The Gospel in Real Life

We went to see The Book of Eli today. I liked it. And no, I don’t think the Book of Eli is a book of the Bible. If you can make it past the gore of the first part of the movie, it gets very good. I don’t want to give away the movie in case you’re still planning to see it, but I can tell you that the story revolves around a man named Eli (Denzel Washington) who has one of the last copies of the Bible (if not the last copy), following a global disaster and he is tasked with getting it safely across the country. That briefly sums it up without giving away anything. Near the end of the movie, Eli made a statement that grabbed my attention and is the point of this blog post. While confiding in Solara (played by Mila Kunis of That 70’s Show fame) about his passion and drive for protecting the Bible, he makes this statement:

In all these years I’ve been carrying it and reading it every day and I got so caught up in keeping it safe that I forgot to live by what I learned from it.

That line had quite an impact on me because it can be true in the Christian life. We can get so caught up in being technically correct in our understanding of Scripture that we unknowingly stop being gracious and gospel focused. We can begin to think that it is our responsibility to go after people whom we have identified as being less technically accurate than we are in their interpretation and understanding of Scripture. We may talk a lot about grace as a Biblical concept and the gospel as a Biblical concept while at the same time, not really understanding how to practice and live it. In other words, we gather the data and teach it clearly but at the same time, we are dysfunctional to varying degrees in our willingness or ability to be gracious to others who might disagree with us on subjects or issues that at the end of the day, don’t really matter. When we do this, we turn grace into law because grace is just a theological concept to be interpreted, defined, and compiled and not a life-changing experience. Just saying. By the way, I recommend the Book of Eli.

Are there people in your life with tendencies toward legalism? Do you sometimes get frustrated with them and lose patience? This short piece by John MacArthur may be very helpful. Here’s a couple of excerpts and the link to the full blog is below:

• Advice. “I would not attack legalism. I would not preach on Christian liberty. I would not assault their consciences either by flaunting liberty on a personal level.”

• First step. “I would suggest that the first way to do that is to move people off the rules they live by on to the person of Jesus Christ, and just preach the glories of Christ. Get in the Gospel and stay there until those people have been liberated from rules to love for Christ, until they have been literally swept away in awe and wonder over their affections for Jesus Christ. Rather than try to instruct them on the biblical disciplines, which again is just another set of rules, let them be lost in wonder, love, and praise over the person of Christ, and you watch those things begin to disappear.”

<<Here’s the link to the whole article.>>

The Abrahamic Covenant is a covenant of promise. The gospel was announced in advance to Abraham (Galatians 3:8) and imputation is introduced in the Abrahamic Covenant.  Abraham experienced the forgiveness of sin and received the gift of saving faith and imputed righteousness, apart from anything he did – apart from works.  Likewise, all who believe get everything Christ purchased for them placed freely into their account (imputed righteousness) apart from law or works. At its core, the Abrahamic covenant is a proclamation of the gospel and it clearly introduces imputation and justification by faith alone. Abraham had freely received the gift of saving faith and because he took God at his word, his faith, even though it was a gift, was counted as righteousness. Abraham experienced the forgiveness of sin and was justified by a foreign righteousness placed freely into his account, apart from anything that he did. This imputation of a foreign righteousness which results in justification and the forgiveness of sin, is the same righteousness offered in the gospel to us.

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Romans 4:1-5)

There was nothing that Abraham did or could do to earn the righteousness that was freely placed into his account, or imputed to him. Abraham was justified by faith alone. Paul continues his discussion about Abraham,

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Romans 4:9-12)

The message of the gospel is that a person can have Read more…

I have a dear friend who insists that, “A reading Christian is a growing Christian.” That statement is packed with truth. It was this same friend who quite a number of years ago, got me on the path of reading more consistently and expanding my library and quite honestly, it changed my life. I’m not talking about reading novels (although that is a good thing), but I’m talking about reading theological books that stretch you. There is no substitute for that kind of reading when it’s coupled with reading our Bibles. With the holidays upon us, I’ve not been reading as much and I can’t wait to get back to it. I miss it, and I don’t feel as sharpened as I do when I’m reading more. I’m not big on New Year resolutions, but I am looking forward to the holiday distractions passing and getting back into a pattern of reading good books and getting stretched theologically and practically.

I want to encourage you to do the same. Begin to build your library and fill it with great books. Read them and write in them as you read. Read a systematic theology this year. Grudem is great. His style is user-friendly. Read Calvin’s Institutes. Read a commentary on a book of the Bible. Read something by Read more…

Chapter 33 of the book of Numbers describes and recounts the ultimate camping trip. It’s Moses’ own journal, in a condensed form, of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Numbers 33:1-2). Yes, Moses seems to have done some journaling, at least on this one occasion. When you read it, it sounds as though things are moving along quickly and Israel just can’t make up its mind where it wants to pitch its tent. They camp in one spot and then seem to suddenly move, only to settle in another location, and then, you guessed it, they move again. It’s as though somebody forgot to bring the map, or maybe the GPS, and they can’t quite make up their minds about where to go next. Reading it, you also get the impression that they must have covered a large piece of real estate with all the moving they did, but that is not the case. They were confined to a relatively small area between the Sinai peninsula and Canaan. Here’s a brief sample of how fast-moving the chapter sounds.

And they set out from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. And they set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. (Numbers 33:15-18)

And on and on it goes. As fast-moving as the chapter sounds, it actually covers about 40 years of Israel’s history. It begins with Israel’s escape from Read more…

Becoming a legalist isn’t that hard. It’s actually pretty easy because I think most of us have a bent toward it to one degree or another. If you practice legalism, you are already a legalist. One dictionary defines legalism this way: “Strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, esp. to the letter rather than the spirit.” A second definition describes legalism as, “Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality.” It provides us with a third definition of legalism specific to theology as, “the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.” These are all accurate descriptions of legalism.

For a legalist, the world is black and white with no shades of gray. By that I mean there is a list of rules to be adhered to and as long as I am adhering to the list, life is good and I’m doing ok. There are things you do and there are things you don’t do as a legalist and the list of “don’ts” is often much longer than the list of “do’s.”  For example, failure to adhere to strict rules like don’t go to movies, don’t drink alcohol, don’t smoke that occasional cigar, don’t (if you’re a woman) wear pants or jeans, and don’t listen to rock music tend to be more important to the legalist than whether or not I am growing in Christ. For the legalist, spiritual growth cannot be completely accomplished apart from Read more…

My oldest daughter gave my bride a fantastic Christmas gift that I wanted to share with all of you. Husbands, steer your wives to this site for some good eats! Isn’t that in Ephesians somewhere? Oh wait… my mistake. Check out

My Mum’s Kitchen.

Tastefully and wonderfully made!

http://mymumskitchen.com/

Mike

I’ve been thinking about this lately, what it means, how it works and why it’s needed. What did Peter mean when he said that love covers a multitude of sins? Did he mean that if we love others like we’re supposed to, their sins would be forgiven?  No, it can’t mean that because the forgiveness of sins is something only God can grant through repentance and faith in embracing the message of the gospel. Does it mean that we’re supposed to just ignore the sins that we commit against others or that others commit against us? It can’t mean that because Scripture tells us that the sins that we commit against one another need to be confessed and forgiven (Matthew 5:23-25). Does it mean that if we love each other like we’re supposed to, God winks at sin and turns a blind eye to it as though it didn’t exist? That can’t be either because God doesn’t wink at sin. There is a death penalty for sin (Romans 6:23) and the soul that sins will die (Ezekiel 18:4). It can’t mean these things, so it must mean something else.

When Peter wrote the words, “love covers a multitude of sins”, he wrote them in the context of our relationships. Here’s the passage in its fuller context:

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11)

Part of loving one another earnestly means that we are quick to forgive others when they sin against us. “Above all”, Peter said, “keep loving one another earnestly” SINCE or BECAUSE “love covers Read more…

Circumcision was a sign given first to Abraham and his household and later, to the Old Covenant nation of Israel.  One purpose of circumcision was identification.  Initially, circumcision identified those who belonged to Abraham’s household.  Under the Old Covenant, that period of time from Exodus 19 to Acts chapter 2, circumcision identified ancient Israel as the physical people of God.  In both instances, circumcision was a physical sign showing one’s physical identification.

The greater purpose of circumcision was to point to the coming age of the Spirit in the New Covenant in which the church, Abraham’s true spiritual descendants (Galatians 3:16, 29), receive true circumcision of the heart (the forgiveness of sin and everything that accompanies salvation) and are placed within the family of God.  In the New Covenant, physical circumcision gives way to baptism as the outward identification that one has become a part of Read more…

One of the most difficult things to watch is when a believing friend or acquaintance becomes beleaguered, hounded, or trapped in some sin. It’s usually, but not always, something that sneaks up on them and because it isn’t noticed right away, it overwhelms them at some point and they become caught in its deceptive web and they need help getting out. Sometimes, in our ongoing battle with remaining sin, it can knock us around and get the best of us. In those times, we are to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1-2) by coming alongside and helping. Bearing one another’s burdens in a more general sense should be a normal part of the church’s ongoing body life to begin with (Romans 15:1-3). It should be normal. But how do we restore a person who is caught in some sin that they just seem to get overwhelmed by and can’t escape? I’ve found that there are two lines of thought, or two options that are practiced.

Option #1: Ostracize and Banish
Unfortunately, this can be a very popular reaction and response to someone who is struggling or caught in sin. We can be quick to banish the person and keep them at arm’s length, thinking that we’re doing them, and God, a great and noble service. When we exercise this option, we take a hard stance against the person caught in sin and we somehow convince ourselves that our hard-line approach is helping them. We sway ourselves into thinking that ostracizing them is somehow better than talking with them and encouraging them. It’s been my experience that when we exercise this kind of hard-line tactic, we Read more…

I remember watching the images and reports of the Vietnam war during prime time television newscasts and documentaries in the 1960s as a pre-teen and then as a teenager. I think that was my first introduction to the term “guerrilla warfare.” There was a lot going on in the 60s, between the war abroad and protests and riots around the country, and Woodstock. I remember hearing the term “guerrilla warfare” for the first time and thinking that it must have something to do with gorillas, since the war was being fought in a tropical environment. Admittedly, I wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. Come to think of it, I’m still not, but that’s another topic for another day. Let me throw out what I think is a good working definition of guerrilla warfare as one dictionary words it:

Guerrilla Warfare: The use of hit-and-run tactics by small, mobile groups of irregular forces operating in territory controlled by a hostile, regular force.

I think that definition nails it. Guerrilla warfare consists of covert or hidden forces using hit-and-run tactics and attacks to disrupt or destroy the regular military forces occupying or controlling a geographical area. Check out the picture that I put on this post. Guerrilla warfare is dependent upon surprise in order to succeed. Without the element of surprise, guerrilla warfare becomes less threatening. When you’re on the receiving end of it, guerrilla tactics are Read more…

Jon Zens has just released an excellent piece at Searching Together entitled, “Have You Heard…?” The Plague of Gossip in the Body of Christ. He gives us sound Biblical definitions of gossip and slander and reminds us of how hurtful and harmful they are in the body of Christ and beyond, and how damaging to our witness and the witness of the gospel gossip and slander can be. Gossip and slander are things that none of us is immune to. Regrettably, I have been guilty of both. James said that no one can tame the tongue, but that it is a restless evil, meaning that we need to remain vigilant to our tendencies (even if we convince ourselves that we have noble intentions) to fall into the trap of gossip and slander (James 3:8). James also reminds us that the tongue is a barometer for our spiritual life, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:26). I always get convicted by this subject because I am all too familiar with my own struggles to control my tongue, especially when I feel I’ve been wronged, misunderstood, or attacked by someone who had talked to others about me, but hasn’t talked to me.  Zens begins his article,

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Bob Mumford once said, “The Christian army is the only one that shoots its wounded.”  Regrettably, I have observed his statement to be all too true.

As long as I’ve been a Christian I have watched friends and their families undergo untold pain and hurt because of the incredible power of gossip and slander. Years ago we were traveling and after speaking in a church a brother came up to me and said, “I heard that you had quit teaching in churches and took up potato farming.” How and why such a rumor got started is anybody’s guess! This rumor was fairly innocuous, but imagine the untold harm done by vicious judgments on the life and character of others.

In this article, I would like to address this issue head-on. My hope is to raise the awareness of my brothers and sisters in Christ on this matter, so that we all will better follow the Lord’s teachings regarding our speech about and actions toward others.

What exactly is gossip?

Gossip is second or third hand information that someone dumps on you without your prior consent and without the consent of the person being gossiped about. Gossip can be true, partially true, or completely false. It can be motivated by good intentions, but it’s always negative personal information about another that puts them in a bad light.

What is slander?

The Bible defines slander as accusatory speech that is injurious to a person’s name and reputation. It’s essentially character assassination . . . the act of smearing someone. Gossip and slander color people’s perceptions of an individual unfairly and unjustly without their knowledge or consent. One major component in both of these sins is that the person being torn down is out of the loop. Talebearers usually avoid speaking directly to the one they are demeaning.

I will admit that I have listened to gossip in the past. At the time, the thought never occurred to me how deeply a person and their family could be hurt when someone attacks their character without their knowledge or consent.

[Finish Reading at Searching Together....]