Charles Spurgeon on Predestination and Free Will

The system of truth is not one straight line, but two. No man will ever get a right view of the gospel until he knows how to look at the two lines at once.

I am taught in one book to believe that what I sow I shall reap: I am taught in another place, that “it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.”

I see in one place, God presiding over all in providence; and yet I see, and I cannot help seeing, that man acts as he pleases, and that God has left his actions to his own will, in a great measure.

Now, if I were to declare that man was so free to act, that there was no presidence of God over his actions, I should be driven very near to Atheism; and if, on the other hand, I declare that God so overrules all things, as that man is not free enough to be responsible, I am driven at once into Antinomianism or fatalism.

That God predestines, and that man is responsible, are two things that few can see. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not. It is just the fault of our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other.

If, then, I find taught in one place that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find in another place that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is my folly that leads me to imagine that two truths can ever contradict each other.

These two truths, I do not believe, can ever be welded into one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity: they are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the mind that shall pursue them farthest, will never discover that they converge; but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring.

- Charles Spurgeon

Worshiping the Triune God

Many of the songs we sing together on Sunday are full of great lyrics. You can find numerous songs declaring God the Father as Creator, King, Healer, Forgiver, etc. The list really could go on and on. There are also quite a few songs out there that speak of Jesus and His birth, life, death, resurrection, and His return. Many of these too are wonderful songs that bring us to our knees as they point out who Christ is and what He has done. There are some songs that also magnify the Holy Spirit who indwells believers. However, there are few songs being sung in churches today (especially churches who have removed Hymnals) that call for the worshiper to sing about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as separate persons but yet declare God as a triune three-in-one God. Though the trinity is a hard idea to wrap our minds around, it is nonetheless an essential core of our Christian faith.

For this reason we introduced a new song at 412 Community Church this past Sunday. The song is "O God of Our Salvation" written by Matt Boswell, Michael Bleecker, and John Warren. "O God of Our Salvation" deals rightly with the Trinity and allows the worshiper to fix their minds and hearts on each separate person but yet declare the triune God as the "God of our salvation from whom redemption comes."

Here are the lyrics:

O God of our salvation
Who reigns upon the throne
The sovereign Father, great is He
From whom all blessings flow

(Chorus)
O God of our salvation, From Whom redemption comes
O Father, Son and Spirit, The blessed three in one

Behold the Son our Savior
Who for our sin was slain
The Christ Who purchased with His blood
The wretched souls of men.

O God, The Holy Spirit
Revealing Deity
The fount of life and love divine
throughout eternity

Ascribe unending praises to the God Who reigns on high
How matchless is His power, His glory how divine
Ascribe O church the greatness and the glory due His name
One God, One Being, One Essence, O Triune God proclaimed

Amen


Want to learn the song? Check out this video from Michael Bleeker:

I thought Jesus was sitting...

Throughout the Bible we read and come to an understanding that after Jesus ascended back into heaven he sat, and is currently sitting, at the right hand of God. There are many passages of scripture that portray this, including:

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, - Hebrews 1:3

...we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven - Hebrews 8:1

...you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power - Matthew 26:64

And there are many more: Mark 14:62; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Psalm 110:1

Since it is so clear that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God then why is it that when we get to Acts 7:55 He is standing? Stephen, after preaching his last sermon to group of hypocritical Sanhedrin, gets a glimpse into Heaven and sees Jesus "standing at the right hand of God."

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56 ESV)

I believe that Christ's position in Stephen's vision is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, this small observation has huge implications. Stephen was a man who spent the last months and weeks of his life preaching the resurrected Lord in a mighty way. Acts 6:8 even tells us that Stephen was full of grace and power and "was doing great wonders and signs among the people." It is obvious that Stephen was a man who cared about the salvation of those around him, was unashamed of the Gospel, and because he had been saved spent his days confessing Christ before men. This is why I believe Jesus was standing in Stephen's vision as opposed to sitting.

Stephen was living out the words of Jesus himself. “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven" - Matthew 10:32. He had been confessing Christ before men with great power, passion, and perseverance. And seeing Jesus standing, the correct posture of a witness in Jewish culture, surely brought Stephen great hope and joy. "Stephen, condemned by an earthly court, appeals for vindication to a heavenly court, and his vindicator in that supreme court is Jesus, who stands at God's right hand as Stephen's advocate..." 2/

Through the story of Stephen we can find great joy that as we continue on in the faith and confess Christ among men, though we may be persecuted, stoned, and proven guilty, Christ "stands" for us and bears witness before the Father on our behalf.



2/F. F. Bruce, "Stephen's Defense," Commentary on the Book of Acts," p. 168

Twitter?

So, you don't Twitter? You must not know the scriptures then.

"Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter;" - Isaiah 38:14 NASB

Romans 8

On February 4th of this year I challenged a few people to memorize Romans chapter 8 in it's entirety. I told them to shoot for the first week of March to be finished. Needless to say memorizing Romans 8 in 4weeks was quite the tall order that I couldn't even accomplish myself. However, yesterday, April 7th, I completed Romans 8. This was only accomplished because 1) I have a desire to know God's word better and 2) I have some accountability with others on this. So, I know it's going to be a long post but here it goes... Romans 8 typing from memory. Please excuse any punctuation, capitalization errors...

---

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh and for those who live according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit. For to set the mind of the flesh is death but to set the mind of the spirit is life and peace. For the mind set of the flesh is hostile to God for it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You however, are not in the flesh but are in the spirit, if in fact the spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you then he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit who dwells in you.

So then brothers, we are debtors. Not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh you will die but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God for you did not received the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you received the spirit of adoption as sons in whom we cry, Abba Father. The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself would be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. And we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now, and not only the creation but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the spirt, grown inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons the redemption of our bodies. In this hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope for who hopes for what he sees but if you hope for what you do not see you wait for it with patience. 


Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for all who love God all things work together for the good for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also Glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us who can be against us? He who did not spare His own son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, more than that who was raised from the dead, who sits at the right hand of God, who now indeed is interceding for us. What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword? As it is written:

For Your sake we are being killed all day long
We are like sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things you are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither life nor death, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He Scatters the Proud

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generation will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. he has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." - Luke 1:47-56

It is so clear in scripture how God handles the proud and the rich as opposed to the humble and poor. The proud - He scatters. The humble - He exalts. The poor - He fills. The rich - He rejects.

Who am I? Who are you? Who will we be?

Haiti & Churches Helping Churches

Pastor Mark Driscoll in Haiti.



If you want to help the Church in Haiti please give at churcheshelpingchurches.com

How He Loves

Baby Girl!

On Saturday, October 24th, at 5:25am God gave my wife and I the blessing of getting to meet our new baby girl! Kadynce Lynne is our pride and joy and we cannot imagine life without her. Here's a few pictures... yes I know, she's adorable!

The songs we sing DO make a difference

In his book, Christian Leaders of the 18th Century, J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) writes this:

Good hymns are an immense blessing to the Church of Christ. I believe the last day alone will show the world the real amount of good they have done. They suit all, both rich and poor. There is an elevating, stirring, soothing, spiritualizing, effect about a thoroughly good hymn, which nothing else can produce. It sticks in men’s memories when texts are forgotten. It trains men for heaven, where praise is one of the principal occupations. Preaching and praying shall one day cease for ever; but praise shall never die. The makers of good ballads are said to sway national opinion. The writers of good hymns, in like manner, are those who leave the deepest marks on the face of the Church.

The songs we sing as a Church do make a difference.

Don't.

If you weren't there Sunday morning, here's what you missed...

Charles Blondin and Belief

In an excerpt from "Credo" by Ray Pritchard.

In the nineteenth century the greatest tightrope walker in the world was a man named Charles Blondin. On June 30, 1859, he became the first man in history to walk on a tightrope across Niagara Falls. Over twenty-five thousand people gathered to watch him walk 1,100 feet suspended on a tiny rope 160 feet above the raging waters. He worked without a net or safety harness of any kind. The slightest slip would prove fatal. When he safely reached the Canadian side of the Falls, the crowd burst into a mighty roar. In the days that followed he walked across the Falls many times. Once he walked across on stilts. Another time he took a chair and a stove with him and sat down midway across, cooked an omelet, and ate it. Once he carried his manager across riding piggyback.

On one occasion he asked the cheering spectators if they thought he could push a man across in a wheelbarrow. A mighty roar of approval rose from the crowd. Spying a man cheering loudly, he asked, "Sir, do you think I could safely carry you across in this wheelbarrow?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then get in, " the Great Blondin replied with a smile.

The man refused.

It's one thing to believe a man can walk across by himself. It's another thing to believe he could safely carry someone across. But it's something else entirely to get into the wheelbarrow yourself. Believing in Jesus is like getting into the wheelbarrow. It's entrusting all that you are to all that he is.

Do you believe? Will you get in?

Most important thing.

Having trouble prioritizing your life? Trying to figure out what the most important thing to think about and be concerned about it is?

I have your answer.

1 Corinthians 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures

It's that simple.

What a Creator

A few pictures I took while in Colorado a few weeks ago. God is a magnificent creator!

Circumstantial Joy

Joy. It's something that we all seek in life whether it's in our job, our household, or our relationships, we always want joy. It's seems that as humans it is inherently built inside of us to desire joy, and rightly so, we're sinful and this world is depressing. However, I write this today because when I look into my life I see that my joy is not constant, it comes and goes with the waves of my life, and sadly I find that my joy is usually based on my circumstances. If the bills are paid I am joyful, if I'm on vacation I'm joyful, if no one's upset with me I'm joyful. The Joy I have is so often a circumstantial one and not an everlasting joy that is found in Christ.

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full." -John 15:11

Jesus says here in John that we as believers have His joy inside of us, therefore our joy is full! There is no room for lousy circumstantial joy when Christ has given us all the joy that we could ever handle. This joy is found through abiding in Christ and being obedient to Him (John 15:1-10). Just as Jesus had unquenchable joy in the midst of opposition, so we are to have this same joy that we find through obedience to our Father.

"You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." -Ps. 5:7

The joy that we have in Christ blows away this joy that is based on our "prosperity", how we "feel", or any other subjective circumstance. Our joy is rooted in abiding in Christ, it's founded firmly in the truth of the Gospel, and it is given to us by the Father who has adopted us as sons and daughters through Christ for the purpose of His will.

So, I urge you believers to find joy now in Christ and not in the ups and downs of this life. Find everlasting Joy.

Under Our Feet

Psalm 8:3-6

³ When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

40 years ago today the Moon was added to "everything."

Do people speak well of me?

Do people speak well of me?

This is the question that I struggle with this morning and I hope that you will struggle with it too. I know the answer (for me). The answer even feels good on the outside.

I struggle with this question because I read the words of Jesus this morning. And it sounds to me that living a life where people always speak well of me is a life that Jesus hates. He hates it. Why? Because people hated Jesus! People hated Jesus (and still do), but yet Jesus calls me to live as he lived and to be like Him, just like Him! To be so much like Him that people hate me.

Here's what he says:

Luke 6:22 - "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!"

Luke 6:26 - "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets."

WOW!! HAVE YOU READ THIS? HAVE YOU HEARD THE WORDS OF JESUS?

He says to REJOICE when people hate you and when people despise your name! (Lk 6:23) Why? Because our reward is not here on earth. We are not here to build up a name for ourselves, to be famous, to look good, or even to make people happy! We are here to build up the name of Christ and to Glorify the Father. Friends, the truth that is found in the word of God hurts. It's uncomfortable. And yes it will make you mad.

But Jesus didn’t come to make people happy, He came to redeem His chosen!
So what are we wandering around this world wasting our time for? Why are we spending so much time caring about the way we look and the way we come across that we neuter the Gospel? Yeah, I said that---because that’s what we do!

This life is not about being popular or being likable, it is about being faithful. Jesus never promised us success. He promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us and he promised us that if we follow Him we will suffer for it.

Do people speak well of you?

The Beauty of You

A few weeks ago we sang a song called "The Beauty of You" at 412 Community Church. This song came out of the idea that we were created for the purpose of glorifying God. That is who we are and the reason we are here, in fact that is the reason all of creation is here - to Glorify the Creator. I hope that through this song you will find that the meaning of who you are is found in the beauty of God.

A bite from Joshua...

Joshua 1:8: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it."

At first glance this sounds like a happy little Bible verse. God says to read our Bibles, God says to think about the Bible, and God says to do what the Bible says... hip hip hooray! But as I was reading in the book of Joshua and I got to verse 8, I just couldn't go on.

This is a command from God to Joshua and a command from God to us! We're not just supposed to read the Bible, even unbelievers do that, but we are to eternally speak the word of God. We are to know the word of God. We are to never stop thinking and soaking in the word of God. God's not calling us to just read the Bible, that's lazy and insulting to Him. If we really love God then we will want to know what He has to say. If we really love God then we will do everything in our power to learn more about Him, to remember what He has told us, and to do what He says! It seems as if God is saying in Joshua 1:8 that this is who we are supposed to be, not just what we should do. As followers of Christ we are to be identified as people who never stop talking about God's word, who never stop thinking about God's word, and who are constantly living out God's word.

Our God Saves!

We had an awesome baptism service this past Sunday at the lake! Here's a short video that captures the day.