Soli Deo Gloria

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”

Titus 2:11-14

Scripture

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned- for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned- for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:12-21 (NASB)

Scripture

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen”

Hebrews 13:20-21

Scripture

“… and behold, a voice out of heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

Oh the grace of our God! Not only did God demonstrate His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ came and died for us but even here at the baptism of our sin Substitute God graciously offer words of grace and comfort to the ears that will hear. I agree with Martin Luther that these words of Scripture and the spoken words of God from heaven were not for the benefit of Christ. Christ needed no encouragement of His sonship – that has been a reality for all eternity and forever will be. There is no doubt that these glorious words are for those who heard and for us today to remind us and assure us of glorious truths.

God is pleased in Himself. Only His righteousness can satisfy His holy requirements. Because of His perfect holiness, anything less than His righteousness demands punishment for it falls short of the His glory. Perfect righteousness is the requirement for God – nothing less. Oh to hear the sweet words from heaven that there in that water is God in the flesh – very God in whom the Father is well pleased. There is no spot or blemish in Jesus Christ.

To be married with Christ – to be found in Him through repentance and faith allows our hearts to hear the same words from the Father. That through the miracle of regeneration and adoption into the kingdom through Christ we are seen by God as having His absolute perfect righteousness. A true believer can also share in the heavenly herald of “in whom I am well pleased” because of that glorious union with Christ. The believer becomes and will always be well pleasing to the Father only because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. For “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf so that we may have the righteousness of God in Him”. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Oh to rejoice in the doctrinal truths of Scripture! Do we truly take the time to simply meditate on the glorious truth that “God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son”? A world that hates God and covered with sin. And when we come to the reality that one sin against God is infinitely worse than all worldly tragedies combined the magnitude of Christ choosing to come to save His bride is astounding. Isn’t it time we truly put amazing back into grace?

May we rejoice that in Christ we are safe and secure. The cross is truly the “double cure” as the hymn writer sings. Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension not only save us from the penalty of sin, which is God’s wrath and eternal damnation but also from the power of sin – a changed life being progressively sanctified to be made more and more into the image of the very One who saved us. Because of Christ, and all because of Christ God is well pleased. There is peace between God and those who trust in Christ only because of the atoning propitiating death and perfect merit of the Lamb who was worthy to be slain.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Devotional, Scripture, The Gospel

O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, “When your fathers tested Me, they tried Me, though they had seen My work. For forty years I loathed that generation, and said they are a people who err in their heart, and they do not know My ways. Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest.”

Psalm 95

Scripture

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-24)

One of the most glorious doxologies in all of Scripture, Jude ends the epistle on false teachers and the call to sound doctrine with a glorious closing doxology on the glory of God.

This doxology reminds us that there is nothing within ourselves that prevents us from falling into error except the grace and power of God in the indwelling gift and pledge of the Holy Spirit of God.

Jude focuses on God – all to Him! It is because of God and Him alone that we persevere , that our eyes are open to the glorious truths of Scripture all to His glory in the face of Christ Jesus. Only by His Spirit are we kept from stumbling – we owe all to Him! Only He, through His righteousness applied to us in Christ, can He allow us to stand before Him holy and blameless. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be the glory! To the only God – the Triune God of all creation by His glory in the face of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. To Him alone be all glory, all majesty, all honor, all dominion, and all authority!

This doxology in Jude reminds me of the Gloria Patris…

“Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
 As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.”

Soli Deo Gloria

Scripture

I firmly believe that Scriptures and the Gospel instructs those who desire to teach God’s Word must understand that they must always herald “done” before they can encourage “do”. I have seen and heard too many teachers today that are legalistic in their preaching of the commands of Scripture without first heralding the glorious doctrines of Christ’s cross-work so that Christians may rest on what has and is accomplished solely by Christ in order to be able to do what Scripture commands in respect to the sanctification of believers. We are all prone to legalism and therefore the teacher of God’s Word (who will be held more accountable) must be ever vigilant to guard against a proclamation of “do” without first proclaiming the glorious “done”!

Solus Christus!

Scripture, The Gospel, Theology

As we move through this Advent season may we meditate on the glorious truth of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:1-3)

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

“For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the  government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called  Wonderful Counselor,  Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Soli Deo Gloria!

Scripture, The Gospel, Theology

“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:55-58

Scripture

Economic crisis, death, television and radio news that is permeated with tragedy, a misguided and deadly confidence in man – all of these and more surround us in a world that is clinging to self, idolatry and government. I remember the days that I walked in darkness before the Lord graciously saved me – the chief of sinners – and how I would look out over the landscape in fear and put my hope and trust in the things of the world and in the misty promises and claims of man and government. Oh that the Lord will open our eyes to His sovereignty. May our eyes be opened to the glorious truths of His living word:

“Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my  strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.” - Habakkuk 3:17-19

Habakkuk wrote this as part of his prayer after hearing from God that He would be sending the Babylonians to dole out His wrath. This and many other events in Scripture point to the greater world-wide reality that God has appointed a day in which He will judge the entire world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:31) Like Habakkuk, we may look out over the landscape and wonder if God is not seeing the horrors and the sins of fallen man. Yet may we learn from God’s answer to Habakkuk that God is planning and has set a day of judgment – a day of righteous judgment on all those who have turned from the living One True God. May we learn from the evils of the world that sin and Satan are a reality and that we should marvel at the glorious redemption from the penalty of that sin through the One who has taken on our sin so that we may have the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) God’s timing is not our timing, but one thing is for sure – He cannot lie and He will return to judge the world. Let us be reminded that:

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but  is patient toward you,  not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Hallelujah to the Lamb who was worthy to be slain. For all honor, glory and praise belong to Him!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Daily Walk, Scripture

“All in the church may hear the Word of Christ, but few hear Christ in the Word.”

- George Swinnock (1627 – 1673)

Scripture, The Church, The Gospel

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘ Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.  You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:1-4

What an amazing passage of Scripture. In my morning time with God in His word I read this passage and immediately several points came to mind with regards to our great God:

1. We have a tendency to always look at the miracle or prophesy of people and then if what they say actually happens or comes true then we want to immediately believe that they must be from God. The world will tell us that this is a true man or woman of God and will flock to them. (Let’s face it, people flock to false teachers today who cannot even verify miracles and healings of the likes of Benny Hinn, Todd Bentley, et al.) However, this is exactly why we must stay soaked in the Word of God – for man does not live by bread alone! You see, this verse teaches us that God, in His majestic sovereignty, may send or allow a false prophet or false teacher to work signs and wonders or tell a prophecy that actually comes true – but if they speak against the Word of God or try to get you to follow after another god then we are to immediately discount them. This puts great light on those who claim to be of God but their god is money, wealth and power and they preach that you should worship and follow mammon and not God. This is a description of none other than the prosperity preachers of our day. Oh how much we see this today!

2. We also see from this passage that God can test us in this way. This is an amazing truth. God in His awesome power and wisdom will use false prophets and false teachers to test people – apparently even His own to cause discernment and discipline and likely to cleanse His church. This warns us that we are to obey our Lord, be led by the Spirit and remember that to trust in Him and “eat His Word daily” is the only antidote to the ever-increasing false teachings of the world. As our Lord Jesus reminds us – many will come in My name and will trick the masses – if possible even the elect! We are also reminded here that God works all things for our good. (Rom. 8:28) Remember that He disciplines those that He loves and may very well bring about or allow false teachers to come to you, your family or your congregation and we must be vigilant – testing the spirits! (1 John 4:1)

3. God must be first. There can be no other gods in our lives. In fact, there can be no second place in our lives with regards to God. Many people have God first but several other “gods” right underneath Him. Worse, they may have God tied in first place with another god. There are many who have a love for God but an equal love for the world. Our Lord Jesus strongly tells us that we cannot serve both God and mammon! May we humbly be reminded of the first commandment. This commandment gives us absolutely no leeway for other gods at all. God Almighty is either first place or no place. There is no middle ground. Christ is either all you have or nothing. He will not be shared. There is absolutely no place for 2nd or 3rd place gods.

4. Finally we see in this glorious passage the sovereignty of God. Here we are comforted to know that nothing is outside of God’s control – even the false teachers and false prophets. The glorious truth is that God can and does use these false teachers and the evil of the world to bring about good. (Rom 8:28) May we be humbly reminded that He used the most evil act in history – the murder of His Son – to bring about the greatest good – salvation and redemption to sinners by His grace. God can and does use evil and sin to bring about His sovereign, perfect plan all the while never being the author or creator of evil or sin. We should also never think that this would excuse man for his own sinful ways – for verse 5 of this chapter makes it clear that these false teachers will be held accountable for their sin. May we find great peace and comfort in this truth only when we are in Christ and walk by the Spirit of God – for outside of Christ it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. (Hebrews 10:31)

Father, forgive our foolish ways. Forgive us for following after false teachers and false prophets who so easily trap and fool our sinful minds and hearts. Give us a passion for your living Word that we may live for you and discern by the Spirit the false ways of this world. We rejoice in who You are – in Your awesome sovereignty and love for Your children. We thank You for Christ – for our perfect, spotless righteousness in Him and we yearn for the day when He returns for His bride with all the angels in flaming fire. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Apostasy & Heresy, Scripture, The Church, The Gospel