As this site continue to grow in regard to articles, audio and video files there is a need for some continued maintenance. This site is hosted by Blue Host and I received this email a few days ago:

The server learningandlivingtheword.com is hosted on will be undergoing
a hardware upgrade at approximately

11PM MST Monday April 27th

We expect the downtime for the account to be 1-2 hours, but could be
completed long before that window. This upgrade will greatly increase
performance on your server and therefor your account. We apologize
for any inconvenience.

I am hoping that after tonight you will be able to retrieve information and play video and audio files with no problems.

Pat and Kay called a leadership team meeting on Sunday night. We had a great time of planning and fellowship. While everyone else was busy brainstorming and working, I was getting pictures for the blog site.

“The Bible’s purpose is not so much to show you how to live a good life. The Bible’s purpose is to show you how God’s grace breaks into your life against your will and saves you from the sin and brokenness otherwise you would never be able to overcome… religion is ‘if you obey, then you will be accepted’. But the Gospel is, ‘if you are absolutely accepted, and sure you’re accepted, only then will you ever begin to obey’. Those are two utterly different things. Every page of the Bible shows the difference.”

- Timothy Keller

Do you read the Bible from a God-centered perspective? This morning during my Bible reading I came across these verses in Joshua 4:23 “For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;
Josh. 4:24 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Now just think about this for a minute and be amazed with your God.

Here is how my mind works, (scary I know) when I come to these type of verses:
The reasons God DID NOT bring them into the land in order to:
1. Give them better marriages
2. To help them find more secure and exciting jobs
3. In order that they could raise children that would no longer rebel but would go to good schools and be successful
4. Allow them to have more social contacts and increase networking opportunities
5. To develop their leadership skills

The list above all focus on man-centered reasons and much today in the evangelical church is concentrated on these things. However according to these verses God brought them into the land for the following reason:

SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW THAT THE HAND OF THE LORD IS MIGHTY
and
THAT YOU MAY FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD

Sounds to me like God is most interested and concerned about His name, and His honor, and His glory rather than their comfort and convenience!

Let's put our lives under the plumb line of God's glory, and His desire that His name be honored throughout the earth.

• Is this the one overriding main priority to our lives as Christians?
• Is the Christian life for us about the gifts we receive or the Giver?
• Is this life about the blessings we can have or the Blessor?

just some thoughts as we head into this week - blessings,

Bert

One of the questions that I am most often asked is about Bible translations. It may help for you to understand some of the basics of a Bible translation. And for that I will allow both Michael Patton and Douglas Stuart along with Gordon Fee to give you some sound instruction.

* Formal Equivalence: Translations that seek to translate word for word (although this is really impossible). Examples: NAS, KJV, ASV, ESV. Less readable, but better for study in contemporary languages. Why? Because they will usually attempt to make fewer interpretive decisions on any text that can be understood in many ways. This allows the reader to struggle through the options.
Literal The attempt to translate by keeping as close as possible to the exact words and phrasing in the original language, yet still make sense of the receptor language. A literal translation will keep the historical distance intact at all points.

* Dynamic Equivalence: Translations that seek to translate thought for thought. Examples: NIV, TNIV, NRSV, etc. Not quite as good for deep study, but usually better for reading and memorization. Dynamic equivalence translations make good pulpit or teaching Bibles.
Dynamic Equivalent The attempt to translate words, idioms, and grammatical constructions of the original language into precise equivalents in the receptor language. Such a translation keeps historical distance on all historical and most factual matters, but "updates" matters of language, grammar and style.

* Paraphrase: Translations that seek to use common language and idioms to get the basic point across in a very readable way. Examples: Message, Philip’s Translation, NLT, GNB, etc. While paraphrases are not good for study or memorization, they are very readable and cause you to read the text differently than you normally would. In this respect, they have great value.

It is best for our study time to stay in a Bible that is a word for word translation. (Formal Equivalence) Let me give you a small example from studying the righteousness of Noah in Genesis 6, and why you need a word for word translation. As I have said on many occasions in our class “the Bible is God-centered and not man-centered.”

Look at the difference between of Genesis 6:8 from the standpoint of 4 different translations.

Bible Translations

NASB	ESV	The Message	The Living Bible
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.	But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.	But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah.	Noah was a pleasure to the Lord

The key to understanding this passage is to understand that God showed sovereign grace to Noah and it was extended to the whole world. We can see that the promise of Genesis 3:15 which is, the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head is preserved in Genesis 6:8 through Noah. Do we understand that the flood narrative in Genesis is about God keeping His promises and that He shows grace in the midst of His judgment? However if you read the translation from "The Message or The Living Bible" it comes across from a man centered perspective. But when you read and study from a word for word translations (NASB and ESV) we clearly see God is showing grace and mercy. Again if we look at "The Message and The Living Bible" it reads as if man had something within himself that could please God. We know this isn't the case because if you go back to Genesis 6:5 it says "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Hopefully you can see with this brief example that a translation can sometimes influence meaning that isn't consistent with the original intent of the passage. Again that is the danger of a paraphrase. Because in a paraphrase you are getting the thoughts and opinions rather than a pure word for word translation.

OK, we have invested the last several weeks looking at the Trinity and salvation. When we come to the cross we can see that it provides a solution for two basic problems. We can understand that we are perpetrators, and the Scriptures tell us that while we were enemies that Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) The Scriptures are telling us of the guilt that we have as humans due our rebellion against God’s holy and just will for our lives. And therefore that puts us under God’s wrath and condemnation. The words we have been studying are atonement, propitiation and justification. Each of these words focus on the significance of what Jesus has done to overcome our problem of guilt in order that we would be able to regain God’s favor. And through His atonement He has satisfied the penalty that was against us and now God declares us as righteous in His sight. I am calling this the “front view” of the cross. The second problem that the cross solves we will study in two weeks. But as we have studied recently, my goal has been for us to understand the relationship between the Trinity and our salvation. As a matter of fact if we in the evangelical church ever do away with the doctrine of the Trinity then we will do away with the doctrine of salvation.

The following is a homework assignment that can act as a litmus test to date, to check out in the understanding you have of these words. Please be patient with yourselves and our curriculum at this point. I know that some of the words and definitions are a bit weighty. But these are Biblical words that need to be understood, articulated and applied to our Christian lives. For the most part these doctrines take time to learn, in order for one to feel comfortable with what they mean. Remember 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

HOMEWORK (do not look at any notes before doing this homework assignment)

For the following words:
ATONEMENT
PROPITIATION
JUSTIFICATION

• DEFINE each word in a clear and concise way and simple enough to where a 10 year old could understand it from you.
• Give an ILLUSTRATION of this term
• SUPPORT the definition and illustration WITH SCRIPTURE
• Finally EXPLAIN the importance of the Trinity as it relates to a persons salvation. What is the role of each member of the Trinity is the process of salvation and again use Scripture to support your answer?

How did you do?

Now I want to appeal and encourage you to take the following poll. I have no way of tracking who answers what but would like an overall feel as to how you did.

* PROFESSOR GRANT HORNER'S 'TEN LISTS BIBLE READING SYSTEM'*

Each day you will read one chapter from each list, in order. THAT'S RIGHT -- *TEN CHAPTERS PER DAY*!!! Use ten bookmarks or sticky notes with the individual lists on them to keep track of your locations. On day one, you read Matthew 1, Genesis 1, Romans 1, and so forth. On day 2, read Matthew 2, Genesis 2, etc. On day 29, you will have just finished Matthew, so go to Mark 1 on the Gospel list; you’ll also be almost to the end of 2nd Corinthians and Proverbs, you’ll be reading Psalm 29 and Genesis 29, and so forth. When you reach the last chapter of the last book in a list – start over again. Rotate all the way through all the Scriptures constantly. Since the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again! Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and prophetic books about 1 ½ times. Since the interweaving is constantly changing, you will experience the Bible commenting *on itself* in constantly changing ways -- the Reformer's principle of 'scriptura interpretans scripturam' -- 'scripture interpreting scripture' IN ACTION!

After you’ve read any particular book once or twice, your speed in that book usually *doubles or triples* because you’re familiar with it and can move quickly and confidently -- because you are no longer merely decoding the text but thinking it through in the context of all of the scripture! Acts 20:27. Even an ‘average’ reader, if focusing on moving through the text, rather than trying to figure everything out, can usually do this in about an hour a day – 5-6 minutes per chapter. If it is taking you longer, then you are ‘reading wrong’ – stay relaxed, focus, and just keep it moving. Moderate but consistent speed is the key. This is "gross anatomy" -- looking at the whole body; you're *not* closely studying organs or systems or tissues or cells -- it is *not* microbiology. BUT
-- microbiology and the study or organs makes more sense when you know what the *whole* structure of the human body is like, and how all the parts, large and small, relate in perfect interdependence. After just a few days the reading gets *much* easier; in a month it will be a habit, and in six months you’ll wonder how you ever survived before on such a slim diet of the WORD. And then -- you'll tell others to start the system!

I began in 1983 as a new Christian and have now read (most of) the Bible hundreds and hundreds of times. You also need to get ONE Bible, keep it, and do all your reading in it, so you learn where everything is. I’ve had the same Bible since 1983 and I know it intimately. If you keep switching Bibles, you ‘lose’ this intimacy with the text. Find a translation and format you like and stick with it. THIS IS CRUCIAL.

When I was flown out by Masters for a 3-day interview/grilling process, the culmination was of course being ushered in to Dr. John MacArthur's private study, which is where he asked me his one question: "Can I see your Bible?" I thought he would be horrified, because it looked like it had been through a typhoon -- it looked unloved and neglected. Something from a dumpster. It was unbound, with stringy mess and paper debris hanging out. I was so embarrassed. I thought he would chastise me and recommend I get a new study Bible if I was serious about the Word. (No doubt which study Bible he would recommend!!!) He flipped through it and handed it to his wife and said "If your Bible is falling apart, you probably aren't." I was basically hired on the spot.

Your Bible is the only thing on Earth that, as you wear it out, will actually work better and better.

To open click on the LINK below
professor_grant_horners_bible_reading_system

This is going to be a “NEW ADDITION” to this blog which I am calling audio clip of the week. These will vary between short and regular length, past and present theologians, pastors and teachers. Please take some time to listen as we continue to learn and live the God-centered life.

We start this week with a man that some are calling a modern day young Charles Spurgeon. His name is Paul Washer and he preaches and teaches in a prophetic exhortative style. Before you listen to this audio clip, grab your hard hats and seat belts because Paul will not and does not compromise the truth.

Speaking the truth-Washer

This Sunday we continue in our study of justification as it relates to the Trinity. Martin Luther said that upon the doctrine of justification the church either stands or falls. In the ScreenFlow video below I cover seven general observations regarding justification. Hopefully this review will spur you on to a greater appreciation and study of this great doctrine.

Here are some of the "but now's" that the apostle Paul writes about in his 13 epistles. This could be a start up Sunday School class and would take someone an entire year to go through each of these verses. The class could be called "The But Now's," kind of catchy don't you think?

For example look at Ephesians 5:8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light. In this verse alone you have the implication of two important doctrines that we have been studying this year.
It refers to the person you once were, unregenerate, rebellious, someone who lived in darkness. Sounds to me like this particular person has a heart of stone. And here is where the BUT NOW comes into play. But now you are light in the Lord, the heart of stone has now become a heart of flesh and you have officially been "born again."
This is the doctrine of regeneration.
But also those who have been regenerated have also been justified. Which means as children of Light the penalty of all your sins has been paid in full and you now are clothed with the righteousness of Christ Himself.
The But Now is a small phrase in Ephesians 5:8 BUT it has some very significant consequences.

How about our friend John Newton who wrote "Amazing Grace." Think about the words to that great hymn, "I once was lost BUT NOW I am found, was blind BUT NOW I see."

I hope you will enjoy reading and having some devotion time in the "But now's" of the New Testament.

Rom. 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Rom. 3:21 ¶ But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Rom. 6:21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
Rom. 6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

Rom. 7:5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
Rom. 7:6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

Rom. 11:30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,

1Cor. 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
1Cor. 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

1Cor. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
1Cor. 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1Cor. 14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.
1Cor. 14:6 ¶ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?

Gal. 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
Gal. 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Gal. 4:8 ¶ However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.
Gal. 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

Eph. 2:12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Eph. 5:8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

Phil. 2:12 ¶ So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

Col. 3:7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
Col. 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

2Tim. 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
2Tim. 1:10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

studying the "but now's" with you,

Over the past 9 months I have received a number of questions about our website. Therefore with the help of ScreenFlow I have done a beginning tutorial that I hope can provide some assistance. In the coming months I plan to develop more detailed training, Lord willing, that can help you to be as efficient as possible in your study of God’s word.

Yes, I know it is a sad day when I launch Twitter on the sidebar of this website. Just so you know, I am committing some Twitter time between now and the retreat. Again I want to give you as much current information regarding Bible study, important church doctrine, current issues as I possible can.

This can be a good resource but we will decide in a few weeks if this has been helpful for your growth in Christ. I will also post some of the websites that I visit that provide good material in hopes that it will be something you might want to check out. Blessings on you as we all lock arms and use tools available to build the kingdom of God for His glory!

Just travel down the right hand side of this site till you see Pastor B. twitter updates and please no laughing.

Learning and Living the God-centered community, in an effort to bring you teaching on a continual and as you need it basis I am introducing something called ScreenFlow.
These will be short movie tutorials covering a variety of subjects of interest to those in our class.
This week my goal is to provide a preview of our class Sunday on justification. As a sample here is my initial ScreenFlow production and I hope this will encourage you in the study of God’s word.

Spiegel: Ten Lessons from Great Christian Minds
2 comments | Permalink
From philosophy professor James Spiegel:

1. Augustine (5th century): Remember that you are a citizen of another kingdom.
2. Martin Luther (16th century): Expect politicians to be corrupt.
3. Thomas Aquinas (13th century): God has made himself known in nature.
4. John Calvin (16th century): God is sovereign over all, including our suffering.
5. Jonathan Edwards (18th century): God is beautiful, and all beauty is divine.
6. Thomas a’Kempis (15th century): Practice self-denial with a passion.
7. John Wesley (18th century): Be disciplined and make the best use of your time.
8. Fyodor Dostoevsky (19th century): God’s grace can reach anyone.
9. Dietrich Bonhoeffer (20th century): Beware of cheap grace.
10. Alvin Plantinga (21st century): Moral virtue is crucial for intellectual health.

Below are the notes for today’s teaching on justification and the Trinity. Should you want to review a previous post that might be good to read in conjunction with these notes then click on this LINK.
Again I want to thank those who I have studied with through classroom, audio, video, workbooks, books and other resource articles. Dr. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology. Dr. Larry Dixon, Columbia International University, Dr. Bruce Ware, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Pastor Charles Leiter, Justification and Regeneration, Dr. Stephen Hein, Concordia Institute for Christian Studies, Paul Washer, The One True God
Audio for today’s class
Justification and the Trinity-April 19, 2009

Since our subject this morning was justification here is a related quote from Octavius Winslow

“It is God who justifies.”
(Romans 8:33)

Behold the eternal security of the weakest believer in Jesus. The act of justification, once passed under the great seal of the resurrection of Christ, God can never revoke without denying Himself. Here is our safety. Here is the ground of our dauntless challenge, ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God who justifies.’ What can I need more? What more can I ask?

If God, the God of spotless purity, the God of inflexible righteousness, justifies me, ‘who is he that condemns?’ Sin may condemn, but it is God that justifies! The law may alarm, but it is God that justifies! Satan may accuse, but it is God that justifies! Death may terrify, but it is God that justifies! ‘If GOD is for us, who can be against us?’ Who will dare condemn the soul whom He justifies?

How gloriously will this truth shine forth in the great day of judgment! Every accuser will then be dumb. Every tongue will then be silent. Nothing shall be laid to the charge of God’s elect. GOD Himself shall pronounce them fully, and forever justified: ‘And those He justifies, He also glorifies.’”

A special thanks to Anna B. who while working with Kay Jones has come up with our retreat logo.
Notice the words and how they contribute to the theme of our time away in a couple of weeks.
Digging deeper in His word and growing gloriously in His grace. As we digger into the truths of the gospel we establish a strong vertical relationship with our heavenly Father. As we continue to read and study Scripture, grace continues to grow which manifests in our joy in God, that overflows in love for others.

Normally this site just deals with issues of doctrine. But due to the economic conditions I sense there is a need to put up vital “financial management” strategies. So for those who are still looking for a program, strategy and principles to manage your money, check out the video below.

The subject for tomorrow's class is justification. Justification is an instantaneous act of God in which He thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us. In so doing He declares us to be righteous in His sight. This doctrine answers the most pressing question in all of human history. How can a man or woman that are in and of themselves rebellious and sinful ever stand before a just and holy God and be acceptable in His sight? Take a look with me for a minute at Titus 3:4-7.
Titus 3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Titus 3:6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Titus 3:7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Notice the connection between "the kindness of God, His love, His mercy as the reason given that He saved us." The Scripture doesn't go beyond this answer as to WHY you were saved by God Himself. But there are some things that He wants us to know. He did it, and He did it alone! This is made clear for us in Titus 3:5, when it says specifically that God saved us, and He goes on to point out that it was not done on the basis of our righteous deeds. There is nothing in you or me that is deserving of or meriting of our salvation. As a matter of fact if you go back to Titus 3:3 you will see our natural state prior to our regeneration. According to the Scripture we were (past tense) foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lust and pleasures, malice, envy, hateful and hating one another. Again the key question is "how" will a person like this ever be able to stand before a holy God and be freely received into heaven? But now that we have the "WHY", God reveals to us the "HOW" part of the salvation equation. It happens as a two fold process, the first is the doctrine of regeneration which can be seen in the last part of Titus 3:5. The Holy Spirit causes us to be "born again, experience new birth or regenerates us by replacing our heart of stone with a heart of flesh!" The next part of the process is we are then justified through grace alone, by faith alone in Christ alone. And we find this to be true as we read Titus 3:6-7. (Side note the word "justified" in Titus 3:7 is a verb that is written in the passive voice. If you remember from prior examples the passive voice is when the subject is acted upon by the verb. We as believers have been acted upon by God in that He alone is the One who justifies us.)

Now put this all together and see the harmony between how each member of the Trinity is involved in our salvation.
1. The Father is the "architect" of our salvation.
This salvation was designed by our heavenly Father in eternity past. 1 Peter 1:20 - "For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you." Eph. 1:4 just as He (God the Father) chose us in Him (God the Son) before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

2. The Son is the One who "accomplishes" our salvation.
The Son takes on humanity and comes to earth to live, die and then raised from the dead in order to take away our sins and credit to our accounts His righteousness.
Rom. 4:25 - He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

3. The Holy Spirit "applies" our salvation.
The Holy Spirit empowers the Son to carry out His work on planet earth. The Spirit comes to glorify the Son. John 16:14 - “He (the Spirit) will glorify Me (Christ), for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. A Spirit empowered person and a Spirit empowered church can be easily recognized because much is made of Christ. So how does the Spirit do this? The Spirit empowers the believers to have a bold witness for the gospel of Christ. The Spirit empowers repentance and belief. The Spirit awakens a dead heart and transforms into the likeness of Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

The Trinity is an essential doctrine to study, embrace and understand as it relates to the Bible and our church history. Even though we have been concentrating on the Trinity and salvation, there is more for us to consider in relation to prayer, worship and how this doctrine has been standing with no alternations for the past 1800 years!

Blessings,

In his book “The Pursuit of God” A.W. Tozer has the following quotation:

Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience, they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.

From the Camponthis blog site, for the entire article click on this LINK

1. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we have only one right: and that is to give up all rights to ourselves (2 Cor. 5:14-16; Romans 14:7-9).

2. We have the right to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Mt. 16:24-26).

3. We have the right to esteem others more highly than ourselves; and love our neighbor as ourselves (Mt. 22:39; Phil. 2:1-5).

4. We have the right to fulfill the law of Christ in bearing one another's burdens of sin (Gal. 6:1-3).

5. We have the right to be wronged and to maintain a faithful testimony (1 Cor. 6:1-8).

6. We have the right to live in unreciprocated, self-sacrificial love (Eph. 5:1-2).

7. We have the right to forgive others the smaller debt, as God in Christ has forgiven us the larger
debt (Eph. 4:31-32; Matthew 18:12-35).

8. We have the right to suffer for the gospel and to take the blows for the One who took the blows for us (1 Peter 2:21-24)

9. We have the right to be "subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men" (Titus 3:1-2).

10. We have the right to not be political agitators trading the truth of His Word to play politics with men's souls; thinking that true spiritual change occurs through legislation rather than the transforming power of the gospel of grace. (1 Peter 4:10-16).

11. We have the right to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39).

12. We have the right to be stripped of all earthly things (Matthew 5:40-42).

13. We have the right to not repay evil for evil and to be at peace with all men as much as it depends on you (Romans 12:17-18).

14. We have the right to love our enemies, do good to them that hate us, bless those who curse us and pray for those that despitefully use us (Matthew 5:44-45).

15. We have the right to pursue holiness-not personal happiness (1 Peter 1:13-16).

16. We have the right not to be ashamed of the gospel (2 Tim. 1:6-18).

17. We have the right not to harbor revenge, anger, bitterness, clamoring, wrath, malice and slander when wronged by another (Ephesians 4:31).

18. We have the right not to quench or grieve the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19).

19. We have the right to repent of and not cherish our sins (Psalm 66:18).

20. We have the right to guard the trust; and to contend for the once for all delivered to the saints faith (1 Timothy 6:20; Jude 1:3).

21. We have the right to train our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-3).

22. We have the right to reflect God's covenantal relationship with us by honoring our vows in the covenant of marriage with our spouse Mt. 19:6).

23. We have the right to worship Christ Jesus as God of very God; Creator; Redeemer; Sovereign Lord and Ruler of all (Col. 1:15-19; Hebrews 1:8; Phil. 2:5-11).

24. We have the right to present our lives as living sacrifices everyday to God (Roms. 12:1-2).

25. We have the right to live in the expectancy and hope of the Lord's return by which we purify ourselves (Roms. 12:1-2).

26. We have the right to march daily on our knees in prayer; praying for our leaders in government; our church leaders; our fellow believers; our families; and the lost (1 Timothy 2:1-3; Ephesians 6:18-21).

27. We have the right to praise and glorify God according to how He has revealed Himself through the pages of His Word (Col. 3:16-17).

28. We have the right to honor our local church pastors; for they keep watch over our souls as those who will give an account (Hebrews 13:17).

29. We have the right to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20).

30. We have the right to have no rights apart from Christ Himself; "for whoever wishes to save his
life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:25: John 15:5).

“Suppose a man should come to his dinner table, and there should be a knife laid down, and it should be told him, ‘This is the very knife that cut the throat of your child!’ If the man would use this knife as a common knife, would not everyone say, ‘Surely this man had but very little love to his child, who can use this bloody knife as a common knife!’

Look upon the cross on which Christ was crucified, and the pains He suffered thereon—and the seeming sweetness which is in sin, will quickly vanish. When you are solicited to sin, cast your eye upon Christ’s cross; remember His astonishing sufferings for your sin, and sin will soon grow distasteful to your soul. How can sin not be hateful to us—if we seriously consider how hurtful it was to Jesus Christ?”

—Thomas Brooks, “The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures”

Since we have been studying the word ATONEMENT I thought this article would be good for us to read as a class. It is by Roger Nicole, from his seminar on the atonement, I hope you enjoy!

Moved by His incomprehensible love for mankind, the Triune God was pleased not to abandon our rebellious and corrupt race to the misery and hell that it justly deserved, but to undertake to save a great multitude of human beings who had absolutely no claim on His mercy.

In order to bring this plan into execution, the second Person of the Godhead, the Son, took unto himself a full human nature, becoming in all things like his brethren and sisters, sin excepted. Thus he became the Second Adam, the head of a new covenant, and he lived a life of perfect obedience to the Divine Law.

Identifying with his own, he bore the penalty of human sin on the cross of Calvary, suffering in the place of the sinner, the just for the unjust, the holy Son of God for the guilty and corrupt children of man.

By his death and resurrection he has provided the basis

* for the reconciliation of God to humans and of humans to God;
* for the propitiation of a righteous Trinity, justly angry at our sins;
* for the redemption of a multitude of captives of sin whose liberty was secured at the great price of His own blood.

He offered himself as an expiatory sacrifice sufficient to blot out the sins of the whole world and secured the utmost triumph over the enemies of our soul: sin, death, and Satan.

Those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ are thus to be absolved from the guilt of all their sins and are adorned with the perfect righteousness of Christ himself. In gratitude to him they are to live lives of obedience and service to their Savior and are increasingly renewed into the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This good news of salvation by grace through faith is to be proclaimed indiscriminately to mankind, that is to every man, woman, and child whom we can possibly reach.

ATTENTION-ATTENTION-ATTENTION Learning and Living the God-centered Life Community!

This article came out on April 13, 2009 in the Christian Post. If you want to see the original article just click on this LINK.

However I have copied and put as a blog article in order for you all to see why it is so important that we understand sound Biblical doctrine. If you read this article and digest the stats you will quickly learn that many Christians are living in Biblical ignorance. Folks if we are ignorant of the basic truths in God’s word how are we ever going to live out the Christian life in a way that pleases God?

Is doctrine important? Absolutely, and after reading this article I rest my case.


The majority of American Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity, the latest Barna survey found.

Nearly six out of ten Christians either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that Satan "is not a living being but is a symbol of evil," the survey found.

Forty percent strongly agreed with the statement while 19 percent of American Christians somewhat agreed.

In contrast, about 35 percent of American Christians believe Satan is real. Twenty-six percent strongly disagreed with the statement that Satan is merely symbolic and about one-tenth (9 percent) somewhat disagreed.

The remaining eight percent of American Christians responded they were unsure what to believe about the existence of Satan.

Interestingly, the majority of Christians believe a person can be under the influence of spiritual forces, such as demons or evil spirits, even though many of these same people believe Satan is merely a symbol of evil. Two out of three Christians agreed that such forces are real (39 percent agreed strongly, 25 percent agreed somewhat).

Likewise, most Christians in the United States do not believe that the Holy Spirit is a living force. Fifty-eight percent strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement that the Holy Spirit is "a symbol of God's power or presence but is not a living entity."

Only one-third of Christians disagreed with the statement that the Holy Spirit is not just symbolic (9 percent disagreed somewhat, 25 percent disagreed strongly). Nine percent expressed they were unsure.

Interestingly, about half (49 percent) of those who agreed that the Holy Spirit is only a symbol but not a living entity, agreed that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches. The Bible states that the Holy Spirit is God's power or presence, not just symbolic.

"Most Americans, even those who say they are Christian, have doubts about the intrusion of the supernatural into the natural world," commented George Barna, founder of The Barna Group and author of books analyzing research concerning America's faith.

"Hollywood has made evil accessible and tame, making Satan and demons less worrisome than the Bible suggests they really are," he said. "It's hard for achievement-driven, self-reliant, independent people to believe that their lives can be impacted by unseen forces."

But a large majority of American Christians agree that a person must choose to side with either good or evil. More than six out of ten American Christians strongly agreed (61 percent) with the idea that a person must either side with God or with the devil - that there is no in-between position. Another 15 percent somewhat agreed.

Just one out of ten adults disagreed somewhat (10 percent) and a similar proportion (11 percent) strongly disagreed. Only a few adults (3 percent) did not have an opinion on the issue.

Barna explained that because of the "sheer force of repetition" many Americans "intellectually" accept the idea that you either side with God or Satan and there's no in-between, even though this idea does "not get translated into practice."

Other survey findings include a significant number of self-described Christians believing that Jesus sinned when he lived on earth, contrary to the core teaching of Christianity that teaches the divinity and perfection of Jesus.

More than one-fifth (22 percent) strongly agreed that Jesus Christ sinned when He lived on earth, with an additional 17 percent agreeing somewhat.

However, nearly half of American Christians (46 percent) strongly disagreed with the idea that Jesus sinned, and 9 percent disagreed somewhat. Six percent did not have an opinion on the statement.

Mark 6:31 And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.
We live in the most hectic and technologically advanced time in human history. The stress levels that most Americans live under are huge and they continue to rise in lieu of our present economy. I have watched and been amazed that when Americans get in crisis they tend to isolate instead of congregate. It is as if we have a built in program that reads “if its to be then it is up to me.” Because of this mentality the average Christian experiences very little of Acts 2:42, in which believers were constantly coming together for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.

Therefore I ask that you who are going to the retreat or may still be considering it look with me at Mark 6:31. The context of this verse is the disciples have just finished their first missionary journey and have picked up the body of John the Baptist. This was a very stressful time in their lives and also the life of Christ. But this is how Jesus teaches them and us to handle the stress and the overwhelming challenges that pound on us in this life.

Whenever you say to a typical American that you are stressed out they almost immediately respond with “you need to get away.”
But notice that the Lord Jesus say we need to “come away.” Do you realize that when He says “come away” it is in the form of an invitation? When you come to Jesus then you must leave where you are, and go to where He is. I am so excited to know that the Lord Jesus is already at Ridgecrest and as He has gone before us He is giving us the invitation to come.

I have also noticed that people in stress not only get away but they want to get away alone. But again observe that Christ says to come away and He uses the plural by “yourselves.” In other words He must know that when stress hits and challenges of life tend to overwhelm that we need to be with one another in community. This is one of the reasons we so wanted to put this retreat together for our class. You will be amazed, relieved and edified by hearing from others who are dealing with the same issues and struggles in life. Jesus and the New Testament is constantly talking to us in terms of “one another.” By the way as a side note there are over 50 “one another” phrases in the New Testament.

Next the Lord Jesus says for us to go to a “secluded place.” Often times we go to Disney World or Vegas in order to divert from the problems. But Jesus wants to invite us to a place where we can focus on Him as the answer for our problems.

Then He gives us a very important verb in Mark 6:31. The verb is for REST and it is in the imperative which means a command, and the word means to cease from all of your labors. I have seen men go on vacation with the family and never get 3 feet away from the Blackberry, email or cell phone. This retreat is specifically designed for you as a time of rest. It not only means to cease from your constant laboring but it also means for us to find our REST in Christ.

Let me ask you a very important question.
Is this part of your daily Christian life? Even though the job is hectic, the kids are active and the social and church commitments are ongoing, you still find the time to REST in Jesus. I know that in my own experience in ministry that the majority are not resting but are in fact striving and stressed out. This retreat is designed specifically to teach and experience the REST that only Christ can provide for life.

And the last part of the verse Jesus talks about resting for a while. This is a short intense period specifically designed for the purpose of knowing Him and loving Him!

Please keep this verse in mind as we head to Ridgecrest May 1-3. Others are praying even now that this would be a time of revival in Christ that will bring glory to His name. In this time together the subject and focus will be on the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be my goal to bring as much Scripture as time allows in order that we can see His greatness. As Scripture is being taught, the Holy Spirit will be revealing, illuminating and empowering us in a way that will bring ultimate praise, glory and honor to God Himself. And the result I pray will be a REST in Him that will manifest itself in our in our marriages, places of work and neighborhoods so that as people see us they in fact will see greatness of Christ!

Blessings

This coming Sunday, Lord willing, I am going to start with JUSTIFICATION and there will be no review of the previous two weeks. For those who have been traveling or haven’t gone to the blog notes, I will have audio CD’s available if that is your primary learning style.
Keep in mind we are still talking about the Trinity and Salvation as we finish up on what I am calling the front view of the cross. This is the view of the cross that focuses upon the significance of what Jesus accomplished in relationship to how we would stand before God. Since we are in the Easter season I decided to highlight these important Biblical words as they relate to the Trinity and our salvation. The past two weeks I have emphasized both ATONEMENT and PROPITIATION.

Allow me to encourage you to read through these notes and as time permits to review the associated Bible passages. We are going to pick up the pace a bit this week as we have the final word REDEMPTION on our teaching agenda for April 26.

Martin Luther referred to the doctrine of justification as the doctrine upon which the church stands or falls. Because it is upon this that all sinful human beings stand or fall.
In the Apostles Creed we confess that the church is holy and yet the church is holy in so far as it embraces and is covered with the righteousness of Christ. And that occurs when the church proclaims such a true gospel as the New Testament presents and lives by it. This means the holiness and righteousness of the church is fully dependent upon the righteousness and holiness of Christ and in that alone.
It further means that each individual is unto themselves sinful and we may only reckon ourselves as holy and righteous in our standing before God solely on the basis of the justifying work and the atonement that is ours in Christ Jesus.

So here will be our working definition for justification. Justification is an instantaneous act of God in which He thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us. In so doing He declares us to be righteous in His sight.

But we naturally want to ask, how can God say that we are righteous and declare that to be so when in fact we are not righteous?

Justification is forensic, meaning that it has to do with the legal proceedings in a court of law. What God does in justification after we have believed in Christ, which means we have trusted in Christ for forgiveness of sins, then God declares that we have no penalty for our sins or we are now right in His sight.

Scriptural support
Romans 8:1
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:6-8
Rom. 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Rom. 4:7 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
Rom. 4:8 “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”

However we need to understand that the forgiveness for our sins is only part 1 of justification. All that does is to make us morally neutral but does not give us favor with God.
Illustration:
A student goes to seminary and flunks all of his classes the first year and then through much grace an administrator takes all the F’s away and says now there are no marks against you. At this point will the student get his degree?
Answer - No, because that student still has to go to class and pass the courses in order to earn the degree.
Just having the F’s removed doesn’t mean that you have credits to pass and get a degree.

So by analogy when we have all our sins removed it just leaves us at neutral. There is no positive record of obedience.

Once we get our sins forgiven we still have not passed the test so to speak.
In order for God to declare us righteous in His sight He must give us the merits of perfect righteousness and here is where He gives us a gift of the record that Jesus earned.
This would be like someone going through college and getting all A+ and then you getting their transcripts credited to your account and then receiving your degree.

Isaiah 61:10 - I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness...
This represents something positive that He has put over us.

Romans 3:21-22
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom. 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).

Romans 5:19
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.

But a KEY QUESTION remains for us to answer. How can God technically declare me to be righteous in His sight when I am in fact still a sinner?

God does this by IMPUTING the righteousness of Christ to our account.
The word impute means to think of as belonging to. Therefore God thinks of the righteousness of Christ as belonging to us.

Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
It was reckoned or counted or thought of by God as belonging to Abraham.

1 Corinthians 1:30
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Therefore it is “in Christ” that we become something that we were not.
We become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Philippians 3:9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

So the record of Christ which was lived in total obedience to God is thought of as ours.
And that is why it is so important to read the gospels so that you can see this life and understand how this righteousness works.

God can declare us to be righteous based on the fact that He imputes the righteousness of Christ to us. This means that IMPUTATION is essential to the heart of the gospel.

Justification comes to us entirely by God’s grace and not on the basis of any merit or deserving in ourselves.

Romans 3:23-24
or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom. 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Eph. 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

The Bible says that God justifies us through our faith in Christ.

Galatians 2:16
nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Why is it that God justifies based on faith?
Couldn’t there have been other dispositions that we have toward God that would have justified us?
For example:
Justified by happiness
Justified by kindness
Justified by peace
Justified by truthfulness
All of these are works based or effort based in and through our own strength

However faith is the one disposition that causes us to have total dependence on Christ and not ourselves. Faith is trusting or depending on someone else.

Illustration:
When we came into this ministry with Pat and Kay, Pat said to me I will be sure you have everything you need in order to teach. And each time I show up to teach the screen, projector and all the equipment is in place. On Saturday night or early Sunday morning I have never been at home worrying if the equipment will be in the room because I trust Pat to accomplish that feat. So in my trusting Pat this is completely the opposite from going and doing it myself. Another word for faith is trust which means you are relying on someone else and not yourself.

Faith in God is the opposite of trying to be good enough in and of yourself and therefore you give up and trust Christ as your delight, passion and ultimate treasure.

That is why in the wisdom of God we are justified by faith because this is what gives all the glory to God.

Romans 4:16
For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

Once we have trusted in Christ for salvation, justification means that I am not accepted as right in God’s eyes because what I have done but because of what Christ has done for me.

In summary regarding justification:

• Legal Standing
• Once for all time
• Entirely God's work
• Perfect in this life
• Same in all Christians
• External to us
  

Brimberry/Jones Class Retreat

Friday, May 1st to Sunday, May 3rd

Digging Deeper… In His Word…Growing Stronger… In His Grace


Friday, May 1

Check-In Begins 3:30 p.m. Main Desk

Dinner 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. (meet in hotel lobby @ 5:15)

Opening Session 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.



Saturday, May 2

Breakfast 7:15 – 8:15 a.m.

Session 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Break 9:45 – 10:00 a.m.

Session 10:00 – 11:45 a.m.

Women’s Session 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Men’s Free Time 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Lunch 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Free Time Various Group Activities Available

Dinner 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Session 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.



Sunday, May 3

Breakfast 7:15 – 8:15 a.m.

Sunday Celebration 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.

Break 9:45 – 10:00 a.m.

(Time to remove luggage from room and return keys to Kay Jones)

Session 10:00 – 11:45 a.m.

Lunch 12:00

Back to Charlotte After lunch

This is an article from Pulpit Magazine. If you want to review the entire article then click on this LINK.

People often ask why I emphasize doctrine so much. Now and then someone tells me frankly that my preaching needs to be less doctrinal and more practical.

Of course, practical application is vital. I don’t want to minimize its importance. But if there is a deficiency in preaching today, it is that there’s too much relational, pseudopsychological, and thinly life-related content, and not enough emphasis on sound doctrine.

The distinction between doctrinal and practical truth is artificial; doctrine is practical! In fact, nothing is more practical than sound doctrine.

The pastor who turns away from preaching sound doctrine abdicates the primary responsibility of an elder: “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). We teach truth, we teach error, or we teach nothing at all.

Building on the Truth

Practical insights, gimmicks, and illustrations mean little if they’re not attached to divine principle. There’s no basis for godly behavior apart from the truth of God’s Word. Before the preacher asks anyone to perform a certain duty, he must first deal with doctrine. He must develop his message around theological themes and draw out the principles of the texts. Then the truth can be applied.

Romans provides the clearest example. Paul doesn’t give any exhortation until he has given eleven chapters of theology.

He scales incredible heights of truth, culminating in 11:33-36, where he says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Then in chapter 12, he turns immediately to the practical consequences of the doctrine of the first 11 chapters. No passage in Scripture captures the Christian’s responsibility in the face of truth more clearly than Romans 12:1-2.

Resting on eleven chapters of profound doctrine, Paul calls each believer to a supreme act of spiritual worship — giving oneself as a living sacrifice. Doctrine gives rise to dedication to Christ, the greatest practical act. And the remainder of the book of Romans goes on to explain the many practical outworkings of one’s dedication to Christ.

He follows the same pattern in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians. The doctrinal message comes first. Upon that foundation he builds the practical application, making the logical connection with the word therefore (Romans 1:1; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 2:1) or then (Colossians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1).

Living by the Truth

We have imposed an artificial meaning on the word doctrine. We’ve made it something abstract and threatening, unrelated to daily living. That has brought about the disastrous idea that preaching and teaching are unrelated to living.

The scriptural concept of doctrine includes the entire message of the gospel — its teaching about God, salvation, sin, and righteousness. Those concepts are so tightly bound to daily living that the first-century mind did not see them as something separate from practical truth.

The New Testament church was founded on a solid base of doctrine. First Timothy 3:16 contains what many expositors believe is an early church hymn: “God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (KJV). There, in capsule form, is the basis of all Christian teaching. Without that, no practical application matters.

Departing from the Truth

The next few verses of 1 Timothy describe what happens when men depart from the basis of biblical truth: “Some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth” (4:1-3).

Lying, hypocrisy, a dulled conscience, and false religious practices all have roots in wrong doctrine.

No ministry activity is more important than rightly understanding and clearly proclaiming sound doctrine. In 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, Paul commissions two young men to the ministry. His central theme is the importance of adhering to sound doctrine.

Paul charged Timothy: “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following” (1 Timothy 4:6). “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching,” Paul adds, “persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (v. 16).

Titus 2:10 says we “adorn [or honor] the doctrine of God” by how we live. When it comes to affirming sound doctrine, what we do carries far more significance than what we say. That’s why it’s disastrous when a pastor, seminary professor, or any kind of Christian leader fails morally. The message he proclaims is that his doctrine becomes merely an intellectual exercise.

Hearing the Truth

True doctrine transforms behavior as it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. But it must be understood if it is to have its impact. The real challenge of the ministry is to dispense the truth clearly and accurately. Practical application comes easily by comparison.

No believer can apply truth he doesn’t know. Those who don’t know the Bible’s principles for marriage, divorce, family, childrearing, discipline, money, debt, work, service to Christ, responsibilities to the poor, care of widows, response to governments, eternal rewards, and other teachings will not be able to apply them.

Those who don’t’ know what the Bible teaches about salvation cannot be saved. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about holiness are incapable of dealing with sin. Thus they are unable to live fully to God’s glory and their own blessedness.

We are all familiar with the expression “your eyes were bigger than your stomach.” In a sense that is what happens each week as I prepare and study these truths from God’s word. I finish my notes and then transfer them to Power Point with the expectation that it can be covered in class. However each week it seems that I always have almost twice as much as I actually can cover on any given Sunday.

In class yesterday I fully expected to cover “JUSTIFICATION” as it relates to the Trinity and salvation but I never got to those notes. In the economy of teaching it is my conclusion that the Lord had other plans and wanted us again to focus on “ATONEMENT AND PROPITIATION.” As we have now moved into the Doctrine of God and specifically the Trinity, here are some of the test questions to date:

• Do you understand why the Trinity is essential for us to study?
• Can you start to articulate a Biblical definition of the Trinity?
• How is the Trinity important as it relates to our salvation? In your answer list each Person of the Trinity and their role and relationship to the process of salvation.
• What do we mean when we talk about the “front view” of the cross?
• And what Biblical words do we associate with a front view of the cross?
• Can you define each of these words, provide an illustration and then give some Scriptural support for your answer?
• What do we mean when we talk about a “back view” of the cross?
• Can you define each of these words, provide an illustration and then give some Scriptural support for your answer?

The notes included in this section cover what we went over in class yesterday and also will give a preview for next weeks class. At this time my plan is to briefly cover the doctrine of justification as it relates to the Trinity. Just so you can know the importance of justification, Martin Luther said that on this very doctrine the church either stands or falls.

Allow me to encourage you to take some time this week to review these notes. We are building a foundation of Bible basics that will be there for years to come as you read and study the Scriptures. This is not like fast food service where you show up get you food, eat it and go home. This is going to require patience, diligence and prayer as you process through these essential doctrines in God’s word. It is better to review for 30 minutes each day than to try and absorb 2 hours on one specific day. Again I thank you for the faithfulness and attentiveness that I see in class from week to week. These are not easy things but it is my prayer that as you read, study and have your devotions they will be life transforming things.

Blessings



Audio for Sunday’s class on Atonement and Propitiation

This retreat planning is tough work but someone has to do it. On Thursday we took a day trip up to Ridgecrest to check out the facilities again and to finalize some of the last minute details. On the way back we stopped by Lake James so that we could finish debriefing all the details. It was very intense and hard but we were able to manage.

Let the old saints be our example. They came to the Word of God and meditated. They laid the Bible on the old-fashioned, handmade chair, got down on the old, scrubbed, board floor and meditated on the Word. As they waited, faith mounted. The Spirit and faith illuminated.

They had only a Bible with fine print, narrow margins and poor paper, but they knew their Bible better than some of us do with all of our helps. Let’s practice the art of Bible meditation… Let us open our Bibles, spread them out on a chair and meditate on the Word of God. It will open itself to us, and the Spirit of God will come and brood over it. - A.W. Tozer

The subject that we are discussing and teaching on right now is the Trinity. Therefore yesterday we focused on two important words as they relate to the Trinity. The first word we covered was ATONEMENT. Who is the Person of the Trinity that makes atonement for our sin? And as you know the answer is God the Son, Jesus Christ. The next word we discussed in greater detail was PROPITIATION.
One of my goals is to re-introduce to us in the church important Biblical words that have for the most part be neglected over the past 3 decades. Also to show how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament in the meaning of these words. This is why brothers and sisters in Christ that it is important to read through the whole Bible in order to digest the unity of Scripture. Even though I will only be able to briefly cover these different aspects I am hoping it will motivate you to greater study in these areas.

Also please note that today I will include the class review in this article instead of inserting the typical power point notes. Just so you know these words will be coming back into play when we get to the “DOCTRINE OF SALVATION.” But at this point I am introducing them since we are coming upon Easter Sunday and also because we are looking at the Trinity and our salvation.

ATONEMENT

Can you think of the last time you used the word atonement in a conversation? In general it is not a word that we use often nor are we that familiar with or so it seems.

In general the word ATONEMENT is the reparation or price that is paid for wrong doing.

Below is a simple but I think helpful illustration to get the term and concept in your mind.
If you park in a restricted zone down town to go into a store and you get a ticket, that would be considered a wrong doing before the law and you now must pay $35. This is considered to be the price for your atonement. And when you pay the $35 your status moves from guilt to innocent through the atonement made via the payment.

Well, what about the term “vicarious atonement” or “substitutionary atonement,” what does this mean?

Go back to the parking ticket illustration:
You are the guilty party and you owe the $35, but someone else steps in and pays the $35 for you. As long as they are innocent and don’t owe for any outstanding parking tickets, then the clerk will take their $35 and apply it to your account. And though you were guilty you are not innocent but this time through a vicarious atonement, which means one in the stead of another.

In the New Testament we learn from our reading and study that Jesus Christ, the innocent One has made atonement for our sins at the cross. There is much to say on this subject but let’s look at some verses that can support this doctrine of “vicarious or substitutionary atonement.”

Romans 3:24-27
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 1:29 - The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Hebrews 9:28 - so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

1 Peter 2:24 - and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Isaiah 53:6
3 He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.

LEVITICUS 16:1-10, 20-22 - Day of Atonement
In the OT the term scape goat refers to the one who bears the sin of others who is innocent.

The blood sacrifices which Moses wrote about for the nation of Israel on the day of atonement they are in Leviticus 16. On the day of atonement where the high priest would take the blood of a lamb without blemish into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle that upon the top covering of the Ark of the Covenant, known as the mercy seat. And then the high priest would take the remainder of the blood and pour it on the backside of a goat and thrust the goat out of the community and the goat was called the scape goat which was not understood as sin laden.
Do you see the foreshadowing of the scape goat who took away the sins of the people and Christ who would come and permanently take away the sins of the world?

In Leviticus 16 verse 21 we read:
“lay both hands on the head of the live goat”
that is a symbol from the transfer of the guilt from Aaron and all the people that he represents to the goat.

So he was to confess over it and it would carry on it their sins. In doing so the goat bore the sin and the guilt of the Israelites instead of the Israelites bearing it themselves. And because this goat does this the people then are free from the penalty that their sins deserved.

So when we read what Paul writes in
2 Corinthians 5:21 - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Thomas Goodwin once said “lay hold on Jesus Christ with both hands, that is with all your might and then confess all your sins particularly over Him as the High Priest did over the head of the live goat, who by His resurrection and ascension into heaven escaped from death and wrath for sins. And then confessing them, transfer them from off yourself and implore Him to take them on Himself.

Discharge yourself of them by desiring Him to take them who knows what to do with them not now to suffer for them. Because He hath done that once perfectly forever but to carry them away to an utter forgetfulness and to be thy advocate to God to remember them no more. Seeking of God not to impute thy sins to thee but to Him that was made sin that thou mayest be made the righteousness of God in Him. So to make an exchange with Christ. He to take thy sins and to bestow His righteousness upon thee.
Do you see the idea of substitution here? My sins on Christ and His righteousness now clothing me!

1 Corinthians 5:7 - Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.

1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

Colossians 2:14 - having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:9 - Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Let’s keep going with the word ATONEMENT
As we look at the cross, this is exactly what the Lord Jesus has done as the innocent one. He is the one who was tempted as we were and yet was without sin, and He is the one who actually makes the payment for our sin. Remember the wages of sin is death and so He in fact atones for our sin via His death on the cross, so that we who are guilty before a righteous and holy God, may be declared innocent.

This isn’t some kind of object lesson to show us the value of sacrifice that Jesus made as an example.
Jesus sacrifices His life through the shedding of His blood and death in our stead and thereby making an atonement for our sins. Because our sin has alienated us from God, we have become guilty and stand under His wrath and judgment. Jesus through His atonement on the cross becomes One who reconciles us to God and He pays the price so that we can have a restored relationship with God.

We first see the “doctrine of atonement” in Genesis as we are introduced to God's provision of atonement for sin in the sacrifice of animals. This is seen with Adam (Genesis 3:21), Cain & Able, Noah and Abraham each time clearer than the one before. Then in Genesis 22 God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, and we are presented with a beautiful picture of atonement and the provision that God will make for man's sin. In each instance in Genesis the focus was the individual and each time a clearer picture of substitutionary sacrifice for sin.

Then in Exodus we see a lamb sacrificed during Passover not just for the individual but for a whole family and everyone in the house. Next in Leviticus we learn that there was a Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur not just for an individual nor just for a family but for the whole Jewish Nation. But it is not until the NT that we see the whole picture the sacrifice of God's own Son, the Lamb of God – not only for the sin of an individual, a family or even a nation, but for the sin of the whole world!

So what is Jesus doing at the cross?

He is carrying out a saving work that restores a relationship between sinful human beings and their Creator.

At the same time He is accomplishing things through His death on the cross, in which there is a victory, and a deliverance for us, over the forces and powers of evil that enslave us.

PROPITIATION

The next word we studied yesterday was that of PROPITIATION. This relates to God the Father as the one whose wrath is appeased at the cross through the death of God the Son.

Propitiation is maybe the most complex and revealing term that we have in the NT in order to grasp the significance of what Jesus did for us.
Romans 3:25 - whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Hebrews 2:17 - Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

1 John 2:2 - and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 4:10 - In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

This is not a word to define as much as it is a word to describe because it has several elements in it.
Blood
Wrath
Justice

Propitiation is a vicarious sacrifice wherein it involves the notion of the shedding of innocent blood. This is where God vents His wrath against one who is innocent and in so doing is appeased or fully satisfied.

This is a plan for atonement that sinful human beings do not come up with but it is a plan that God sets up that He Himself executes out of His great love and mercy for the guilty. God therein provides the innocent sacrifice so that we as guilty sinners might have our sins atoned for by His death on the cross.

HERE IS A BRIEF WORD STUDY OF PROPITIATION IN FOUR DIFFERENT BIBLE TRANSLATIONS:

NASB Translation
Romans 3:25 - whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

NIV Translation
Romans 3:25 - God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

ESV Translation
Romans 3:25 - whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Revised Standard Version
Romans 3:25 - whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins;

You might find it interesting that the word for word translations (NASB and ESV) contain propitiation, the NIV leaves the word out entirely and the RSV instead uses the word expiation which I don’t think is helpful in this context.

Expiation denotes that the guilty ones have set forth the plan of atonement. They are the ones who come up with the idea of an innocent sacrifice. This is done in order to get out from under the wrath of a god or gods, depending upon the religion, who otherwise would be angry with them and perhaps punish them.

Whereas propitiation denotes a sacrifice not that sinful human beings come up with but rather one that God comes up with out of His own love and mercy. This is an extremely important difference. The Greek word for propitiation is hilasterios and the proper translation should be as it was first found in the KJV which was propitiation. Paul is providing this understanding for us in Romans 3:25 and the apostle John is providing the same understanding for us in 1 John 2:2.

Again if one goes back to the Old Testament it helps to understand what happens when we get to the New Testament. For example:
When John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Messiah saying, Behold the lamb (John 1:29), he is referring to the lamb of the Passover feast of the Old Testament.
When the Passover was instituted in Exodus 12 the Hebrew calendar changed and the month of Passover, Nisan, became the first month of the year. Passover was to occur on the 14th day of the 1st month of the Jewish year. Notice the sequence of events during Passover from Ex 12:1-14.
First the Lamb was Selected on the 10th, then the Lamb was Examined for 5 days from the 10th to the 14th to make certain the lamb was perfect and unblemished. What was this event like for the life of the children in the home? Can you imagine taking the family pet and slitting its throat and bleeding it into a basin to hold the blood? As horrible as that was for the children to see, it is but a small reflection of how horrible our sin is before a holy and righteous God.
But then on the 14th day just before supper, that little Lamb was Slain.
The lamb was not just slain but the blood was drained and painted on the door of the house with a hyssop plant! Then the lamb was prepared and eaten by the family. Do you see how symbolic and what it teaches us about atonement and propitiation?

As we head toward Easter Sunday:
First consider the Lamb Selected. On Palm Sunday we celebrate the victorious arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem during the feast of Passover. By a study of the events it seems that Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem the very day the lambs were being selected by families all over Jerusalem.
Next the lamb was Examined. For 4 days Jesus is questioned by the religious and political groups in Jerusalem and He passed every test and even silenced his accusers. This examination concludes on the day of his death when Pilate declares twice, “I find no guilt in Him”. We even read the words of Judas himself in Matthew 27:3-4 - Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Matt. 27:4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And after Jesus is crucified we read this in Luke 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
The Lamb of God was indeed unblemished and spotless. (1Pet 1:19) He was thoroughly examined and He was perfect. Then the Lamb was Slain.
In Mark 14:1 we read the plans of the Pharisees, Now the Passover was 2 days away, and the Chief Priests were seeking how to seize and kill Him, for they were saying, 'Not during the festival’.
But God had different plans; Jesus died precisely on Passover. Not only did Jesus die on Passover, He died precisely at 3pm – the hour that thousands and thousands of lambs were sacrificed in Jerusalem. And then the Lamb was eaten.
In Matthew 26:2-5 we read:
2"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion."
3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;
4and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.
5But they were saying, "Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people."
But God in His sovereign and ordained plan made sure that Jesus died precisely on Passover. Not only did Jesus die on Passover, He died precisely at 3pm which was the very hour that thousands and thousands of lambs were sacrificed in Jerusalem. And then the Lamb was eaten.
Is this not an incredible picture for us to show the relationship between the Old and New Testament and the spiritual relationship between the words atonement and propitiation?

Our plan for next Sunday is to finalize our look at the Trinity and salvation with a study of the following words:
Justification
Redemption
Ransom

Until then may I encourage you to continue in the reading, study and devotion of God’s word - blessings,


Due to technical difficulties I was unable to record yesterday’s class session. However since we are a community about “learning and living the God-centered life” I included an audio that is a must listen. This is Pastor Ken Jones who talks about the importance of preaching Christ from Genesis to Revelation.

Pastor Bob DeWaay will help you understand what this means as he says:

The meaning of the Scripture is determined by the Holy Spirit inspired author. In other words, these writers were inspired by the Spirit, and so [what they wrote] didn’t come from their will, it came from the Holy Spirit Who spoke from God. So therefore the interpretation of the Scripture is to determine the meaning of the Holy Spirit inspired author.

Now your own interpretation would be the postmodern idea that reader determines the meaning. A private interpretation is “this means this to me.” Have you ever been to a Bible study where they do that? Everybody gets their Bible. “Read a verse.” And you read a verse. [Then someone asks], “What’s that mean to you?” [Looking around the room], “What’s that mean to you? What’s that mean to you?” [And so on]. “Okay, next verse.”

Well, what do you have but private interpretation? Somebody’s saying I’m going to infuse my meaning into the Scripture rather than finding out what the Holy Spirit said to me through the Holy Spirit-inspired author.

The article below is important for our Sunday School Community to read and to study. This morning I came across this article from Dr. John MacArthur and am in total agreement with his thoughts on the importance of doctrine. Our curriculum this year is focused on first learning doctrine before we discuss application of doctrine. Recently I had an extended conversation with a Christian regarding the practical application of the Bible. The person has a hyper-focus on wanting everything to be applied immediately while spending no time on the foundational components of doctrine. When one is intent on studying application instead of the doctrine then you are working on the wrong end of the problem. May I encourage you to grab a pen and highlighter and study this article.

But now and then someone tells me frankly that my preaching needs to be less doctrinal and more practical.

Practical application is vital. I don’t want to minimize its importance. But the distinction between doctrinal and practical truth is artificial; doctrine is practical! In fact, nothing is more practical than sound doctrine.

Too many Christians view doctrine as heady and theoretical. They have dismissed doctrinal passages as unimportant, divisive, threatening, or simply impractical. A best-selling Christian book I just read warns readers to be on guard against preachers whose emphasis is on interpreting Scripture rather than applying it.

Wait a minute. Is that wise counsel? No it is not.

There is no danger of irrelevant doctrine; the real threat is an undoctrinal attempt at relevance. Application not based on solid interpretation has led Christians into all kinds of confusion.

No discipline is more sorely needed in the contemporary church than expositional biblical teaching. Too many have bought the lie that doctrine is something abstract and threatening, unrelated to daily life.

It is in vogue to substitute psychology and spoon-fed application for doctrinal substance, while demeaning theological and expositional ministry.

But the pastor who turns away from preaching sound doctrine abdicates the primary responsibility of an elder: “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).

Practical insights, gimmicks, and illustrations mean little if they’re not attached to divine principles. There’s no basis for godly behavior apart from the truth of God’s Word.

There are only three options: We teach truth, error, or nothing at all.

Before the preacher asks anyone to perform a certain duty, he must first deal with doctrine. He must develop his message around theological themes and draw out the principles of the texts. Then the truth can be applied.

Romans provides the clearest biblical example. Paul didn’t give any exhortation until he had given eleven chapters of theology.

He scaled incredible heights of truth, culminating in 11:33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Then in chapter 12, he turned immediately to the practical consequences of the doctrine of the first 11 chapters. No passage in Scripture captures the Christian’s responsibility to the truth more clearly than Romans 12:1-2. There, building on eleven chapters of profound doctrine, Paul calls each believer to a supreme act of spiritual worship–giving oneself as a living sacrifice. Doctrine gives rise to dedication to Christ, the greatest practical act. And the remainder of the book of Romans goes on to explain the many practical outworkings of one’s dedication to Christ.

Paul followed the same pattern in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians. The doctrinal message came first. Upon that foundation he built the practical application, making the logical connection with the word therefore (Rom. 12:1; Gal. 5:1; Eph. 4:1; Phil. 2:1) or then (Col. 3:1; 1 Thess. 4:1).

True doctrine transforms behavior as it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. But it must be understood if it is to have its impact. The real challenge of the ministry is to dispense the truth clearly and accurately. Practical application comes easily by comparison.

No believer can apply truth he doesn’t know. Those who don’t understand what the Bible really says about marriage, divorce, family, child-rearing, discipline, money, debt, work, service to Christ, eternal rewards, helping the poor, caring for widows, respecting government, and other teachings won’t be able to apply it.

Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about salvation cannot be saved. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about holiness are incapable of dealing with sin. Thus they are unable to live fully to their own blessedness and God’s glory.

The nucleus of all that is truly practical is sown up in the teaching of Scripture. We don’t make the Bible relevant; it is inherently so, simply because it is God’s Word. And after all, how can anything God says be irrelevant?