majority of the time, without a condom)? Even to the point of cheating on their boyfriend or husband? These women obviously have no dignity or self-respect, nor are they very faithful to the man they are with. Sure, they will say "No" at the start, using him as their defense, but soon they are tossing that defense out and chasing the money. The money is more important to them than their dignity, self-worth, or faithfulness to their man. The men who do this to these women are some of the most pathetic losers in the world, having absolutely no respect for women, using them for their own bragging rights among their loser buddies. Despite a woman's first rejections, they persist by offering her more cash until she eventually gives in (and when you worship money, you eventually do give in). They video tape it and air it publicly on the Internet, humiliating her for the entire world to see. But because she has no dignity or self-respect, she allows this loser to video tape her and does not care who sees her in this video. I know these things for a fact because of my own sinful past with an addiction to viewing pornography. Sadly, the world is worse off than I could have ever imagined; yet as bad as I know it to be, I guarantee it is far worse still.

But those are not the only gods we worship in our culture.

1. Our stomachs are our gods. We constantly have to stuff them with food all day long while others around the globe are lucky if they see three square meals a day. We buy take-out and pre-packaged foods galore and eat all sorts of junk food. It seems we never stop stuffing our mouths. We spend more on food than what we should, and we probably wastefully throw half of it out. Try and tell me that our stomachs are not our gods.
2. Our TVs are our gods (this includes other technological devices such as computers). The whole family gathers around the TV just to worship it, spending more hours in front of it than doing anything else. People, including their children, walk around nearly 24/7 glued to their technological devices without ever giving them a rest. This also includes those individuals who sit day-in and day-out in front of a gaming console playing games and/or things like Facebook and Twitter, wasting the precious hours of their life. People no longer seem to have any one-on-one personal time with anybody. They are too busy becoming one with their technological contraptions.
3. Our sports teams are our gods. We erect multi-million dollar stadiums to house them in and throw a hissy fit when they do not win. Movie stars, musicians, athletes, and other famous individuals, such as the Pope, are also our gods. Imaginary characters such as Santa Claus are even our gods. When we see these people in person, we lose all self-control and act ecstatically, even to the point of shedding tears in their presence. It is as if having met them has given our life some sort of purpose. When millions of people gather together like this, you can be sure that they are indeed worshiping these individuals.

As you can see, our world is greatly guilty of breaking the first and second commandments. They not only worship false gods, but they erect gods in their own image to worship as well. They also put other individuals (musicians, actors, athletes, etc) in the place of godhood and pay homage to them via worship. But these are not the only things that make us sinners, even though they would certainly be enough. So that you can answer the how, why, and what that makes you a sinner, let us look at some other things.

How many lies have you told in your life? This includes any supposed "white" lies that you have told, as well as exaggerations and stretching the truth. What do you call someone who tells lies? They are called a liar. If you only need to kill one person to become a murder, you only need to tell one lie to become a liar.

Have you ever stolen anything? The size and value are irrelevant. If you have ever downloaded any movies, music, computer games, or computer programs from the Internet without paying for them, you have stolen them. If you work at a job and are not doing what you are supposed to do and are wasting company time, you are stealing time from your company for a job you were hired to do. If you have ever left work early and had someone else punch/swipe you out later, you are stealing money for which you have not earned from your company (you are also lying to your company by doing this). If you are using someone else's cable or Internet, having been hooked up to it illegally, you are stealing. What do you call someone who steals? They are called a thief.

Have you ever coveted something that did not belong to you? Coveting is the desire to have something that is not yours. It is wanting to get "stuff" just to show off to others and to try and keep up with the Joneses (even though the Joneses are broke and in debt up to their eyeballs). It is wishing that your life circumstances were different, by not being thankful for what you have and what God has given you. It is having an insatiable desire to get things you want but do not really need. Pack rats, who do nothing but store things they have bought and will never use, are prime examples of covetous individuals. If you attain to a set standard of living, rather than living within your means with what you have, and being content with it and thankful for it, you are a covetous person. Covetousness is also idolatry, the breaking of the first and second commandments, because you have made it your god and are worshiping it by your great desire thereof.

Have you ever committed adultery? Jesus said that "everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). Lusting is having sexual desire for another person, whether of the same or opposite sex. Lust is also desiring sexual fantasies within your life derived from the things you read or look at. Reading so-called "romance" novels is pornographic and you are committing lust. Looking at pornography is lusting. Reading your "teen" magazines and drooling over the "hot" guys is lusting. Gazing wantingly at women in magazines such as Maxim is lusting. You are guilty of committing adultery in your heart. Remember, the Bible declares that re-marriage after divorce is also adultery.

We have just examined 6 of the 10 Commandments. You have been found to be a self-admitted idolater, liar, thief, covetous person, and adulterer. When you stand before God on Judgment Day, do you think you will be found innocent or guilty? Listen to your conscience. You know full well that you will be found guilty. Based on the verdict of your guilt, do you think you will go to heaven or hell? You are just lying to yourself if you think you will go to heaven. You know full well that you deserve hell and that that is where you will find yourself unless you repent of your sins and trust in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and your salvation.

Just because something is popular in our culture does not make it right or proper. Sin is sin regardless of its popularity and acceptance among the world. Necrophelia is popular among the world and Christians are flowing with the stream. They watch, enjoy, and defend such shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and the Twilight series. In these films, regular men and women are having sex with vampires. Vampires are defined as living dead. Necrophelia is the sexual abomination of having sex with dead things. Necrophelia is a sin. Christians should not be watching this garbage! The same is true with regard to homosexuality. It is a sin. Yet how many Christians watch, enjoy, and defend such garbage shows as Lost Girl (and there are many others, too)? No matter how many people are deluded into accepting it, approving of it, and thinking that it is normal, it is a perverted abomination of both our human and sexual natures. Unless these individuals repent of their homosexual sins and put their faith and trust in Christ Jesus, they likewise will also perish in hell.

So now you know how you are a sinner, why you are a sinner, and what makes you a sinner. You no longer have a vain admission of being a sinner. If someone comes up to you and asks you what makes you a sinner, your answer will no longer be, "I do not know." We have unlocked these commands to show you the depth of all they encompass (and there is yet more that could be listed under them). Most people have very narrow views of what things like lying, stealing, and coveting involve. Now you know that they involve much more. What we have dealt with here only scratches the surface of the question of sin.

What Is Sin?

by John Piper

The glory of God not honoured.

The holiness of God not reverenced.

The greatness of God not admired.

The power of God not praised.

The truth of God not sought.

The wisdom of God not esteemed.

The beauty of God not treasured.

The goodness of God not savoured.

The faithfulness of God not trusted.

The commandments of God not obeyed.

The justice of God not respected.

The wrath of God not feared.

The grace of God not cherished.

The presence of God not prized.

The person of God not loved.

That is sin.

John 3:14-18

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:14-18).

John 3:16 is probably the greatest misquoted and misinterpreted verse in all of Scripture, with 2 Peter 3:9 close behind. This verse began to be largely corrupted and perverted through Billy Graham's ministry, which is why pretty much the entire world knows this verse. But the way in which this verse is represented by the majority of believers who have been influenced by such erroneous teachings could not be further from the truth. If you have read my previous blog entry titled The Word "World", you will have learned that the word "world" has over eight different possible usages throughout Scripture. It rarely ever means each and every individual on the entire planet without exception. It does not mean such here either.

In verses 15 and 16, the word translated as "whoever" ("whosoever," KJV) is the Greek word pas (πας—the same word we examined in the blog entry 2 Peter 3:9) and means:

1. individually
1. each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2. collectively
1. some of all types

In 2 Peter 3:9, this word is translated as "all." Replace "whoever" with "all" and re-read these verses. You might read it like this: "that all believers may in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that all believers in Him should not perish, but have eternal life"; or like this: "that all that/who believe may in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that all that/who believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." "Whoever" is not an optional statement. It is a declarative statement. It is saying "the one that does believe," "those that do believe," "all that do believe." Those who are those that.

Arminianist-based faiths treat "whoever" as if it is offering an option, which it is not. It is not saying "whoever wants to believe," but is declaring "the ones that do believe." Man does not want to believe. Man hates God (John 3:19-20; 7:7; 15:18). Man is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). Man does not seek after God (Rom. 3:11b). Man rejects God (Rom. 1:18-19). Man cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). Man is full of evil (Mark 7:21-23). Man is lawless, rebellious, unholy, and profane (1 Tim. 1:9). Man is a child of wrath (Eph. 2:1). Man does not choose God (John 15:16). Man will not believe unless he is part of Jesus' flock (John 10:26). If God merely made an offer of salvation to mankind and left the decision to be saved up to man, no one would ever be saved! Read my blog entry Faith Is A Gift. If all these things are true of man, and they are, then man will never come to God by himself. God must first change man's heart by regenerating him and drawing him to Himself, at which point man will freely accept Jesus as Lord. If Jesus is not your Lord, He cannot be your Saviour. A regenerated man will never and can never reject Jesus. Only the unregenerate can do so. Those who claim to have been regenerated and now reject Jesus demonstrate that they were never regenerated to begin with. They merely put on a show for all to see, imitating what they saw and heard. But they never belonged to Jesus (Matt. 7:15-23; John 6:66; 1 John 2:19).

If "world" in verse 16 is supposed to mean each and every individual without exception, then the same logic must be applied to verse 17. Therefore, each and every individual will not be judged but will be saved through Jesus. Trying to force the meaning "each and every individual without exception" onto the word "world" results in support for the heresy of Universalism. If one is going to argue that "world" must mean "each and every individual without exception" in one verse, he must use that same argument for all verses. The fact of the matter is that the word "world" is rarely used this way in the Bible and has over eight different uses. Ignorance wants to force a single meaning upon a word when the word is clearly used in different contexts throughout Scripture and the whole of Scripture contradicts such a forced meaning of the word.

Verse 18 tells us that the one that does not believe "has been judged already." Past tense. Compare this to John 5:24 where it says the one that believes "does not come into judgment." Future tense. One has already been condemned while the other will not be condemned. Revelation states clearly that there are those “whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundations of the world” (17:8; cf 13:8). These vessels of wrath (Rom. 9:22; Prov. 16:4; 1 Pet. 2:8) were "long beforehand marked out for this condemnation" (Jude 4; cf. 2 Pet. 2:3).

John 3:16 is a verse about God's elect. God so loved His chosen people that He sent Christ Jesus to be a propitiation for their sins. All of Scripture supports this correct interpretation. Jesus came to save His own people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). Jesus gave His life for His own people—His sheep (John 10:11, 15), the church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27). He accomplished redemption for His own people (Luke 1:68). Scripture never mentions mediation for any other except His own! His people consist of believing Jews and Gentiles. All people—each and every individual without exception—have not been given to Christ Jesus as an inheritance (John 6:37; Eph. 1:18). No one can come to God unless the Father has given him to Jesus and draws Him (John 6:44, 65). If all mankind is being drawn to God, then they will all come to Him, which again is support for the heresy of Universalism. The fact and truth of the matter is that Jesus came to redeem those whom the Father gave Him, of which all will come to Jesus in faith (John 6:37).

1 John 2:1-2

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2).

The word "propitiation" means "sacrifice." Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins.

In Romans 1:8 Paul writes, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world." Was their faith being proclaimed throughout the entire world—the far north, east, south, and west? Or was their faith being proclaimed throughout the entire believing world, being proclaimed among the churches? The answer is obvious. In order to understand how the word "world" is used throughout Scripture, please refer to my blog entry The Word "World".

The chances that John is referring to each and every individual in the world without exception is rather doubtful. It is more likely that he is referring to the believing world. John's letter would have been written to a specific group of people. By writing "and not for ours only," he would be referring to himself and those with whom he was writing. By writing "but also for those of the whole world," he would be informing those whom he wrote to that Jesus was also the sacrifice for the sins of all other believers wherever they may be found. There are denominations today who believe that they are the only group of people who Jesus was a sacrifice for. They believe they will be the only group of people to be in heaven. In John's Gospel, his use of the word "world" rarely ever means each and every individual without exception. If one pays close attention to the context of John 3:14-18, one will note that John 3:16 does not teach or refer to each and every individual without exception. We will examine this passage in a later blog entry.

If John is referring to each and every individual without exception, he is in no way declaring that their sins are forgiven because of this sacrifice. He is merely stating a fact that Jesus was a once-for-all-time sacrifice for all sin. To misquote this verse and misinterpret it as saying that each and every individual without exception has their sins forgiven, then when they die in unbelief what is there left to condemn them? If their sins are already forgiven, then there is nothing remaining to condemn them with on Judgment Day. By a misuse of this verse, we have once again provided support for the heresy of Universalism—the belief that everyone will be saved and make it to heaven one way or another.

Another possible understanding is that by "whole world" John is referring to the created order—not to individuals. The Bible teaches us that God is redeeming the world—the created order—to Himself as well and that it groans for the day of redemption (see Romans 8:20-22; 2 Corinthians 5:19; etc.).

The Old Testament: Is It Valid For the Christian?

Too many people nowadays have a negative view of the Old Testament. Many of them say that the Old Testament is dead and that it has nothing to offer the Christian. Sadly, these people do not read their Bibles, and if they do they fail to pay attention to what it says. They hear (passive) what they read but are not listening (active) to it. That is the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. The Old Testament is not dead. The Old Testament has much to offer the Christian. The Old Testament is the Scriptures. Without the Old Testament there would be no New Testament. As someone once said, "the New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New." The New Testament is nothing more than history (the Gospels and Acts) and letters (the Epistles). Everything contained in the New Testament comes directly from the Old Testament. Once again, if there were no Old Testament, there would be no New Testament.

All one has to do is look throughout the entire New Testament and make note of how many times Jesus and the Apostles make reference to "Scripture" or "the Scriptures." Since the New Testament did not exist during this time, having yet to be written, what do you suppose Jesus was referring to whenever He made reference to "Scripture" or "the Scriptures"? Obviously He was referring to the Old Testament. When Paul, Peter, and James were writing their letters, since the New Testament did not exist, what do you suppose they were referring to whenever they made reference to "Scripture" or "the Scriptures"? Again, obviously the Old Testament.

The only thing that does not apply to the Christian is the Mosaic Law. Everything else in the Old Testament is beneficial for the Christian. Without the Old Testament, the Christian would know nothing of the origin of the universe or himself. Without the Old Testament, the Christian would know nothing of man's fall into sin and the promised Redeemer. Without the Old Testament, the Christian would know nothing about God. The Old Testament reveals the character and holiness of God. Without the Old Testament, the Christian would know nothing about the birth or death of Christ. The New Testament merely reveals what the Old Testament prophesied. Without the Old Testament, the Christian would know nothing about Jesus. The Old Testament frequently employs types, shadows, and images that foreshadow Christ Jesus and what He would accomplish. We are not New Testament Christians. We are whole-Bible Christians. The whole of Scripture is given to us by God for our good.

Here are just a sampling of the many verses that make reference to "Scripture" or "the Scriptures":

"And they said to one another, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?'" (Luke 24:32). Which Scriptures was Jesus explaining to them?
"Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures," (Luke 24:45). Which Scriptures did He open their minds to understand?
"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me;" (John 5:39). Which Scriptures were they searching?
"And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures," (Acts 17:2). From which Scriptures was Paul reasoning with them from?
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, [to see] whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). Which Scriptures were they examining daily to see if the things about Jesus were true?
"Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures" (Acts 18:24). Which Scriptures was Apollos mighty in?

"for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ." (Acts 18:28). Which Scriptures was he using to demonstrate that Jesus was the Christ?
"which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures," (Rom. 1:2). What are the holy Scriptures?
"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). Which Scriptures does perseverance and encouragement come from? What does the very first line of this verse say? Whatever was written in the Old Testament was written for our instruction.
"but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, [leading] to obedience of faith;" (Rom. 16:26). By which Scriptures were they to be established by, and which Scriptures made this known to all nations?
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures," (1 Cor. 15:3). Christ died for our sins according to which Scriptures?
"and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," (1 Cor. 15:4). Which Scriptures taught that Jesus would be buried and would be raised on the third day?
"as also in all [his] letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as [they do] also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Pet. 3:16). Here, Peter refers to Paul's letters as being Scripture, but which Scriptures is he making direct reference to?

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" (2 Tim. 3:16). Which Scripture is inspired by God?

We must not forget also the number of times the New Testament makes reference to "Moses and the Prophets," which make up the entire Old Testament. The Christian cannot do without the Old Testament. Any person who thinks they can kick the Old Testament to the curb has clearly never read it and is ignorant of the glorious truths it has to offer us. Here are some other verses that refer to "Scripture" or "the Scriptures": Mark 12:10; 15:28; Luke 4:21; John 2:22; 7:38, 42; 10:35; 13:18; 17:12; 19:24, 28, 36-37; 20:9; Acts 1:16; 8:32, 35; Rom. 4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2; Gal. 3:22; 4:30; 1 Tim. 4:13; 5:18; James 2:8, 23; 4:5; 1 Pet. 2:6; 2 Pet. 1:20. Do not let anyone feed you that garbage about the Old Testament not being important for the Christian again, or that it is dead to us. Those lies comes straight from the pit of hell. If it has no benefit for us, then it clearly cannot be inspired, in which case the entire New Testament is invalidated and made null and void because it relies so heavily upon the Old Testament. By throwing out the Old Testament, you throw out the New Testament as well and the Christian is left with nothing. In fact, the Christian no longer exists.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is a beautiful depiction of God's work throughout history—foundationally driven through the resurrection of Christ Jesus—to reconcile not only humanity, but creation and the entire world back into perfect union with Himself (Col. 2:19-22). The apostle Paul writes of reconciliation as one that is cosmically bigger than we, as individually-centered Westerners, often envision (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

Every Christian has the biblical responsibility to initiate action toward reconciliation. The direct teachings of Jesus and the apostle Paul urge us to go and be reconciled to those with whom we have disputes. It does not matter whether the other person has something against us (Matt. 5:23-24), we believe we have been sinned against (Matt. 18:15), or if the other person is entrapped in sin (Gal. 6:1); we are to make every effort to make peace (Rom. 12:18; see also Heb. 12:14). Our responsibility to "go and be reconciled" is not excused simply because we are fearful that our words might be twisted. It is not excused if we think the other person might not listen. It is not excused if the other party indicates in e-mails that he/she will not meet with us. It is not excused if the person does not live in our town. It is not excused if the other party has widely shared his/her complaints against us. It is not excused if the whole world reads about the complaints against us in some public media. People find all kinds of excuses not to obey the teachings of Scripture, but our social practices and customs are not what guide God's people in such matters.

As we consider the above passages—and others—in their full context, we see that "going" to be reconciled requires more than e-mail, more than letters, more than blogs, and more than phone calls—it requires going to meet face-to-face. God reconciled us to Himself "while we were yet sinners" (Rom. 5:6-11); He did not wait until we desired for Him to come. God so loved the world that He sent His only Son (John 3:16). Jesus humbled Himself to become flesh (Phil. 2:1-11) and come to Earth in person to dwell among us (John 1:1, 14).

"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

Repentance

Dispensationalism is a hypocrisy that poisons a whole nation (rather, a whole hemisphere) with its fatal deception. During the month of May, we looked at a huge portion of its poisonous deceptions. Today we shall look at another: Repentance.

Lewis Sperry Chafer's Systematic Theology lists repentance as one of "the more common features of human responsibility which are too often erroneously added to the one requirement of faith or belief."¹ The Ryrie Study Bible lists repentance as "a false addition to faith" when made a condition for salvation, except "when [repentance is] understood as a synonym for faith."² Another influential teacher concurs: "The Bible requires repentance for salvation, but repentance does not mean to turn from sin, nor a change in one's conduct.... Biblical repentance is a change of mind or attitude concerning either God, Christ, dead works or sin."³ A seminary professor even writes, "Repentance means to change one's mind; it does not mean to change one's life."⁴

J. I. Packer wrote, "The repentance that Christ requires of His people consists in a settled refusal to set any limit to the claims which He may make on their lives."⁵ Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology says that "True repentance never exists except in conjunction with faith, while, on the other hand, wherever there is true faith, there is also real repentance.... The two cannot be separated; they are simply complementary parts of the same process."⁶ Repentance is not a mental activity; genuine repentance involves the intellect, emotions, and will.⁷ Geerhardus Vos wrote, "Our Lord's idea of repentance is as profound and comprehensive as his conception of righteousness. Of the three words that are used in the Greek Gospels to describe the process, one emphasizes the emotional element of regret, sorrow over the past evil course of life, metamélomai; Matt. 21:29-32; a second expresses reversal of the entire mental attitude, metanoéō, Matt. 12:41, Luke 11:32; 15:7, 10; the third denotes a change in the direction of life, one goal being substituted for another, epistréphomai; Matt. 13:15 (and parallels); Luke 17:4; 22:32. Repentance is not limited to any single faculty of the mind: it engages the entire man, intellect, will and affections.... Again, in the new life which follows repentance the absolute supremacy of God is the controlling principle. He who repents turns away from the service of mammon and self to the service of God."⁸

D. L. Moody has often been quoted as saying, "If you are what you were after you got saved, then you've never been saved." This is true because real repentance alters the character of the entire man. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote: "Repentance means that you realize that you are a guilty, vile sinner in the presence of God, that you deserve the wrath and punishment of God, that you are hell-bound. It means that you begin to realize that this thing called sin is in you, that you long to get rid of it, and that you turn your back on it in every shape and form. You renounce the world whatever the cost, the world in its mind and outlook as well as its practice, and you deny yourself, and take up the cross and go after Christ. Your nearest and dearest, and the whole world, may call you a fool, or say you have religious mania. You may have to suffer financially, but it makes no difference. That is repentance."⁹

The false gospel and phony Christianity of Dispensationalism must do away with repentance in order to make room for their group of second class Christians, the so-called "carnal Christian." There is no such thing, and if these people bothered to read their Bibles they would see this. In order to understand this more fully, go back to the month of March and read the posts dealing with apostasy. Because they preach a false gospel that basically tells people that if they pray a prayer, sign a card, walk an aisle, ask Jesus into their heart, or make a decision for Christ, that they will be part of the club, they need to create a false Christianity in order to house all these people when none of them join a church or ever bear any evidence of Christ having touched their lives, just so they do not have to admit their ardent failure and repent of their wrongdoing. Rather than admit that all these people—who have done what they asked and yet bear no evidence of a changed life—are false converts, they create a separate class of "Christian" in order to deceive themselves and claim that these people are still saved, but they are merely "carnal."

Dallas Theological Seminary does not teach repentance because it does not believe in repentance. The reason why they do not believe in it is because they have blindly followed the erroneous writing of Lewis Sperry Chafer in his Systematic Theology. So they churn out masses of ignorant students spewing forth the same regurgitated poisonous vomit. And you wonder why most churches are dead and bear no evidence that God is with them or that any of them have been genuinely saved? By denying repentance, you are creating self-righteous individuals who think they can live in their sin and inherit eternal life. The Bible says that all sin must go. Romans 8:13 is a grand rebuke in the face of these lies: "If you are living according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 6 and 8, as well as the rest of Scripture, constantly contrast life and death.

Repentance means to stop what you are doing and heading in the wrong direction; confess that you have been going the wrong way and doing the wrong things; apologize for the wrong direction of your life; turn around and start heading in the right direction; and not to stop until you reach your destination—holiness and Christ-likeness. It is not a matter of perfection but a matter of direction. You are ever increasing in holiness and Christ-likeness. That is what repentance looks like, and Scripture demands it as evidence of salvation: "Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt. 3:8). Without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47).

---

¹ Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, 3:372.
² Charles C. Ryrie, The Ryrie Study Bible, 1950.
³ G. Michael Corcoris, Lordship Salvation—Is It Biblical?, 12.
⁴ Thomas L. Constable, "The Gospel Message," Walvoord: A Tribute, 207.
⁵ J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, 72.
⁶ Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 487.
⁷ Ibid., 486.
⁸ Geerhardus Vos, The Kingdom of God and the Church, 92-93.
⁹ D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 2:248.

Godly Decisions

Christians should think through every decision they make carefully and seriously, taking every step seriously and considering everything in light of Scripture and bringing glory to God. We need to guard against and avoid making any decisions based solely upon the popularity thereof within our cultures. Popularity with our cultures is never a good reason to make any decision. The old saying comes to mind, "If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you jump off it, too?"

The way to make right decisions in your life is to know God's will. Every decision you make should be carefully and seriously considered in light of Scripture and bringing glory to God. If we know our Bibles well and spend time in them daily, we already know God's revealed will. We should also pray for wisdom and guidance. Essentially, there are four steps that should guide every decision making process:

1. Pray. Prayer should always guide our decisions.
2. What does God's Word say about it? If God's Word does not specifically address what you are considering, what lessons might you glean from it that can help with your decision? For example, God's Word says nothing about buying a house. But Scripture says lots about being a good steward with your money. How can you take the lessons of stewardship and apply them to buying a house.
3. Seek godly counsel. This is counsel that begins first and foremost with God's Word and glory to God.
4. Make your decision. In the end, you get to make the choice for good or ill. Hopefully you considered the ramifications of your decision in light of Scripture and bringing glory to God.

Too often nowadays Christians merely "go with the flow." They do not care about consequences, the effect it has on others, or whether it is something they should be involved with at all. They are afraid to stand out in the world and be set apart for God. They just want to fit in, which is usually an indicator that they love the world more than they love the Christ. Contrary to popular opinion, fitting in with the masses is not "cool." We need to develop a back bone and to grow courage and to stand against the popularities of our cultures. Just because "everyone is doing it" does not make it right or proper. In the book of Judges we are repeatedly informed that everyone did what was "right in his own eyes" (17:6; 21:25), which turned out to be "evil in the sight of the Lord" (2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). Our societies are no different.

In Christian marriage, this should ever more be the case. Husband and wife should discuss every decision together, and every decision should be made with great consideration toward what the Word of God says and with regard to bringing God glory in and by that decision. You are not separate individuals, you are united as one. Every decision will have its consequences, and those must be weighed carefully. The steps above will greatly aid you in making any decision, and every decision should be made with the utmost caution and care. "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:6).

Best Selling, Least Read

The Bible is the best selling yet least read book.

Let me qualify that statement. In the English language, apart from actual translations of the Bible, there are numerable "paraphrases" sold as "Bibles." The sales of these paraphrases are in the multi-million-dollar range. The genuine translations of the Bible have their sales in the multi-millions, too. The flaw with the genuine translations is in their multi-packaging systems. Their Bibles are offered in genuine leather, bonded leather, imitation leather, hard cover, soft cover, TruTone, Leatherflex, etc., etc, and in a variety of single, dual, or multiple colours. On top of all of this, every Tom, Dick, and Harry feels the need to release his/her own "study" Bible; also selling in the multi-millions. Then, you have Bibles that cater to a specific field of information, such as The Apologetics Bible, The Archaeology Bible, The Rainbow Study Bible (with every passage colour coded), etc. In order to get the bits and pieces these various Bibles offer, individuals end up purchasing multiple Bibles. Yet, with the multiple Bibles sitting on their shelves, they still find no time in which to actually read the Bible.

The information contained in some of these Bibles should be sold separately in books of their own (i.e. archaelogical evidence to support the Bible). This is especially true for the many "study" Bibles out there. The Scofield Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, Max Lucado Study Bible, Joyce Meyers Study Bible, Jimmy Swaggart Study Bible, Joel Osteen Study Bible, etc., are products of vanity; not to mention anything in regard to their false teachings and/or heresies presented inside. Their comments should be sold in books completely separate from the Bible (i.e. commentaries) as they colour the Bible with their erroneous beliefs and teachings as if it were the gospel truth.

The themes "Bibles for brides," "Bibles for women," "Bibles for men," "Bibles for soldiers," etc., are all re-branded Bibles festooned with devotional material. They are largely off target, but publishers put them out there to sell books. Evidence of this fact can be seen in the number of Bibles recently released in the name of dead Christians: Matthew Henry Study Bible, John Wesley Study Bible, Martin Luther Study Bible, The C. S. Lewis Bible, The A. W. Tozer Bible, Oswald Chambers Devotional Bible, etc. These men are rolling over in their graves about now. All these publishers care about is the cash flow coming in. You want a Bible that caters to your specific hobby horse, such as environmentalism, they will give it to you, regardless whether the information attached to the Bible is accurate or helpful.

I know individuals who own 20 or more Bibles. Some of these individuals own multiple copies, in different packaging, of the exact same translation. What is the purpose in owning five different ESV translations? Why do you need a genuine leather edition, a TruTone edition with a cross embossed on it, a TruTone edition with a crown of thorns embossed on it, etc.? Why do you need one of each colour or design they put out there? One burgundy, one green, one blue, and one black. The Bible today, essentially, is merely collected by individuals rather than read. They have all these copies of the Bible and yet not one of them has evidence of use. They just collect dust. In fact, as Charles Spurgeon once stated, you could write "Damnation" in the dust on these Bibles.

God's Not Dead!

by Dr. Rice Broocks

Breaking News! In a dramatic reversal of public opinion, God is alive and well, and working wonders on planet Earth! As recent statistics reveal, even in academic circles, the concept of God is making a comeback on a global scale.

Following the opinions of atheist European philosophers, many people in 20th century fell into the trap of believing that "God is dead." This was actually a play on words claiming that no ideas about spiritual or metaphysical things can be scientifically verified—so, in their opinion, for all practical purposes God (who is a spiritual being) was dead. As a result of this trend, there have been many predictions of the end of the Christian faith.

For example, as presented by authors John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge in a recent book entitled God is Back (2009), Thomas Woolston, and English theologian who lived in the 18th century, was the first skeptical thinker to give an exact date for God's death. he predicted that Christianity would be completely gone by the year 1900. A Prussian king named Frederick the Great believed that Wooldridge's prediction was too generous and commented to his friend Voltaire (circa 1770) that religion was crumbling on its own accord and its end would be more rapid than that. In his response, Voltaire suggested that religion would end in the next 50 years.

Later, many thoughtful people who were influenced by Frederick Nietzsche (1900) and Karl Marx (1847) predicted that modern politics and economics would cause people to embrace atheism even as Christianity and thoughts of God would completely vanish from the world. In other words, some really smart people actually predicted that all our thoughts and feelings about God would eventually vanish from the Earth!
In recent days, scientists like Steven Hawking have tried to revive this non-belief in God by suggesting quantum physics has eliminated the "need" for God.

"GOD IS BACK"

But, a funny thing happened on the way to the funeral! Contrary to all the failed predictions, faith in God is now surging in every part of the World. China, which once outlawed missionaries and tried to eliminate religion, now is home to a truly great awakening touching millions. God's Spirit is sweeping across Asia producing Churches with tens of millions of new believers (one Church in Korea has over 800,000 members). Africa is predicted to be 50% Christian by 2020. In America, CNN (Belief blog) recently reported the more educated someone is, the more likely they are to attend religious services.

The evidence is undeniable, and as millions of people continue to put their faith in Christ around the world, God is being revealed as the source of ultimate meaning and purpose. By humbling Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, God entered the natural world and experienced everything from the perspective of human beings.

In this way, God demonstrated the real meaning of life: a personal relationship with the Creator.

In the end, Jesus offered Himself as payment for our sins by ding on a cruel cross. Three days later He rose from the dead. That resurrection gives us the certainty we need t o know that God not only created the universe, but God is in control of the universe as well. By His resurrection God proved that (1) His existence is real, (2) Christ's identity as the Son of God is valid, (3) a spiritual rebirth (being born-again) is available now to those who believe in Jesus and (4) an after-life of eternal fellowship with God awaits those who belong to Him.

And this is the good news of the Gospel!

Regardless of what atheists and doubters think...

God is Not Dead!

"In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also." (John 14:19 ESV)

God's Not Dead (Like A Lion)
Newsboys

Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To see a revolution somehow
Now I'm lost in Your freedom
In this world I'll overcome

My God's not dead
He's surely alive
He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion

Let hope arise and make the darkness hide
My faith is dead
I need a resurrection somehow
Now I'm lost in Your freedom
In this world I'll overcome

My God's not dead
He's surely alive
He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion

Let heaven roar and fire fall
Come shake the ground
With the sounds of revival

Hidden Messages In Genesis 5

by Chuck Missler

This section will begin with a riddle: Methuselah is well known as the oldest man in the Bible; yet he died before his father. How can that be?

Enoch, Methuselah’s father, didn’t die; he was transferred directly to heaven without passing through death. It is interesting that the oldest prophecy in the Bible was uttered by Enoch before the flood of Noah and concerned the Second Coming of Christ. (It is not found here in Genesis but in the next-to-last book of the Bible, Jude).

Another fact about Enoch is that at age sixty-five, something very special happened in his life. From that day on, for over three hundred years, he “walked with God”. It seems that when his son was born, he was told that as long as his son was alive, the forthcoming judgment of the flood (the flood of Noah) would be withheld.

Enoch thus named his son using two Hebrew roots: muth, which means “his death,” and shelac, which is a verb form that means “bring,” or “sent forth.” So the name Methuselah means, “his death shall bring.” The flood of Noah did not come as a surprise; it had been predicted for four generations.

This significance behind the name Methuselah also hints that a message might be hidden behind these other names found in chapter 5. Adam had a son named Seth, Seth had a son named Enoch, and so on. The problem with Genesis 5 is that these proper names are not translated for the reader from their Hebrew meanings, so you have to unravel these by digging into the meaning of the Hebrew roots that make up the names.

• Adam: (adomah) “man”
• Seth: “appointed” (Genesis 4:25)
• Enosh: (from the root anash, “to be incurable”) “mortal,” “frail,” “miserable”
• Kenan: “sorrow,” “dirge,” “elegy”
• Mahalal’el: “the Blessed God”—(mahalal) “blessed”; (El) the name for God
• Jared: (from the verb yaradh) “shall come down”
• Enoch: “commencement” or “teaching”
• Methuselah: “his death shall bring”—muth, a root that means “death”; shalach means “bring” or “send forth”
• Lamech: “despairing” (from which we get “lament” or “lamentation”)
• Noah: (derived from nacham) “comfort” or “rest” (Genesis 5:29)

We now can look at the genealogy with more insight. The sequence—Adam—Seth—Enosh—Kenan—Mahalaleel—Jared—Enoch—Methuselah—Lamech—Noah—reads, in English, “Man [is] appointed mortal sorrow; [but] the blessed God shall come down teaching [that His] death shall bring [the] despairing rest.”

There are several profound lessons here. First, here is a summary of the New Testament Gospel tucked away in a genealogy in the Torah. This demonstrates something we will encounter throughout all the Scripture: every detail is there by design. It also tells us that God’s plan of redemption was not a knee-jerk reaction to chapter 3. God had ordained it before the foundation of the world.

Everything In Jesus, and Jesus Everything

by A. B. Simpson

Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted, now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone.

Once 'twas painful trying, now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, now the uttermost;
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, now my anchor's cast.

Once 'twas busy planning, now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, now He has the care;
Once 'twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, now 'tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, now He uses me;
Once the power I wanted, now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, now they brightly shine;
Once for death I waited, now His coming hail;
And m hopes are anchored safe within the veil.

All in all forever, Jesus will I sing,
Everything in Jesus, and Jesus everything.

Jesus the A to Z

by Unknown Author

To the Artist, He is the Altogether Lovely One.
To the Builder, He is the Chief Cornerstone.
To the Chef, He is the Bread of Life.
To the Doctor, He is the Great Physician.
To the Educator, He is the Master Teacher.
To the Florist, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley (or To the Filmmaker, He is the Famous One).
To the Geologist, He is the Rock of Ages.
To the Horticulturist, He is the True Vine.
To the Intellectual, He is the Wisdom of God.
To the Jeweler, He is the Head of the Church, which is the Pearl of Great Price.
To the King, He is the Prince of Peace.
To the Lawyer, He is the Judge of all the Earth.
To the Manufacturer, He is the Creator of All Things.
To the Newsman, He is the Glad Tidings of Great Joy.
To the Oculist (in search of the light), He is the Light of the World.
To the Philanthropist, He is the Gift of God.
To the Queen, He is the King of Kings.
To the Rabbi, He is The Messiah.
To the Scholar, He is the Truth.
To the Theologian, He is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith.
To the Undertaker, He is the Resurrection and the Life.
To the Visionary, He is the Revelation of God.
To the Waiter, He is the One who came not to be Served but to Serve.
To the X-Ray Technician, He is the Word of God before Whom all things are naked and bare.
To the Youth, He is the Life.
To the Zealot, He is the Son of God to whom life is worth living (or To the Zoologist, He is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God).

Jesus In Every Book of the Bible

In Genesis, Jesus is the seed of the woman.
In Exodus, Jesus is the Passover lamb.
In Leviticus, Jesus is our high priest.
In Numbers, Jesus is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
In Deuteronomy, Jesus is the prophet like unto Moses.
In Joshua, Jesus is the captain of our salvation.
In Judges, Jesus is our judge and lawgiver.
In Ruth, Jesus is our kinsman redeemer.
In 1 and 2 Samuel, Jesus is our trusted prophet.
In Kings and Chronicles, Jesus is our reigning king.
In Ezra, Jesus is our faithful scribe.
In Nehemiah, Jesus is the re-builder of the broken down walls of human life.
In Esther, Jesus is our Mordecai.
In Job, Jesus is our ever-living Redeemer.
In Psalms, Jesus is our shepherd.
In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, Jesus is our wisdom.
In Song of Solomon, Jesus is our loving bridegroom.
In Isaiah, Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
In Jeremiah, Jesus is our righteous branch.
In Lamentations, Jesus is our weeping prophet.
In Ezekiel, Jesus is the wonderful four-faced man.
In Daniel, Jesus is the fourth man in life’s fiery furnace.
In Hosea, Jesus is the faithful husband, (forever married to the backslider).
In Joel, Jesus is the baptizer with the Holy Ghost and fire.
In Amos, Jesus is our burden-bearer.
In Obadiah, Jesus is mighty to save.
In Jonah, Jesus is our great foreign missionary.
In Micah, Jesus is the messenger of beautiful feet.
In Nahum, Jesus is the avenger of God’s elect.
In Habakkuk, Jesus is God’s evangelist, crying, “Revive thy work in the midst of the years.”
In Zephaniah, Jesus is our Saviour.
In Haggai, Jesus is the restorer of God’s lost heritage.
In Zechariah, Jesus is the fountain opened up in the house of David for sin and uncleanness.
In Malachi, Jesus is the sun of righteousness, rising with healing in His wings.
In Matthew, Jesus is the King of the Jews.
In Mark, Jesus is the servant.
In Luke, Jesus is the son of man, feeling what you feel.
In John, Jesus is the Son of God.
In Acts, Jesus is the Saviour of the world.
In Romans, Jesus is the righteousness of God.
In 1 Corinthians, Jesus is the Rock who followed Israel.
In 2 Corinthians, Jesus is the Triumphant One, giving victory.
In Galatians, Jesus is our liberty; He set us free.
In Ephesians, Jesus is the head of the church.
In Philippians, Jesus is our joy.
In Colossians, Jesus is our completeness.
In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Jesus is our hope.
In 1 Timothy, Jesus is our faith.
In 2 Timothy, Jesus is our stability.
In Titus, Jesus is true.
In Philemon, Jesus is our Benefactor.
In Hebrews, Jesus is our perfection.
In James, Jesus is the power behind our faith.
In 1 Peter, Jesus is our example.
In 2 Peter, Jesus is our purity.
In 1 John, Jesus is our life.
In 2 John, Jesus is our pattern.
In 3 John, Jesus is our motivation.
In Jude, Jesus is the foundation of our faith.
In Revelation, Jesus is our coming King.

He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
He is the keeper of creation and the creator of all.
He is the architect of the universe and the manager of all times.
He always was, He always is, and He always will be; unmoved, unchanged, undefeated, and never undone.
He was bruised and brought healing; He was pierced and eased pain; He was persecuted and brought freedom; He was dead and brought life; He is risen and brings power; He reigns and brings peace.
The world cannot understand Him, the armies cannot defeat Him, schools cannot explain Him, and the leaders cannot ignore Him.
Herod could not kill Him, the Pharisees could not confuse Him, the people could not hold Him, Nero could not crush Him, Hitler could not silence Him, New Age cannot replace Him, and Oprah cannot explain Him away.
He is life, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, kindness, gentleness, and God.
He is holy, righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right, His words eternal, His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.
He is my Redeemer, He is my Saviour, He is my guide, He is my peace, He is my joy, He is my comfort, He is my Lord and He rules my life.
I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the Ancient of Days, the Ruler of rulers, the Leader of leaders, the Overseer of the overcomers, and the Sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
His goal is a relationship with me! He will never leave me, never forsake me, never mislead me, never forget me, never overlook me, and never cancel my appointment in His appointment book.
When I fall, He lifts me up; when I fail, He forgives; when I am weak, He is strong; when I am lost, He is the way; when I am afraid, he is my courage; when I stumble, He steadies me; when I am hurt, He heals me; when I am broken, He mends me; when I am blind, He leads me; when I am hungry, He feeds me; when I face trials, He is with me; when I face persecution, He shields me; when I face problems, He comforts me; when I face loss, he provides for me; when I face death, He carries me home.
He is everything for everybody, everywhere, every time, and every way.
He is God; He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine.
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
God said it, and that settles it. God is in control, I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul.

Names of Jesus Christ

Christ is known by many names and titles....

Abraham’s Seed (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16).
Advocate (1 John 2:1).
Almighty (Revelation 1:8).
Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13).
Amen (Revelation 3:14).
Angel (Genesis 48:16; Exodus 23:20,21).
Angel of God’s presence (Isaiah 63:9).
Angel of the Lord (Exodus 3:2; Judges 13:15-22).
Apostle (Hebrews 3:1).
Arm of the Lord (Isaiah 51:9; 53:1).
Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Author of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9).
Beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).
Beloved (Ephesians 1:6).
Beloved Son (Matthew 12:18).
Blessed and only Potentate (1 Timothy 6:15).
Branch (Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12).
Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48).
Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15).
Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).
Captain of Salvation (Hebrews 2:10).
Captain of the Lord’s hosts (Joshua 5:14,15).
Carpenter (Mark 6:3).
Carpenter’s Son (Matthew 13:55).
Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6).
Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).
Christ (Matthew 16:20; Mark 14:16; Luke 23:2).
Christ Jesus (Acts 19:4; Romans 3:24; 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1:30).
Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39; 1 Timothy 1:12).
Christ of God (Luke 9:20).
Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Commander (Isaiah 55:4).
Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25).
Cornerstone (Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:20).
Counselor (Isaiah 9:6).
Creator (John 1:3).
David (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23).
Dayspring (Luke 1:78).
Deliverer (Romans 11:26).
Desire of all nations (Haggai 2:7).
Door (John 10:7).
Elect of God (Isaiah 42:1).
Eternal life (1 John 1:2; 5:20).
Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6).
Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11).
Faithful witness (Revelation 1:5; 3:14).
First and Last (Revelation 1:17; 2:8).
Firstborn (Psalms 89:27; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 1:5).
Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20).
Fountain (Zechariah 13:1).
Glory of the Lord (Isaiah 40:5).
God (Isaiah 40:9; John 20:28).
God blessed forever (Romans 9:5).
God’s fellow (Zechariah 13:7).
Good Shepherd (John 10:14).
Governor (Matthew 2:6).
Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18).
Heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2).
High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Holy Child (Acts 4:27).
Holy One (Psalms 16:10, with Acts 2:27; 3:14).
Holy One of God (Mark 1:24).
Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 41:14; 54:5).
Horn of salvation (Luke 1:69).
I AM, (Exodus 3:14, with John 8:58).
Image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).
Jesus (Matthew 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1).
Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 21:11; Mark 1:24; Luke 24:19).
Judge (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8).
Judge of Israel (Micah 5:1).
Just One (Acts 7:52; 22:14).
King (Zechariah 9:9, with Matthew 21:5).
King of Glory (Psalms 24:7-10).
King of Israel (John 1:49).
King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14).
King of peace (Hebrews 7:2).
King of righteousness (Hebrews 7:2).
King of Saints (Revelation 15:3).
King of Salem (Hebrews 7:1).
King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2; 27:37; John 19:19).
King of Zion (Matthew 21:25).
Lamb (Revelation 5:6, 12; 13:8; 21:22; 22:3).
Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36).
Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).
Leader (Isaiah 55:4).
Life (John 14:6; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 1:2).
Light of the world (John 1:8; 8:12).
Lily of the valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1).
Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
Living Bread (John 6:51).
Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4).
Lord and Savior (2 Peter 1:11; 3:18).
Lord Christ (Colossians 3:24).
Lord God Almighty (Revelation 15:3).
Lord God of the holy prophets (Revelation 22:6).
Lord Jesus (Acts 7:59; Colossians 3:17).
Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 11:17; 16:31; 20:21).
Lord of all (Acts 10:36).
Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8; James 2:1).
Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 44:6).
Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
Lord our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16).
Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3).
Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).
Messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1).
Messiah (Daniel 9:25; John 1:41).
Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6).
Mighty One of Israel (Isaiah 30:29).
Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 49:26; 60:16).
Morningstar (Revelation 22:16; 2 Peter 1:19).
Most Holy (Daniel 9:24).
Nazarene (Matthew 2:23).
Offspring of David (Revelation 22:16).
Only Begotten Son (John 1:18).
Only Begotten (John 1:14).
Our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Potentate (1 Timothy 6:15).
Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Prince (Acts 5:31).
Prince of life (Acts 3:15).
Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).
Prophet (Matthew 21:11; Luke 24:19; John 7:40).
Rabbi (John 1:49).
Rabboni (John 20:16).
Ransom (1 Timothy 2:6).
Redeemer (Job 19:25; Isaiah 59:20; Isaiah 60:16).
Resurrection and life (John 11:25).
Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).
Rock of Offence (1 Peter 2:8).
Root of David (Revelation 5:5; 22:16).
Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10).
Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1).
Ruler of Israel (Micah 5:2).
Savior (Luke 2:11; 2 Peter 2:20; 3:18).
Savior of the Body (Ephesians 5:23).
Sceptre (Numbers 24:17).
Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45).
Second Man (1 Corinthians 15:47).
Seed of David (2 Timothy 2:8).
Seed of woman (Genesis 3:15).
Servant (Isaiah 42:1; 52:13; 53:11; Acts 4:30).
Servant of Rulers (Isaiah 49:7).
Shepherd (Mark 14:27).
Shepherd and Overseer of Souls (1 Peter 2:25).
Shepherd of Israel (Psalms 80:1).
Shiloh (Genesis 49:10).
Son of David (Matthew 9:27).
Son of God (Luke 1:35; John 1:49).
Son of Joseph (John 6:42).
Son of man (John 5:27).
Son of the Blessed (Mark 14:61).
Son of the Father (2 John 1:3).
Son of the Highest (Luke 1:32).
Star (Numbers 24:17).
Stone of Stumbling (1 Peter 2:8).
Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2).
Sure Foundation (Isaiah 28:16).
Surety (Hebrews 7:22).
Teacher (Matthew 23:8; John 3:2).
Tender Plant (Isaiah 53:2).
True God (1 John 5:20).
True Light (John 1:9).
True Vine (John 15:1).
Truth (John 14:6).
Vine (John 15:1).
Way (John 14:6).
Wisdom (Proverbs 8:12).
Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Witness (Isaiah 55:4; Revelation 1:5).
Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6).
Word (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7).
Word of God (Revelation 19:13).
Word of Life (1 John 1:1).

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord will Provide (Gen. 22:13-14).
Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord will Heal (Ex 15:26).
Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord our Banner (Ex. 17:8-15).
Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord our Peace (Jud. 6:22-24).
Jehovah-Ra-ah: The Lord my Shepherd (Ps. 23:1).
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord my Righteousness (Jer. 23:6).
Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord is There (Ezek. 48:35).

Triune Being

by Michael Pearl
(I do not endorse anything by Michael Pearl! You are best to avoid all his work altogether! Trying to find anything remotely good like this post is like trying to find a gold nugget in a manure pile. Unless you're a mature, wise, discerning Christian, do not go near his work! It is frequently legalistic and heretical.)

All creation bears the stamp of its Creator. Both the physical and the metaphysical world demonstrate an inherent design and therefore reveal a common designer. The similarity of design suggests a purpose and confirms that nothing came about arbitrarily.

The nature of God is the pattern for all that is created, material and non-material alike. The Bible represents the one God as a triune being. This is a strange concept that one is three and three are one until we see this very enigma represented in the creation, which creation, as we have said reflects the nature of the Creator. Creation is so thoroughly stamped with God’s triune likeness that the apostle Paul was able to tell us that the Godhead is clearly visible through natural creation.

The atom, once thought to be the smallest part of any substance, is three parts: protons, neutrons, and electrons. But now it is known that the protons and neutrons at the center of the atom are composed of three quarks each. And according to the most current model, scientists are puzzled as to why there are just three generations of leptons and quarks, no more or less.

Time is threefold: past, present, and future. Our world has three kingdoms: animal, vegetable, and mineral. Life on planet earth is divided into three main branches: bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. The sun, a symbol of God, emits alpha, beta, and gamma rays. There are three basic elements in soil, causing a plant to grow: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash. There are three primary colours (pigment) from which all other colours are derived: red, yellow, and blue.

Like our triune Creator, we are a triune being: body, soul, and spirit. The body consists of flesh, bone, and blood. The flesh has three layers of skin: the Epidermis, the Dermis, and the Subcutaneous tissue. Our blood solids consist of three main cells: platelets, red cells, and white cells. Our non-material self (the soul) is mind, will, and emotions. In the emotions, we can love, hate, or be indifferent. Human capability is thought, word, and deed. Logical thought, the activity of the mind, demands a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

All this reflects the image of God who is revealed to us as a triune, singular being: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Within the Godhead are the Lover, the Loved, and the Spirit of Love. God is a personal soul manifesting mind, will, and emotions—the same “yesterday, today, and forever.”

As God’s persons are three, His attributes are three: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. All creation is designed after the “likeness” of those attributes. Based on God’s nature, space is three-dimensional: height, width, and depth. As each dimension is separate and distinct, yet each exists within the other, and all three dimensions are essential to the concept of space, so God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, distinctly different, inseparable, and in combination comprising the one infinite God. God is not three parts or three different manifestations. He is one essence, composed of three interdependent persons, each essential to the whole and each containing and expressing the whole of the Godhead.

Space, created after the infinity of God, is the physical expression to His infinite omnipresence (being everywhere). Infinity is conceptually present in the combined three dimensions. Each dimension unendingly projects toward infinity, and together the three dimensions project into infinity in every conceivable direction, just as do the infinite attributes of God.

• The likeness of God’s omnipresence is reflected in our own soul, as seen in our ability to move about within three-dimensional space.
• The likeness of God’s omniscience (knows everything) is reflected in our gift of knowing and our ability to increase in knowledge.
• The likeness of God’s omnipotence (all-powerful) is reflected in our inherent ability to exercise creative power within our own environment.

The three attributes of the soul (mind, will, and emotions) are also interdependent. Like unto the triune nature of its mentor, the existence of any single soulish attribute implies and necessitates the others. One cannot rightly conceive of mind without will. A mind without a will could not think an original thought, or change thoughts, or even maintain continuity of thought. It is also inconceivable that a man could entertain an idea, value it, will it to come to pass and not feel in accordance to its advancement. Feelings (emotions) are an inevitable result of valuing something—which is the mind choosing. To negate the concept of either the mind, the will, or the emotions would render the other two attributes inconceivable. They exist as one concept—soul.

The history of man is a chronicle of his struggle to know (an image and likeness of omniscience), to go (an image and likeness of omnipresence), and to do (an image and likeness of omnipotence). Unquestionably, God’s triune attributes continue to be reflected in all of creation.

Created In the Image of God

by Michael Pearl
(I do not endorse anything by Michael Pearl! You are best to avoid all his work altogether! Trying to find anything remotely good like this post is like trying to find a gold nugget in a manure pile. Unless you're a mature, wise, discerning Christian, do not go near his work! It is frequently legalistic and heretical.)

God patterned everything he created after his own nature, including all aspects of erotic pleasure and reproduction. For the Bible tells us that by observing creation, we can gain knowledge of the Creator (Romans 1). All that is material and finite was created in the image of his non-material self. By attentive searching, we can discover the association of each thing God created with some aspect of his image.

Time, with its past, present, and future, was created in the image of his infinity. Matter was created to reflect the very existence of God. He created energy in the image of his power, vast space in the image of his boundlessness, motion in the image of his activity. The mind was created in the image of God’s wisdom, the will in the image of his self-determination. The human body was created in the image of God’s connection with physical creation. Music was created in the image of God’s soul. Color was created in the image of his beauty. The senses of sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing were created in the image of God’s experience of himself. The gift of speech and writing was created in the image of the second person of the Godhead – the “Word.” The human spirit was created in the image of God’s Holy Spirit. Sex, where body, soul, and spirit merge into oneness, was created in the image of communion within the Godhead. Erotic pleasure was created in the image of worship. Copulation, conception, and birth were created in the image of God’s creative powers.

Rediscovering Expository Preaching

This is a plan suggested by an anonymous parishioner and cited in Rediscovering Expository Preaching (John MacArthur and the Master's Seminary Faculty, 1992, Word Publishing, pp. 348-349).

Fling him into his office. Tear the "Office" sign from the door and nail on the sign, "Study." Take him off the mailing list. Lock him up with his books and his typewriter and his Bible. Slam him down on his knees before texts and broken hearts and the flock of lives of a superficial flock and a holy God.

Force him to be the one man in our surfeited communities who knows about God. Throw him into the ring to box with God until he learns how short his arms are. Engage him to wrestle with God all night through. And let him come out only when he's bruised and beaten into being a blessing.

Shut his mouth forever spouting remarks, and stop his tongue forever tripping lightly over every non-essential. Require him to have something to say before he dares break the silence. Bend his knees in the lonesome valley.

Burn his eyes with weary study. Wreck his emotional poise with worry for God. And make him change his pious stance for a humble walk with God and man. Make him spend and be spent for the glory of God. Rip out his telephone. Burn up his ecclesiastical success sheets.

Put water in his gas tank. Give him a Bible and tie him to the pulpit. And make him preach the Word of the living God!

Test him. Quiz him. Examine him. Humiliate him for his ignorance of things divine. Shame him for his good comprehension of finances, batting averages, and political in-fighting. Laugh at his frustrated effort to play psychiatrist. Form a choir and raise a chant and haunt him with it night and day—"Sir, we would see Jesus."

When at long last he dares assay the pulpit, ask him if he has a word from God. If he does not, then dismiss him. Tell him you can read the morning paper and digest the television commentaries, and think through the day's superficial problems, and manage the community's weary drives, and bless the sordid baked potatoes and green beans, ad infinitum, better than he can.

Command him not to come back until he's read and re-read, written and re-written, until he can stand up and say, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Break him across the board of his ill-gotten popularity. Smack him hard with his own prestige. Corner him with questions about God. Cover him with demands for celestial wisdom. And give him no escape until he's back against the wall of the Word.

And sit down before him and listen to the only word he has left—God's word. Let him be totally ignorant of the down-street gossip, but give him a chapter and order him to walk around it, camp on it, sup with it, and come at last to speak it backward and forward, until all he says about it rings with the truth of eternity.

And when he's burnt out by the flaming Word, when he's consumed at last by the fiery grace blazing through him, and when he's privileged to translate the truth of God to man, finally transferred from earth to heaven, then bear him away gently and blow a muted trumpet and lay him down softly. Place a two-edged sword in his coffin, and raise the tomb triumphant. For he was a brave soldier of the Word. And ere he died, he had become a man of God.