Mama Teaches the Love of Jesus

The most powerful force in the world is the love of Christ and its constraining influence.  I heard Elder Mark Green preach on 2 Cor. 5:14,15 Sunday before last and have been blessed to consider those things throughout the week.  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  I rejoice to know a Savior who loved me enough to die in my stead. And as a necessary consequence of Christ's death, all of his children died represented in him. And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again.  That they which live do so necessarily as represented in Christ when he rose from the grave.  And we who live by the regeneration of the Spirit are now exhorted to not live unto ourselves.  The exhortation is because although our life is a necessary consequence of the Lord's work, us living unto Christ is a condition based on our obedience. 

The sermon he preached on Sunday is the same sermon Mama has been preaching everyday I've known her.  She cooked for, cared for, watched over, and educated seven kids 24/7.  She didn't balance her kids with her career; she didn't seek ways to get a chance to pursue hobbies or entertainment for herself, but her joy was and is full.  It is because she loved us more than herself.  Love constrained her.  She is a living picture of Christ's love that I can see and feel, and that's how I know it is powerful.  It lifts people above what is normally expected and gives them pleasure in humility and obedience.

The gospel brings life and immortality to light by pointing to the unconditional love of Jesus (2 Tim 1:10) and witnesses to the righteousness of faith which is in us (Rom 10:9).  Therefore I can confess that God raised Jesus from the dead which means I am justified (Rom 4:25) before and irrespective of my choice and will.  Often the objection is raised to my faith: "If that were true, then we could live any way we wanted..." My response is: "Why do you not live how you want? Are you motivated by love of self or of Christ?"

Jesus removed the motivation of fear (Rom 8:15; 1 John 4:18).  The true gospel of Christ sets free the captive and gives rest to the weary.  The only way it can do that is by pointing to Jesus and proclaiming the full and efficacious work of our victorious Redeemer.  It should be no wonder I often drive three hours on a Sunday to hear the gospel.  It's because I don't want to hear a message that ends with "Jesus 'loves' everyone but we need you to donate your money that we can attempt to direct a few more souls to heaven."  If redemption wasn't complete on the cross (John 19:30; Heb 10:14), then I would be like weeping Mary (John 20:15).  I am not comforted by a message that portrays the love of Christ as placing the eternal destiny of His beloved on the uncertain shoulders of men. What an impossible burden.

Faith and hope shall pass away when their purpose is fulfilled, but love will be perfected in us.  When I know Him as I am known, then I'll love Him as I am loved. (1 Cor 13:12,13)

Salvation Through Confession

Prayer is a miracle of grace.  The sinner that I am has no right to approach the throne of God.  God's eyes are too pure to look upon sin.  Therefore we know that before our most basic requests are heard in heaven, we have been cleansed.  If my conscience is condemned but the Lord hears my prayer, then I am not condemned before God.  This cleansing occurs in the new birth when the precious blood of Jesus is applied to my soul (John 3:5-8) and I receive the Spirit of adoption whereby I cry Abba, Father (Rom 8:15).  As David remarked, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered (Rom 4:7).  Through the gospel life and immortality are brought to light (2 Tim 1:10).  The consistent message of the gospel is Jesus Christ; He was delivered for our transgressions and raised for our justification (Rom 4:25).  Therefore to believe the gospel is to believe that I am justified by the sacrifice of Jesus, and in that confession I will not be ashamed (Rom 10:6-11).  In summary, I stand just before God through the imputed righteousness of Christ; I cleanse my conscience from guilt by confessing that Jesus is Lord and believing that God raised Him from the dead.  In these acts stand two salvations that I have received; the first without any obedience or response by me, and the second by my belief is utterly dependent upon the first.

Conviction

I stand convicted.  Joyful desire mixed with regret fill my soul right now.  I listened to Philip Blankenship's sermon from the camp meeting on my way to work yesterday and was blessed with wonderful thoughts of Jesus, my omnipotent deliverer.  But as I was walking from my truck to start work, I started pouting (silently). I thought that having to work would just ruin my thoughts and therefore my communion with the Lord. I caught my inconsistency right away. I know that six days of the week are for work and that in the world. Worship refreshes me and improves me for everyday life, but the purpose of my life isn't just to go to church.  So I reminded myself that to walk with God, it is absolutely important I commit myself fully to my task at hand and do it with all my might. Then this morning, I listened to the sermon by Elder Ivey. My heart was melted, but I couldn't right away tell why.
Eld. Ivey preached against forgetting which were the first principles of the oracles of God, exposing our tendency to admire our understanding more than adore our blessed Redeemer and Husband. I don't think I am prideful of my doctrine or idolatrous of the church, so I couldn't explain the pain that came with that message. Then I considered his reference to Hebrews 5:12; that given the amount of doctrine and preaching I have been blessed with, I should be a teacher. But am I? I think I felt shame that I intentionally let pass opportunities to bless my Savior before men. I feel like I should avoid speaking my mind so not to alienate myself from anyone, assuming nobody cares to understand why I drove 150 miles one way on a weekend to go to church. Perhaps I'm teaching people that my faith is not remarkable, or that I don't have a lively hope. Perhaps the greatest barrier to my communion with God is my fear of confessing him. I know to walk with God I must have the intercession of Jesus, but He promised that He would confess us before the Father only on the condition that we confess Him before men. I need to do a better job at this and need to remember that if I lose the favor of men because of it, that that is according to His word. We just don't know who could hear.  I reckon that sharing hope with one soul is worth more than being socially accepted by a multitude. Matthew 10:32-40. Why is this so hard for me to put into practice? Indeed I do need to return to my first love.

Sanctified Through The Truth

Peace and union can be sustained in only Jesus' doctrine and example.  Jesus showed us how to obtain unity with men and even prayed that we would be one even as God is one. In his prayer, John 17:17-26, Jesus prayed that His disciples and all those that believe on Him through their word would be one. I want the blissful harmony found when brethren agree as the Father, Son, and Spirit agreed. That is what I believe this prayer teaches us about fellowship. We have only one option for true unity and that is in Christ, the truth. Charity promotes unity. Every statement I make with my tongue or my hands that does not comport with Christ must be abandoned. Sanctification is a process not for the impatient. I love the fellowship with brethren who agree to strive for the same standard of truth, but have no desire to associate with those who value being right more than understanding, or are more comfortable with their own habits than following the example of Jesus.

Why Is Christianity Superior To All Other Religions?

Many have a problem with Christianity's claim to exclusivity, yet logic demands it.  They say it is arrogant for Christians to assume what they believe is better than what everyone else believes, and that people can know anything for sure.  Everyone is prone to err, no human is omniscient, and only fools never change their mind; but I would submit to you that we can know some things for sure, Christianity demands exclusivity to the truth, and it is by far the most complete and rational worldview.

Though some may deny it, I do affirm that we know certain things for sure.  One such example is the laws of logic.  Upon the self evident truth that a statement and its negative cannot both be true, the entire system of logic and reason depends.  The entire thinking world, to my understanding, holds this as solid truth and uses it to reason between truth and error.  Monotheism understands this truth as a way for us to think according to God and therefore as eternally true and applicable.  The infidel uses it only because it works, but has no basis in his worldview for its eternal truth, other than to say it ever first began would inescapably lead to contradictions and leave the infidel without a way to reason at all.  In other words, the atheist must borrow logic from the monotheist with no way to consistently affirm it within his own worldview.

This leads us right into the reason Christianity demands exclusivity.  This does not mean that other religions don't have any truth.  I believe all religions may have a share of truth, some certainly more than others.  Even lies begin with some basis in truth before running into some concealed contradiction.  But if the God of the Bible is true, then all other gods are false.  So insofar as one's beliefs are supported by the teaching of this all-wise God, every opposite view point cannot be true, has no utility, and must be discarded.  True Christianity is based on the Holy Bible, which claims to be the inspired word of God.  Therefore, directly from the self-evident laws of logic, Christianity demands that all opposing views are not alternatives but ultimately a lie and corrosive to the good of man.  This is a death knell to the popular notion of relative truth, and the notion that if it makes you happy, then it is good for you.  For what good is it for someone to be happy with a lie?  What good is comfort in a delusion?  It is as good as not knowing that the vessel that is currently sailing you to a promising destination has a hole in the keel and will sink you before you arrive.

Seeing then that Christianity cannot abide with other religions, why should we take it over other religions?  The answer is Christ Jesus of Nazareth who said he is the way, the truth and the light. I want to share an extended excerpt from Hassell's Church History, because I cannot give a more sure evidence that Jesus proves the sublime truth of the Bible. It can be found on pp. 4-5. Thanks to pbministries.org for having this in electronic format.

The composition of the New Testament in the first century of the Christian era inevitably implies not only the pre-existence of the Old Testament for hundreds of years before that time, but the reverent belief of Christ and His Apostles in the divine inspiration of the Old Testament. Christ is both the main substance and the chief witness and guarantor of the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures.  Believers before the flood dimly beheld Him as the suffering but victorious seed of the woman. Abraham rejoicingly saw Him as his own seed in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. Jacob viewed Him as the descendant of his son Judah, the Shiloh, unto whom the gathering of the people should be. Moses saw Him as the Prophet whom the Lord God would raise up like unto him, from among his brethren, to whom they were to give ear. Job, in the depth of his affliction, beheld Him as his Divine Redeemer, who should stand at the latter day upon the earth. David saw Him as his own Son and the Son of God, the anointed King of Zion, yet agonizing before God, and pierced in His hands and feet by the assembly of the wicked, and going down into the dust of death, but not seeing corruption, and rising from all the humiliation of His earthly life, and passing, as the King of Glory, within the everlasting gates, and sitting down on the right hand of God, the almighty and gentle Shepherd of Israel, ruling in the midst of His enemies, making His people willing in the day of His power, making them lie down in green pastures, leading them beside the still waters, restoring their souls, leading them in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake, accompanying them all the days of their lives with His goodness and mercy, giving them the victory over every foe, even death, and making them dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Isaiah beheld Him as Immanuel, God with us, a child born, a son given, whose name was Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace, the sure foundation-stone laid in Zion, tried and precious, and as the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, bruised for our iniquities and healing us with His stripes. Jeremiah saw Him as the Lord our Righteousness. Ezekiel beheld Him as a man and yet as the Lord, of a bright, fiery appearance, seated upon a sapphire throne, and encircled with a rainbow.  Daniel saw Him as a little stone cut out of the mountain, breaking in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold of Nebuchadnezzar’s image, and as the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of days, and acquiring universal and everlasting dominion, and as Messiah the Prince, who should come to the holy city, and be cut off but not for Himself, and should make an end of sins, and bring in an everlasting righteousness, and seal up the vision and prophecy, a short time before the destruction of the city and sanctuary. Micah beheld Him as the Ruler of Israel, whose goings forth had been from everlasting, coming out of Bethlehem-Ephratah.  Haggai saw Him as the Desire of all nations, coming to the second temple, and filling it with greater spiritual glory than the first temple, and in that place giving peace. Zechariah saw Him as the King of Zion, just and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon a colt the foal of an ass into Jerusalem, betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, pierced by the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but bringing them to mourn with a great and solitary mourning for Him, and opening to them a fountain for sin and for uncleanness—as the Shepherd of God, a man, and yet the equal of the Lord of hosts, smitten by the sword of God, who them turns his hand of mercy upon the little ones.  And Malachi beheld Him as the Messenger of the covenant, the Lord suddenly coming to His temple, and purifying the sons of Levi as gold and silver in the furnace, that they might offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness, and as the Sun of Righteousness arising, unto all that fear His name, with healing in His wings. And Jesus always refers, in the most reverential manner, to the Hebrew Scriptures as the infallible, the literally and perfectly true testimony of God. The same books of the Old Testament that we now receive were then received by the Jews and by Christ as canonical and inspired. Christ, in His sayings recorded in the New Testament, alludes to every period of the Old Dispensation. “He speaks of the creation of man, the institution of marriage, the death of Abel, the flood in the days of Noah, the destruction of Sodom, the history of Abraham, the appearance of God in the burning bush, the manna in the wilderness, the miracle of the brazen serpent, the wanderings of David, the glory of Solomon, the ministry of Elijah and Elisha, the sign of Jonah, and the martyrdom of Zechariah—events which embrace the whole range of the Jewish record.”  Whatever, therefore, may be said by self-constituted, pretentious, ungodly and ignorant critics in regard to what they presume to call the incredible myths of the Bible, the children of God may be as perfectly assured of the literal truth of every word of the Old Testament, as well as of the New Testament, as if every word had been written by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

 Clearly Jesus didn't just show up on the scene and claim for himself that he is the Son of God, he was foretold in detail by the law and the prophets.  Only God can predict the future in this level of detail, and as a further proof of his work, he used many writers in many different times and places.  He also declared himself God by the deeds he did, which only God can do.  The writers of the new testament were not just relating stories that they heard, but things they saw first hand.  2 Peter 1:16.  Christianity is a religion based not on blind faith; but on prophecies which are mathematically impossible for these prophets not to have been inspired, works which had multiple eyewitnesses sacrificing their lives even to death affirming it, by Jesus' own perfect doctrine, and ultimately his own resurrection.  The huge masses who have believed this truth throughout the Christian age, have not put trust in one man's vision, but in an entire system of revelation indicative of only God.  The Bible is not just a book.  It is a hundred times better documented than any other book of antiquity, was written by some forty different authors in multiple regions and ages, with one spiritually unified message.  It presents not just a contemporary answer to difficult questions, but timeless truth.  Therefore it is always fresh and applicable to our life and the questions to which human philosophy is utterly blind.

In conclusion, Christianity alone gives the only worldview which give a complete, non-arbitrary, and consistent explanation of the existence of the world and the purpose for our lives.  It is not arrogant for us to belief fully and, because we didn't discover or devise this, it has been revealed and proven to us.  I believe it and therefore offer no apology for its exclusivity--however unpopular it may be--other than the law of contradictions, which is an essential aspect of the basis of all rational thought.  May the love and peace of God, which surpasses understanding be with you all, and may we never be ashamed to say to anyone "Let God be true, but every man a liar."

Tell Us Plainly

John 10:24.  Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt?  If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

God was manifest in the flesh doing many wonders and miracles that no man can do. Consider a little earlier in John 9:32, Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.  Yet in the face of the miracles...they believed not.  Jesus' response to this was going back to the man who was born blind and asking, Dost thou belive on the Son of God?...And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.  And Jesus said, For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

John 10:25  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not; the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

Before Jesus brought Lazarus forth, he said to Martha, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?  Is it not peculiar that Jesus did all his awesome miracles in the sight and knowledge of all people, yet some continued to ask, How long dost thou make us to doubt? And others saw the same works in belief and worshipped Jesus, because through their belief, they saw the glory of God.

Though men will always say that Christ hasn't given them enough reason to believe...If he were true then this or that.  They are blind because they think they see without the Light.  But in reality, Christ gave us more than enough evidence that he is the master of heaven and earth.  He is the good shepherd and knows his sheep; we hear his voice, know it, and can forget all fear.

Press Into The Kingdom

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Luke 16:16

It is clear from the old testament that Christ would come in the family of David and establish a glorious kingdom that would rule over the whole world. In our vanity, we are blind to how glorious that kingdom is.  Men value things externally from an earthly perspective and are unmoved by Jesus and his kingdom. He doesn't impress our human fancies.  Jesus explained that if his kingdom was of this world, then his servants would fight that Jesus not be delivered to the Jews who condemned him, John 18:36.  He kept men who savor not the things of God in blindness to his divine kingdom; as they carried on with their wicked works, he was meekly establishing something much greater than any earthling can imagine.  Undaunted by the spite of the rich and famous, Jesus continued in obedience to the Father according to all of scripture and became the head of the corner, building a spiritual house refused and disdained by man from the beginning. 

I declare that the kingdom established by Jesus Christ is reigning supreme now.  He doesn't reign, nor ever did, by external letter or decree; he never reigns with grand human armies; and he never reigns with buildings made with gold or other stones.  He doesn't reign after the similtude of human kings. He reigns from within the hearts of his people formed for his praise.

 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  Luke 17:20,21

The Holy Spirit, abiding in our spirit, is our access and teacher of the True Kingdom.  Since Jesus preached hope, he has been ruling and reigning so majestically above the most glorious and powerful humans earth can produce, because only he can move within people everywhere without limit.  History has powerfully witnessed the preeminence of this kingdom in the face of the wise and powerful of the world through the ages,  who have discredited and sometimes violently attacked this kingdom, only to find that they have exhausted only themselves.  The child of God has a fire within himself that cannot be touched by the world.

It is still easy for Christians who have tasted truth to be discouraged.  Don't be surprised, when we take a worldly perspective, that the church will look weak and helpless and on the road to extinction.  Even Christians have tried to build empires and institutions that agree to our natural senses, and have succeeded to a great degree to gain the respect of the world.  But don't place any confidence in external measures of success, because Christ warned against it and it goes out of style like everything else.  Put on the spiritual armor of God--that is the ONLY defense that sustains the church in truth.  And from a spiritual frame of reference, I rejoice in the victorious reign of Christ in the church and his church in the world.

Poor and afflicted, Lord are thine;
Among the great unfit to shine;
But though the world may think it strange,
They would not with the world exchange.

Poor and afflicted, yet they trust
In God, the gracious, wise, and just;
For them he deigns this lot to choose,
Nor would they dare his will refuse.

Poor and afflicted, oft they are
Sorely oppressed with want and care;
Yet he who saves them by his blood,
Makes every sorrow yeild them good.

Poor and afflicted--yet they sing,
For Christ, their glorious, conq'ring King,
Through suff'rings perfect, reigns on high,
And does their every need supply.

Poor and afflicted--yet ere long,
They'll join the bright celestial throng,
And all their suff'rings then shall close,
And heav'n afford them sweet repose.

Poor and afflicted, filled with grief--
O Lord, afford us kind relief,
To cheer the heart that heaves a sigh,
And wipe the tears from every eye.

Thomas Kelly 

Press into the kingdom.  Don't believe the world's lies, nor be impressed with it.  Beauty, wealth, fame, and amusement profit nothing without the seasoning of truth; time has proven.  There are so many mysteries of the kingdom I don't understand.  In time, with the guidance of the Spirit that guides to all truth, I will learn more and more.  Why did Jesus speak in parables?  I'm not really sure, but what we have to work at obtaining, will be held much more dearly.  Jesus clearly didn't reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to anyone all at once, and to some didn't reveal it at all.  How much more now, without the physical presence of the Great Teacher, should we expect to search and beg for a better view of that sublime truth.

In conclusion, I am convinced that pressing into that kingdom, though difficult and contrary to the approval of mankind, will be rewarded spiritually, and therefore, much more profitable than man's idea of value.