Answering God's Call

"So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny" (Job 23:14, NLT).
"My times [future] are in your hands..." (Psalm 31:15, NIV).
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you" (Psalm 32:8, NIV).

PART I

God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word (cf. 1 Sam. 3:21), because visions were rare in those days. In fact, it could have been God's judgment on the land (cf. Amos 8:11) for their inclination to do what they saw fit (cf. Judges 17:6; 21:25). Samuel broke the mold and pleased God and became the last of the judges and founded the school of the prophets. Samuel became obedient to the heavenly call and offered no excuses as Moses did, was eager and willing to do God's will. Consider Paul's attitude: "I am obligated ...I am so eager ... For I am not ashamed..." (cf. Rom. 1:14-16, NIV). He was prepared and ready, and he felt indebted to God!

We must realize that none of us can depend upon our own strength to do God's will, for apart from Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). Don't confide in your own strength! All that Samuel did was only what the Lord had done through him (cf. Isa. 26:12). Paul had the same attitude in saying that he would not venture to boast of nothing but what the Lord had accomplished (cf. Rom. 15:18). God isn't interested in our achievements, but our obedience and trust--trust and obey, there's no other way, the hymn goes.

Samuel's call proves that God always has His witness and a way to speak to mankind, even in the darkest of times. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and Paul asked that a thorn in his flesh be removed, but in the end, they were blessed by God and enabled by grace to do his bidding. After all, we are God's masterpiece and workmanship (cf. Eph. 2:10), ordained to do good works in His name. In other words, bloom where you are planted, and don't look for greener pastures!

We are all called by God according to His purpose and will (cf. Eph. 1:5) and God has a plan for each of us. Paul's only aim was to complete the task the Lord had given him (cf. Acts 20:24). "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..." (cf. Psalm 138:8, ESV). God has not made us automatons without a will of our own, but we are to cooperate in doing His will and bringing glory to Him through service manifested by faith. The key to service is to be equipped in your gift and to reach out. We will never find our gift without a servant's heart!

Therefore, a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. We are to "spur one another toward love and good deeds" (cf. Heb. 10:24, NIV). Mother Teresa said that "true holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile." The greatness of our service is not our natural abilities, but our surrender and commitment to Christ, as we will be judged by our faithfulness; however, don't get into the "let's compare" game and belittle one another's spiritual gift.

There are several calls for the Christian to answer: to salvation, for service, choosing a mate, finding a church home, choosing a pastor, a vocation, an avocation, a ministry, a mission, one's witness and testimony, a fellowship, or inner circle, and good deeds to do. God's not looking for resumes but faithfulness and too many divorce faith from faithfulness. The only resume we need is that we know God and walk with Him in fellowship. There is a place for everyone in the church to contribute and to feel at home in the body, which is an organism of living beings, not an organization of impersonal ones. The righteous will live by faithfulness (cf. Hab. 2:4) and walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7). Soli Deo Gloria!



PART II


"Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified..." (Rom. 8:30, ESV). [Note that no one is lost in the shuffle of salvation!]
"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (cf. John 6:29).
"... Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice" (cf. John 18:37).
"... [A]s many as were appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48, ESV).
"I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision," (cf. Acts 26:19).

Man gives the outward, general call (cf. Titus 2:11) of the biblical evangel to the world, exhorting repentance and faith via the preaching of the Word's gospel message--to preach the Word. Man's call is often rejected and ineffectual, and can fall on deaf ears! They say that the convert hears the gospel and rejects it 7.6 times before coming to saving faith. Even the demons believe and tremble (cf. James 2:19) and God requires a faith that is alive with worship and devotion, but also discipline and obedience. No fruit--no faith (the instrumental means)--no salvation (no evidence)! We may say in resignation, "Let the chips fall where they may!" but God is the sole primary cause of the universe--we're merely secondary causes used by God to accomplish His will and bring Him glory! We exist, to bring glory to God (cf. Isa. 43:7): "The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever" (cf. The Westminster Shorter Catechism).

Some people merely produce foliage, not fruit, because they aren't abiding in the vine and they will be pruned. It is important to note that the gospel in vogue isn't necessarily the one Paul preached--and he pronounced an anathema on those false teachers who watered down the gospel (a different gospel or dumb-downed version) or mixed it with works, and forsook the way of grace alone. Grace and works don't mix! We are indeed saved by grace alone, through the channel of faith alone, and this must be invested in Christ alone, all according to the authority of Scripture alone, so as to ensure the glory going to God alone. There's no merit system in our salvation--God doesn't grade on a curve.

We must respond to the inner calling of the gospel to our souls (cf. Romans 8:30) that must respond to the so-called wooing or drawing of the Holy Spirit. John 6:44 makes it clear that the Father must "draw" one, and John 6:65 makes it clear that God must "grant" the privilege of believing in Him. God grants faith and salvation (cf. Phil. 1:29) and it is a gift and not a work (a meritorious one)! If it were a work we would have reason to boast, but Titus 3:5 says we're not saved "by works of righteousness which we have done."

Paul says in Eph. 2:9 that we are not saved by works--the reason being to eliminate boasting or bragging before God. Now, the wooing of God is necessary and sufficient to bring us to Christ: no one would come to Him without it; if we came to Him alone, we will leave alone! God's call is irrevocable and efficacious, meaning that it is a permanent call and God gets His desired effect." As many as were ordained to eternal life believed" (cf. Acts 13:48). AND WE HAVE "BELIEVED THROUGH GRACE." (CF. ACTS 18:27). We receive our faith, we don't achieve it (cf. 2 Pet. 1:1).

Some believe that God woos all men, this would make God out to be a failure; however, those whom He woos do come and without regret--no one who believes is ever disappointed in God. (cf. John 5:24). If you are inclined to ascribe universality to wooing, then does He woo equally? And why do only some respond? There is no way to avoid this doctrine without assigning merit. Our salvation is a pure act of grace and there is no room for works--we are not saved by works, but not without them! This doctrine refers to the irresistible grace of God--God's grace is sovereign and reigns (cf. Rom. 5:21). Christ is Master of our fate, and Captain of our soul.

Our destiny is ultimately in God's hands, not ours (cf. Psalm 31:15; Job 23:14)! If we had to do anything for it, we'd fail, and so God does everything in our monergistic salvation--we do not take part in it nor contribute, nor cooperate with "pre-salvation" works either. God must regenerate us by quickening faith and granting repentance (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25) in order to save us--we don't save ourselves--if you put faith ahead of regeneration, you are effectually saving yourself. If you can believe without being regenerated, what good is regeneration? If our salvation were in our hands and up to us, we'd blow it or botch it! Salvation is grace from beginning to end as Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. It is not a human achievement, but divine accomplishment! God makes us willing and able to believe and repent: Scripture says, "For God is at work with you, both to do and to the will of His good pleasure" (cf. Phil. 2:13; cf. Col. 1:29; Heb. 13:21).

God calls and we answer, those who are of the truth hear the words of truth and hear God's voice and calling. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. It is not the calling that saves on, nor faith in the calling, but faith in the One making the call: "Many are called, but few are chosen" (cf. Matt. 22:14) refers to the general call of the gospel message to the world at large. "The elect attained unto it, the rest were hardened [blinded]" (cf. Rom. 11:7). We must always remember that we didn't choose Him, but He chose us (cf. John 15:16). 

We are the elected ones, and remember this point of doctrine: We are elected unto faith (see the Golden Chain of Redemption in Romans 8:29-30), not because of faith, which is the false prescient view--Romans 8:29-30 militates against it. For whom He calls, He regenerates unto faith and repentance (cf. 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Thess. 2:13), and simultaneously justifies them. We don't get any credit for believing, it is given or received, not achieved, and we cannot conjure it up--it comes by the hearing and the hearing of the Word of God (cf. Rom. 10:17).

Christians have answered the call and will be fit for being His vessels of honor, we all have to make sure of our calling and election (cf. 2 Pet. 10), though, because assurance is not an automatic fruit of salvation. "Have mercy on some who doubt, [offer reassurance from the Word]" says Jude 22. John writes to give assurance of salvation; obviously, it's not a sure thing (John 20:31; 1 John 5:13). Paul said that if we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:13). In the final analysis, we must not divorce faith and works, they are distinguished but not separate--we are saved by faith alone, but no by a faith that is alone (from the Reformer's battle cry) as James 2:17 says, "Faith without works is dead" (can that faith save?).

In sum, God reserves the right to call whom He will and to have mercy on whom He will and harden whom He will (cf. Rom. 9:15). Some sinners receive mercy, some receive justice, but God is unjust to no one. God predestined us according to His good pleasure and the purpose of His will, not according to anything we did (cf. Eph. 1:5; Titus 3:5).

Finally, let me sum up citing three verses: "[W]ho saved us and called us to a holy calling not because of our works but according to his purpose and grace..." (2 Tim. 1:9, ESV); "God in heaven appoints each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).

"... 'A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven'" (John 3:27, ESV). Soli Deo Gloria!

Proof For God Without The Bible

 

1. The ontological, cultural, or anthropological argument or where did we get this idea from and why do people believe universally; God is not an idea made up. Do apes build chapels? Do animals pray? God was self-evident to the founding fathers of America. This ethnological proof, that virtually every tribe, tongue, and people-group has had some belief system concerning God or deity is compelling as circumstantial evidence.; where did they get the idea from, if not God Himself?
2. The cosmological or the that nothing happens by itself and nothing can create or cause itself but needs the First Cause: no First Cause means no beginning because infinite regress is impossible; you cannot cross infinity! A beginning (Big Bang) implies a Beginner. God is eternal without beginning, having no cause but being uncaused!
3. The teleological proof that we cannot escape or deny order, harmony, intelligence, purpose, design, and beauty everywhere and they exist as evidence and this points to the anthropological principle or that there appears to be design or fine-tuning, and this may be called the argument from design; design only implies a Designer; order implies an Orderer, purpose a Purposer, and intelligence an Ultimate Mind. This has been called the anthropic principle in action. The divine order of creation is Thinker, thought, thing. I won’t elaborate on the many wonders of nature that bear witness to this but only bring this up as a point and mention the principle is valid.
4. The moral argument or that it seems that we have morals and there must be justice for that to make sense. Where did we get our conscience from? Guilt proves this to be self-evident. This implies a Judge or Judgment Day. God seems to care a lot about right and wrong and has given man a moral code, compass, or conscience to be culpable. Morals make no sense without a Judge or God to make them universal. God must be the moral center of the universe and standard of Good as Plato called Him, the Supreme Good. Morals then imply a moral Lawgiver; also, how can you believe in justice without a Judge?  Soli Deo Gloria! 

God's Crucible Of Adversity...

"But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10, NIV).
"Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty" (Job 5:17, NIV).
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (Isa. 43:2, NIV).
"... All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come" (Job 14:14, NIV).
"Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him" (Job 13:15, NIV
"If we are to enter God's kingdom, we must pass through many troubles" (Acts 14:22, CEB).
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings..." (Rom. 5:3, NIV).
"No matter how deep our darkness, he is deeper still." --Corrie ten Boom

Reality 101 is about adjusting to the curve balls thrown at us by our adversary Satan, as we adjust to the real world with all its pitfalls, known as OJT of real life. "He speaks to [us] in [our] affliction," (cf. Job 36:15). As part of the divine curriculum, it has been granted unto us to suffer for His sake. We have no right to ask God "Why?" because "He is too deep to explain Himself, too wise to make a mistake, and too kind to be cruel"--we must accept it all on faith that God knows what's best. People are always suing for pain and suffering, but Christians must grin and bear it as a given in life (not that we are Stoics who see it as fate from an impersonal force), but making the most of it and learning from the experiences; then we can proudly say, "Been there, done that!"

We all must go through some kind of school of hard knocks and learn from our mistakes. If you haven't made a mistake, it's been said, you haven't made anything! The best way to learn is through adversity, which is the only way to build character. So lay out the welcome mat and apply your experience to comfort others in their affliction. As a consolation, remember that Christ Himself learned obedience by what He suffered (cf. Heb. 5:8)!

What is going on as we progress in our sanctification? God will indeed finish what He has started and isn't finished with us yet, as we are always "works in progress" (cf. Phil. 1:6). The defining characteristic of Christianity that makes its practice unique is that we find meaning in suffering--it's all done through the Father-filtered hands of God and has a purpose. In psychology and religion, there is no meaning to suffering--it's seen as a distraction and unnecessary element of life, and ideally should be eliminated. (Note that Buddha said that "life is suffering").

But there is good stress as well as negative stress (and no one escapes life stress-free!) and it builds character; we shouldn't pray for a life that's stress-free and easy then, but a character that can withstand anything God can throw at us by way of trial and tribulation, this is the stress that no one can avoid and is part of life--can we expect good from God only and not evil? But whatever evil happens, God means it for our good (cf. Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28)!

For Christ didn't even exempt Himself from trials and was honest enough to warn us we'd have them, and our crosses pale in comparison to His, who doesn't ask us to do anything He didn't do. Trials, temptations, tribulations, suffering, troubles, and adversity, and discipline are inevitable. It has been said that experience is not what you've been through or what has happened to you, but in you and what you do with it! As an illustration of what God is doing in our lives picture a sculptor who sees a piece of marble and starts work on it and is asked how he can fashion a horse out of it: just by chipping away everything that doesn't look like a horse! God must take away everything that doesn't look like Jesus because we're the icons of God!

We signed up for a crucible when we got saved and it comes with the territory as we enrolled in the school of Christ. But the comforting factor in our suffering is that it's done in love and is not meaningless; in fact, we'll thank God someday for His wisdom. God reserves the right to micromanage our lives at will and does so without our consultation. Every day of our lives has been mapped out by God in Providence and He does so with the motive of love and His glory--for we exist to bring glory to Him (cf, Psalm 31:15; 139:16; Isaiah 43:7).

As a word of encouragement, we should bear in mind that God is always with us, so we are never alone; God is on our side so we cannot lose, and God believes in us so we have purpose and meaning, for God has a purpose for everything! It was proven by Dr. Viktor Frankl, a Viennese Jewish psychiatrist who spent years in a Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, that when we see purpose and meaning in our suffering that we can endure nearly anything, even a POW, or concentration camp (because God is with us)! We don't have to thank God for these troubles, but should praise Him for the opportunities they bring to glorify Him, always remembering that no cross means no crown!

In short, crucibles are necessary because the same sun melts the butter hardens the clay (we either become bitter or better); we must never wonder why bad things happen to good people because no one is good--we should wonder why good things happen to bad people!

CAVEAT: DON'T GET A MARTYR COMPLEX, (WE AREN'T SAVED BY MARTYRDOM!) AND THINK THAT THE MORE YOU SUFFER, THE HOLIER OR MORE RIGHTEOUS YOU ARE, CHRIST WANTS US TO LIVE FOR HIM AS "LIVING SACRIFICES' (CF. ROM. 12:1)!

In conclusion, William Kirk Kilpatrick, psychologist, and educator, said the test of a philosophy is not what it says about the pains it can handle, but the ones it cannot. Soli Deo Gloria!

Fideism Versus Faith

 By definition: faith is trusting in what we have good reason to believe.  We don't have faith in faith but faith in Christ; faith doesn't save, Christ does!  It's the object that counts. 

"Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see," (cf. Heb. 11:1, NIV). 


We choose to believe with our volition, it follows from our heart and where that is; if it's in the right place. We don't believe despite the evidence nor demand that all the evidence be presented before drawing our conclusion or taking a stand. Just like in a jury trial we go with the flow, or in the direction of the preponderance of the evidence--which isn't always conclusive or even certain, and there may be unanswered questions or doubts. Belief is not independent of the facts or evidence but concordant with it.

Evidence is not always conclusive, and may be subjective too (it can be circumstantial, indirect, or direct), but is only one argument to consider in making the final decision. There may be evidence pro and con, arguments for and against, we must weigh all the facts pertinent before making the final decision. We don't reach a conclusion irrespective of the evidence; however, some people cannot be convinced no matter the evidence because they don't want to believe.

(Faith is not believing something you know isn't true! Everyone has faith in something, even Secularists have faith that science can answer the questions of man; it's not a matter of faith versus reason, because we all commence with some presupposition we cannot ultimately prove, whether divine revelation or science. Fideism is the belief that we can attain to knowledge (of God) by faith alone, apart from our reason, while rationalism is the opposite, that truth is arrived only by reason--true biblical faith is based on the evidence and respects the mind, it doesn't insult your intelligence.

Fideism is basically the conviction that faith is mutually exclusive of and opposed to reason. Augustine said all knowledge begins in faith, or "I believe in order to understand." You are entitled to your own opinions and faith in them, but not your own fabricated facts. Conclusions must be based on fact, fitting, and following them, the facts aren't made to fit and follow the preconceived conclusions or notions.)

We must not succumb to the notion that believing something makes it true or disbelieving something makes it untrue-- the evidence is either true or false regardless of acceptance or belief. We cannot prove without a doubt that Christianity is true because God requires a step of faith and we can demonstrate that faith is much more reasonable than doubt and even that doubt can be an element of faith itself (cf. Mark 9:24: "I believe, help thou mine unbelief"). We must make our decision in a rational manner and decide which one fits the facts more fully and completely. Christianity is not rationalism, though, and can be defended on the open marketplace of ideas, but is rational--Christians aren't asked to kiss their brains goodbye.

However, we are exhorted to defend our faith and to have a reason or rationale why we believe in 1 Pet. 3:15 (cf. "have a reason for the hope that is within you")--if we don't, we only confirm infidels in their unbelief! If we just go by feelings we may fall by the wayside and not endure testing and challenges to our faith, as people of other faiths may have duplicate feelings about their God or religion. The unique aspect of our experience in Christ is that it's backed up by and the only religion supported by the objective, external, historical evidence of the resurrection of Christ, as well as personal, internal, subjective experience in the life and heart of the believer--Christianity is based on evidence and facts of history, not fable or sayings of wise men such as Confucius or Buddha--which are really philosophies with religiosity. Christianity is a historical faith or it is nothing, and disproving its historical credibility would discredit the faith itself.

Many have tried to disprove historical references or its historicity, but have failed in the process and have even gotten converted to Christianity in the process against their wills. No amount of argument will convince the unwilling, you cannot argue someone into the kingdom of God or persuade him by rationalism; Christianity is rational, but it isn't rationalism. No one will come to faith in Christ apart from the work of the Spirit within his heart, but he must not base his faith on the fact that he feels Christ lives in his heart--going by feelings--a duplicate experience can be had by other faiths, but he must learn to see the power of the Word in changing and sanctifying him.

God asks no one to have blind faith, which is demeaning to believers and outrage to God, but only to take a reasonable step of faith into the light--faith is the antidote to blindness, not its cause! In the end, we all have a rationale for our faith and should be able to defend ourselves with our personal testimony--like the blind man who testified, "I was blind, but now I see." This cannot be refuted and no one can deny the reality of his profession. We are exhorted to testify of what we do know and the reality of our faith, not another person. When we witness we declare the facts as we see them and can verify by experience--it's admissible in a court of law!

The problem with unbelievers who don't believe is that they don't want to believe, not that they cannot. "Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him" (John 12:37, NIV). John Stott adds that "we cannot pander to someone's intellectual pride, but must cater to their intellectual integrity." No one is required to commit intellectual suicide or believe without any answers. However, we all must take that leap of faith in obedience to the faith. The problem most have is moral rebellion, not intellectual problems or hindrances, and their questions or challenges are mere smokescreens to avoid the real issue of surrender to the lordship of Christ.

The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart! Nonbelievers are described in Rom. 2:8 as those who reject the truth, and this truth is true objectively, regardless of whether one believes it or not or who told us. What they do is feign intellectual problems to try to stump the Christian and change the subject from making a decision for Christ in surrender. God is no man's debtor and will authenticate Himself to any seeker who desires to know Him, but Jesus said that also that only those willing will believe: "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know..." (cf. John 7:17).

In exhorting decisions, one must realize that he doesn't need all the answers to believe, but he can believe anyway if he is willing and wants to believe--no amount of evidence will convince the person whose heart is hardened. Just like a jury making a verdict based on known evidence, not all evidence may be in, so we just go ahead and believe anyway, though we don't know all the answers. The important thing is to know the Answerer!

We must realize that Christianity is a reasonable proposition and we will never be disappointed in our decision. As volumes have been written about the so-called evidence that demands a verdict and God gave us a mind and expects us to use it and inquire of the Lord. The evidence can be presented cogently and there is hardly any question that hasn't been answered--Christianity is not going to come tumbling down by some brand new doubt that hasn't been resolved before!

When the plain facts are presented cogently one will realize that Christianity is based on a rational body of truth, in history, and its veracity was proven in the blood of the martyrs who died for their proclamation about Jesus rising from the dead. Even the historicity of the resurrection is vouched by multiple sources and is probably the most attested fact of antiquity--would any historian doubt the reality of Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great in contrast--Jesus was no myth and his historicity is vouched for by many pagan sources too.

All in all, we cannot deny the facts and one must be confronted with making a decision for or against Him--making no decision, is making a decision against Christ! It is not the believer who has to fear the scrutiny of the facts, but the skeptic who refuses to face the facts and acknowledge the truth! It has been said that Christianity goes beyond reason, but not against it! If the facts of the Bible were presented to any court of law, the jury would have to declare them true based on the evidence which would be admissible.


Most people who don't believe have never examined the evidence or even read the Bible. This is the whole crux of the matter--that we don't have to defend it or prove it, the seeker can do that himself by reading the testimony of the evangelists in Scripture himself. God, indeed, welcomes any honest inquiry and doubt, because He expects no one to believe something he isn't intellectually convinced of, or to commit intellectual suicide. Soli Deo Gloria!

God Judges What's Fair

 

Isn't it unfair that Eve did not have the choice of her partner?

Certainly not! Adam had no choice either! God is incapable of unfairness and He is no respecter of persons and snows no partiality. The reason she was taken from Adam’s rib was so that he wouldn’t look down on her as an inferior but she would be equal. Look at it this way: Eve is the crown of God’s creation; the finishing touch and His final at. How do we know what He told Eve? God could have said that I know that man perfect for you! God is the perfect matchmaker and this was a marriage made in heaven for sure.

There was no favoritism nor sexism involved. If it had been the reverse or converse, Adam could’ve raised an objection by this standard. Eve was created in flawless beauty and I’m sure she had no complaints when she met Adam. When was his partner and equal and it wasn’t till she sinned that Adam was placed in a position as head of the family unit;—that was not God’s fault.

She didn’t belong to Adam as some kind of property but was equal in every way so that Adam could relate to her perfectly with fellowship and companionship? This was only possible because they were equals and complimented each other.  Soli Deo Gloria! 

What Would Life Be Like Without God?

 We’d be animals in heat avoiding pain and seeking pleasure; eating, drinking, and making merry till we die with no purpose dignity or meaning in life but ourselves. We would not realize being made in the image of God meaning we’d have no human rights as a result. What would be the purpose of life then?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (cf. Prov. 9:10) and also the beginning of knowledge (cf. Prov. 1:7); therefore we would be fools who knew nothing for sure, all knowledge and values relative and no absolutes. All knowledge begins in faith and is contingent.

We could realize no moral values and be completely subjective without any standards of perfection, not knowing the way to live right., as Plato said, “If I want to know how to live in reality, I must know what God is really like.” Where would we get our morals as guides? It has been said that liberty without restraint is evil and lawlessness. Who would make the rules to obey, if not the Lawgiver? No one could assume authority?

One may counter that atheists can be good moral people. But that’s like going to a restaurant enjoying the meal and denying there’s a chef. They are enjoying and reaping the benefits of centuries of Christendom and Western Civilization whether they accept it or not. God is the Lawgiver and Judge that we must be accountable to. Without hell to shun, or a Judge to fear nor Ruler to obey, we’d become quite uncivilized without the salt and light that believers bring the world.

There was a time when we had minimal perception and consciousness of God: we were pagans and barbarians living by the Iron Rule or the law of the jungle, each man for himself, and might making right. Without God in the calculus and picture, it would be a bleak outlook: coming from nothing, having no purpose, and going nowhere! IN SHORT, WE’D BE UNCIVILIZED AND IN NEED OF MISSIONARIES.   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Why Do We Need The First Commandment?

 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; all these things shall be added unto you," (cf. Matt. 6:33). 

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..." (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4). 

The First Commandment is the greatest and summation of all God requires of us.  All others are mere corollaries and applications.  If we have God, we have all we need!  In antiquity, they were thinking that the more gods you had, the better off you were!  They had a whole pantheon of gods and failed to realize the Most High.   But if we have God, we have all we need. We all can have insecurities, but where we find it is vital to our salvation and obedience to God. We can get obsessed with the wrong priorities in life and must realize how idolatrous we are and make honest confession to God to be cleansed of it--coming clean!   God must not be replaced as the owner of our heart and our first love.  God is greater than any idol can ever be; if we worship them, we are the loser:  We forfeit the grace that could be ours!  

If we fail to admit it, we are only cheating ourselves.  We must not sacrifice temporary happiness or fulfillment for the permanent one found in Christ.  We must live in light of eternity, not just for the here and now.  We are to be content only in God.   God is greater than our heart and we must realize the battle is the LORD's and submit to His authority over our lives.  Those who "know their God shall be strong and do exploits" (cf. Dan. 11:32).  So we must have a handle on who God is and His role in our lives.  With God, we can confront evil and realize how great He is in our lives.  Remember, God called Abraham out of idolatry and so we must come out from it; it's the default state! 

We can only defeat our idols in the name of the Lord and victory through the Spirit who sets us free from the lies of Satan.  Sin holds us in bondage and alienates us from God.  This may entail sacrificing temporary happiness for the long term fulfillment of God's will.   The joys of this world pass away but that of the Spirit endures.  One way to sacrifice this is by being people-pleasers instead of seeking the praise that comes only from God.  God is greater than all our idols.  It is only the truth that sets us free and God is the one who grants repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.  Those who love the truth are saved and those who suppress it are condemned. 

When we give God His place of honor and reverence, we are only giving Him what we owe Him and can never pay back--an eternal debt of gratitude and worship. We can march on in victory with God on our side with the marching orders to spread the word. We can navigate our mission in the name of the Lord and not in our name or of any idol.   God holds our allegiance only and no one else.  We do not say my affiliation right or wrong, whether it be party, church, race, or state.  Then we are on solid ground and firmly planted into God's will--the safest place to be.  

But we must all come to a confrontation with evil and not waver between the two opinions of wondering who God is and whom we will serve.  All idolatry is ultimately a betrayal of the one whom we owe allegiance to and becoming a two-timer with God or cheating on Him and not being faithful.  Sooner or later, God will teach us that there is but one God who is worthy of our worship and allegiance.  

Thus, the First Commandment reminds us of who God is and who we are in perspective, and our duty to Him as our Number One priority. God must be in the first place or He has no part of us.  He will not settle for a second-place or lower status in our hearts.  He wants us to have the spiritual wake-up call and realize: "The LORD, He is God!"    Soli Deo Gloria! 

First, Examine Your Sin

 

SEEING OUR OWN SINFULNESS

"The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:7-8, NIV).
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9, NIV).
"... But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it" (Gen. 4:7, HCSB)
"It is no use giving us rules of conduct; we cannot keep them." --John Stott
"In Adam's fall/ We sinned all" (The New England Primer, 1727).

We all are born "in Adam" (as opposed to becoming "in Christ" upon salvation) or with "original sin" (the result of the first sin) inherited from Adam, by virtue of his being the representative head of our race and acting on our behalf when he disobeyed God. When Adam ate of the so-called "proverbial apple" it was the prototype or model sin: "He spurned God's grace; contradicted His truth; rejected His authority; disputed His wisdom; repudiated His justice, and resisted His grace" (Author unknown).

Sin is our birthright and a virus we all have inherited. It has been defined by the Westminster divines as "any want of conformity to or transgression of the law of God." By the way, it's "any thought, word, action, omission, or desire contrary to the Law of God" (Charlie Riggs of the BGEA) i.e., anything contrary to the nature of God--our Declaration of Independence from God--it's such a killjoy word for preachers but cannot be ignored without peril. It's our birthright and a virus we inherit. We must be against it!

We must see our sinfulness to be saved and come to repentance. The law was given to make us see our sin ("for by the law is the knowledge of sin," cf. Rom. 3:20). It was never given to save us but to show us we need salvation. We don't know how bad we are, till we attempt to become good, and we cannot become good without knowing how bad we are--the solution to this catch-22 is knowing Jesus as our Savior. This so-called doctrine of total depravity or more realistically, radical corruption. means our whole being--heart or emotions, mind or intellect, and will or volition--are corrupt and unable to please God--we're not utterly depraved or as bad as we can be, but as bad off as we can be!

Even our reasoning powers and conscience are corrupt--spoiled by sin (cf. Titus 1:15). We are stubborn, rebellious people whom God has to conform to do His will like a Potter working on clay. G. K. Chesterton said tongue-in-cheek that this is the only doctrine "that can be proved." "... [B]ut men loved darkness rather than light" (cf. John 3:19).

Our sinfulness becomes even more apparent to us as we get closer to God--the closer our walk, the more consciousness of sin. Peter exclaimed, "Depart from me O Lord, for I am a sinful man" (cf. Luke 5:8). Samuel Rutherford said to pray for a hearty sense of sin, because "the greater sense of sin, the less sin." The point of being bad is not that we are too bad to be saved, but never good enough to be saved--Isaiah 64:6 says "our righteousness is as filthy rags."

In fact, where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (cf. Rom. 5:20). Let's not play the "let's compare game!" It doesn't matter that we may be better than our neighbor--we all look like saints compared to Saddam Hussein, because God doesn't grade on a curve--we're all in the same boat of falling short of God's glorious ideal per Rom. 3:23.

This solidarity in Adam means we have a legacy of sin as our inheritance and we cannot escape our birthright. We were born in sin, not born free! Our wills were in bondage too, not free till we were freed in Christ upon salvation (cf. John 8:36)! We cannot even save ourselves and don't even meet our own standards of good, as Ovid said, "I see better things and I approve them, but I follow the worst." But the whole point is that the greater we are forgiven, the greater our love, as William Jay of Bath said, "I am a great sinner, but I have a great Savior."

In Adam's fall, we all ceased to be good, though not ceasing to be human. We all have a dark side or are like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde--we all have feet of clay or a vulnerable side no one sees. The world thinks a man is basically good, but he is inherently evil and cannot please God--all he can do is sin. People think this means we are as bad as we can be, but we are as bad off as we can be. We are not as corrupt as possible, for God restrains sin, but our whole nature is corrupt.--total depravity, not utter depravity. Why? God can turn the wrath of man to praise Him (cf. Psalm 76:10). We see goodness in light of evil and evil brings opportunity for good. The good news is that no one is too bad to be saved, but grace abounds to the chief of sinners, as John Bunyan wrote (cf. Rom. 5:20).

Sin has been our downfall and we must be reminded of our old sin nature or it will dominate. "Sin wants to destroy you, but we must not let it" (cf. Gen. 4:7, CEV). We need to renounce sin in ourselves and turn from it first to have discernment. "The absurd," according to Albert Camus, "is sin without God"--we must become aware of sin to repent of it; that's why knowledge and admission of sin is the missing ingredient (Whatever Became of Sin? by Karl Menninger, MD).

We are all guilty of rebellion, independent attitudes, lawlessness, godlessness, injustice, unbelief, iniquity, and all manner of transgression and unrighteousness--these are all evil violations of God's person and nature. D. James Kennedy says the law was given to show us we don't keep it, the "law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul" (cf. Psalm 19:7). The Law doesn't convert us or save us, it measures and convicts us!

In the final analysis, we all must exclaim to God as Paul did, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Cf. Rom. 7:24). He answers his own question: "Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Cf. Rom. 7:25). The higher law Christians adhere to is the law of love, which is done willingly and gratefully. Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Believe The Bible?

Did you know that there are twenty-six books in the world that claim to be Holy Scripture (the Brahman Vedas, the Buddhist Canon of Sacred Scripture, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, the Zoroastrian Zend-Avesta, et al)? However, the Bible is the only one with predictive prophecy! Remember, Deut. 18:18 says that the test of a true prophet is 100 percent accuracy or the death penalty! "If they speak not according to this Word, they have no light in them" (Isa. 8:20). Only God knows and prophesies the future (cf. Isaiah 41:22; 45:21;46:9; Jer. 28:9). Note that there is something very peculiar and unique about Jesus: He doesn't quote the authorities but relies on His own authority and spoke like no man has ever done.  

The Qur'an, on the other hand, has one instance of self-fulfilling prophecy when Mohammad predicts he'll return to Mecca!  Only God can predict the future and God (in Isaiah) challenges any other "god" to tell the future.   But there are over 2,000 fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, not just a few lucky .guesses.  Jesus Christ Himself fulfilled over 300!

Archaeology has repeatedly confirmed the OT tradition and many have set out to disprove the Bible and with over 25,000 sites recovered there still is no contradiction.  Like Jesus said, "The rocks cry out!"   Historically, the Bible has been verified, and even though secular historians are usually given more credibility than the Bible, they have yet to disprove anything in the Scriptures!  For example, Luke has been discovered to be one of the best historians of antiquity.

Also, science has failed to contradict the Bible, even though the French Academy of Science declared 51 scientific facts that controverted the Bible in 1861, now not one of the so-called facts is believed--the Bible was right!.  There is not a contradiction between science and Scripture and where the Bible does make a scientific statement of fact, it is correct, even if ahead of its time.  The Bible is not a scientific textbook, said Galileo, but a book of salvation--however, where it does state a scientific statement it is correct and never proven wrong.

The Bible is self-attesting, (over 3,000 times it says, "Thus says the LORD" or its equivalent) [no other sacred writing does this--they don't dare!]  Scripture is its own Supreme Court, its own interpreter, and commentator.   It is believed because it is believable unless you have the presupposition that miracles just don't happen! Ancient peoples didn't doubt the reality of miracles, just what they meant.  The writers are not inveterate or consummate liars, but credible witnesses--the credibility of a demon is not to be established and this only stands to reason!  The test of their veracity was they the Apostles went to their death without recanting--death was their test!  "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths or fables when we made known to you the Word of Truth but were eyewitnesses of His majesty"  (2 Pet. 1:21). "Thus saith the LORD" or its equivalent) which means it assumes you believe it and doesn't appeal to some higher power or authority.  It proves and verifies itself.  If you appealed to science, for instance, science would have higher authority than God!

The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit and is therefore inerrant and infallible in its original manuscripts.  None of these are extant--we rely on copies.   An interesting fact is that there are over 5,000 Greek manuscripts available to test the veracity of Scripture, while we only have 10 good copies of Caesar's Gallic Wars or of the History of Herodotus.  There is no comparison, yet no one doubts the authenticity of these documents.  There is more proof for the resurrection of Christ than for any other fact in antiquity.  It is the most attested and variously supported fact if the era!  Doubting Jesus' historicity is unsound and yet scholars don't dare doubt the historicity of Caesar or Alexander the Great.

The Bible is like a caged lion--you don't have to defend it, it can take care of itself.  People who criticize it usually haven't read it!   The Bible can convict a person if he has an open mind and is willing to do God's will he shall know whether it is of God.  Jesus said, "If a man is willing to do His will, he  shall know whether the doctrine is of God or whether I speak on my own authority" (John 

7:17).

I know of a preacher that said, "I know the Bible is inspired because it inspires me."  The works of Shakespeare can be entertaining and educating, but only the Bible can transform the soul. The proof of the pudding is in the eating:   "The Word of God is alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of joints and marrow, of soul and spirit, and it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" Hebrews 4:12).! 

Not At Liberty To Our Own Jesus Image

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached ... ye might well bear with him," (cf. 2 Cor. 11:4). 

 Everyone thinks of someone when they think of Jesus, whether some characterization, movie personification,  caricature, or even image we invent, or even the one of conventional or historical reference--the historical Jesus, as if this one is not the one the apostles believed in but somehow they were deceived and got it all wrong and even latter deified Him when Jesus never really claimed to be God.  We don't have the prerogative or right to think of Jesus any way we choose or in some invention of our liking or as whom we personally prefer to think of!  We must receive Christ for who is He is in all reality, or not at all!  He is Lord of all (cf. Romans 10:12; Acts 10:36).

Paul said, "I know in whom I have believed..." and "I want to know Him and the power of His resurrection."  Jesus said that to know Him is eternal life.  We must be anchored in reality for our image of God or our interpretation and what we think of Jesus is the most important thing about us, it may not matter in the long term what you think of the president, but your conception of Jesus is the criterion of your judgment. this is what determines your destiny! It can have consequences, personally speaking, because it may affect our testimony and how we live our lives, and what our goals are. 

To see Jesus as some all-encompassing and accepting all no matter what, or as some sentimental, maudlin, non-judgmental, politically-correct, unoffending, loving Jesus, as some Jesus Christ Superstar or celebrity, or as some impotent but friendy man upstairs we envision or a flexible man that can fit into our stereotypes or boxes of definitions makes Him one-dimensional and not who He meant to be as the Almighty.  Some may sincerely say, "I like to think of Jesus as my friend" or "as my buddy" or as my "Advocate," or brother" but we must realize He is "Lord of all" and must submit all things to Him and make Him the number one priority; He owns us because we are slaves whom He has redeemed! The more submitted we are to His lordship, the freer we are.   But we live in a pluralistic society where people deny absolute truth and think no religion can be right or has the right to claim it, so we must not be dogmatic in order to get along.  In this reality, contradictions are a-okay and there's no absolute truth or values! 

To accept Jesus or to receive Him as Lord and Savior is not an option.  We must recognize Him as the only begotten Son of God, God the Son manifest in the flesh coequal to the Father in every way.  He is not one of many ways, nor even the best way, but the only way according to A. W. Tozer.  Even some evangelicals don't realize the necessity of receiving Him as Lord of our lives or to make a lordship decision in our salvation. 

For instance, Jesus is not the surrogate of God, a form of lesser deity or creation of God as a god, not God Himself, or as a deified man or even humanized God or demigod. Jesus must be received and recognized as the God-man or as fully and truly God as well as fully and truly man: two natures not to be mixed but to remain in their completeness and integrity, and in one person fully united without compromise of either nature and not to be confounded or diminished. The mystery of this union of two natures into one Person is known as the hypostatic union and the process of when God became a man is known as the incarnation; both vital doctrines to true Christian orthodoxy. 

We must believe in Him for who He claimed to be and He did claim and assert His deity as well as show it by divers miracles, signs, and wonders. He was like us in every manner except that He never sinned  He also suffered as a human without any special treatment from the Father.  All this so He could relate to us and intercede faithfully.   Soli Deo Gloria!