Isaiah 41:14 NASB
Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you," declares the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
This morning let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: "I will help thee." "It is but a small thing for Me, thy God, to help thee. Consider what I have done already. What! not help thee? Why, I bought thee with My blood. What! not help thee? I have died for thee; and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less? Help thee! It is the least thing I will ever do for thee; I have done more, and will do more. Before the world began I chose thee. I made the covenant for thee. I laid aside My glory and became a man for thee; I gave up My life for thee; and if I did all this, I will surely help thee now. In helping thee, I am giving thee what I have bought for thee already. If thou hadst need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it thee; thou requirest little compared with what I am ready to give. 'Tis much for thee to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow. 'Help thee?' Fear not! If there were an ant at the door of thy granary asking for help, it would not ruin thee to give him a handful of thy wheat; and thou art nothing but a tiny insect at the door of My all-sufficiency. 'I will help thee.'"
O my soul, is not this enough? Dost thou need more strength than the omnipotence of the United Trinity? Dost thou want more wisdom than exists in the Father, more love than displays itself in the Son, or more power than is manifest in the influences of the Spirit? Bring hither thine empty pitcher! Surely this well will fill it. Haste, gather up thy wants, and bring them here; thine emptiness, thy woes, thy needs. Behold, this river of God is full for thy supply; what canst thou desire beside? Go forth, my soul, in this thy might. The Eternal God is thine helper!
"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismay'd! I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid."
Friday, June 16, 2006
Thursday, June 15, 2006
It's either or...
Salvation either originates in God or in man:
I mentioned in an earlier post that some friends and I were in the middle of a discussion on the relationship of God's sovereignty and men's freedom. Recently the discussion came to somewhat of a climax with several of my friends posting lengthy rebuttals to each others comments and what not. There was some discussion of middle knowledge but in the end it was unhelpful for the discussion (not to mention just altogether unhelpful).
One friend recently posted one of the most poignant statements on the issue thus far. I think it will not be bested insofar as it iss thoroughly biblical in its spirit as well succinct in its summary of the main issue. The rub for "everydayscott" is that Salvation is not a both and thing. That is not the picture we get from Scripture, at least. If it is truly of grace and we understand the biblical picture of grace then it is all of God's sovereign grace, and non of man's will. There is no capitolization but it is fairly easy to read. Please excuse the crazy formatting. It looks fine in the preview but doesn't look so hot once published.
between you and me, take "middle knowledge", find a good trash can, and
throw it away. middle knowledge doesn't help support free will and it's no
bridge to the truth. or as chevy chase would say, "it's not a bridge it's
termites holding hands". The idea that God preordains a few things (like
creation, fall, fulfillment of prophecies, resurrection of Christ) and lets the
rest of the chips fall where they may is, for lack of a better term, wrong.
either God knows every hair on your head because he put them there, or perhaps
it's a random selection DNA from each parent that somehow combines into a code
that your body interprets and uses to then grow the hair on your head. either
God provides for the sparrow, or perhaps it's some natural cycle of evolved
symbiosis between plants and animals where birds receive food and plant's spread
seed. either God brings every man his wife, or perhaps it's a learned
partnership between two people who share the same basic life necessities,
desires, and emotional needs. or perhaps, it's both. is it so hard to see
God being the ultimate as well as immediate cause of everything? are you still
rejecting that a man's will, his desire, his ability to make decisions, is not
subject to God? that God has created it and using it for his glory? that a man's
will is outside the need for God's redemption? that when Paul said "it is for
freedom that Christ has set us free", that it's actually some other kind of
freedom than the freedom of the will? that God could create a will so free he
couldn't preordain it's future good works, or even that sin has never met a will
so free it couldn't enslave, so we end up doing the very things we don't want to
do. i'm no expert, but... wait, i am an expert, and i'm pretty sure that God is
over us all, dictating every event of human history for his glory, and that his
middle knowledge of the actions of some sinner in the future didn't dissuade him
from entering history, bringing me the gospel, and giving me faith to believe.
if it were up to my sinful nature, i'd spend my evenings at a topless joint
downtown. and so would you. bless God it's not up to us and bless God we're new
creatures with a transformed mind that God chose to save.
So "everydayscott," whoever you are, thank you for your willingness to throw down the theological gauntlet, or as another good friend would say, "bring out the theological howizters!"
Now let us, as ones who are saved by the glorious grace of our God, offer all praise and honor and glory to the one Son, Jesus the Christ. And let us be humbled by the gracious moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Soli Deo Gloria!
I mentioned in an earlier post that some friends and I were in the middle of a discussion on the relationship of God's sovereignty and men's freedom. Recently the discussion came to somewhat of a climax with several of my friends posting lengthy rebuttals to each others comments and what not. There was some discussion of middle knowledge but in the end it was unhelpful for the discussion (not to mention just altogether unhelpful).
One friend recently posted one of the most poignant statements on the issue thus far. I think it will not be bested insofar as it iss thoroughly biblical in its spirit as well succinct in its summary of the main issue. The rub for "everydayscott" is that Salvation is not a both and thing. That is not the picture we get from Scripture, at least. If it is truly of grace and we understand the biblical picture of grace then it is all of God's sovereign grace, and non of man's will. There is no capitolization but it is fairly easy to read. Please excuse the crazy formatting. It looks fine in the preview but doesn't look so hot once published.
between you and me, take "middle knowledge", find a good trash can, and
throw it away. middle knowledge doesn't help support free will and it's no
bridge to the truth. or as chevy chase would say, "it's not a bridge it's
termites holding hands". The idea that God preordains a few things (like
creation, fall, fulfillment of prophecies, resurrection of Christ) and lets the
rest of the chips fall where they may is, for lack of a better term, wrong.
either God knows every hair on your head because he put them there, or perhaps
it's a random selection DNA from each parent that somehow combines into a code
that your body interprets and uses to then grow the hair on your head. either
God provides for the sparrow, or perhaps it's some natural cycle of evolved
symbiosis between plants and animals where birds receive food and plant's spread
seed. either God brings every man his wife, or perhaps it's a learned
partnership between two people who share the same basic life necessities,
desires, and emotional needs. or perhaps, it's both. is it so hard to see
God being the ultimate as well as immediate cause of everything? are you still
rejecting that a man's will, his desire, his ability to make decisions, is not
subject to God? that God has created it and using it for his glory? that a man's
will is outside the need for God's redemption? that when Paul said "it is for
freedom that Christ has set us free", that it's actually some other kind of
freedom than the freedom of the will? that God could create a will so free he
couldn't preordain it's future good works, or even that sin has never met a will
so free it couldn't enslave, so we end up doing the very things we don't want to
do. i'm no expert, but... wait, i am an expert, and i'm pretty sure that God is
over us all, dictating every event of human history for his glory, and that his
middle knowledge of the actions of some sinner in the future didn't dissuade him
from entering history, bringing me the gospel, and giving me faith to believe.
if it were up to my sinful nature, i'd spend my evenings at a topless joint
downtown. and so would you. bless God it's not up to us and bless God we're new
creatures with a transformed mind that God chose to save.
So "everydayscott," whoever you are, thank you for your willingness to throw down the theological gauntlet, or as another good friend would say, "bring out the theological howizters!"
Now let us, as ones who are saved by the glorious grace of our God, offer all praise and honor and glory to the one Son, Jesus the Christ. And let us be humbled by the gracious moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Two things
First, how the crap do you use html code. AARRRGGGHHH!!! So frustrating.
I have been trying to figure out how to edit my links for days and my efforts are to no avail. The blogger help has not been very "helpful" either. So if any of you blogging cats out there can offer me some relatively easy ways to edit my links section I would be much obliged!
The second thing is that the new Supersport Shootout is avaible here for you veiwing and reading pleasure. Some good video is available, and as someone with the biker bug I can attest that reading this will do nothing to asuage your desires to own a bike if you do not. Consider my appetite thoroughly whetted! An interesting note about this years shootout, however, is that the newcomer in the category (the Daytona Triumph 675) exceeded many of the industry standards. Oh what I wouldn't do for a test drive on one of those bad boys.
The only thing that remains now is to get a job that pays well enough to actually afford a motorcycle purchase, and to convince the wife that it would not be to the detriment of my personal wellbeing to own one! Good luck with that, right!
Thoughts on a Monday...
A recent email conversation with friends caused me to recall the 2nd London Baptist Confession, specifically the chapter on God's eternal decree. I thought about it most of the morning (the parts I could remember, at least) and found it to be very helpful on the issues involved in the conversation.
The conversation revolves around certain issues that keep coming up because of different views between friends. Each time this discussion arises I am called back to the truth that Scripture should guide our thoughts and actions in any discussion of these issues.
As some of you may have guessed by now, the discussion/debate/conversation centers on God's sovereignty and men's freedom (or lack thereof).
This information was taken from www.reformedreader.org .
Chapter 3: Of God's Decree
1. God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree.( Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15, 18; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5; Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11; Numbers 23:19; Ephesians 1:3-5 )
2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything, because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.( Acts 15:18; Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18 )
3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.( 1 Timothy 5:21; Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:5, 6; Romans 9:22, 23; Jude 4 )
4. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.( 2 Timothy 2:19; John 13:18 )
5. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.( Ephesians 1:4, 9, 11; Romans 8:30; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Romans 9:13, 16; Ephesians 2:5, 12 )
The conversation revolves around certain issues that keep coming up because of different views between friends. Each time this discussion arises I am called back to the truth that Scripture should guide our thoughts and actions in any discussion of these issues.
As some of you may have guessed by now, the discussion/debate/conversation centers on God's sovereignty and men's freedom (or lack thereof).
This information was taken from www.reformedreader.org .
Chapter 3: Of God's Decree
1. God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree.( Isaiah 46:10; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15, 18; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5; Acts 4:27, 28; John 19:11; Numbers 23:19; Ephesians 1:3-5 )
2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything, because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.( Acts 15:18; Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18 )
3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.( 1 Timothy 5:21; Matthew 25:34; Ephesians 1:5, 6; Romans 9:22, 23; Jude 4 )
4. These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.( 2 Timothy 2:19; John 13:18 )
5. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.( Ephesians 1:4, 9, 11; Romans 8:30; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Romans 9:13, 16; Ephesians 2:5, 12 )
Friday, June 09, 2006
World Cup Soccer, BABY!!!
Well folks, the 2006 World Cup is underway with the opening ceremonies and the first game behind us. Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2. I hear it was an exciting game. There should be some good competition this year and I look forward to seeing how the US fares against some of the power-house teams out there. Here are some links to help you stay on top of things.
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/default.stm
http://www.fifa.com/en/index.html
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/section?id=worldcup&cc=5901
These sites should help you stay informed about what's going on in this years World Cup.
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/default.stm
http://www.fifa.com/en/index.html
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/section?id=worldcup&cc=5901
These sites should help you stay informed about what's going on in this years World Cup.
Duplicity in Life...
So this is blogging . . . It's such a strange and unique thing to be riding the coat tails of a new craze, on the very seam of those coat tails. I have been reading blogs since their inception but I never really thought about writing one myself.
I have no allusions that anyone will actually read it, not even friends, but as someone told me, "It's a good excuse to just write and get your thoughts out there." He's right, and maybe getting my thoughts down on . . . uh . . . paper? will provide some clarity to the duplicity that is inherent in my own life.
So I guess that's it for now.
Also, I reserve the right to change gears as many times throughout the day as I see fit . . . did I mention the thing about duplicity?!
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