Archive for the ‘Work of Jesus’ Category
Overwhelmed
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, Sustaining, work of christ on April 19, 2015| Leave a Comment »
The Fullness of the Empty
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Remembering, Work of Jesus, tagged Christ Jesus, God Thoughts, salvation history, work of christ on December 24, 2014| 1 Comment »
In an e-mail Christmas greeting friends of mine sent there was what seemed to me an exceptional Christmas Card picture. The beauty and poem and tenderness were not the exceptionality for me. The profound nature of the picture was the silent commentary of an empty manger. In the same way as we as Protestants insist on an empty cross, it is appropriate for us to reflect on an empty manger. He is not a helpless baby any longer; He is not any longer tempted as we are (though without sin); He is no longer on the cross or in the tomb; He is still fully human and fully God, glorified, reigning from His throne on high. In time and history He came to the manger, the villages, the cross, the tomb. He is there no longer! But He is still in my heart and yours through the Holy Spirit so that we are positionally in Him on the throne at the right hand of the Majesty on High.
I enjoy a well done creche that makes an attempt at accurately picturing the scene of His arrival. But because we are given so little information and the shepherds’ and magi’s visits were probably separated by at least months and we don’t know if it was a cave, barn, lean-to, or adobe house extension, we spend inordinate amounts of time imagining things that are not of great benefit. But that He came to the most humble of circumstances and is now exalted on high is the most outrageously glorious rags to riches story of all time. And that was not the low point or high point of His humility. On the cross He was robbed of every decency and deserved honor willingly to take on your and my indecency and deserved dishonor so that we might be glorified with Him. That is worth celebrating all the time; crosses and mangers and tombs are mere symbols for remembering what we celebrate.
Merry Christmas
Outworking of the Trinity
Posted in General, God's Word, Remembering, Work of Jesus, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged attributes of god, God's Word, gospel project, theology, ultimate issues, work of christ, Work of the Holy Spirit on October 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Having reviewed the biblical doctrine of the Trinity I now turn to its application by God to all God-ordained social institutions. Because we have refused to understand how God’s character is expressed in what He has created and ordained we try to re-invent social institutions apart from God, effectively destroying them. I will allow several days for study before I fill in the blanks. (Lest I be called for plagiarism, I must acknowledge the ideas of Del Tackett in “The Truth Project”. I have digested and added my own study and organization to his framework.) Click on Outworking of the Trinity to start the study.
The Why
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Remembering, Why?!, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, internal strife, Poems, purpose in life, Remembering, ultimate issues, Why?!, work of christ on June 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »
The first poem I wrote this past week is the last one I am posting because I had to reflect on its content abit. It could so easily be seen as insensitive, or premature, but I consider it neither. I think it is just honest in a constructive kind of way. We have questions; we should voice them and find answers rather than silently or violently remaining agnostic about what is real and true. I offer this poem as a balm to many hurting loved ones who are truly asking. The eleven year old girl who died of leukemia and provoked my mind to write it has God’s best as I understand because she accepted God’s solution:
A purpose in life to glorify God
To enjoy His gifts, obey His commands
Accept hardships and the correcting rod
Challenge potential and all life’s demands
What’s the way forward when we’ve lost such life?
Then come tears and doubts and questions abound
Mind and heart struggle with internal strife
About ultimate issues, life profound
How is God good when there is so much bad?
God’s not the author of evil and wrong
Man disobeys, consequences are sad
Overtaking the ‘innocent’ and strong
God provides a way to overcome death
To have peace with Him and eternal rest
Bought by His Son, finished at His last breath
Now and forever have life and God’s best
But a Few of His Benefits
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Remembering, Sustaining, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, Remembering, Sustaining, work of christ on June 6, 2013| Leave a Comment »
It has been a good week for poetry. I end on an encouraging note. I owe all that I am, have, and will be to the gracious Lord Who enables me to serve Him. His Benefits are far more than I can tell. I want others to bask in His goodness by submitting to His Son. The benefits are eternal.
Father near, sovereign will
Chosen in Christ, what a thrill
Rest from work, all is done
‘It is finished’ by the Son
Peace with God, free from guilt
All because Christ’s blood was spilt
Strength to live, sin abate
His Spirit does motivate
Stress and strife, like a knife
Spirit purifies my life
Help in trials, answers prayers
God is gracious and He cares
Hardship here, glory there
Joy, comfort beyond compare
Tell good news, with you share
Eternal life here and there
Purpose now, glory then
Live for Him, soon free from sin
All that’s good, all that’s fair
Is found in Christ, jewel so rare
Come again, at the end
In His glory, sky will rend
Forever with Him then
Perfect in Him without sin
Salvation By Trinity
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, Poems, salvation history, work of christ on May 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »
I can not find the source for “thought, bought, wrought” but I can by my simple poem point once again to God’s glorious salvation for all who will receive it by faith.
Salvation is a great gift Thought by the Father above Received by faith in the work Bought by the Son here in love In our hearts promoting change Wrought by the Spirit, the DoveThe word wrought means “to work by hand”. I well imagine the Holy Spirit toughening me up by a sanctifying work over so that I am hard and resilient like wrought iron rather than brittle like cast iron. “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design, your dross to consume and your gold to refine,” says the old hymn. The trials are the fire and the hammer is the kind but firm work of the Holy Spirit to make us into the image of the Son.
Fervent Heat of II Peter 3
Posted in Creation Articles, General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Science, Work of Jesus, tagged Creation Articles, God's Word, Science, work of christ on May 18, 2013| 5 Comments »
I have thought about 2 Peter 3 extensively and even written about it (see “Four Singularities”). It is all amazing to me but verses 10-13 are just fascinating:
” 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. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (underlining mine)
Many of the words describing the demise of the created order as we now know it must certainly be metaphor. Indeed, they must be for our quantum mechanics and relativity still cannot fathom what God will do then. But our present understanding does align with what the Scriptures say and very possibly give us some insight into what God is saying through Peter. I am particularly interested as a student of science in the words I have underlined. I am fully aware that this passing away is not the main point of the passage but rather the certainty of judgment and the certainty of a future home where righteousness dwells and the result of compelling us to live for more permanent things. For these I am thankful. But I still muse on how God accomplishes His works. The word destroyed is variously translated as “destroyed” (NASB, NIV), “dissolved” (HCSB, ESV), and “melt” (KJV). The Greek (anytime I mention this it means I only have a dictionary to look it up in, not more knowledge than that) has the meaning of “loosed, released, dissolved”. “Intense heat” (NASB) is also rendered “burned up” (ESV), “fire” (NIV), “fervent heat” (KJV), and “burn” (HCSB). The word in Greek for “roar” means a “rushing sound”. The word rendered here as “elements” has the meaning of “in a row” as letters or bits of knowledge. These words strongly suggest to me properties of matter and energy. But since Einstein and E = mc2 matter and energy are really convenient descriptions of the same thing. E = m. Energy = matter. c, the speed of light in a vacuum is a constant that relates the two. Since speed of light is so large and squared in the equation, matter is seen to hold “crazy” amounts of energy. When matter is destroyed it becomes energy, and when energy is organized just so it is matter. I like to think of matter as “condensed” energy. That suggests that energy is the fundamental “stuff”. But here is where science becomes vague. What is energy? We know what energy does but we do not know what energy is. It is as Feynman said an abstract idea. Could it not be that our lack of understanding stems from viewing a spiritual matter rather than a totally physical one? The elements roar with intense heat and are released. That sounds like the destruction of all matter into energy to me. All of the particles of matter, discovered and undiscovered (muons, electrons, strange, flavors, and so on) becoming intense abstraction. But the abstraction is real, and what is it?
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.” (Psalm 33:6-9)
God spoke His word and it stood fast. Out of nothing, physically speaking, but out of a substantial word from God, everything. “In the beginning God created….Then God said,” (Genesis 1:1,3) His Word was condensed into physical creation and will one day soon be “melted” into His Word. When it happens will not this Scripture be fulfilled for Creation?
“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
It, that is His Word, will return to Him in an intense flame out, not empty or simply annihilated, but fully complete in His intention and accomplishment. So all of the elements, atoms in fact, lined up in their orderly fashion, controlled and compelled by fundamental forces will dissolve or melt back into energy. Am I saying energy = God’s Word? Certainly not. But God’s Word accomplishes energy and all His works return after fully accomplishing what He set out for them. It is so with man’s spirit as well:
“For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:5-7)
So it is with all things. God gets ultimate glory because all things proceed from Him and all will return to Him and be assigned to the place He has ordained for them to be in His presence or excluded from it. In the meantime His Word holds all things together. Is not this the Grand Unified Theory, the Fundamental Force?
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colosians 1:16-17)
The physical world will be destroyed by thermonuclear annihilation, coming unglued as it were:
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
They will perish, but You remain;
And they all will become old like a garment,
And like a mantle You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.” (Hebrews 1:10-12)
These words are spoken of Jesus, God the Son, who will not end as the created order will end. He endures and so does His Word. So in the transience of the what seems so permanent I see the permanence of what I have I have seen to be transient. God’s Word is permanent.
Wow! Roar on to completion.
Feasts of God
Posted in General, Work of Jesus, tagged salvation history, second coming of christ, work of christ on April 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »
In God’s economy and calendar, the Spring is past, summer has come, and the Harvest fast approaches. He has laid out for us a a general calendar of His salvation history.
| 2012-2013 Julian Calendar | Jewish Day/Month | Feast | New Testament Fulfillment | Old/New Testament Passages |
| 3/26 | 14 Nisan | Passover | Cross | Exodus 12:1-13 I Corinthians 5:7 Luke 22:19-20 |
| 3/27 | 15 | Unleavened Bread | Tomb | Exodus 12:14-20 I Corinthians 5:8 I Peter 1:19 |
| 3/28 | 16 | First Fruits | Resurrection | Leviticus 23:9-14 I Corinthians 15:21-23 |
| 5/16 | 6 Sivan | Pentecost | Holy Spirit given | Deuteronomy 16:9-12 Acts 2:1-4, 16-18, 33 |
| 9/5 | 1 Tishri | Trumpets | Christ’s return | Leviticus 23:23-25 I Thessalonians 4:13-18 I Corinthians 15:50-56 |
| 9/14 | 10 | Atonement | Rescue from sin | Leviticus 23:26-32 Isaiah 49:5-8 Hebrews 9:11-28 |
| 9/19 | 15 | Tabernacles | Millennium | Leviticus 23:39-43 Zechariah 14:16-19 Revelation 20:4-6 |
Upward Connection
Posted in General, God's Word, Remembering, Work of Jesus, tagged God's Word, Remembering, salvation history, second coming of christ, work of christ on March 30, 2013| Leave a Comment »
The resurrection is the pinnacle of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He exhibits power over death and sin. But it is the beginning of a the great transition of the glorious Son of God. There is a definite connection made between resurrection , ascension, exaltation, and the Holy Spirit being given. Peter makes this progression quite clear to the Council of Sadducees and Pharisees in Acts 5:30-32,“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” As “Prince and Savior” He is both ruler of all and priest to all who believe. Again Peter is explaining the Scriptures about David’s descendant and says, “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.” (Act 2:32-33) We need the bodily resurrection to understand the power of Jesus and to validate it to the world, but it is only the beginning of His show of power. Paul expands our idea of His power in Ephesians 1: “ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.” Why do we not see this overwhelming power exhibited in the world today? Jesus is working out the details of His victory incrementally through the filling up of His sufferings in us (Colossians 1:24). As Peter takes great pains to establish in chapter 1 of his epistle, God has established our imperishable inheritance to strengthen our faith so that we “prepare our minds for action”(I Peter 1:13) against worldly lusts and intense suffering. Many great shows of power will come and for the saints bring great joy: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war”………Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years,”….. and…..“Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death” (Revelation 19:11; 20:6; 21:3-4). Yes, the resurrection demonstrates unsurpassed power overcoming death, but even as He is the first fruits of those from the dead so His resurrection power is a first fruits of His unsurpassed power in victory over death, the world, all creation, new creation. He worked at the cross to accomplish God’s plan; He marches in victory to complete all that plan reveals and enables. Let us follow in His train now as at His second coming!
Conversion
Posted in General, Poem, Work of Jesus, tagged Poems, work of christ on January 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »
How do you know you belong to God? How do you know you are going to heaven?
Many falsely hope in their own deeds or the one deed of responding to a gospel call.
“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
God enacts change total, complete Makes what is not so that it is Brings dead ones to new life replete Christ is one who paid the price We trust what Christ did on the cross He took God’s wrath, it does suffice Conversion is this total change Repentance and faith is the start Priorities all rearrange The Spirit now in you resides Your choice will be to live for Him By power for life He provides If no change in your life you see Examine in what you now trust For truth in your inner self plea That God may have mercy on you Converting your every desire Bring real change eternal and true Faith and repentance are ongoing works of God that we see at work in us. The grace of God is ever with us and He through it has saved us, but the evidence of that past tense occurence is a present tense work in our lives.The Land
Posted in General, God's Word, Work of Jesus, tagged God's Word, gospel project, salvation history, work of christ on January 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Consider Joshua and the children of Israel on the Plains of Moab just after the death of Moses. Are they asking, ‘What now?’ God doesn’t leave them in this position long. He is about to give them the land He promised to their fathers. Yes, there is much history behind this moment. God said to Abraham, “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:8) He puts no conditions on Abraham or his descendents and he calls it an “everlasting possession”. This covenant is as unconditional as they come as stated here. God had delineated the extent of this gift two chapters earlier (Genesis 15:18): “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates”. It is a literal land given unconditionally to the Israel. Later when Moses is talking through the law and its application, just before he dies, he says a curious thing in the light of the promise we have just seen: “Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long on the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” (Deuteronomy 4:39-40) So God is giving them the land but the keeping of it is conditioned upon whether or not they obey God? How does that represent an unconditional covenant of everlasting possession when all sin and fall short of God’s glory? Is it possible for this promise to be both conditional and unconditional and God fulfill it both ways? I believe it is and mean to show how. What will God do if Israel obeys? “Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you His covenant and His lovingkindness which He swore to your forefathers. He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you. You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle. The Lord will remove from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will lay them on all who hate you. You shall consume all the peoples whom the Lord your God will deliver to you” (Deuteronomy 7:12-16) It seems to me that this passage explains that possession of the land is representative of God providing prosperity, peace, and posterity. Prosperity is seen as abundant food and lack of disease while posterity is children. Peace is given by God’s initial defeat of enemies and continued peace is declared other places.
With this history of being promised the land of Canaan the book of Joshua begins, Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 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; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:1-9) The application is as follows: We can take risks because His promises are sure. As Gospel Project author, Jonathan Leeman, says, “Knowing that God is generous and faithful to His promises helps us be strong and courageous because we can trust His character as we pour out our lives for Him.”
Judges 2:11-23 sets forth the cycle of God and Israel’s interaction during the days of the judges. Israel would forsake God for idols. God gave them over to their enemies. Israel cried to go in their distress. God raised up judges to both deliver them from their enemies and direct them to God. As soon as the judge died, the cycle began again. Israel was squandering the good gift God had given them so that the conditional nature of the promise overtook them. Was God unfaithful by not honoring His promise to Abraham? As Ezra and the Levites prayed to God, “However, You are just in all that has come upon us; For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly.” (Nehemiah 9:33) “How does our sin cheapen God’s good gifts (creation, sex, family, etc)?” asks the Leeman (p.59). Using God’s gifts wrongly and pervesely is saying to God the gift was somehow not good enough the way He gave and intended it so I have to improve on it. The term used in Scripture is prostitution, selling ourselves to other gods to pervert God’s gifts for our own temporary pleasure and for hatred of God. God promises to cast such rebels off His land. I believe the land is representative of God’s provision of rest (prosperity, peace, and posterity as I said earlier) so that Hebrews 3:17-4:2 is talking about rest when it refers to God’s actions that cast Israel off the land “And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:17-19)
But God is gracious and faithful to His promises as is hinted at by the book of Ruth. In the second chapter Boaz is introduced as a part of the faithful remnant during the time of the judges who is prosperous, kind to His workers, acknowledges God, and is kind to this alien, Ruth (Ruth 2:1,4,8-9,12). Boaz has prosperity and peace but where’s the posterity? God provides the answer through Ruth (Ruth 4:13-17 ) in the form of their son, Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of King David, the ancestor of Jesus. Boaz had become the kinsman redeemer of Leviticus 25 for the land of Elimelech (Naomi’s deceased husband and Ruth’s father-in-law) and raised up children for his name just as Jesus became the kinsman redeemer of all who will trust in Him to buy them back from the slavery and poverty of sin. By this means Jesus will fulfill the unconditional promise made to Abraham to provide and literal land forever. Micah 4:1-4 prophecies clearly what will happen, “And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains…..For from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the Lord from Jerusalem….And never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.” There most certainly is a spiritual aspect to the rest of God, a continual faith rest. But that does not exclude literal, believing Israel, past or present or future, and all those who have trusted Jesus, spiritual Israel ( ) from being included on a literal land. I firmly believe that God speaks of both literal land and rest in Hebrews 4:8-11, “For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. so there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.” The actual fulfillment of this promise is proclaimed in Revelation 20 and 21. “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (20:6) Reigning with Christ for a 1000 years is a literal reign on literal land since it delineates a specific time verse nine mentions the location of these events being earth. But 1000 years is not an everlasting possession. God is more than up to the task of completing His promise and remembering every little detail. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (21:1-4) Literally amazing, everlasting peace, prosperity, and posterity provided by God in the everlasting possession for His people. Praise God!
America Getting
Posted in Cultural commentary, General, God Thoughts, Work of Jesus, tagged Cultural commentary, God Thoughts, work of christ on December 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Americans are getting both what they want and what they deserve. Unless there is a widespread and deep repentance whereby we acknowledge God and obey His commands the United States will continue to slide toward immorality, infamy, impotence, and instability. The immorality is obvious in all that we vote to support and ignore and participate in that is clearly contrary to the Word of God. Infamy comes in the form of hatred from more and more countries of the world, self-hatred over increased oppression of rights and helpless people, and a growing history of blasphemy toward God. We think we are surely not impotent since we still have a strong military, but small troops of bandits are frustrating our every move worldwide, we can’t solve economic problems, natural catastrophe problems are on the increase threatening our personal security and economic viability, and the world will soon ditch our currency since we are so far in debt we can most likely never pay it off. Our instability shows in the aforementioned problems but really manifests itself in our increased suicide rates and divorce rates, debt, disregard of human life inside and outside the womb, educational lethargy, and lawlessness. It occurs to me that slide may not be the correct term for what is happening. Sliding assumes some small degree of frictional force opposing the direction of motion. We seem instead to be free-falling toward a morally corrupt, hating, powerless, unsustainable existence and loving the trip. There are brakes that can be applied but they are not in “how to”, Herculean efforts or renewed resolve. The only opposing force that could overcome this fall and the sudden stop at the bottom is found in God’s grace gained by agreeing with God we are rebelling against Him and receiving the payment Jesus made for those sins when He died on the cross.
Image Bearers
Posted in Creation Articles, General, God's Word, Work of Jesus, tagged Creation Articles, God Thoughts, God's Word, gospel project, salvation history, work of christ on December 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Our “Gospel Project” lesson today was about God’s nature revealed in the Creation story and in the results. I produced a table that summarizes the differences in how God’s nature is revealed in the two different (but not contradictory) stories of Creation in chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis.
| God’s Nature | Clarification | God’s Name | Exhibitied in Creation | Response in us
toward God |
|
|
Above |
Transcendent |
Separate |
Elohim “Stong One” |
“In the beginning God” | Have to
must have -allegiance -worship -accountability |
| Powerful
|
Able to effect | He spoke into existence
ex nihilio (“out of nothing”) |
|||
| Authoritative | Rules
|
||||
|
Beside |
Personal | Identity, relational | Yahweh
“Pre-existent One” |
Speaking | Want to,
gladly -desire -seek -trust |
The lesson speaks of four ways that man is made in the image of God based on Genesis 1 and 2. I think there is clearly from the text a fifth way:
“27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [a]sky and over every living thing that [b]moves on the earth.””
We relate- God gave us as male and female to have relationship and commanded multiplication so there would be many people to interact. In fact, all God ordained institutions (family, church, government) reflect the interaction within the Triune Godhead.
We rule- Both the words rule and subdue occur. This is a stewardship that should neither result in abuse of the creation nor worship of it, but care for our benefit. All authority we have is delegated from God and should be carefully dispatched as such.
We work- 1″5 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Work that is purposeful, creative, orders chaos, and work with God’s plan was ordained before the Fall and is a good gift. The type of work we dislike is the punishment on man because of sin and is toil (literally “pain” 3:17) that causes sweat (3:18).
We reproduce- It says “multiply and fill the earth”. When we procreate God provides the spirit so He is still active in creating and allows us to be involved in the process. God is always involved in the process of giving life.
We rest- “3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” God was not tired but He was satisfied with the result of His completed work. Christ has completed the work of salvation in us so that we need to rest in Him, faith rest: “10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.”
I hope that you will consider how to bear the image of God in you in such a way as to point to Him rather than to yourself. It glorifies Him and satisfies you because you are at peace with Him.
God’s Word and Community
Posted in General, God Thoughts, Work of Jesus, tagged God Thoughts, gospel project, work of christ on November 25, 2012| 1 Comment »
On page 126 of the “Gospel Project” lesson 13 for Fall 2012 Christian George discusses the connection between the centrality of God’s Word and Christian Community, that is, “Scripture is the basis of true community”. Words are good but for my mind understanding and memory are better had by diagrams. So here is this week’s unravelling of interrelationships: (the arrows should be read as “leads to”)
God’s Word and Christian Community
Jesus Fulfills the Law
Posted in General, God's Word, Work of Jesus, tagged God's Word, salvation history, work of christ on October 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »
CreatorWorship 
Outworking of the Trinity, Part 2
Posted in General, Work of Jesus, Work of the Holy Spirit, tagged attributes of god, Cultural commentary, God's Word, gospel project, Relationship, theology, work of christ, Work of the Holy Spirit on October 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »
By clicking on Trinity Day 2 Answers you can see the answers I promised to the Bible Study on manifestation of God’s character in His trinity in God ordained social institutions. We could avoid much of the heart-ache and problems we sustain if we would follow God’s plan for how the social interactions are supposed to work. Government, for instance, is involved far beyond its God ordain sphere of influence so that it mettles in the church and family spheres. Avenging evil and defense of the citizenry is all it is supposed to do. As a result of the many other things it forces on us, we lose freedom by each one.
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