The Gospel!

What is the Gospel? What do I believe in? This whole blog is about God and Christ, but I realize that I have never actually presented the Gospel…

The Gospel of Christ.  He is the “good news”.  It’s nice to have good news in the midst of all the bad we hear about today.  But before I give the good, first the bad must be heard.

Why do we need the Gospel? The Bible says were all sinners… (Rom. 3:10-18; 23).  We have broken off fellowship with God.  Because of His holiness, Righteousness, and Wrath, He must punish our sin! Our destiny is Hell… sad truth!!! That is why we need the Gospel, because we are sinners.

Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NET).  A few verses earlier, Paul writes in verse 6, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (NET).  God had a plan.  He knew that nothing can atone for our sins except for blood sacrifice, for that was the system that He set up in the Old Testament.  Nothing but the Perfect Sacrifice could atone for sins, once and for all!  No amount of good works, giving of money or anything can substitute the need of a Blood Sacrifice.  So God, who is rich in mercy and full of grace, sent His Son born of a virgin to be the Savior.

No Gospel message is complete without mentioning the Deity of Christ.  Only God is capable of providing that Perfect Sacrifice and only God is capable of being that Perfect Sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus Christ is God (John 8:58; 10:30)!  That is why Christ is the Perfect Sacrifice and He bled and died for our sins!

Grace: The free gift we don’t deserve.  None of us deserve to go to heaven, yet God is full of grace.  We don’t just automatically go to Heaven because Christ died for sins.  We must believe in Christ, that He died for us (John 1:12-13; 3:16; Eph. 2:8-10).  It is through faith in Christ that places in His hands and He is our advocate (I John 2:1-2). 

Okay, now what? I’ve trusted Christ as my Savior, what happens now?  I have a question for you: If you have placed your faith in something yet don’t act on it, is that true faith? I submit to you: NO!!!!  True saving faith results in one’s lifestyle being changed (I John 1:1-2:6).  Christ is explicitly clear about a believer and their lifestyle.  They WILL produce fruit for the sake of Christ (Matthew 12:33-37; 13:1-23; John 15; Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 8:28-30).    Your life will change to conformity of Christ (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 2:8-10).  That may seem like the line is blurred of saving faith and working for your faith.  You cannot be saved by works, I can’t make that clear enough, but once you are saved your life will change.  Faith in Christ changes your life!!!

One

Up until about a year ago, if someone were to ask me: “Hey is there just one girl out there for you to marry?” I would have said emphatically “YES!!!”  But now I am not so emphatic, if not I’m downright “I don’t know!” Let me explain…

Due to the questioning of some friends who challenged my belief, I began to question myself.  A lot of “what-if’s” started entering my mind and a few excellent points were made.  So I think a better answer may that ideally “yes” but practically there are plenty of women/men that could best suit you and your needs.

Allow me to explain, I believe ideally God has that “perfect” spouse for you.  If you think about it, you get married to one person.  Are you really going to question yourself even after you are married? Well there you go, they are the “perfect” spouse for you.  With the permanence of marriage, it seems pretty cut and dry that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16).  Also marriage is used as an analogy between Christ and the church (Eph. 5).  Marriage is an important concept in God’s plan.  Marriage is permanent, just like salvation, there is nothing two sinners that are saved by grace cannot work through with the help of Christ and the Holy Spirit.  Yes I don’t believe believers should divorce, period, no exceptions (Maybe someday I’ll do a post on the so-called “Exception Passage” of Matthew 19).  So marriage is permanent, “till death do us part!”

Alright so the person I’ve married, or will marry is the “one”, but you’re telling me she is the “only one”!?!?  I used to say “yeah”, now I’ll say “maybe”.  Why? Because, to be honest, there are plenty of people out there that may be a great companion for you.  All I have to offer is my experience, never dating, but the few girls I have seriously liked, I liked them because they would make a great companion for me.  At least I believe that, but you could ask them if you want.

But none of them worked out… my point exactly.  They could have but they didn’t.  Does that mean there is only one? Maybe so, maybe not.

I don’t believe in dating around.  I don’t think that is at all something that we should do.  Yet dating just one person may not work for everyone either.  It’ll work for me because I gave that area to God and yes He will provide, I’ve seen Him provide because I have yet to date any girl.  Yes I believe that is His provision on that promise.  Yes I believe that if anyone were to do what I did, God will provide.  Why not? I did this very early on in my life of wanting to date.  Of course that may also be why I believe that there may only be just one girl for me.  Yeah I can be that dense.

I believe that God will grant my desire and I believe that anyone that surrenders that area to God, He will provide.  Why not? It sure makes for a great testimony of marriage.

God & Guns: Coexistence?

With the media firestorm about firearms we can add a third item to the list of “things to never bring up unless you want an argument!!!” (you know politics, religion and now firearms).  While politics ain’t exactly my cup of tea, God and Guns, on the other hand, is something I will gladly discuss.  I could go all day on both those topics alone.  Can a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior advocate a wretched item of destruction such as a gun????  I say absolutely!!!

           Let’s lay some groundwork for my argument.  Really the topic at hand is firearms.  The whole idea for this blog is making a case for God so firearms will be the topic at discussion.

           The liberal media (rabbit trail comin’ here) is just blasting firearms for no good reason.  They are criticizing responsible citizens for not wanting gun control, in response to mass shootings across the nation.  Irresponsible, angry maniacs get a hold of guns and start killing for the sake of killing (the true criminal) and they are being labeled as clinically insane, in response our government wants to make laws banning guns or “high capacity” magazines to make us, the responsible, law-abiding citizen safer???  I fail to see how making a law for the citizen to follow will make me safer as criminals by nature break laws.  Am I the only one not seeing the logic here?!?!

           I apologize for the rabbit trail, not what I was intending.  Anyways, I ask what is the real problem? Common sense says it is the person behind the object.  The world says that the problem is the object because people are “basically good” (they fail to read their Bibles {Romans 1-3}).  Inanimate objects are labeled as dangerous, respectfully so, but then banned or somehow made “safer”.  No longer is it the person who is at fault.  The same people that want to ban guns are the same people that refuse to take responsibility for their actions.  The person behind the gun is the problem.  Let’s not forget American history and how guns have been used for good and for bad.  This nation was built on the right and responsibility to use and own guns.

           Do I own a gun? Yes I own three of them and I want to build that collection daily.  I own a .22 caliber Savage MK II bolt-action rifle.  I own a Heckler & Koch USP .45 and a Springfield Armory XDM 9mm.  Much of my time is spent researching firearms.  Guns are a huge part of my life.  Illinois is the only state without conceal carry, which will change soon, and as soon as it does I am applying for it.

           Self-Defense.  You say the likelihood of me needing to use my gun for self-defense is slim to none.  Really?!?! Tell that to the people involved in mass shootings.  Tell that to the people who do use them daily for self-defense, but you don’t hear about those stories in mass media (no I am NOT talking about the military).  Look up all the stories about how guns have saved lives in everyday living here in the United States.  Yeah happens daily!!!

           Me? I love guns.  They are tools and that’s how I use it, it’s also a hobby for me.

What IF...?!?!

So today going back to Calvary I had my iPod on shuffle ad a playlist full of a variety of secular and Christian songs on it.  What came on was "The Motions" by Matthew West.  Now I realize that I have already done a post about this song, in fact it was one of my first posts, but this is a different idea from this song.  I found his lyrics to that song very compelling.  Namely part of the chorus that says "I don't want to spend my whole life asking: What if I had given everything?"

This phrase had me thinking: Am I spending my life NOT giving everything? I think about what I am doing in my life.  I am currently at school.  I have a desire to learn theology.  I want to learn about God.  I want to teach God to the youth I am working with at Kearney.

This song is really a call to action.  Don't spend your time doing the tings of a Christian, such as going to church, youth group, prayer, Bible study and whatever else that you may do for your Christian life.  Don't spend your life simply doing those things, calling yourself a Christian and not doing all the things that Christ has asked us to do.

I gotta admit that it is sort of my life.  I like to sit back and just settle with my Bible reading and my prayer.  I don't want to get any further out in my Christian walk.  I get satisfied with where I am and I don't want to go any further.  Yet this feeds directly into the question the chorus of Matthew West's song, "What if I had given everything?"

What do I give? There are times when I give my all, there are times when I just don't want to do anything more than read Scripture.  Yet all over Scripture there are calls to action.  There are calls of a changed life for those who have placed faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What if I had given everything? That is a great question to ask yourself.  Examine yourself and answer that question

Spiritual Life

We had Spring Break a little more than a week ago.  How is your spiritual life when you enter into a new environment? I can tell you for me, my Spiritual Life really struggled.  I got home for the week with the intention of getting into God's Word but never did.

Things got busy... I was working, shooting my guns, and I had to prepare a sermon.  Not to give excuses but that was what was going on.  I got off work and decided that I would rather give time to myself and not to God

As the semester gets busier, it gets easier to just pass on the Spiritual life and try to use that time to get homework done or whatever.

Just yesterday I was talking with my dean of Students and he gave me an analogy of our spiritual weapon (Eph. 6)  He related going to the shooting range and working on my shooting to my spiritual walk.  What are the Spiritual things in my life that need to be evaluated and worked on?

So I try to evaluate my spiritual walk, specifically reading my Bible.  I think that the most important thing that I need to work on is my application of Scriptural principles.  I can get  head knowledge in my head so easily, my brain can retain that information but my personality is not always one of action.  I have big talk but I don't have the action to back that talk up always.

I think that is one thing that I struggle with the most among all sorts of other things.

I really liked Dean Cory's analogy because it is something that I could relate to.  Of course all analogies break down when pushed too far but he did a decent job of relating the attention I give to Scripture to that of working on my marksmanship.  It is all well and good to be accurate with a firearm but when the situation calls for it, some people just freeze.  Don't be that guy.  I want to be able to be accurate and be able to achieve that marksmanship when the situation calls for it!

My Source of Hope is Nothing Less, Than Jesus' Blood and Rightouesness

Life is good!  I am completely winging this whole post, but the fact remains that the God of Life is good (Jn. 14:6).  I think through this past semester at school and the difficulties, trials and tribulations they bring.  I see pain through the process but God never told me that things would be easy, to which I must ask: "How can people possibly believe the life of a Christian would be easy? (Prosperity Gospel)"

This semester has been one of Happiness, Joy and learning.  This whole semester at school has been one of learning.  God has given me many opportunities for leadership, yet as I look to, what is leadership? How do I lead? To whom am I actually given to lead?

This semester, God has given me opportunities for public speaking, which is what I believe the Lord is leading me to as a career.

This semester, God has given me trials of leadership, trials in school and trials in life.

Yet through all this, God has given me hope to continue.  It is upon God I must rest.  It is upon God, in whom I must place my trust in.  It is in God in whom I place my trust.  Why does that have to be so difficult? It sounds so easy: "Oh place your trust in God!" "Oh okay!" and done!!!  But it isn't that easy.  Tests and trials come all too often in life and it is so easy to try to tackle them head on with my own strength.  All too often that is what I do.  All to often I go through a trial on my own and afterwards I manage to get through crawling on all fours only to realize that Christ was the One giving me the strength.  Why didn't I rely on Him through the entire thing? Why is it at the bitter end do I realize that Christ was there the whole time waiting for me to surrender to Him?

Christ saved me from my sin.  I accept that with such gratitude and then turn around and not utilize the promises He has made in His Word.

Well this semester has been one that has really allowed me to realize that.  I am a person who is learning to submit to God's authority in my life.  People say that it's my life and I am in control, yet the more I live, the more I realize they are all wrong.  It is not my life and I am not in control.  The reality is my life is actually God's life and God is in control, not me!  With that as the foundation, I need to trust and rely in Him more.

It is so cool as the semester continues on and I can look back and see as the things done wrong, the things done right and see the growth of me in God.  The peace that washes over me when I rest in God is a peace that is never found when searching in the wrong places.  God is so good!

The Pursuit of Wooing

The Pursuit of Wooing

            Recently I read a post by a friend about the semantic difference of “pursuing” and “wooing” namely in the context of dating.  Here is a link for that blog article, if you want to read it.  It got me thinking!

            I know it is kind of ridiculous, but if you look at the definition of those two words and the differences, culturally I believe we are into “pursuing” rather than “wooing”.  It is sad to say that even in “Christian” circles.  “Christian” men and women are much more interesting in the pleasure rather than the commitment of a relationship or romance.  I do believe that I am the minority when I say that I am more interested in the commitment with the pleasure than just the pleasure (the minority even in the “Christian community”).  We need to go back to wooing a woman, being committed, marriage!

            As believers in Christ we are able to go against the cultural norm.  All human race is sinful, our sin is the problem.  But we, as believers, are sinners saved by grace!  With that salvation comes a changed life, attitude, character, and worldview.  Do not expect a sinful culture to accept us, but we cannot accept and bring in their bad habits.  I think most of the evangelical Protestantism has accepted the cultural calling of “tolerance” when Scripture teaches against that.

            I’m sure that we have all heard “love the sinner, hate the sin”.  True, true, true and I will not deny that.  BUT that doesn’t call us to accept the sin in the sinner.  We must confront them on that.  Believers are changed individuals, changed by God’s grace! Let’s start acting like it!

            Now off this rabbit trail, it is relevant though.  We as “Christians” have begun to accept the pleasures without the commitment and that is unacceptable in God’s eyes.  (Underneath this whole argument is a case for Lordship salvation, but that is another argument for another day).  This is a call to go against the cultural norm and as men start taking responsibility.  Let’s “act like men” as Paul states in I Corinthians 16;13.  We’ve lost that in our culture.  No responsibility, we blame others, it is never our fault.  No responsibility, we’d rather sit on our lazy butts than help someone else!

            To the woman I say, don’t be a feminist.  God created us differently for the different roles that show our perfect companionship when fulfilled properly.  Let the man be a man, taking responsibility, initiation, leadership, submit to him (see The ‘S’ Word).  Help him be a good leader, teach him, he is to be a student of yours!  Men we are to be students of the woman we love.  We will learn from her, what makes her click, what makes her feel most loved, cherished, honored.  When we do that, we begin to woo, rather than pursue!