Many people ask questions about assurance of salvation: “How do I know if I am saved?”
Some would answer, “The Bible says, ‘Once saved, always saved.’ So if you truly believed in Jesus in the past, you have a ticket straight to heaven; you need never question your salvation.”
So is the statement “Once saved, always saved” biblical? The answer is, “Yes, but not in the way many people understand it.” Let me explain. (more…)
See what great love the Father has given us
that we should be called God’s children– and we are!
(1 John 3:1 CSB)
This is the Good News – that the Father loves us. That we are precious to Him. That we are in His intimate family. That His love is essential to His character, and thus will never change.
If you are in Christ Jesus, if you believe in Him as your Savior, your Lord, your Treasure, if you love Christ Jesus – that is the result of the Father’s love for you. “We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19). “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
We must remember His love every day – His love that never changes, His love that never ends, His love that is not dependent on anything we say, on anything we do, on anything we accomplish.
What happens when we forget His love?
All these negative responses come from letting our feelings drive us – feelings of hurt, of inferiority, of inadequacy, of exhaustion, of depression. Jesus never says, “Your feelings will set you free.” Instead, He says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). The truth that sets us free includes the truth of the Father’s love for us. When we know we are loved – when we know that the Father has declared us righteous, has justified us completely by His grace through faith in Jesus, and thus He accepts us and sees us as His own precious possession – then we are free from the chains that compel us to those negative responses. Confident in His love, we can respond differently:
So do you feel hurt? Do you feel despairing? Don’t suppress the feelings – rather, thank God for them. But don’t let those feelings control you. Rather, use the feelings to prompt you to remember the truth of God’s love.
That’s how Jeremiah responded to feelings of despair (read Lamentations 3:17-18 to hear the depth of his feelings). In the midst of horrors far beyond what we have experienced, the prophet says:
This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24).
Call to mind the Father’s love. Have that hope. Know that love every morning – every beautiful, peaceful sunrise and every horrible, pain-wracked break of day.
Do you wonder if the Father loves you like this? He does, if you are in Christ. Do you then wonder if you are in Christ? If so, come to Him! The only requirement is that you are weary and heavily burdened! (Matthew 11:28). So repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
Friends, in Jesus you are loved. Today. Tomorrow. For all eternity. God is faithful to His character – and thus He is faithful to love us now and forever. Remember that love. Call it to mind. And then bask in that love.
[Beth and I were privileged to take part in the annual Treasuring Christ Together retreat October 19 to 21. I try here to synthesize ideas presented and discussed at the retreat. Several different talks prompted this devotion – including those by Sean Cordell, Lance Parrot, Nathan Knight, Kenny Stokes, and Tim Cain. Anything you think particularly well said probably did not originate with me! Unless noted, Scriptures are ESV.]
The study guide on God’s Providence is now complete. You can access it here (Word doc, pdf) and use it for personal or group study. Introducing the study several months ago, I wrote:
The scriptures paint a picture of a sovereign God ruling all events, moving all creation forward to His appointed end.
This raises a multitude of questions: What is God’s goal in all this? How is this sovereignty related to our responsibility for our actions? How is that sovereignty related to His commands to us – and our obeying or disobeying those commands? Does God’s control extend even to evil acts of evil men and all natural events? Does He providentially control all things?
These are not questions that we should leave for theologians to ponder. For we all face death, disease, and tragedy; we sin and others sin against us; and the world often looks to be spiraling out of control. We need to take to heart the assurances of Scripture that God is working all things together for His good and wise purposes. But if those assurances are to play their intended role, we need to understand what the Scriptures promise, and what they do not. We need to understand how and why God acts as He does.
While the study guide follows the outline of John Piper’s excellent new book, Providence, and after asking questions about a passage of Scripture assigns a portion to read each lesson (adding up to about sixty percent of the book), this is a Bible study on the theme, not a book study.
If this study proves useful to you, let me know.
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” That’s how Mark begins his Gospel. Similarly, Jesus’ first statement in Mark is: “”The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
But what is the Gospel? What are we to believe?
Consider these eight elements of the Gospel stated or implied in this passage.
1) God is King!
Jesus says the Kingdom of God is at hand. Who is king in the Kingdom of God?
God is king in the Kingdom of God.
And though we see all around us sin and misery and disaster, rebellion against God, anger at God, despising of the name of Jesus, God assures us: “I am in control; I am bringing about My wise and good purposes.”
In Daniel 7, God appears on His fiery throne, with ten thousand time ten thousand standing before Him. Then one like a Son of Man comes to Him – picturing Jesus coming to the Father – and the Father gives Jesus “dominion and glory and a kingdom” – that is, all authority. Daniel then tells us He is the king not only of the Jews, but of all peoples and nations. His kingdom will never end; He reigns forever.
So God is King. Jesus is King. No one rivals His power. As Jesus says in Matthew 28, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
Thus the Gospel begins with this truth: God is King. Jesus is King.
2) His Kingdom is at hand!
God gave Daniel that vision more than 500 years before the time of Jesus. The people have waited centuries for God’s Kingdom to come. Finally, John the Baptist comes to prepare the way for the promised King, in fulfillment of prophesies through Isaiah and Malachi. John knows he is only a forerunner, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I” (Mark 1:7). Finally, the time is at hand (Mark 1:15). The return of the King is soon.
3) This is terrible news for God’s enemies
The Gospel, the Good News, is terrible news for those who remain God’s enemies.
From the first man and woman, from Adam and Eve, all men have been rebels against God. All of us are “by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). We have rebelled by saying:
Since God created us to love Him, to delight in Him, to show what He is like, we have thus violated the very purpose of our creation. God therefore has a perfect right to dispose of us – as we would dispose of a mug that leaks when we fill it with coffee. Indeed, the Apostle Paul tells us in that when Jesus comes from heaven, He will inflict “vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
You do not want to be among God’s enemies on that day. But you need not be His enemy:
4) This can be Good News for you!
Mark says this is the beginning of the Good News of Jesus for you do not have to remain a rebel against God. You do not have to suffer the eternal punishment away from the Lord who is the source of everything good in you.
How can that happen? I can I change from being God’s enemy?
Instead, Jesus says you must simply “repent and believe the Gospel.” That is, you must repent and believe the four elements of the Gospel we’ve already stated: God is King, the Kingdom of God is at hand, this is terrible news for God’s enemies, and this can be Good News for you. And you must believe the four remaining elements:
5) Jesus is the Son of God
We see this in Mark 1:11. Jesus comes to John the Baptist at the Jordan River. John baptizes Him, lowering Him under the water, and raising Him up. Then: “A voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.’”
If Jesus is the Son of God – what must be true about Him?
Picture your biological children. Or picture your biological parents. Can’t you see your likeness in them? There is a family resemblance to you, isn’t there?
Just so with Jesus.
Jesus is the Son of God, “the exact imprint of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3). Indeed, Jesus tells His disciples. “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
So Jesus is the Son of God – but as we have seen, Daniel 7 calls Jesus the “Son of Man.” Indeed, Jesus refers to Himself by this title dozens of times.
The son of Mary, the one born in Bethlehem, who grew up in Nazareth, who taught in Galilee, who was crucified rose from the dead outside of Jerusalem, was a genuine man. Like you and me, He ate, He drank, He got tired, He had flesh and bones. He was human. Really human.
He was like us in every way except one.
Jesus is the only human who never sinned, who never rebelled against God. That’s why God says at His baptism: “With You I am well pleased.”
Jesus tells His listeners, “Repent and believe in the Gospel” – because that is the only way to be put right with God. Your sin, your rebellion, your arrogance separates you from God. You are by nature under His wrath, condemned to that eternal punishment. But if you believe in this Gospel, if you believe in Jesus as Lord, Savior, and Treasure, God takes your sin, your condemnation, and assigns it entirely to Jesus hanging on the cross. Once Jesus takes the punishment you deserve, you yourself, united to Him, become well-pleasing to God. For when God looks upon you, He sees His well-pleasing Son.
Thus, the only possible forgiveness of sins is through faith in risen Savior.
8) Finally: God not only saves us from condemnation but God grants us Himself!
John says, “I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8). That is: In Christ, you will be covered with, filled with God Himself!
Once the Spirit fills you, He bears fruit in your life: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Thus, by the Spirit God is transforming you into the likeness of Jesus. You are being made like Him now and will be perfected on the Last Day.
Thus the Gospel includes not only freedom from condemnation, but freedom from slavery to sin now, and the promise of perfection when Jesus returns:
God will delight in you as He delights in His Son, and you will delight in Jesus as the Father delights in Him.
This is the Gospel, friends. Know it. Believe it. Proclaim it. Live it. Submit to your King. Rejoice in Your Savior. By the Spirit, walk as children of light. And eagerly anticipate Jesus’ return.
[This devotion is based on part of the October 3, 2021 sermon on Mark 1:1-15. You can watch that service at this link; the sermon audio is available here.]
When do you need God? When do you need His grace, His help?
Many people think of God like an insurance policy. Most of us pay insurance premiums regularly. We receive a policy annually and file it away somewhere, knowing that it is available in the event of a crisis – if our house burns down or our car crashes, or our life ends. Having such policies in case of emergency is a comfort. But day by day, we don’t even think of them.
Now, God does tell us to call upon Him in every crisis. He is indeed our Rock, our Fortress, our Strong Deliverer (see Psalm 18, especially verses 1-3, as well as numerous other Scriptures). As such, He is better than any insurance policy, for with Him there are no deductibles, no premiums, no riders, and no exclusions. No crisis will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, whether fire, hail, flooding, or acts of war – and certainly not acts of God!
But unlike insurance, we need God on our good days as well as our bad, when all is going great as well as when our world is falling apart, when we are bubbling over with joy as well as when we are in the depths of sorrow.
We need Him first because He grants us breath. As the Apostle Paul tells the Athenians, “He himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). He has the right and the power to remove that breath from us at any time: “When you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust” (Psalm 104:29). Our times are in His hand (Psalm 31:15); He may take my life at any moment (Luke 12:20). Thus I need His grace if I am to live out the day.
Second, we need Him constantly because every good we have – whether abilities or possessions or intelligence or perseverance or friends or family or health – is a gift from Him: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17); He “gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV); “a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven”(John 3:27). List what gives you the greatest joy. Then list what makes you special. Write beside each: “This is an undeserved gift from God.”
Finally, we need Him if we are to have true joy. Jesus tells us, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). He also says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). David exclaims, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). True life, true joy, everlasting pleasures – these are found only in God through Jesus.
So praise God that He insures us from all the dangers and troubles we might face. As the Apostle Paul writes knowing he is about to be executed, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18 NIV). Cry out to Him in every crisis, knowing that in Jesus you are secure.
But don’t file God away, waiting for a crisis to pull Him out! Rather acknowledge and delight in your need for Him every second of your life. He is the Giver – we are receivers. He is the ever-flowing fountain – we are those who drink. He is the Sustainer – we are those strengthened. Rejoice in that dependence. Be grateful towards Him. And, because of all His benefits to you, hold up your cup of salvation and ask Him to fill it again, and again, and again (Psalm 116:13).
[Scripture quotations are ESV unless otherwise indicated.]
Think of the Bible as a work of literature. Who is the main character? Who is the protagonist? Abraham? Moses? David? Peter? Paul?
No. None of these.
The protagonist of the Bible is God.
The opening line of the Bible makes this clear: “In the beginning, God . . .”
Before all things – before there was a beginning – God is. He exists. And He chooses for the beginning to happen. He is not created; He creates.
Now, remember a bit of basic grammar. Look at this sentence: “The Panthers beat the Jets.” What is the subject of this sentence? Who acts? The Panthers. What is the verb in this sentence? What action is taking place? Beating. What is the object of the action? The Jets. Subject = Panthers, Verb = beat, Object = Jets.
So now consider the first several paragraphs of the Bible, Genesis 1. This chapter contains 42 active verbs (other than in sentences God speaks). Who is the subject of these active verbs? Who is acting? In 41 of these cases, God is the subject of the active verb (and in the 42nd, the earth fulfills God’s command).
God is the subject. God is the one who acts. God is the main character in this introduction to the Bible – and indeed, in the entire book. This book is centered on God.
Why does God act in Genesis 1? Why is He the subject of all these verbs? Why does He create anything?
The Bible tells us that God created the world to show His glory. Psalm 19:1 tells us this is true of the material universe: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Isaiah 43:6 and 7 explain that mankind also is created for God’s glory: “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory.” Later in the same chapter God speaks of “the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise” (Isaiah 43:21).
What does “created for my glory” mean? That last verse helps. The Bible uses the word “glory” to mean: “What makes an object good, or important, or interesting.” Creation tells us about God – about what makes Him good, important, and interesting. Creation exists – we exist – to display to others what God is like. And since God is fully praiseworthy, in order to fulfill that purpose, we must declare His praise, we must praise Him with all of our being.
Thus, Genesis 1, this first chapter of the Bible, must be God-centered. He is the one who acts. All He does, all His acts are for the praise of His own glory.
Friends, this is theme of the entire Bible. If we are His people, we are called to be God-centered. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We are to focus our every desire on Him. We are to say with the psalmist, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25, emphasis added). We are to focus our attention on Him: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
It is easy to get sidetracked from this, isn’t it? It is easy to get wrapped up in the affairs of this world or even in Christian activity and end up violating the call to be God-centered.
This happens in other parts of our lives also. Consider school, at any level. What is the primary purpose of school? To learn! We could say that school is supposed to be Learning-centered. But do all students stay centered on learning?
None of these considerations is bad in and of itself. But all of them – even the focus on the test – can be a distraction from the central purpose of school: Learning. If the school is to fulfill its purpose, the focus must be first and foremost on learning.
We too are easily sidetracked from the purpose of our creation, both as individuals and as churches. We easily slip into becoming man-centered or activity-centered. For us to serve our main purpose, we must remember that God is the subject of all creation. He is the main character in the Bible – and thus in all of history. Our purpose is to magnify Him.
We as a church must remind ourselves of this time and again. That’s why our first core value is to be God-centered:
We value putting God at the center of all that we do. We put His glory and His honor first, asking in every decision, “Will this bring the greatest glory and praise to our God?”
May we fulfill this statement in all our acts as a church, and in each of our individual lives – so that we truly might live to the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:6).
[The sermon “In the Beginning – God!” on Genesis 1:1-2:3, preached 4/18/04, expands on these thoughts. Audio is here.]
On September 11, 2001, we were living on the campus of a Baptist seminary in Ndu, Cameroon. Less than three weeks after our arrival with six children in tow (and having suffered a car accident our first full day in the country), we were shocked when a fellow missionary informed us of the terrorist attack in New York (he did not yet know about the Pentagon or Flight 93).
That evening I opened my Bible to the next Scripture in the Bible Unity Reading Plan and read of God’s destruction of His own temple, His own city. Amazed at God’s provision of just the right text for the day, I continued to the following day’s reading in the book of Lamentations. Jeremiah (the most likely author) weeps over the destruction of Jerusalem – the slaughter of women and babies, the abandonment of His people by God, the tearing down of the temple (note: at that time the temple was older than any building in Washington DC is today, and more important to the Jews than the White House, the Capitol, and the Washington Monument – combined – are to us). God had warned the nation of this coming judgment through Jeremiah himself, saying that their denial of Him would inevitably lead to their destruction (Jeremiah 22:7-9). Nevertheless, the horror overwhelms the prophet:
The LORD has done what he purposed; he has carried out his word, which he commanded long ago; he has thrown down without pity; he has made the enemy rejoice over you and exalted the might of your foes…. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!… Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street. Look, O LORD, and see! With whom have you dealt thus? Should women eat the fruit of their womb, the children of their tender care? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord? In the dust of the streets lie the young and the old; my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; you have killed them in the day of your anger, slaughtering without pity. (From Lamentations 2:17-21)
“You have killed them.” Jeremiah does not sugarcoat this tragedy by denying God’s sovereignty and responsibility. God has brought it about, using evil men fulfilling their sinful desires to accomplish His – yes – good and perfect will (Habakkuk 1 and 2). He is sovereign; He is responsible; He is good.
When facing disasters and tragedies, in our arrogance we often try to put ourselves in the Judge’s seat and pretend to bring God to the prisoner’s dock to charge Him with doing evil. “You could have stopped this, God! And You didn’t. So You must not be good, or You must not be sovereign.” But we are not wise, impartial judges; we are condemned evildoers. He is the One Who is light, and in Whom is no darkness at all; when we, by assuming the Judge’s seat, implicitly claim to be without disqualifying sin, we deceive ourselves, we preemptively call God a liar, and we prove that there is neither truth nor desire for truth in us (1 John 1:5-10). By ignoring God’s revelation about Himself (He is pure, sovereign and good!) and about us (our hearts are deceitful above all things!), we engage in circular reasoning: we assume that God is a liar and that we are in a position to judge Him before the proceedings begin. This is just a kangaroo court.
If we are to rightly consider tragedy and evil, we must acknowledge this truth: We don’t deserve to live. We exist by God’s mercy, and by that mercy alone. The only reason you and I draw breath today is that God’s perfect Son, who lived the life we should have lived, was scourged and nailed and hung naked on a cross to die a shameful, horrible death. God “has done what He purposed” (Lamentations 2:17): He did what He purposed in destroying Jerusalem, in the terrorist attacks of 9/11, in every natural disaster – and in sending His Son to the Cross. As we will consider this Sunday, “Our God … does all that He pleases” (Psalm 115:3). And in addition to exercising righteous judgment, He pleases to offer to all rebels, to all evildoers, to every one of us, the gift of His crucified and risen Son. He offers to us through that Son His New Covenant, under which He will be our God and we will be His people, and He will never turn away from doing good to us; He will put the right fear of Himself in our hearts so that we never turn from Him (Jeremiah 31:34, 32:40). To all who accept His offer, He makes this promise: Through whatever evil we face, through whatever setbacks we encounter, through whatever pain we endure, He will stand beside us. Furthermore, all that pain and suffering will work in us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
There are many important lessons from the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that we should consider on this twentieth anniversary. But none is more important than the biblical truth of God’s working all things together for the good of His people and the glory of His Name.
So join me in prayer:
Father, help us to believe this truth and to live consistently with it – to weep over sin and evil and sorrow, to fight the sin and evil in our own hearts, and to trust You throughout. Deepen our confidence in You, our trust in Your Word, so we might know that even the greatest sorrow and the most severe tragedy we face cannot compare to the sorrow and tragedy of the Cross – and the greatest joy and delight we face in this life cannot compare to the coming joy of being presented to Jesus as His perfected and renewed Bride at His coming. Save us from arrogance; exalt the Cross and the New Covenant in our minds; comfort us with Your love; show us Yourself.
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. (Proverbs 16:31)
With both of my parents in their nineties and my father hospitalized for the last month, I have been drawn to Scriptures that speak particularly to those who are aged. Here is a selection to help those of us who have gray hairs today or who eventually will have them.
Examples of the elderly in Scripture:
Many of God’s servants are faithful to the end of their lives – and for some, their key role in biblical history takes place after they are advanced in years. These are great examples for us. Consider the lives of Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Samuel, Barzillai (2 Samuel 19), Elizabeth, Zechariah, Simeon, and Anna.
Others start well but are unfaithful in old age, serving as negative examples: consider especially Solomon (1 Kings 11) and Asa (2 Chronicles 16).
How can we be like the positive examples and unlike the negative? First, we must remember God’s promises. Here are six that are especially important to hold on to as we age:
First promise: “I will always carry you!”
Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. (Isaiah 46:3-4)
Second promise: “I will always lead you and guide you!”
And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)
Third promise: “My goodness and love will pursue you always!”
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6)
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children (Psalm 103:17)
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
Fourth promise: “In Me, you will always bear fruit!”
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. (Psalm 92:12-15)
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3)
He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:8)
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)
Fifth promise: “By My power, you can resist temptations – including those that are particular to old age”
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Sixth promise: “In eternity, you will have pleasures forevermore at My right hand”
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:10-11)
After remembering God’s promises, cry out to Him in dependence every day:
First: Cry out to see Him:
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
[We must] run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1b-2a NET)
Second: Pray: “Teach us to number our days and to be satisfied with your love”
The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:10-14)
O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! (Psalm 39:4)
Third: Cry out asking Him to fulfill His promise to keep you and to use you to the end:
In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! …Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent…. For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you…. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:1, 5-6, 9, 17-18)
Fourth: “Sustain me as you sustained the Apostle Paul to the end”
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
May we all fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith, to God’s glory through the strength He supplies by His Spirit because of Jesus.
(Scriptures are ESV except where noted)
Introduction
Humanity’s ethnic diversity is a gift from our Creator, intended to magnify the greatness of His glory. Sadly, it is often instead turned into an excuse for distrust, fear, hatred, oppression, and violence. This has been true throughout the history of fallen humanity, and there is no ethnic group that has not in some way been affected by this at some point in time. However, the issue of racial reconciliation has recently become a prominent issue confronting our culture. In response, the DGCC leadership has prepared this Statement for the following reasons:
1. To equip God’s people to speak biblically and thoughtfully to this issue since the Church is called to be “salt” and “light” in the world, to “speak the truth in love”, and be an effective witness to the Word of the Gospel.
2. To provide clarity on a topic that is rife with confusion and misunderstanding. For example, there is often lack of clarity regarding the meaning of words, such as “justice”. People can use the same words, but attach very different meanings to them. Effective communication is significantly hindered when there is not a common understanding of the meaning of words.
3. To minimize the misunderstandings that frequently occur due to inadequate communication. It is too easy to make assumptions about what people think and believe, including what the leadership of DGCC believes. There is no doubt that this topic has great potential to produce divisions among God’s people, as it is currently producing divisions in our society as a whole. We therefore encourage everyone to consider one another from a perspective that sees what is invisible and eternal, rather than visible and temporary; to set our minds on the things of the Spirit, rather than on the things of the world which is passing away; to remember the eternal bonds of unity that bind us all to Christ and therefore to each other. As we discuss these issues with others, both believers and non-believers, we would all be wise to have such conversations in person, face to face, and avoid using social media for that purpose.
This Statement is intended to communicate to the membership the present understanding and positions of the DGCC leadership. Agreement with all specifics in this Statement is neither required nor expected of members. If anything in this Statement causes concern or confusion, please do not hesitate to discuss it with one of the Elders.
Statements of Affirmation
1. We affirm that our identity is defined by our Creator, who alone has the right to define us. Based on God’s revelation through his Word: (more…)
[The Hammer of God by Bo Giertz (1905-1998) is a profound novel set in Sweden, describing how God brings to faith, sanctifies, and uses His servants. Written from a Lutheran perspective, the novel displays powerful insight into God’s work and His sovereign, loving care for His people.
In the first third of the novel, a young Lutheran curate, Savonius, serves as assistant to an elderly pastor and dean. This young man is much caught up with the world: he wants to impress the young women around him; he wants to dress well; he thinks he belongs in academia and not among the poor and unlearned. During a reception with prominent people – a reception that Savonius is much enjoying – the dean receives word that a dying man named Johannes needs a pastoral visit. Much to Savonius’ dismay, the dean tells him to leave the reception and minister to Johannes. In a powerful scene, Savonius is completely incapable of helping this man who is very conscious of his sinfulness and doubts his salvation. But a young woman comes, a strong believer, who speaks the Gospel to him. Savonius then administers the Lord’s Supper, and the dying man sees and accepts the grace of God. When Savonius departs, a peasant leaves a verse with him, Luke 22:32, Jesus’ words to Peter after prophesying his denials: “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” The following excerpt contains Savonius’ response – Coty]
Two waves of feeling alternated within him. From one direction, came resentment. Did this peasant mean to imply that he was not converted? From the other came a mighty surge drowning every other feeling and filling his consciousness to the brim. This was not the word of a man-it was the Word of God, a sternly clear statement about his condition.
Not converted, supported by the prayer of Another, and yet called to strengthen his brethren! He saw it with almost supernatural clarity, as from outside: he saw himself, slightly intoxicated, red garter rosettes at the knees, stepping into the carriage in the summer night with his head full of gavotte melodies and his heart of selfish concern for his own honor. He had not thought at all about the sick man; he had had no sympathy to spare for him, and much less, any thought for his salvation. He had completely forgotten him who had commissioned him. But far beyond the pale sky of the summer night sat One enthroned who in limitless mercy had prayed for his unworthy servant, prayed that his wretched, bloodless faith might not die completely in the chill night air of raillery and jesting, but that it might be made to burn anew with a warm and living flame. He saw it all as a panorama: the forest road on which Henrik Samuel Savonius, God’s unworthy servant, was carried toward the abyss of humiliation, supported by the Savior’s intercession, himself forgetful of all that was holy, but remembered by the Holy One he had forgotten. And, in the same melancholy dimness, on another road that stretched before him like a white ribbon, he saw a lone woman, guided by that same great Mercy, rendering the service in which the incompetent servant of the Word had utterly failed. Unprofitable-but still not rejected. Had not God permitted him to administer the Holy Sacrament with his unworthy hands? Had he not been allowed to turn the key that, by the authorization of the Savior, opened the gates of heaven? Had he not been privileged to be the celebrant at the heavenly joy feast at which Johannes on his death bed beheld the angels of God? And had not God now, to cap it all, sent him this message, so overwhelming in its undeserved and overflowing grace: “Strengthen thy brethren.” God wanted to use him after all!
He sank to his knees, rested his elbows on the rickety desk, and pressed his forehead against the knuckles of his folded hands.
“Lord, Lord, how canst Thou? Lord, is it thus Thou rewardest my transgressions? Dost Thou clothe me in grace because I have so deeply despised Thee? Lord, I am too insignificant. Lord, I am not fit. Thou knowest my pride. Thou knowest that I have wanted all the glory for myself. Thou knowest that I wanted to be seen and admired, but not to serve and bear Thy cross. Lord, have mercy upon me! If Thou still art not done with me, take me completely!”
He knelt in silence. He seemed to feel that his whole being flowed slowly into the hands of God, that he was lifted out of all the past and gradually poured into a new mold, a new life and a new will which took him in its strong grip. And when God took his soul in his hand, he felt the challenge, “Strengthen thy brethren,” as an all-constraining and dominating call.
“Dear Lord,” he murmured, “if Thou wilt use me, I will go at Thy bidding.”
Now he seemed to see before him the gray, malodorous crowd in homespun, these Swedish commoners, forsaken by their leaders, in danger of drinking themselves to death, and in their desperation being dished out a few miserable sermons, concocted of fine phrase…. It was to these he was now sent, and he would go forth in the power of God.
[From The Hammer of God by Bo Giertz (1941 in Swedish; English 1960, revised 2005. This edition © 2005 Augsberg Fortress. Link to Amazon page. By the way, God’s work is not done at this point: Savonius has several more failures ahead of him.]
Coty Pinckney