Paralyzed By Your Past?

How unutterably sweet is the knowledge that our Heavenly Father knows us completely. No talebearer can inform on us; no enemy can make an accusation stick; no forgotten skeleton can come tumbling out of some hidden closet to abash us and expose our past; no unsuspected weakness in our character can come to light to turn God away from us, since He knew us utterly before we knew Him and called us to Himself in the full knowledge of everything that was against us.
A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge Of The Holy

This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort-the sort of comfort that energizes be it said, not enervates-in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me...."
J.I. Packer, Knowing God

Is God punishing You?

Rod Rosenbladt on Being Saved

"..It takes more than belief it takes more than faith to really please God, He says it takes faith that results in loving others, religion without love doesn't matter its not enough to say I believe, what matters is how I love other people that's the great commandment.." Rick Warren

Sounds right who could argue with this right! I really like Rick Warren but I also really struggle with these kinds of statements, listen to Rod Rosenbladt clearly address this kind of thinking. Click Here Then Click Video

U2's Magnificent, Boston 9/20/09

U2, No Line On The Horizon
"The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven...I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity." Bono, Christianity Today

"The secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: He was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off that hook. Christ says, No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: 'I'm the Messiah.' I'm saying: 'I am God incarnate.' . . . So what you're left with is either Christ was who He said He was—the Messiah—or a complete nutcase. . . . The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me that's farfetched." Bono, World Magazine

"Bono, The Edge and Larry are all strong believers in Christian faith and at one stage were going to quit U2 because of the relationship between Christian faith and rock and roll, but then decided that the band wouldn’t get in the way of their personal beliefs." Musicouch.com

"..three of the four band members were part of a Charismatic Christian community in Ireland as the group was starting out." Publishers Weekly

Draw your own conclusions.

U2, No Line On The Horizon

Magnificent
Oh, oh, magnificent

I was born, I was born
To be with you in this space and time
After that and ever after
I haven't had a clue only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue, oh, oh

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar

I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice from the womb
My first cry, it was a joyful noise, oh, oh

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh
Magnificent, magnificent, oh, oh

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh
Magnificent, magnificent, magnificent

U2, No Line On The Horizon

A View of The Law & Justification

"When God gives orders and tells us what will happen if we fail to obey those orders perfectly, it is in the category of what the reformers, following the biblical text, called "law." When God promises freely, providing for us because of Christ's righteousness the status he demands of us, this is in the category of "gospel." It is good news from start to finish. The Bible includes both, and the reformers were agreed that the scriptures clearly taught (contrary to many forms of dispensationalism) that the Law (whether Old or New Testament commands) was not set aside for the believer. Nevertheless, they insisted that nothing in this category of "Law" could be a means of justification or acceptance before a holy God.

The Law comes, not to reform the sinner, nor to show him or her the "narrow way" to life, but to crush the sinner's hopes of escaping God's wrath through self-effort or even cooperation. All of our righteousness must come from someone else--someone who fulfilled the Law's demands. Once we have been stripped of our "filthy rags" of righteousness (Is.64:6), our "fig leaves" through which we try in vain to hide our guilt and shame, only then can we be clothed with Christ's righteousness. First comes the Law to proclaim judgment and death, then the Gospel to proclaim justification and life. One of the clearest presentations of this motif is found in Paul's Epistle to the Galatians." Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, For more on the Doctrine of Justification Click HERE

Propitiation

"Propitiation in the context of salvation means that which appeases the wrath of God against sin. So the Lord Jesus Christ by His sacrifice on the cross appeases and turned aside God's holy and just wrath, the wrath that we should have bore." Bridges
What does this mean in application to us is that if Gods wrath for our sin was exhausted on Jesus at the cross , then there is none left toward you, Ro. 8:1 There is therefore no condemnation.
In Topladys hymn, From Whence the Fear and Unbelief, he writes, "Payment God CANNOT twice demand, First at my surety's hand and then again at mine. This is the good news It really does not matter how you "feel" at any given moment the reality is you no longer EVER have to fear Gods wrath on your life it's not necessarily how we view the death of Jesus on the Cross it's how God views it.

"It is not our contrition or sorrow for our sin, it is not our repentance, it is not even the passing of a certain number of hours during which we feel we are on some kind of probation that cleanses us. It is the blood of Christ, shed once for all on Calvary two thousand years ago but appropriated daily or even many times a day, that cleanses our consciences and gives us a new sense of peace with God." Bridges
It is arrogance or ignorance that we think that we can go before God pointing to some good work or meritorious work that we have preformed, good works are right but those works do not contribute in anyway towards your standing with God, the only work that God recognises is Christs work and death.

"This standing in Christ's righteousness is never affected to any degree by our good day bad day performance" Bridges
Gods anger and wrath toward sin was "Propitiated" spent on, exhausted on Jesus at the Cross so that for all those who have trusted in Christ as their only hope of salvation never have to fear Gods wrath again in their lives, His discipline YES but never His wrath. Our standing with God is secure, often tough to belive but true.

Quotes are from Jerry Bridges book, "Discipline of Grace"

". . . the whole object of being a Christian is that you may know the love of Jesus Christ, his personal love to you; that he may tell you in unmistakable language that he loves you, that he has given himself for you, that he has loved you with 'an everlasting love.' He does this through the Holy Spirit; he 'seals' all his statements to you through the Spirit. . . . You believe it because it is in the Word; but there is more than that; he will tell you this directly as a great secret. The Spirit gives manifestations of the Son of God to his own, to his beloved, to those for whom he has gladly died and given himself." -M.Lloyd-Jones


Abba Father Dad

".... God does not shield us from the world the flesh and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstances, nor by shielding us from troubles created by our own temperaments and psychology; but exposes us to all these things as to overwhelm us with a sense of our own inadequacy ....to insure that we will hold him fast...."
J.I. Packer

Knowing God, J.I. Packer

Packer: "There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that God sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow humans do not see and I am glad! and he sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which in all conscience, is enough). There is also great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that for some unfathomable reason he wants to be my Friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose..."

"....Being Known: What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it-the fact that he knows me. I am graven on the palms of His hands. I am never out of His mind. All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when his eyes are off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment when his care falters..."


"If You Can Believe: continues Packer, This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort-the sort of comfort that energizes be it said, not enervates-in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me...."

He continues..."God spends so much of His time bringing home to us that we are deficient, both mentally and morally and dare not trust ourselves to find, or follow the right road. "

"The God who restores: One of the most startling things is that god uses our sins and mistakes to this end. He employs the educative discipline of failures and mistakes very frequently, it is striking to see how the Bible deals with Godly people making mistakes..." end of packer

Click pic of the Book in right panel to get it.>>>

Relentless Love

" It takes a profound conversion to accept that God is relentlessly tender and compassionate toward us just as we are- not in spite of our sins and faults (that would not be total acceptance), but with them. Though God does not condone or sanction evil, He does not withhold His love because of evil in us." Brennan Manning, Abbas Child

"There is tremendous relief in knowing that Gods love to me is utterly realistic based on every point of prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to bless me." J.I. Packer, Knowing God

The Gospel and the Dead Fish

Look at the fish is the injunction of,"Professor Agassiz a French zoologist and geologist who settled in the United States in the mid nineteenth century. He began a distinguished career as a professor at Harvard." Agassiz used the principal of observation over rote learning and just pure book knowledge. Ever since I read this article on Challies Dot Com a while back I have been taking more time to observe primarily of course with the things of the Lord and in particular the Gospel, but this principal could be applied to anything in this case, though, I would say, "look at the Gospel." If you had a few minutes you might find this to be a fascinating article read it here>>> The Incident of the Fish

Antinomianism

I was accused of antinomianism, after someone listen to Steve Browns , Free Means Free, and the Mahaney post, although I don't really go for these theological terms to much I wanted to say I am not antinomian although I lean strongly toward salvation through faith alone apart from works and not through the law I would take Romans 3:19-31 as my support in this view.

Antinomianism
From Theopedia

Antinomianism comes from the Greek meaning lawless. In Christian theology it is a pejorative term for the teaching that Christians are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality. Few, if any, would explicitly call themselves "antinomian," hence, it is usually a charge leveled by one group against an opposing group.
Antinomianism may be viewed as the polar opposite of legalism, the notion that obedience to a code of religious law is necessary for salvation. In this sense, both antinomianism and legalism are considered errant extremes.

Steve Brown Etc Dot Com

If you haven't experienced the ministry of Steve Brown, you're missing out, you can check him out HERE . Steve is an author of several books, professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando Florida, a Calvinist and preacher of grace. He is one who understands the difficulties normal Christians face in their daily lives with all the guilt and neurosis that goes along with our modern evangelical experience. Check him out>> Free Means Free!

United With Christ

"The knowledge of our union with Christ provides us with great dignity. As I look at myself I see failure, sin, and sometimes shame and disgrace. But that is neither the ultimate or the whole truth about me as a christian. No! I am united with Christ, a joint heir of his riches, a child of God. Knowing this to be the real truth about me lends grace and power to my life."
Sinclair Ferguson, The Christian Life, If you want to expand this thought >>> download

The Power of Justification

" The importance of this cannot be exaggerated. The glory of the gospel is that God has declared Christians to be rightly related to him in spite of their sin. But our greatest temptation and mistake is to try and smuggle character into his work of grace. How easily we fall into this trap of assuming that we remain justified only so long as there are grounds in our character for that justification. But Paul's teaching is that nothing we ever do contributes to our justification.................

"...Justification is not subject to degrees. Gods work in us is. We differ in the extent to which we allow his Spirit to make us like Christ, it is possible therefore to be more or less Christ-like. But it is not possible to be more or less justified."

Sinclair Ferguson, The Christan Life

If you want to know what the Gospel is click >> What Is The Gospel

Recovering Your Good Heart

Steve Brown of SteveBrownetc.com & Key Life interviews Jim Robbins about his new book "Recovering Your Good Heart"

Read Article Here <<

"It is the gospel that continues to remind us that our day-to-day acceptance with the Father is not based on what we do for God but upon what Christ did for us." Jerry Bridges

Knowing God

J.I. Packers book "Knowing God" has been one of those books that has had a great impact on my thinking, relationship with the Lord and theology. Packer is NOT anti Charismatic, but believes it is a move of God, however, addresses its abuses in this book briefly. This is a book I am constantly coming back to. I here just wanted to share a few thoughts of the many Packer writes about.

Packer: "There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that God sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow humans do not see and I am glad! and he sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which in all conscience, is enough). There is also great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that for some unfathomable reason he wants to be my Friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose..."

".... God does not shield us from the world the flesh and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstances, nor by shielding us from troubles created by our own temperaments and psychology; but exposes us to all these things as to overwhelm us with a sense of our own inadequacy ....to insure that we will hold him fast...."

Friends of God - Packer

"The Lord said to Moses(insert your name) I am pleased with you and I know you by name Ex 33:17. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you (insert your name) apart Jer. 1:5 I am the good shepherd and you are my sheep I lay down my life for the sheep....my sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they will NEVER PERISH... Here Gods knowledge of his own implies personal affection, redeeming action, covenant faithfulness and providential watchfulness towards those whom God knows. It implies, in other words, salvation, now and forever..."

"....Being Known: What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it-the fact that he knows me. I am graven on the palms of His hands. I am never out of His mind. All my knowledge of Him depends on His sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, and continues to know me. He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when his eyes are off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment when his care falters..."


"If You Can Believe: continues Packer, This is momentous knowledge. There is unspeakable comfort-the sort of comfort that energizes be it said, not enervates-in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me...."

He continues..."God spends so much of His time bringing home to us that we are deficient, both mentally and morally and dare not trust ourselves to find, or follow the right road. "

"The God who restores: One of the most startling things is that god uses our sins and mistakes to this end. He employs the educative discipline of failures and mistakes very frequently, it is striking to see how the Bible deals with Godly people making mistakes..." end of packer

He's pretty cool! This Book is great, full of hope and encouragement!

The Christians Assurance, Hope & Security

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)


CHAPTER XVII.

Of The Perseverance of the Saints.

I. They, whom God has accepted in His Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.

II. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which arises also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

III. Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and, for a time, continue therein: whereby they incur God's displeasure, and grieve His Holy Spirit, come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.

Can a Christian lose their salvation? I don't believe we can! I take great comfort in this truth mainly because I know myself to well and my security in the Lord is not dependant upon my ability or even my willingness to stay in Him but His ability to keep me. We,"I" stumble, and fall and even doubt our "my" salvation at times but He will never let us go, we will never be lost! Feel free to let me know what you think! staff2rock@gmail.com