Salvation Archives - Gospel Connections

Comfortable In Our Own Skin

zebra-migration

Christian, are you comfortable in your own skin?

You gotta love the apostle Paul! He was comfortable in his own skin, meaning, he knew who he was and what he believed. He knew what he was saved from, he knew his Savior, and he made no excuses for it. Paul did not set out to offend. But, neither did he water down truth… A watered down truth is no longer….truth. Sometimes, truth offends.

So I ask you again: Christian, are you comfortable in your own skin?

What was the result for Paul being true to who he was and what he believed?

It was lashings, periods of time in prison, his friends abandoned him, and so much more.

But, like a beaten boxer, he kept getting back up to be “hit” again.

What drove Paul?

Was he ever tempted to give up the fight and call it a day?

We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

(1 Corinthians 1:23 ESV)

Paul understood that to some, his preaching of Christ crucified would be a stumbling block or foolishness, and he seemed to be ok with that.

We want a salvation that does not offend my desires, and a Savior who not only accepts me “just as I am” but accepts my ongoing blatant rebellion against Him as well.

Why was Paul ok with preaching the Word that caused stumbling blocks and was viewed to be folly? The next verse tells us why.

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24 ESV)

Christ crucified was what drove this man. He was a man aware of the death to life reality for himself. Once Saul (persecutor of the church) now Paul (church planter, preacher, evangelist, and inmate).

Christ crucified is what he knew.
Christ crucified is what landed him in prison
Christ crucified was a stumbling block to the Jews
Christ crucified was foolishness to the Greeks
But that was ok to Paul, because Christ crucified was also the power of God to salvation.

We live in a day where pastors and church leaders are seeking to make God’s Word more palatable. Palatable is good…. isn’t it? Yes and No. Yes, because we need to help people understand God’s Word. And no, because we are not at liberty to change or to water down God’s Word to conform to this world.

And this is where we get it wrong. God’s Word calls us to conform to the Word, rather than the Word conforming to the world. Sadly, ours is a day when believers water down the Word to help the Word conform to the world.

When the Word and the World collide, we are to go with the Word!

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(Romans 12:1-2 ESV)

3 Reasons why we are conforming more to the world than to the Word.

1.) The desire for growth. So strong is the desire today to be a pastor, or a member, of a large church that compromise soon follows. In the name of adding people, many are willing to compromise God’s Word.

Sure, I want the church to grow just as much as the next guy! However, we have to ask ourselves: Is the addition of people that comes from watering down the truth of God’s Word actual growth?

While it may be growing “our” kingdom, we must consider, is the kind of growth we are experiencing in our churches, growing God’s Kingdom?

I submit to you that if it is built on the world rather than the Word, it is not growing God’s Kingdom.

This is, perhaps, worse than no growth at all? If we are adding people to a false gospel and to man’s kingdom, are we not serving ourselves rather than God?

People might be added, but not converted.

I often hear: “you can’t argue with success.” Which means, because there are a lot of people attending, God must be blessing the church. How foolish that we define success with a number of people in a room as opposed to what the Bible clearly states.

(For example: Matthew 28:19-20)

2.) Because of fear

Difficult days lie ahead for the church in America. I am afraid that Christians are afraid. We fear people, government, and political correctness more than we fear God. We lust to be accepted and approved by people.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

(Galatians 1:10 ESV)

Now, that is a man comfortable in his own skin. When preachers toe the line of political correctness, they do so out of fear of man rather than fear of God.

3.) Because we have forgotten

We have forgotten that Christ calls us to “deny ourself, and take up our cross and follow Him.” We want an easy salvation, one that requires no repentance, no change, and no Savior. Christianity 101 calls us to repent from our sin. The church then is not called to make life more comfortable for us in our sinfulness. The church is a place of repentance and transformation.

And, nothing less than Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection makes this possible!

Proud Calvinism?!?

John Calvin

Full disclosure: I am a Calvinist. Yep, all 5 points…. Offended?

Stick around, it will be ok!

Now that we got that out-of-the-way, the point of this post is NOT to make a case or argue for Calvinism. Have you noticed? It has kinda already been done! There are many better places to make a humble argument for or against Calvinism.

So, Let’s dive in!

It is a great day we live in where there has been a resurgence of reading, studying, and learning of theology. 10 years ago you could not pay a guy to read a theology book. So, I begin with gratitude!

I am grateful for those who have taken up big, thick, theology books written by dead guys and living guys. LOVE IT!

I also enjoy the conversations that the reading has stirred.

And, I love, most of all, OUR great God! He is God, the focus, and the reason for all this great theology!

BUT

I have this growing concern for my friends in the reformed theology camp. (Oh, Oh… perhaps this post will offend BOTH Arminians and Calvinists? I hope not.)

It is with the reformed brothers that I have the most agreement….. and well, disagreement.

You see, amidst this surge in theology, there seems to be an accompanying surge of pride. Yikes! Not the pride word! How dare I mention it while so MUCH pride is still hanging on to my heart and life? Dare I attempt to write about “Proud Calvinism”?

“Tim, what are you thinking!?!”

Well, I press on and pray for a work of humility in me. Besides, if you think about it, today’s topic falls under the scope of this blog. “Gospel Connections.”

There seems to be a gospel disconnect when it comes to proud Calvinism.

How does one subscribe to reformed theology and do so with a pronounced arrogance??

At the core of Reformed theology is the Sovereign God.

I don’t like to use the term “Calvinist”. Not that I don’t like John Calvin, or have gained from John Calvin. Rather, it’s because I don’t think John Calvin would like the term “Calvinist”! The term immediately takes the glories of Christ off of….. well, Christ. And, it places an emphasis on….. a man. Ugh!

A right understanding of Reformed theology specifically points the attention away from man and seeks to center the attention where it belongs…. God!

Reformed theology is not about Calvin!

Reformed theology is not about you or me!!

Reformed theology is about GOD!!!

Here is what I am getting at…. How is it that there seems to be in this surge of theology an accompanying surge of pride?

It’s in the coffee shop in Anywhere, USA. Two brothers sitting down, sipping their Americano, debating theology. (By the way, I have NO problem with brothers debating theology! Quite the contrary! May there be an increase of humble theological discussions over coffee!)

The Reformed brother believes he is saved by the grace of God, the Arminian brother does too. And, it is in that moment that my Reformed friend kicks into high gear. Feeling the need to unpack everything he learned the night before. Like Barney Fife he has a bullet. This brother knows enough….. to be dangerous.

Arminians…. don’t get overly excited about the above paragraph. The temptations are the same in both camps.

Like the clanging gong Paul references in I Corinthians towards the “we are so proud of our spiritual gifting” Corinthians. I don’t think your friend can hear you over the noisy cymbals and gongs. We must ask, Where is the love for my brother?

I know my Arminian friends are saying…. “yep, I have met the proud Calvinist” Please be kind in the comments section below and don’t try to add to the noisy gongs we Reformed guys are creating.

Isn’t proud Calvinism an oxymoron? You know…..

Jumbo Shrimp

Pretty Ugly

Proud Calvinist

Consider our salvation: we believe we were “dead in our transgressions and sins….” Ephesians 2. And dead means….. dead. Not almost dead, just….. dead. We believe that in our spiritually dead place, God by His Spirit called / chose / elected us to salvation. And because He did – we then responded to His gospel call.

Praise be to God! We were once dead in our sins and now we are alive in Christ Jesus! (I know the above paragraph is overly simplified! Did I mention, the intent of the post is not an attempt to unpack the reformed view of salvation….)

My point is to simply say – isn’t the above paragraph inconsistent with the accompanying pride we see in the coffee shop?

To my reformed brothers of whom I AGREE…..

Do we really have it ALL figured out? AND, even if we did……(which we don’t!) But, for the sake of the argument, let’s assume we have it all figured out. Does it then become our right to blast our brothers and sisters with the sum total of all our reformed wisdom over a 60 minute coffee? The damage we do in the name of Reformed theology – in the name of Christ!

I believe God is sovereign over my salvation! That said – God is sovereign over my salvation does not equal…..pride. When we rightly understand that God is sovereign over my salvation the accompanying heart response is humility and worship.

God chose me and did so in spite of me… How does my wicked heart bring pride into that equation?

Reformed theology is not a gonging cymbal. God forbid! It is brokeness and humble gratitude. Thanks be to God – I am saved! Praise Him!

We might do well to leave that bullet in our shirt pocket and instead worship and glory in OUR Savior.

Stay tuned:

Next post: “Signs of Proud Calvinism”

Comments?

To the Arminian followers of this blog – give us your perspective! How do we Calvinists need to grow? Be honest, humble, and gracious in your thoughts.

To the Calvinist followers of this blog – give us your perspective! How have you been proud? How are you seeking to repent and change?

Trinity (13) The Spirit

Rocks

A few weeks ago I enjoyed a coffee with my friend Sandy Robertson. He is a Pastor at New Covenant Church which is a church in the same town I pastor. Titusville, Fl. While we were chatting he said something I had heard many times before. But, you know that moment when the Spirit of God quickens you and you hear something you have heard before and yet it is as if you heard for the first time.

He said: “You know there is a reason why He is called the HOLY Spirit.”

That was it…. that simple…. and yet, so profound and true. It grabbed my heart. I hope it grabs yours today.

Why is the Spirit called the Holy Spirit?

1.) HOLY Spirit and HOLY Scripture

The word holy in the bible means to be set apart, consecrated, and blameless. The Bible is a Holy Bible. It is a “set apart” book – no other book like it on the face of the earth. And, the Spirit is not just any spirit – He is the Holy Spirit.

You say…. ok – so what?

I am amazed at how a believer will attest to the above few sentences and turn around and knowingly and blatantly do the opposite of what scripture says and then…. pull the Spirit in the ditch with them by saying: “I prayed about it and I feel lead this is what God (The Spirit) would have me to do.”

Nope…. The HOLY Spirit will NEVER lead you to do anything contrary to the HOLY Bible. The Holy Spirit ALWAYS, ALWAYS leads us to do what we find in Scripture.

Christian, let’s stop this nonsense of dragging the Spirit into our UN-holy living. Take up the Word of God, ask the Spirit of God to illuminate His Word, and follow Him.

2.) The Holy Spirit and salvation

It is the work of the Holy Spirit, in our lives, that brings us from death to life. See previous post: Trinity (12). It is the Spirit that makes us alive to the work of Christ (In His life, death, and resurrection.)

3.) The Holy Spirit and sanctification

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV)

Have you come to a place of faith in Jesus Christ?
Do you desire to grow in Godliness?
Do you find yourself repenting of sin and seeking to pursue righteousness?
Have you ever pursued a friend for accountability to help you overcome an area of sin?
Have you ever had the thought: I want to pray more or spend more time reading God’s Word?
Have you experienced conviction while reading Scripture, hearing the Word preached, or…….?

If you answered “yes” to these questions then Praise God and specifically Praise the Holy Spirit. Just as the Father and Son play a specific role in your salvation and your life as a Christian, so does the Holy Spirit.

He is day by day, moment by moment, growing you in Christ Jesus.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

Trinity (10) The Spirit

Butterfly

When it comes to the Trinity, and we speak of the Father and the Son, we have categories to help us understand and grasp these persons of the Godhead. I have a father, I am a father, and I have sons, I am a son. But, when it comes to the Spirit we seem to be left scratching our heads a bit. The goal in these next few posts is to unpack a little bit of the Spirit in the Trinity.

So who is the Holy Spirit?

He is the 3rd person of the Trinity! Understanding that He is a person in the Godhead affects how we view the Spirit.

He is NOT an impersonal force of some sort
He is not a thing.
He IS a person and thus
He is personal!
Scripture always refers to the Spirit as a “He” or “Him” and never a “it”.

He IS a person of the Trinity – He IS God.

Does Scripture teach this? YES!

One quick example is found in Acts 5:1-4. In this text Ananias and his wife Sapphira sell a piece of property and seek to bring the proceeds and give the money to the apostles. The problem was that they were lying by saying their donation was more than what it was. Peter rebukes them by saying: “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” He then concludes his rebuke by saying: “you have not lied to man but to GOD.”

So, to lie to the Holy Spirit IS TO lie to God – Because the Holy Spirit IS God

Much more can be said here. For instance, Scripture speaks of the Spirit eternally which of course is an attribute of God Himself. For now, I will leave it at that. The Holy Spirit IS God!

In an effort to answer the 1st question (Who is the Spirit?) it might help us to ask a 2nd question:

What does the Holy Spirit do?

While He does many things (sanctifies, convicts, transforms) we might summarize all that He does by saying that the Spirit applies (or empowers) the work of Christ in our lives.

Christ’s work is an effective work, an empowered work, in our lives because of the work of the Spirit.

The Spirit’s work in Salvation:

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

(John 3:1-8 ESV)

Having once been dead in sin, we are now alive in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-6) We are born – again. We have been given new life. We were once spiritually dead – we are now spiritually alive.

Once dead – now alive in Christ Jesus – because of the work of the Spirit!

It is the Spirit of God who does this life giving! It is the Spirit who takes the spiritually dead and gives them new life. He gives life where there was no life.

Not unlike Lazerus being raised from the dead. Jesus spoke words of life. “Lazerus come forth” – and his once, dead body obeyed! The heart started to pump and blood began to flow again!

WOW – that is what has taken place (spiritually) in every person who places their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Once dead
now alive in Christ
this is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Praise Him!

What is the Gospel?

If you are on vacation and your destination is a cabin in the Smokey mountains you better have clear directions as to how to get there! I live in Florida, I am a flatlander! Which means….. many times my family has been lost in those mountains! Funny isn’t it – many people today intend to arrive, when their times comes, in heaven. But they have no idea how to get there! Continue reading What is the Gospel?