Galatians 5:24 thru 6:6 with Attention to Galatians 2:19-20 – Being “Christ-Ones” in both position and practice

Following are slides from the Sunday School Lesson on Galatians 2:19-20 & 5:24 through 6:2 – “Being Crucified with Christ in Position & Practice”.  This lesson was presented online for Mingo Bible Church in Mingo, Kansas on Saturday, May 30, 2020.  The website address for Mingo Bible Church is as follows:

https://vmchurches.org/c/mingo-bible-church/

Mingo Bible Church can also be contacted via Facebook at “Mingo Bible Church”, https://www.facebook.com/mingobiblechurch/

The content of this presentation is modified from original materials for provided by Regular Baptist Press, 3715, North Ventura Drive, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004-7678

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Galatians 5:7-15 – “Freedom in Christ and the Stumbling Block of the Cross”

Following are slides from the Sunday School Lesson on Galatians 5:7-15 – “Freedom in Christ & the Stumbling Block of the Cross”.  This lesson was presented online for Mingo Bible Church in Mingo, Kansas on Saturday, May 9, 2020.  The website address for Mingo Bible Church is as follows:

https://vmchurches.org/c/mingo-bible-church/

Mingo Bible Church can also be contacted via Facebook at “Mingo Bible Church”, https://www.facebook.com/mingobiblechurch/

The content of this presentation is modified from original materials for provided by Regular Baptist Press, 3715, North Ventura Drive, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004-7678

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Galatians 5:1-6 – “Being of Grace in Christ vs Being of the Law”

Following are slides from the Sunday School Lesson on Galatians 5:1-6 – “Being Set Free”.  This lesson was presented online for Mingo Bible Church in Mingo, Kansas on Saturday, May 2, 2020.  The website address for Mingo Bible Church is as follows:

https://vmchurches.org/c/mingo-bible-church/

Mingo Bible Church can also be contacted via Facebook at “Mingo Bible Church”, https://www.facebook.com/mingobiblechurch/

The content of this presentation is modified from original materials for provided by Regular Baptist Press, 3715, North Ventura Drive, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004-7678

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“God’s Grace as a Rule of Life” (Chafer and Walvoord, 1974)

In the classic book “Major Bible Themes” (Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan – 1974) (click here), author John Walvoord (updating the original work of Lewis Sperry Chafer published in 1923 and 1956) discusses the Grace of God as a Rule of Life (Chapter 29, pages 192-193-71).  Walvoord presents an “operative” view of the grace of God that is accessible, applicable and helpful to born again believers like you and I today.

Manaslu (also known as Kutang) is the eighth highest mountain in the world, part of the Nepalese Himalayas.  Its name, which means “Mountain of the Spirit”, comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning “intellect” or “soul”. Manaslu is 8,156 metres (26,759 ft) above mean sea level (source: Wikipedia)

Following are some quotations from Walvoord/Chafer in regards to the grace of God as a rule of life for us…..

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“For the child of God under grace, every aspect of the law is now done away with.

1. The legal commands of the Mosaic system and the commands which are to govern the kingdom are not now the guiding principles of the Christian.  They have been superseded by a new and gracious rule of conduct which includes in itself all that is vital in the law, but restates it under the peculiar order and character of grace.

2. The child of God under grace has been delivered from the burden of a covenant of works.  He is not now striving to be accepted, but rather is free to live as one who is accepted in Christ.

3. The child of God is not now called upon to live by the energy of his own flesh.  He has been delivered from the feature of the law and may live in the power of the indwelling Spirit. Since the written law was delivered to Israel, she alone could be delivered from the written commandments of Moses by the death of Christ.  However, both Jew and Gentile were delivered by that death from the hopeless principle of human merit and from the useless struggle of the flesh.

4. In contrast with law, the word “grace” refers to the unmerited favor which represents the divine method of dealing with mans that was introduced by Adam.  Under grace, God does not treat men as they deserve, but He treats them in infinite mercy and grace without reference to their desserts.  This He is free to do on the ground that the righteous punishment for sin, which His holiness would otherwise impose upon sinners as the just dessert, was borne for the sinner by the Son of God (i.e., by Jesus Christ in his atoning death on the Cross of Calvary – blogger’s note).

5. In contrast with law, grace is revealed in three different aspects: (a) salvation by grace, (b) safekeeping by grace, and (c) grace as a rule of life for the saved.

Approaching the Manaslu Mountain Summit

5a) Salvation by grace: God saves sinners by grace, and there is no other way of salvation offered to men.

Acts 4:12: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (NASB)

Saving grace is the limitless, unrestrained love of God for the lost acting in compliance with the exact and unchangeable demands of His own righteousness through the  sacrificial death of Christ. Grace is more than love; is it love set free and made to be a triumphant victor over the righteous judgments of God against the sinner.

When He saves a sinner by grace, it is necessary that God shall deal with every sin, for they would otherwise demand judgment and thus hinder His grace.  This He has wrought in the death of His Son.  It is also necessary that every obligation shall be canceled, and to this end salvation has been made an absolute gift from God.

John 10:28: “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (NASB)

Likewise, it is necessary that every human merit shall be set aside, lest the thing which God accomplishes be in any measure based on the merit of men and not on His sovereign grace alone. Since every human element is excluded, the gospel of grace is the proclamation of the mighty, redeeming, transforming grace of God, which offers eternal life and eternal glory to all who believe.

Galations 3:22 “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (NASB) 

5b) Safekeeping through grace: The divine program of safekeeping through grace demonstrates that through grace alone God keeps those who are saved.  Having provided a way whereby He can act in freedom from His own righteous demands against sin, having disposed of every human obligation for payment, and having set aside eternally every human merit, God has only to continue the exercise of grace toward the saved one to secure his safekeeping forever.  This He does, and the child of God is said to stand in grace.

Romans 5:2 “through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” (NASB)

5c) Grace as a rule of rule of life for the saved: God provides also a rule of life for the saved based on the grace principle.  God teaches those who are saved and kept how they should live in grace and how they may live to His eternal glory.  As the law provided a complete rule of conduct for Israel, so God has provided a complete rule of conduct for the Christian.  Since all rules of life which are presented in the Bible are complete in themselves, it is not necessary that they be combined.  Therefore the child of God is not under law as a rule of life, but he is under the counsels of grace.  What he does under grace is not done to secure the favor of God, but it is done because he is already accepted in the Beloved (i.e., accepted by saving grace through faith in Jesus Christ).  It is not undertaken in the energy of the flesh, but is is the outliving and manifestation of the power of the indwelling Spirit.  It is a life which is lived on the principle of faith.

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”  (NASB)

Hebrews 10:38 “But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (NASB)

Mount Manaslu

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Blogger’s Comments….

We are saved only by grace through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross in payment for our sins.  Concerning the way and means of salvation, God says in His Word in Romans 10:5-17…

⁵ For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. ⁶ But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), ⁷ or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; ¹⁰ for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; ¹³ for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

¹⁶ However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Mount Manaslu

A Code of Conservative Thought (by Russell Kirk)

In The Conservative Mind From Burke to Eliot (1985, 7th edition) Regnery Publishing, Inc., Washington, D.C., Russell Kirk (1918-1994) reviews the historical development of conservative thought. Kirk traces the development of conservative thought in political and social realms from Anglo-Irish statesman Edmund Burke (1729-1797) through American-English poet T.S. Eliot (1888-1965).

Kirk identifies six canons (i.e., laws, rules or a code of laws) of conservative thought (pages 8-9). Following is a listing of these six canons and excerpts of Kirk’s explanation of each.

1. Belief in a transcendent order, or body of natural law, which rules society as well as conscience. Political problems, at bottom, are religious and moral problems. A narrow rationality…cannot itself satisfy human needs. (Conservatives believe) there are great forces in heaven and earth that man’s philosophy cannot plumb or fathom. True politics is the art of apprehending and applying the Justice which ought to prevail in the community of souls.

• Justice in this sense refers to God’s divine Justice and divine will

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2. Affection for the proliferating variety and mystery of human existence, as opposed to narrowing uniformity, egalitarianism, and utilitarian aims of most radical systems; conservatives resist ….”Logicalism” in society. This … has been called “the conservatism of enjoyment” – a sense that life is worth living….

• Egalitarianism (derived from the French word égal, meaning equal) is a political doctrine that holds that all people should be treated as equals from birth, not just in a political or moral sense, but also in an economic sense. (Definition from wikipedia). Egalitarian philosophies and political systems include socialism, communism, marxism, and anarchism.
• Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility in maximizing happiness or pleasure as summed among all persons. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome—the ends justify the means. (source: wikipedia)

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3. Conviction that civilized society requires orders and classes as against the notion of a “classless society”. With reason, conservatives often have been called “the party of order.” …. Ultimate equality in the judgment of God, and equality before courts of law, are recognized by conservatives; but equality of condition, they think, means equality in servitude and boredom.

• (Blogger’s comment) The U.S. constitution holds that “all men are created equal” both before God and before the law. However, it does not enforce economic equality among people through socialistic practices of taxation for the purpose of wealth redistribution. People are entitled to benefit from the fruit of their labors and their skills – they are not forced into economic equality by socialistic government systems.

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4. Persuasion that freedom and property are closely linked; separate property from private possession, and “Leviathan” becomes master of all. Economic leveling, they maintain, is not economic progress.

• (Blogger’s comment) “Leviathan” in this context is referring to an over lording socialistic government or political state.

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5. Faith in prescription and distrust of “sophisters, calculators, and economists” who would reconstruct society upon abstract designs. Custom, convention, and old prescription are checks both upon man’s anarchic impulse and upon the innovator’s lust for power.

• (Blogger’s comment) That “economists” are not highly thought of may be “troubling” to some, but in Edmund Burke’s day, liberal radical economists were instigators of ideas of “wealth redistribution” and “utilitarianism”. Collectivist forms of wealth redistribution and “greatest good” ideologies often took root in well intentioned but radically oriented economists.
• The “innovator’s lust for power” can be understood as the all too familiar impulse and drive of liberal-oriented “innovators” or “change agents” to use governmental power to either redistribute wealth or institute their governmental reforms that sought to enshrine and protect their political power and control over others.

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6. Recognition that change may not be salutary reform: hasty innovation may be devouring conflagration, rather than a torch of progress. Society must alter, for prudent change is the means of social preservation; but a statesman must take Providence into his calculations, and a statesman’s chief virtue, according to Plato and Burke, is prudence.

• Prudence refers to the exercise of good judgment, common sense, and even caution, especially in the conduct of practical matters. Prudent thought would typically be in opposition to radical, tumultuous change for the sake of change in matters of politics and governance of a nation.

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Ideas Behind Radicalism (in Opposition to Conservatism)

Kirk goes on to list in “hasty generalized form” the grounds upon which radicalism since 1790 has attacked “the prescriptive arrangement of society”….(page 10)….

1. The perfectibility of man and the illimitable progress of society: meliorism. Radicals believe that education, positive legislation, and alteration of environment can produce men like gods; they deny that humanity has a natural proclivity toward violence and sin.

• Meliorism is an idea in metaphysical thinking holding that progress is a real concept leading to an improvement of the world. It holds that humans can, through their interference with processes that would otherwise be natural, produce an outcome which is an improvement over the aforementioned natural one. (source – wikipedia) (Blogger note: the idea of “political progressivism” seems related to this concept of meliorism.)

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2. Contempt for tradition. Reason, impulse, and materialistic determinism are severally preferred as guides to social welfare, trustier than the wisdom of our ancestors. Formal religion is rejected and various ideologies are presented as substitutes.

• (Bloggers comment) The thought system of materialistic determinism only accepts scientific, quantifiable, materialistic explanations for human behavior. Darwinism and positivism (i.e., if we can not see something or measure it via scientific investigation guided by the scientific method, it does not exist) appear to be associated this train of thought. Most definitely, thoughts of God as creator and mankind as children of Almighty God with moral, spiritual realities to deal with in life and after this life (i.e., that mankind will all stand to be judged before this Holy God) are “not welcome” to this train of thought.

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3. Political leveling. Order and privilege are condemned; total democracy, as direct as practicable, is the professed radical ideal. Allied with this spirit, generally, is a dislike of old parliamentary arrangements and an eagerness for centralization and consolidation.

• (Blogger comment) Can you say “the French Revolution“, socialism, communism, fascism, and centralized “big government” control of national economies and individual people’s lives? Ditto for economic leveling presented below.

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4. Economic leveling. The ancient rights of property, especially property in land, are suspect to almost all radicals; the collectivistic reformers hack at the institution of private property root and branch.

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Kirk also indicates that a fifth point could be made regarding the common radical view of the state’s function. Although much variance of opinion regarding this point exists among radicals, they unite in detesting the conservative belief and understanding that the state is “ordained by God”. Radicals also detest the idea that a country, or a group of people are united in purpose and in life over time or over generations, i.e. the past, present and future.

As Kirk says, “radicals are in love with change“.

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The writings and thoughts of Russell Kirk regarding conservatism are relevant to today’s political discussions and presidential campaigns. Specifically…

• The idea of “change” is central to the themes of the presumptive democratic presidential candidate.
• The environmentally oriented “cap and trade” schemes being supported by both republican and democratic candidates for president are a form of “economic leveling” in my estimation – an over reaching effort to control the use of energy producing assets and the overall U.S. economy to achieve “green” political ends.
• Contempt for tradition – recent events regarding same-sex marriage in California reinforce this point in our day.
• Contempt for the idea that the state is ordained by God – witness the ACLU’s work in seeking to strip away any mention of God from public life, from currency to nativity scenes to the teaching of creationism to prayer in public / school events.

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Kirk’s thoughts are relevant today as we see radical liberalism seek to tear away and destroy the conservative and religious foundations of our society.

What are conservatives to do about this situation and the literal battle of ideas and ideologies? Thoughts on that at a later time.

Churchlayman

Jesus’ Sacrifice and the Demands of Our Discipleship (Luke 9:18-26)

Following is a passage from the gospel of Luke.  In it Jesus Christ is discussing the path of sacrifice that His ministry would soon take, i.e., how He would accomplish the substitutionary atonement for the sin of His chosen people, His elect, through the Cross (see verse 22).  Then after telling them of the sacrifice that would be required of Himself, He told them of the high commitment that would be required of them as His disciples (verse 23-26). 

As Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again to accomplish our salvation (our redemption from sin before a holy and just God), so we are called to live for Jesus in acknowledgement of what He accomplished for us.  At this stage in my life (54 years old this year), the issue before me is how to more completely love, honor and obey in all aspects of my life.  Before God I realize the need for a deeper, more complete surrender of my self, will, priorities, time and physical resources to His Lordship.  Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  May I live unto Him in a God-honoring manner!

Luke 9:18-26 (NASB)

(All underlinining, highlighting, etc. of added by my self to emphasize particular points in the text)

(18) And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”

(19) They answered and said, “John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.”

(20) And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

(21) But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone,

(22) saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

(23) And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

(24) “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

(25) “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

(26) “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Saved in Christ to Deny Sin and Live Sanctified, Godly Lives

In his book Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois – 1993), J. I. Packer discusses how Jesus rescues His people from sin through salvation (pages 146-148).

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“What are believers saved from?”

“From their former position under the wrath of God, the dominion of sin, and the power of death (Romans 1:18; 3:9; 5:21);”

• (Saved from the wrath of God): Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”

• (Saved from the dominion of sin): Romans 3:9 “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;”

• (Saved from the power of death): Romans 5:21 “so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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“…from their natural condition of being mastered by the world, the flesh, and the devil (John 8:23-24; Romans 8:7-8; 1 John 5:19);”

• (Saved from being mastered by the world): John 8:23-24 “And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.‘ “

• (Saved from being mastered by the flesh): Romans 8:7-8 “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

• (Saved from being mastered by the devil): 1 John 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

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“…from the fears that a sinful live engenders (Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 2:14-15);”

• (Saved to have a spirit of adoption as sons of God): Romans 8:15 “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

• (Saved to have a spirit of God’s power, love and discipline): 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”

• (Saved from fear of death): Hebrews 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

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“…and from the many vicious habits that were part of it (i.e., our unregenerate, sinful lives) (Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Titus 2:11-3:6)”

• (Saved from the old self of sin to put on the new self in Christ): Ephesians 4:17-24 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

• (Saved from sexual impurity unto Godly sanctification): 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”

• (Saved to deny worldly ungodliness and to live righteous, Godly lives): Titus 2:11-15 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority Let no one disregard you.”

• (Saved to live obedient, God-honoring lives before all mankind): Titus 3:1-6 “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

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It is very challenging to deny sin and sinful practices in our lives and to live in a sanctified, God-honoring manner. I thank God for His grace towards me in Christ Jesus. In Christ, through the indwelling Holy Spirit we believers can both find God’s provided power to resist sin and live pleasing lives unto God, and to find forgiveness for sin when we fall short in our striving against the world, my flesh, and the devil.

God, please help me to recognize the heinousness and evil of sin in a manner such as You do, and the necessity of the atoning of sacrifice of Jesus Christ to pay the just penalty for my and all such sin. God, help me to zealously seek to walk closely with You every day. Lord, I earnestly desire closer fellowship with You, and that I not be controlled by sin for the remaining days of my life. You are my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen

The Sovereign, Eternal and Free Nature of God’s Grace

In this post you will find a continuation of the discussion of God’s sovereign grace in regards to the salvation of mankind. With so much teaching these days following the lines of “free will” Arminianism, this decidedly Calvinistic stance in regards to the “doctrines of grace” will run counter to the understanding of many people regarding election, predestination, God’s sovereignty, etc.

But my goal here is not to be strident or extreme in presenting these views concerning the working of God’s grace. Indeed, it is more important for someone such as myself to actually “live in a manner that pleases the Lord”, “carrying every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”, “putting to death the deeds of the flesh”, than to obstinantly demand complete and full acceptance by others of these Calvinistic doctrines of grace.

However, I would also say that what a person believes regarding their biblical theology in general, and about the doctrines pertaining to the grace of God in particular, are the very foundations of our views and faith toward God, of how our lives are to be lived before Him, and of how He and we view other people (both the saved in Jesus Christ and the unsaved). It is of no small importance that we correctly understand what God has revealed to us in this written Word in regards to who He is and what He does and how we should respond to Him. Forever, forever, and forever we need to resist the continually creeping disease of the effect of man-centered humanism upon our view of God and His dealings with us. “To God be the glory!” is not meant to only be an idle, emotional exhortation among us Christ-believing church-goers. It is a call to all of us as Christians to have an accurate understanding of God, and in the living of our very lives to acknowledge God and bring honor to Him.

My personal conviction is that having a grace-oriented view of God and His workings in bringing about our salvation brings honor to Him. Conversely, man-centered viewpoints of how our salvation comes about (i.e., Arminianism, works salvation, new-age teaching, etc.) ultimately seek to allow mankind to gain some credit in the endeavor (credit that should all belong to God alone).

So, I encourage you to read through these passages, and to pray about and think upon the sovereign role of God in the effectual carrying out of our salvation in Christ Jesus.

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In A.W. Pink’s book “The Attributes of God” (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan – 2001) (click here), the author discusses the Grace of God (Chapter 13, pages 66-71). This post continues to draw upon Pink’s explanation of the grace of God…

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A. God’s Grace is Eternal, Free, and Sovereign

“There are three principal characteristics of Divine grace.

“First, it is eternal. Grace was planned before it was exercised, purposed before it was imparted: “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9).

“Second, it is free, for none did ever purchase it: “Being justified freely by His grace” (Romans 3:24).

“Third, it is sovereign, because God exercises it toward and bestows it upon whom He pleases: “Even so might grace reign” (Romans 5:21). If grace “reigns” then is it on the throne, and the occupant of the throne is sovereign. Hence “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).

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B. God Sovereignly Exercises His Unmerited Favor (Grace) Toward Sinful Man

“Just because grace is unmerited favor, it must be exercised in a sovereign manner. Therefore does the Lord declare, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious” (Exodus 33:19). Were God to show grace to all of Adam’s descendants, men would at once conclude that He was righteously compelled to take them to heaven as a meet compensation for allowing the human race to fall into sin. But the great God is under no obligation to any of His creatures, least of all to those who are rebels against Him.

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C. Eternal Life is a Gift from God

“Eternal life is a gift, therefore it can neither be earned by good works, nor claimed as a right. Seeing that salvation is a “gift,” who has any right to tell God on whom He ought to bestow it? It is not that the Giver ever refuses this gift to any who seek it wholeheartedly, and according to the rules which He has prescribed. No! He refuses none who come to Him empty-handed and in the way of His appointing. But if out of a world of impenitent and unbelieving, God is determined to exercise His sovereign right by choosing a limited number to be saved, who is wronged? Is God obliged to force His gift on those who value it not? Is God compelled to save those who are determined to go their own way?

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D. Natural Man’s Resistance Toward Acceptance of God’s Sovereign Grace

“But nothing more riles the natural man and brings to the surface his innate and inveterate enmity against God than to press upon him the eternality, the freeness, and the absolute sovereignty of Divine grace. That God should have formed His purpose from everlasting without in anywise consulting the creature, is too abasing for the unbroken heart. That grace cannot be earned or won by any efforts of man is too self-emptying for self-righteousness. And that grace singles out whom it pleases to be its favored objects, arouses hot protests from haughty rebels. The clay rises up against the Potter and asks, “Why hast Thou made me thus?” A lawless insurrectionist dares to call into question the justice of Divine sovereignty.

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D. God’s Distinguishing Choice of His Elect Children

“The distinguishing grace of God is seen in saving that people whom He has sovereignly singled out to be His high favorites. By “distinguishing” we mean that grace discriminates, makes differences” chooses some and passes by others. It was distinguishing grace which selected Abraham from the midst of his idolatrous neighbors and made him “the friend of God.” It was distinguishing grace which saved “publicans and sinners,” but said of the religious Pharisees, “Let them alone” (Matthew 15:14). Nowhere does the glory of God’s free and sovereign grace shine more conspicuously than in the unworthiness and unlikeness of its objects.

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Ephesians 5:1-21 (Be Imitators of God)

(1) Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; (2) and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

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(3) But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; (4) and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (6) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (7) Therefore do not be partakers with them; (8) for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (9) (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), (10) trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (11) Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; (12) for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. (13) But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. (14) For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”

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(15) Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, (16) making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (17) So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (18) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, (19) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (20) always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; (21) and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

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Coming posts will continue to focus on the doctrines of God’s grace. Lets examine them together.

Churchlayman

God’s Grace: Undeserved on Our Part

In A.W. Pink’s book “The Attributes of God” (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan – 2001) (click here), the author discusses the Grace of God (Chapter 13, pages 66-71). Pink presents a view of the grace of God that is straight forward and clear in its support of Calvinistic, Divine sovereignty-centered theology.

We can trust God to work out all of these issues regarding election, predestination, grace and the salvation of the elect according to His Divine wisdom. Where else and in who else can we trust to fairly and justly handle such issues?

Following are some quotations from Pink in regards to the grace of God…..

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“Grace is a perfection of the Divine character which is exercised only toward the elect. Neither in the Old Testament nor in the New is the grace of God ever mentioned in connection with mankind generally, still less with the lower orders of His creatures. In this it is distinguished from mercy, for the mercy of God is “over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). Grace is the sole source from which flows the goodwill, love, and salvation of God unto His chosen people.”

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“Divine grace is the sovereign and saving favor of God exercised in the bestowment of blessings upon those who have no merit in them and for which no compensation is demanded from them. Nay, more; it is the favor of God shown to those who not only have no positive deserts of their own, but who are thoroughly ill-deserving and hell-deserving. It is completely unmerited and unsought, and is altogether unattracted by anything in or from or by the objects upon which it is bestowed. Grace can neither be bought, earned, nor won by the creature. If it could be, it would cease to be grace. When a thing is said to be of grace we mean that the recipient has no claim upon it, that it was in nowise due him. It comes to him as pure charity, and, at first, unasked and undesired.”

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“The fullest exposition of the amazing grace of God is to be found in the Epistles of the apostle Paul. In his writings “grace” stands in direct opposition to works and worthiness, all works and worthiness, of whatever kind or degree. This is abundantly clear from Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. If it be of works, then is it no more grace, otherwise work is no more work.” Grace and works will no more unite than an acid and an alkali. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). The absolute favor of God can no more consist with human merit than oil and water will fuse into one: see also Romans 4:4,5.”

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Romans 4:1-8

(1) What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?(2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

(3) For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

(4) Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.

(5) But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

(6) just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

(7) “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.

(8) “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”

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Ephesians 2:1-10

(1) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

(2) in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

(3) Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

(4) But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

(5) even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

(6) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

(7) so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

(8) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

(9) not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

(10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

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This is the first of a number of posts that will focus on God’s grace. In the short time we each spend on this side of eternity, the topic of God’s grace is certainly worth our focus and attention. It will lead us to more fully appreciate and worship the Lord.

Churchlayman

 

God’s Love for His Elect and His Goodness toward All Mankind

A question: How broadly does God’s love extend to mankind, and what is the breadth of His goodness towards all?

• Again: Does God love everyone, both His elect and those that are not His elect?

• So, if He does not love those people that are not His elect, then how do we understand His purposes in providing good things, good provisions for life for all people?

• Is the breadth of God’s love and of God’s goodwill or His goodness the same in regards to mankind? How do we reconcile the intersection of God’s love for His Children and God’s goodwill toward all of mankind?

These big questions, these big topics of Christian doctrine have lead many people of faith to have strong differences of opinion. In pursuit of the answers to these questions a person eventually finds themselves seeking to understand the extent of the atoning work of Christ on the cross. These can be complex issues to understand, but it seems good to hold to the following Biblical principles…..

God loves His elect. Yet He is good to all in His provisions. He is carrying out His sovereign plan – His eternal decree.

God indeed is love, and God indeed is good. Amen!

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A. God’s Love for His Elect

1 John 4:8-10

(8) “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (9) By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. (10) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

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In his book Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois – 1993), J. I. Packer discusses the Goodness of God (pages 45-47)…

“When John says “God is love” (1 John 4:8), what he means … is that the Father through Christ has actually saved us formerly lost sinners who now believe. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God” — we didn’t — “but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:9-10).”

“As always in the New Testament, “us” as the objects and beneficiaries of redeeming love means “us who believe.” Neither here nor elsewhere does “we” or “us” refer to every individual belonging to the human race. New Testament teaching on redemption is particularistic throughout, and when “the world” is said to be loved and redeemed (John 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 John 2:2), the reference is to the great number of God’s elect scattered worldwide throughout the ungodly human community (cf. John 10:16; John 11:52-53), not to each and every person who did, does, or shall exist. If this were not so, John and Paul would be contradicting things that they say elsewhere.”

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John 3:16-17

(16) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (17) For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

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2 Corinthians 5:18-21

(18) “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) 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. (20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (21) He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

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1 John 2:1-2

(1) “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; (2) and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”

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B. God’s Goodness Toward All Mankind

J. I. Packer goes on to say….

“This sovereign redemptive love is one facet of the quality that Scripture calls God’s goodness (Psalms 100:5; Mark 10:18), that is, the glorious kindness and generosity that touches all his creatures (Psalms 145:9, 15-16) and that ought to lead all sinners to repentance (Romans 2:4). Other aspects of this goodness are the mercy or compassion or pity that shows kindness to persons in distress by rescuing them out of trouble (Psalm 107; Psalm 136) and the long-suffering, forbearance, and slowness to anger that continues to show kindness toward persons who have persisted in sinning (Exodus 34:6; Psalms 78:38; John 3:10-4:11; Romans 9:22; 2 Peter 3:9). The supreme expression of God’s goodness is still, however, the amazing grace and inexpressible love that shows kindness by saving sinners who deserve only condemnation: saving them, moreover, at the tremendous cost of Christ’s death on Calvary (Romans 3:22-24; 5:5-8; 8:32-39; Ephesians 2:1-10; 3:14-18; 5:25-27).”

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Psalm 100:5

(5) For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

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Psalm 145:9-16

(9) The LORD is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
(10) All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
(11) They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
(12) To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
(13) Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
(14) The LORD sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
(15) The eyes of all look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
(16) You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

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Romans 9:22-23

(22) “What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? (23) And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, (24) even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”

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2 Peter 3:3-10

(3) “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, (4) and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” (5) For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, (6) through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. (7) But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (8) But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”

(9)”The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”

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C. God’s Faithful Goodness to Us Inspite of Our Sin and Failures

Packer goes on further to state……

“God’s faithfulness to his purposes, promises, and people is a further aspect of his goodness and praiseworthiness. Humans lie and break their word; God does neither. In the worst of times it can still be said: “His compassions never fail. …. Great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-24; Psalms 36:5; cf. Psalm 89, especially verses 1-2, 14, 24, 33, 37, 49). Though God’s ways of expressing his faithfulness are sometimes unexpected and bewildering, looking indeed to the casual observer like unfaithfulness, the final testimony of those who walk with God through life’s ups and downs is that “every promise has been fulfilled; not one of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14-15). God’s fidelity, along with the other aspects of his gracious goodness as set forth in his Word, is always solid ground on with to rest our faith and hope.”

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Joshua 23:14-15

(14) “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed. (15) It shall come about that just as all the good words which the LORD your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.”

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