Where is Christ on your List?
It's a fair question, but no one really wants to think about it. Steve Lawson said something that really struck a chord with me, and let me emphasize how harmonious the sound in my heart was. What he said was about half way through a promo video for Resolved 2008. He said:
"One must love Him more than anyone or anything else in life. There can be no competing affections, there can be no competing allegiances, Jesus Christ must be number one in your life, or you cannot get in line, and follow after Christ."
This is a striking statement, especially if it's true, and biblically, it can't be argued against. Instead of going into a biblical defense of that statement, I instead would encourage you to search the scriptures, and see if you come up with something different.
Can you imagine what would happen if this is what was preached consistently from the pulpit of our churches? What an impact that would have if people could hear that, and finally be forced to make a choice between not just the sin they love, but anything above Christ. Would it be unloving to suggest to someone who openly confesses without penitence that although they trust in Christ, there are more important things in life? I would say there couldn't possibly be something more loving.
Whatever you treasure, your God is calling you to something so much greater... Himself.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2008
Friday, October 26, 2007
Romans 5:20,21
Moreover the law that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Wow. I get it now. I just had a conversation with my good friend Bill Bartz, and this passage, (which I studied this morning and didn't see this part) came to light for me. This morning I did a quick survey of Romans 1-5 in preparation for a more exhaustive study of Romans 6. I wanted to have a foundation, i.e. what Paul said in the first 5 chapters of Romans, to better understand the 6th chapter. This passage at the end of chapter 5 jumped out at me a few moments ago, and I get it now. I love it when God lets me get it.
For a while, I struggled with this, why does Paul say in the first verse of chapter 6, "shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?" I didn't understand it. To me it was obvious that a Christian should hate sin and seek after holy living, but why would Paul even talk about this? Well, looking at the pattern of my own life, I figured it out. I can tell you, with all certainty, that at this moment, I have never felt more depraved, more sinful, and more unrighteous than I do right now. One year ago, I knew I was depraved, but as I studied, I continued to discover it's far worse than I originally thought. I always thought to myself, "well, yeah, when we sin, it does glorify God in that we get to appreciate His mercy on the cross." But I see now how natural sin is for me. I don't even have to think about it, and even when I do all I can to resist it, it's so natural for me, that it just happens, every day, in thought, word, and deed.
So here's the key to understanding that passage... what "makes the offense abound" or in the Greek word "pleonozo" which means "to exist in abundance" is the law. In other words, we don't need to try and sin to magnify God's glory, we just need to understand God's law, which magnifies our sin already for His glory.
God is a master, because I know for a fact, I am living a more holy life than I was a year ago, and yet I see my depravity more clearly now, and so have been prevented from being proud of this growth, and that is how God is glorified in my life. It's like this, even though some could boast about taking a step forward, God's law enabled me to see I'm much further from where I need to be than I thought, and see I have so much more to work on than I thought I did before. Let me put it to you in this way...
In studying God's law, I can more clearly see, not just how far I am from where I need to be, but be made aware of the fact that my sin is still pushing me in the wrong direction, do you understand? Apart from Christ, I cannot repent. It's as if I'm in a car, and I'm driving the wrong way, and apart from Christ, I can perhaps clearly see I'm going the wrong way, but the only thing I am able to do on my own is try to slow down a bit... but I'm still moving in the wrong direction!
This is how God is glorified, this is how grace abounds, and this is why we see in Christ the infinite value of His imputation of Perfect Righteousness. God is glorified, not so much by our sin, but when we understand the law, and our sin is exposed, and in our brokenness we cry out to a merciful and gracious God to have pity on us, and then we see, or for us Saints, we remember the cross, and we can't help but worship Him for what He had accomplished on that day, and so, through our sin in that respect, God is glorified.
Paul then continues in the next chapter, should we continue in sin that grace may abound? This clearly demonstrates a common person who understands the concepts, but doesn't understand grace. And I believe a person with that attitude isn't glorifying God, because that person hasn't seen his sin. I could be wrong, but I don't believe God is glorified when a person sins, I believe what Paul is saying here, is that God is glorified when a person sees how great a sinner they truly are. You'll have to forgive me, this may be a bit of isogesis, but I think, and if I'm wrong, (unless you're a hyper-Calvinist) please correct me... that scripture would support this. I don't know too many theologians that would put "when people sin" on a list of things that brings glory to God, but I do think it would be accurate to put on there "when people see they're sinners." That's why the Bible says "The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart." (Psalms 51:17)
To sum up this long-winded post, God's grace is magnified when the law exposes our sin, not when we continue in sin. And this truth should throw every Christian into the law. Don't just spend time studying the grace, but study His law, and in that you'll more clearly see your depravity, and it will make the cross that much sweeter!
Wow. I get it now. I just had a conversation with my good friend Bill Bartz, and this passage, (which I studied this morning and didn't see this part) came to light for me. This morning I did a quick survey of Romans 1-5 in preparation for a more exhaustive study of Romans 6. I wanted to have a foundation, i.e. what Paul said in the first 5 chapters of Romans, to better understand the 6th chapter. This passage at the end of chapter 5 jumped out at me a few moments ago, and I get it now. I love it when God lets me get it.
For a while, I struggled with this, why does Paul say in the first verse of chapter 6, "shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound?" I didn't understand it. To me it was obvious that a Christian should hate sin and seek after holy living, but why would Paul even talk about this? Well, looking at the pattern of my own life, I figured it out. I can tell you, with all certainty, that at this moment, I have never felt more depraved, more sinful, and more unrighteous than I do right now. One year ago, I knew I was depraved, but as I studied, I continued to discover it's far worse than I originally thought. I always thought to myself, "well, yeah, when we sin, it does glorify God in that we get to appreciate His mercy on the cross." But I see now how natural sin is for me. I don't even have to think about it, and even when I do all I can to resist it, it's so natural for me, that it just happens, every day, in thought, word, and deed.
So here's the key to understanding that passage... what "makes the offense abound" or in the Greek word "pleonozo" which means "to exist in abundance" is the law. In other words, we don't need to try and sin to magnify God's glory, we just need to understand God's law, which magnifies our sin already for His glory.
God is a master, because I know for a fact, I am living a more holy life than I was a year ago, and yet I see my depravity more clearly now, and so have been prevented from being proud of this growth, and that is how God is glorified in my life. It's like this, even though some could boast about taking a step forward, God's law enabled me to see I'm much further from where I need to be than I thought, and see I have so much more to work on than I thought I did before. Let me put it to you in this way...
In studying God's law, I can more clearly see, not just how far I am from where I need to be, but be made aware of the fact that my sin is still pushing me in the wrong direction, do you understand? Apart from Christ, I cannot repent. It's as if I'm in a car, and I'm driving the wrong way, and apart from Christ, I can perhaps clearly see I'm going the wrong way, but the only thing I am able to do on my own is try to slow down a bit... but I'm still moving in the wrong direction!
This is how God is glorified, this is how grace abounds, and this is why we see in Christ the infinite value of His imputation of Perfect Righteousness. God is glorified, not so much by our sin, but when we understand the law, and our sin is exposed, and in our brokenness we cry out to a merciful and gracious God to have pity on us, and then we see, or for us Saints, we remember the cross, and we can't help but worship Him for what He had accomplished on that day, and so, through our sin in that respect, God is glorified.
Paul then continues in the next chapter, should we continue in sin that grace may abound? This clearly demonstrates a common person who understands the concepts, but doesn't understand grace. And I believe a person with that attitude isn't glorifying God, because that person hasn't seen his sin. I could be wrong, but I don't believe God is glorified when a person sins, I believe what Paul is saying here, is that God is glorified when a person sees how great a sinner they truly are. You'll have to forgive me, this may be a bit of isogesis, but I think, and if I'm wrong, (unless you're a hyper-Calvinist) please correct me... that scripture would support this. I don't know too many theologians that would put "when people sin" on a list of things that brings glory to God, but I do think it would be accurate to put on there "when people see they're sinners." That's why the Bible says "The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart." (Psalms 51:17)
To sum up this long-winded post, God's grace is magnified when the law exposes our sin, not when we continue in sin. And this truth should throw every Christian into the law. Don't just spend time studying the grace, but study His law, and in that you'll more clearly see your depravity, and it will make the cross that much sweeter!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body."
I'll make this brief, because my husbandly duties will soon whisk me off to the land of "take the garbage out" but I wanted to make a quick note about this passage... and such a beautiful passage. Paul found his weakness to be God's strength, not that God's strength made him weak, but when he was weak, Christ's power was displayed.
This is why this passage floors me: Paul is writing specifically about... The Gospel. Not forgetting to do the dishes, not having to park too far away from the grocery store, not arguing with his spouse, and not trouble at work. (well, kind of in his case) In fact, Paul didn't have the grind of every-day-life in mind here like so many have used this text to preach on. I know this because I used to believe that. I know people still believe this. I used to be encouraged by this verse to go on when I felt depressed about life, or if I didn't get the job I wanted, or if I was having trouble paying the bills... On the contrary, it's come to my attention these last few years that we live like kings! And we're one of the most negative, depressed nations on earth.
All the perplextion, the hardpressing, the persecution, the pressure, and striking down Paul is feeling is the world coming against the Saving Truth he has been entrusted to share with the Gentiles. Paul, having a biblical understanding of himself, knew it was a mercy he was breathing, so the last thing he would feel persecuted for would be a shot at his ego, or an inconvinience in his life. Clearly, Paul's trouble didn't come from life, and life's "troubles" didn't influence this passage, either. Paul was telling his church in Corinth that because Christ was delivered to death, so will he suffer for His' sake, but because Christ has overcome death, Paul, who shares in His sufferings, will not be destroyed, he will not be in despair, he won't be crushed, and he certainly will not be forsaken. Christ is made powerful in Paul's weakness because it's his weakness that displays the glory of the Savior, and Paul's endurance would be a testimony of the authenticity of his message. I can't say I have completley grasped the awe-inspiring truth of this passage, but at least I now understand it doesn't have anything to do with the air conditioning not working on my car.
I'll make this brief, because my husbandly duties will soon whisk me off to the land of "take the garbage out" but I wanted to make a quick note about this passage... and such a beautiful passage. Paul found his weakness to be God's strength, not that God's strength made him weak, but when he was weak, Christ's power was displayed.
This is why this passage floors me: Paul is writing specifically about... The Gospel. Not forgetting to do the dishes, not having to park too far away from the grocery store, not arguing with his spouse, and not trouble at work. (well, kind of in his case) In fact, Paul didn't have the grind of every-day-life in mind here like so many have used this text to preach on. I know this because I used to believe that. I know people still believe this. I used to be encouraged by this verse to go on when I felt depressed about life, or if I didn't get the job I wanted, or if I was having trouble paying the bills... On the contrary, it's come to my attention these last few years that we live like kings! And we're one of the most negative, depressed nations on earth.
All the perplextion, the hardpressing, the persecution, the pressure, and striking down Paul is feeling is the world coming against the Saving Truth he has been entrusted to share with the Gentiles. Paul, having a biblical understanding of himself, knew it was a mercy he was breathing, so the last thing he would feel persecuted for would be a shot at his ego, or an inconvinience in his life. Clearly, Paul's trouble didn't come from life, and life's "troubles" didn't influence this passage, either. Paul was telling his church in Corinth that because Christ was delivered to death, so will he suffer for His' sake, but because Christ has overcome death, Paul, who shares in His sufferings, will not be destroyed, he will not be in despair, he won't be crushed, and he certainly will not be forsaken. Christ is made powerful in Paul's weakness because it's his weakness that displays the glory of the Savior, and Paul's endurance would be a testimony of the authenticity of his message. I can't say I have completley grasped the awe-inspiring truth of this passage, but at least I now understand it doesn't have anything to do with the air conditioning not working on my car.
Friday, September 28, 2007
My First Blog
so I decided to start one of these. I am so blessed everyday by people who put so much time and energy into thier blogs, that I wanted one of my own. Besides, people tell me it's a good idea to journal, and while you will rarely read about my personal struggles here, I will put in here things the Lord has taught me. I have decided to name my blog "So Great a Salvation" in honor of the verses found in Hebrews that reads:
"Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will."
That is such a beautiful verse, like so many verses in the Bible, and I have chosen it as a staple of this blog because I know so many people, including myself, tend to neglect this glorious salvation we have received through Christ. I believe it is time for those who depend on the Name of our Lord for their salvation to get serious about thier faith.
"Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will."
That is such a beautiful verse, like so many verses in the Bible, and I have chosen it as a staple of this blog because I know so many people, including myself, tend to neglect this glorious salvation we have received through Christ. I believe it is time for those who depend on the Name of our Lord for their salvation to get serious about thier faith.
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